One Piece Film Gold

Gold is the recent film in the One Piece series for 2017 and a fun action packed adventure with quirky imaginative designs and concepts. It also presents a meaningful story with dark themes of oppression.

The film takes place on a island sized ship created to be the biggest and most wealthy casino ship in the world, "world's largest entertainment city". The owner, Tesoro, is extremely wealthy. The ship and buildings within it are mostly made out of gold, he can pay off the marines (the law enforcements) and even has the power to telekinetically manipulate gold. However, he has more sinister intentions then running a casino as he finds pleasure in placing other in debt due to his backstory.

Tesoro

Tesoro was a victim to the oppression of the World Nobles and it's suggested he was once a slave as he was branded with the symbol of the World Nobles. He then branded himself with a star to cover up the World Nobles' brand. Now with his wealth and new powers he now subjects those with wealth how he felt when he was helpless against the oppression of the World Nobles as if to satisfy himself. He does this by secretly placing a sort of bind on those who enter his casino which is hard to get rid of. Once he tricks you in going into debt you are trapped and subjected to serve him to pay off your debt if you want your freedom. The main characters, the Strawhat Crew, fall victim to this and have to make the "ultimate gamble".

As shown in the trailer for this film Tesoro expresses what he knows about money as well as what he may have gone through when he didn't have as much wealth as he does now:

Tesoro: "Money is power! Money can buy anything! Sooner or later those without it will have nothing! No love! No Dreams! No strength! No freedom! And once it all sinks in no HOPE".

Some of what he says seem very true and as he has clearly suffered at the hands of bad people it sets him up as a very interesting villain (who is clearly insane!). The money he has does provide him with the power to do anything he pleases as he can pay off the World Government and afford his own security already making him a dangerous individual. Money can buy him anything but it doesn't help get back what he lost because of the World Nobles, the saying of "money doesn't buy you happiness" is true but I think to an extent. True many rich people or celebs experience depression despite their wealth but there is still a majority of those who are content with their wealth (this depends on each person).

While he expresses that without money "sooner or later" you won't have "love, dreams, strength, freedom" and "hope". True to an extent, money would make life a lot easier, it's not a hundred true as is the underlying message of the One Piece story that sear determination can achieve anything as long as you try.

English Dub of the Gold Trailer: