One Piece: Rare Concept Art of Eiichiro Oda’s Hit Series Debuts After 30 Years

One Piece: Rare Concept Art of Eiichiro Oda's Hit Series Debuts After 30 Years

As a dedicated fan of manga for over a decade now, I can confidently say that One Piece by Eiichiro Oda holds a special place in my heart and in the world of anime and manga. The series’ intricate world-building has captivated me, along with countless others, for more than 20 years. So, you can only imagine my excitement when I heard about the recent discovery of an unpublished manuscript from 1994 – the earliest known piece of One Piece’s history!


The intricately developed world of “One Piece” by manga artist Eiichiro Oda is renowned for being among the best in the industry, which he has meticulously constructed over the past two decades. Since its debut, “One Piece” has held a dominant position, leaving fans eagerly anticipating every new detail. Recently, an uncommon early draft of the series from 1994 has emerged, offering a glimpse into the origins of this captivating story.

Yes, that’s correct. This newly discovered document is the earliest known piece of work from the “One Piece” series. Oda created it prior to publishing “Romance Dawn,” and we can attribute its revelation to the Blu-ray release of “Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation.”

As someone who has spent countless hours poring over manga art and studying the evolution of iconic series, I find it fascinating to delve into the early works of renowned artists. In this particular case, I’m excited to share my discovery of Eiichiro Oda’s unpublished manuscript of his earliest work on OnePiece, titled “Forward,” created when he was just 19 years old.

— Pew (@pewpiece) July 6, 2024

Recently, Japan released a special edition Blu-ray set of “Monsters,” featuring bonus content. Among these extras was a booklet named Katai Shinroku. This publication includes intriguing interviews with individuals like Oda. With the help of the creator and his assistant, this box set unveiled early drafts of “One Piece,” revealing an abundance of fresh information.

The booklet provides valuable insights into the early development of some characters in the “One Piece” series. For instance, Luffy was initially named Pao and wore a bandana featuring the design of the Gum Gum Fruit. Similarly, the foundations for other key figures such as Sanji, Zoro, and Nika were laid out in these early stages. This shows that Oda had already established the core elements of the storyline before the series was launched, and has been skillfully weaving the narrative ever since.

Oda’s early works featured samurai and knights as prototypes for Zoro and Sanji. For instance, Ryuma the samurai was present in his manuscripts for “GREAT SWORDSMEN (Samurai vs Knights)” three decades ago. Oda expressed a desire to depict these characters extensively.

— Pew (@pewpiece) July 6, 2024

If you’re unfamiliar with “One Piece,” you can easily find the manga version of it online. This widely popular series appears weekly in Shonen Jump magazine. For additional details about the show, check out the synopsis provided below.

In his childhood, Monkey D. Luffy was fueled with dreams of piracy after being captivated by the stories of the pirate “Red-Haired” Shanks. However, Luffy’s aspirations took an unexpected turn when he consumed the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit inadvertently, granting him elastic abilities but stripping him of his swimming capabilities. Despite this setback, Luffy remained determined to claim the title of Pirate King. Years passed, and he embarked on his journey, braving the seas alone in a small boat, in pursuit of the fabled “One Piece,” reputed to be the most valuable treasure the world has ever seen.

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2024-07-16 00:40