It has become a common practice over the years for big anime franchises to release films that aren’t always canon to the overall storyline. Eiichira Oda’s One Piece has seen a lot of films since it’s debut more than 25 years ago — 15 films, to be precise, with the most recent, One Piece Film Red, releasing mid-summer 2022. There’s often debate among fans about which films are canon, or at least contain elements that fit into the overall canon, and Red is just as ambiguous as all the other One Piece movies. Some say it isn’t canon at all, while others believe there are at least some bits and pieces that fit nicely into the canon.
Despite mixed results about its canonicity, Red has earned a warm reception from audiences. It landed a slot as the third Japanese film in history to clear over 1 billion yen on opening day, and quickly became the highest grossing One Piece film in the United States. There are a lot of things to love about the movie, which encompasses all the things that keep fans hooked on One Piece, including some epic new songs. But where, if it all, Red falls within the canon is up for debate.
Most One Piece Movies Aren’t Canon
The difference between canon and non-canon lies within how far a storyline strays from the manga and/or anime. Of the 15 One Piece movies, only four are considered canon: Strong World, One Piece Film: Z, One Piece Film: Gold and Stampede. While many canon episodes of the anime have been known to set up movies before they release, events within the films themselves are not generally canon. This begs the question: Why make movies if they don’t further the stories?
The obvious answer is that it’s an effort to keep people focused on the franchise. Much like anime filler episodes (of which there tend to be hundreds in One Piece), films are for entertainment purposes only. They not only provide fans with an opportunity to explore adventures and characters beyond the main storyline, but offer a chance to see their favorites in situations they might not otherwise get if the story remained linear. For example, 2004’s The Cursed Holy Sword is a Zoro-exclusive adventure, and while it’s a fun story with a lot of exciting sword fighting, it takes Zoro unexpectedly away from the crew without explanation.
What Is One Piece Film: Red About?
The setup for One Piece FIlm: Red occurred in episodes 1029 and 1030, which delved back in time to the original introduction of a seven-year-old Luffy and the Red Hair Pirates’ nine-year-old musician, Uta. Though the pair don’t initially see eye to eye, they eventually become the best of friends, establishing the premise of the movie, which sees the Straw Hats arriving at the Island of Music, Elegia, for Uta’s first ever live performance. After the performance, she attempts to convince Luffy to give up piracy and join her in the peaceful world she wants to create with her songs. When Luffy resists, Uta traps the Straw Hats, fueled by vengeance against the pirates that once raised her. Learning about her mysterious power to shape the world with her songs, the World Government has named her a powerful threat, and set out to get rid of her.
The story explores Uta’s sheltering from the world after her adoptive father Red-Haired Shanks abandoned her and her adoption by Elegia’s king. After Shanks abandoned her, she grew bitter against pirates in general, which made her angry with Luffy and his crew. Her sheltered view of the world hid suffering, but as she came to recognize it, she wanted to use her musical gifts to create a world of love and peace. It’s a heartbreaking tragedy about a young woman with the power to change the world, and the challenge of those who’d rather go on wreaking havoc and bringing suffering.
Did Uta Die in One Piece Red?
Prior to the film, the studio worked very hard to establish Uta’s following. She was given a vlog and YouTube channel, where videos of her songs were made available for fans. Given how much love and time was dedicated to establishing her character, Uta’s implied fate at the end of One Piece Red is absolutely tragic. As Luffy awakens on the Thousand Sunny, he spies the Red Force across the water. Shanks and the crew are gathered around a casket, and as Luffy takes off his hat and lowers his head, it’s a somber farewell to a childhood friend. Uta did choose to die, so for all intents and purposes, she is believed dead.
On the other hand, One Piece has always had something of an unspoken rule when it comes to character deaths. Unless the body is seen, there’s no guarantee the character is actually dead. With Uta being a major threat to the World Government, it would be prudent for Shanks to fake her death. But would Uta actually want that?
Is One Piece Red Canon or Not?
One Piece Film Red could potentially fit into the story after the “Wano Country Arc,” but like most of the other films that came before itit is not officially considered canon. There are bits and pieces of it, however, that find themselves into the canon story. Uta’s existence in general is canonical, confirmed by both the introductory episodes of the anime and the appearance of her silhouette in chapter 1055 of the manga.
Her close childhood friendship with Luffy and her status as Shanks’s daughter mark her as a character that truly exists within the world. The fact that she’s believed dead may mean she won’t be appearing in any modern timeline moments, but there’s always a chance they’ll go back in time to Luffy and Uta’s childhood again.