One Piece: Why Oda Must Not Follow Masashi Kishimoto’s 1 Storyline That Ruined Naruto

SUMMARY

• Naruto and Sasuke are revealed to be the reincarnations of Hagoromo Otsutsuki's two sons, which made the decisions of the protagonist pale.
• Eiichiro Oda has also introduced the concept of inherited will through the Will of D and the legend of Nika in One Piece.
• However, it's best if Luffy does not adhere to the 'chosen one' trope to escape the fate of being a simple tool at the hands of a predestined path.

Masashi Kishimoto might have momentarily lost control over Naruto’s steering wheel with the reincarnation twist, and it should be all the warning Eiichiro Oda needs to prevent One Piece from going down the same path.

While the ‘Chosen One’ narrative is pretty popular in Shonen manga and anime, it doesn’t make the trope likable. After all, it boils down the actions of the ‘chosen one’ to simple fate, as if they never had any control over what was meant to happen anyways.

Masashi Kishimoto’s Reincarnation Twist in Naruto

Hagoromo Otsutsuki with Asura and Indra in Naruto Shippuden | Credits: Studio Pierrot

By the end of Naruto, readers find out that Naruto and Sasuke are actually reincarnations of Asura and Indra, the two sons of the Sage of Six Paths. It is revealed through flashbacks that the Sage of Six Paths is actually Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the son of Kaguya. Together with his brother, he had sealed their mother when she became the Ten-Tails.

Hagoromo entrusted his dream of establishing worldwide peace to his two sons, Asura and Indra. He later passed his powers to Asura, who, despite having no special abilities or talent, was more mature and cooperative with others. Indra, on the other hand, who was a true prodigy, resolved to destroy the way of the ninja. The conflict between the brothers continued till their death, and later, through a chain of reincarnation, they chose blood descendants who mirrored their personalities.

Asura’s Chakra in Naruto | Credits: Studio Pierrot

However, this twist was never liked by fans as it diminished the character of Naruto to a mere tool. Firstly, the intrinsic details of reincarnation were ill-explained, and it was unknown whether the chain of reincarnation would continue after Naruto and Sasuke. Next, it felt like Naruto was simply following a pre-destined path, and his own decisions carried lesser weight.

Why Eiichiro Oda Should Wash His Hands off the ‘Chosen One’ Narrative in One Piece

Sun God Nika in One Piece | Credits: Toei Animation

There are two ways in which the ‘Chosen One’ narrative is pushed in One Piece: the Will of D and Nika. The Will of D is a kind of inherited will that is related to those who bear the initial D in their names. They are considered the natural enemy of Gods and especially the World Nobles. Those who inherit the Will of D are often at the center of world-changing events.

Nika, on the other hand, is a mythical warrior who is revered as the Sun God, and his existence was recorded in ancient texts. The Hit Hito no Mi: Nika Devil Fruit allows its consumers to gain the traits and abilities of this warrior. During the Void Century, the power of Nika was held by Joy Boy and the current possessor of the fruit is Monkey D. Luffy.

Luffy consuming the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika in One Piece | Toei Animation

Thus, the Will of D and the legend of Nika collide in Luffy, making him look like the chosen one in One Piece. But while the world at large sees Luffy as the fulfillment of a legend, the protagonist himself does not care as much. It is as if Luffy will do what he wants to do without caring for old legends, and that is what makes him so popular.

If Eiichiro Oda boils down Luffy’s carefree personality and his decisions to a simple path of fate, it will take away from what makes the character so attractive.

Naruto and One Piece are available to read on Viz Media, and the anime are currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Written by Aaheli Pradhan

Articles Published: 518

Aaheli is an anime content writer at FandomeWire. With four years of experience under her belt, she is a living, breathing encyclopedia for anime and manga. She believes in living a slow life, surrounded by incomplete art projects and her beloved cat.