3-Part Oda Interview (Complete)

[firecrouch]

Don't get me wrong, I still think he was one of the best at what he's doing right now. I'm sure I'll appreciate his work more as time goes by, as which happens with a lot of icons.

[nelsonroyale]

only half way..? Excellent news!

If things keep on progressing, the New World might be the best over-arc in a manga…EVER

Not sure how you cant consider Oda a master....

Ive read Berserk, vagabond, dragon ball, nausicaa, monster, 20th century boys, akira, battle angel alita etc etc

Oda is easily up with them for me, he infuses his work with an unpredictability, creativity and depth which few stories achieve...its an incredible series. Dragon ball may have had a huge impact on the genre, but OP has exceeded by light years in terms of quality

[Gorlom]

This post is deleted!

[firecrouch]

@nelsonroyale:

only half way..? Excellent news!

If things keep on progressing, the New World might be the best over-arc in a manga…EVER

Not sure how you cant consider Oda a master....

Ive read Berserk, vagabond, dragon ball, nausicaa, monster, 20th century boys, akira, battle angel alita etc etc

Oda is easily up with them for me, he infuses his work with an unpredictability, creativity and depth which few stories achieve...its an incredible series. Dragon ball may have had a huge impact on the genre, but OP has exceeded by light years in terms of quality

Now don't get me wrong, I certainly think Oda has proven he's a genius, it's just that personally I think it takes a little more time for the stories to age for me to judge whether someone is truly a master or not.

[Ao Kiji]

OP is still surprising and unpredictable after ten years AND entertaining! That's pretty impressive if you ask me…

[Natty Bumppo]

I find Oda's time answer to be lame. Like BF and Carter, I don't see myself still reading One Piece (or even into anime) at the age of 30. I have always thought Oda wasted a lot of time with Foxy and Skypiea, and I'm finding myself feeling Thriller Bark is lasting too long.

One Piece is a great story don't get me wrong, I dont want it to end soon either, but I dont want to end up like the lonely 50 year old fat guy I saw last year who bought Love Hina.

Granted I'm not a guy, but to end up like that is not something I want, and as much as I love manga, you wont see me buying or watching manga when I do eventually get a life.

[Juraquille Mihawk]

Well, reading manga because you don't have a life, IS pretty sad. Suicide is your best way out.

[firecrouch]

@Natty:

I find Oda's time answer to be lame. Like BF and Carter, I don't see myself still reading One Piece (or even into anime) at the age of 30. I have always thought Oda wasted a lot of time with Foxy and Skypiea, and I'm finding myself feeling Thriller Bark is lasting too long.

One Piece is a great story don't get me wrong, I dont want it to end soon either, but I dont want to end up like the lonely 50 year old fat guy I saw last year who bought Love Hina.

Granted I'm not a guy, but to end up like that is not something I want, and as much as I love manga, you wont see me buying or watching manga when I do eventually get a life.

That's a . . . pretty pessimistic outlook. You're basically saying that anime and manga is phase of youth, and if you're still into it into your adulthood you haven't moved on in life. I find that sad not just in reference to anime/manga, but life in general.

So what if you keep enjoying something as an adult that you liked as a kid? It doesn't matter at all, if you're passionate about something stay with it, having a lifelong passion is a wonderful thing, and you're never too old to enjoy a good hobby. And if you lose interest in something, that's okay, you have the rest of your life to look forward to, and maybe you'll find a new passion. That's what getting a life truly is, not letting age get in the way of what you really care about, and as you change so will what you care about.

I can say for myself that I've been a huge animation fan as far back as the age of four, I turned 20 a month ago and that passion for cartoons has only matured along with my personality. I don't draw or write nearly as often as I should, like years ago, but I still haven't given up my dream of becoming a professional cartoonist. I also haven't given up my dream of becoming a video game designer, even though realistically I probably won't become one. Back when the "Pokemon" anime first came out when I was in fifth grade I loved it and told myself I'd keep watching it until it ended. I stopped watching it in seventh grade but I don't feel like I betrayed myself because it was simply just a matter of changing interests, and "Pokemon" still holds a special place in my heart. Now I'm into "One Piece", and I could care less if I lose interest in it years from now because I'm enjoying it so much in the present, and that's what matters most. I won't mind if I lose interest before the end of the series because the future hasn't happened yet, and in my mind getting matters like that wrapped around your mind kinda defeats the purpose of taking in a great story.

Okay, back on-topic, I wish Oda's individual story arcs didn't drag on for so long, it can make an arc that lasts for only one or two days within the manga story unnecessarily long. I really like "One Piece" for being an epic adventure, but after seeing all those islands on the Grand Line in the Log Pose explanation earlier in the series, I saw the potential for lots of adventures that could last for multiple years within the story. But now the Straw Hats are almost at the Red Line and it feels like they haven't been to many islands in comparison to the Grand Line's scope. It's a little disheartening to see so much length of the series go to just one island. What happened Oda? You were doing it back in the beginning, but since about Alabasta or Skypiea things sure did change with how you stretch out your tales. Did you have a bunch of ideas the editors scrapped? Are you making it up as you go along? Oh well, it doesn't matter, it's just one complaint, and you're not perfect. But hey, if making a greater quantity of arcs in relation your time making manga meant you had to sacrifice your ability to put plenty of original and powerful details into single story arcs, with plenty of creative surprises along the way that keep things interesting, I'd be more upset. Do what works best for you !

