Straw Hat Pirates

I’m Reviewing the new Season of One Piece, and you Can’t stop Me!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , ,

Primer for One Piece Elbaph Arc

After all these years, we’re finally here. The One Piece anime has officially made it to Elbaph.

A few months ago, Toei Animation shocked the world of anime with some unbelievable news. After almost three decades of near-continuous running, the One Piece anime would no longer be an all-year-round show. Starting from the end of the Egghead Island Arc, the anime would switch to the same seasonal format that has come to define the industry in recent years. While some got upset about this, others understood the need for the switch. The anime was catching up to the manga, and with Eichiro Oda prioritizing his well-being in recent years, that meant fewer chapters were out. Between that and the higher quality of animation the series has gotten in recent years, releasing a new episode every week isn’t sustainable for anyone. Plus, no one wants to see more filler episodes and we hate those recap specials that keep popping up! Hence the need to move to a seasonal release schedule. But trust me, it will be worth it, because if you only watched the anime, you have no idea how crazy the Elbaph Arc is going to get. But I do.

Over the past several years, I have been covering the One Piece manga on my personal blog, recapping and reviewing each chapter from the end of Act One of the Wano Country Arc onwards. And I’ve been reading the manga for about fourteen years, with it currently in the middle of the Elbaph Arc right now. Which is I’m going to do something that I haven’t thought of doing before: I’m going to review the One Piece anime.

In the past, I’ve never considered reviewing the One Piece anime because I never felt it necessary. I already knew what was going to happen, so I didn’t think that I could properly review it. But then it occurred to me that I review plenty of shows that I already know the outcomes to, both on here and on my personal blog. With that not being an excuse, and the shift to a seasonal format becoming more appealing, why shouldn’t I review the anime? If anything, the fact that I’ve been covering the manga should help me review everything better!

Plus, when I say that the Elbaph Arc is going to be crazy, I mean that it’s going to be crazy. The first look that just dropped on YouTube is just the beginning.

Why this is So Hype!

I don’t know how many people who read this blog like One Piece or have been a long-term fan of it, but indulge me as I explain why this arc is so hyped up. Next to the island where the One Piece is said to be located, Elbaph has been the most anticipated location in the entire series. Ever since it was first mentioned in an arc twenty-seven years ago, Elbaph has been one near the top fo the places that Luffy has wanted to visit. It’s the homeland of most of the Giants, who, as we have seen throughout the series, are some of the strongest warriors in the world. More importantly, it’s a land that’s heavily influenced by Norse culture, AKA the Vikings. Next to the real-life golden age of piracy, the Vikings are who most people think of when they think of pirates. But they’re more than just pirates; they were explorers, traders, nation-builders, and had a culture that has had influenced the world long after the actual civilization faded away. Case in point, we have what Marvel and God of War have done with Norse mythology. Culturally, they’re a pretty big deal! And Eichiro Oda has spent the majority of the manga feeding us tiny hints of what this fantastical land is like, longer than he has for any other location.

There is a reason for why Oda has devoted so much attention to Elbaph. When he was a kid, he grew up watching Vicky the Viking, a German-Japanese show about a smart but timid boy who used his brains to help out his village. That show is what made him want to become a mangaka, and eventually led him to create One Piece. Part of what makes the series so great is that Oda draws influence from real-world cultures for almost every location the Straw Hat Pirates visit, and in the case of Elbaph, it’s the Vikings. To put it simply, Oda’s spent most of his life wanting to tell a story like that of Elbaph, and so far, he hasn’t held anything back.

You are Not Ready for Loki

If you’ve read the manga already, then you already know just how crazy the Elbaph Arc gets, but this quick teaser is more of the “show-but-don’t-tell” variety. That’s understandable, given how it’s only 30 seconds long, but it makes the best of it to hype us up for what we’re about to see. Granted, by the time this goes out, the first episode will already be released, but that’s besides the point. The main focus of the trailer, though, is the introduction of a new character that plays a major role in the arc. A character, as of where the manga is right now, is considered a prime candidate to join the Straw Hat Pirates: Loki, the accursed Prince of Elbaph.

If you know anything about Norse mythology, then you know Oda wasn’t playing around naming this behemoth of a Giant Loki. The fact that the first time we see him, he is blindfolded and chained to a tree should be enough to tell you that this guy is dangerous. If that doesn’t convince you, the fact that he tells Luffy that he’s the Sun God who will destroy the world should tell you how dangerous he is. The fact that he’s claiming to be the Sun God, a title that we thought Luffy unknowingly has thanks to his Devil Fruit, only cements this.

I won’t spoil anything, but for a good part of the arc, Oda does a good job of leaving readers unsure of what to think about Loki. I still remember how people were debating about whether Loki is as bad as his countrymen say he is, or if he’s misunderstood. Oda keeps us guessing for a while, and it was interesting to listen to the debates about it amongst the fans. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The Elbaph Arc will begin on April 5th, 2026, and with our release schedule for new posts, it’s likely that has already passed. Hopefully, I will have already reviewed the first episode by the time you’re reading this and it will be scheduled for publishing. If so, I hope you enjoy it!

