“I always wondered why people weren’t writing about pirates”: The Swedish Children’s Book That Was Eiichiro Oda’s Ultimate Inspiration for One Piece

SUMMARY

• One Piece has been a global sensation for 25 years.
• Eiichiro Oda shares how a Swedish children's series, Vicky the Viking, inspired him for One Piece.
• Oda-Sensei explains how he created in such a way that none will question his creativity.

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Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has been a cultural phenomenon for 25 years, and it has been going strong as numerous manga artists of the next generation. The show has set a new standard with profound storytelling that will keep the viewers engrossed in it, making them anticipate what will take place in the next episode.

Zoro vs. Mihawk. Credits: Toei Animation

Not only does the title excel in featuring an unmatched world-building but it also features complex themes that make the journey of the Straw Hat Pirates so meaningful. The battles and walking through different walks of life have kept the viewers entertained for ages.

However, often the passionate fans of Oda-Sensei wonder about the inspiration behind the incredibly famous title. It turns out the mangaka was inspired by a Swedish children’s story about a pirate that set the very foundation for his Pirate show.

The Swedish Children’s Story That Became Eiichiro Oda’s Ultimate Inspiration

One of the strongest aspects of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece is his imagination and how he would tirelessly feature new narratives revolving around the series.

Gear 5 Luffy vs. Kaido. Credits: Toei Animation

From telling the importance of pursuing one’s dreams to showcasing complex background stories that will strike a chord with audiences from all walks of life, he has made the show inspirational to watch.

Fans have often been curious about what could be the inspiration behind his masterpiece. Well, fans don’t have. During an exclusive interview via The Grandline, the mangaka opened up about the inspiration behind his show, stating the inspiration behind the show is a children’s show titled Vicky the Viking based on the novel Vicke Viking by Swedish author Runer Jonsson.

A still from Marineford. Credits: Toei Animation

He said,

I don’t know if it was an influence as much as it was just a starting point but that would be the animated series ‘The Little Viking Vicky’. From the moment I saw that ‘adventure’ simply became synonymous with ‘pirates’ to me.

Oda-Sensei added that there has been a lack of pirate shows and people were not interested in making a series, especially on the particular idea of featuring the sea thieves.

Actually, I always wondered why people weren’t writing about pirates. I thought if I drew pirate stuff it would let me draw a grand adventure.

The children’s folklore featured Vicky, a young titular protagonist who would use his wit to solve the problems that he confronts during his adventures.

The revelation was surprising to many fans because who knew that this show would be the inspiration behind the show that we all know and love?

Eiichiro Oda is the Master of His Magnum Opus

In the Shonen series, the mangaka has featured a ton of crazy things, from sea monsters to flying islands. Oda-Sensei has not refrained from letting his creativity run wild. Neither the fans nor the critics challenged what the mangaka showcased in his One Piece.

Shanks vs. Eustass Kid. Credits: Toei Animation

As a result, in the same interview, the manga artist stated that anything is possible in his show, and he set up the show in such a manner so that he could do whatever he wanted without making the fans question the rules of the title. He said,

Anything’s possible. I set it up so that the impossible is the norm on Grand Line and I can do whatever I want. The weather is hazardous, the sea is rough, there aren’t many ways for people to come and go as they please, so it isn’t that strange if you’ve got these cultures independent of each other.

For example, if I wanted to write about some kind of school drama story, all I have to do is draw a School Island. I can go about my own way as I please because of how I set it up so anything can happen.

Oda-Sensei also mentioned that he had only thought of the ending, and it does not matter to him because all he needs to do is make it as “crazy” as possible. The mangaka felt that as long as he connected the dots to “reach that point,” nobody would question his decisions.

One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

Written by Tushar Auddy

Articles Published: 1176

Tushar Auddy, Content Writer. He has been in the entertainment industry for 3 years and is always on the lookout for a captivating story. He is a student of Linguistics and is currently pursuing his Master's degree in the same field. He has a passion for literature that runs deep and loves nothing more than getting lost in a novel for hours on end. When he isn't reading, you'll find him capturing the beauty of language.