If you are an anime and manga enthusiast, you may have heard of the term “Big Three.” This term is used to refer to the three most prominent titles from Shonen Jump during its peak: One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach. Among these, One Piece has been the leader of the “Big Three” for an extended period.
Despite being in a competitive environment, Eiichiro Oda has never expressed disdain for Masashi Kishimoto’s work. In fact, Oda is a huge fan of Naruto.
Initially, Oda did intend to create a story that would compete with Naruto. However, after meeting Kishimoto and realizing that he was a genuinely kind person, Oda began to lose interest in whether his manga would surpass Naruto.
When Kishimoto completed the Naruto manga, Weekly Shonen Jump organized a large celebration, during which Eiichiro Oda created a special artwork dedicated to Kishimoto, expressing his heartfelt gratitude for everything.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that around 2014, Oda made an effort to incorporate Luffy into the world of Naruto. The creator of One Piece shared a special illustration in Weekly Shonen Jump for his “Dream Carnival” event. Oda depicted Luffy as if he were a part of Naruto’s universe, sparking discussions among fans about the crossover potential.
As you can see in the image above, Luffy is still donning his signature straw hat, but Oda decided to add a Leaf Village headband on top of it. “Ninja Luffy” is shown wearing two swords and a shuriken on his back. The design of his outfit is completed with a cloak reminiscent of the one Naruto wears, while the main character of Kishimoto is slightly altered to fit Luffy’s appearance.
Here, it’s evident that while both authors are competitors, they share a strong mutual respect. Their friendly rivalry suggests that it would be very interesting if Eiichiro Oda and Masashi Kishimoto were to collaborate on a project together.
