One Piece is probably one of the most entertaining shounen in anime history.
Monkey D. Luffy’s crew acts as a real rebellious force.
The World Government brutally controls the study of history.
At first glance, One Piece is an ideal children's series that you can safely show to your younger brothers and sisters. What is a pirate show? First of all, it's fun and whirlwind adventures! One Piece, which has been on the air for almost 25 years (and over 1,000 episodes), certainly has it all. This is probably one of the most entertaining shounen in anime history. Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hats crew are searching for a mysterious treasure (One Piece) and are constantly on interesting journeys. But is this series just about fun adventures? It seems not.
Wait, is this all about politics? It always has been
The team constantly travels around the world of the Grand Line (this is the name of the One Piece universe) and visits different nations, often fantasy ones — like merfolk or fish-men. The universe of the series seems so diverse, but in fact it is all controlled by the World Government. Strictly speaking, this is the main villain of the entire show, not situational bad guys who appear from time to time. The World Government is opposed by a Revolutionary army that carries out coups in government-controlled kingdoms.
Monkey D. Luffy’s crew also acts as a real rebel force. They declare war on tyrants, fight the world elite and enter into open confrontation with the World Government. Some viewers may call Luffy a terrorist, but in this case it is not correct: his goal is not to spread terror, but to help people become free. In essence, this is the main idea of the show: One Piece is about freedom.
Not childish themes at all
Eiichiro Oda, the author of One Piece, constantly hides behind children's plots adult reflections on a variety of topics — from the nature of violence to the cruel politics of memory. The nations the Straw Hats have encountered are often oppressed by the World Government. Against some, for example, the elites begin a genocide (like the one that the Lunarians suffered from). At the same time, Eiichiro Oda mockingly points out that the members of the World Government call themselves “pacifists”. Other nations are enslaved, and Monkey D. Luffy's crew participates in the liberation movement.
In addition, the World Government brutally controls the study of history. In some places, researching one's historical origins is completely prohibited (for example, on the Ohara island). This is a typical feature of totalitarian ideology, which seeks to control people's entire lives — even their thoughts. In a way, we are traveling with the heroes, studying the secret history of the One Piece universe, and thus joining the fight against the World Government. So yes, One Piece has always been about politics.
Set sail!
Summary:
One Piece is probably one of the most entertaining shounen in anime history.
Monkey D. Luffy’s crew acts as a real rebellious force.
The World Government brutally controls the study of history.
At first glance, One Piece is an ideal children's series that you can safely show to your younger brothers and sisters. What is a pirate show? First of all, it's fun and whirlwind adventures! One Piece, which has been on the air for almost 25 years (and over 1,000 episodes), certainly has it all. This is probably one of the most entertaining shounen in anime history. Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hats crew are searching for a mysterious treasure (One Piece) and are constantly on interesting journeys. But is this series just about fun adventures? It seems not.
Wait, is this all about politics? It always has been
The team constantly travels around the world of the Grand Line (this is the name of the One Piece universe) and visits different nations, often fantasy ones — like merfolk or fish-men. The universe of the series seems so diverse, but in fact it is all controlled by the World Government. Strictly speaking, this is the main villain of the entire show, not situational bad guys who appear from time to time. The World Government is opposed by a Revolutionary army that carries out coups in government-controlled kingdoms.
Monkey D. Luffy’s crew also acts as a real rebel force. They declare war on tyrants, fight the world elite and enter into open confrontation with the World Government. Some viewers may call Luffy a terrorist, but in this case it is not correct: his goal is not to spread terror, but to help people become free. In essence, this is the main idea of the show: One Piece is about freedom.
Not childish themes at all
Eiichiro Oda, the author of One Piece, constantly hides behind children's plots adult reflections on a variety of topics — from the nature of violence to the cruel politics of memory. The nations the Straw Hats have encountered are often oppressed by the World Government. Against some, for example, the elites begin a genocide (like the one that the Lunarians suffered from). At the same time, Eiichiro Oda mockingly points out that the members of the World Government call themselves “pacifists”. Other nations are enslaved, and Monkey D. Luffy's crew participates in the liberation movement.
In addition, the World Government brutally controls the study of history. In some places, researching one's historical origins is completely prohibited (for example, on the Ohara island). This is a typical feature of totalitarian ideology, which seeks to control people's entire lives — even their thoughts. In a way, we are traveling with the heroes, studying the secret history of the One Piece universe, and thus joining the fight against the World Government. So yes, One Piece has always been about politics.
