Oda is quite easily one of the very best writers of fiction and he has successfully delivered a magnificent work of art inOne Piece. This story has gripped the hearts of millions of people all over the world and all that is thanks to the fascinating world that Oda has built, the mystifying lore that he has woven into the story and, of course, the wonderful characters that he has written.
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The handling of female characters is especially questionable in Shonen, however, Oda has done well in this regard as well and has successfully written quite a lot of wonderful female characters. While there is no particular approach for him to write them, Oda has spoken about how he integrates them into his story and what mindset he has when it comes to weaving a compelling story around them.
Oda’s Female Characters
Oda has certainly not shied away from writing compelling female characters. From the very beginning of the story, fans are introduced to some fantastic female characters and one of themis actually a core of the story, Nami.When talking about Nami, Oda establishes a very firm base from the very beginning of the story. He gives her a goal and he gives her motivation to chase that goal. In her case, she is known to be a cat burglar who robs pirates because she absolutely hates them and because she needs money, 100 million berries to be specific. Nami is then integrated into the Straw Hat Pirates where her role isn’t simply to aid Luffy but also to aid her own dream to draw a map of the entire world, and to move the plot forward in many ways.
Nami is, by all means, a character who stands on her own feet and doesn’t require anyone else to have her own motivations and her own story. Regardless of whether or not Luffy exists, Nami has her own story to follow and her own dreams to fulfill. Similarly, the other main female characters inOne Piecetake the same approach. Vivi, who was introduced to the fans in Arabasta, ended up relying on help from Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates, however, her character had her own goals and her own motivations. Her bravery was always put on display and even though she isn’t a traditional fighter, that rarely ever is a prerequisite for a good female character. Vivi was a Princess and definitely carried herself like one.
And, of course,there is the case of Nico Robin, who is a phenomenally written character with a story that leaves everyOne Piecefan in tears. The depth attached to Robin’s character is absolutely immense and it is safe to say that Oda has absolutely nailed writing this phenomenal character who not only is independent of any other member of the Straw Hat Pirates but also has ties so deep to the true history of theOne Pieceworld that she might as well be the most important character after Luffy.
How Oda Writes His Female Characters
Oda has certainly written some incredible female characters, especially when it comes to the main cast ofOne Piece.He has also spoken about the approach that he takes to write these characters in the past. It is clear that Oda gives quite a lot of importance to his female characters and has essential parts of the story revolve around them. Be it the most dangerous pirates in the world, such as Boa Hancock or Charlotte Linlin, or the incredible members of the Straw Hat Pirates, all of them carry themselves in very special ways and influence the plot in more ways than one, all the while tugging at the heartstrings of the fans. Oda is brilliant when it comes to writing these characters and although quite a lot of them have been neglected over time, the vast majority are written phenomenally well and much better than anything that any other shonen has delivered over the years.
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Speaking of how he writes his female characters, Oda has mentioned that when he was a child, he saw that heroines existed only to be rescued in the manga. Oda did not want his story to take that approach where women would just be kidnapped and then need to be rescued by the main hero. Oda wanted to depict women who knew how to fight for themselves and hold their own in a competitive pirate world that is full of powerful organizations.
The Cases Of Nami And Robin
Of course, when one takes Oda’s statement at face value, it appears to be rather bizarre, given that both Nami and Robin had arcs where they needed to be rescued. However, fans need to take a deeper look at this. Oda mentioned that he does not like heroines that exist only to be rescued. Neither Nami nor Robin exist in the story only to be rescued by the main characters. Nami was actually an incredibly brave character who spent the vast majority of her childhood trying to fight against the Fishman who ravaged her village in her own way. She showed determination that adults would fail to show and she put her life on the line by robbing Pirates all the time. Nami fought for as long as she could and then eventually, when all came crashing down, Nami relied on her friends' help instead of just existing for Luffy to progress his story. Nami’s story is still hers and the victory ofthe Straw Hat Pirates in Arlong Parkis hers to share as well.
When it comes to Robin, Oda has taken a very similar approach. It is clear that Robin needed to be rescued by the Straw Hat Pirates, however, she wasn’t just kidnapped by an enemy organization. Robin showed tremendous strength and actually willingly gave herself up to save her friends. In fact, this is an incredible showcase of resolve and love for her friends. Sanji, the cook of the Straw Hat Pirates, did something similar in the Whole Cake Island and, just like Robin, deserves praise for being so thoughtful. Naturally, the crew would not just sit by and let Robin sacrifice herself and, as a result, they went on to the ends of the world to get her back and make her see the value of living life and pursuing dreams.
The Women Fighters In One Piece
While the vast majority of the women inOne Pieceare very well written, to a point where they all have incredibly well-fleshed-out stories and motivations of their own, they are not just limited to that. In a world full of powerful organizations that fight for supremacy over the seas, being strong is also important. It must be remembered that strength is not a factor that determines how well a character is written, however, in a world such asOne Piece,strength should be a core aspect of any character that is to stand their ground against the overwhelming powers that they face.
Oda has done well in this department as well. Inthe Straw Hat Pirates, both Nami and Robin are extremely good fighters. Their styles are completely different, however. Nami is not as strong and physically gifted as the others. She does not have a Devil Fruit and, thus, she uses her wit to get by and outsmart even those who are stronger than her. Meanwhile, Robin is a powerhouse of the Straw Hat Pirates and almost a meathead, just like the Monster Trio. She has a bounty of 930 million berries, which just goes to show that she is not one to be messed with. Even fighters such as Sanji have no problem relying on her, knowing that she is powerful enough to cover for them.
The incredibly powerful female characters of theOne Pieceworld don’t just stop there. There is the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, who is so powerful that even the strongest of theOne Pieceworld are wary of her ability. What makes this character even more compelling is how her incredible powers and her personality tie into her backstory, which is written to perfection. Hancock is one of the strongest pirates in the world ofOne Pieceand, at the same time, a character to be feared. Meanwhile, Big Mom was one of the Four Emperors of the Sea until recently and someone who stood shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Whitebeard, Kaido, and Shanks, even forcing Roger to steal from her, instead of confronting her head-on.
That is not to say that Oda’s female characters don’t have their flaws. In fact, there is quite a lot of stuff about Oda’s women that needs to be addressed and fixed, however, at least in the department of writing and being valuable to the world, Oda has done well in writing incredible female characters.
One Piece is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by the fans officially and for free on the Shonen Jump and theManga Plusapp. The release date for the next chapter of One Piece, One Piece 1094, is set to be August 01, 2025.