[Natty Bumppo]

@Juraquille:

Well, reading manga because you don't have a life, IS pretty sad. Suicide is your best way out.

@firecrouch:

That's a . . . pretty pessimistic outlook. You're basically saying that anime and manga is phase of youth, and if you're still into it into your adulthood you haven't moved on in life. I find that sad not just in reference to anime/manga, but life in general.

So what if you keep enjoying something as an adult that you liked as a kid? It doesn't matter at all, if you're passionate about something stay with it, having a lifelong passion is a wonderful thing, and you're never too old to enjoy a good hobby. And if you lose interest in something, that's okay, you have the rest of your life to look forward to, and maybe you'll find a new passion. That's what getting a life truly is, not letting age get in the way of what you really care about, and as you change so will what you care about.

I can say for myself that I've been a huge animation fan as far back as the age of four, I turned 20 a month ago and that passion for cartoons has only matured along with my personality. I don't draw or write nearly as often as I should, like years ago, but I still haven't given up my dream of becoming a professional cartoonist. I also haven't given up my dream of becoming a video game designer, even though realistically I probably won't become one. Back when the "Pokemon" anime first came out when I was in fifth grade I loved it and told myself I'd keep watching it until it ended. I stopped watching it in seventh grade but I don't feel like I betrayed myself because it was simply just a matter of changing interests, and "Pokemon" still holds a special place in my heart. Now I'm into "One Piece", and I could care less if I lose interest in it years from now because I'm enjoying it so much in the present, and that's what matters most. I won't mind if I lose interest before the end of the series because the future hasn't happened yet, and in my mind getting matters like that wrapped around your mind kinda defeats the purpose of taking in a great story.

It's not that I read manga because I don't have a life. Its that I feel like I dont have a life because I read manga. Here I am already an adult, reading COMIC books aimed for children. I hate feeling sorry for myself, but thats pretty lame. My close friends are into other things, and mock me for what I like. Same goes for my family. It got to the point where I realized they were right, liking cartoons at my age was retarded. Don't get me wrong, I love anime/manga, but I keep saying to myself, "I don't want to end up like that guy I saw in the bookstore."; or I can't see myself having a good paying job and then go, "I wonder how Luffy and Co. are doing now." I don't think my co-workers will take me very seriously if they saw me with One Piece vol. 128399.

I'm not making fun of anyone else. You guys still like manga at age 60? Wonderful. More power to you. You actually had the balls to not give a fuck about anyone else.

[firecrouch]

@Natty:

It's not that I read manga because I don't have a life. Its that I feel like I dont have a life because I read manga. Here I am already an adult, reading COMIC books aimed for children. I hate feeling sorry for myself, but thats pretty lame. My close friends are into other things, and mock me for what I like. Same goes for my family. It got to the point where I realized they were right, liking cartoons at my age was retarded. Don't get me wrong, I love anime/manga, but I keep saying to myself, "I don't want to end up like that guy I saw in the bookstore."; or I can't see myself having a good paying job and then go, "I wonder how Luffy and Co. are doing now." I don't think my co-workers will take me very seriously if they saw me with One Piece vol. 128399.

I'm not making fun of anyone else. You guys still like manga at age 60? Wonderful. More power to you. You actually had the balls to not give a fuck about anyone else.

So do you yourself think it's retarded that adults like anime/manga or are you just embarrased about it? Because either way I feel sorry for you. The idea of cartoons being just for kids is just another common American stereotype, to a somewhat lesser extent the stereotype even exists in Japan. Good stories are timeless, it doesn't matter how old you are as long as you enjoy something, and cartoons are just another way to tell stories, through drawings. "Harry Potter" is targeted toward a young audience, that hasn't stopped it from being enjoyed by millions of adults.

I actually feel sorry for your friends and family if they really do look down upon you for enjoying your hobby. I can tell right now that there is absolutely nothing wrong with liking childrens' cartoons your whole life. There are plenty of cartoons out there with universal appeal, and who do you think makes "One Piece" so good? Eiichiro Oda is already in his 30s, and he wouldn't be able to keep it interesting if he himself didn't like it. Have you actually tried to get your friends and family to understand what you enjoy? They might actually become interested. My friend convinced his ex-girlfriend, at first resistant to manga, to look at his "Fullmetal Alchemist" volumes, now she's been reading "Love Hina". My parents aren't interested in animation, but they respect my interest in it because they understand it's just another artform, and after I went with them to the Osamu Tezuka exhibit in San Francisco the were really impressed.

Besides, you're only 21, you're ruminating too much, and according to psychology you're not officially an adult until you're 25. And not being so self-conscious is part of growing up. I actually think trying to force yourself to be an ideal adult, trying to let go of the things you hold precious, is pretty childish.

EDIT: Oh, and another thing, how do you know that lonely 50 year-old was even lonely, how do you even know he's even 50? Maybe he was buying it for a friend or his kid, you never know. But even if he's buying it for himself, there's nothing wrong with that, maybe adults appreciate college-aged stories in a different way than people that are actually college-aged because they can relate it to the memories of their youth. I know I notice things in "Ren & Stimpy" now that I didn't notice when I was in kindergarten.

