One Piece is the longest-running manga; however, certain things about its first chapter don’t make sense in retrospect.
Many viewers of the multi-award-winning manga and anime series One Piece will argue that the franchise’s storytelling and structure are flawless. One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda is known for his ability to insert foreshadowing and expand the franchise’s world. This is why fans have been able to predict numerous plot developments throughout the series. It is reasonable to assume that Oda knows all about the series. Although Oda is a talented mangaka it doesn’t mean that his creations are flawless. Retrospectively, it is clear that some of the events in the first chapter of the manga don’t make sense.
One Piece, the manga series made famous by Dragon Ball, Naruto, Bleach, and other classics, was released in July 1997. While these other franchises are experiencing some revival, One Piece has not been left the spotlight. Eiichiro Oda has been publishing new chapters continuously for the past twenty-five years and continues to do so. The manga has passed the 1000th chapter milestone. has recently achieved the same. The series has improved in many aspects throughout its long existence, including its art and its story. One Piecenow has a different feel than One Piece when the series first launched.
RELATED: One Piece: Zoro Missed a Great Opportunity with the Wano Country Arc
The Long Saga of a Boy Who Wanted
One Pieceliterally begins with Luffy’s background. Luffy was already exposed to pirates as a youngster. Luffy wanted to join the pirates’ voyage across the oceans at the time. Shanks continued to reject his application. Luffy finally had enough and stabbed his lower eye to show his toughness. It was evident that his pain and effort were in vain. The Red Hair Pirates were not able to seem to lose any weight at that time. They looked like a bunch of scallywags, who were only interested in having fun and partying.
This was evident when Higuma, leader of the mountain bandits demanded Makino’s bar for booze. Makino couldn’t give Makino any liquor because the pirates already had all the liquor from the bar. Shanks gave the last bottle to the bandit. Higuma went on to humiliate Shanks, smashing the bottle on Shanks’s head and then drenching him with booze. Red Hair Pirates just laughed about the incident after the bandits had left the bar. However, the problem is what happened afterward.
RELATED: One Piece: All Known Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits and Their Abilities, Explained
Shanks Was Amazing But Not Great
Higuma was back at the bar when Shanks, the Red Hair Pirates, and Higuma were already ready to sail. Higuma again asked for food, even though he was at the bar. Makino was happy to oblige, but chaos ensued as Luffy decided to fight Makino. Higuma made fun of Shanks, and the others and Luffy took it upon himself to defend his friends’ pride. The fight became a one-sided brawl. Higuma threatened Luffy with selling him to make a show of his newfound skills. That’s how the Red Hair Pirates came back.
They believed Shanks to be a nobody so they warned him against meddling. One of the bandits even threatened Shanks with a gun. This was when the Red Hair Pirates began to shine. Lucky Roux killed the bandit immediately and Benn Beckman took care of the rest. Shanks spoke about the dangers of hurting his friends. Higuma hid behind the pirates after seeing what had happened with his gang. But he was not going to give up. Instead, he used the smoke bomb to kidnap Luffy. Higuma threw Luffy from the boat and into the sea, as Luffy continued his irritation. It was just so that the local sea monster passed by. Shanks saved Higuma, and Luffy from being bitten by the sea monster just in time, but only one arm.
RELATED: One Piece: Why are there so many newly awakened devil fruit users
The Red Hair Pirates Are All Weak In Retrospect
Although Lucky Roux, Bennbeckman, and Shanks’ feats are unquestionably amazing, they could have done better with the situation. Red Hair Pirates already had a reputation for themselves by that time, and it was later revealed that Mihawk and Lucky Roux were rivals in swordsmanship. It is just that Mihawk loses interest in Shanks after the latter has lost his left hand. Accordingly, it’s safe to assume that Shanks was at about the same power level as Mihawk during the mountain bandit attack. Because Mihawk is considered the Strongest Scribesman, it is fair to assume Shanks should have been capable of using Haki at that time. This alters how the situation can be perceived.
Shanks is thought to be one of the most powerful Haki users in the future. Coating his left arm with Color of Arms Haki would’ve saved it from being severed. Shanks could already have intimidated the sea monster by using his Color for Supreme King or Conqueror’s Haki. Higuma could have been easily annihilated by Shanks Color of Observation Haki. Shanks and any other Red Hair Pirates member should have been capable of tracking down the banding and stopping them from fleeing. Higuma, based on their bounties is only slightly stronger than Alvida.
This oversight is unusual for Oda. Therefore, the fandom believes that this development was intended to make a bigger impact on the audience. One Piece had just begun at that time so it needed to attract as many readers as possible. Only then could it survive the brutal world of weekly manga serialization. The first chapter of One Piece is a bit strange in retrospect. However, the series still serves its purpose exceptionally well. This is evident by the series’ popularity.