This article contains spoilers from One Piece's Final Saga.
Summary
- Oda doesn't want romance for the Straw Hat crew to maintain the focus on adventure.
- Fans seek romance in the crew, but Oda prefers deep bonds without romance.
- Oda can write romance well for other characters but strictly avoids it for the Straw Hat crew.
One Piece is currently in the final saga, where a lot of exciting developments are taking place already. Naturally, as the story edges closer to its end, fans wonder what will happen to the Straw Hat Pirates after the journey is over. Some believe the crew will go their own ways, and others hold the belief that some members of the crew will eventually get together, easing the pain of separation for all the characters of the story.
One Piece: Why Shanks Is Both A Celestial Dragon And A D Clan Member, Explained
Fans know Shanks is a part of the Figarland family. Shanks could, however, also be a D.
The idea of romance within the crew is something that many fans truly believe will happen, but Oda has already made his thoughts clear on it and his comments are most certainly very interesting.
Why Many Fans Want Romance In The Straw Hat Crew
- Chemistry Between Crew Mates Is Exciting
- Romance Always Spices Up A Story
When one speaks of One Piece, there is absolutely no denying that this story is incredibly rich and there is absolutely nothing lacking in it. As far as character relationships go, Oda has already made sure to write some of the very best relations, and craft the deepest of bonds. The bonds between the serious members of the Straw Hat Pirates are, for example, incredibly deep, when one writes deep stories surrounding that, it is no surprise to know that the question of romance pops up.
Certain fans have, for quite a while, wanted Oda to incorporate romance into his story, although others are vehemently against the idea. But, one can see why certain fans are charmed by the idea of romance in One Piece. After all, the whole story is a big romantic adventure, in Oda's own words.
Decree 9, anyone who makes Nami cry will face the death penalty! — Sanji
Oda hasn't shied away from incorporating incredible romance between characters that aren't a part of the Straw Hat crew. For instance, Kyros and Scarlet have one of the most tear-jerking romances that Oda has written in One Piece. Similarly, Oda has done incredibly well in writing the romantic plotline between Sanji and Pudding, even though it ended in heartbreak for her. Whole Cake Island also featured the likes of Bege and Chiffon, Aladine, and Praline, and more recently, Oda broke hearts again when he incorporated the romance between Kuma and Ginny in Egghead. Clearly, Oda can write it very well, but when it comes to the Straw Hat Pirates, Oda has a strict policy of not drawing any.
Oda's Thoughts On Romance In the Crew
They're All In Love With The Adventure
It is no secret that Oda doesn't want romance among the Straw Hat Pirates. Of course, Oda does tease romance between various crew members by himself, such as Robin and Franky, or Sanji and Nami, but he most certainly doesn't act on it and will most likely never do it.
They're all in love....with the adventure! — Oda on Straw Hats in Love
One Piece: Oda Reveals He Will Take More Breaks In The Future
One Piece goes on break about once in a while. Oda reveals that he will take more breaks in the future.
Oda has a very strict policy of not drawing any Straw Hat romance, and this is partly because he doesn't want any character to lose any fans, and partly because that's just not how he sees his story pan out. Here's what Oda has previously stated about romance in the Straw Hat crew:
Q: Who does Nami like?
Oda: Hmm, in a romantic sense? I don't think there will be any romance among that crew. Nami probably sees all the good aspects/qualities of those guys, but One Piece isn't a romance. Maybe a lot of female readers ask this kind of question. The boys are not interested at all. One Piece is basically a shonen manga, manga for boys, so romance isn't depicted.
Oda Still Believes No Romance Is The Way To Go
Oda Made Sure The Live Action Doesn't Have Any Straw Hat Romance
Although the above-mentioned interview is from 2009, fans know that Oda can always change his mind. However, recently with the production of One Piece Live Action, comments from Oda about the romantic relationships between crewmates surfaced once again. According to the staff or OPLA, Oda has one major condition for the series, and that was to completely exclude any romance between the members of the Straw Hat Pirates.
It seems that Oda is dead set on the idea of not letting any romantic relationships brew between the members of the Straw Hat Pirates, which is sad for some, but a relief at the same time for many.
One Piece chapter 1146 will be out very soon, later this week. As usual, One Piece is going to drop on the upcoming Sunday. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday. However, the vast majority of international readers will see the chapter available on April 20. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1146 is April 20, 2025. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus.
- Release Date
- October 20, 1999
- Network
- Fuji TV
- Directors
- Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou
Cast
-
Mayumi TanakaMonkey D. Luffy (voice) -
Kazuya NakaiRoronoa Zoro (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
- Studio
- Toei Animation
- Creator
- Eiichiro Oda
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu, Pluto TV