[Natty Bumppo]

@firecrouch:

So do you yourself think it's retarded that adults like anime/manga or are you just embarrased about it? Because either way I feel sorry for you. The idea of cartoons being just for kids is just another common American stereotype, to a somewhat lesser extent the stereotype even exists in Japan. Good stories are timeless, it doesn't matter how old you are as long as you enjoy something, and cartoons are just another way to tell stories, through drawings. "Harry Potter" is targeted toward a young audience, that hasn't stopped it from being enjoyed by millions of adults.

I actually feel sorry for your friends and family if they really do look down upon you for enjoying your hobby. I can tell right now that there is absolutely nothing wrong with liking childrens' cartoons your whole life. There are plenty of cartoons out there with universal appeal, and who do you think makes "One Piece" so good? Eiichiro Oda is already in his 30s, and he wouldn't be able to keep it interesting if he himself didn't like it. Have you actually tried to get your friends and family to understand what you enjoy? They might actually become interested. My friend convinced his ex-girlfriend, at first resistant to manga, to look at his "Fullmetal Alchemist" volumes, now she's been reading "Love Hina". My parents aren't interested in animation, but they respect my interest in it because they understand it's just another artform, and after I went with them to the Osamu Tezuka exhibit in San Francisco the were really impressed.

Besides, you're only 21, you're ruminating too much, and according to psychology you're not officially an adult until you're 25. And not being so self-conscious is part of growing up. I actually think trying to force yourself to be an ideal adult, trying to let go of the things you hold precious, is pretty childish.

EDIT: Oh, and another thing, how do you know that lonely 50 year-old was even lonely, how do you even know he's even 50? Maybe he was buying it for a friend or his kid, you never know. But even if he's buying it for himself, there's nothing wrong with that, maybe adults appreciate college-aged stories in a different way than people that are actually college-aged because they can relate it to the memories of their youth. I know I notice things in "Ren & Stimpy" now that I didn't notice when I was in kindergarten.

No, I personally don't think its retarded to like anime at age whatever. However, I do think it is a bit emabarrasing, but I figure its their life and its not my job to give a shit. Unfortunately, I am extremely ashamed of still spending 7.99 every month for a childrens comic book.

I don't disagree with you about my friends and family, but there's not much I can do about it. I've tried to change their mind, but some think its stupider after showing them things like FMA, Kino's Journey, Bleach, and more recently Death Note; others don't understand the concept of anime; and the rest (my brother) hates anime for the soul fact that I am "obsessed" with it. I want to be able to like manga 10 years from now, but what would my kids think of me if they saw me, an adult, reading comic books? Wouldnt that perhaps give them reason to question my judgement? My youngest brother, age 7, questions why I like it. What am I supposed to say? He's right.

I don't want to ramble about my personal life and give excuses on an internet forum. I realize it's stupid that I think manga is more for children and as much as I really want to, I cannot see myself doing this ten years from now. Perhaps the guy was buying the manga for his niece or whatever, but to me, he looked like those typical WoW nerds, just age 50. And you know what? I respect that guy.

[firecrouch]

@Natty:

No, I personally don't think its retarded to like anime at age whatever. However, I do think it is a bit emabarrasing, but I figure its their life and its not my job to give a shit. Unfortunately, I am extremely ashamed of still spending 7.99 every month for a childrens comic book.

I don't disagree with you about my friends and family, but there's not much I can do about it. I've tried to change their mind, but some think its stupider after showing them things like FMA, Kino's Journey, Bleach, and more recently Death Note; others don't understand the concept of anime; and the rest (my brother) hates anime for the soul fact that I am "obsessed" with it. I want to be able to like manga 10 years from now, but what would my kids think of me if they saw me, an adult, reading comic books? Wouldnt that perhaps give them reason to question my judgement? My youngest brother, age 7, questions why I like it. What am I supposed to say? He's right.

I don't want to ramble about my personal life and give excuses on an internet forum. I realize it's stupid that I think manga is more for children and as much as I really want to, I cannot see myself doing this ten years from now. Perhaps the guy was buying the manga for his niece or whatever, but to me, he looked like those typical WoW nerds, just age 50. And you know what? I respect that guy.

I probably don't need to tell you this, but again don't be so self-conscious and don't let what your friends and family say get in the way. If they don't understand it, that's their problem, not yours, and as long as they respect your lifestyle that's enough, they don't need to understand your hobby to understand you. If you stop reading manga and watching anime just because it's not the "adult" thing to do, then you might just regret it later on. If there's one thing that children get taught early on in life it's to be yourself, and adults need to understand to.

And what exactly is wrong with liking something that's targeted toward kids, are you just giving in to others' opinions? It's incredibly common to find adults enjoying Disney and SpongeBob with their kids, and college-aged people are a very common audience for anime. If you really agree with your family than you'll lose interest later on, enjoying something should NOT be a status symbol, if kids' stuff really is kids' stuff why do adults enjoy it?

