I was going to post this in the Skyward Sword thread, but I decided I needed more expertise than was likely going to be available there. So yeah, this has really been bugging me so hopefully someone can help me out with a question I have.
Given that this is a One Piece forum, I'm sure you're all aware that Skypiea's Ex-God, Gan Fall, loves to grow pumpkins. To jog your memory, this chapter begins and shows at length his large pumpkin crop. If you're caught up with the recent chapters then you also know that he was recently featured on the cover of chapter 649 with his gourd hoard:
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Anyway, for some reason Oda singles out pumpkins as the vegetable of choice for Skypiean agriculture.
If you've played the new Legend of Zelda game (Skyward Sword), then you know where this is going. If not, then let me quickly point out that a major part of the game takes place in a sky area composed of floating islands, very much like Skypiea. And just what happens to be the only cultivated crop there? Pumpkins:
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There is even a bar called the Lumpy Pumpkin and several pumpkin based quests and tasks to accomplish. The aforementioned orange squash is vital to the lifeblood of the game.
Did anyone else notice this? Is it a complete coincidence? Is there any mythological tale or some other literary allusion (Japanese or otherwise) that would cause Oda and Nintendo to independently decide that pumpkins are a preferred product to be harvested in the sky? I appreciate in advance any help you might provide and caution all to take this matter with the grave seriousness that it obviously warrants.