Ever since One Piece started, Eiichiro Oda has introduced a lot of new and unique powers in the form of Devil Fruit abilities and Haki. While the concept of Haki is limited to the willpower of the character, the physical elemental structure of the Devil Fruits can be expanded, and an infinite number of inspirations can be used to create these anomalies.
However, there are still some abilities that Oda refuses to use within the ever-expanding realm of the Devil Fruit powers. One of them was the ability to fly freely. Oda was strictly against the concept of characters flying without any secondary medium, but he was forced to incorporate these powers in the main storyline because of One Piece Film: Strong World.
One Piece Film: Strong World featured the character of Golden Lion Shiki, who was a part of the canonical storyline as a former member of the Rocks Pirates. As he appeared first in the movie with the Devil Fruit’s ability to fly freely, Oda had no choice but to write him in the same manner in the main story.
Shiki’s Character Was Canon in One Piece
While Shiki’s character made his first official appearance in One Piece during the movie, One Piece Film: Strong World, he was already mentioned in the canonical storyline. Even Oda confirmed his role in the central storyline during the SBS Volume 109 when he also made an appearance in the anime series.
Oda stated:
Well, you can ‘forcefully’ incorporate the whole movie but if you do that, it won’t be that much connected to the main story. However, regarding Strong World, what I think is, the Shiki that existed originally in the main story is the same person used in the movie. Yes, he’s in the main story from the start.
Shiki was supposedly going to make an appearance in a flashback plot in the original One Piece anime series. This flashback would have comprised almost every member of the Rocks Pirates and their battle during the God Valley Incident.
However, as he made an entrance first in One Piece Film: Strong World as the main villain, the plan was dropped and his character development through the movie was incorporated into the anime series as well.
Eiichiro Oda Was Forced To Include The Fuwa Fuwa no Mi
In the movie, Shiki was given the powers of Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, a paramecia-type Devil Fruit that allowed him to levitate himself and others. This was something that Eiichiro Oda did not want to include in One Piece as it was too simple and overpowering according to the narrative.
Oda pointed out:
However, if it wasn’t shown in the movie, Shiki was not supposed to have eaten the “Float Float Fruit”. I have a self-rule that I won’t make a guy that can freely fly and float in the air so I decided to seal away the Float Float Fruit (because this is a manga about pirates), but since it was used in the movie, I have to use it now on the original work. LOL. It’s true that a strange ‘reverse importation’ has occurred.’
Oda’s way of creating a Devil Fruit ability is a lot more complex than just handing over a power straight away. Thus, he did not like the idea of using the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi but was forced to include it.
However, it never made it officially to the One Piece anime series as Oda has yet to reveal the old piracy era when Shiki and Rocks were ruling the seas.
One Piece is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
