#zolu (adjacent at least.. target audience i guess)
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Something that came to my mind because of the chessboard Strawhat cover:
I mentioned before the Strawhat's relations to demons/hell/monsters and their symbolism of being in opposition to gods/heaven, but this time it's interesting how multiple Strawhats already have a title somehow related to rule or ruling pieces - but it's always a little bit twisted, that trope is a bit flipped upside down.
Obviously Luffy will become the King of the Pirates, (but even Big Mom in one of the Wano flashbacks mentioned she would become the King of the Pirates - not a queen, so this particular title is probably always King.)
Luffy just wants to be that, and not rule in the typical sense of the word, or how their world understands that title.
Then we have Zoro and his King of Hell title. (I think that's pretty self explanatory and i've talked about him before probably the most. (also smth smth, becoming the King for Luffy's and his dreams.))
Now we have Nami as the Queen on the strawhats chess board. Queen, which is the deadliest and a very important figure in chess (beside the King - and even there Oda broke the rules again - saying the 'King is the fighting piece', which usually it is not as much.) She's their navigator and the symbol of what they need to protect and how they let her move to attack in the best formations, in the most strategic moves.
We have SogeKing, who is a veeeery similar to the character of Usopp, practically the same guy. (Even on the chessboard he's with bow & arrow as the SniperKing.)
We have Soul King Brook. King of absolute slaying with his music!
We have Jimbei First son of the Sea, which sound like important (ruling) title as well.
With Sanji I don't really want to point at his family - the connection as Prince of Germa Kingdom connection, because he renounced that, but
-he did call himself a Prince all the way in Alabasta. So, prince he is, self appointed, in whatever sense he means it. (And something very fun is how he trained under Emporio Ivankov, and beat Queen in Wano, both who are also interesting characters in the case of breaking the stereotypical gender of those titles/names).
Nico Robin has one of the epithets 'Light of the Revolution', which I find beautiful. She's illuminating their journey with her knowledge, and at the same time her connections with the Revolutionary Army speaks about the breaking out of the typical roles as well.
(I couldn't think how it would be for Franky and Chopper, but they're kinda similar in the way they've altered their bodies. Franky building so much of his body, cyborg who had a dream to built the ship for the King of the Pirates; and Chopper, a reindeer with human knowledge of medicine to become the best doctor.)
Just to say that even when they're gathering these titles/names/positions, they're not meant in the generic sort of meaning. It's always looped around, broken out of the mold of how their (and ours) society views these roles. And that's what makes it their unique thing. Their way how they grasp their skills, the future and their dreams.
#just some musing about these roles not being typical roles you know. this got out of the hand again lol#one piece#my ramblings#monkey d. luffy#roronoa zoro#nami#usopp#sogeking#sanji#nico robin#soul king brook#jimbei#zolu (adjacent at least.. target audience i guess)#mine#gif:op manga#gif:op meta#long post#one piece spoilers#straw hat crew#straw hat pirates
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