Eiichiro Oda
Creator of the best-selling manga series One Piece.
Eiichiro Oda, born on January 1, 1975, in Kumamoto, Japan, is the manga artist behind *One Piece*—the best-selling manga and comic series in volume form in history. With over 600 million tankōbon copies in circulation globally, he ranks among the best-selling fiction authors of all time. His work’s impact has led to Oda being recognized as one of the artists who reshaped manga history.
At age four, Oda decided to become a manga artist to avoid a conventional job. His biggest influence was Akira Toriyama’s *Dragon Ball*, and he credits the TV series *Vicky the Viking* for sparking his interest in pirates. At 17, he submitted *Wanted!* and placed second in the Tezuka Award, which landed him a job at *Weekly Shōnen Jump*. There, he worked as an assistant to Shinobu Kaitani on *Suizan Police Gang*, then to Masaya Tokuhiro on *Jungle King Tar-chan* and *Mizu no Tomodachi Kappaman*—experiences that shaped his artistic style. At 19, he assisted Nobuhiro Watsuki on *Rurouni Kenshin* and won the Hop Step Award. Watsuki credits Oda with helping create the character Honjō Kamatari.
In late 1996, Oda published two pirate-themed one-shots called “Romance Dawn” in *Akamaru Jump* and *Weekly Shōnen Jump*, introducing Monkey D. Luffy, who later became the protagonist of *One Piece*. The series began serialization in 1997 and grew into the best-selling manga ever. By February 2005, it had sold 100 million tankōbon volumes; by February 2011, over 200 million; by December 2014, 320,866,000 copies were in print worldwide; by October 2017, 430 million; by May 2018, 440 million sold; by March 2019, 450 million in print; and by March 2026, 600 million in print. Individual volumes set records: Volume 56 had a 2.85 million first print run in 2009; Volume 57’s 3 million first print in 2010 was the highest for any book in Japan; Volume 67 later topped that with 4.05 million in 2012. In 2013, the series won the 41st Japan Cartoonists Association Award Grand Prize alongside Kimuchi Yokoyama’s *Nekodarake Nice*.
In a 2008 Oricon poll, Oda was voted Japan’s fifth most favorite manga artist, tied with Yoshihiro Togashi. A 2010 Oricon poll on “Mangaka that Changed the History of Manga” placed him fourth. For the tenth *One Piece* film, *Strong World*, Oda wrote the story, produced over 120 drawings for guidance, and insisted Mr. Children provide the theme song.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1975-01-01
- Birth Place
- Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
- Spouse
- Chiaki Inaba · 2004
- Children
- 2
- Notable Works
- One Piece
- Occupation
- Manga artist
- Years Active
- 1992–present
- Awards
- Grand Prize at 41st Japan Cartoonists Association Award
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Eiichiro Oda was born on January 1, 1975, in Kumamoto, Japan. At age four he resolved to become a manga artist to avoid having a 'real job'. His biggest influence was Akira Toriyama and his series Dragon Ball. At 17, Oda submitted his work Wanted! and won second place in the Tezuka Award, leading to a job at Weekly Shōnen Jump as an assistant to Shinobu Kaitani, Masaya Tokuhiro, and later Nobuhiro Watsuki on Rurouni Kenshin. Watsuki credits Oda for helping create the character Honjō Kamatari. Oda drew two pirate-themed one-shot stories called 'Romance Dawn' in 1996, featuring Monkey D. Luffy, who became the protagonist of One Piece.
In 1997, One Piece began serialization in Weekly Shōnen Jump and became the best-selling manga series of all time, reaching 600 million copies in print by March 2026. Oda has received numerous awards, including the Grand Prize at the 41st Japan Cartoonists Association Award in 2012 and Guinness World Records for most copies published for the same comic book series by a single author. He has also contributed to One Piece films as story creator, character designer, and executive producer, and created crossover one-shots with Akira Toriyama and Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro.
Oda married Chiaki Inaba on November 7, 2004, and they have two daughters. He is known as an ardent worker and perfectionist, sleeping only three hours per day during a typical work week. In 2018, Oda donated ¥800 million to Kumamoto Prefecture after it suffered a damaging earthquake in 2016.
Reader's Guide
Eiichiro Oda's significance lies in his creation of One Piece, which has become the best-selling manga in history and the best-selling comic series printed in volume, with over 600 million copies in circulation worldwide. His work has been recognized as changing the history of manga, and he has received multiple awards including the Japan Cartoonists Association Award Grand Prize and Guinness World Records. Oda's influence extends beyond manga into film, where he has served as executive producer and character designer for several One Piece animated theatrical films. His collaborations with other major manga artists, such as Akira Toriyama and Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro, highlight his role within the manga community. Oda's personal dedication to his craft, sleeping only three hours per day, and his philanthropic efforts, including an ¥800 million donation to earthquake-stricken Kumamoto Prefecture, further underscore his legacy as both a prolific creator and a generous public figure. His series continues to break publishing records and maintain a global fanbase.
Did You Know?
- Oda decided to become a manga artist at age four to avoid having a 'real job'.
- He was hospitalized for a peritonsillar abscess in 2013 and later underwent a tonsillectomy.
- Oda donated ¥800 million to Kumamoto Prefecture in 2018 after a damaging earthquake in 2016.
More in Characters & Crews
Elsewhere in One Piece
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced