Source: Sankakucomplex
Sankaku's title for the article: Eiichiro Oda: "I am better than other mangaka"
One Piece mangaka Eiichiro Oda has given an interview explaining his dissatisfaction with the fact that there are no ranks amongst mangaka, and that there is no special title other than plain “mangaka” available to demonstrate he is no mere mangaka.
The interview, with fellow mangaka Shinobu Kaitani, author of One Outs and others:Kaitani: I think a good thing about being a mangaka is that there is no rank. Of course, there are differences in popularity, but when everyone is a pro we are all putting all we have into our works according to our abilities.”
Oda: Well, I think the opposite. I want to have a rank. It’s like I’m trying as hard as I do, and I’m just a “mangaka” like everyone else?
Of course, if you are a long-time veteran you get called “master” [shishou], but there should be a title for younger masters. “Fantasista” or something.
Kaitani: You want an official position or something?
Oda: Right, right, that’s it! You get a title like “section chief” as a working adult. It’s like proof of how hard you tried. As a mangaka you are always just a “mangaka.”
Kaitani: You want to be able to level up from “mangaka” to “manga-sennin” then?
Oda: Yes, yes – I want to be able to level up like that. Being able to aim for that would be good.
That Oda has such authoritarian leanings is perhaps surprising – apparently being a multi-millionaire and author of the most popular manga in history is not recognition enough.
Reactions vary from considering his desires embarrassingly juvenile to sympathy at his lack of “recognition” – although it seems unlikely his fellow mangaka, most of whom languish in relative poverty at the mercy of rapacious publishers, will be too pleased.
Greg's post about the interview:
http://apforums.net/showpost.php?p=1852437&postcount=6774
http://apforums.net/showpost.php?p=1854594&postcount=6817@Aohige_AP:
Not only is this article YEARS old, they are talking about rankings in a manner like karate belt rankings, in a JOKING manner.
Sankaku is sensationalist bullshit.
The original article is legit, Sankakubullshitplex one is not.
The original interview had "(laughs)" and Oda speaks in his child-like screwing around speech, much like in his SBS when he's not being serious. It's OBVIOUS they're playing around.
And what he's saying is, if there was a rank up (or level up) system, mangaka might feel more motivated to go up in ranks, like karate belts.
And no, once again, HE'S NOT BEING SERIOUS. Nor did he say what these smut articles claims he said.This article is from back in 2009.
Let me tell you EXACTLY why this Sankakuidiotplex is picking it up NOW, a whole year and a half later.
Because some One Piece hater in Japan decided to pick this article up recently (yesterday, on 3/22) and reword it to make Oda sound more assholeish, and started a thread in VIP, an infamous troll-fest 2ch board similar to 4chan's /b/, racking up tons of replies from his trolling.That's this Sanakumoronplex's "news source".
Hell it may even be second-hand source from one of the troll blogs that decided to pick up the VIP thread.
Oda never said "I shouldn't be ranked the same with everyone else" like that "news source" headline reads. Not once.
