5 Times the One Piece Manga Shocked Fans in 2025

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Now that the One Piece manga is nearing its end, big reveals are happening as expected. 2025 kicked off the long-awaited Elbaph arc – a massive story fans have anticipated for 25 years – and brought with it a lot of surprising moments in various forms throughout the year.

The latest episodes resolved some old mysteries, but also created new ones that will likely be explored later on. A surprising reveal explained the cause of a major event from earlier in the series. However, the most significant moment might have been a small clue about how the story of One Piece will eventually conclude.

5) Gunko’s Odd Connection to Brook

When the story reached the Elbaph arc, Gunko was revealed to be one of the God’s Knights, quickly becoming a key villain. Instead of a typical villain backstory, the series unexpectedly suggested a surprising link between Gunko and Brook, the musician from the Straw Hat Pirates.

Ever since this connection was revealed, fans have come up with lots of ideas about what it means. Some think the character is simply a fan of Brook’s music, while others even wonder if Brook could be her father. So far, nothing has been confirmed, and we’ll have to keep reading the manga to find out the truth. It’s interesting that One Piece is giving Brook so much attention with this mystery, especially because he hasn’t been a major focus for a long time. This feels like a chance for him to finally have his moment.

4) Imu’s Domi Reverse

Just as One Piece started revealing more about Gunko’s past, the story unexpectedly shifted focus to Imu, who is likely the series’ biggest villain and the main force behind the World Government. This was a thrilling turn of events, as fans have been eager to see just how dangerous Imu would be, and the reveal definitely lived up to the hype.

Imu has a unique ability called Domi Reverse that lets them convert enemies into allies – they easily proved this by turning two of the most powerful Giants, Dorry and Brogy, to their side. This showed just how dangerous Imu really is, and it’s exciting to think about how the heroes will overcome such a frightening power.

3) Shanks’ Evil Identity Reveal

Now that One Piece has begun its Elbaph arc, expected in 2025, fans were eager for details about Shanks and his possible ties to the World Government. Recent revelations clarified a long-held mystery: the previously speculated “villain” isn’t Shanks at all, but his twin brother, Shamrock. This means it was Shamrock, not Shanks, who met with the Gorosei during the Reverie arc, and he’s been secretly planning something all along.

Shamrock has demonstrated a level of ruthlessness matching his father, Garling, and possesses incredibly powerful abilities. With more of his past being revealed, it’s becoming clear that a showdown between Shanks and Shamrock is inevitable, potentially as the climax of the entire story – something fans are really looking forward to.

2) God Valley Incident And Rocks

The One Piece manga recently showed a flashback where Loki recounted the day Harold died. This led to a surprising reveal: the introduction of Rocks D. Xebec, one of the most infamous pirates ever known. Readers were stunned to learn he’s Blackbeard’s father. The story then explored Rocks’ past and finally explained what really happened at the God Valley incident.

The events at God Valley held even more unexpected twists, revealing that Shakky was actually the one responsible. Even bigger, fans discovered that Rocks wasn’t the villain everyone thought he was, but a sympathetic character with a tragic past. This revelation has been one of the most shocking and memorable in the One Piece manga recently.

1) Harley Mural Lore Dump

The world of One Piece has a rich history that has been gradually unveiled over the show’s long run. However, the Harley Mural on the Adam Tree in Elbaph presents a historical picture that many fans find confusing. Seen by Franky, the mural depicts both the origins and the potential end of the One Piece world.

Fans are still poring over every detail of the mural, which seems to tell a completely new kind of story for a manga. That’s why the information revealed in the Harley Mural is considered not just the biggest surprise of 2025 in One Piece, but potentially the most shocking reveal in the entire series, and fans are still actively trying to understand it all.

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2026-01-26 16:12