Oda’s unexpected idea may have shaped one of One Piece’s most beloved arcs

One Piece has always excelled due to Eiichiro Oda's ability to take small ideas and turn them into great stories, and the Alabasta arc is an excellent example. It started as a minor character detail that grew into one of the show's most popular sagas.

At first, Vivi was only meant to be a member of Baroque Works, but Oda's spontaneous idea to make her a princess changed the story significantly. That’s how the Alabasta arc came together, serving as a key location that expanded the Straw Hats' journey and making it one of One Piece's most beloved arcs.

Disclaimer: The article reflects the writer's opinion and includes spoilers from the One Piece manga.

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How a simple design choice may have changed the course of One Piece forever, explained

sandman

@sandman_AP

Oda: Vivi was introduced as an agent of Baroque Works, but I had no idea of her setup more than that. When I drew her with her hair down, she looked like a princess. What would happen if she were the princess of Alabasta? That's how I started to think about the Alabasta arc.👑

Eiichiro Oda's storytelling in One Piece is characterized by his light-hearted style and creative spirit, often showcasing some of the series' fan-favorite arcs. The Alabasta saga is a prime example, which didn't come from years of detailed planning but from a sudden burst of inspiration.

Oda admits that when he first created Vivi, she was only meant to be a minor agent of Baroque Works. At first, he didn't even design her as royalty or involved in the Alabasta political conflict. However, in a single drawing of her with her hair down, he saw that she resembled a princess. That moment made him wonder: what if she were a princess?

Vivi being the princess of the Alabasta was not planned initially in One Piece (Image via Toei Animation)

The spontaneous idea completely changed the story's direction. Instead of just an enemy agent, Vivi's story now also involved a kingdom-wide war, leaving Oda to wonder how much the story would expand from that point, particularly as her role as the princess of Alabasta was added dramatically. This also introduced political intrigue, rebellion, and violence through Crocodile's corrupt manipulation of power.

Moreover, turning Vivi into a princess brought a strong emotional element to the arc. Her tragic struggle to save the life of her people while leading them highlighted the Straw Hats' humanity, as they chose to join her journey.

Vivi's arc had a major change in the Straw Hats' journey in One Piece (Image via Toei Animation)

It also marked one of the first moments when the crew became involved in world-scale stakes rather than personal issues, marking Alabasta as a true turning point in the series. What makes this reveal even more interesting is how it reflects Oda's organic storytelling style.

Oda initially did not plan to foreshadow a princess or the Alabasta arc at all, but allowed an insignificant little visual element to help steer him toward something more. This willingness to allow the unexpected to hit him in this arc manifested itself into what fans consider one of the greatest arcs in One Piece.

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Final thoughts

The Alabasta arc demonstrates Eiichiro Oda's approach to storytelling, where every bit of detail has the ability to reshape the entire direction of One Piece. Vivi's rise from a background agent to a princess took the sense of the journey to a whole new level, along with the emotional urgency and political consequence.

From a spontaneous moment to one of the series' most monumental arcs, it reminds fans that Oda’s creativity thrives in the unexpected.

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