Canon Art Resurfaces: Naruto and One Piece’s Luffy Unveiled as Besties
In an unexpected and heartwarming twist, a resurfaced official illustration by Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, has revealed Naruto Uzumaki and Monkey D. Luffy as the best of friends. This crossover artwork, drawn by Oda in 2014 for Weekly Shonen Jump, portrays the iconic Shonen Jump heroes Naruto and Luffy enjoying a friendly chat over bowls of ramen.
The social media buzz surrounding the rediscovered illustration showcases Naruto and Luffy in a lighthearted moment, breaking the boundaries of their respective manga worlds. Notably, Luffy trades his traditional pirate attire for ninja gear, complete with a massive shuriken on his back. While Luffy retains his signature straw hat, it now bears the Naruto ninja headband, adding a playful and cross-dimensional touch to the characters.
Eiichiro Oda’s friendly rivalry with Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, is a well-known aspect of the two mangakas’ relationship. During the serialization of the original Naruto and One Piece series in Weekly Shonen Jump, Oda and Kishimoto engaged in a creative competition, pushing each other to greater heights while drawing inspiration from one another’s works.
The crossover illustration is a testament to this camaraderie, with Oda playfully incorporating Naruto elements into the One Piece universe. Notable examples include the creation of Shiryu in One Piece, inspired by a Water Style jutsu in Naruto, and the initial consideration of naming Sanji in One Piece as “Naruto,” a concept ultimately discarded to avoid confusion with the ramen-loving ninja.
The exchange of artistic nods between the two series extended further, with Oda featuring visual references to Naruto in One Piece’s Chapter 766, celebrating Naruto’s final chapter (Chapter 700). In return, Kishimoto acknowledged One Piece by illustrating the Straw Hat Pirates’ Jolly Roger on a Hokage Rock sculpture in Chapter 700 of Naruto.
As Naruto’s journey continued with the Boruto series and One Piece sails towards its final destination, this rediscovered artwork serves as a delightful reminder of the enduring connection between these beloved Shonen Jump franchises. The anticipation for both series remains strong, with One Piece enthusiasts eagerly awaiting the “Egghead” story arc, inadvertently teased by an official One Piece account post, stirring up excitement for its Netflix release on January 13.
in 2014, Oda drew art depicting Luffy and Naruto as best friends and it's canon btw pic.twitter.com/dIHAOtuXhv
— Pew (@pewpiece) January 12, 2024
That’s a cool piece of information about Naruto and Luffy being portrayed as best friends by Eiichiro Oda! Let’s dive into some questions:
- What has recently resurfaced online regarding Naruto and One Piece’s Luffy?
- Recently, an official illustration by Eiichiro Oda depicting Naruto Uzumaki and Monkey D. Luffy as best friends has resurfaced online.
- Who created the crossover illustration of Naruto and Luffy, and when was it done?
- Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, created the crossover illustration of Naruto and Luffy. The artwork was done in 2014 for an issue of Weekly Shonen Jump.
- How are Naruto and Luffy depicted in the illustration, and what are they doing?
- In the illustration, Naruto and Luffy are depicted as best friends. They are shown amicably chatting while enjoying ramen. Notably, Luffy is dressed in ninja gear with a giant shuriken on his back, and he has a combination of his straw hat and Naruto’s signature ninja headband.
- What is the background of the friendly rivalry between Eiichiro Oda and Masashi Kishimoto?
- Eiichiro Oda and Masashi Kishimoto, the creators of One Piece and Naruto, respectively, had a friendly rivalry when their series were serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. They aimed to outdo each other while also inspiring one another. The article mentions instances where Oda drew inspiration from Naruto, like the creation of Shiryu in One Piece.
- Can you provide examples of the cross-series nods between One Piece and Naruto, as mentioned in the article?
- The article mentions that in celebration of Chapter 700, the final chapter of the Naruto manga, the cover art for Chapter 766 of One Piece featured visual nods to Kishimoto’s series. Kishimoto, in return, illustrated the Jolly Roger of the Straw Hat Pirates in Chapter 700 of Naruto.
- What are the current statuses of the Naruto and One Piece series mentioned in the article?
- The original Naruto manga series concluded in 2014, but the franchise continues with Boruto, focusing on Naruto’s son. One Piece is heading towards its final destination but still has many adventures planned. The article also mentions anticipation for the anime adaptation of the “Egghead” story arc in One Piece.