One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has said that it’s important for manga’s heroines to be strong and capable women.
Oda recently sat down with the New York Times to discuss the popular series ahead of the launch of the live-action adaptation. Many topics were brought up during the interview and things eventually turned to the portrayal of the women in One Piece. At this point, Oda cheerfully notes that for him, it’s important to show female characters, especially heroines, as capable characters alongside the male ones.
He talks about “women with intelligence like Robin or as capable as Nami”. He further noted that even One Piece’s female villains have the same strength and abilities as the male actors, both for good and for bad. Other characters that have stood out over the years thanks to Oda’s work include Black Maria, Cindry, Boa Hancock, Yamato, Reiju, Tashigi, etc. The series has been praised over the years for its handling of female characters in the series. movie.
For Oda, his instinct to write his female character a certain way is due to the manga he read as a child. He revealed in the interview that many of the manga he’s come across feature female characters who “exist only to be rescued,” a ludicrous statement that has pervaded many forms of media over the years. via. Oda doesn’t like this type of story and tries not to use it in his series. Instead, he creates women who can stand on their own with their brains, muscles, and skills, and if they get stuck, they know their shipmates can be there to help. support them in difficult times. Plus, they will do the same to their partner without hesitation.
His belief in strong characters, especially strong female characters, is one of the many reasons why fans are curious about Netflix’s upcoming One Piece adaptation. The trailers have already shown the fan-favorite Nami and other female characters that will likely appear in the first season. Plus, if a second season is approved, even more characters, both good and bad, will come to deal with the Straw Hat Pirates. The best live-action anime adaptations have mixed records, and Oda himself noted that he is pushing his series to become that record-breaking film.
One Piece season one will be available on Netflix on August 30, 2023.
source: The New York Times
