'One Piece' creator from Kumamoto rallies behind quake victims, as he did a decade ago

A magnitude-7.1 earthquake that struck western Kyushu's Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday has prompted an outpouring of support from prominent figures with ties to the region, including the creator of Japan's beloved manga series "One Piece."

It emerged Thursday that the official "One Piece" account on X, formerly Twitter, had changed its profile image to a picture of the series' protagonist Luffy wearing a T-shirt bearing the word "KUMAMOTO" and the bear emblem that symbolizes the prefecture.

Oda Eiichiro, the Kumamoto-born creator of "One Piece," threw himself into local recovery efforts after a powerful earthquake killed more than 270 people in the same region a decade ago. His latest gesture is widely read as a message of solidarity with his hometown, which has once again been struck by a major quake.

After the 2016 earthquake, Oda partnered with local governments in Kumamoto Prefecture on the "One Piece Kumamoto Revival Project." Since 2016, he has donated 800 million yen ($4.9 million) to the prefecture, which responded in 2018 by erecting a statue of Luffy in front of the prefectural government building.

As "One Piece" fans from across Japan and abroad flocked to see the Luffy statue, the prefecture gradually installed statues of other characters from the series in nine villages that had borne the brunt of the 2016 quake damage. The statues proved so popular that a dedicated pilgrimage tour emerged, and the initiative is credited with boosting tourism revenue in the region.

Oda also presents "One Piece"-related commemorative gifts and original illustrations to young people in Kumamoto Prefecture as they come of age.

Kumamoto Prefecture has honored Oda with its "Distinguished Prefectural Citizen Award." His manga holds the Guinness World Record for the best-selling comic series by a single author, with about 500 million copies sold worldwide.

Beyond the "One Piece" creator, Murakami Munetaka — a power hitter from Kumamoto Prefecture who plays for the Chicago White Sox — also expressed concern for residents affected by the quake.

Playing against the New York Yankees on Wednesday, the day after the earthquake, he said, "At a time like this, I want to do whatever I can, even if just a little, to be a source of strength."

During the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, Murakami was a student living in his hometown and experienced the intensity-7 tremors firsthand. He later donated toward the restoration of Kumamoto Castle.

Meanwhile, Yoshiki, the drummer and former leader of the Japanese rock band X Japan, donated 10 million yen to support recovery efforts in Kumamoto Prefecture, even though the region is not his hometown.