In recent
days, a revelation made by former Shonen Jump editor Kazuhiko Torishima has
gone viral on Twitter. In a recent interview, Torishima shared details
about how One Piece was on the verge of not being
serialized, a development that would have changed the course of manga history
and the industry. According
to Torishima, Weekly Shonen Jump was in a tough spot, with plummeting sales and
a lack of new talent affecting its ability to attract readers
The
decision to publish “One Piece” was not an easy one and was the subject of
heated debates for hours, with several members of the editorial team doubting
its potential to succeed. However, Torishima’s trust in the editor in charge of the series
was key to giving the project the green light, a move that ultimately
revitalized the magazine and cemented One Piece as a global phenomenon.
This recent
tidbit has sparked a lot of conversation on social media, especially since it
resurfaced an old comment Torishima made years ago, revealing that he
rejected One Piece’s serialization proposal up to three times, before the
fourth attempt was finally accepted. This revelation was shared in
2019 by manga creator Yasukai Kita, in a post on Twitter, who recalled a
conversation with Torishima just as One Piece was beginning to be published in
the late 1990s. According to Kita, Torishima flatly stated that One
Piece would never become a “pillar” of Shonen Jump. Torishima went so far as to
say, “ No way! What are you talking about? ”, dismissing any
possibility of Eiichiro Oda’s work ever achieving that status.
However, as
time went on, Torishima realized that his prediction was wrong. One
Piece not only became a financial success, but also became part of the “Big
Three” alongside Naruto and Bleach, being a true pillar of Shonen Jump and a
key symbol in the global expansion of anime, especially in the West. Torishima
even admitted his mistake, confessing that in a later conversation with Oda he
told him, “ You won! ”, acknowledging the enormous impact the
series had achieved.
Torishima's
career began in 1976 at Shueisha, and his vast experience in the manga and
anime industry has made him a respected figure, even when his opinions have
been controversial. Over
the years, Torishima has been critical of both Dragon Ball and One Piece. In
interviews, he has mentioned that “there is nothing to learn from Dragon Ball,”
and that he finds it unfortunate that “no editor can deny Oda an idea.” He has
even expressed his desire to see a manga that manages to surpass One Piece in
popularity, showing his strong penchant for encouraging competition in the
artistic field.
Despite
the harshness of some of his statements, many fans see Torishima's comments as
speaking to a deeper desire to see innovation in the medium. These types of conversations
have fueled debates on social platforms, where fans reflect on the meaning of
art in the context of manga and anime, as well as the business challenges of
the industry.
Source: @pewpieceon Twitter
