“Believe in your dreams, they might just come true,” said Martin Luther King. These words strongly resonate with the journey of Eiichiro Oda, who, from the age of four, already dreamed of becoming a manga artist. From his first steps in the world of manga to his sales records, his story embodies a rare perseverance. Cartoon Toi takes you through the life of the mysterious creator of One Piece, from a simple enthusiast to a legend in manga.
Eiichiro Oda’s Rise
Promising Beginnings with Wanted!
Eiichiro Oda was born on January 1, 1975, in Kumamoto, Japan. He discovered manga very early, thanks to his father introducing him to The Monster Kid (Kaibutsu-kun) and Vicky the Viking, which likely sparked his passion for pirates. But it was discovering Akira Toriyama’s universe through the manga Dragon Ball that led young Eiichiro to find his calling: he wanted to create manga.
At just 17 years old, Oda received the 44th Tezuka Award for Wanted!, a short story set during the American West era featuring Gill Bastar, a legendary cowboy with a bounty on his head. Even though it’s a western, you can already see early hints of the famous wanted posters from One Piece.
His Years at Weekly Shonen Jump
In 1994, Eiichiro decided to leave his architecture studies and joined the Weekly Shōnen Jump team. He became an assistant to several manga artists such as Shinobu Kaitani and Nobuhiro Watsuki. This period was key in his career, as he learned alongside top professionals. He also published two new titles: Monsters in the Autumn Special 1994 and Romance Dawn in the Summer Special 1996.
This last work focuses on the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a boy who dreams of becoming the Pirate King. After eating a Devil Fruit, his body becomes elastic, and he sets out on a quest to find treasure. One year later, in 1997, Oda published the second part of Romance Dawn under the name One Piece. Despite several initial rejections, the manga was eventually published in Weekly Shōnen Jump and was an instant hit.
The Success of the One Piece Phenomenon
Readers of Weekly Shōnen Jump quickly fell in love with the adventures of the Straw Hat crew. The collected volumes of the manga began to be published by Shueisha, and a solid fan base started to form.
In 1999, the anime adaptation of One Piece was broadcast for the first time in Japan. Produced by Toei Animation, the anime played a crucial role in the franchise’s international success. Oda reached an even broader audience, and his talent became universally recognized. The manga quickly became the #1 best-selling manga and the worldwide reference in the shonen genre.
In 2006, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of One Piece, he published on Christmas Day the manga Cross Epoch, in collaboration with his lifelong idol, Akira Toriyama. It was a fusion of the One Piece and Dragon Ball universes, creating a unique crossover adventure. By this point, Oda was clearly among the greats!
He did another collaboration in 2011 with Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro, the creator of the manga Toriko, proving that Oda is a true enthusiast who is ready to innovate.
Luffy, Zoro, Ryuma… Who Inspired the One Piece Characters?
Oda loves subtle references and doesn’t hesitate to incorporate his inspirations into his stories. For example, Ryuma, the main character in Monsters (one of his early works), appears in One Piece. But the most fascinating aspect is the references he uses to create his characters: historical figures, movie personalities, and even music icons.
For instance, to create Roronoa Zoro, Oda drew inspiration from François l’Olonnais, a 17th-century French pirate. Despite being nicknamed “François the Cruel” for his ruthlessness, his sword mastery influenced Luffy’s companion. To create Sanji, he was inspired by the American actor Steve Buscemi. For Nami, he looked to Winona Ryder, and for Coby, to Leonardo DiCaprio.
Even though Oda sees all his characters like his children, one might think he has a soft spot for the heroes of his work. Surprisingly, Eiichiro Oda’s favorite character is Gaimon. 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 nearly thirty years of work, Oda has set several impressive records thanks to One Piece’s phenomenal success. Here are the main achievements attributed to him and his work:
- Best-selling manga of all time: Over 523 million copies sold worldwide since 1997. It entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 2014, at which point it had sold 320 million copies. Could he be the first mangaka in history to reach one billion copies sold?
