Fans of One Piece, the long-running pirate adventure manga by Eiichiro Oda, have something amazing to look forward to in January 2024.
Netflix has announced that it will stream an anime adaptation of Monsters, a one-shot manga by Oda that serves as a prequel to One Piece. The anime, titled Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation, will premiere in January 2024 on Netflix.
Monsters tells the story of Ryuma, a wandering samurai with extraordinary sword skills and strength. He is the same Ryuma who appears in One Piece as a legendary swordsman and the original owner of the Shusui sword.
The one-shot manga reveals how Ryuma became a hero in a town after slaying a dragon, but also exposes his dark side and his hidden motives.
The anime adaptation is directed and composed by Sunghoo Park, who is also behind the hit anime Jujutsu Kaisen and its prequel movie Jujutsu Kaisen 0.
Studio E&H production is in charge of the animation, unlike Toei Animation Studios, which is in charge of One Piece animation. The anime will have a runtime of one episode.
Netflix has also released a new visual for the anime, featuring Ryuma and the dragon, as well as other characters from the one-shot manga.
The anime’s English title is Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation, which is a reference to the original Japanese title, Monsters: Ippaku Sanjō Hiryū Jigoku, meaning “Monsters: One Hundred and Three Mercies Flying Dragon Hell.”
Ryuma and Zoro’s Relationship
Oda has confirmed that Zoro is a direct descendant of Ryuma.
Zoro’s grandmother, Shimotsuki Furiko, was the sister of Shimotsuki Ushimaru, the last lord of Ringo. Ushimaru was a direct descendant of Ryuma, and inherited his sword, Shusui.
Zoro obtained Shusui after defeating Ryuma’s zombie at Thriller Bark. Zoro also shares a striking resemblance with Ryuma, both in looks and skills.
Checkout Zoro’s family tree, courtesy of @chancil.chan:
One Piece fans can expect to see a different side of Ryuma and his connection to the world of One Piece in this anime adaptation of Monsters. The anime will be available to stream on Netflix in January 2024.
