Among the plethora of colorful characters the series has to offer, a select few have garnered attention for the inscrutable aura that surrounds them.
Since it first debuted over two decades ago back in 1997, Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has introduced a myriad of characters, with each successive arc and saga in the storyline bringing in a host of new faces. The series has received acclaim for the depth of its world-building, where the new settings, cultures, and civilizations that bring each segment of the story to life are rich in detail, seeming almost real and lived in. In fact, One Piece‘s world-building is often regarded as one of the gold standards in fiction, setting a benchmark for comparison with other anime and manga titles.
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However, with this expansive cast comes a host of characters who remain shrouded in mystery. Their motives and abilities are yet unrevealed, serving as enigmas in the world created by Eiichiro Oda, having inspired heated debates within the series’ massive fan base. Now approaching its endgame, these characters are expected to play a much larger role in the events to come, following the recently concluded Wano Arc, and the ongoing Egghead Island Arc, which is the start of the series’ Final Saga. With that in mind, here is a look at some of the most enigmatic characters in the world of One Piece.
7 Blackbeard
From his inexplicable ability to use two Devil Fruits, to his unique body structure that boasts superhuman endurance and does not require him to sleep, Marshall D. Teach — also known as Blackbeard — is an anomaly in the series. On one hand, he has been built up to be the series’ main antagonist, being the very antithesis of Luffy, despite the many similarities between the two, and on the other, he may even end up continuing the Will of the D. and overcome his fear of death, although only time will tell which path he ends up choosing.
Much like the Straw Hats’ captain, Blackbeard also seeks to claim Roger’s treasure and has a strong belief in the power of dreams, but the reasoning behind his thought process and ambition has not yet been explained. There is also very little that has been shown regarding his origins and backstory, along with his motives behind trying to find the One Piece — things that the Final Saga may shed light on.
6 Shanks
Having been introduced as far back as the first chapter of the manga, Shanks is one of the most prominent background characters in One Piece, and his presence has been felt both directly and indirectly at various critical points in the narrative. As a Yonko who is the captain of the Red Hair Pirates and the one responsible for giving Luffy his iconic straw hat, Shanks has influenced both the journey of the series’ protagonist, as well as the power balance on the seas in more ways than one.
Shanks was directly responsible for inspiring Luffy to set sail and also ended the hostilities at the Summit War of Marineford. Besides this, recent chapters of One Piece have shown him to be one of the strongest characters in the series, with the full extent of his strength not yet ascertained. Additionally, there is little known about his true intentions, goals, or his motives behind setting out to claim the One Piece, which has left fans divided on whether he will end up as one of Luffy’s allies, or even his final adversary.
5 Zunesha
A giant Naitamie-Norida elephant condemned to roam the New World for all eternity after committing a crime during the Void Century, Zunesha was one of the companions of the legendary figure Joy Boy. It carries the civilization of Zou on its back, and only those who can hear the Voice of All Things are able to converse with it.
To date, there has been very little disclosed about Zunesha’s past, its true personality, or the specific reason behind its punishment. As such, despite having a good amount of screen time in the series, there is still a lot to be learned about this gargantuan creature and its role in the world of One Piece.
4 Joy Boy
Even though his name has been mentioned many times during the course of the story, there is almost no information on the true identity of the original Joy Boy and his role in the battle between the Ancient Kingdom and the World Government. So far, all that has been revealed is in the form of the messages he left on the Poneglyphs, including an apology to the residents of Fishman Island for his failure to raise the Noah, as well as the Roger Pirates’ reaction to the treasure he left behind on the island of Laugh Tale.
In this final message, he foretold of his return, 800 years into the future — a prophecy that may now have been fulfilled with the Awakening of Monkey D. Luffy’s Devil Fruit, the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. There is no doubt that Joy Boy’s deeds, beliefs, and powers will come to the fore during the final reveal of the true history of the world along with the information about the Void Century that the World Government has stifled for so many years. Until then, his story will remain shrouded in mystery.
3 Monkey D. Dragon
Luffy’s father and the Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army has been a figure that most fans have wanted to learn more about. Dubbed the “World’s Worst Criminal,” Dragon and his forces are viewed as the greatest threat to the authority of the World Government, even when virtually nothing has been shown with respect to his powers and beliefs. In fact, there was almost no mention of him till the Enies Lobby Arc, save for his brief appearance in Loguetown where he battled against Smoker.
During this encounter, Dragon was shown to be quite powerful, although Oda has not come close to showing the actual magnitude of his strength, with only his disdain and hatred for the World Government having been touched upon so far. There are massive question marks over his origins, relationship with Luffy, his powers and abilities, as well as the nature of his crimes against the World Government, and fans can only hope for more information to come to light about him in the Final Saga.
2 Rocks D. Xebec
Portrayed as a name that has been associated with destruction and anarchy, Rocks D. Xebec was the infamous captain of the Rocks Pirates, who rose to fame in the Grand Line around four decades before the start of the story. His crew consisted of three of the original Yonko — Charlotte Linlin, known as Big Mom, Kaido, and Edward Newgate, also known as Whitebeard. Considering this, it would be no surprise for him to be an even more fearsome and powerful pirate.
The fact that it took the combined might of the Roger Pirates and Gol D. Roger himself, who fought alongside the Marines led by Monkey D. Garp, to take him and his crew down during the infamous God Valley Incident, attests to this. All that is known about him so far is his desire to become the “King of the World,” and his cruel and vicious nature. Until Oda delves more into his past, character, and deeds, fans can only speculate on what role he played before the start of the Golden Age of Piracy.
1 Imu
The mysterious ruler of the world who sits on the Empty Throne, Imu may yet be the true final antagonist of One Piece, representing the tyrannical power structure the World Government has imposed since the Void Century. Many believe that Imu has been alive since the Void Century itself, as one of the rulers of the original 20 kingdoms that formed the World Government.
It is certain that they possess incredible power, as seen during the events of the Reverie, and they also command the strongest weapons and military forces in the world, capable of erasing entire islands off the face of the planet, as seen in what happened to the Lulusia Kingdom. Imu’s existence has been kept secret from the rest of the world, despite them holding supreme authority over the World Government, superseding even that of the Five Elders. While some of Imu’s abilities have been shown, almost nothing is known about the reasons behind them, making them perhaps the most mystifying character in the series so far.
Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Anime
