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One Pieceis one of the very few anime series that includes real-life references in the story. From historical events to iconic celebrities, Eiichiro Oda has a habit of incorporating real-world aspects inOne Pieceto make the story intriguing for fans. And the one individual that Oda has used the most is the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
Oda has been a big fan of the iconic pop star and has been referencing him in the series since before the time skip. He has incorporated him in the story through four different characters to express his love for Jackson. Even Monkey D. Luffy, the protagonist ofOne Piece, is on this list.
Although these references have not been officially confirmed by Oda or theOne Piecestaff, the uncanny resemblance makes it pretty clear to fans.
The biggest Michael Jackson reference inOne Pieceis Jango, the Marine lieutenant commander serving under Rear Admiral Hina. Jango is a hypnotist, and he was the main antagonist during the Syrup Village arc in the East Blue Saga. However, as theOne Piecestory continued, Jango left the pirate world and joined the Navy.
Jango’s character isthe exact replica of the King of Pop, from his iconic steps to his dressing style. Fans have believed for the longest time that Jackson was the inspiration behind Jango’s character, but Oda never officially confirmed it, just like most of his real-world references.
The musician of the Straw Hat Pirates and one of their two swordsmen, Brook, is another character who was used by Oda to referenceMichael Jackson. Brook is famously known in theOne Pieceworld as Soul King. He earned this title when he became a rock star during the two-year time skip.
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Although Brook’s entire character is not inspired by Jackson, one of his moves, which is used as a running gag, is an ode to the iconic pop star. Jackson’s famous dance move, the lean tilt, is used by Brook multiple times in the series.
The main part of the joke is Brook leaning at a 45-degree angle, which is more understandable by the Japanese fans ofOne Piece. However, for the rest of the world, it is an unconfirmed Michael Jackson reference.
Queen from the Beast Pirates is an All-Star and also one of Kaido’s three strongest crew members. Queen was a part of a scientific research team MADS before joining the Beast Pirates. He was also one of the major antagonists during the Wano arc.
Queen is quite a loud character with a distasteful personality. However, he uses this part of his personality to perform a concert during the Onigashima dinner party. The main aspect of this concert was his catchy music called Queen’s Funk Dance.
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One of the most important dance moves in Queen’s Funk Dance was inspired by Jackson’s dance routine. Although it’s a little difficult to track at first glance, fans of the King of Pop might be able to guess it easily.
4Monkey D. Luffy
The captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and the protagonist ofOne Piece, Monkey D. Luffy, is nothing like the iconic pop star. He is goofy and carries a silly personality that makes him perfect for a comedic series likeOne Piece, but it does not reference Jackson at all.
However,Eiichiro Odastill managed to include the iconic moonwalk, perfected by the King of Pop, through Luffy. During the Onigashima War, when Luffy unlocks Gear 5 for the first time, he gets so excited that he starts moonwalking in the air.
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This became one of the most viral moments of Luffy’s Gear 5 reveal for the first time. It helped in lowering the seriousness of Luffy’s battle with Kaido and added a happy and comedic moment to one of the most dangerous fights inOne Piece.
One Pieceis available to watch on Crunchyroll.
Tarun Kohli
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2957
Tarun Kohli is the Senior Anime Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,900 published articles. He currently specializes in critiquing One Piece and other Shonen anime. A passionate fan of the genre, his love for thoughtful analysis reflects his genuine appreciation for the art of anime. His deep understanding of anime culture has earned recognition from industry figures such as Adi Shankar and the creators of Blood of Zeus.
