"Believe in your dreams, they may come true" said Martin Luther King. These words resonate strongly in the journey of Eiichiro Oda, who from the age of 4, already dreamed of becoming a mangaka. From his first steps in the world of manga to sales records, his journey embodies a rare perseverance. Cartoon Toi lets you discover the story of the mysterious creator of One Piece, from simple enthusiast to manga legend .
The Rise of Eiichiro Oda
A promising start with Wanted!
Eiichiro Oda was born on January 1, 1975 in Kumamoto, Japan. His father introduced him to manga at a very early age with The Monster Kid (Kaibutsu-kun) and Vic the Viking , which probably gave him this passion for pirates . But it was by discovering the world of Akira Toriyama with the manga Dragon Ball that the young Eiichiro found his vocation: he wanted to write manga.
At just 17 years old , Oda won the 44th Tezuka Prize for Wanted! , a short story set during the conquest of the West, featuring Gill Bastar, a legendary cowboy with a price on his head. Even though it is a western, we can already see the beginnings of the famous wanted posters in One Piece.
His years at Weekly Shonen Jump
In 1994, Eiichiro decided to abandon his studies in architecture and joined the staff of Weekly Shōnen Jump . He became the assistant of several mangakas like Shinobu Kaitani and Nobuhiro Watsuki . This was a key moment in his career because in addition to learning alongside the best. He would publish two new titles there: Monsters in the Autumn Special 1994 and Romance Dawn in the Summer Special 1996.
In this last work, we follow the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy , a boy who dreams of becoming the king of the pirates . After eating a devil fruit , his body becomes elastic and he sets out on a quest to find treasure. A year later, in 1997, Oda published the second part of Romance Dawn , under the name One Piece . Despite several initial rejections, the manga ended up being published in Weekly Shōnen Jump and was an immediate success.
The success of the One Piece phenomenon
Quickly, readers of the Weekly Shōnen Jump falls under the spell of the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates . The manga's bound volumes begin to be published by Shueisha and a solid fan base begins to build.
In 1999, the anime adaptation of One Piece was first broadcast in Japan. Produced by Toei Animation , the anime played a crucial role in the franchise's international success. Oda reached an even wider audience and his talent was recognized by all. The manga quickly became the number 1 manga sales and the world reference for the shonen genre.
In 2006, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of One Piece, he published the manga Cross Epoch on Christmas Day, in collaboration with his long-time idol, Akira Toriyama. It is a fusion of the One Piece universe with that of Dragon Ball in a unique crossover adventure. Oda is now in the big leagues!
He will also collaborate again in 2011 with the creator of the manga Toriko, Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro, proof that Oda is a true enthusiast and that he is ready to innovate.
Luffy, Zoro, Ryuma... Who inspired the characters of One Piece?
Oda appreciates subtle references and does not hesitate to integrate his inspirations into his stories. For example, Ryuma, the main character of Monsters, one of his first works, appears in One Piece. But the most fascinating thing is the references he draws inspiration from to create his characters: historical figures, movie personalities and even music.
For example, to create Roronoa Zoro , Oda was inspired by François l'Olonnais, a 17th-century French pirate. Despite his nickname "François the Cruel" due to his cruelty, it was his mastery of the sword that influenced Luffy's companion. To create Sanji , he was inspired by American actor Steve Buscemi . For Nami , by Winona Ryder and for Coby , by Leonardo DiCaprio .
Although he sees all his characters as his children, one might think that he particularly likes the heroes of his work. Yet, surprisingly, Eiichiro Oda's favorite character is none other than Gaimon . But he also has a special affection for Buggy the Clown , his favorite villain in One Piece.
Eiichiro Oda's Records: The Most Famous Mangaka in History
In his nearly thirty-year career, Oda has set several impressive records thanks to the phenomenal success of One Piece. Here are the main records associated with him and his work:
One Piece adapted into a Netflix series
Netflix couldn't ignore the One Piece phenomenon and in 2020, they announced that they were working on a live-action series . At first, fans were all skeptical, thinking that it would be yet another commercial series. But Eiichiro Oda reassured everyone by stating that he was involved in the project as an executive producer . He made a promise: The series will remain faithful to the spirit of the original work.
