----Not only the comic book, One Piece is also a very popular cartoon as well. It was turned into an animated program about 2 years after the serialized version started but how did that hit you?
Oda: Well yeah, as you might expect I was thrilled it would become animated.
Just, I was a little concerned and curious about what kind people would be making it so I really hoped they would let me meet with the director and producer soon. I was also wondering who would be doing Luffy and the gang's voices.
Actually, with regards to the voice actors, ever since I was an assistant, from the time I wrote Romance Dawn I thought about a lot things and thought Mayumi Tanaka would be really good for Luffy. So when it was decided that she would really be doing I was pretty excited.
----Did you ask for her in particular?
Actually! I hadn't said a thing about it at all and she was decided on in the end! I left everything regarding the animation to the pros because my stance was that it would be best to just shut up and get out of the way so I zipped my lips but then she ended up coming to the audition. When she actually read the lines for me I just knew, "THAT'S IT, THIS IS THE VOICE!"
I was happy about so many aspects of the animation but the greatest joy came from having the main character being performed by the voice actress I imagined doing it.
----What a dramatic story! Okay, moving along could you please tell us a bit about the always popular and fantastic wealth of information found in the printed volumes, the readers' corner, SBS. What was your intent for starting it?
When I was a child, I won't say the name, but there was a certain comic where the reader's corner suddenly dissappeared. [No mistake he's talking about Dragonball] I really enjoyed it so that came as a huge dissappointment.
----When you become popular you get busy with a lot of things and there seem to be a number of cases where readers' corners can't continue.
But that didn't satisfy me. So I decided that if I ever became a manga author, I would continue the readers' corner no matter what. It's not limited to manga but the basic idea stemmed from the idea, "I don't want to make anyone endure something I wouldn't like."
----But isn't it difficult to write that while working on the serialization?
Reading the postcards all at once is tough so every week I read a bit, and sort out the ones that seem like they might be good for SBS. When it's time for a volume to be released I choose the ones to use from that group. I guess that takes about a day right there. Then I also have to draw the cover for the volume so saying it isn't difficult would pretty much be a lie.
But I already decided that this is something I have to do so even if I don't like it, it's something I won't give up. (laughs) I mean yeah it's tough, but it's also fun. Some kids just say things I won't even think.
Everyone just write this unbelievably stupid crap and sometimes people even suspect me like, "Are you making this up yourself?", but SBS is 100% from the post cards. I read 'em, I chose 'em, I write an answer.
----Well I guess that means all you SBS fans should keep churning them out! Okay, this will be the final question. I seems that it will be quite a while until One Piece reaches it's conclusion, but after that, as a manga author, what kind of motif would you like to follow it with?
Yeah really, there are a lot of things I'd like to do. Not just limited to comics, I'd also like to make something like a movie. However, unlike before, rather than an epic tale I'm really feeling more inclined to drawing a short but tight story.
After I finish One Piece I don't think I'll do another long-running serialized comic. After I complete it I think much like Akira Toriyama-sensei, I'll put out a single volume story every once in a while. Right now I'm really yearning for that kind of style.
And that's exactly why right now, I'm going to put all of my energy into One Piece. If I keep thinking that this is my first and my last long-running manga, my motivation will not run dry.
----So you're thinking of pushing yourself to your limits.
Well, as far as I can go without killing myself. (laughs)