One Piece Has a Secret Harry Potter Reference in the Manga

Oda has long been known for his playful nods to other works of fiction within One Piece, weaving in clever references to both real-world media and other manga. While cross-referencing between popular shōnen series is a common occurrence—such as Oda’s tribute to Naruto during the Wano Country arc—fans have recently discovered a more unexpected reference.

Hidden in the background of Chapter 153 is a subtle yet unmistakable nod to Harry Potter, making it one of the rare instances where Oda has directly referenced a Western novel within the manga.

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Oda’s History of Pop Culture References in One Piece

Throughout its long serialization, One Piece has featured countless Easter eggs, tributes, and homages to other works of fiction. Whether it’s character designs inspired by real-life celebrities, subtle nods to classic films, or even visual gags referencing other anime and manga, Oda has made a habit of sneaking in surprises for eagle-eyed fans.

The Naruto reference in Wano is just one of many examples that highlight Oda’s appreciation for other creative works. However, while anime and manga crossovers are expected, Western literature references are far less common—making this Harry Potter Easter egg a particularly interesting find.

The Hidden Harry Potter Book in Chapter 153

Fans revisiting Chapter 153 of One Piece recently spotted an unexpected detail in a background panel featuring Dr. Kureha. In the scene, she is seen drinking in front of a bookshelf, and among the various books present, a copy of Harry Potter can be clearly identified.

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Alongside it are two books titled The Shining—a reference to Stephen King’s horror novel—and multiple copies of One Piece itself, adding an extra layer of humor to the discovery. Given that One Piece Chapter 153 was published in 2000, during the height of Harry Potter’s growing global popularity, it’s plausible that Oda included it as a playful nod to the literary phenomenon of the time. But you know what this really means? Harry Potter canonically exists in the One Piece world.

Source: Twitter/X

One Piece

Release Date

October 20, 1999

Network

Fuji TV

Directors

Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou

• 

  Mayumi Tanaka

  Monkey D. Luffy (voice)

• 

  Kazuya Nakai

  Roronoa Zoro (voice)