Summary
Luffy's seafaring adventures are truly a testament to the spirit of exploration and acceptance of different people and cultures. The diverse nationalities of the Straw Hat Pirates demonstrate Oda's global inspiration for the epic pirate tale. Even without finding One Piece, Luffy's diverse pirate crew has proven he is the world's greatest pirate.
While A piece it may be fiction but there are enough similarities to real life to make it seem like a historical adventure from a long-lost age of piracy. A natural extension of this thought is the question going on in the minds of many fans Where could One Piece exist in the real world?and what country the character might come from if they lived with us.
What's interesting is that the idea of where One Piece could exist in the world isn't unique to fans. Oda Eiichiro – the creator of One Piece – thought about this and determined at least where the members of the Straw Hat pirates came from if the story is true. This revelation came as an answer to a question posed to Oda by a fan on the “SBS Question Corner” posted on the last page of One Piece Chapter #549.
Instead of giving a detailed written answer to the question, Oda posted a photo of the nine Straw Hats at the time and the location – in his mind – of where they thought they were going. Later, Oda also added the country of origin of Jinbe, the tenth and (currently) final member of the Straw Hats.
SBS's question corner is similar to the “letters to the editor” pages in the back of American comic books. It's the part of the manga that Oda uses to answer fan questions, post his thoughts and comments on anything, and directly interact with fans.
The Straw Hats Are a Virtual Miniature United Nations
Straw Hats come from all over the world
Of course, in a story tied to The Age of Pirates – a real historical period spanning from the 1500s to the 1800s – fans understand that Oda must have emulated at least some of the locations in the film. His epic pirate fantasy in the real world. However, being a Japanese story and knowing the history of piracy in Japan and East Asia, the always assumed that Oda would look to places in the Indo-Pacific region for inspiration.
However, Oda's inspiration is much more global. In fact, the only person in Luffy's crew from Japan – according to Oda – is Zoro. All other members of the Straw Hat Pirates come from all over the world, with Luffy from Brazil, Nami from Sweden, Usopp from Africa, Sanji from France, Chopper from Canada, Robin from Russia, Franky from the United States and Brook from Austria.
Star Hats real-world countries
Luffy: Brazil Nami: Sweden Usopp: Africa Sanji: France Chopper: Canada Robin: Russia Franky: United States Brook: Austria Jinbe: India
Even if Luffy never finds One Piece, he will still be Pirate King
Some of the places Oda chooses as a crew member's hometown match the general characteristics of the character. France is famous for its cuisine, the demanding tastes of the French public, and romance – so it was predictable that the intensely passionate chef Sanji was from France. However, the fact that the Straw Hats come from all over the world demonstrates one of the most important values of the series: its diversity.
As told in the story, Luffy does not find all of his crew in the same place – for example, Luffy finds Franky on Water 7 in Paradise, while he meets Brook in the Florian Triangle. So, if One Piece happened in the real world, assembling such a diverse crew would be a testament to how far Luffy has traveled the world. Having a diverse cast of characters is important to any successful story, but One Piece goes further than that.
One Piece is the best-selling manga series in history and one of the most successful entertainment franchises ever. People from all over the world appreciated the story and its world, something that doesn't often happen with manga, considering how rooted they are in Japanese culture. Luffy's adventures across the sea are truly a testament to the spirit of exploration and acceptance of different people and cultures. A piece was able to resonate with so many people around the world.
A piece available on Manga Plus and Viz Media.