(TRANS) Eiichiro Oda ” Luffy Is My Ideal Child”

First Part Eiichiro Oda The Mangaka of One Piece Interview.

Q: You worked on One Piece for 21 years… Do you feel it’s has been a long journey!?

EO: I was surprised when the winner of Jump’s newcomer manga Award and the staff of the workplace have said “We were born since One Piece began”.

I had a little bit that feeling(of long journey).

Q: What is the reason of continuing this story and make that long without breath!?

EO: Because maybe characters move on own way(own convenience) ? If we consider for example when someone gathers own companion…at the beginning of the series, there was the thought of giving to the story that sense that games have…like…beating enemies and then making new friends. But, thinking when I confront human being seriously, and thinking if one of them had to come to me all of the sudden saying to me “become a pirate!”, I (surely) wouldn’t follow him.

If there not persuasion in the story, you can’t become a friend. At first, I was planning to gather 10 news friends in 1 year and a halg r. It took more than 20 years in which the story has reached 80% of progress, but I still have 9 friends.

Q: What kind of existence is Luffy for Oda-sensei?

EO: Luffy is my ideal child. Children tend to wish to be like that. Sometimes I say similar words to convince others, I want them being children all the time. There is a misterious part of me too. Also, I would get worried if it’s not like that. If I could understand everything, the reader could lose own interest of course.

(*Last question: I think he is refering to the fact children want to know new things, want to go beyond things. they are like explorers. I think he adds a lot of his “child side” to make the reader curious and so to not make him bored)