Obscure Species In One Piece

Summary

• One Piece has a diverse array of species and races, contributing to a dynamic and less static world.
• Certain species like Wotans and Snakenecks reveal unique traits, but their roles in the series are unclear.
• Buccaneers, Lunarians, and other lesser-known species hint at a vast, diverse world in One Piece.

One Piece has a thoroughly fleshed-out world consisting of many races and species, even beyond the scope of what is shown in the central plot. Despite being a single story thus far, this gives the impression of the world as being a much less static place than some other fictional counterparts.

This has led to some species in the One Piece world being confirmed to exist, while also not being given much elaboration on their role in the greater series or how they factor into the greater narrative being told, if indeed they do at all. These species remain obscure in the world of One Piece, but that doesn’t mean they will stay that way forever.

10

Wotans

Half-Giant, Half-Fish-Man

• Notable Wotans: Big Pan and Sebastian

An often understated aspect of the narrative in One Piece is that different races are biologically compatible. This is seen most notably in the Big Mom Pirates where several half-human children of Charlotte Linlin are encountered. Yet, it is not merely humans who are biologically compatible with other humanoid species.

Wotans, produced from unions between Giants and Fish-Men, are also confirmed to exist. Their appearances differ somewhat from either species, yet they clearly derive from both. Wotans tend to look more humanoid than Fish-Men, likely due to their Giant blood. They are also larger than Fish-Men, but still not as tall as Giants. In line with their Fish-Men ancestry, they also are likely adept swimmers, who are stronger underwater.

There is only one clearly identified Wotan in One Piece canon, a Loach Wotan by the name of Big Pan, formerly of the Foxy Pirates. He was the largest member of the crew and was part of the subdivision known as Groggy Monsters. The only other known Wotan at present is Sebastian, a member of the World Pirates, who is non-canonical. Their obscurity is likely owed to the rarity of Fish-Men and Giants occupying the same area and reproducing. Thus far, they are not confirmed to be indigenous to any overlapping locations.

9

Snakenecks

Long-Necked Humanoids

• Notable Snakenecks: Charlotte Mondeé, Charlotte Amande, Charlotte Hachée, Charlotte Effilée, Charlotte Mascarpone, Charlotte Joscarpone, and Charlotte Wiro (All Half-Human Hybrids)

Similar to Longlegs and Longarms, Snakenecks are a humanoid species with necks that are longer than the average human neck. What makes them distinctive from their long-limbed counterparts is that the only ones seen thus far are Charlotte children, and thus certifiably half-human. That being said, due to the appearances of other Charlotte children and their supposed “full-blooded” counterparts being identical in terms of their less human aspects (such as double-jointed arms and long legs), the heritage of their counterparts may have greater overlap with humans. Snakenecks tend to have necks that can differ in appearance, with the only unifying factor being that they are longer than the average neck.

All that is really known about Snakenecks thus far is that they are a popular species of husband for Big Mom. There are seven Snakeneck children, with at least three different fathers, which is somewhat rare when one considers Linlin seems to only take one husband of a non-human species. What traits make them more desirable fathers for her children are similarly unclear at present.

8

Buccaneers

Bigger Humans

• Notable Buccaneers: Bartholomew Kuma (Possibly A Hybrid), Clapp, Pacifistas (Artificial Cyborg), S-Bear (Artificial Cyborg)

Buccaneers are a heavily persecuted race in One Piece, purported to have some level of Giant ancestry. Like full-blooded Giants, Buccaneers seem to have a reverance for Nika, the mythical sun god that Luffy can transform into with his Devil Fruit. Buccaneers tend to be hard to identify, being indistinguishable from mere humans who are bigger than average without a blood test. They seem to have some level of unique biology, shown when Kuma managed to revive after his shutdown switch was activated.

It is said they committed a great crime against the world in the past, but what that is remains unclear. Consequently, they were put to death or enslaved upon being discovered. Bartholomew Kuma and his late father, Clapp, are the only identified Buccaneers thus far. Since Kuma’s mother was a human, whether he is a “full” or “half-blooded” Buccaneer is not clear, but he is nonetheless thought to be the last naturally-born being with any Buccaneer heritage.

Despite their supposed offense against the world, Buccaneers ironically make up a ;arge number of the World Government’s defense. Due to Bartholomew Kuma being the original “Pacifista,” most versions of that cyborg in the series are modeled after him by using his DNA. The Seraphim, a newer kind of Pacifista with Lunarian blood, still have one among them with Buccaneer origins, as S-Bear is another unit derived from Kuma.

7

Kinokobito

Mushroom People

• There are no named members of this species

This uniquely odd, obscure race has virtually no presence in the One Piece series. They are humanoids, with most of their body parts resembling mushroom caps, that apparently have four legs. Only one is observed in one of Charlotte Mont-d’Or’s books, screaming for help.

This sole appearance cements Kinokobito as a rare but apparently capturable creature for Big Mom. Seeing as most races are widely represented in Totto Land, its presence as a hostage within a book implies that it is an evasive being.

6

Three-Eye

• Notable Members: Charlotte Pudding (Half-Human Hybrid)

Three-Eyes are apparently a species on the verge of extinction, alongside the likes of Buccaneers and Lunarians. They are virtually indistinguishable from humans, aside from their literal third eye. This eye is said to be capable of achieving an awakening, which will grant the Three-Eye the Voice of All Things, allowing it to decipher poneglyph readings among other skills available to those with the ability.

