Eiichiro Oda Got Married to Real-Life Nami After One Piece Mangaka Met Her on a Stage Show (2024)

Eiichiro Oda and Chiaki Inaba dated for almost a year before tying the knot on November 7, 2004.

Written by: Spandan

Reviewed by: Barsha

Eiichiro Oda Got Married to Real-Life Nami After One Piece Mangaka Met Her on a Stage Show (1)

SUMMARY

  • Eiichiro Oda met the love of his life while attending a One Piece stage play in JUMP FESTA 2004.
  • Chiaki Inaba, Oda's wife, played the role of Nami, who is the navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates.
  • Despite his hectic work schedule, Oda manages to spend quality time with his wife and two daughters.

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One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda keeps to himself when it comes to his private life and his work life. He doesn’t share information about his manga or the day-to-day happenings in his personal sphere. A married man, Oda did have a fairytale love story that was widely publicized years after he tied the knot with Chiaki Inaba.

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Oda mentioned during Masashi Kishimoto’s wedding how the latter’s wife looked similar to Sakura. Similar to the Naruto creator, the One Piece writer also married a real-life version of a character from his manga. Eiichiro Oda’s first meeting with former model Chiaki Inaba was during a stage show in which she roleplayed Nami.

Eiichiro Oda Got Married to Real-Life Nami After One Piece Mangaka Met Her on a Stage Show (2)

Nami is the first woman to join the Straw Hat Pirates. She is among the most popular characters because of her deceptiveness, cunning, and leadership qualities. There’s no question that Oda fell head over heels for a real-life Nami, especially since the short-hair Inaba was strikingly similar to the beautiful pre-time skip version of the character.

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Also Read:After Absolutely Dominating One Piece’s Nami, Here are 5 Marvel Stars Emily Rudd Could Nail

One Piece Creator Met His Wife While She Was Playing The Role Of Nami

In 2003, the One Piece manga was at a high. VIZ Media had taken the responsibility to publish the English translation of the work into several volumes. Meanwhile, the Skypeia arc had been finished, gaining massive admiration from fans worldwide as Luffy saved Sky Island from Enel’s annihilation, and Japan was buzzing with the hype for the introduction of Blackbeard Pirates.

Eiichiro Oda Got Married to Real-Life Nami After One Piece Mangaka Met Her on a Stage Show (3)

Chiaki Inaba, a former model and actress, was part of the One Piece hype. She participated in the JUMP FESTA 2004 which was held in December 2003 and played the role of Nami for the stage show titled ‘One Piece Spectacle Stage.’ It is there that Eiichiro Oda first met Inaba after which the two immediately struck a connection.

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Oda and Inaba dated for almost a year before tying the knot on November 7, 2004. They have two daughters who were born in 2006 and 2009. Unfortunately, due to his rigorous work schedule that has led One Piece fans to be concerned about his health, Oda lives separately from his wife and children but manages to pay them a visit every week as noted by Fandom.

Long-distance relationships can be tough, Nonetheless, Chiaki Inaba and Eiichiro Oda are still married and the mangaka is about to deservedly get his rest, given that One Piece is entering its final phase two decades after its release. Oda is also the co-producer for the Netflix live-action series which is scheduled for a Season 2 release in 2024 or 2025.

Also Read:Eiichiro Oda Sketches Potential Concept Art for Chopper’s Appearance in One Piece Season 2

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More About Eiichiro Oda’s Wife, Chiaki Inaba

Eiichiro Oda Got Married to Real-Life Nami After One Piece Mangaka Met Her on a Stage Show (4)

Similar to her husband, not much is known about Chiaki Inaba. It is mentioned that Inaba lives with her daughter in a mansion in Nerima, Tokyo, which was bought by the family when their first daughter was born. The One Piece mangaka often takes his family on vacations abroad but strictly avoids the limelight.

Given that Chiaki Inaba was aged 25 when she first met Oda in the stage show, she is supposed to be aged 45 as of 2023. She is reportedly three years younger than her husband as he was born in January 1975. Meanwhile, her two daughters are now in their adulthood.

According to Verge, Eiichiro Oda had said in an interview that he had promised to take his wife and children on a world tour once One Piece had finished running. However, as fans excessively wanted more arcs and Oda continued to explore the backstory of multiple characters and introduced new ones, the manga has been running for a few more years.

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Also Read:One Piece: Why Did Shanks Refuse to Meet Luffy After He Beat Kaido in Wano Arc?

Eiichiro OdaOne PieceOne Piece Live Action Season 2

Written by Spandan Chatterjee

Articles Published: 166

Spandan Chatterjee is a Freelance Anime Writer at FandomWire.

Spandan, who has been in the content industry for over two years, uses his passion for anime in his writing. He delivers the latest news, theories, and facts about various manga's including Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece, and Bleach.

After completing his B.A. degree in English, Spandan is now pursuing a Masters degree in the same field.

