10 Controversial One Piece Moments That Still Haunt Fans to This Day

Over the past two decades, “One Piece” has maintained its position as the undisputed ruler in Shonen Jump, surviving numerous popular trends and attracting fans from all age groups. A major factor contributing to its popularity is its simple plotline and endearing characters, along with Eiichiro Oda’s impeccable reputation as the series creator.

Over time, it’s clear that the long-running series “One Piece” contains certain scenes or elements that may not resonate as positively today as they did when first introduced. These moments can be found in both the anime and manga versions of the story. Throughout its history, “One Piece” has sparked debates and stirred up controversy among fans due to some questionable content. While some of these controversial instances may simply reflect personal opinions, others are more problematic and continue to cause discomfort among fans years after they initially appeared.

Yamato’s Gender

As an avid fan of “One Piece,” I must say the latest development that has sparked intense discussions among us enthusiasts is Yamato’s self-identified gender identity. The point of contention arises when Yamato, in referring to themselves as Kozuki Oden, identifies as Kaido’s son rather than daughter, using masculine pronouns in Japanese. This shift in presentation has left many of us intrigued and eagerly awaiting more insights into Yamato’s character!

In the case of Kikunojo, their portrayal of gender identity seems more nuanced and respectful, serving as a commendable representation of trans individuals – at least compared to earlier representations in “One Piece.” However, it’s important to note that the majority of the debate surrounding Yamato wasn’t about their gender identity itself, but rather the confusion and differing opinions among fans.

Gear Five’s Cartoonishness in the Anime

Recently, a significant point of discussion in the world of One Piece has been Luffy’s latest transformation, Gear Five. While its unveiling in the manga also stirred some doubts, it was the introduction in the anime that ignited numerous heated discussions. This is primarily because the goofiness associated with Gear Five was amplified even more in the animated version, leading to various passionate debates among fans.

Many people claimed that Gear Five was negatively impacting “One Piece” by reducing the intensity of future battles, as some thought its reality-altering abilities were too strong. However, the Egghead arc demonstrated that Gear Five can be comical without compromising the quality of fights, maintaining the tension while keeping fans engaged. Moreover, it is clear that “One Piece” still has numerous formidable adversaries capable of matching up against Gear Five’s capabilities.

Robin’s Post-Timeskip Change in Skin Tone

Alongside the updated, enhanced animation, the “One Piece” series underwent a significant change during the time-skip, which included redesigns for many of the Straw Hat crew members. However, one adjustment that has left fans frustrated since then is the apparent lightening of Robin’s skin tone. Notably, Robin, Zoro, and Usopp appeared significantly lighter after the time skip, and the reason behind this change remains uncertain to this day.

As a devoted fan, I’ve always pondered about the transformation in Robin’s skin tone. It’s widely believed that Toei Animation made an educated guess about her complexion since no officially colored illustration was available when she first appeared in the anime. However, following the time skip, they decided to make her skin color more representative, which has sparked debate among fans for years. Despite the reasons behind this change, many of us still yearn for Robin’s original iconic appearance to return.

The Fan Service Around Jewelry Bonney

The arc centered around Egghead in One Piece has given Jewelry Bonney a prominent role, although some debate has arisen due to recent disclosures about her character. As of Chapter 1098, it’s confirmed in One Piece that Bonney is actually 12 years old, despite the fact that she uses her devil fruit abilities to appear older than she truly is.

Discovering Bonney’s real age now makes many instances where she was treated like a fan service character feel awkward. The start of the Egghead Arc, in particular, depicts Bonney in a suggestive manner, and moments such as Blackbeard asking Bonney to be his woman seem outdated when looked back on today.

S-Snake’s Powers Working on Adults

One intriguing new element in the narrative of “One Piece” are the Seraphim, who have sparked excitement due to their potential for engaging matchups given that several of these Warlord clones possess unique devil fruit abilities. For instance, S-Snake, a clone of Boa Hancock, also controls the power of the Love-Love Fruit. Yet, the application of this ability by S-Snake, with her youthful appearance, has ignited quite a debate, especially since it appears to be equally effective on grown-ups.

