One Piece: Confronting Racism and Slavery (part 1)

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One Piece is an action-packed, adventure-filled, and hilarious comedy animation. As the story of teenage pirate Monkey D. Luffy unfolds, we see him assemble a team of trusted companions, each with their own motivations for taking to the high seas. At first glance, One Piece seems like a bright and cheery adventure novel, but as more mysteries are revealed, readers see just how grim the world can be.

The fantastical universe that Oda imagined has retained its enchantment while remaining grounded in realism. In the series, for instance, many of the buildings and environments are based on famous structures from history. Many of the names, like Edward Newgate, Marshall D. Teach, etc., are based on historical pirates or locations. Despite its dazzling surface, Oda Eiichiro deals with heavy topics like racism, slavery, pandemics, and totalitarianism. Although these topics are touched upon, they serve mostly as setting details for the show’s main plot.

Discrimination Against the Mer- and Fish-Folk

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People’s lack of education and unwillingness to accept individuals who are slightly different from themselves perpetuate the cycle of racism. The animosity between Fishmen and Humans in One Piece is a prime illustration of racism in popular media. Both groups’ hate is rooted in generations of animosity and perpetuated in a vicious cycle. Because of the war, the fishermen had been forced to hide well below the ocean’s surface for an untold amount of time. Humans had long looked down on the Fishmen, but the Fishmen themselves took great pride in their physical prowess and aquatic lifestyle. Indeed, Oda’s depiction of such discrimination was great, demonstrating how such prejudice can poison society and turn its victims into bigots like their oppressors. Arlong, Fisher Tiger, and Jinbe were all members of the Sun Pirates, and they all set out to see the world.

As a result of witnessing humanity’s violence, however, he chose to subjugate it. The story of how he ruled an East Blue island for so long and terrorized its inhabitants is told in the Arlong Park Arc. Nami was one of his victims whose childhood was destroyed as a result of his behavior. The majority of her reign was devoted to Queen Otohime’s efforts to end prejudice against Fishmen and pave the way for future generations to enjoy equal rights under blue skies. Hody Jones, a member of her own race, tragically put an end to her life. Hody, an imperial guard at the time, believed that a human was responsible for her death. That stoked tensions between the two species once more.

The Celestial Dragons engage in human trafficking and slavery.

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Slavery is extremely unusual in today’s society, yet it was a huge problem back in the day. Human trafficking, which is synonymous with slavery, remains a worldwide issue. Even though slavery and human trafficking were outlawed by the World Government over two centuries before the series’ present day, they are nonetheless widely practiced. In their position above the World Government, the World Nobles are free to treat mankind however they see fit. Without remorse, they mistreated orphans and individuals of other races and wanted pirates who served as their slaves. The “Claw of the Celestial Dragon” is a symbol used to identify the ownership of slaves owned by the World Nobles.

In the Sabaody Archipelago, Cami, a mermaid, was abducted and sold in the Human Auction House, marking the first time slavery was depicted in the series. The Straw Hats, the Kid Pirates, and the Heart Pirates rescued her. In the Levely Arc, one of the Celestial Dragons seeks to take Shirahoshi against her will, providing another horrible example of the slave system.

Nearly capturing Shirahoshi despite the presence of all the royal families working with the World Government. Princess Vivi of Alabasta and Rebecca of Dressrosa sought to save her, but they were stopped by CP-0, who claimed that they were going against the will of the Gods. Slaves can be owned by anyone, not just World Nobles. Millionaires often maintain slaves they’ve purchased from the Human Auction House, which is secretly sanctioned by the World Government.

 

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