And say your kids see you reading manga or watching anime. So what? They'll be able to think for themselves and you can teach them what you really believe, kids love a good mother and respect her. Tell them it's just entertainment, and if your kids like anime and manga too it could be a great way to bond.

[Ao Kiji]

Here I am already an adult, reading COMIC books aimed for children.

Manga is all ages entertainment in Japan! Just like tv and movies!!!! CHRIST!! I'm sorry but saying manga is aimed at children is not only insulting, it's false. The majority of anime IS aimed at kids too young to read,but manga is a common place in Japanese culture just like videogames. Everyone reads them, regardless of age and so will I. No idea if I'll still be into anime or videogames,but I'll defintely always read manga and comics.

The thing is there are tons of MATURE comics to read,while mature and adult oriented anime is far and too few between. Maybe OP will eventually seem too kiddy for me,but I doubt it. Regardless of what happens to my interest in OP, I know there will always be some manga I'll come across that'll entertain me, even into old age.

Natty Boo if ur a girl. I suggest you just hook up with some cute anime nerd guy. It seems like most of ur friends and family just give you crap because they think u have a really odd hobby. They've got you thinking it's this childish phase you grow out of,but most likely it isn't. People don't grow out of their hobbies, they get so busy as they grow older they sometimes lose the time to continually pursue them. If you had a close person in ur life, who shared the same "odd" interest, you'd probably be alot happier and less insecure about your hobby.

[goty]

@Ao:

Manga is all ages entertainment in Japan! Just like tv and movies!!!! CHRIST!!

Shonen Jump manga are aimed to male kids, period.
Of course older people or girls can enjoy their series too, but they're not the main target, that's a given.

[Ao Kiji]

Once again MANGA! I know SJ is shonen titles. Natty boo was saying manga in general as a whole is kids only entertainment.
FTR, I once saw a poll saying OP was hugely popular with female manga readers and it's actually one of the top series ,up there with bishie heavy series like hikaruo no go, that attract female readers to shonen jump. You have to understand even tho young boys is the main audience, Weekly Shonen Jump is such a HUGE mainstay force in Japan, you're gonna get all type reading it. I also remember that 90% of shonen jump fan letters come from female readers. So I'm sure the young male out number the female and adult readers but there is a gigantic amount of all type of people that read it and specific titles that are meant to attract those other demographics too.

I mean I really dont think boys care about seeing Nami's boobs or all the ubber bishounens that lace tons of series like Prince of tennis.

[goty]

@Ao:

Once again MANGA! I know SJ is shonen titles. Natty boo was saying manga in general as a whole is kids only entertainment.

Yeah, but she mentioned shonen titles only, so.
One Piece and other hugely popular SJ series easily reaches people of all ages and genders in Japan, you're right. But that doesn't change the fact it is aimed to children.

[firecrouch]

@goty:

Yeah, but she mentioned shonen titles only, so.
One Piece and other hugely popular SJ series easily reaches people of all ages and genders in Japan, you're right. But that doesn't change the fact it is aimed to children.

That's not the point. Natty Boo also mentioned "Death Note" and even though that appears in Shonen Jump, I certainly can't see that as a kids' series by Japanese standards. The anime aired late at night and just the art and subject matter is something I can't see targeted toward kids. Shonen Jump is really aimed males from 8-20 years-old, and even though "Death Note" is a series for teens I can see younger kids enjoying it too.

And there's the problem. Who cares what the target audience is? I don't think most artists make their work in an attempt to appeal to a certain group, the fact is you can never appeal to everyone at once and appealing to one certain audience is just a natural result of that. "One Piece" isn't a great adventure for kids, it's not a great anime for kids, it's not a great franchise for kids, it's just a great story. And it's so great because it has so many well-done layers, and that's why so many people love it.

I remember talking to a Toei Animation rep at the last Anime Expo about "One Piece" and explaining the problems of licensing it to 4Kids. He replied, "Yeah, 'cause "One Piece" isn't a kids' show". To that I replied, "One Piece" is a show for everyone, for kids, teens, adults".

[goty]

@firecrouch:

That's not the point. Natty Boo also mentioned "Death Note" and even though that appears in Shonen Jump, I certainly can't see that as a kids' series by Japanese standards. The anime aired late at night and just the art and subject matter is something I can't see targeted toward kids. Shonen Jump is really aimed males from 8-20 years-old, and even though "Death Note" is a series for teens I can see younger kids enjoying it too.

I doubt they would publish it if it was somewhat "above the standards". Death Note is child’s play compared to some old Jump's visual gorefest titles like Hokuto no Ken or even Saint Seiya. Besides, plenty of shonen/light shojo animes aired after midnight, like Neuro, Hajime no Ippo, Nodame Cantabile, etc..so that’s not saying too much. And all of these were manga originally published in “kids” magazines.
My point is, i think you shouldn’t be embarassed for liking a series originally made for children to the point of trying to prove desperately ‘ITS NOT FOR KIDS’. If you like it, that’s enough. Like you said, if it's good stuff who cares what is the target audience.

[Bounty1Berry]

Good entertainment may target one demographic, but not to the exclusion of everything else. Notice the difference between "Edutainment Bilge for ages 8-13" and a top-grade series like OP or Gargoyles.

