Representations of Discrimination, Prejudism and Oppression in One Piece

One Piece

At first glance this series wouldn't look all that serious. Besides the fun, comedy and action packed adventures the series explores very dark and serious issue. In particular how discrimination, prejudism and oppression are brought up throughout the series in various ways.

Fishmen and Humans

Arlong and his Pirate crew

One part of the series that shows discrimination and oppression is the Arlong Arc. During this part of the series we are introduced to Arlong and his crew, a group of what are called 'Fishmen' a race of humanoid creatures in One Piece. They took over a village of humans and threatened to kill if they didn't pay them money. Fishmen are superior in many ways, mainly their physical capabilities and they can breath both water and air. Arlong and his crew constantly used this to gloat about how superior Fishmen are over humans calling them weak and they should learn to respect their superiority. With help from a corrupt navy officer to turn a blind eye the residence of the village are left at the mercy of Arlong's oppression having to pay off his taxes or else they'll die.

You learn that one of the main characters (Nami) is effected by this as her adoptive mother (Bellemere) was shot and killed by Arlong himself when she was only a child. She then offered her services to Arlong in order to pay him off for the village.

Arlong shooting Bellemere

This has create prejudism towards Fishmen as they are seen as dangerous abnormal looking monsters in the eyes of humans. Though it is discovered there is a reason behind Arlong and his crew's actions as Fishmen themselves were subjected to discrimination and oppression from the beginning.

Fishmen don't have a huge population, even under water, compared to humans whom populate most of the land providing them to be more prosperous then Fishmen. This leads to humans having more power in terms of numbers and military prowess. Consequently, humans saw Fishmen as abominations and since Fishmen dream of living on the surface just as the humans do some of them end up getting kidnapped and put into slavery. This caused Fishmen like Arlong to develop prejudism against humans seeing them as lesser being undeserved of their power.

One Fishman crew in particular that Arlong was a part of was the Sun Pirates lead by Fisher Tiger, a hero amongst the Fishmen and is introduced during the Fishman Island Arc.

Fisher Tiger with fellow Fishmen Arlong and Jinbei either side of him

Fisher was a happy man who showed great enthusiasm for the surface and, just like many other Fishmen, longed to live on the surface just as the humans did. However, after a long time before returning back from his last trip he tells how he saw humans when he visited the surface and was shortly put into slavery. He was branded with the symbol of the World Nobles showing he was a slave, owned by the World Nobles. This is why they have a sun symbol on their bodies, those with the slave branding branded over the World Noble's to replace it with the Sun branding (a symbol of their dream to live under the sun).

Symbol of the World Nobles branded on Boa Hancock's back as she was once a slave during her childhood

After escaping and freeing slaves this changed who was once a happy man into a pirate out to fight for the justice of his people with a level of prejudism against humans for what they do to people like him. However, this just led to more conflict, fear and hatred between humans and fishmen, creating more prejudism and hatred.

Fisher doesn't show much hatred for humans since he is against killing humans as he strived to be better then them. He took on a human child (koala) to take her back to her home as she was also one of the slaves he rescued. Despite being a human the crew grew close to her and she learned how many nice fishmen there are and boasts how she'll tell everyone how many nice fishmen there are. However, because of Fisher's prejudism against humanity he didn't think her love for them would last forever and that "she'll grow up into a mean-spirited human like the others". So far Koala did go on to join the Revolutionary Army and learned a martial art created by the fishmen, this shows her experience with them did change her and that she probably joined the Revolutionary Army to help change the world for the better and for the rights of fishmen.

Koala and the Sun Pirates:

Unfortunately Fisher's prejudism against humans went to his grave as he was attacked by Kizaru shortly after returning Koala to her home. After being severely injured Fisher needed a transfusion but all they had was human blood (human and fishmen blood are similar). But Fisher's prejudism is so strong that he won't allow human blood to enter his body.

Fisher Tiger's response to a human blood transfusion

Whether it's his own stubborn prejudism or the fault of human's discrimination towards fishmen is no doubt they have factors into the caused of his death. Another case of this conflict causing death is when one fishman (Hody Jones) assassinated their queen in order to frame a human and cause an uproar against humans. He is even involved in punishing fellow fishmen for harbouring humans in their homes. Even the way they dress up when they did this along with flaming torches looks like a reference to the kkk.

