Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has been the crown jewel of Shōnen Jump for two and a half decades. While the series has been holding the fort on its own for a good period, it wasn’t always the case, as there was a time when Shueisha boasted the “Big Three,” namely One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach in its Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine.
The Big Three is a term coined by the Western fanbase to describe the three series that were dominating Shōnen Jump in the 2000s. All three series were globally popular and were serialized for a substantial period, becoming the pillars of a generation. As such, the era defined a time when Shōnen Jump was at its strongest.
Hence, it is only natural that Shueisha would want to replicate that period to dominate the manga industry. Surprisingly, as revealed in a recent Eiichiro Oda interview, even the One Piece creator is on board with the idea. Unfortunately, the truth is that Shonen Jump’s “Big Three” era can never return as long as One Piece doesn’t end.
One Piece Creator is in Favor of a New Big Three
While it has been some time since both Naruto and Bleach manga ended, as it stands, it will take a few more years before One Piece reaches its conclusion. During this time, fans have tried to establish a new Big Three but to no avail.
This is because, while a good majority of the fanbase believes that Shōnen Jump needs a new Big Three, the rest remain firm that what One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach accomplished could never be replicated. Hence, as per them, a new Big Three was out of the question.
Surprisingly, as revealed in a recent interview, One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda himself was in favor of a new Big Three (Pillars). According to him, the kids wanted a bargain. Hence, having the opportunity to read three of their favorite series in a single issue should entice them enough to purchase the magazine.
Amidst this, Eiichiro Oda added that he wanted the next pillars of Shōnen Jump to be created by new authors. Unfortunately, given the current landscape of Shōnen Jump, as long as One Piece is ongoing, the magazine will never be able to create a new Big Three.
One Piece’s Success is a Double-edged Sword for Shonen Jump
Ever since Naruto and Bleach manga ended, Shueisha has launched several new manga in pursuit of creating big hits similar to them. In the process, the publishing company managed to create a couple of hits, like My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen. Unfortunately, neither came close in comparison to the Eiichiro Oda series.
The truth is, given One Piece’s long serialization run, no series will ever be able to match its status. Even if some new franchise has the potential to compete with One Piece, the likely possibility is that Shueisha will keep relying on the Eiichiro Oda series to carry the magazine on its back.
This overreliant nature of Shueisha on One Piece has created an uneven playing field for new creators, causing their series to not be given sufficient time to grow and get axed early. While it is understandable why Shueisha would want to rely on One Piece, it is also damaging to Shōnen Jump’s future.
Hence, as long as One Piece is ongoing and Shueisha is relying on it for sales, the publishing company will never be able to establish a new Big Three. Therefore, as controversial as it may sound, One Piece needs to end for Shōnen Jump to live.
- Created by
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Eiichiro Oda
- First Film
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One Piece: The Movie
- Cast
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Kazuya Nakai, Akemi Okamura, Kappei Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hirata, Ikue Ôtani, Yuriko Yamaguchi
- Video Game(s)
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One Piece: Unlimited World Red, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4, One Piece: World Seeker, One Piece Odyssey
- Character(s)
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Monkey D. Luffy, Roronora Zoro, Nami (One Piece), Nico Robin, Usopp (One Piece), Vinsmoke Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper, Franky (One Piece), Jimbei (One Piece)