The Love-Love Fruit’s petrifying abilities appear to be triggered by feelings of attraction or infatuation towards the user, as seen in Hancock’s case. However, a later explanation in volume 106 of One Piece reveals that the fruit’s powers can also function if one finds the user cute, similar to finding an infant adorable. Despite this, it remains quite bizarre.

Pell’s “Death”

A contentious moment in the world of One Piece enthusiasts that still lingers today is the questionable “death” of Pell. It was many years ago when Pell made an emotional sacrifice, yet surprisingly reappeared alive a few chapters later. To this day, this unexpected twist is one of the main reasons why fans remain skeptical about a character’s demise; they require either a visual confirmation of the body or a funeral, or both, before accepting that a character has truly perished.

The situation has become even more frustrating because characters like Igaram, Sabo, and Dr. Vegapunk have continued to experience false deaths in One Piece. Although this isn’t as contentious as other debatable moments in the series, many fans consider Pell’s death as the start of this regrettable pattern of deceitful deaths, and it appears that the author has no plans to halt this trend anytime soon.

Vander Decken’s Obsession with Shirahoshi

One aspect of the Fishman Island Arc that sometimes gets overlooked amidst other criticisms is Vander Decken’s rather inappropriate, decade-long infatuation with Shirahoshi, which started when she was just six years old and he was 25.

In the current timeline, Decken pursues Shirahoshi relentlessly using his devil fruit abilities. Moreover, he attempts to take her life when she refuses his marriage proposal – a proposition made when she’s just sixteen years old. While the legal age of consent in Japan may allow this, it doesn’t diminish the unsettling nature of Decken’s fixation on Shirahoshi.

Absalom’s Inappropriate Behaviour Toward Nami

In the Thriller Bark Arc of “One Piece”, Absalom crosses a line that’s unacceptable. Using the abilities of his Clear-Clear Fruit, he invades Nami’s privacy by spying on her, which is clearly harassment. His actions towards her are not just intrusive but also inappropriate as he forcefully grabs her wrists and presses her against a wall, proclaiming her as his bride without her consent.

After that, Absalom takes Nami captive and tries to marry her without her consent while she’s unconscious. It’s worth noting that Absalom’s act of spying is somewhat comparable to Sanji’s previous actions using his Germa powers, which have generally been viewed with leniency. However, Absalom’s overall behavior in the story of One Piece is significantly more sinister and predatory than any other character’s actions.

Kamabakka Kingdom’s Treatment of Sanji

Although Bon Clay, Ivankov, and the okama at Impel Down are often viewed as strong representations of Japan’s okama culture and the transgender community, unfortunately, the depiction of Kamabakka Kingdom during the time skip fell short. The characters themselves were not well-received in Western cultures, being perceived as caricatures and merely used for comedic effect. This is primarily due to the significant disparity between okama culture and drag culture in the West.

Despite the arguably acceptable aesthetics of the Okama characters, their actions towards Sanji are unjustifiable. Upon Sanji’s arrival at Kamabakka Kingdom during the time skip, the Okama pursued him with the intention of forcing him to join their ranks. Sanji described his experience there as a living nightmare. Although it was intended to give Sanji a taste of his own medicine, this portrayal unfortunately reinforces harmful stereotypes about transgender individuals and drag queens as predators. It’s important to note that this may not have been Oda’s intention.

Whitebeard’s Original Jolly Roger

It’s interesting to note that while fans today recognize Whitebeard’s Jolly Roger as the cross symbol, this wasn’t always the case. Initially, Whitebeard and Ace both sported a swastika design for their iconic symbols, which was later altered at the request of Oda’s editors to avoid controversy as One Piece gained popularity beyond Japan, in order to steer clear of any potential misunderstandings or negative associations.

In my view, the swastika holds positive significance in Southeast Asia, symbolizing good fortune and prosperity. However, due to its misuse by the Nazi regime, it carries a negative image in the Western world. Consequently, this symbol was replaced with an alternative to avoid potential controversy. Indeed, it’s clear that this decision made by One Piece’s editors was wise, as the series would have undoubtedly faced significant backlash otherwise.

You can stream the anime series “One Piece” on both Crunchyroll and Netflix. For those who prefer reading, the manga is accessible via Manga Plus and Viz Media.

2025-01-14 06:10