Manga “One Piece” and social commentary II – issues of gender

As I wrote before in my previous column, the manga “One Piece” written by Eiichiro Oda covers various social issues as though it is a microcosm of the real world. While One Piece has consistently held the top spot in both the manga and anime fields, some criticize it as misogynistic because of the way Oda portrays female and LGBTQ characters. However, I believe One Piece is not a misogynistic work. Oda creates a story in which everyone shines regardless of their identity or appearance.

“The days when women were only protected have passed”

Firstly, some believe Oda exaggerates that women are weak beings who should be protected by men, but it’s not true. In an interview, Oda says, “I have a kind of policy of not treating female characters like heroines. The days when women were only protected have passed…I wanted everyone to be a hero, so I wanted to have characters that everyone would look up to.”

Clearly, many strong and indomitable female characters such as Big Mom and Boa Hancock build their own country and pirates to survive. For those like me who don’t always want the girls to be the ones protected, these characters are appealing and encourage me to assert my strength.

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Everyone has unique strength

However, this doesn’t imply that all female characters are equally physically strong as males. In the One Piece world, strength comes in various forms, and it doesn’t always necessitate physical power to defeat enemies and safeguard one’s family and friends. During the voyage, Nami uses her navigational skills to protect the crew from dangerous situations, and Robin shows her talents as a secret agent and guides the crew in the right direction.

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Gender minorities are not objects of discrimination; they are characteristics

Secondly, Oda portrays various gender types as one of the character’s personality traits. There are criticizing comments claiming that Oda is making fun of LGBTQ people by creating ugly-looking and humorous characters. Indeed, he lets transgender or homosexual characters sound feminine and makes their distinctive self-expression conspicuous.

However, in the manga, no one discriminates or despises them for being gender minorities. It can be said that these characters are not classified as minorities in society but rather identify themselves as gay men, thereby liberating themselves from gender constraints. As a side note, some gender-unspecified characters are considered “good-looking” rather than humorous.

Oda makes One Piece free from old gender stereotypes

In this work, originally published in a boy’s manga magagzine targeting mainly young readers, Oda portrays a clear picture of masculinity and femininity so that everyone will understand the story. At the same time, he presents female characters in ways that eliminate old gender stereotypes. The wonderful aspect of the One Piece world is that everyone possesses talent and power in various forms, and no one is criticized for their existence.