“I’ve been extremely worried about my health”: Eiichiro Oda Has a Concerning Announcement For One Piece Fans After Akira Toriyama’s Death

Eiichiro Oda ends fan speculation about major health concern, but still leaves the ‘One Piece’ fans worried.

SUMMARY

‘One Piece’ mangaka Eiichiro Oda announced that he was taking a three-week break from writing and illustrating, following Akira Toriyama’s passing.
Oda revealed that he did not have any ailments but needed the break for self-maintenance.

After Chapter 1111, fans will have to wait for a few weeks before they could see another chapter of The Egghead Island arc of One Piece from Eiichiro Oda. The creator announced through a note on social media that he will be taking a break from work to do some self-maintenance. Oda’s announcement comes in light of Dragon Ball creator, Akira Toriyama’s, untimely passing due to acute subdural hematoma.
One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda with wife Chiaki Inaba (Credits: @one_piece_x | X)

Toriyama passed away on March 1 at the age of 68. While Toriyama’s anime served as an inspiration for Oda, both the mangaka maintained a good friendship. Toriyama’s death has made Oda worried about his health too.

Eiichiro Oda Takes A Three-Week Break After Akira Toriyama’s Death

Eiichiro Oda will take a break between The Egghead Island arc of One Piece due to this reason
Akira Toriyama‘s death has left a profound impact on One Piece mangaka Eiichiro Oda. One Piece Chapter 1112 will be delayed as the creator announced a break from writing and illustrating the globally famous series. Chapter 1111 will be released on March 25, 2024, and the next chapter will reach the audience only on April 22, 2024. He announced through a note on social media about his three-week break because of the news of Toriyama.

In his note, Oda mentioned that he has been extremely worried about his health since Toriyama passed away. He assured fans that he did not have any ailments, but needed the break to do some self-maintenance. He also revealed that he would use his break time to think about what One Piece actually is. Eiichiro Oda shared (original – @OPcon_info):

Fans are disappointed that the manga is going on a break at a time when the Egghead Arc is heading towards its climax. This arc began in Chapter 1058 after the conclusion of the Wano Country arc. Fans will have to wait to see whether the arc will conclude before the Weekly Shonen Jump goes on the Golden Week Break in May.

Oda’s clarification also ended the fan speculations about his health, as the creator had taken quite a few breaks owing to his health issues. Shonen Jump has received criticism in the past for overworking the writers and giving them tight release schedules.

Eiichiro Oda Wrote A Heartfelt Tribute To Akira Toriyama

Akira Toriyama in a 1983 interview (credits: Tetsuko’s Room | YouTube)

Akira Toriyama’s death was first announced in a joint statement issued by Bird Studio and Capsule Corporation Tokyo. The cause of death was revealed to be an acute subdural hematoma. The Dragon Ball mangaka first made a name for himself with the beloved gag manga, Dr. Slump, in 1983. He created his iconic fantasy shōnen battle series, Dragon Ball, in 1984. The manga later spawned the popular series Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super.

Eiichiro Oda was extremely saddened by the news of Akira Toriyama’s passing. He shared that the passing has left a hole in him that’s too big to fill (via Anime News Network). He shared that he admired the Dragon Ball creator since he was a child and still remembered the day when he first addressed him by name. He also added that Toriyama had a major hand in making manga enjoyable for both kids and adults.

Not just Oda, Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto was also influenced by the works of Toriyama. The late creator also influenced the Japanese gaming industry as his art served as the basis for Dragon Quest, one of the very first console RPGs in Japan.