30-Year-Old One Piece Prototype Was Recently Found, and the Straw Hats Have Never Looked Better

Summary Oda's 30-year-old Forward prototype for One Piece features a different crew but the heart of the series remains consistent.

The original characters include Monkey D. Pao, Rezel (Nami), Ryuma (Zoro), Romeo (Sanji), and ageless Merry.

Oda's passion and genius have been evident since age 19, with heartfelt moments hidden behind a vibrant exterior.

Eiichiro Oda’s first editor recently released a 30-year-old prototype of One Piece in its earliest stages, and the Straw Hat Crew has never looked better. With over 1,100 episodes and 1,000 manga chapters, the Shōnen anime series has become one of the longest-running anime of all time, and it's incredible to think that a 19-year-old Eiichiro Oda already had a basic idea of what One Piece would become.

Until recently, Oda’s work was believed to be inspired primarily by Akira Toriyama, creator of the legendary Dragon Ball franchise. Toriyama’s anime was prevalent in Oda’s childhood, encouraging him to become a manga artist. However, a 19-year-old Oda was already sketching a prototype of One Piece, called Forward.

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A few of One Piece’s best arcs include Water 7, Enies Lobby, Punkhazard, and Dressrosa. Furthermore, the anime’s newest arc, Egghead, came at the perfect time as the anime’s longest arc, Wano Country, came to an end at last. While it is difficult to imagine the series without these iconic storylines, a prototype of One Piece was recently revealed by Oda’s very first editor, proving that the beloved pirate crew and their adventures could have looked much different.

Related One Piece's New Epic Fight Takes the Series' DBZ Inspiration Too Far One Piece fans are ecstatic about the quality of the latest anime episode but the battles’ flashy style is making it look too much like Dragon Ball.

Forward: The Story of Monkey D. Pao

The Original Straw Hat Crew May Have Looked Different, but Everything Fans Love About Them Has Remained Consistent

According to @pewpiece on Twitter (X), Oda’s first editor has revealed One Piece’s prototype: a story called Forward. Created around 30 years ago by manga legend Eiichiro Oda, Forward follows the adventures of Monkey D. Pao, an optimistic pirate boy. Pao, whose bandana heavily resembles the Gomu Gomu no Mi fruit, is joined by a girl-thief, Rezel (Nami), Ryuma, a master Samurai (Zoro), and Romeo, a knight of the King (Sanji). Furthermore, in the corner of the drawing is a character named Merry: a 5008-year-old man who is “The Spirit of the Rubber Tree.”

Oda’s Genius Has Always Been Evident, Even at 19

The Heart of One Piece is Strong, Thanks to Oda’s Passion for His Projects

Dragon Ball helped inspire Oda to create his legendary masterpiece. However, in addition to external influence, Oda also gained inspiration from one of his previous projects: Wanted!!, a collection of 5 short stories, all of which were later repurposed for One Piece.

From Wanted! to One Piece, Oda has consistently devoted his heart to his work. In addition, he is brilliant at camouflaging heartfelt moments and emotional turmoil behind a vibrant, playful exterior. Even on his prototype character sheets, translated into English by @pewpiece, the artist included a nugget of wisdom:

“The strongest people are those who can laugh at their own weakness.” – Eiichiro Oda

Serialized back in 1997, Oda’s story has remained relevant for close to 30 years and has only grown in popularity. One Piece’s manga became the best-selling piece of literature written by a single person of all time, outselling J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Batman comics. The series is iconic for many reasons, including its dynamic cast of characters, light-hearted atmosphere, and sense of adventure. While Oda’s prototype story, Forward, may have a few key differences from the beloved series, the heart of One Piece is evident, and the Straw Hats have truly never looked better.

Source: @pewpiece (X)