The manga One Piece by Eiichiro Oda has gained immense popularity worldwide and has a massive fanbase. Despite this success, Oda has expressed feelings of envy towards other manga creators.
To discuss this sentiment, let’s take a trip back in time to the past, specifically to the moment when Oda was still struggling with his deadlines. At that time, the author had chosen a certain manga to read in order to change his perspective on how a manga artist could effectively create a compelling story. This manga profoundly impacted Oda’s views on storytelling.
During an appearance on Fuji TV Channel, Oda admitted that the manga Your Lie in April received rave reviews and was the only work that made him feel envious. This revelation highlights that even successful creators like Oda can be inspired by the brilliance of others, particularly in a narrative that is both deep and beautiful, like Your Lie in April.
Oda shared that when he was nearing the deadline for the next chapter of One Piece for Shounen Jump, he felt the need to change his approach (many creators often find it quite monotonous to work with similar themes every day). As a result, the creator of One Piece purchased the first volume of Your Lie in April quite unexpectedly.
Interestingly, Oda became so engrossed in the manga that he even forgot his own looming deadline and ended up reading the entire volume of Your Lie in April. Not only that, but he also encouraged his entire manga team to buy the complete series (to support the creator’s work).
According to Eiichiro Oda, the way Naoshi Arakawa expresses music in a manga is unparalleled. He described this type of music representation as “the most challenging in all of manga” and even praised Arakawa’s unique writing style as “wonderful.” He admired the character design of the main female character, Kaori, for her emotional depth, which made the story captivating.
Later on, the editorial team of the manga Your Lie in April also shared their thoughts the same day Oda spoke about it. This was the first time Eiichiro Oda mentioned a manga that made him feel envious. The series has sold over 11 million copies and continues to be “unexpected” when hearing such high praise from a legendary figure like Eiichiro Oda.
It is noteworthy that Kodansha Comics published the manga Your Lie in April on September 16, 2011 (alongside the publication of Attack on Titan). As of 2017, the manga had sold over 12 million copies and received the award for “Best Shounen Manga” at the 37th Kodansha Manga Awards.
The anime adaptation of Your Lie in April was also very successful, particularly its musical score. In 2015, the anime’s music topped the Billboard charts in Japan. Additionally, the film was adapted into a live-action version in 2016.
