One Piece is one of the largest and most popular mangas and animes of all time. The journey of Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirates spans many years and chapters. However, a German cult series, produced on behalf of ZDF, played a significant role in the creation of the manga.
Which cult series is it about? Wickie the Viking. This is a Viking series produced as an anime by the Japanese studios ‘Zuiyo’ and ‘Nippon Animation’ on behalf of ZDF and the Austrian ORF.
The series is based on the children’s book series “Wickie” by Swedish author Runer Jonsson and was first broadcast on ZDF in 1974, 50 years ago.
Wickie made Oda a pirate fan at an early age
What does Wickie have to do with One Piece? Eiichiro Oda, the author of One Piece, has talked about the inspirations of the manga in various interviews, mentioning that he enjoyed watching the series “Wickie the Viking” as a child.
In an interview with the online magazine VIC.com, he revealed:
As a child, I really liked an anime series called Wickie the Viking. […] When I researched pirates for One Piece, I discovered that Vikings are a type of pirate. I think it’s great to have friends in your team, just like in the Wickie series. This might not be the best comparison, but I feel that the spirit of this series continues in my work.
So, Wickie had a significant influence on Oda becoming a pirate fan at an early age and later wanting to write a pirate manga, forming the Straw Hat crew into a group of good friends.
However, Oda’s protagonist Luffy does not resemble Wickie very much. Luffy is neither strong nor brave, but is defined by his clever ideas – practically the exact opposite of the leader of the Straw Hat Pirates.
A boy who wants to become a Viking
What is Wickie actually about? In the cult series Wickie the Viking, it’s about a little boy who desperately wants to be a Viking. He admires them and begs his father to take him on their travels.
On their adventures, however, the Vikings continually face various challenges that often cannot be overcome with pure muscle strength. This is where Wickie often comes into play, as the boy always has clever ideas that help solve the various challenges.
Wickie does not have an enormous fighting power, like Luffy or his companion Zorro. For instance, in one episode, he hides in a tree and calls for his father’s help when he is attacked by a wolf.
There is now also a live-action series of One Piece on Netflix, the debut season of which was well-received by many viewers. Currently, fans are still waiting for the release of the second season. After a long wait, there has been a new sign of life: The live-action series of One Piece on Netflix sends new signs of life, making fans beam
