8 Years Later, One Piece Creator Debunks The Biggest Shanks Theory

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Please be aware that this article contains spoilers from the One Piece manga! The Elbaph Arc of One Piece begins with a surprising reveal: Shanks has a twin brother named Shamrock Figarland. Fans have long speculated about an evil twin for Shanks, and it turns out creator Eiichiro Oda had been planning this twist all along. The brothers were separated at just one year old, leading them to grow up in vastly different worlds. Shanks was raised by the legendary Roger Pirates, while Shamrock spent his life in Mariejois, training as a swordsman under his father and rising to a prominent position as a Holy Knight.

He leads the Holy Knights and is as unforgiving as his father. The discovery of someone who looks like Shanks also confirmed that the person who met with the Five Elders back in chapter 907 (released in 2018) wasn’t Shanks himself. While many suspected it might be Shamrock, without official word, some still thought it could be the famous pirate. After eight years of speculation, the author, Oda, has finally revealed who the character was, and it’s exactly as fans predicted.

One Piece Creator Confirms Who Met The Five Elders in Chapter 907

Volume 114 of the manga was released on March 4th, 2026, and like all the volumes, it includes an SBS section. SBS, which stands for “I’m taking questions,” is a Q&A where the author, Oda, answers questions from fans. Each volume typically has 3 to 6 SBS sections, and each section answers several questions – usually around 3 to 5. This means a single volume usually features about 15 to 30 questions total, spread throughout the book. The exact number of questions varies depending on available space. In Volume 114, Oda responds to a question about the mysterious hooded figure discussing a particular pirate with the Five Elders.

Oda explained that the character Shamrock was initially voiced by the same actor who voices Shanks, Shuchi Ikeda. He’d forgotten to specify that Shamrock shouldn’t sound like Shanks. Later, he met Tsuda Kenjiro, who he felt was a perfect fit for the role, and realized it was fortunate he hadn’t decided on a voice actor immediately.

Because the book isn’t officially available in English, this translation comes from @pewpiece on X, a trusted source for One Piece news. While Shamrock hasn’t appeared in the anime’s Elbaph Arc yet, his voice actor was announced in November 2025 as part of a preview for Volume 113. Interestingly, the same actor, Tsuda, also voices Vinsmoke Yonji, Sanji’s brother, who was introduced in the Whole Cake Island arc. After eight years, the author, Oda, has finally revealed who the mysterious hooded man is.

Following the events of chapter 907, it became clear that the person meeting with the Five Elders likely holds a significant position within the World Government. While the author addressed a key mystery, the identity of the pirate mentioned remains a secret. Fans speculate it could be Luffy, Blackbeard, or Shanks, but these are just theories. With the story now in its final arc, we may not have to wait long for an answer. Volume 114 is currently only available in Japanese, and an English release date hasn’t been announced, though it’s expected sometime in the latter half of the year.

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2026-03-05 05:10