Important Oda Quotes

[Robo Gorilla]

The following are quotes from Oda, either from interviews, JUMP Festas, SBS's or any other place Oda speaks about One Piece outside of the manga. Included with the quotes are the most credible sources for them that I am able to find. I am not giving my own interpretation of the quotes, everyone is free to interpret them as they wish.

1.@Greg:

They're gonna make a former boss character their partner and head to the New World.

Sources: Greg; Day 2 of JUMP Festa 2009; NUMEROUS blogs

2.@Greg:

Oda says he's the closest to a human in the series with everyone else being super human. He feels that as Usopp slowly gets stronger, his readers can feel the same way and get stronger too. Tanaka loves how when Luffy and team go off leaving Nami and Usopp behind then they both say, "Counting on you -_-;" Oda says there are certain things he wants to keep the same because it will just upset the balance. No matter who joins, he always wants Usopp to be the weakest,

Sources: One Piece 10th Treasures interview; Greg paraphrasing the interview

And this is a manga for boys so I won’t draw anything about relationships. I get a lot of letters from female readers asking me to cover some kind of relationship but if that’s what you want to read, go read a girl’s manga, that’s not my job. I don’t care if someone falls for Luffy, but it’s something that would be over before you know it. But knowing Luffy, I don’t think that kind of thing would be a problem. (laughs)

Source: Men's NON-NO interview with Oda; Greg (via grandline.com, http://www.thegrandline.com/odanon.htm); interview, December 2009

They won't fly! (laugh) Because if they fly, they won't need ships anymore. Also, they'd be able to do anything… I'm really focusing on the aspect of sailing the seas.

Source: COMICKERS interview, Roy Watanabe (interview here, http://www.apricot.com/~fuu/paradise3/oda/cm1098.html)

Also, I had a sorcerer in a short story once, but I won't be using that in the series. Any preposterous situations are all created by the devil fruits. That one point is rather supernatural, but everything else is normal.

Source: Exact same as the flying one

6.@Greg:

"TEN OR MORE MEMBERS"
Small corner brings back Luffy's declarationabout crew members. They suggest this means he'll get, "AT LEAST,"one new member in the New World. Note that in the same blurb, they count the current the number at NINE

Sources: Greg; Data Book Green
NOTE: Data Book Green (as well as any other data book) has Oda's name on the cover, but is not written by Oda. It is written by assistants and editors with Oda's approval.

Please note if you believe there are other important quotes that should be here or that there are better sources you believe I should use.

I purposely did not include Oda saying that Strongworld is Luffy's last adventure as a 17 year old because it should be obvious to everyone by now that Luffy is no longer 17.

[Don Quichotte De Flamingo]

Add the eyepatch-quote and that Usopp always will be the weakest on board.

[Gia Sado]

lol now i can see caribou being that boss character. How random that is, but think of how unexpected this manga can be.

[Robo Gorilla]

Usopp being the weakest is number 2. While I believe people when they say that an eye-patch member will come up near the end of the series, I have absolutely no clue where Oda said that.

[Muah]

Awesome if that logia guy joins. His actions aren't even that bad compare to past members. Like robin and Franky. Robin supposedly killed someone the strawhats liked. I still don't know how he lived though.

[Monkey D]

@Muah:

Robin supposedly killed someone the strawhats liked. I still don't know how he lived though.

Because she didn't meant to kill him for real.

[RomanceDawn]

That Boss character has Moriah written all over it.

[kouch_lee]

@RomanceDawn:

That Boss character has Moriah written all over it.

Why not Croco-boy?

[Monkey D]

@kouch_lee:

Why not Croco-boy?

Because he is already in the new world :ninja:. But I'll say either Moriah or Arlong. (even if I'm not sure that I'd like to see Arlong for crewmate)

[Muah]

Theres no way Moria will join his most hated enemy. There is also no way the strawhats would get both Crocodile and mr 1. Not because the both strong but because there both so willed to do what they want. Mr 1 only goes as far as serving Crocodile and it would be hard for me to see Croc following Luffy except maybe as an ally. Though that qoute may have been old and he was talking about Robin.

[Alban]

What about this one from SBS 48

"The same powers don't exist twice AT THE SAME TIME." How's that? For more detail, you'll just have to wait for a certain professor to make his appearance in the story, and explain exactly what the Devil Fruits REALLY are… Eventually

[Lee]

@ RoboGorilla : May I suggest that you classify the quotes into different categories (devil fruits related, crewmembers, future characters, One Piece world…) ? With so many quotes, it should be clearer that way, me thinks.

@Muah:

Theres no way Moria will join his most hated enemy.

Moriah's most hated enemy is Kaido, the man who most likely killed all of his former crewmates.