[firecrouch]

@goty:

I doubt they would publish it if it was somewhat "above the standards". Death Note is child’s play compared to some old Jump's visual gorefest titles like Hokuto no Ken or even Saint Seiya. Besides, plenty of shonen/light shojo animes aired after midnight, like Neuro, Hajime no Ippo, Nodame Cantabile, etc..so that’s not saying too much. And all of these were manga originally published in “kids” magazines.
My point is, i think you shouldn’t be embarassed for liking a series originally made for children to the point of trying to prove desperately ‘ITS NOT FOR KIDS’. If you like it, that’s enough. Like you said, if it's good stuff who cares what is the target audience.

Oh no, that's not what I meant. I honestly didn't think "Death Note" was for kids, but I'll believe you. To me, manga like " "Hokuto no Ken" and "Death Note" appeal to middle and high school kids, while others like "One Piece" and "Saint Seiya" can appeal more to grade schoolers. It's still the same audience of young boys. It's a wide demographic, wider than how American companies would operate, and the definition of "kids" can vary.

To me gore isn't really a factor in who it's intended for (although it's certainly a part of it), '80s anime were generally more violent than what's coming out right now anyway. It's more about the story. "Death Note" is really a mystery thriller with mainly grown-up characters, while "One Piece" is a more colorful adventure story.

Either way, it doesn't really matter. I think Netty's argument was about cartoons in general from how I gathered her situation. Most people wouldn't criticize the medium if they didn't come from the stance that "cartoons are for kids".

[silverson]

death note is shonen

[firecrouch]

@silverson:

death note is shonen

I know that, but shonen can refer to a large age range that could be anywhere between 8 or 20 years of age.

[Zephos]

The ultimate irony is that once you get a life, get out there, get past High School.
You really don't care anymore about what people think about shit like that.
As a Sequential Art major, which also happends to be an unofficial major for studying the very worst of nerds and learning to see aspergers on sight, I can tell you that simply purchasing a goofy pirate comic and reading it in the privacy of your own home isn't even 1% of the sort of social retardation that is actually repugnant in the real world.

Guess what. Your normal. Find me a person who dosen't enjoy some mindless immature form of media that may or not be aimed at them.

[smith]

Natty Bumppo, your talk and avatar don't go together.

Boys will stay boys, I'll read OP as long as it lasts, after that I'll probably stop reading manga as this is the only story I'm following.

[joesephes]

@firecrouch:

I probably don't need to tell you this, but again don't be so self-conscious and don't let what your friends and family say get in the way. If they don't understand it, that's their problem, not yours, and as long as they respect your lifestyle that's enough, they don't need to understand your hobby to understand you. If you stop reading manga and watching anime just because it's not the "adult" thing to do, then you might just regret it later on. If there's one thing that children get taught early on in life it's to be yourself, and adults need to understand to.

And what exactly is wrong with liking something that's targeted toward kids, are you just giving in to others' opinions? It's incredibly common to find adults enjoying Disney and SpongeBob with their kids, and college-aged people are a very common audience for anime. If you really agree with your family than you'll lose interest later on, enjoying something should NOT be a status symbol, if kids' stuff really is kids' stuff why do adults enjoy it?

And say your kids see you reading manga or watching anime. So what? They'll be able to think for themselves and you can teach them what you really believe, kids love a good mother and respect her. Tell them it's just entertainment, and if your kids like anime and manga too it could be a great way to bond.

Well said my friend, well said!

Too bad not everyone believes that tho'. :sad:

[Lobolover]

@Natty:

No, I personally don't think its retarded to like anime at age whatever. However, I do think it is a bit emabarrasing, but I figure its their life and its not my job to give a shit. Unfortunately, I am extremely ashamed of still spending 7.99 every month for a childrens comic book.

I don't disagree with you about my friends and family, but there's not much I can do about it. I've tried to change their mind, but some think its stupider after showing them things like FMA, Kino's Journey, Bleach, and more recently Death Note; others don't understand the concept of anime; and the rest (my brother) hates anime for the soul fact that I am "obsessed" with it. I want to be able to like manga 10 years from now, but what would my kids think of me if they saw me, an adult, reading comic books? Wouldnt that perhaps give them reason to question my judgement? My youngest brother, age 7, questions why I like it. What am I supposed to say? He's right.

I don't want to ramble about my personal life and give excuses on an internet forum. I realize it's stupid that I think manga is more for children and as much as I really want to, I cannot see myself doing this ten years from now. Perhaps the guy was buying the manga for his niece or whatever, but to me, he looked like those typical WoW nerds, just age 50. And you know what? I respect that guy.

Dear (insert gender)-I have the same problem,but I simply DONT GIVE A DAMN.My father is….......stereotypisized (making up words is FUN!) ,so he says "everything thats drawn is for litle kids" and when I read a manga or watch an anime,he typicaly says "Now if you were in second grade........" (around here,thats ca. 9 years of age). My grandparents have no clue (though I was surprised my grandma actualy WANTED to see Star Wars episode 1) ,my mother is the same and the only one I know that hes "acesible" is my cousin, but hes in Ireland.And he doesnt even bother to write a letter.

Where would the world be if people like Einstein,Dalí or Neil Gaiman would do what their parents told them?I mean,I doubt Miyazaki's parents wanted him to become an anime movie maker.

