In One Piece, the Straw Hat Pirates led by Monkey D. Luffy are searching for the mysterious treasure of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger. But what is the One Piece actually? The creator of the manga has now hidden the answer to this question in a box – and sunk it in the sea.
The titular One Piece functions as a MacGuffin within the story. This is a term that describes an object or person that drives and maintains the plot.
In the case of One Piece, the Straw Hat Pirates are searching for this mysterious something, and so far, it has not been revealed exactly what it is.
This could change now. Because One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has finally written down the answer, after it has only existed in his head all these years.
However, this does not mean that it will be revealed in one of the next volumes of the manga. No, Oda has decided to sink the solution to the riddle deep in the sea. A new video on the One Piece YouTube channel shows this.
On Netflix, the second season of the live-action adaptation of One Piece is starting soon. Here you can see the trailer:
The search is on
What does the video show? On March 3, 2026, a YouTube video was released on the One Piece channel, showcasing a significant moment for fans.
Oda sits at his desk and writes the answer to the question of what the One Piece is on a piece of paper. He then tears it up and locks one half – the relevant part – in a small chest.
The box is then sealed in a pressure-proof glass sphere, which is held by a frame. The video further shows a crew sailing out to sea. At a designated point, they stop and hand the box to a robot.
This robot dives into the depths and places the treasure on the ocean floor. A narrator’s voice dramatically announces that the secret is safe there. Only when the entire story of the manga is completed will it be revealed.
According to natalie.mu, the action was initiated on the occasion of an anniversary: The One Piece manga has exceeded worldwide sales of 600 million copies. Additionally, volume 114 will be released in Japan on March 4.
Now the question remains how secret the location of the treasure really is. Just like in the story, the search for the One Piece might soon begin in reality – or at least for the resolution of what it is.
What clues are there? The video leaves room for Easter eggs and conclusions, even if these are of course just speculations.
- The chest is located at a depth of 651 meters. Chapter 651 of One Piece is titled “The Voice from the New World” and tells, among other things, about Fish-Man Island, which lies deep in the sea.
- Responsible for the project is among others the Japanese Center for Marine Research, called JAMSTEC. It is also supported by SIP (Strategic Innovation Program of the Japanese government). Both at least suggest that the One Piece is now located somewhere near the Japanese coast.
The treasure has therefore been sunk in the sea under professional supervision. It will be exciting to see if people will really start searching. Under the video on YouTube, there are already some excited voices saying, “The One Piece is real!”
However, a depth of 651 meters is no walk in the park, which makes recovery by amateurs very unlikely. What do you think about it? Do you believe someone could actually find the treasure? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. The manga has reached a milestone: One Piece now achieves what Superman accomplished only after over 18,700 issues
