Key Takeaways
- Oda returned from a health break to draw Kuma with his daughter, giving fans a glimpse of “what could have been.”
- Oda frequently draws non-canon art to explore “what-if” scenarios, like surviving Marineford with Sabo. Fans love it.
- One Piece’s success continues with over 500M manga copies sold; upcoming projects include live action and potential anime remake.
Eiichiro Oda returned to work after a two-week-long break. The One Piece author was forced to put his pen down due to health complications. Having recovered, Oda wasted no time resuming work on his manga.
One of the first projects he finished was Bartholomew Kuma’s artwork. The character earned the love and admiration of the audience after Oda revealed his backstory. In the new artwork, Oda has drawn Kuma with his daughter Jewelry Bonney and Ginny. The artwork gives the audience a glimpse of what could have been.
Related
One Piece: Every Fight In Wano
The land of Wano served as the battleground for some of the most memorable fights in One Piece.
The Significance Of The Artwork
Bartholomew Kuma is the perfect representation of an indomitable hero who kept going even after suffering setback after setback. Given the number of tragedies he has suffered, it is great to see him for once.
In the past, Oda has also drawn special artwork representing “what-if” situations. In another piece of art, the One Piece author showed what would happen if Sabo turned up at Marineford. It showed that all three brothers would have survived. Many fans live for such things, so it is always nice to see Oda draw some non-canon material.
What Is The Future Of One Piece?
One Piece is by far the most popular anime series in the world. The manga has sold well over 500 million copies, making it the best-selling manga series of all time. Despite being serialized for more than two decades, One Piece has maintained the same level of quality, which is why critics and the audience alike so highly rate it. Eiichiro Oda spends a great deal of time working on the manga to make sure that there is no degradation.
One Piece’s fame is on an upward trajectory, and it is unlikely to come down anytime soon. The series announces new projects every year to help bolster its popularity further. It took a massive leap by announcing the One Piece Live Action. Those who are unfamiliar with manga and anime would never have experienced One Piece without the live-action adaptation. It also avoided joining the long list of failed live-action anime adaptations.
At this year’s Jump Festa, Eiichiro Oda and his staff might reveal other projects linked to One Piece. Most fans believe a new movie might be announced, but it is just conjecture at this time. There could also be an announcement related to Wit Studio’s remake of the One Piece anime. Since the initial reveal, the studio put out very few updates, but that might change soon.
Source: X (Formerly Twitter)
- Release Date
- October 20, 1999
- Studio
- Toei Animation
- Creator
- Eiichiro Oda