The upcoming Zoro novel has already disappointed One Piece fans as Eiichiro Oda is revealed to not supervise the spin-off novel, with many dubbing it as “fanfiction”.
The One Piece fandom was excited when a prequel spin-off novel was announced in April 2024. The novel is to follow Roronoa Zoro after he leaves Shimotsuki Village to pursue his dream of becoming the strongest swordsman in the world and then ending up as a pirate hunter after getting lost on his way home.
Zoro is one of the most beloved characters in the series. Fans were eager to see his journey before he met Luffy, especially since One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda was rumored to supervise the project.
However, it has now come to the light that Oda will not be connected to the Zoro novel. The spin-off, titled ‘Zoro – Josho Sasakaze’, will be written by Jun Esaka and illustrated by Nakamura.
My translation of the video about Novel Zoro.💪Koushiro: So, you are leaving, Zoro.Zoro: You don't need to see me off any further than here…teacher.This novel takes place in Shimotsuki Village. The reason why Zoro decided to set sail is depicted under Oda's supervision.🤩 pic.twitter.com/e2kWGd6U3F
— sandman (@sandman_AP) May 20, 2024
While Esaka is not new to the world of the One Piece, having previously worked on ‘One Piece novel HEROINES’ and ‘One Piece novel Odyssey’, fans are not happy with Oda not being a part of it. Many are deeming it unnecessary and non-canon since the storyline won’t be approved by the original author.
Expressing their disinterest in the upcoming Zoro novel, one user on X commented, “What’s the point of it then? Then they should keep that for themselves.”
Another joined in, saying, “Zoro is getting a licensed fanfic, no way.”
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A third called the novel “glorified fanfiction”.
Some One Piece readers are also saying that Zoro’s backstory is unnecessary for the plot, given that Oda chose not to include it in the original storyline.
One such fan said, “You want a proper Zoro backstory? Well, keep reading the manga. If Oda doesn’t include it? Then it wasn’t important. Zoro doesn’t have to be a deep character. It is what it is!”
The new Zoro spin-off novel will be serialized in the upcoming special One Piece magazine, and it’ll be released on June 4, 2024. Zoro and Sanji feature on the cover, and there’ll be special stickers of the two characters included in the magazine.
As for the One Piece manga, the story is currently at the peak of the Egghead Arc. After revealing the first pirate in history, the manga is all set to give readers a better understanding of the Void Century and Joyboy’s history in One Piece Chapter 1115.
Want to know the world of One Piece better? Find out who has the highest bounty and who is the strongest character in One Piece. You can also check out our take on One Piece’s latest twist and our guide on every definitive death in One Piece.
