Mohsin Lag
Hey there, anime and manga lovers! If you’re a fan of One Piece, you probably already know how exciting and adventurous the series can be. But did you know there are some lesser-known facts about the show that are just as fascinating?
First of all, One Piece is a manga series created by Eiichiro Oda and has been adapted into an anime series that’s broadcasted on Fuji Television in Japan. The story revolves around Monkey D. Luffy, a boy who gains superhuman strength after eating a supernatural fruit and sets out on a quest to become the king of pirates. It’s been translated into multiple languages and is loved by fans all over the world.
But here’s the interesting part – there are some lesser-known facts about the show that even the most dedicated fans might not know. Want to learn more? Keep reading to discover some of the top 16 fascinating facts about One Piece that you might not know yet!
16. Roronoa Zoro and Buggy crew
No one could believe that the overpowered swordsman Roronoa Zoro was originally supposed to be a member of the Buggy crew. But luckily for us, he got switched to the Strawhats Pirates.
Imagine Zoro is under the command of Buggy!! this is really one of the most unbelievable One Piece facts I have ever heard.
15. The Real-World Nationalities of One Piece Characters
Oda revealed the country of origin for each character in One Piece Crew if they belonged to this real world.
- Monkey D Luffy From Brazil
- Usopp is a South African
- Nami is from Sweden
- Roronoa Zoro is from Jpana
- Cyborg Franky is an American
- Nico Robin is from Russia
- Sanji is French
- Tony Chopper is from Canada
- Soul King Brook is Austrian
14. Whitebeard “Edward Newgate”
Well, here is a fun fact! Despite Edward Newgate having no beard at all, he was called “Whitebeard” due to not having a word in Japanese for beard or mustache. There’s only the word, “Shige,” which means facial hair.
13. Sanji is Naruto
Next up, this is one of the most shocking One Piece facts on our list! Author Oda decided to change Sanji’s name because of the confusion around the two characters. At first, Sanji was going to be named Naruto, but then Oda changed his name after thinking it would avoid any confusion among fans of anime.
12. Oda cried over the One Piece Manga
You may not believe him, but it’s true Oda cried when he drew the funeral for The Going Merry. Well, looks like Oda needs to bring tissues next time because he is always drawing intense emotional scenes.
11. Gold D. Roger’s last words
Another one of the best facts of one piece is about Gold D. Roger’s last words, which were much similar to words written on a piece of paper that a real pirate called Olivier Levasseur threw from his necklace into the crowd before being executed.
10. Olivier Levasseur’s cryptic message
When he was led to his execution, Olivier Levasseur told people: “Find my treasure ye who understand it!”. Some members of his former crew found some of the treasure, but most of it remains unidentified.
9. The Shichibukai
Driven by real-life stories, the show has taken inspiration from real-life pirates. The British Navy used to hire them and start wars with other countries much in the way that Shichibukai is doing in One Piece.
8. Jewelry Bonney is Real!
Jewelry Bonney, a pirate female character in the One Piece series, was based on the real-life pirate, Anne Bonny. Anne was a woman who became a famous pirate operating in the Caribbean during the 18th century.
7. One Piece Ambassadors at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
Did you know that anime characters were chosen as the official ambassadors of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics? One of the chosen ambassadors was Luffy from One Piece. Interestingly, a player at the Olympics even did Luffy’s signature 2nd Gear pose before their match, and ended up winning the gold medal.
6. The Hard Work Behind One Piece
One Piece is a hugely popular manga and anime series, but do you know how much effort the creator Eiichiro Oda puts in to maintain its quality? Eiichiro Oda only sleeps three hours a night, from 2 am to 5 am, and doesn’t take any holidays or breaks to ensure the production of One Piece keeps running smoothly.
5. One Piece’s Guinness World Record
One Piece holds a Guinness World Record for being the comic book series with the most copies published for the same comic book series by a single author. With around 321 million manga sold from 1997 to 2014, it’s no surprise that One Piece has a huge following worldwide.
4. The Weakest Straw Hat Crew Member
Think Nami is the weakest Straw Hat crew member? Think again! According to the creator himself, Eiichiro Oda, Usopp is the weakest member of Luffy’s crew. Despite his powerful fighting skills, Usopp ranks last among the Straw Hats.
3. The Ending of One Piece
Did you know that only three people know the ending of One Piece, the popular manga and anime series that has been running for 25 years? The creator himself, Eiichiro Oda, one of his editors, and a young girl named Hinati Fujinami who had a terminal illness and wished to know how the story ends. The Make-A-Wish Institute made her dream come true by arranging a meeting between her and Oda in the hospital.
2. One Piece Themed-Places in Real Life
One Piece’s popularity has led to the creation of several themed places in Japan, such as the Universal Jump Summer event held at Universal Studios Japan and the Tokyo One Piece Tower park in Minato-ku, which features a One Piece-themed restaurant and statues for fans to enjoy. Another must-visit location is the Laguna Ten Bosch One Piece in Gamagori, where you can find the original size Sunny Go ship and even dine at Ace and Shirohige’s eatery.
1. One Piece planned to air for only 5 years
One of the top interesting facts is that One Piece was planned to end in just five years after its 1997 debut, but as of 2021, it has been over 23 years since the series began and it still isn’t over yet. Eiichiro Oda had planned for the series to end in 2002, but with the story covering only 80% of the total planned story, it looks like it will take longer than expected to wrap things up.
Great blog. Thanks for showing us.