Eiichiro Oda’s ‘Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation’: How Is It Connected to ‘One Piece’?

Eiichiro Oda, the creator of “One Piece, is set to release his new anime, “Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation,” on Netflix on January 21.

The Netflix page for Monsters has been discreetly updated to reveal the official release date. While Netflix had previously announced a January release, the specific date had not been disclosed until now.

“Monsters” follows the journey of a young samurai named Ryuma as he ventures into a town ravaged by a dragon and encounters a young waitress named Flare, along with numerous challenges. Fans of “One Piece” may find Ryuma’s name familiar, as “Monsters” is somewhat connected to the “One Piece” universe.

Originally featured in a standalone manga issue released by Oda before the inception of “One Piece,” Ryuma later reappears as a zombie in the Thriller Bark saga of “One Piece.” In a question and answers segment in “One Piece: Volume 47,” Oda confirmed that the characters are the same person, although fans have debated the consistency of certain elements.

Despite the ongoing debate, Netflix has not hesitated to emphasize the connection between the two series. But how are they connected?

How Is ‘Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation’ Connected to ‘One Piece’?

The link between Eiichiro Oda’s “Monsters” and “One Piece” extends beyond the shared creator, as the anime is essentially a spinoff of Oda’s immensely popular manga and anime series. It unfolds in a region of the world previously showcased in “One Piece,” immersing viewers in a narrative centered around the samurai Ryuma and his eclectic group of companions. The storyline unfolds within Oda’s expansive and ever-growing universe, featuring samurai, pirates, and heroes.

The central character, Ryuma, serves as the ancestor of the beloved “One Piece” character Zoro, the samurai renowned for wielding three swords. While Ryuma’s tale stands on its own, it contributes essential backstory to a crucial aspect of Zoro’s history and the broader world of One Piece. Ryuma has even made a direct appearance in “One Piece” during the “Thriller Bark” arc, showcased briefly in a flashback due to Zoro’s personal connection to him as a descendant.

The plot of Monsters is derived from a concise one-shot manga spanning only 46 pages—comparable to the content covered in the average anime episode. E&H Production, the studio behind “Monsters,” currently has no intentions of producing additional episodes. Whether the initial episode garners sufficient popularity to merit a follow-up remains uncertain. E&H Production, headed by Sunghoo Park, a director known for his work on multiple episodes of Jujutsu Kaisen, boasts key contributors such as character designer Takashi Kojima and Fuminao Akai, responsible for art direction.

“Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation” will exclusively premiere on Netflix on January 21, 2024. Meanwhile, the “One Piece” anime is accessible for streaming on Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Prime Video, with Viz Media overseeing the English distribution of the manga.

Zorro’s Link to Ryuma

In a thread, Reddit user Equivalent_Crab_8725 said that Zoro, a three-sword style user, is the third embodiment of Ryuma’s sprit. And from this, that Ushimaru, a two-sword style user, was the incarnation before Zoro, and before him was Ryuma— a one-sword style swordsman.

Maybe Death and Zoro/Ryuma’s spirit have some sort of deal, and he just keeps coming back and adding new swords. This time, he got the “King of Hell” Enma. Maybe Death favors Zoro’s lineage.

He added that this might explain why they look almost identical, but aren’t immediately related (Ryuma living centuries ago).

Watch the Official Trailer:

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