One Piece author sends support to earthquake-hit hometown Kumamoto

Eiichiro Oda, the renowned creator of the manga "One Piece," has offered a message of solidarity to his hometown of Kumamoto, Japan, following a recent 7.1 magnitude earthquake. Oda, who was born in the Kyushu region, has a history of supporting Kumamoto, having previously initiated the "One Piece-Kumamoto Reconstruction Project" after a devastating earthquake struck the area ten years ago.

The official "One Piece" X (formerly Twitter) account recently changed its profile picture to an image of the beloved protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy. In the illustration, Luffy is depicted wearing a shirt emblazoned with the word "Kumamoto" and a symbol of the region's bear mascot, raising his left hand in a gesture of encouragement. This artwork is a revival of an image Oda released during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake.

While the "One Piece" account is managed by the manga's publisher, Shonen Jump, the profile picture change is interpreted as a reflection of Oda's ongoing concern for his hometown. "One Piece," which began serialization in 1997, has achieved global success, surpassing 600 million copies in circulation worldwide as of March. The series follows Luffy and his crew's quest for the legendary treasure "One Piece."

In 2016, Kumamoto experienced a major earthquake, with a magnitude 6.5 foreshock followed by a 7.3 mainshock, resulting in 276 fatalities. At that time, Oda collaborated with the Kumamoto Prefectural Government for the "One Piece-Kumamoto Reconstruction Project." This initiative saw the erection of ten bronze statues of "One Piece" characters across Kumamoto, depicting Luffy directing his crew to aid in the region's recovery and conveying messages of support. The statues, funded by Oda's donation of 800 million yen (approximately $5.2 million USD), are credited with boosting local tourism. In recognition of his contributions, Oda was awarded the "Kumamoto Prefectural Citizen's Honorary Award" in 2018.