GO WITH YOURSELF.AND BUGGER THE REST.

[Battle Franky]

Part Tre

(The final interview)

[Buuhan1]

Just a heads up to those who aren't reading the Jump Festa thread. Greg is gonna spend Christmas and such with his fiance, so don't be expecting this to get translated for a bit unless someone else steps up to the plain. No complaining now.

Thanks again, BF. (And wtf is up with your avatar? It scared the living shit out of me first time I saw it.)

[Mister_Anbu]

About the whole liking anime and manga shit; here's a couple of cents from the perspective of a teen.

Being in high school, you definitely can be embarrassed about watching anime or whatever, especially in America. My closest friends all know I watch it, hell, a lot of them do to. I get some heat from some other friends about it, but whatever; they don't really care. Do they honestly give a fuck that I watch anime in my free time? No. Believe it or not, the people who actually matter to you don't go home and make a check list about why you are lame. People hang out with you because they like you when you guys are together; not for what you do when your not together. It's on my Facebook that I like anime and play video games, and no one really gives a fuck.

Sure, I don't parade around the fact that I like it, but at the same time, I don't hide it if asked about it. If you truly like something, then you should be proud of it. I won't lie and say I'm not embarrassed about it sometimes, but I won't sit there and lie and say I don't care. That's not what I'm about. I'm past that stage in life about having to worry about personal image.

That whole "just be yourself" thing? Yeah, it actually works. You make friends that like you for who you are, and you have a hell of a lot more fun when you do shit spontaneously.

Seriously, just sit down and think about it some day. One of the best quotes I've ever heard was: "The people that matter don't care, and the people that care don't matter." In regards to this kind of thing, it's a solid quote. If the people you hang with don't like anime, then so be it, you don't have to talk about it with them.

If people ask you "why do you like it?" and you can't give a straight answer, then maybe you don't like it. Just straight up tell them, "I like it because it's a good story. Don't bash it until you actually watch it." Or just go ahead and question why they like something else; it's often for the same reason.

There's a lot more to say about this, but I don't want to write a book. It doesn't take balls to not give a fuck about what others think. It takes a lot of reasoning, and fortunately, that is a gift we all have.

[Link-kun]

I just used the google translater and oh man does my head hurt. I'll just wait for a translator =)

[Greg]

Some bittersweet news here.

It will come hard and fast in the last quarter. But don't let it get you down. This is an excellent opportunity to appreciate what you have now which is really most important in a lot of ways in life.

Merry Christmas everyone.

–--Not only the comic book, One Piece is also a very popular cartoon as well. It was turned into an animated program about 2 years after the serialized version started but how did that hit you?

Oda: Well yeah, as you might expect I was thrilled it would become animated.

Just, I was a little concerned and curious about what kind people would be making it so I really hoped they would let me meet with the director and producer soon. I was also wondering who would be doing Luffy and the gang's voices.

Actually, with regards to the voice actors, ever since I was an assistant, from the time I wrote Romance Dawn I thought about a lot things and thought Mayumi Tanaka would be really good for Luffy. So when it was decided that she would really be doing I was pretty excited.

----Did you ask for her in particular?

Actually! I hadn't said a thing about it at all and she was decided on in the end! I left everything regarding the animation to the pros because my stance was that it would be best to just shut up and get out of the way so I zipped my lips but then she ended up coming to the audition. When she actually read the lines for me I just knew, "THAT'S IT, THIS IS THE VOICE!"

I was happy about so many aspects of the animation but the greatest joy came from having the main character being performed by the voice actress I imagined doing it.

----What a dramatic story! Okay, moving along could you please tell us a bit about the always popular and fantastic wealth of information found in the printed volumes, the readers' corner, SBS. What was your intent for starting it?

When I was a child, I won't say the name, but there was a certain comic where the reader's corner suddenly dissappeared. [[I]No mistake he's talking about Dragonball] I really enjoyed it so that came as a huge dissappointment.

–--When you become popular you get busy with a lot of things and there seem to be a number of cases where readers' corners can't continue.

But that didn't satisfy me. So I decided that if I ever became a manga author, I would continue the readers' corner no matter what. It's not limited to manga but the basic idea stemmed from the idea, "I don't want to make anyone endure something I wouldn't like."

----But isn't it difficult to write that while working on the serialization?

Reading the postcards all at once is tough so every week I read a bit, and sort out the ones that seem like they might be good for SBS. When it's time for a volume to be released I choose the ones to use from that group. I guess that takes about a day right there. Then I also have to draw the cover for the volume so saying it isn't difficult would pretty much be a lie.

But I already decided that this is something I have to do so even if I don't like it, it's something I won't give up. (laughs) I mean yeah it's tough, but it's also fun. Some kids just say things I won't even think.

Everyone just writes this unbelievably stupid crap and sometimes people even suspect me like, "Are you making this up yourself?", but SBS is 100% from the post cards. I read 'em, I chose 'em, I write an answer.

----Well I guess that means all you SBS fans should keep churning them out! Okay, this will be the final question. I seems that it will be quite a while until One Piece reaches it's conclusion, but after that, as a manga author, what kind of motif would you like to follow it with?