In a promotional video released by Netflix, we witness an emotional meeting between Iñaki Godoy , the actor who plays Monkey D. Luffy in the series, and Oda . Known for his discretion and the few interviews he gives, Oda has his face hidden throughout the video. We see a strong bond between the two men and Oda tells Iñaki Godoy that he saw no one else but him to play Luffy.
This speaks volumes about his involvement in the production of the Netflix series released in 2023, which was ultimately well received by the public . The video ends with a symbolic gesture from Oda knighting Godoy with Luffy's straw hat ... Nice wink!
What future for One Piece and Eiichiro Oda?
What if we told you that this series released in 2023 was just the beginning of his collaboration with Netflix... Indeed, for 2024, a remake of the anime One Piece , renamed THE ONE PIECE , should land on the streaming platform. And the good news is that Oda will be back at the helm . Production, meanwhile, will be handled by Wit Studio , who produced the first episodes of Attack on Titan. According to Oda, the goal of this remake is to modernize One Piece , with a release planned in a few years.
During the last Jump Festa , Oda revealed that a special project was in the works to celebrate the 25th anniversary of One Piece in 2024. We are all curious and we wonder what the continuation of the Egghead Arc will look like. And to excite fans even more, Oda teased a major confrontation between two main characters... To be continued!
All books by Eiichiro Oda
| Title | Exit | Theme | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Wanted!  |
1992 | Western | Short story featuring Gill Bastar, a reluctant outlaw in the Wild West. |
|
A divine gift  |
1993 | Fantastic | Bran, a young pickpocket, gets a chance at redemption when he must stop a meteor from destroying a department store. |
|
The Lonely Demon  |
1994 | Monster | Guko, a monk, must face a monster to save a village, testing his courage. |
|
Monsters  |
1994 | Samurai | Ryuma, a samurai, finds himself fighting a dragon manipulated by criminals. |
|
Romance Dawn
|
1996 | Pirate | Pre-release versions of One Piece where Monkey D. Luffy faces various challenges on his way to becoming a pirate. |
|
One Piece  |
1997 - present | Pirate | Monkey D. Luffy aspires to become the Pirate King. After eating a devil fruit, he recruits a crew to search for the One Piece. |
|
Cross Epoch  |
2007 | Cross-over / Fantasy | Collaboration between Oda and Toriyama, mixing the universes of One Piece and Dragon Ball. |
|
Jisshoku! Akuma no Mi!!  |
2011 | Cross-over / Culinary | Crossover with Toriko, where characters from both series interact around the concept of devil fruits. |
Eiichiro Oda's Rewards
- 1992 : 44th Tezuka Prize with Wanted!
- 1993 : Hop☆Step Award for Ikki Yakō
- 2000 : Finalist for the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize with One Piece (and also finalist in 2001 and 2002)
- 2005 : Sondermann Award in the Manga International category for One Piece
- 2006 : Selection of the 100 Mangas of the Japanese Media Arts Festival for One Piece
- 2008 & 2009 : Sondermann Award in the International Manga category for volumes 44 and 48 of One Piece , respectively
- 2011 : Peng Award for Best East Asian Manga with One Piece
- 2012 : Grand Prize at the 41st Japan Cartoonists Association Award for One Piece
- 2015 : Guinness World Record for the most copies published for the same comic book series by a single author, with 320,866,000 copies of One Piece printed worldwide as of December 2014
- 2018 : Kumamoto Prefecture Honor Award
- 2019 : Most Searched Author at Yahoo! Japan Search Awards
- 2019 : Included in Newsweek Japan's list of 100 World-Respected Japanese
- 2022 : Special Lifetime Achievement Award at Napoli Comicon 2022 in Italy
- 2022 : Guinness World Record for the most copies published for the same comic book series by a single author, with 516,566,000 copies of One Piece printed worldwide as of July 2022
- 2023 : Shin Watanabe Award, recognizing his contribution to the development of pop culture, notably for his work on the film One Piece Film Red
Eiichiro Oda's Influence on the Manga World
His relationship with other mangakas
Eiichiro Oda has often been pitted against Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto . And for good reason, they are the two most-watched anime of the last 20 years. In 2015, they met during a joint interview for Anime News Network and we learn more about their relationship.
