Eiichiro Oda Found the Perfect Cheat Code to Save One Piece from a Fatal Flaw That Kishimoto and Tite Kubo Failed to Achieve 

SUMMARY

• Even after 25 years of weekly serialization, One Piece doesn't get hated like its contemporaries Bleach and Naruto.
• This is a result of Eiichiro Oda's style of storytelling that gives him an advantage.
• The scale and magnitude of One Piece shifts the focus from its flaws, shielding it from harsh criticism.

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For a story woven through multiple decades, there are bound to be numerous ups and downs, and so is the case with Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece. Even after 25 years of weekly serialization, One Piece is going strong with consistently growing popularity. The manga series has garnered phenomenal critical and commercial acclaim over the years. However, there was one point in the story where fans felt the story somewhat dipped in quality. 

A still from the fight against Kaido | Credits: Studio Toei Animation

This was during the Fishman Island Arc, the first arc post the time skip. Many fans feel the story was much better before the time skip happened. The story got back on track with the arcs that followed after Fishman Arc. Currently, the popularity and the intrigue of One Piece is unparalleled. This is simply because of Eiichiro Oda’s approach that gives him a great advantage over his contemporaries.

The Change in the Story and Reception Post Time-Skip 

Rayleigh, Oden, and Roger | Credits: Studio Toei Animation

To put it simply, the story prior to the time skip was much more intimate as an experience. The scale of the story was somewhat personal to the Strawhats. This changed significantly when the stakes reached new heights post the Marineford War. By challenging the likes of Admirals and the Celestial Dragons, the Strawhats attracted more attention from dangerous figures. As more characters became crucial to the storyline, almost every arc dabbled with multiple narratives at once.

For instance, during Wano, significant time was given to Roger’s adventures as well as Oden’s life. This completely shifted the focus from what was going on with the Strawhats for a substantial amount of time. This is something that is only possible in One Piece among the popular shonen anime titles, as a result of the scale and magnitude of the story. 

Fans believe that this style of storytelling shifts the focus from flaws, making them less apparent compared to other manga, shielding Eiichiro Oda from the harsh criticisms that his contemporaries receive. 

An Advantage That Eiichiro Oda has Over Kishimoto and Kubo 

Itachi and Sasuke | Credits: Studio Pierrot Co. Ltd.

Both Naruto and Bleach have linear narratives compared to One Piece. Masashi Kishimoto’s style deals with one plot point at a time, with some juggling between different storylines. This was apparent in the way Jiraiya’s infiltration and Itachi’s revelation were executed one after the other. Similarly, in Bleach, Tite Kubo resolves one plotline before delving into the next. However, Oda has an extremely complex style.

He introduces something and then gives snippets of information for years, before the whole truth is presented. This is partially the result of the rich world-building in One Piece. At all times, the readers are aware that multiple events are happening on different islands. Initially, the story followed the Strawhats but now the focus keeps shifting between different characters and their crews. With so much happening, it’s hard to pinpoint the plot holes in One Piece.

Yamato looks over Wano | Credits: Studio Toei Animation

If one aspect of the story is lacking in some way, the thrills of a different one will more than compensate for it. Plus, it needs to be mentioned that Oda’s storytelling is tight and he considers how a particular concept will develop, leaving less room for jarring gaps in the story. 

With that, there’s also the fact that One Piece isn’t perfect by any means, but the way Oda incorporates so many ideas and executes them phenomenally, it’s hard to hold onto the flaws when there’s so much happening. By following this approach, Oda has somewhat protected One Piece from the usual negative discourse around shonen anime, but has also given fans a rich work of fiction that accounts for an exhilarating experience. 

One Piece is available to read on the MangaPlus app and website. 

Written by Laveena Joshi

Articles Published: 84

Laveena holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism with a keen interest in entertainment journalism. Known to defend Naruto with her life, her love for anime has turned into great appreciation for the Japanese Culture. Besides considering herself a veteran weeb, she's also a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur. Better if the perfect brew is paired with a random video essay from YouTube. Blending her love for anime with the know-hows of content writing, she is now an anime content writer at FandomWire.