One Piece Author Oda Reveals Why His Manga Officially Failed

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This article may contain spoilers from the One Piece manga.

One Piece is widely considered one of the greatest anime and manga series ever created, and its popularity has only grown over time. It’s also become one of the most commercially successful fictional stories of all time. One Piece began in 1997 and has consistently captivated manga readers ever since. Eiichiro Oda crafted a story that has held fans’ attention for decades, but One Piece almost didn’t come to fruition.

You know, it’s amazing to think that Eiichiro Oda struggled to get published at first! He faced so many failures after releasing his one-shot, *Monster*. But honestly, that just shows his dedication. One Piece was Oda’s success after many failures, and it’s a testament to his hard work and perseverance – it’s really inspiring!

Oda Struggled to Get Published After Monster

Oda Was Able To Publish One Piece Through Hard Work and Dedication

I think everyone knows One Piece now – it’s become the best-selling manga *ever*, and honestly, nothing else even comes close! It’s kind of amazing to me, then, to find out that Eiichiro Oda, the guy who created it, actually had a really tough time getting his work published at first. He always dreamed of being a mangaka, but it wasn’t an easy path for him, that’s for sure.

One of Eiichiro Oda’s earliest creations was a short story called Monsters. It appeared in 1994, but afterward, he faced a difficult period. He repeatedly had his work rejected by Weekly Shonen Jump, who were hesitant to publish his manga. His breakthrough came in 1996 when he was allowed to publish Romance Dawn, which served as the foundation for One Piece, in Shonen Jump.

Because Romance Dawn was so successful and placed third in the reader poll, Shonen Jump would at last offer him the opportunity to publish his own, lengthy manga series.

I was having a great time as an assistant, but my own manga submissions kept getting turned down. After Monsters was published in a special issue (1994 Autumn Special), I faced a series of rejections. Feeling desperate, I decided to try something different: a pirate manga, which became Romance Dawn (Version 1). It was published two years later in another special issue (1996 Summer Special) and surprisingly ranked third in the reader poll. Considering there were three professional mangaka competing, finishing third meant I’d outperformed at least one of them-a huge accomplishment! This success gave me a lot of confidence, and I think that recognition was key to finally getting the opportunity to publish in the main section of Jump.” – Eiichiro Oda

One Piece debuted a year after Romance Dawn and was officially released in 1997, as most fans are aware. However, even following the success of Romance Dawn, getting it published wasn’t simple. Oda shares that One Piece faced several rejections during the editorial meetings where it was considered for serialization. If Oda hadn’t continued to push for it, One Piece might never have been published, or it could have been drastically different and not achieved the massive popularity it enjoys today.

I learned that opportunities can appear unexpectedly, and it’s crucial to be completely ready to take advantage of them when they do. That’s when I started thinking of the title One Piece. Although the name was initially turned down several times in meetings, after about a year, One Piece finally began its serialization.

One Piece Has Carried Weekly Shonen Jump

Shonen Jump Would Be in Trouble Without One Piece

One Piece is now a cornerstone of Weekly Shonen Jump. It consistently outperforms other series in terms of popularity, and more importantly, One Piece has consistently helped keep the magazine strong, even during challenging times. Many other popular series have come and gone, but One Piece remains a consistent presence.

If series such as Naruto, Jujutsu Kaisen, and My Hero Academia had concluded, the magazine would have suffered more significantly if not for One Piece consistently appearing each week, offering readers a reliable title to return to. Jump should be thankful for that consistent readership.

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2025-10-05 14:34