Quotes

(When asked about his feelings towards Akira Toriyama) He's like a god to me, of course. He is in a different dimension. More than anything else, his drawing skills are too good to be true!

When I was a child, I was drawing for fun and received praise for a picture. I became overblown with confidence and declared that I was going to become a manga artist. At that time, I wanted to become the best in drawing pictures. I believed that the person who draws best is the best manga artist.

That's why I think people who draw stories set in a contemporary world faced more challenges.

Five consecutive weeks is too much! Two straight weeks is enough for me.

The appearance of design doesn't need to have a practical use.

1000 Chapters! I, uh, wow...Words pretty much fail to describe the whirlwind these past 23 years have been. Literally half of my life has revolved around the almighty 'WEEKLY SERIALIZATION' hehe. But it's not just me, Luffy and the Strawhats have navigated themselves to so many different islands and found themselves caught up in so many adventures. At this point, even I'm not sure how many lives they've touched along the way! But it's thanks to them that so many special people have entered my own life; first and foremost among them being my family. All of these people have supported me through the years and I am deeply indebted to each of them. Meanwhile, my readers have been leading their own bustling lives. There's a certain theory that exists for long-term readership in the entertainment world that states, "A given pool of readers will rotate out of a series after five years." And so for a while now, I've avoided calling my readers, 'fans'. It's like they say, "Pride cometh before a fall." I convinced myself that I shouldn't get too full of myself because my readers would eventually leave the series and move on with their lives. Let me say that all of you have put me to shame for thinking such a thing. Your belief in Luffy has led me to believe in all of you, and that is what allows me to continue drawing exactly the kind of manga I want to draw. So here we are, ready to dip our toes into the final stages of the story. It's taken us a long time to reach one thousand chapters. However, it's because I've completed a thousand chapters that you must believe I'll take us to the end. The story waiting for you will defy expectations! I mean it! I have a favor to ask. This is for everyone with whom -by some means or another- I've managed to create a bond, in other words, the ONE PIECE FANS of the world! My story is a long one. But for just a while longer, please watch over Luffy and his crew as they continue their adventure! (January 2021 commemoration message)