[Gecko Moria]

That "Boss character" is probably Franky.

[toiim]

Great thread. It's unfortunate about the flying one, but i guess that's what differs One piece from Dragonball, Bleach, Naruto etc.

Wait, couldn't CP9 fly? As in sorta kick the air and fly?

[Sea]

@toiim:

Great thread. It's unfortunate about the flying one, but i guess that's what differs One piece from Dragonball, Bleach, Naruto etc.

Wait, couldn't CP9 fly? As in sorta kick the air and fly?

Oda was talking about the SH. Not all characters in One Piece cannot fly.
Laffite, Pell, for example.
CP9 can't travel far with Geppou I suppose.

[Monkey D]

@Gecko:

That "Boss character" is probably Franky.

In 2009, Franky was already in the crew.

[dlo62282]

i always thought the boss thing was rather vague…and partner up doesnt mean a member of the crew.

[Strongwords]

I think this boss guy is rayleigh.

[Spooly]

its only said that the boss character heads together with the SH to the new world, so it can be everyone from fishman island. For example, jinbei, arlong, a new fishman who is the boss of a gang and so on…

[Reyairia]

Or it could have been, you know, Franky.

[Caxxo]

It's Arlong

[HikaruYami]

@Reyairia:

Or it could have been, you know, Franky.

Franky joined WAY before Jump Festa 2009 (which took place in December of 2008, iirc). The straw hats had ALREADY SPLIT UP before this quote occurred. Brook had already joined a few months ago.

Conclusion: Shut up if you don't know what you're talking about.

[GoustiFruit]

@Muah:

Theres no way Moria will join his most hated enemy.

That was before the war. I think that after the WG tried to kill him, he might have changed his focus.

[Ali D]

moria will gender-bender and join the strawhats as morianna.
no, srly:

Where and when stated Oda that a former villian will join?

If this is true, it even could be croco, wapol or hacchan… no, not hacchan, the new one must be stronger than usopp...

[Mastello]

@Ali:

Where and when stated Oda that a former villian will join?

Check the first post of this thread…

Btw, I think it's possible although not very likely that Moria becomes Straw Hats' ally in the future. At least he seems to have the highest chances of the former villains right now.

[Mugiwara_no_Luffy]

@Ali:

Where and when stated Oda that a former villian will join?

isn't it great when people don't bother to read the first post of the thread they comment on? warms the heart, i tell you what.

[firecrouch]

I didn't take that quote as saying a former villain will join, just someone that used to be a leader will join.

[HikaruYami]

@firecrouch:

I didn't take that quote as saying a former villain will join, just someone that used to be a leader will join.

N? So, do you think it might be Jimbei?

[Reyairia]

@firecrouch:

I didn't take that quote as saying a former villain will join, just someone that used to be a leader will join.

I guess it depends on the translation.

[Hiroy]

I'm leaning on Smoker.

[mickdestroy]

I would like Lucci coz he's very powerful but who knows…

[Sabo]

I think it will be a new Boss character… No one introduced yet

No one I can think of at the moment is fit to join, aside from Hachi, but is he really a boss?

What exactly does Oda mean by "boss" character? It's pretty vague...

[mickdestroy]

Aside from their personalities, Either Eneru or Lucci are very good choices

[Hiroy]

Neither are good choices.

[Urian]

Bartholomew Kuma is a former boss who became an ally recently and the Strawhats are indebted to him, I am sure that we are going to see an arc about recovering Kuma memories and personality.

[dark knight]

the boss charcter i think would have to be someone they meat in fishaman island for them to travel the new world together would love if it was crocodile but doubt it im leaning towards jimbei but would love if it was someone with more personality

[Calchexas]

As far as boss characters go, if Crocodile/Moriah/Caribou join, then it will permanently make the crew feel "dirty." However, that that might be Oda's point to further emphasize the Straw Hats' PIRATE status.

[Muah]

Duval would be nice but my roomat has opened my eyes.

It's no one other than ….........................................................................................................................Kuma....

Also im pretty sure moria hats Luffy the most. I mean theirs no telling how much damage he did to kaidou or if kaidou was th one who killed his friends. When he mentioned that he fought equally with Kaidou why would they mention that if Kaidou killed all his nakama.

[Aaronrules380]

I thought most people had come to the conclusiobn that was talking about the marineford war. The wording never said Luffy'd go to the new world WITH the boss character, just that they'd join up for a bit and THEN Luffy would go to the new world >.>

[Sabo]

@Aaronrules380:

I thought most people had come to the conclusiobn that was talking about the marineford war. The wording never said Luffy'd go to the new world WITH the boss character, just that they'd join up for a bit and THEN Luffy would go to the new world >.>

Like Crocodile…

If true then... Yay! No current "boss" would fit the Strawhats...

