SBS



The SBS (short for 質問を募集するShitsumon o Boshū Suru, "I'm Taking Questions") is a question-and-answer column that began in volume 4 of the manga, in which Eiichiro Oda answers questions sent in by his fans, making jokes and sometimes telling useful information about the story and characters. It is here that the ages of the Straw Hat Pirates were first revealed, as well as various facts about the story that are not immediately apparent (but nevertheless present) in the chapters themselves. Sometimes the information on the characters is just suggested in this section by the fans, to which Oda just agrees with them and makes it official; for example, Tashigi, Chopper and Robin's birthdays which were all fan suggestions. There are several running jokes throughout the SBS, including the fact that a reader always manages to start the SBS before the author can. The SBS was also where the author revealed the existence of the hidden characters Pandaman and Tomato Gang, who appear hidden in the background at many points during the series. Because of the nature of the SBS and the appeal of One Piece, Oda will get questions of all kinds of nature from the serious to silly and the 'mature'.

The SBS are displayed on a single page between the end of chapter and the cover of the next one. In case a chapter starts with a Double Spread, there is no SBS as the 2 pages are taken by the cover. This page can also be used to display a set of Usopp Gallery Pirates pictures instead of an SBS.

Straw Hat Pirates

 * Luffy, Zoro and Nami's Age: Vol 4; Chapter 27
 * Luffy not killing villians; Vol 4; Chapter 30
 * Zoro's name origin: Vol 4; Chapter 28
 * Nami's bust size; Vol 4; Chapter 31
 * Zoro talking with swords in mouth; Vol 5; Chapter 43
 * Luffy and Zoro's first/second name order; Vol 6; Chapter 47
 * Nami's 3 sizes; Vol 6; Chapter 49
 * Sanji's age; Vol 7; Chapter 55
 * Luffy's lower parts; Vol 8; Chapter 64
 * Nami's intelligence; Vol 8; Chapter 65
 * "D" in Luffy's name; Vol 8; Chapter 70

Red Hair Pirates

 * Shanks' age: Vol 4; Chapter 27
 * Beckman and Roo names; Vol 5; Chapter 42
 * Beckman's intelligence; Vol 8; Chapter 65

Alvida Pirates

 * Mirror on Alvida's ship; Vol 6; Chapter 47

Buggy Pirates

 * Buggy's hat; Vol 4; Chapter 28
 * Mohji's hair;Vol 4; Chapter 29
 * Buggy mouth closed; Vol 6; Chapter 49
 * Buggy's Devil Fruit limits; Vol 7; Chapter 58

Black Cat Pirates

 * Kuro's shirt symbols; Vol 4; Chapter 31
 * Jango's chin; Vol 6; Chapter 45
 * Kuro's speed; Vol 7; Chapter 57
 * Kuro's intelligence; Vol 8; Chapter 65
 * Buchi's cape; Vol 8; Chapter 65

Don Krieg's Pirate Armada

 * The hour glasses on the flag; Vol 8; Chapter 64

Baratie

 * Patty and Carne's names;Vol 7; Chapter 57
 * Zeff's moustache; Vol 7; Chapter 58

Marines

 * Word on Morgan's chin; Vol 5; Chapter 43
 * Morgan and Kuro; Vol 6; Chapter 50
 * Hierarchy; Vol 8; Chapter 66

Shichibukai

 * Moria's age and height; Vol 58; Chapter 567
 * Kuma's age and height; Vol 58; Chapter 567
 * Teach's age and height; Vol 58; Chapter 567
 * Doflamingo's age and height; Vol 58; Chapter 567
 * Jinbe's age and height; Vol 58; Chapter 567
 * Crocodile's age and height; Vol 58; Chapter 567
 * Mihawk's age and height; Vol 58; Chapter 567
 * Boa Hancock's age and height; Vol 58; Chapter 567

Oda's Profile

 * Greatest treasure; Vol 4; Chapter 29
 * Character naming; Vol 4; Chapter 30
 * Animal appearances; Vol 4; Chapter 31
 * Personnel Profile; Vol 4; Chapter 33
 * Manga Artist decision; Vol 4; Chapter 33
 * Apprenticeship days; Vol 4; Chapter 33, Vol 6; Chapter 50
 * Hometown; Vol 6; Chapter 47
 * No. of assistants; Vol 7; Chapter 55
 * Character emotion depiction; Vol 7; Chapter 57

