Double-page color spreads show off a normally black-and-white manga's characters and world with the addition of color. Color spreads are used sparingly, as producing them amidst a weekly schedule for manga artists is incredibly taxing. When it comes to One Piece, however, Eiichiro Oda manages to put out a couple of color spreads every year alongside his manga.
In 2019, Oda put out seven entire color spreads despite his overbearing schedule. It's easy to overlook these illustrations, but they serve a purpose. One Piece has evolved greatly over the years, it's not the same easy-going pirate adventure it was when the crew first left the East Blue. The Straw Hats are now involved in large scale war, facing the Yonko, Kaido, in the Land of Wano. While this means the series is ramping up in tension and escalation, what's missing is the more mundane side of the Straw Hats' lives. With so many characters now, we don't get to see Straw Hats in their natural environment aboard the Sunny or exploring new islands quite as frequently anymore. That's where the color spreads come in as their a delightful substitute for that.
Pick any color spread and you're more than likely to find the Straw Hat Pirates either taking a breather or exploring an entirely new locale. For instance, take the brilliant color spread from Chapter 941, which features the Straw Hats trying to hitch a ride on a stretch of highway in the middle of a desert. Their bright smiles and the "road trip" like-vibe the illustration gives off, reminds the audience of the adventure-like quality the Straw Hats exude.
The way each Straw Hat is posed tells you something about the character. There's Zoro and his sinister smirk as he has his hand over the hilt of his sword, ready to cut down the next jerk who doesn't pull over. Robin has a relaxed demeanor with her legs crossed, not worried about what may come as she has her Nakama by her side. Finally, Luffy has his arm inflated, likely thinking a bigger thumb is more likely to encourage someone to stop.
The other genius aspect of these spreads is that they convincingly feel like side-stories. The Straw Hats are always moving forward on their adventure through the Grand Line, and given the absurdity of some of the islands they encounter, the locale they find themselves in these spreads isn't that far off. They've been to a prehistoric island with dinosaurs and giants, an island that's half burning and half below zero, and an island made of confectionary. When we see the Straw Hats building a house out of LEGO-like blocks with a "block dog" in the spread for chapter 622, it feels like something that could actually happen in the manga.
Oda uses the color spreads to experiment a bit more with stylization. For example, chapter 642 has a spread of the Straw Hats all dressed in beach attire as they are about to catch a fish bus to go to Mermaid Beach. But unlike with Oda's usual style, the characters are not drawn with black outlines and the palette is very pink and soft. Later on, in chapter 981, there's a spread with the crew enjoying a performance by Sanji, acting as a DJ. Interesting, though, this illustration is highlighted in a blue and orange glow, making it really feel like a nightclub that the Straw Hats wandered into.
The color spreads are also excellent markers of progress for One Piece, both in the crew and in Oda as an artist. One of the earliest spreads has Luffy, Nami, and Zoro riding in the back of a cart after a long day of farming, most likely a way of earning some side money before setting back out into the sea. This is a very stark contrast from chapter 851 spread, which features the entire crew decked out in regal blue. Not only have the crew grown in size and infamy by this point, but Oda has excelled greatly as an artist which is why he's able to pull off this complicated detailed illustration so well.
The variety that comes in these spreads can not be overstated either. Another of Oda's more unique color spreads is from Chapter 107, which features a very funky teen aesthetic for the Straw Hats. At this point, the crew was still only comprised of the five teens from across the East Blue, and it's easy at times to forget they're still only young adults. The way they present themselves in this spread, casually dressed as they relax around some abandoned furniture in the woods, it's the kind of thing you'd associate teens with this level of freedom doing.
While color spreads are still a widespread part of the manga industry, it feels as though no other mangaka is truly dedicated to them like Oda is. This is fair, as they're often used to commemorate anniversaries or special occasions within the manga. That Oda goes above and beyond to do so many is part of what makes his dedication to doing color spreads so admirable.
