One Piece mangaka Eiichiro Oda has given an interview explaining his dissatisfaction with the fact that there are no ranks amongst mangaka, and that there is no special title other than plain “mangaka” available to demonstrate he is no mere mangaka.
The interview, with fellow mangaka Shinobu Kaitani, author of One Outs and others:
Kaitani: I think a good thing about being a mangaka is that there is no rank. Of course, there are differences in popularity, but when everyone is a pro we are all putting all we have into our works according to our abilities.”
Oda: Well, I think the opposite. I want to have a rank. It’s like I’m trying as hard as I do, and I’m just a “mangaka” like everyone else?
Of course, if you are a long-time veteran you get called “master” [shishou], but there should be a title for younger masters. “Fantasista” or something.
Kaitani: You want an official position or something?
Oda: Right, right, that’s it! You get a title like “section chief” as a working adult. It’s like proof of how hard you tried. As a mangaka you are always just a “mangaka.”
Kaitani: You want to be able to level up from “mangaka” to “manga-sennin” then?
Oda: Yes, yes – I want to be able to level up like that. Being able to aim for that would be good.
That Oda has such authoritarian leanings is perhaps surprising – apparently being a multi-millionaire and author of the most popular manga in history is not recognition enough.
Reactions vary from considering his desires embarrassingly juvenile to sympathy at his lack of “recognition” – although it seems unlikely his fellow mangaka, most of whom languish in relative poverty at the mercy of rapacious publishers, will be too pleased.
oda say im “just” an mangaka lol. mangaka are allrdy gods who are able not only to draw good but put all this together into a story and a comicbook. besides he shouldnt be so arrogant. he is an veteran but there are many ppl out there who draw like much better than him the quality of his drawings are rather low and his use of colors are at a beginners level to be honest. hes just good at manga but as an artist he has much to learn as we all.
I think he’s just criticizing the system… It’s not really about himself, it’s about the system as a whole. He wants mangaka, especially the younger generation, to have set goals and stuff to aim for maybe?
You made it sound like he had this huge ego and thinks himself better than most people, but by reading the interveiw he just wants a work title like most jobs have.
He has leveled up to bastard in my book.
So now mangakas want a level up system like in MMOs? what next? they gonna name their own drawing styles as “Skills” and “Spells”? and have PK system to “kill off” unpopular mangakas?
Maybe they should elect a GM to oversee everything to make sure no mangaka haxxorx around!!!