Oda’s philosophy on heroines may explain a hidden truth about One Piece women

One Piece has been distinct in its representation of women long before the series became popular. According to Eiichiro Oda, unlike in other manga, he isn't falling into the typical damsel in distress trope with his female characters. He intentionally made female characters who can stand on their own, fight for themselves, and be equal members of their crews.

This takes fans to female characters in One Piece being described by anything other than beauty. These characters could be resolute, smart, or strong, which shows an unknown reality about Oda's view of women in his story.

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Oda makes the One Piece women strong in the story to explain a hidden truth

sandman

@sandman_AP

Oda (2023): In manga I read as a kid, the heroines were there just to be rescued. I hated that.😡 I decided to depict women who know how to fight for themselves and don't need to be rescued. If they are in a bad situation, the crewmates will help them, and vice versa!🥰

Eiichiro Oda's take on heroines in One Piece gives fans an insight into how women are represented in his story, as well as potentially showing them an underlying reality about their place. In a 2023 interview, Oda said that when he was young, most heroines in manga were written as only being saved. He couldn't stand that, so he instead wrote women who could fight on their own.

This belief encouraged how the female characters were presented in the story: not damsels in distress but characters who were capable enough to take care of themselves as well as depend on their crewmates when they needed to.

This equilibrium is an essential part of what defines Oda's heroines; women in One Piece are not exempt from troubles or fights. Nami suffers under Arlong's brutality but takes control of her fate, calling upon Luffy only when she decides to do so. Furthermore, Robin bears the burden of the world's history but comes to trust the crew when her own past almost overwhelms her.

Nami stands against Arlong (Image via Toei Animation)

Even Hancock, brought in with the beauty and vanity, is a skilled warrior whose power can match some of the greatest of the series. These depictions reveal Oda's women aren't written for rescue fantasies; they are written as complex individuals with agency.

The truth that lies beneath the surface of this is that Oda’s heroines are a quiet rejection of one-dimensional female portrayals. Rather than forcing women into undertones of confinement, he includes them with the overarching narratives; they have their own responsibilities, their own dreams, and their own hardship that equalize men and women in the series.

Notably, Oda does not make them perfect, nor does he depict them as such; they are human, they misstep, are vulnerable, and rely on their relationships with others. This communicates Oda's position that in One Piece, strength is not about invincibility but being able to continue moving, regardless of gender.

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Final thoughts

Robin, as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Oda’s philosophy uncovers a different reality about One Piece women; they are not just written as background characters, but as fully-realized individuals, with action and a level of agency and vulnerability. Oda took away the woman as a damsel in distress trope, creating heroines who can fight through adversity.

More than anything else, this balance acknowledges that strength lies in vulnerability and humanity, and it allows Oda to write some of the strongest women in modern shonen storytelling.

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Related links:

• A hidden message from Oda could reveal why Luffy’s victory won’t come from strength alone in One Piece
• The latest anime episode fixes the disappointing Nika scene
• One Punch Man season 3 panel leaves fans with more questions than answers at AnimeNYC