Like Buccaneers, the only member of the species confirmed to be alive is of partial human descent. Charlotte Pudding is Big Mom’s daughter. She was bullied heavily for her third eye (especially by her mother) and tends to style her hair to cover it. She is valued for the potential of her awakening, but seems to think she may not be able to achieve it as a hybrid. She was happily surprised when Sanji, her previously arranged husband, declared that he thought her eye was beautiful.

5

Longlimbs

Half-Longarm, Half-Longleg

• There are no named members of this species.

Another hybrid species, Longlimbs are the result of unions between Longarms and Longlegs. Due to the two tribes having historical animosity, this species is likely very rare. The anime depicts one having inherited the double-jointed arms of the Longarm Tribe, and the typically long legs of the Longleg Tribe.

There is only one currently (partially) identified Longlimb, seen as a hostage alongside other species in one of Mont-d’Or’s books. Its biological compatibility with other races, as well as if any descendants will inherit either trait from their parent, is one of many unclear facts about the Longlimb.

4

Aliens

One Piece takes place on a singular planet. However, Enel’s cover story indicates that this planet is not the only one with intelligent lifeforms. Enel, a Birkan who is in search of the moon (also apparently the “Fairy Vearth” of the Birkans), discovers it being desecrated by a crew of space pirates who appear to be mining it for resources. Enel quickly assaults them and destroys their ship, leaving their survival unclear.

There is only one named alien, Seamars, the apparent captain of the Space Pirates who is somewhat canine in appearance. Other apparent aliens resemble a feline and some crocodiles. It is unclear if these animal-esque aliens are part of one greater species or a variety of different aliens. Nonetheless, this limited curiosity appears to confirm the existence of aliens in One Piece. Unless, of course, these weird beings also originated from the planet the story takes place on.

3

Lunarians

Almost Extinct

• Notable Lunarians: King, Seraphim (Hybrids)

Lunarians are a humanoid species, with black feathered wings, silver white hair, and brown skin. They are capable of creating fire from a region within their upper back that provides defense when lit or speed when extinguished. Unlike the wings of Sky Island residents, Lunarian wings appear to be fully functional. Alongside Buccaneers and the Three-Eye Tribe, they are thought to be nearly extinct, despite their apparently high endurance.

The sole known naturally born member of this race is Alber, better known as King, Kaido’s right-hand man in the Beast Pirates. Like Kaido, King was experimented on by the government until he broke free and formed the Beast Pirates. He is thought never to have lost a battle while he was with the crew, until he was defeated by Roronoa Zoro, who made a similar promise to Luffy.

Lunarians used to inhabit the Red Line, a red, ring-like continent that encompasses the planet, currently inhabited by Imu, the Five Elders, and others of similarly high status who reside in the World Government Capital, Mary Geoise. It is unclear why exactly the Lunarians no longer live there, but it is possibly connected to their near extinction, with the possibility of genocide being involved in both their disappearance from their homeland and their extinction. Lunarian DNA is used to create the Seraphim, a new line of Pacifistas who have DNA from the Seven Warlords of the Sea. These beings are not full Lunarians, as they have the biology of their non-Lunarian counterparts embedded in them as well.

2

Oni

Unclear Species

• Notable Oni: Kaido, Yamato (Possibly A Hybrid)

Kaido is one of the most infamous pirates, famous for his endurance, love of battle, and frequent suicide attempts. He was the former captain of the Beast Pirates, presumed deceased after having been defeated by Monkey D. Luffy. He was previously one of the Four Emperors, the pirate captains the World Government deemed to be the biggest threats to its existence. However, his defeat at the hands of Luffy lost him this distinction. He considers himself and his son, Yamato, to be “Oni,” demonic ogres from Japanese folklore. However, the story and supplementary material have yet to officially distinguish the Oni as a race.

Judging by Kaido and Yamato, apparent traits of the species appear to be large horns, impressive physical strength, and a sizable build. Some have speculated that Kaido has Ancient Giant ancestry due to this variant of Giants being larger than normal Giants and also having horns. However, the exact nature of the Oni, as well as if they are even a meaningful distinction, is unclear at present. Whatever the case, Kaido believes Oni and humans do not mix, despite having at least a few highly-ranked subordinates who seem to be human.

1

Other Species

Impossible To Document In Their Entirety

• Notable Members: Too Many To Count, Include Caesar Clown, Gecko Moria, Magellan, Hannyabal, Charlotte Kato, Charlotte Dacquoise, Black Maria, and many more

Beyond the artificially created species such as Cyborgs and Harpies, as well as certain hybrids, like humans with Fish-Man heritage, there are other species that appear to exist without even being heavily remarked upon. Certain supposed humans have naturally inhuman aspects to their appearance but are seemingly still classified as such. Examples include Gecko Moria, Caesar Clown, and Magellan, who seem not to be treated any differently from normal humans despite their appearances. Humans may simply be a much more diverse species appearance-wise in One Piece, or, alternatively, these characters may also be hybrids of unclear ancestry.

Similar beings with such discrepancies are present in the Charlotte Family. Due to Linlin’s desire to make a “family” of all races, her own children may also have fathers from undefined or unclear races. Examples include Dacquoise, who appears to have a set of wings that are naturally part of his body. A weirder example is Kato, whose face resembles a jack-o-lantern more than a human being. Due to the existence of many other Charlottes confirmed to be mixed race, the existence of these children as hybrids of as-of-yet unidentified races is entirely possible. However, due to the existence of both Devil Fruits and such oddities being present in certifiably human Charlotte children (such as Katakuri gaining a pelican or eel-like mouth due to his huge appetite), may mean that these could also be other purely human beings who similarly just look a little odd.

Whatever the case, the exact nature of race in One Piece, and the diverse number of ways in which characters are designed, hints at a far more expansive world than even what is relevant to the story itself.