One Piece fans will sadly have to wait till April 2025 to see the return of the Straw Hat Pirates after Toei Animation announces an unexpected six-month hiatus. For over 25 years, Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has been enthralling fans without a single dull moment. Indeed, a break is essential for this remarkable anime to preserve its legacy.
Despite the long list of 1000+ chapters and manga, Oda-sensei has yet to unveil several mysteries of the One Piece world, keeping fans eagerly anticipating. With the manga nearing its conclusion, fans fear that the Oda-sensei’s masterpiece might fail to uphold its legacy, much like Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto.
How One Piece Could Struggle Like Naruto to Uphold its Legacy in the Final Saga
Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto secured its place in the “Big Three” with its incredible character designs, dynamic combat system, unforgettable dialogue, and countless epic moments. Kishimoto is one of the greatest manga authors and is known for his dedication to character development and suitable backstories.
From the captivating plot to the awesome characters, there is a lot to love about this series even nearly a decade after its conclusion. Over the years, Naruto fans have not only experienced the heartbreaking deaths of beloved characters but also explored the darker aspects of the ninja world in depth.
Besides Naruto‘s deep exploration of the shinobi world and the powerful Jutsu, Kishimoto also examined the complexities of morality, leaving viewers mesmerized by the legendary mangaka’s narrative mastery.
Owing to Naruto‘s massive impact, fans often compare the iconic shonen series to One Piece, sparking endless debates over which anime is superior. Interestingly, similar to Eiichiro Oda, Masashi Kishimoto also crafted the ending way before its serialization. In an interview, he revealed:
Yes, I have the last episode clearly drawn in my mind. I’ve already decided on the layout, text, and scenes. Not just the story ideas, but the visual ideas are solid. All I have to do is just head toward the ending I have, but there are still so many things that need to be resolved before reaching that point. Maybe I have thrown in too many ideas, so I need to wrap them up neatly.
Despite being dead-set about the ending, Masashi Kishimoto failed to leave a lasting impression and ended up with a divisive finale. Naturally, with the growing popularity, it becomes harder for any creator to end the series while meeting every fan’s expectations.
Though the chances are slim, Oda-sensei could still face similar challenges, despite having planned the ending for decades.
How Naruto Overtook One Piece in Western Fandom
Masashi Kishimoto‘s Naruto captivated an entire generation thanks to the series’ mind-boggling world-building and terrific action scenes. Although Kishimoto’s manga debuted later after One Piece, the series received a lot of support from overseas in comparison to Japan.
Interestingly, Naruto‘s editor revealed the hidden secret behind the anime’s success among Western fans and highlighted the importance of complex drama, which some fans overlooked. Yahagi Kosuke, who worked alongside Masashi Kishimoto, supported One Piece as a supreme anime.
He revealed the key factor behind One Piece‘s immense popularity is the drama, where the mangaka explores complex themes and touches on gray areas. However, Kishimoto’s work mostly focuses on the plot and intense action scenes, which align perfectly with several Western fans’ interests.
Do you agree with Yahagi Kosuke’s comment?
One Piece and Naruto both are available to stream on Crunchyroll.