- Record print runs for a single volume: Volume 56 of One Piece had the largest initial print run of any manga, with 2.85 million copies in 2009. Volume 67 broke that record with an initial print run of 4.05 million copies in 2012.
One Piece Adapted into a Netflix Series
Netflix couldn’t overlook the One Piece phenomenon, and in 2020 they announced they were working on a live-action series. Initially, fans were skeptical, thinking it would be another commercialized adaptation. However, Eiichiro Oda reassured everyone by revealing his involvement in the project as executive producer. He promised that the series would remain faithful to the original work’s spirit.
In a promotional video released by Netflix, there’s an emotional meeting between Iñaki Godoy, the actor who portrays Monkey D. Luffy in the show, and Oda. Known for his secrecy and rare interviews, Oda keeps his face hidden throughout the video. We see a strong connection between the two men, and Oda tells Iñaki Godoy he couldn’t envision anyone else for the role of Luffy.
This speaks volumes about how involved he was in producing the Netflix series that debuted in 2023, which was ultimately well received by the audience. The video ends with a symbolic moment of Oda knighting Godoy with Luffy’s straw hat… A nice nod!
What’s Next for One Piece and Eiichiro Oda?
What if we told you that the 2023 series was just the start of his collaboration with Netflix? Indeed, in 2024, a remake of the One Piece anime, renamed THE ONE PIECE, is set to arrive on the streaming platform. The good news is that Oda will once again be in charge. Production will be handled by Wit Studio, which produced the first episodes of Attack on Titan. According to Oda, the goal of this remake is to modernize One Piece, with a launch scheduled in a few years.
At the last Jump Festa, Oda revealed a special project in the works to celebrate the 25th anniversary of One Piece in 2024. Everyone is curious about the upcoming Egghead Arc. And to get fans even more excited, Oda hinted at a major showdown between two main characters… Stay tuned!
All of Eiichiro Oda’s Works
| Title | Release | Theme | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Wanted! 
|
1992 | Western | A short story featuring Gill Bastar, an outlaw against his will in the Wild West. |
|
Un présent divin 
|
1993 | Fantasy | Bran, a young pickpocket, is given a chance at redemption when he must prevent a meteorite from destroying a department store. |
|
Le démon solitaire 
|
1994 | Monster | Guko, a monk, must confront a monster to save a village, putting his bravery to the test. |
|
Monsters 
|
1994 | Samurai | Ryuma, a samurai, finds himself battling a dragon manipulated by criminals. |
|
Romance Dawn
|
1996 | Pirate | Preliminary versions of One Piece, where Monkey D. Luffy faces various challenges on his path to become a pirate. |
|
One Piece 
|
1997 - present | Pirate | Monkey D. Luffy aspires to be the Pirate King. After eating a Devil Fruit, he recruits a crew to seek out the One Piece. |
|
Cross Epoch 
|
2007 | Crossover / Fantasy | Collaboration between Oda and Toriyama, blending the One Piece and Dragon Ball universes. |
|
Jisshoku! Akuma no Mi!! 
|
2011 | Crossover / Culinary | A crossover with Toriko, where characters from both series interact around the concept of Devil Fruits. |
Eiichiro Oda’s Awards
- 1992: 44th Tezuka Award for Wanted!
- 1993: Hop Step Award for Ikki Yakō
- 2000: Finalist for the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize with One Piece (also a finalist in 2001 and 2002)
- 2005: Sondermann Award in the International Manga category for One Piece
- 2006: Listed among the 100 Manga 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 of the same comic book series by a single author, with 320,866,000 copies of One Piece printed worldwide through December 2014
- 2018: Honorary Award from the Kumamoto Prefecture
- 2019: Most-searched author at the Yahoo! Japan Search Awards
- 2019: Featured on Newsweek Japan’s list of 100 globally respected Japanese people
- 2022: Special Achievement Award at Napoli Comicon 2022 in Italy
- 2022: Guinness World Record for the most copies published of the same comic book series by a single author, with 516,566,000 copies of One Piece printed worldwide through July 2022
- 2023: Shin Watanabe Award, honoring his contribution to pop culture, notably for his work on One Piece Film Red
Eiichiro Oda’s Influence on the Manga World
His Relationship with Other Mangaka
Eiichiro Oda is often compared with Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto—and for good reason. They produced two of the most-watched anime over the past 20 years. In 2015, they participated in a joint interview for Anime News Network, where we learned more about their relationship.