The Straw Hat Pirates Flag Waves Around the World

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

All over the world, people are raising the Jolly Roger of the Straw Hat Pirates, and those in power are afraid.

In its nearly three decades of publication by Shonen Jump, One Piece has become an international phenomenon. Eichiro Oda’s legendary manga has become the most successful of all time, making the man himself one of the most successful authors in history. He’s up there with the likes of Shakespeare, and it’s not hard to see why. People from all walks of life love One Piece for its action, sense of adventure, and the beloved characters that make up the heart and soul of the story. And at the heart of the story are the Straw Hat Pirates, known in-universe and without for their Jolly Roger featuring their captain’s iconic straw hat. For Luffy and the crew, it’s a symbol of the fun to be had in their adventures. For their many, many friends, it’s a symbol of joy and hope. But for those who abuse their power, it’s pretty much their worst nightmare.

That last bit is especially important, as lately, that is what the flag of the Straw Hat Pirates has come to represent to those who stand to lose their power.

How this All Started

It started this past summer in Indonesia. People were fed up with the numerous issues facing their country, especially regarding corruption among those in power. People stopped flying the country’s flag. Instead, they started flying the Straw Hat Pirates’ Jolly Roger in protest. Some government officials saw this as acts of treason and sedition and tried to have it banned. But the flag stayed.

Then came the events in Nepal, one of the poorest and demographically youngest nations in the world. In September 2025, the Nepalese tried to ban two dozen social media platforms. They claimed it was due to them failing to meet new rules, but many believed it was because social media was being used to show just how unfair life was for those not born into privilege. In response, people took to the streets, and among them were those waving the Straw Hat Pirates flag. Once again, it became a rallying symbol for those fed up with how things were going for their nations. Look on the protests Wikipedia page at the time of this writing, and you’ll see an image of the Straw Hat Jolly Roger on there.

Since then, the flag has continued to spread. At protests around the world, people are waving the Straw Hats Flag, uniting people under its banner. It’s becoming more than just a symbol of the popular manga and anime. It’s becoming a real life symbol of rebellion, defiance, and freedom.

The Straw Hats have Always been about Freedom

The crazy thing is, all of this is in line with what One Piece is about: freedom.

There are several major themes behind the story of One Piece, but one of the biggest is that of freedom. All Luffy and the Straw Hats want to do is live their lives however they see fit, no matter what the rules may say. Fortunately for the world, the Straw Hat Pirates are naturally friendly and don’t seek to use their freedom to take it away from others. In fact, everywhere the Straw Hats go, they end up changing people’s lives for the better, bringing joy and saving them from oppression. At first, it was assumed that they were doing this simply because they were just that nice. But as One Piece has continued, their actions have take on a more significant light.

As the series has progressed, it’s become increasingly clear that the world they live in is one shrouded in darkness and misery. From other pirates to the government that rules the world under a false guise of benevolence, there are too many people who oppress and hurt others for their own gain. The World Government, in particular, is one of the most corrupt organizations in all of fiction. They’re willing to let most of the world be swallowed by the sea to keep themselves in power, deluding themselves by thinking they’re gods. And their corruption inspires others to follow suit, creating a chain of misery that keeps most of the world enslaved without realizing it. But the Straw Hats keep getting in the way.

It’s eventually revealed late in the manga that there’s a reason why Luffy has his powers and seems to change things for the better wherever he goes. As it turns out, his powers mark him as the incarnation of an ancient sun god, Nika, the Warrior of Liberation. Nika is said to go around playing the fool, using his rubbery body to defy the laws of the world and bring smiles to all those who are oppressed. In other words, Luffy is the second coming of Pirate Jesus. Thus, his flag becomes more than just a pirate flag: it’s the embodiment of freedom itself.

And people in the real world are taking a page from Luffy’s book.

Maybe the World Needs the Straw Hats right Now

There’s no getting around it: the world kind of stinks right now. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to stay afloat, while those in power continue to accumulate wealth and gain more influence. Many people likely wish for the chance to change things for the better, but either don’t know how or are scared to try. That is why Luffy and the Straw Hats have become so popular amongst younger generations. Luffy may not care about changing the world for the better, his willingness to call everyone he meets a friend means that he and his crew will inevitably get involved in fighting whatever tyrant is making people miserable. People see Luffy as an inspiration, and the growing popularity of One Piece proves how much of an impression the series is leaving on the younger generation. Thus, it’s inevitable that when fans take to streets to fight oppression in real life, they use the flag of the Straw Hat Pirates as a rallying cry. More than any one nation or ideology, One Piece is uniting the world. And the world is starting to notice.

There’s no telling where things will go from here, but the more people use the Straw Hats Flag, the more it gets attention. It’s doubtful that Oda intended for the protagonists he created to become political symbols, but the fact that their flag is unifying people across the world is a testament to how much he’s changed it for the better. Who knows? Perhaps by the time One Piece concludes, it will have brought about world peace. At this point, not even that sounds impossible!