Eiichiro Oda based this One Piece character’s devil fruit ability on an underutilized jutsu from Naruto which is yet to be showcased in the final arc.
SUMMARY
Like most mangaka, Oda took inspiration from yet another great manga artist.
Oda based a devil fruit ability from this Naruto jutsu.
One Piece has yet to showcase Zoro and Shiryu’s fight in the manga.
With its cult popularity and record-breaking performance, One Piece tops the charts. The manga set a benchmark in the shonen genre through its recognition and accolades. But most of all, its riveting storyline takes the cake.
Be it Fairy Tail or Black Clover, the series inspired several iconic shonen mangas. And like most mangaka, Oda too was inspired by his fellow artist and contemporary Kishimoto. Quite honestly, it did not disappoint the fans at all.
Naruto in a still from the anime | Credit: Studio Pierrot
The mangaka gave the most overpowered ability to one of the Blackbeard Pirates. To say the least, it is nothing short of a feat. The devil fruit is unmatched when it comes to its formidability.
Naruto inspired this character from Eiichiro Oda’s series
Often, Eiichiro Oda is associated with excelling in the foreshadowing aspect. The mangaka is a visionary when it comes to his characterization. The series’ world-building and diverse characters make it stand out. From character designs to persona, the mangaka gave them their unique flair.
Like most mangaka, Oda took inspiration from great artists. His series has inspired well-known manga in the genre. But like most artists, his manga isn’t exempt from influences. However, we have barely scratched the surface with this one.
Shiryu in a still from the anime | Credit: Toei Animation
The mangaka has cited Dragon Ball as one of his inspirations. Be it characters or arcs, there are several similarities between both the series. This holds especially true with Luffy’s hefty appetite, which could be attributed to Goku.
Oda also took inspiration from Masashi Kishimoto’s series Naruto. Both mangaka are mispainted by fandoms as staunch rivals. They share a healthy rivalry and camaraderie. Interestingly, Oda was inspired by an underutilized ability from the series for his iconic villain.
In an interview, Oda revealed the Iwagakure ninja as the inspiration behind Shiryu’s Devil Fruit. He quoted:
The one that surprised me the most was when one of Kishimoto-san’s bad guys turned invisible and went underwater. All you saw was this silhouette, and I thought that was really well done. I used that as inspiration for my own invisible character (Shiryu)
The quote references the Anbu arc where Rin and Obito are killed. The Iwagakure ninja are seen using their invisibility. Using this as a reference Oda gave Shiryu the Suke-Suke No Mi.
Oda’s inspiration from an underutilized jutsu is truly remarkable. Moreover, the series has yet to showcase the iconic duel between Zoro and Shiryu. With the manga nearing the final saga, it would be nothing short of legendary.
One Piece has yet to spotlight the Zoro vs Shiryu duel
As an ex-jailer of Impel Down, Shiryu possesses a bloodlust as seen in One Piece. Coupled with his Devil Fruit, he would be one of the toughest foes for Straw Hats. This is especially true for Roronoa Zoro.
In Hachinosu, Shiryu was able to incapacitate Garp and hold him hostage. To beat the Blackbeard Pirate, Zoro needs a god-tier ability. Undoubtedly, the mosshead has mastery over the Haki. Though it would require a power-up for the swordsman to be on par with the foe.
Roronoa Zoro in a still from the anime | Credit: Toei Animation
So far, Zoro and the other Strawhats are in Elbaf along with Jaguar D. Saul. With Elbaf Arc outlining the nine realms, it would map the characters’ power-up. Other than his three-sword style, he may outdo himself with his new skills.
To add to that, Elbaf Arc is speculated to be a power-up for many characters in One Piece. From Usopp to Nami, Oda is set to amp up the series with the final saga.
