Marvel Rivals’ First Season Has Fans Thinking One Piece

Without a doubt, Marvel Rivals made a strong debut upon its launch last month. Known as a “Hero Shooter”, it boasted an impressive lineup of thirty-three characters right from the start, and there’s still more to come. The multiplayer game is set to kick off its first season on January 10th, welcoming two renowned members of the Fantastic Four to join the team. With the abilities of Mr. Fantastic and the game’s “skill kit”, fans of Marvel and anime can’t help but notice similarities between him and Monkey D. Luffy.

Luffy, known for being a rubber-bodied anime character and widely popular, isn’t the only fictional figure who can elongate limbs or turn hands into ramming tools. Reed Richards from the Fantastic Four was fortunate enough to be hit by Cosmic Rays, which gave him the ability to stretch and boasted an intellect that was already exceptional. Although Reed may not have physically overpowered opponents in many past conflicts, Marvel Rivals is now utilizing his powers effectively, and fans of One Piece are starting to take notice.

[RELATED: Marvel Rivals Confirms Mister Fantastic’s Abilities Ahead of Release]

The Fantastic Mr. Luffy

It’s clear that Reed, despite not consuming a Devil Fruit, bears striking resemblances to certain characters from Marvel and anime, particularly in Marvel Rivals. Just like Mr. Fantastic, he can elongate his limbs, and even exhibits abilities reminiscent of Monkey D. Luffy, such as increasing muscle mass and deflecting projectiles back at adversaries. Unsurprisingly, fans have been drawing parallels between these two popular universes on social media in a humorous manner.

we got gear 4 luffy in marvel rivals bro are you serious

— jij・じじ (@joshuinjapan) January 7, 2025

marvel rivals has been one piece inspired

— 𝒃𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒚 ♡ OPTCG (@acebunnytcg) January 8, 2025

The One Piece Easter Egg in Plain Sight

Although Mr. Fantastic’s elastic abilities don’t officially connect him to One Piece, a potential Easter egg was noticed by fans that could hint at a relationship between Marvel Rivals and Eiichiro Oda’s creation. During the recent “Winter Celebration,” the Marvel Hero Shooter gave fans the opportunity to design their own holiday card, offering significant customization. One snowman, as shown above, wore a hat reminiscent of Tony Tony Chopper, the reindeer doctor who will debut in Netflix’s upcoming second season of One Piece.

Marvel’s Anime, Fantastic Four Not Included

As someone who’s always been captivated by the Marvel Universe, it’s no secret that anime has had its share of Marvel stories, from Iron Man to X-Men. Regrettably, the Fantastic Four – Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm – haven’t had their own anime series yet. But with Fantastic Four: First Steps set to hit theaters this summer, maybe the upcoming Cinematic Universe debut will pave the way for the FF to conquer a fresh medium!

In the realm of anime, there have been some remarkable crossovers involving Marvel characters. For instance, in a special comic book issue, the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy squared off against the Titans from Attack on Titan. Meanwhile, Deadpool joined forces with All Might from My Hero Academia to battle Thanos, the Mad Titan. Unfortunately, the Straw Hats crew hasn’t ventured into the Marvel Universe yet, so for now, enjoying Mr. Fantastic emulating Luffy’s moves will have to suffice.

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2025-01-09 01:40