Yeah really, there are a lot of things I'd like to do. Not just limited to comics, I'd also like to make something like a movie. However, unlike before, rather than an epic tale I'm really feeling more inclined to drawing a short but tight story.

After I finish One Piece I don't think I'll do another long-running serialized comic. After I complete it I think much like Akira Toriyama-sensei, I'll put out a single volume story every once in a while. Right now I'm really yearning for that kind of style.

And that's exactly why right now, I'm going to put all of my energy into One Piece. If I keep thinking that this is my first and my last long-running manga, my motivation will not run dry.

----So you're thinking of pushing yourself to your limits.

Well, as far as I can go without killing myself. (laughs)

The End

One Piece halfway? Uh, yes please.

[Cap'n Carter]

Wow.

And honestly, if he keeps going for over 10 years of quality, that kind of lifestyle would be very well earned.

[Sanctum]

Holy fuck. Thanks Greg.
Good stuff all around.

(And how did the proposal go?)

[Cap'n Carter]

Check out the JUMP Festa thread

you'll almost want to vomit

[Greg]

This post is deleted!

[Ao Kiji]

Natty Boo also mentioned "Death Note" and even though that appears in Shonen Jump

Isn't DeathNote a title that appears in YOUNG JUMP, not Shonen Jump? Pretty sure, I read that somewhere and YJ is SHonen Jump's sister magazine but aimed at a slightly older audience. Not that I agree with Natty,but DN isn't shonen, it's seinen from what I remember. It's not aimed at kids and it doesn,t appear in Shonen Jump in Japan as far as I can remember. People are lumping anything Shuieisha published in a mag as all coming from SJ maybe?

I can tell you for a fact, the OP anime is aimed at a younger audience than the manga which is already aimed at kids. Why else would they edit scenes of self mutilation and drinking? Because they dont want small children to immitate them! That's right! Japan edits cartoons,too! A big reason for anime based on manga is to reach the audience that's too young to know how to read yet,guys don't kid yourself into this whole "OP isn't for kids things". It's like Mario, for all ages and to make he older fans feel like kids again! But it's certainly not so super adult as people would like to believe.

[Battle Franky]

Everyone just write this unbelievably stupid crap

I'm pretty sure it's all very tame in comparison to some of the utterly retarded shit that arises from this place.

Thanks for all the work omae!

[King Calamari]

@Ao:

Isn't DeathNote a title that appears in YOUNG JUMP, not Shonen Jump?

Uh no Death Note was printed in Shonen Jump along side Naruto and One Piece.

[Cap'n Carter]

Yeah…. I don't know why people get on this high horse with Death Note, but it was printed in Weekly Shonen Jump, and was definitely shonen.

[Ao Kiji]

….EH?
WOw...I'm more than alittle surprised about that,but whatever. I dont really care for DN past the first few volumes anyway. I think it would've been considered a masterpiece if it didnt get dragged on and on to make more money.
But yeha, wow..shonen..? lol. there are defintely shonen aimed at older people then.

[Kefky]

See, it makes me happy to hear Oda has plans like that. It shows maturity. He knows that he's gonna keep for a long-ass time to come, he knows he'll be tired as hell when he's done with it, so he'll put as much effort into the series as he possibly can, then take a good, long break and have it as his masterpiece. Also, a lot of time working on short series can be better than long ones, specially with a guy full of ideas like Oda. I wouldn't want him to become a hack like Rumiko Takahashi has.

Also, congrats on the engagement, Greg. I've been hearing you brag on and on about that awesome japanese girlfriend of yours for years now, so it's nice to know you guys are finally getting hitched. :)

[firecrouch]

Talent is talent, and talent works when there's effort. As long Oda keeps coming up with good ideas and executing them well I'll be happy with whatever he puts out, whether it's a short story or a long serialized work. To tell you the truth, I'd love to see him further develop that one-shot he did when he was younger about the guy who finds God's book. And that movie thing sounds interesting.

[Admiral Wolfpox]

Thank you for the translations. These interviews need to be put in a special, easily accessible place so we don't have to wade through the forum and this thread to read it.

[Greg]

Thank you for the translations. These interviews need to be put in a special, easily accessible place so we don't have to wade through the forum and this thread to read it.

Since I did 'em I'm gonna stick them on my site someday with links to the originals.

[Buuhan1]

Thanks, Greg! Great work as always.

Damn, Oda really is an inspiring guy.

[igetownd]

@Greg:

–--When you become popular you get busy with a lot of things and there seem to be a number of cases where readers' corners can't continue.

But that didn't satisfy me. So I decided that if I ever became a manga author, I would continue the readers' corner no matter what. It's not limited to manga but the basic idea stemmed from the idea, "I don't want to make anyone endure something I wouldn't like."

----But isn't it difficult to write that while working on the serialization?

Reading the postcards all at once is tough so every week I read a bit, and sort out the ones that seem like they might be good for SBS. When it's time for a volume to be released I choose the ones to use from that group. I guess that takes about a day right there. Then I also have to draw the cover for the volume so saying it isn't difficult would pretty much be a lie.

But I already decided that this is something I have to do so even if I don't like it, it's something I won't give up. (laughs) I mean yeah it's tough, but it's also fun. Some kids just say things I won't even think.

