Renowned manga artist and creator of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda, has recently expressed his admiration for Naoshi Arakawa’s work entitled Your Lie in April. Oda Sensei revealed that the manga made him feel envious and described it as something that is “unreal” in terms of how it portrays music. He further added that music is one of the most challenging genres in manga, and commended Arakawa for his ability to translate music so well in every panel.
Oda Sensei shared his thoughts during an episode of Fuji TV Great People Whom The Elite Are Jealous Of. He confessed that he first picked up a copy of Arakawa’s manga out of boredom while working on a tight deadline for One Piece. However, after reading the first volume, he became invested in the whole series and even missed his deadline. He even urged his staff to read and support fellow manga creators as he did.
It is worth noting that One Piece and Your Lie in April are two very different manga. The former is an action-adventure shonen manga that revolves around Monkey D Luffy, the captain of the Straw Hat pirates, as he explores the world in search of One Piece to become the Pirate King. Meanwhile, Your Lie in April tells the story of a former child prodigy pianist who loses his ability to play after a traumatic event. However, his life changes when he meets a brilliant young violinist named Kaori.
Your Lie in April is often considered as one of the most influential romance series in the manga industry. Its serialization ended on February 6, 2015, and it continues to captivate readers to this day.
In conclusion, Oda Sensei’s admiration for Your Lie in April’s portrayal of music shows that even established manga creators have their own inspirations and moments of admiration. It is heartening to see manga creators supporting and encouraging each other, which ultimately benefits the industry and the fans.
