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The characters ofOne Pieceoften have puns and references for names. It isn’t exactly subtle when the entire Charlotte Family is named after sweets, baked treats, and the methods of making them. Some references, however, are much more nuanced.
Most characters are references to real-life pirates, the most obvious being Blackbeard. Some are nods to legends and mythologies that wouldn’t be recognizable if you aren’t familiar with them or the language. Eiichiro Oda employs this for an underrated Straw Hat Pirate.
Considering how much the word is used in anime if you watch the original Japanese dubbing, it’s shocking thatOne Piecefans didn’t know Usopp’s name was a pun for the Japanese word for “Lies,” “Uso.”
The introduction of Usopp in Syrup Village told us several things about him. He’s a very convincing liar who can spin tales easily. His name isn’t just a reference to the word “Uso,” however. It also connects him to a Greek fabulist.
Usopp’s lying and storytelling abilities were all foreshadowed by his name
The Straw Hat sniper willnever escape the liar referenceswhen one of them is quite literally on the nose. Usopp’s long nose is clearly inspired by Pinnocio, another famous liar.Eiichiro Odajust decided to reinforce this side of him even more with his name.
Usopp’s name was an obvious reference to the Japanese word for liar, especially if you know Japanese or pay attention to what anime characters say offhandedly. Nami herself exclaims the word inOne Pieceso often. It’s a bit surprising fans didn’t catch it.
So, when he says, “OrewaUsopp!”,it’s basically him saying“I am a liar!”However, his name isn’t just inspired by the word. It also references the Greek fabulist, Aesop.Aesop’s Fablesare renowned for their storytelling.
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Usopp’s introduction inOne Piecealso heavily mirrors one of Aesop’s well-known fables,The Boy Who Cried Wolf.When the sniper was introduced, he was running through the village, screaming in false alarm or as the idiom goes, “crying wolf.” So not only is Usopp a liar, he’s being called a double liar.
There’s also a possible Kanji spelling for Usopp which combines the word for lies and wind, but combined with another Kanji can also be read as style. It would then make his name, “false style.” Oda really wanted us to know how much of a liar the sniper is.
Are the references for Usopp’s name too obvious or genius?
Usopp’s name has so many meanings, it’s a miracle his role in the Straw Hat Pirates isn’t bigger. The Elbaph Arc suggests he will soonget a power upgradeor that he might potentially even die, although fans also believe a different crewmate will meet that fate instead.
Usopp being regaled with many brilliant references is like the princess treatment ofOne Piece.While others might be inspired by real-life pirates, the sniper was named after a Greek fabulist.
The inspiration behind his name, however, might be considered quite on the nose and cliche. Fans might start seeing him as a one-dimensional character who’s just a liar.
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This doesn’t mean Usopp hasn’t had any development though. He went from being a coward tobraving the seas. So while lying might be at the forefront of his character, he’s not just a liar and storyteller.
One Pieceis available on Crunchyroll.
Bidisha Mitra
Articles Published :802
Bidisha is an Anime Content Writer at FandomWire with over 700 published articles. With over 7 years of writing experience, she’s versatile and adept. When she’s not writing, she’s also a voice actor on the side.Bidisha is currently continuing to learn Japanese and gets more fluent everyday. Her expertise is One Piece, Bungo Stray Dogs, and Haikyuu, but has been watching anime for over a decade. She was previously a Content Writer reviewing the latest Kpop music.