In reality, the two mangaka—who met at a New Year’s party hosted by Shonen Jump—have been friends for a long time. Oda even revealed he had considered adding Naruto references to One Piece as a tribute to the end of Kishimoto’s series. Despite the rivalry between their works, Oda and Kishimoto have always supported each other.
Eiichiro Oda has also expressed admiration for Gege Akutami, the author of Jujutsu Kaisen. At the 105th Tezuka Manga Awards, he praised Akutami’s reliability and kindness.
How Oda Contributed to Manga’s International Popularity
Today, manga is one of the most widely read literary formats in the world, and Eiichiro Oda deserves much of the credit. With over 100 volumes of One Piece to his name, he is one of the most prolific mangaka of the 21st century. Given the massive sales numbers, many readers discovered manga through One Piece.
With his sales records, anime adaptations, TV shows, films, and merchandise, he has significantly promoted manga worldwide. He’s influenced the entire industry and inspired countless creators who dream of following in his footsteps.
Eiichiro Oda’s Private Life
Why Doesn’t Eiichiro Oda Show His Face?
Oda is known for his discretion about his personal 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 burden that fame can bring. It also contributes to giving him a more mysterious aura, ensuring that fans remain focused on One Piece rather than on him.
During his rare interviews or official statements, he appears with a fish avatar rather than having his face blurred. This fish image has now become iconic—like his signature. It’s proof that Oda doesn’t take himself too seriously.
Who Is Chiaki Inaba, Oda’s Wife?
Behind every great man stands 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 worked successively as a “Gravure Idol,” “Race Queen,” “Campaign Girl,” and “Tarento” on Japanese television.
They met at Jump Festa in 2002 when Chiaki Inaba was performing on stage as Nami. She gave birth to their first daughter in 2006, followed by their second daughter in 2009. This family life brings balance to Oda’s otherwise hectic schedule. Chiaki Inaba also chose to stay out of the spotlight, ending her modeling career soon after they met.
His Life in Nerima, Japan
After moving to Tokyo for his university studies, Oda never left the Japanese capital. He even fulfilled one of his childhood dreams by buying a mansion in Nerima, the Tokyo district famous for being the birthplace of anime. We can imagine the mangaka needs peace and quiet to continue writing One Piece, and what better place than a large mansion?
Who Is the Richest Mangaka? Eiichiro Oda’s Fortune
As the creator of the best-selling manga in history, it’s no surprise that Oda is among the wealthiest mangaka. His fortune is estimated at around 200 to 230 million euros. By comparison, his idol Toriyama’s wealth is estimated at around 55 million euros. Indeed, Oda is the richest mangaka in the world… by far!
Eiichiro Oda’s Humanitarian Efforts
But this doesn’t mean that Oda has forgotten where he comes from—quite the opposite. When his hometown of Kumamoto was devastated by severe earthquakes in 2016, the mangaka donated 800 million yen (around 5 million euros) to help rebuild the city. As a result, in 2018, he was named an honorary citizen of Kumamoto Prefecture.
To commemorate his contribution, the city even erected a bronze statue of Luffy, the hero of his flagship work, One Piece. Furthermore, more statues of the Straw Hat crew will soon appear in Kumamoto as a tribute to him.
Some Quotes by Eiichiro Oda
“Don’t forget to smile in any situation. As long as you’re alive, better days will come—many of them.”
“It’s not about whether I can! I do it because I want to… If I have to die fighting for it, then I’ll die.”
“But don’t forget that when it comes to friendship, it’s not about how much time you spend with them, but how you spend it!”
“Surpass the best to be the best.”