Everyone just writes this unbelievably stupid crap and sometimes people even suspect me like, "Are you making this up yourself?", but SBS is 100% from the post cards. I read 'em, I chose 'em, I write an answer.

This part made me very upset that there isn't a shrine dedicated to Oda-sama. This guy is the paragon of dedication!!!!

Upsettingly, I cannot adequately express my gratitude for what Oda has given his readers. But it also makes me irate that some people don't even know who Oda, Eichiro is!! I feel like Luffy when Shanks saved him and gave him his hat. I just long for the time when I can give in return to what he gave to me and all his fans! For now, I'll work hard in waiting until I am influential enough to properly thank him.

[firecrouch]

@igetownd:

This part made me very upset that there isn't a shrine dedicated to Oda-sama. This guy is the paragon of dedication!!!!

Upsettingly, I cannot adequately express my gratitude for what Oda has given his readers. But it also makes me irate that some people don't even know who Oda, Eichiro is!! I feel like Luffy when Shanks saved him and gave him his hat. I just long for the time when I can give in return to what he gave to me and all his fans! For now, I'll work hard in waiting until I am influential enough to properly thank him.

Now, now, don't get into a tizzy, I'm sure there will be a day when we can all properly thank him. And in the meantime we can send him letters and fanart. Knowing that he makes so many people happy with his work is something I'm sure he holds dear already.

[Greg]

When he says 'unbelievably stupid crap' he means it in the best of ways. He eats it up. Otherwise he wouldn't bother putting it in.

[Lobolover]

@Greg:

Some bittersweet news here.

It will come hard and fast in the last quarter. But don't let it get you down. This is an excellent opportunity to appreciate what you have now which is really most important in a lot of ways in life.

Merry Christmas everyone.

–--Not only the comic book, One Piece is also a very popular cartoon as well. It was turned into an animated program about 2 years after the serialized version started but how did that hit you?

Oda: Well yeah, as you might expect I was thrilled it would become animated.

Just, I was a little concerned and curious about what kind people would be making it so I really hoped they would let me meet with the director and producer soon. I was also wondering who would be doing Luffy and the gang's voices.

Actually, with regards to the voice actors, ever since I was an assistant, from the time I wrote Romance Dawn I thought about a lot things and thought Mayumi Tanaka would be really good for Luffy. So when it was decided that she would really be doing I was pretty excited.

----Did you ask for her in particular?

Actually! I hadn't said a thing about it at all and she was decided on in the end! I left everything regarding the animation to the pros because my stance was that it would be best to just shut up and get out of the way so I zipped my lips but then she ended up coming to the audition. When she actually read the lines for me I just knew, "THAT'S IT, THIS IS THE VOICE!"

I was happy about so many aspects of the animation but the greatest joy came from having the main character being performed by the voice actress I imagined doing it.

----What a dramatic story! Okay, moving along could you please tell us a bit about the always popular and fantastic wealth of information found in the printed volumes, the readers' corner, SBS. What was your intent for starting it?

When I was a child, I won't say the name, but there was a certain comic where the reader's corner suddenly dissappeared. [[I]No mistake he's talking about Dragonball] I really enjoyed it so that came as a huge dissappointment.

–--When you become popular you get busy with a lot of things and there seem to be a number of cases where readers' corners can't continue.

But that didn't satisfy me. So I decided that if I ever became a manga author, I would continue the readers' corner no matter what. It's not limited to manga but the basic idea stemmed from the idea, "I don't want to make anyone endure something I wouldn't like."

----But isn't it difficult to write that while working on the serialization?

Reading the postcards all at once is tough so every week I read a bit, and sort out the ones that seem like they might be good for SBS. When it's time for a volume to be released I choose the ones to use from that group. I guess that takes about a day right there. Then I also have to draw the cover for the volume so saying it isn't difficult would pretty much be a lie.

But I already decided that this is something I have to do so even if I don't like it, it's something I won't give up. (laughs) I mean yeah it's tough, but it's also fun. Some kids just say things I won't even think.

Everyone just writes this unbelievably stupid crap and sometimes people even suspect me like, "Are you making this up yourself?", but SBS is 100% from the post cards. I read 'em, I chose 'em, I write an answer.

----Well I guess that means all you SBS fans should keep churning them out! Okay, this will be the final question. I seems that it will be quite a while until One Piece reaches it's conclusion, but after that, as a manga author, what kind of motif would you like to follow it with?

Yeah really, there are a lot of things I'd like to do. Not just limited to comics, I'd also like to make something like a movie. However, unlike before, rather than an epic tale I'm really feeling more inclined to drawing a short but tight story.

After I finish One Piece I don't think I'll do another long-running serialized comic. After I complete it I think much like Akira Toriyama-sensei, I'll put out a single volume story every once in a while. Right now I'm really yearning for that kind of style.

And that's exactly why right now, I'm going to put all of my energy into One Piece. If I keep thinking that this is my first and my last long-running manga, my motivation will not run dry.

----So you're thinking of pushing yourself to your limits.

Well, as far as I can go without killing myself. (laughs)

The End

One Piece halfway? Uh, yes please.

A realy good interview.

[sabret00the]

Thanks for the hard work Greg.