In my previous article, I wrote about the themes that distinguish Eiichiro Oda\’s writing on its own merits. In this case, I want to experiment and see if ChatGPT would provide the thinking process that I went into when writing those overarching Eiichirodan themes. So, I specifically put in the input requesting 3 frequent themes. I did not want to say \”important\” because it would probably give me the answer of \”It\’s difficult to determine what is important.\” Apparently, abstract thinking is not yet a part of ChatGPT\’s infrastructure. Those 3 frequent themes are:
Friendship
Friendship is a central theme in One Piece, and many of the main characters form deep bonds with each other. Oda often explores the concept of what it means to be a true friend and the lengths that people will go to protect those they care about.
Indeed, Luffy is incredibly trusting to people who claimed to have changed their ways–much to the chagrin of his crew mates. In the case of how his crew members were recruited, friendship definitely plays a role in how those relationships evolved over the span of the story. Luffy goes through incredible lengths to protect his friends and allies, even if they betray him.
Adventure
Adventure is another key theme in One Piece, as the main characters travel across the world in search of treasure and new experiences. Oda often uses the series to explore different cultures and mythologies from around the world.
The world of One Piece is a very expansive realm with many unique cultures, whether they are on islands, ships, or continents. Sometimes, it is not treasure itself that the Straw Hat crew looks for–with the exception of Nami of course; rather, the adoration and trust that they receive are treasures in themselves. The main treasure that the Straw Hat crew are after is One Piece, left behind by Gold Roger.
Overcoming Adversity
Oda frequently portrays his characters as facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, both physical and emotional. However, he also shows them overcoming these challenges through perseverance, courage, and the support of their friends.
There are definitely trying moments that put the strength of the Straw Hat pirates to the test. In the physical challenges, the moments come in the form of a powerful enemy like Kaido or Rob Lucci. As for the emotional challenges, they come in the form of betrayals like Nami stealing from the Straw Hat crew. In the case of the Big Mom arc, it involves both which was incredibly fitting for an arc in the latter half of the series.
My Impressions
I will say that ChatGPT was right on the mark when it comes to the most frequent themes throughout Eiichiro Oda\’s writing. All three of the themes listed are on the article about what is Eiichirodan. Although they are not specifically written as such, they do include those characteristics in each of those 9 themes.
Source
- Ynkawen, Robert-Scott. \”What Is Eiichirodan? | Dream-Writer’s Library.\” Onushoxu. 2023.