Hidden/Background Characters

 * Itou Mikio;Vol 4; Chapter 32
 * Pandaman first mentioned; Vol 6; Chapter 47
 * Minatomo-san; Vol 7; Chapter 54
 * Mr. Motzel;Vol 8; Chapter 66

Series Information

 * Logo misunderstanding; Vol 5; Chapter 43
 * Lack of Shading Tone; Vol 5; Chapter 43
 * Chapter nos. in production; Vol 6; Chapter 46
 * Price; Vol 7; Chapter 57

Misc infomation.

 * How many Devil Fruits; Vol 4; Chapter 33
 * Gero Gero no Mi; Vol 6; Chapter 49
 * Female Pirates; Vol 6; Chapter 50
 * Samu Samu no Mi; Vol 7; Chapter 54
 * Luffy's pose from vol.3; Vol 8; Chapter 65
 * Pirates and rum; Vol 8; Chapter 70
 * Sanji's knife text; Vol 8; Chapter 72

Postal addresses
For SBS or Usopp Gallery Pirates. ''Note: fans should bear in mind that Oda has mentioned in interviews that it is best to send letters in Japanese if sending to the Tokyo address. And for Usopp Gallery Pirates you must include your name and address directly on the back of the artwork. Otherwise it will be dismissed entirely.''

''Note 2: For SBS header illustrations, send them to the Usopp Gallery Pirates address. The image should be drawn as 14cm x 5.5cm on the back of a postcard.''

Viz: Shonen Jump c/o Viz, LLC P.O. Box 77010 San Francisco, CA 94107

Non conventional SBS
On some volumes Oda did not use the traditional Question/Answer format but chose a topic:
 * Volume 11 was a special Going Merry SBS which depicts the ship's design.
 * Volume 16 where Oda made a correction about a typo.
 * Volume 26 International investigation Committee was a special about One Piece issue in the different countries it's published in.
 * Volume 46 was a special Thousand Sunny SBS which depicts the ship's design.
 * Volume 59 and Volume 60 had M.K.K. corners (Matomete Kakatte Koi; Come all at once) where Oda made quick decisions on characters' birthdays based on fan letters
 * Voice Actors SBS
 * Volume 61 had an HDK corner (Hai, Domo, Konnichiwa; Yes, Greetings, How are you)
 * Volume 61 had a 3D2Y corner, full of different sketches of what Oda was thinking of making the Straw hats look like after 2 years.
 * Volume 64 had an HDO (Hai, Domo, Ohayogozaimas; Yes, Greetings, Good morning)

What does SBS stands for? By the Seiyūs

 * Luffy's Seiyū (S)hort (B)reak (S)ection in Volume 52.
 * Zoro's Seiyū (S)orry, (B)ut I'm too (S)tupid and (S)appari toh (B)ouzu ni shitakedo (S)amuiwa (I got a buzz cut, but it's cold) in Volume 53.
 * Nami's Seiyū (S)houmonai (B)ouya wa (S)hibukuwayo <3 (I'll beat up any helpless boy) and (S)onna (B)ouya wa (S)hibuku wayo <3 (I'll beat up such a boy) in Volume 54.
 * Usopp's Seiyū (S)hikkari (B)oke (S)asete (Let me make myself really stupid) in Volume 55.
 * Sanji's Seiyū (G)omen (I)ino ga (O)moiukaban (Sorry, a suitable joke does not occur to me) in Volume 57.
 * Chopper's Seiyū (S)ugoiyo (B)ikkuri (S)akura no ki (I was surprised at a splendid cherry tree) in Volume 58.
 * Robin's Seiyū (S)himatta (B)rooku (S)ashichatta (Shoot I stabbed Brook) in Volume 60.
 * Franky's Seiyū (S)hounenyo, (B)eechikuwo (S)ueh! (Boy, suck the nipples!) in Volume 61.
 * Brook's Seiyū (S)ugoi yo!!! (B)oku!!! (S)ugoi yo!!! (Amazing!!! Me!!! Amazing!!!) in Volume 64.