Prefecture Considers Building One Piece Ship in Park

posted on 2010-03-11 06:14 EST

Southwestern Japan's Kumamoto City is birthplace of creator Eiichiro Oda

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Not-So-Daily Link of the Day: During a Thursday meeting, the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly in southwestern Japan discussed a plan to erect a pirate ship from the One Piece anime series at a city park. A citizens' group has been pushing a plan to erect a replica of the manga's Going Merry (Merry Go in English) ship at Karashima Park in the prefectural capital of Kumamoto City — the birthplace of One Piece's creator, Eiichiro Oda.

Assembly Member Seiichi Nishi asserted that the plan will stimulate the local economy. Kumamoto Governor Ikuo Kabashima expressed his approval of the plan and his willingness to explore ways that the prefectural government can support the civic group's "dream."

The local TKU television station noted in its news coverage of the assembly meeting that it airs the One Piece anime every Saturday. It also noted that the most recent volume of Oda's original manga set a Japanese record on March 4 with a first printing of 3 million copies — topping Harry Potter. 185.6 million copies of the manga have been sold so far.

The Laguna Gamagori marine resort complex in central Japan will be hosting a separate "One Piece Memorial Log in Lagunasia" theme park attraction, but that attraction will only remain open from March 20 to June 27.