Eiichiro Oda’s magnum opus One Piece recently started its Egghead Island arc in the One Piece anime with the release of episode 1089 on January 7, 2024. Fans have been too excited for the Egghead arc because according to the manga, it has some interesting revelations and it also marks the beginning of the finale of the epic One Piece story.
While fans were happy with the first episode which featured a new kind of animation and artistic style, there were still some issues with the skin tone change of the characters that were too easy to notice for fans. Fans believe that the One Piece cast has become a victim of whitewashing, especially the sniper of the Straw Hat Pirates Usopp.
The skin tone of Usopp from the initial days to the Egghead arc has gone significantly lighter and paler, and fans are not too happy with it. They have expressed their disappointment on social media regarding Toei’s animation change. But Usopp’s transformation may not be the only time One Piece has made their characters go paler.
Fans Are Not Happy With Usopp’s Skin Tone Change
The first episode of the Egghead Island arc in One Piece has shown the new futuristic but softer and warmer artistic style of animation, and the fans are having some doubts about it. Because of the softer tone, the skin color of Usopp has changed significantly from what he was shown originally. When Usopp was introduced he was slightly brown but now he has become a more whiter version.
This has become a huge controversy among fans as they believe that Toei is whitewashing its characters and changing the skin tone of the characters questioning their feeling of diversity in their characters.
They're so cuuute but Usopp is whiter than white 💀 https://t.co/E76GZeQUpo
— One Piece Girlies🌙 (@opgirlies) December 24, 2023
Everyone saying that because of winter Usopp is white than what are they going to do about live action Usopp when they will make Egghead Arc ? pic.twitter.com/f5feP3R2WZ
— Xaviax (@xa_viax) December 27, 2023
USOPP IS WHITE?!?!?!?!😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/qbFTQzxhRL
— ɴᴇᴋᴏ (@nekoshinei) December 24, 2023
Why is Usopp white? https://t.co/xqiNlKDhRy pic.twitter.com/4pb0jmkC7e
— TOJI’S WIFE🤎 (@MadarasDaughter) January 7, 2024
USOPP IS DEADASS WHITER THAN ALL THE OTHER STRAW HATS STOP FUCKIN WITH ME WHOS WHITE BABY IS THAT https://t.co/zB8YdU6Hu8
— enma (@GODF1STSUICID3) December 24, 2023
While Usopp has got a change in his skin color during the Egghead arc, there have been other characters in One Piece who have been a victim of whitewashing way before Usopp. These characters have also gone through major changes in their skin tone and although fans may have noticed it, it did not spark much controversy at the time.
Usopp is Not The Only Victim of Whitewashing in One Piece
While Usopp’s skin tone change has sparked a huge controversy among the One Piece fandom, he is not the only character who has been a victim of whitewashing. Toei has a habit of changing the skin tone of One Piece characters, especially the Straw Hat Pirates. Among those, Zoro and Robin are the most prominent ones.
When Zoro and Robin were introduced, they had a brown skin tone which was a common tone and artistic style in the continuing story. However, as the story progressed, especially after the time skips, both these characters got paler and paler and started to look more white than usual. This was not appreciated by fans.
However, it may not be an issue of whitewashing as much as Toei’s inconsistency with following the source material. Many covers from the One Piece manga which featured the straw hats have featured them with a light skin tone since the beginning of the series. Even Usopp was introduced with white skin but Toei may have never focused on it, and now they are probably trying to bring the original skin color to the anime.
You can watch One Piece on Crunchyroll.
