One piece There was only one Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, who acquired the renowned title after conquering everything the world had to offer, be it fame, wealth, knowledge and power. Everything Eiichiro Oda’s series has to offer is based on pirates following in Roger’s footsteps and reaching the acclaimed treasure, One Piece. However, the journey to acquire this treasure is dangerous and countless people have lost their lives in the search for it. Many, however, continue to come closer to achieving what the former Pirate King left behind.
As the final saga of One piece is currently in development, the series’ main cast, the Straw Hats, appear closer than ever to the final treasure. The Straw Hats’ captain, Monkey D. Luffy, embodies much of what Gol D. Roger likely represented, as he becomes Roger’s true successor as he approaches One Piece.
However, this is only partially true, as another of the One pieceiconic characters, Shanks, has repeatedly shown himself to be an even truer successor to Rogerdespite his minimal screen time. The latest information confirming Shanks as Roger’s true successor comes from a recent One piece event, where Eiichiro Oda answered a particularly intriguing question.
One pieceSBS manga’s latest Q&A confirms how Shanks is Roger’s true successor
Eiichiro Oda answers how Shanks learned the “Divine Prank” technique that took down Captain Kid and his crew in one fell swoop
Shanks’ Divine Departure (Kamusari) technique, which eradicated Captain Kid and his entire crew, is a powerful attack first introduced by Gol D. Roger. During Kozuki Oden’s flashback in the Wano arc, the Whitebeard Pirates encounter the Roger Pirates. Oden attacks Roger, but is knocked down by this overpowering technique. Until now, only two known individuals have exercised the Divine Departure: Gol D. Roger, who originated it, and Shanks.
Although fans speculated that Shanks may have learned it directly from Roger, Oda clarified in a recent Q&A that Shanks actually learned the move through imitation. Notably, Oda confirmed that no one else in Roger’s crew could replicate this technique, highlighting Shanks’ unique mastery of it.
Although Luffy shares some similarities with Roger, such as the ability to hear the “Voice of All Things”, he has not directly emulated any of Roger’s techniques. However, the real reason why Shanks embodies Roger even more than Luffy is the fact that Roger and Shanks do not have the powers of one of the One piece iconic devil fruitwhile Luffy’s entire fighting mechanism is based on his devil fruit. Luffy even uses Haki to elevate his Devil Fruit’s abilities to an even higher level, but it’s almost impossible to imagine Luffy relying solely on his Supreme King Color Haki as much as Shanks and Roger.
Furthermore, Shanks’ growth under Roger’s guidance since childhood, his close observation of Roger’s every move, and even mastering a technique only through imitation, further support the fact that Shanks embodies Roger’s spirit of in a way that Luffy does not. With the final saga bringing Shanks further into the spotlight, it’s clear that he will continue to echo Roger’s legacy in his techniques and behavior, solidifying himself as the true heir to Roger’s will in One piece and why Shanks received Roger’s iconic Straw Hat. Furthermore, Shanks being Roger’s true successor and not Luffy could also be essential to the plot.
Shanks being the true successor to Gol D. Roger may also be instrumental in One pieceNarrative
One of One pieceOne of the most enduring mysteries is why the Roger Pirates, despite discovering all of the world’s secrets, including the truth about the World Government and the Void Century, chose not to act. Upon discovering One Piece, the crew bursts into laughter, with Roger marveling at how Joy Boy could leave behind such an incredible treasure, wishing he had been born at the same time. Even after obtaining the treasure, Roger and his crew do nothing with it. But it is plausible to assume that there certainly is a reason, and it is likely that it belongs to Joy Boy alone.
One Piece may require a special key that only the Joy Boy itself can provide. As Luffy increasingly embodies Joy Boy’s spirit, the treasure will only reveal its true purpose through him. With Roger’s wish to have been born in Joy Boy’s time, possibly to help him, Shanks is now fulfilling a similar role, ensuring that Luffy reaches the treasure, believing that Luffy is the epitome of the new age. This makes it essential that Roger’s true successor is Shanks, who will guide Joy Boy, in this case Luffy, to unlock the final treasure of One piece.