One Piece is popular not only because of Luffy’s adventures and adrenaline-pumping battles but also because of its inclusivity. So far, the series has featured several powerful female characters like Boa Hancock, Nico Robin, and Nami as well as cross-dressing individuals.
What began as the saga of a wannabe pirate king has become a story that anyone can relate with. In an interview to celebrate One Piece‘s 21st anniversary, Eiichiro Oda opens up abut the inclusive prospect in his series.
Eiichiro Oda Loves Featuring Drag Queens in One Piece
In an interview, Eiichiro Oda admitted to his fascination with drag queens. One Piece has several cross-dressing characters, and almost all of them have helped the Straw Hats in their journey. Some of the major characters are Ivankov and Bon Clay or Mr. 2.
I like drag queens like Ivankov and Bon Clay, who saved Luffy and his allies in Impel Down. There’s always a funny dichotomy between their actions and their appearance, which makes me want to draw them more. I also adore Buggy, who’s annoying yet cunning.
Oda admitted that he liked drag queens and he has undoubtedly created his fair share of them. He has created a whole island to serve as the home for such individuals, and called it Okama paradise.
The author seems to be fascinated by crossdressers who might stand out in day-to-day life but are completely normal human beings in reality. His positive portrayal of okamas in One Piece also goes on to show how much Oda respects the individuals and their choices.
In fact, Momoiro Island is an extremely inclusive and welcoming island that welcomes anyone who wants to learn the Okama way. It even accepts animals. They do not care about how off-putting their status as Okamas is and put aside all differences to live in harmony.
Eiichiro Oda’s Favorite Okama Characters
Oda quite frankly accepted that he liked the characters of Ivankov and Bon Clay. Both the characters have been extremely helpful in Luffy’s journey.
In the Impel Down arc when Luffy was extremely close to his death, Ivankov was the one who came to his rescue. He used his power to control hormones to heal Luffy from the poison. However, it was revealed that the healing process shaved off 10 years from Luffy’s life.
Once again, after the Post-War Arc, when Sanji was teleported to the New Kamabakka Kingdom, Ivankov and his allies trained Sanji. This made Sanji stronger than he was before, and he could reunite with his crew.
Mr. 2 or Bon Clay, on the other hand, was introduced as an antagonist during the Alabasta Saga. Yet, he quickly became friends with Luffy as well as the Straw Hat pirates. He eventually reunited with Luffy during the Impel Down arc and helped him with his mission. It was Bon Clay who begged Ivankov to heal Luffy and also stayed by his side.
Eiichiro Oda admitted that his characters are popular among women, and wouldn’t they be? Their diverse and inclusive nature easily attracts a wide audience base.
You can read One Piece on Viz Media and watch the anime on Crunchyroll.
