One Piece has become a colossal success, and several creators inspired his creation that turned Eiichiro Oda into a world-famous mangaka. Inspiration plays a huge role in any creative industry, but the manga industry is especially vocal about it. Often overshadowed by the challenging work conditions, an endearing aspect of the manga industry that often goes unnoticed is that the industry is closely knit together, and the dynamics between different mangaka are truly wholesome.
The way Kohei Horikoshi and Gege Akutami speak fondly about the creators of the Big Three manga is heartwarming. Similarly, the creators of the Big Three are fond of the mangaka that started their careers before them. An instance of this shared love and respect was an interview between Takehiko Inoue and Eiichiro Oda, where both of them were genuinely excited about each other’s works.
Eiichiro Oda On his Destined Connection with Takehiko Inoue
At a time when Eiichiro Oda had just begun his journey as a mangaka, an interesting incident happened to him. He always wanted to share that incident with Takehiko Inoue and got the opportunity to do so during an interview. Oda shared that after winning Jump’s New Best Artist Award, he had visited a store in his hometown, Kumamoto.
It was the same town where Inoue attended University. At the store, Oda engaged in a conversation with the shopkeeper and shared that he wanted to become a mangaka. The shopkeeper’s response to that took him by surprise.
He replied, “If you make it big, you’ll be the second one born here.” “Who’s the first?” I asked. “Takehiko Nariai” (‘Takehiko Inoue’ is a pen name). He used to work here.” I couldn’t believe it!
Oda took this interaction as a sign of destiny and asked his editor to let him be an assistant to Takehiko Inoue. That never worked out, but it’s endearing how Oda calls it destiny. He even decided that someday he’d like to talk with Inoue about this personally. As for the shopkeeper, the possibility he stated has turned into reality. Oda has become big and is highly regarded not just in Kumamoto or Japan, but all over the world.
One Piece is the best-selling manga with over 500 million copies in circulation. Back then, for most people, it was just a possibility for One Piece to become this big. However, Inoue always had a faint idea about Oda’s success, it was the dedication and potential he showcased that instilled confidence in Inoue. He spoke about his first impression of Oda during the interview as well.
Takehiko Inoue Believed in One Piece Before it Became Famous
Takehiko Inoue is the creator of three notable and massively successful manga, namely Real, Slam Dunk, and Vagabond. Getting praised by him or even mere acknowledgment is a huge honor for any artist. Oda experienced that honor several times during the initial stages of his career. Inoue shared that when he read the first chapter of One Piece, he thought it was a really good manga and decided to follow it.
Oda also reminisced about a time when Inoue mentioned One Piece as something that he found intriguing. It made Oda really happy. This wholesome interaction is enough to bring a smile on anyone’s face. This shared respect is probably a result of the admiration for the talent they exhibit and thriving for years in a challenging industry like theirs.
Both Inoue and Oda have created a legacy with their works which have resonated with millions of fans. Apparently not just the fans, but with one another as well.
One Piece is available to read on the MangaPlus app and website, as for all of Takehiko Inoue’s works are available on the Viz Media website.
