Who doesn’t know Eiichiro Oda, the renowned creator of the globally popular manga One Piece? Now, a new project from this legendary mangaka is set to be transformed into an anime titled Monsters.
Eiichiro Oda first introduced the one-shot manga titled Monsters (full title: Monsters: Ippaku Sanjō Hiryū Jigoku) in 1994, published in Weekly Shonen Jump, before the serialization of One Piece began.
The content of Monsters revolves around the legendary samurai Ryuma. This character later appeared in One Piece during the Thriller Bark arc, specifically when Roronoa Zoro battles a zombie samurai, who is, in fact, Ryuma. Interestingly, Eiichiro Oda has integrated this character from his earlier manga into the One Piece storyline.
It’s remarkable to see a character from the past re-emerge as a living entity in an upcoming anime. Could it be that a character who once appeared as a mere creature is now the main character in a brand-new anime?
The anime adaptation of Monsters was officially announced on One Piece Day 2023, alongside significant updates regarding the release of Luffy’s Gear 5 in the anime. On November 29, 2023, news about the film’s release in 2024 emerged. However, an exact release date has yet to be confirmed.
Regarding the production timeline, it is known that E&H Animation Studio is developing the anime, with Sunghoo Park as the director. Park previously directed the first season of Jujutsu Kaisen and Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which reassures fans about the direction of Monsters.
While the anime has not yet premiered, Oda’s passionate fanbase is eagerly awaiting its debut on the big screen. When the announcement was made on Twitter, the fandom expressed immense excitement. Some fans have even started to rally support for Eiichiro Oda and the talented director Sunghoo Park.
One fan expressed concerns about Park’s well-being, tweeting: “Sunghoo Park is currently working on three projects simultaneously. I hope he doesn’t overwork himself.”
Given the enthusiasm from the anime/manga community, Monsters is sure to receive all the love that Eiichiro Oda has garnered through One Piece over the years.