Eiichiro Oda Got Married to Real-Life Nami After One Piece Mangaka Met Her on a Stage Show (2024)

FAQs

Eiichiro Oda Got Married to Real-Life Nami After One Piece Mangaka Met Her on a Stage Show? ›

Eiichiro Oda met the love of his life while attending a One Piece stage play in JUMP FESTA 2004. Chiaki Inaba, Oda's wife, played the role of Nami, who is the navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates

Straw Hat Pirates
The protagonists of the One Piece series, the Straw Hat Pirates. From left to right: Nico Robin, Nami, Brook, Sanji, Monkey D. Luffy (front), Jimbei (back), Tony Tony Chopper, Roronoa Zoro, Franky, and Usopp.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › List_of_One_Piece_characters
. Despite his hectic work schedule, Oda manages to spend quality time with his wife and two daughters.

Is Oda married in real life? ›

Eiichiro Oda married Chiaki Inaba on November 7, 2004. They are parents of two daughters. Chiaki Inaba gave birth to a daughter in mid-2006, making Eiichiro Oda a father for the first time.

When did Oda meet his wife? ›

Oda met his wife Chiaki Inaba at a Jump Festa

She was cosplaying as One Piece's Nami at Jump Festa 2002. It was the eventful stage show where she ran into Eiichiro Oda, and the two hit it off. The couple dated for a few years before marrying each other in 2004.

Does Nami get married in One Piece? ›

As of the latest chapters and episodes, Nami has not married anyone in One Piece. Despite the fan theories and ships, the creator Eiichiro Oda hasn't paired Nami romantically with any character in the official storyline. One Piece focuses more on adventures, friendships, and battles rather than romantic relationships.

What did Oda say about romance in One Piece? ›

Fact: When asked if there would be romance in One Piece in a SBS letter, Eiichiro Oda replied "They're all in love... with adventure". Although there are many established married couples in the series, it is uncommon for romance to be depicted during the ongoing story.

Who is Nami's crush? ›

Nami cares about Luffy deeply and will often hug or hold onto him when she is scared or depressed. When she learned of Luffy's true dream that he could only achieve after becoming the Pirate King she was taken aback, but then smiled and said it definitely sounded like him.

Who does Luffy marry? ›

Who will Luffy marry/be in love with at the end of the series? - Quora. With any luck, Luffy won't end up with anyone. Monkey D. Luffy is very explicitly aro-coded, to the point where even Boa Hanco*ck couldn't arouse him.

Who is Zoro's wife? ›

He doesn't have an official love interest so you'll have to find out which of his acquaintances and friends your husband see's as zoro's potential lover. There's nico robin, tashigi, hiyori, Perona.

Who did Sanji marry? ›

84 Chapter 845 (p. 17), Sanji proposes marriage to Pudding. ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol.

How often does Oda sleep? ›

According to both himself and his editors, Oda is an ardent worker and perfectionist. By his own estimation, he sleeps only three hours per day during a typical work week.

Did Pudding kiss Sanji? ›

Sanji also told Pudding that he was glad that she was his fiancée, causing her to become emotional again. Pudding makes one last request to Sanji and takes away his cigarette before kissing him. However, she uses her Devil Fruit ability to remove the moment from his memory before leaving him without another word.

Who wanted to marry Nami? ›

In Thriller Bark, Nami is kidnapped by the zombie Absalom, who tries to force her to marry him. The crew's cook Sanji tries to rescue her, but Absalom incapacitates him and attempts to complete the wedding.

Whose wife is Nami? ›

Eiichiro Oda's wife, Chiaki Inaba, cosplayed as Nami at Jump Festa, leading to their eventual meeting and marriage in 2004. Nami is a beloved character in One Piece, known for her cunning nature, loyalty, and skills as a navigator for the Straw Hat Pirates.

Does Nami ever fall in love? ›

While sailing through the Grand Line, Nami's job as the navigator became more than just guiding the ship – it became tied to her feelings for Luffy. Moments like Luffy supporting Nami when she was really upset and the symbolic hat exchanges in Arlong Park and Skypiea added depth to their connection.

Who is the wife of Oda? ›

Chiaki Inaba is a Japanese model and actress, best known as the wife of Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the popular manga series “One Piece.” Born on January 4, 1978, in Tokyo, Japan, Inaba's life has been one of beauty, glamour, and love. Let's look at the timeline of her life and career.

Who has romantic feelings for Luffy? ›

Throughout his journey Luffy has made strong bonds with numerous women. At least two have fallen in love with him, Alvida and Hanco*ck, whilst another two have become enamoured with him, Rebecca and Shirahoshi.

Does Oda have a wife and kids? ›

Inaba was an actress for the stage show "One Piece Spectacle Stage" from 2001 to 2003. After a period of dating of two years, they married in November 2004 in a private wedding. Oda and Inaba have had two daughters since their marriage.

Is Oda a millionaire? ›

Many calculations put the Eiichiro Oda net worth in the $200 million range, while some estimates climbing as high as $230 million. This makes Eiichiro Oda not only the richest mangaka working today but also in history.

How does Oda sleep? ›

- Oda usually sleeps for 3 hours a day. Oda doesn't want to spend much time on sleep since he is busy. He can sleep as much as he wants only after the day he finishes drawing every week. But he can't sleep much recently due to aging.

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