One Piece: Shueisha apologizes after Eiichiro Oda’s inconsiderate joke

Following One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda’s inconsiderate joke in Volume 89, Shueisha makes an apology to all the citizens in Japan.

One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda is well-loved among fans for his humor. However, not all jokes are well-received, especially if it’s related to the most difficult times in Japanese history.

Although not intentional, Oda’s statement in Volume 89’s print copy created lots of controversy in 2018. He used the name of a famous Japanese soldier who served during World War II. The reference didn’t sit well with citizens, and the company had to address the issue.

As such, Japan’s biggest publishing company, Shueisha, and Eiichiro Oda himself apologized for making light of the soldiers. Delve deeper to find out what transpired following the controversy.

Eiichiro Oda joked about soldier Shoichi Yokoi in Shueisha’s One Piece Volume 89 

Shonen Jump

The volume, titled Bad “End Musical,” came with the author’s note, “When everyone eats outside, there’s always a bowl of fried chicken left. Let’s give them a name: Sergeant Shoichi. Just something like, ‘Only Sergeant Shoichi left! Who can settle this!’ For those who don’t understand who he is, just search it. I’m sorry! Volume 89 begins!!”

There was even the soldier’s haggard image attached to the note. During the Second World War, he served as a sergeant in the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). He was one of the final three Japanese holdouts to be located after hostilities ended in 1945. 

On January 24, 1972, about 28 years after American forces took back control of the island in 1944, he was found in the Guam forests. After almost three decades in hiding, he returned to his home country and famously said, “It is with much embarrassment that I return.” 

Yokoi, who was then 56, had spent the previous 27 years eking out a subsistence living in Guam’s forests after running away to avoid detention after American soldiers seized the island in August 1944. According to historian Robert Rogers, Yokoi was one of perhaps 5,000 Japanese soldiers who preferred life on the run to the humiliation of being held as a prisoner of war following the Battle of Guam. 

As per ScreenRant, Shueisha publicly apologized not long after. They said, “In the author’s comment section of ‘One Piece Volume 89,’ which went on sale June 4, there was an inconsiderate message. The editors, together with the author, regret our actions; in the future, we will take greater care in such matters.” The digital version of Volume 89 has removed the note, leaving only a blank space.

How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023

Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US.

If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple: 

1. Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world.
2. Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica.
3. Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched.

Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference. For example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. 

You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan. Or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. 

You can check out our other anime coverage here.