According to a resurfaced social media post, Dragon Ball’s first editor, Kazuhiko Torishima, claimed that One Piece would never become popular. The Japanese editor and producer, who had already thrice refused to greenlight One Piece’s publication (One Piece was successful on the fourth try), strongly rebuked the claim that One Piece would ever become a pillar of Shonen Jump, stating, "There’s no way! What are you talking about?"
The comment first appeared in a 2019 X (formerly Twitter) post from Yasukai Kita, the creator of manga series Kenka Shobai, who recalled a conversation he and Torishima had just after One Piece began serialization in the late 1990s. Kita claimed that One Piece would become a "pillar" of Shonen Jump, which Torishima, Shonen Jump’s Editor-in-Chief at the time, strongly denied. The comment resurfaced in a recent X post from a popular One Piece news translator, seen below.
Shonen Jump's Former Editor-in-Chief Was Incorrect About One Piece
Torishima’s comment ultimately turned out to be incorrect, of course, with One Piece having long become not only a major financial success but also one of the "Big Three," a true pillar of Shonen Jump and a symbol of anime’s successful Western expansion. Torishima later admitted that his comment was incorrect, even telling One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda, "You’ve won!"
Torishima’s career in manga and anime began in 1976 at Shueisha, and it continues today after experience at Japanese media conglomerates Hakusensha and Bushiroad. This has left the executive with decades of experience within the industry and highly respected opinions, even when controversial. Torishima has been open to criticizing both Dragon Ball and One Piece in interviews, reportedly stating that no one has "anything to learn" from Dragon Ball and that "it’s a pity no editors can stand up to Oda," as well as, "I’d love to see a manga that knocks OP (One Piece) off the top spot." The comments seem strong at first glance, but many fans have taken the time to delve into them on various social platforms, stating these speak to the greater meaning of art as well as anime and media in the business.
One Piece's Eiichiro Oda Was Greatly Inspired by Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball
These comments have likely resurfaced in the wake of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama’s recent passing. Until his death, Toriyama and One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda were close friends and held great admiration for each other’s work. Oda has been very public about how he considers Toriyama to be his idol and a major inspiration for One Piece. Dragon Ball is commonly thought of as the father of the Big Three, although in recent years, dedication and viewership of historically popular anime has sharply declined in the face of new series such as Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia. Dragon Ball and One Piece are two of the few series to maintain relevancy and viewership among both new and long-term anime fans.
Dragon Ball is currently available to stream on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, while One Piece is streams on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Prime Video and Netflix. Both manga are licensed in North America by Viz Media.
Source: X (formerly Twitter)