[RomanceDawn]

Crocodile looked like he was headed for the New World a long time ago. He seemed in tip top shape, ready to go before the time skip, I bet he is roaming out there already. Moriah being hunted by the government, falling from grace, and wanting revenge on Kaido all points to him being the temporary ally in the future. Probably hiding in fishman island right now. I doubt this future ally will be a permanent member.

[fedcom]

If "Boss character" refers to a former villain, Hatchi fits the bill nicely.

[Greg]

I really regret relating the whole 'boss character' comment thing.

As far as we know, Oda already came through on that end.

Keep in mind he made the comment JUST as ID started.

In ID he joined forces with a ton of villainous characters including 'boss characters' like Buggy & Croc.

Oda drove his point home when Luffy was getting hammered with a slew of former villains, instead of the usual crew, in a color spread.

[Reyairia]

@fedcom:

If "Boss character" refers to a former villain, Hatchi fits the bill nicely.

I don't see Hachi joining since he's already fulfilling his dream. Plus someone needs to stick around to always rescue Caimie and Pappagg.

[fedcom]

So Greg, I take you's saying that the Strawhats don't necessarily have to head to the New World with the former boss character?

Also, I didn't say Hatchi had to join the crew, he can just hang out or w/e without being a permanent crewmate.

[Greg]

Yeah, like MOST of Oda's bombshell comments at JF, it's suuuuuuuuuper ambiguous.

Vivi is their 'nakama'. There's no disputing that. Is she a current 'crew member'? No.

But the Strawhats have a looooooooooooooot of so-called 'nakama' at this point. They literally have ENTIRE NATIONS backing them up.

But there are still only 9 base 'crew' members.

In other words, he could have meant 2. He might possibly have meant Buggy (even though Buggy would screw over Luffy no matter WHAT he does) or he might have meant every villain that sided with him at ID.

Because, as is usually the case with Japanese, lack of a plural for 'boss character' means he could have totally intended it to be everyone.

It's best not to think too hard about it at this point.

[Reyairia]

@fedcom:

Also, I didn't say Hatchi had to join the crew, he can just hang out or w/e without being a permanent crewmate.

I see what you mean.
I don't think he fits the former boss thing. I think Oda meant like a main antagonist of an arc like Crocodile, Arlong or Enel. Hachi was only first mate in Arlong Park.

[Just_Gabe]

Why do you people find it so hard to understand the part that "a former boss will ally/join/hangout/get drunk/whatever with Luffy and THEN HEAD TO THE NEW WORLD?"

As far as I know, passing FI is considered going to the NW, so we have yet to see who is this former boss was Oda talking about during the next FI arc. NOTHING to do with the guys at ID that we've seen. Could be one of those, but we'll see soon. Curiously the only bosses that haven't make a reaparition so far and that are kind of worth mentioning are Kuro (ok…not that worth), Arlong and Rob Lucci.

From my point of view, the only former boss that was also captured by the navy was Arlong, so we might see him allying himself with Luffy to head to FI in order to get over some kind of obstacle or just as a "guide". About becoming a new nakamate? highly doubt so.

[Greg]

As far as I know, passing FI is considered going to the NW, so we have yet to see who is this former boss was Oda talking about during the next FI arc. NOTHING to do with the guys at ID that we've seen.

So you didn't buy that him saying this just a week or so before Luffy met Buggy and eventually the rest of the villains in ID, culminating in a colorspread reserved for the crew members was what he meant?

I mean your point is valid. FI is in an ambiguous location and Oda could have intended it to mean that because he IS a tricky bastard like that. But from what we know, he came through with his promise.

[Polygon]

@Just_Gabe:

Why do you people find it so hard to understand the part that "a former boss will ally/join/hangout/get drunk/whatever with Luffy and THEN HEAD TO THE NEW WORLD?"

As far as I know, passing FI is considered going to the NW, so we have yet to see who is this former boss was Oda talking about during the next FI arc. NOTHING to do with the guys at ID that we've seen. Could be one of those, but we'll see soon. Curiously the only bosses that haven't make a reaparition so far and that are kind of worth mentioning are Kuro (ok…not that worth), Arlong and Rob Lucci.

From my point of view, the only former boss that was also captured by the navy was Arlong, so we might see him allying himself with Luffy to head to FI in order to get over some kind of obstacle or just as a "guide". About becoming a new nakamate? highly doubt so.

**Nowhere does it say that Luffy will travel to the New World with a former boss character. It says that he will join forces with a former boss character and then go to the New World.

He's temporarily joined forces with both Croc and Buggy during Impel Down, so it's completely possible Oda has already fulfilled his promise.**