The One Piece World Might Be Far More Futuristic Than Fans Realize

The One Piece world is one filled with wonder and a diverse cultural heritage. With the various islands, connected and secluded, the culture found in One Piece varies from place to place. Some towns and cities resemble kingdoms typically found in the medieval era, while others look as archaic as the dinosaur era, with literal dinosaurs.

Since the premiere of One Piece, fans have always consciously or subconsciously come to the conclusion that the world depicted in One Piece is set in an era several years before modern times; however, with the Egghead Island arc, that presumption may be false, as the world in which One Piece is set may not be as archaic as its environs suggest.

The Current One Piece World

One Piece’s Current World Isn’t So Technologically Advanced

In the current One Piece world, the World Government and the five elders publicly dominate; however, as fans know, Imu currently stands at the peak of power in the world and rules over it from the shadows. With the Grand Line and the Red Line dividing the world into East, West, North, and South Blue, the civilizations in One Piece are scattered all around the world with different cultures and habits to fit their living conditions. With different cultures and living conditions come different technological advancements; however, apart from Egghead Island, the most technologically advanced kingdoms/islands in One Piece fit the technological advancements of the medieval era to the Industrial Revolution. Countries like Alabasta depict cultures similar to the medieval era, while islands like Water 7 depict cultures similar to the Industrial Revolution with the steam-powered train.

Interestingly, many records prove that the current One Piece world has existed for a very long time, as according to Professor Clover, Ohara’s tree of knowledge has existed for over 5000 years. Moreover, the Alubarna palace in Alabasta was built over 4000 years ago, while the city of Shandora on Jaya was established over 1100 years ago. With these numbers, it is clear that the civilization in One Piece has existed for over a thousand years, yet, no significant technological advancement has been made. Or have fans only been made to believe so?

Clues Suggesting Futuristic Elements

One Piece May Have Been Much More Technologically Advanced In The Past

The various technological advancements made on Egghead Island suggest that Dr. Vegapunk is indeed a genius. However, while the authenticity of Vegapunk’s genius is not to be challenged, Vegapunk himself stated that the technology on Egghead is from the past and not from the future. With this information, fans are left to think about the Ancient Kingdom, which was erased at the end of the Void Century. The Ancient Kingdom is said to have been technologically advanced, and if Vegapunk’s claim of the technology on Egghead being from the past is to be given any authenticity, then the world of One Piece may not be so archaic, but rather, has been reset from its past futuristic self and technological advancements. Of course, not all countries in One Piece may have been technologically advanced; however, with the Ancient Kingdom heralding the technological advancement in the world of One Piece, losing it is sure to set the world back, significantly affecting the overall level of technology found in One Piece.

As seen with the World Government’s resolve to get rid of Vegapunk, mankind’s greatest scientist, it’s safe to say that they won’t mind setting the world a few centuries back to protect the secret of the Void Century. Moreover, with the annihilation of Lulusia, the attack on Vegapunk, and the impending destruction of Egghead Island, the most technologically advanced island in the world of One Piece, Imu and the World Government have shown that they will do whatever it takes to protect their secret, even if it involves getting rid of great technological advancements.

Other clues suggesting past technological advancements in One Piece are the presence of the poneglyphs and the ancient weapons. As large, indestructible steeles inscribed with ancient text, the poneglyphs are informative materials, with each one serving a different purpose. Meanwhile, of the three ancient weapons, little to nothing is known about Uranus, Poseidon is said to be a mermaid with the ability to communicate with and control the sea kings, and Pluton is said to be an ancient battleship capable of destroying islands with a single shot. As a battleship from the past, Pluton shows that the current battleships of today have become less effective rather than more, showing a loss in technological advancement.

Fan Theories And Implications of a Futuristic One Piece World

The World Of One Piece May Have Been Reset

The above statement was made by Dr. Vegapunk (Shaka) who continued Ohara’s research after the destruction of Ohara. While Vegapunk claimed that his statement that the technology he now has access to being from the past is a theory, he made another important statement that makes the theory seem more like a fact. “If Ohara was destroyed because of this theory, don’t you think that means the Government has already admitted it to be true?”

With the World Government's drastic precautions, Vegapunk’s theory may be a fact, and if it is a fact, then it shows that the world of One Piece is in fact not as archaic as its environs suggest, but that the 20 kingdoms that banded against the Ancient Kingdom to make up the World Government have played a role in resetting the world, not necessarily to prevent technological advancements but to prevent the possibility of anyone, man or country, discovering the Ancient Kingdom’s existence and ideology. And of course, while Confucius stated, “Study the past if you would divine the future,”One Piece portrays a world in which exploring the future may be the key to figuring out the past—learning the secrets about the Void Century.

One Piece is available to stream on Crunchyroll.