Why Eiichiro Oda Couldn’t Spare Ace from His “Cruel” Fate

One Piece has sailed the vast oceans for nearly 30 years, presenting the Straw Hat Crew with all sorts of adventures. From destined battles to long-awaited reunions,
Monkey D. Luffy has seen almost everything. His quest to become the King of the Pirates has been intense. Yet, the deepest sorrow he ever faced was during the Marineford arc, where he witnessed the death of his older brother. The series creator, Eiichiro Oda, has always considered this death unavoidable.

Oda recently spoke about this pivotal scene. As fans know, Luffy arrived at Marineford to prevent Ace’s execution. This mission sparked a war as pirates from all over the Grand Line united to rescue Ace. Despite the immense efforts, Ace ultimately sacrificed himself to save Luffy from a lethal attack by Akainu. His final moments are etched in the memories of the fans.

To this day, Ace’s tragic end remains one of the most iconic moments in One Piece. Voice actress Mayumi Tanaka, who voices Luffy, found it difficult to come to terms with this outcome. In an interview from 2022, she shared how she confronted Oda about Ace’s fate, expressing how it felt too unjust.

“The ending where Luffy went to save Ace but couldn’t is too cruel,” she told Oda. In response, Oda admitted that Ace’s death was a part of the plan from the very beginning.

“In order to make Luffy one step stronger, I drew Ace as a dying character since the very beginning,” Oda revealed.

Ace’s memory has propelled Luffy to achieve the strength we see today. His lifelong dreams became even more significant after Ace’s passing. Driven by his brother’s memory, Luffy dedicated himself to training relentlessly. From Dressrosa to Wano and Egghead Island, Luffy’s growth is evident. Losing his brother fueled his determination to protect his loved ones, and Ace’s legacy is unmistakably woven into the fabric of One Piece.

Curious about Oda’s masterpiece? The One Piece anime is available on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll. For those new to the series, here’s an official synopsis:

“As a child, Monkey D. Luffy was inspired to become a pirate by listening to the tales of the buccaneer ‘Red-Haired’ Shanks. But Luffy’s life changed when he accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit and gained the power to stretch like rubber… at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years later, still vowing to become the king of the pirates, Luffy sets out on his adventure… one guy alone in a rowboat, in search of the legendary ‘One Piece,’ said to be the greatest treasure in the world…”

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Source: ComicBook.com