Of Course One Piece’s Pirate Flag Is The Symbol Of A Real-Life Youth Revolution

Despite what some anime experts might lead people to believe, One Piece is as political as its ongoing manga and anime are long. So, it’s no surprise that the Straw Hat pirates’ flag is being used as a real-life political symbol. 

The One Piece flag initially appeared this summer in Indonesia, where some flew it as a statement against President Prabowo Subianto’s calls for Indonesians to display the nation’s flag. It appeared again in Nepal in September, where, in a stunning display of Gen-Z political power, the country erupted in mass protests that culminated in the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli—replaced, via a Discord election of all things, by Sushali Karki, the nation’s first female prime minister. The Nepal protests, which started on September 8, were triggered by a social media ban on September 4, which escalated into nationwide demonstrations demanding government accountability and an end to corruption. Like many political protests, Nepal’s youth-led revolution sadly was not bloodless, involving deadly police force and reports of live ammunition, and has seen at least 72 deaths. Amid the upheaval, photos circulated online of protesters waving the Straw Hat Pirates’ jolly roger, which became a symbol of the youth protests. The flag has also appeared in French protests against budget cuts. 

Whenever anime fans are confronted with the refrain that One Piece is political or downright socialist in nature, the rebuttal is that those championing this viewpoint suffer from confirmation bias, seeing political undertones where none exist. They are wrong. As someone who read 100 chapters a week during covid, finally getting caught up on the series, I can say without hyperbole that those people don’t know what the hell they’re talking about. The very fabric of One Piece is political, and it's a masterpiece of work fusing real-world political upheaval into its anatomically outrageous superpowers pirate odyssey. 

While the rest of the pirate crews making up One Piece effectively act as the selfish pillagers found in pop culture folklore, Monkey D. Luffy, his crew, and their pirate allies in their vicinity stumble into political upheaval on the islands they visit. Instead of being opportunistic pirates who plunder the disenfranchised for treasure and go on their merry way, they become freedom fighters. 

Each island the Straw Hats visit presents a unique political dilemma, often reflecting real-world issues. The Straw Hats don’t preach, but their presence sparks rebellion, liberation, and emotional reckoning for the oppressed they befriend on their journey for the series’ eponymous treasure. 

Throughout their journey, the crew has confronted:

• Institutional abuse perpetuated by the Marines, AKA the world’s in-universe cops
• Fake news and propaganda used to discourage political revolutionaries and scholars from attempting to learn from the past 
• War crimes and systemic violence to force people to conform to the government’s rule lest they be on the receiving end of Buster Call, AKA a nuke. 
• Slavery, racism, and genocide, especially in arcs like Fishman Island and Water Seven
• Religious authoritarianism

One Piece may wear the visage of a goofy pirate adventure for kids, but beneath the slapstick and camaraderie lies a sprawling, serialized rebellion against injustice. It’s a series where found family becomes a lifeline, where fans can see themselves reflected in its queer revolutionary heroes who laugh in the face of tyranny, punch fascists in the face, and shoot down the flags of oppressors with unflinching resolve.

So when young protesters in Nepal and Indonesia wave the Straw Hat jolly roger, it’s not cosplay—it’s canon. It’s the spirit of One Piece’s justice-hungry misfits made manifest, a fictional emblem retooled into a living, breathing symbol of resistance. And in that moment, art doesn’t just imitate life; it arms it with the will to fight for a better world.