Popular around the world! Trivia and fun facts about ONE PIECE
One Piece is a hugely popular manga that has been adapted into an anime, films, and even live-action, with fans all around the world.
The tankobon volumes have surpassed 100, and it’s a massive hit that continues to gain fans even more than 20 years after its serialization began.
In this article, we’ll introduce trivia and fun facts about One Piece.
Some are things any fan would definitely know, while others might be facts you’ll only notice once they’re pointed out.
If you’re just about to start reading the One Piece manga or watching the anime, be sure to check these out as you compare them with the work itself!
Popular Worldwide! Trivia & Fun Facts About ONE PIECE (1–10)
Usopp’s lies are gradually becoming reality.
Usopp has been telling lies nonstop since his first appearance.
There are various patterns, like “There’s a land of little people” and “I’m a 30-million-berry wanted man,” but as the story progresses, those lies have been getting paid off.
Rather than that being proof of how amazing Usopp is, it suggests that the world of One Piece itself is so fantastical that anything can happen.
So going forward, some offhand line from Usopp you read without thinking might actually turn out to be an important piece of foreshadowing for the world of One Piece…
Sanji’s name was originally “Naruto.”
Speaking of Naruto, he’s the protagonist of Masashi Kishimoto’s NARUTO.
According to Eiichiro Oda, in the early concept stages he had given Sanji—with his curly eyebrows—the name “Naruto,” but since a character with the same name appeared in the pre-serialization one-shot of NARUTO, he changed it to “Sanji.” Oda and Kishimoto are authors who supported Jump during the same era and are known to be good friends.
The fact that they’re connected in ways like this feels kind of fateful, doesn’t it?
Luffy basically doesn’t have depictions of inner monologue.
Even though there are scenes where Luffy gets lost in thought or falls silent, there’s no inner voice or monologue-like depiction.
That’s because the author, Oda-sensei, has defined Luffy as a character who takes action.
This is explicitly stated in the Q&A corner “SBS” featured in the comics.
Indeed, Luffy expresses his feelings—like joy or anger—very directly.
It’s said that sticking to this approach makes him feel more like Luffy.
That’s likely why Luffy carries the image of a free-spirited hero.
In the original manga, Zoro has never called Sanji by his name.
Zoro and Sanji are both crewmates and rivals.
They mock each other and compete, yet there are moments where you can tell they acknowledge one another at key points.
Watching them makes you think, “This is great,” and “They’re actually close after all”—that’s the nature of their relationship.
By the way, in the original manga, there are no scenes where Zoro calls Sanji by his name, “Sanji.” This was pointed out by a reader in the SBS of Volume 73.
Still, as the story progresses, there might be a scene where he does call him by name someday… and if that happens, it would probably be incredibly moving.
The Straw Hat Pirates don’t kill their enemies.
There are tons of battles and plenty of scenes where enemies are defeated, but there aren’t any shocking moments where lives are taken.
According to Oda-sensei, “Winning or losing is what matters to pirates, so whether you kill or not comes second.” And it’s true: in One Piece, even if a villain shows up early on and gets beaten by Luffy and the gang, they often reappear much later.
Sometimes they even become allies when they do.
Those emotional developments are possible precisely because of the rule of “not killing enemies.”
July 22 is “One Piece Day.”
The serialization of ONE PIECE in Weekly Shonen Jump began on July 22, 1997.
In connection with that, July 22 has been officially recognized as ONE PIECE Day.
It was established around the 20th anniversary of the series with the aim of spreading the work’s appeal to even more people.
Since the series began on this day, it marks the start of everything—a truly important anniversary that heralded the opening of a legend.
Illustrations are sometimes released to commemorate the day, so it’s also worth looking forward to those.
The three admirals’ epithets—Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji—are derived from the animals that accompany Momotaro.
Sakazuki, known as Akainu, Borsalino, known as Kizaru, and Kuzan, known as Aokiji, each appear as formidable opponents among the Navy admirals.
Many of you may have found yourselves thinking, “How could anyone beat them?” The animals in their epithets are dog, monkey, and pheasant—these are the three animals from the well-known folktale Momotaro.
It seems the admirals’ epithets are composed of a color and an animal, and later admirals like Issho’s “Fujitora” (Wisteria Tiger) and Aramaki’s “Ryokugyu” (Green Bull) also follow this pattern.