Jujutsu Kaisen Animator Celebrates Shanks’ Birthday with Breathtaking Art!

As an ardent fan of One Piece, I’m always amazed by the multitude of characters in this epic saga, but it’s the select few that truly capture the hearts of fans worldwide. What makes these characters even more special is their consistent significance to the storyline, a remarkable feat considering the series spans over a thousand chapters.

One tradition that always excites me is the release of breathtaking birthday art for our beloved characters on social media or official channels. Each illustration is unique, offering a personal touch that delves deeper into the characters’ personalities and histories by incorporating specific details into the artwork. Fans eagerly share and discuss these official illustrations during their favorite characters’ birthdays, forming a stronger bond with the series on a more intimate level.

These stunning pieces of art are brought to life by the talented Toei Animators who contribute significantly to the series. The anticipation for these birthday tributes is always high, as they serve as a testament to the enduring appeal and rich narrative of One Piece.

On Shanks’ birthday, the renowned animator @Hone_honeHONE on X platform created a stunning illustration as a gift. In this artwork, Shanks is seen drawing his sword, with the light from his blade’s reflection highlighting his scar. This scar holds significant symbolism in the story, having been inflicted by Blackbeard, a key adversary in the series. Recently, HoneHone has contributed to Episodes 1074, 1114, and 1115 of the One Piece anime. They also drew an illustration of Katakuri back in November 2024. Prior to One Piece, HoneHone was widely recognized for their work during Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2. While the series was airing, the animator openly discussed the demanding work environment at MAPPA studio, gaining respect from the fan community.

Shanks Shares His Birthday With Two More One Piece Characters

In One Piece, the characters’ birthdays are either decided by Oda or by fans, depending on what the author finds suitable. Many birthdays are chosen using Japanese wordplay with numbers, which allows for puns related to each character’s name. This is because Oda doesn’t always stick to a rigid rule, so often it’s the fans who come up with these wordplays and they appear in the SBS columns of the manga volumes. The fact that Shanks and Franky share the same birthdays is merely a coincidence.

In the Q&A section for Volume 54 of One Piece, a fan proposed that Shanks’ birthday be March 9th due to the meaning of his name. This is because “Shan” translates to 9 and “Kusu” translates to 3 in Japanese. Similarly, in Volume 43, a fan suggested the birthdays for several characters from Water 7, including Franky. In Japanese, “Saibōgu”, which is Franky’s name, can be broken down into “Sa” (meaning 3) and “Gu” (meaning 9). As for Mihawk, since there are no records related to his birthday in the Q&A sections, it seems that Oda chose his birthday independently.

It’s unclear if it’s a coincidence or not, but Shanks and Mihawk share a birthday, much like Shanks and Franky sharing a connection in One Piece. On X, @OPcom_info, the official account of the One Piece portal site, posted their birth artworks. Despite having only a five-year age difference, these two are often depicted as rivals. In a time before the current timeline, they even clashed swords, but no winner was declared. Both are feared for their immense powers and are known to wield swords, sparking debates among One Piece fans about who is stronger between them. As such, these two characters frequently appear together, whether in the storyline or in discussions outside it.

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2025-03-10 22:46