In reality, the two mangakas who met at a New Year's party at Shonen Jump have been friends for a long time . Oda even reveals that he considered integrating elements of Naruto into One Piece to pay homage to the end of Kishimoto's series. Despite the competition between their series, Oda and Kishimoto have always supported each other .
Eiichiro Oda also expressed his admiration for Gege Akutami, the author of Jujutsu Kaisen. At the 105th Tezuka Manga Awards, he called him a reliable person and praised his kindness.
How Oda contributed to the international popularity of manga
Today, manga is one of the most widely read literary genres in the world , and Eiichiro Oda is a big part of that. With over 100 volumes of One Piece to his credit, he is one of the most prolific mangakas of the 21st century . Given the number of sales, it is certain that many readers discovered manga with One Piece .
Through its sales records, its adaptations into anime, series, films and derivative products, it has widely promoted the manga genre internationally . It has influenced the entire industry and inspired other creators who dream of having the same destiny .
The Private Life of Eiichiro Oda
Why doesn't Eiichiro Oda show his face?
Oda is known for his private life. His public appearances are rare and he never shows his face in the media. This allows him to focus on his work without the pressure that can come with fame. But it also helps give him a more mysterious image, ensuring that fans' attention remains on One Piece and not on him.
During his rare interviews or official communications, he appears with a fish avatar , so as not to have his face blurred. This fish image has now become emblematic... it's a bit like his signature . Proof that Oda doesn't take himself too seriously.
Who is Chiaki? Inaba, Oda's wife?
Behind every great man, there is a woman and Eiichiro Oda is no exception. Since November 7, 2004, he has been married to Chiaki Inaba , a former Japanese model. Chiaki Inaba has been successively "Gravure Idol", "Race Queen", "Campaign Girl" and "Tarento" during her appearances on Japanese TV .
They met at Jump Festa in 2002 when Chiaki Inaba was performing as Nami in a live performance. Chiaki Inaba gave birth to their first daughter in 2006, followed by their second daughter in 2009. This family life brings balance to Oda's busy life. Chiaki Inaba, too, has chosen to stay out of the spotlight , ending her modeling career shortly after they met.
His life in Nerima, Japan
After leaving to study at the University of Tokyo , Oda never left the Japanese capital again. He also realized one of his childhood dreams by buying a mansion in Nerima , the Tokyo district known for being the birthplace of anime . We imagine that the mangaka needs peace and quiet to write the sequel to One Piece and what better than a large mansion for that?
Who is the richest mangaka? Eiichiro Oda's net worth
Being the creator of the best-selling manga in history, we suspect that Oda is among the richest mangakas. His fortune is estimated between 200 and 230 million euros . In comparison, the fortune of his idol, Toriyama is estimated at around 55 million euros. So yes, Oda is indeed the richest mangaka in the world ... and by far!
Eiichiro Oda's Humanitarian Actions
But that doesn't mean Oda has forgotten where he comes from... quite the contrary. While his hometown of Kumamato was hit by violent earthquakes in 2016 , the mangaka donated 800 million yen (5 million euros) for the reconstruction of the city. This earned him the title of honorary citizen of Kumamato prefecture in 2018.
To mark the occasion, the city even built him a bronze statue of Luffy , the hero of his flagship work One Piece. Moreover, other statues of the Straw Hat crew will soon be built in Kumamato to pay tribute to him.
Some quotes from Eiichiro Oda
"Remember to smile in every situation. As long as you are alive, there will be better things later, and there will be many."
"It's not about whether I can! I do this because I want to... If I have to die fighting for it, then I will die."
"But remember, when it comes to friendship, it's not how much time you spend with them, but how you spend it!"
“To surpass the best to be the best.”
