Again with the "DBZ was intended to end at Freeza."
Nobody held a gun to his head. If series REALLY were continued based on their popularity and the forcing of authors to write/draw, we'd be on volume 20 or so of Death Note at the moment.
"I'm writing the kinds of stories I wanted to read as a kid."
This is THE Oda quote. It's the fucking Holy Hand Grenade of Oda quotes. Don't screw with it because it will wreck you.
I think I like this quote from Oda better than ANYTHING he's said because it perfectly sums up his current series. In fact, I was just thinking about making a thread about this the other day but what the hell.
So we know everything about Luffy screams 'child'. It's been Oda's intention from the start to create Luffy as the perpetual 7-year old that can KICK YOUR ASS if he's po'd. His strawhat? Practically a staple for Japanese children's attire in Japan. His birthday? May 5th, Children's Day in Japan. His fascination with catching horned beetles (I shit you not, catching beetles is IT for children in Japan). His general, "I can do anything.", attitude….even when he OBVIOUSLY can't at times. His sense for adventure is no different from me when I went exploring the far reaches of my backyard. Eating and sleeping? Let's face it, what do kids do? Wake up, eat, play, eat, play, eat, sleep, repeat.
Okay, so I'm sure nobody needed any reminding about Luffy's character but consider that he's what drives the series and what situations he finds himself in. It's like a children's wonderland...minus the enemies of course, but regardless every place he's visited really isn't all the different from what L. Frank Baum conceived of or Lewis Carrol. They're all fascinating and mysterious and we want to know more about it so we just keep going along. And who finds this interesting? Children, well yeah, but why do adults like it so much? Honestly, I'm 24 and addicted to OP. Even my friends who don't watch Japanese animation much always ask me when we hang out what's up with the story. So what do very different adults with fully developed morals, ethics, tastes, lifestyles, opinions, etc. all have in common?
We were all blank-slate kids once too.
Now, where's the difference between Oda and the vast majority (I can't say all) of authors out there writing shonen manga? Oda hasn't forgotten what it's like to be a kid. I swear to God there's a 7-year old living inside him that operates his body as a shell.
All of what I've mentioned above, he's been able to do as an adult. There are mangaka out there who draw what they know kids like. But Oda still IS a kid drawing from that perspective. He can capture everything kids want and desire because he's writing from that perspective which just...ugh. He's too good.
I think other author's start to 'think' about what would be cool whereas Oda just does what would be fun and it works.
He has one HELL of an imagination. I think it blows the shit out of Toriyama, and that's coming from someone who was the DB fan and especially the other work currently in JUMP. I still respect and enjoy their work very much, but I don't think any of them have capture that spark which Oda just seems to naturally possess.
Good God that was biased praise. If it gave you a cavity my apologies, but I just think that quote is what separates him from everyone else.