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As much asOne Piecegets praised for its excellent storytelling, it also gets criticized for the representation of female characters in the series. It’s one of the biggest problems fans have with the series. However, even after years of the same discussion and debate, there’s hardly any change in the way female characters are represented or how they are perceived by the fandom.
A recent post on the internet revealed the new sample designs for theOne PieceCard Game, and it’s a sad reminder of the difference in the fandom’s perception of the male and female characters. There’s no need to dig deep either, the difference becomes quite evident from a single glance.
The Difference Between Nami and Luffy’s Representation
One PieceCard Game features illustrations of different characters. These are drawn by various artists and animators. New samples of Nami and Luffy cards recently made their way to the internet through an X post. The art style featured in both the samples is undoubtedly spectacular. However, there’s a stark difference between how both the characters are portrayed.
And here is an official new card for Nami by the animator Jouji Yamadahttps://t.co/W3w6G2f6m1pic.twitter.com/LFFZD5OZxO
With Luffy, there’s a demonstration of his monstrous strength which is an important aspect of theOne Pieceworld. Similarly for Nami, so many elements could have been incorporated. For instance, her navigational abilities or her meteorological expertise. Yet the focus was primarily on her beauty. There are tangerine trees as well which are an integral part of her character arc, but are they enough?
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This highlights the difference between how the characters are perceived and what they are valued for. Nami has been reduced to her physical appeal, whereas Luffy is portrayed in a light that incorporates his strength. This is not the first time when this difference has been so apparent. While in this case, the animators are the ones who somewhat messed up, fans could also be blamed for their questionable priorities.
Lack of Diversity inOne PieceWhen Female Characters are Concerned
Eiichiro Odahas a distinctive art style that’s unique to him. At the beginning of the series, the fan service was significantly lesser. As the story has progressed, it has become too obvious and rampant. While male characters come in all shapes and sizes, female character designs are limited to busty physiques. There are surely some exceptions, but the majority of the female characters have exaggerated features that are hard to ignore.
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Most fans are tired of the lack of diversity with the female characters, but some fans don’t seem to have any problem. The backlash that live-action actors or cosplayers receive for not resembling the characters physically is a reminder of where the priorities of some fans lie. They expect everything and everyone associated withOne Pieceto have a glorified and conventionally attractive appearance. If this criteria isn’t met, then insensitive insults await the actors for failing the fans.
Oda is to blame for how he decided to treat his perfectly capable female characters as tools to insert fan service. Moreover, many fans have become desensitized after years of complaining about this issue, but there are some who actively enjoy the fan service.
When characters like Nami, Robin, or Reiju are concerned, who reflect so many great qualities, it’s sad to see them being reduced for the purpose of male wish fulfilment. There probably won’t be any changes with how things are in the near future, but it definitely puts a blot on an otherwise excellent manga.
One Pieceis available to read on the MangaPlus app and website.
Laveena Joshi
Anime Writer
Articles Published :926
Laveena is an anime content writer at FandomWire. Having written more than 800 articles, she’s an expert in mainstream shonen series, ranging from the bizarre world of JoJo’s to the expansive worldbuilding of One Piece.With her formal education in Journalism and Mass Communication, she explores entertainment journalism through the lens of anime and manga, from mainstream and classic titles to niche and obscure ones.
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Eiichiro OdaLuffyNamiOne Piece