Fishmen responding to the rumour of a fishman harbouring a human in his home

It uses blood to symbolise the hatred and conflict created by the prejudice between these two races/species. But towards the end of the Fishman Island Arc blood is also used to symbolise a connection between Fishmen and Humans, that they all share the same red blood.

Fishman Jinbei shared blood with main character Luffy:

This creates a beautiful and meaningful message towards the end of the arc and cleverly uses what is usually used to show conflict and horror for something more positive.

Chopper's Discrimination

Tony Tony Chopper

Chopper was a reindeer born with a blue nose and just like Rudolf the red nosed reindeer Chopper was also subjected to being treated differently from the other reindeers because of his blue nose. Later on Chopper encountered and eats what is called a Devil Fruit which made him part human causing him to be completely rejected from the other reindeers. He even tries to approach humans from a nearby village using his human form but is seen as a monster and is chased out by the villagers.

Chopper's background story:

Thanks a man called Dr. Hiluluk he showed Chopper the kindness he never knew and is the reason why he started studying medicine to become a doctor. When Chopper encountered the main character Luffy Luffy didn't hate or fear him because he was a monster but was more interested in him and wanted to be his friend. Even when Chopper tried explaining to Luffy that a monster doesn't belong among humans Luffy didn't care what he was talking about and doesn't take no for an answer. Chopper always wanted to be human but learned not to care whether he was a monster, if it's for his friends and especially for Luffy he doesn't care if he becomes a monster.

Chopper wants to become a monster helpful to Luffy:

This creates the message that you shouldn't care about what people think about you and that there are always people who will accept you for what you are.

Celestial Dragons

The World Nobles

Celestial Dragons are also known as the World Nobles, descendants of the founders of the World Government. Because of this they have high authority, do as they please without consequences and if anyone opposes or harms them will be in big trouble. They even see themselves as higher beings and anyone who isn't of their blood are lesser beings. This has caused them to subject people to their oppression and ruin their lives causing hatred towards them especially those I have mentioned whom were subjected to their slavery.

However, the series also demonstrates how the hatred towards these Nobles has also caused prejudism towards them. It's discovered that the Warlord Donquixote Doflamingo used to be a World Noble and his father and mother wanted to become one with the "lesser" people as they are all human. But as a result of the history of World Nobles' oppression on common people when the villagers of the village Doflamingo's family tried to settle down in found out they were no longer Nobles they were targeted for revenge. Their hatred for the World Nobles were so much that they wouldn't listen or believe they were trying to be good, consumed by the prejudice belief that World Nobles are all horrible people.

Doflamingo's family being attacked by the villagers

Due to this as a child Doflamingo discovered his inner power, shot his own father and became the evil tyrant known as the "Heavenly Yaksha". Discovered during the Dressrosa Arc he took over a country by force using a Devil Fruit ability he gained to frame the King (Riku) and the army of said country for mass genocide of its citizens. He then presented himself as the hero who stopped the mad king only to subject his own oppression on the people. This also caused prejudism towards Rebecca, a descendant of the king, only hated for what the king did. Thanks to the power of one of his subordinates people's existence are wiped from the memories of others. With no power over this they are helpless as their loved ones carry on with their lives with no memory of them while they are subjected to slavery. Even after this curse is broken the damage in many cases is already done e.g. Kyros' wife died with no memory of him.

Doflamingo controlling King Riku like a puppet

This shows how, at times, people always expect the worse out of people, that it's hard to believe they have chanced their ways after what people like them have already done. Lumping them all together with the prejudice idea that they are all the same. It's possible that if Doflamingo's parents didn't decide to live as normal people that he wouldn't have turned out as evil as he is. But it can also be said he would have been a better person if those villagers didn't subject him and his family to their prejudice hatred or at the least he wouldn't have turned out to be the man he is now.


While the series doesn't have the best animation most of the time it provides meaningful stories and characters who are linked together due to issues of discrimination, prejudism and oppression.