Mention Eiichiro Oda and you think of a master storyteller known for plot twists that leave One Piece fans in awe. As the story now moves to Elbaf, the land of giants, Luffy and his crew embark on an incredible adventure, encountering the legendary Scopper Gaban and witnessing the shocking appearance of the mysterious ruler Imu.
Once again, Imu’s true appearance shatters fan theories. Looking back over nearly 30 years, Oda has used the trick of “shadows” nine times to cleverly mislead the entire fan community.
1. The Seven Warlords of the Sea (Shichibukai)
When the Straw Hats were still in the East Blue, the Seven Warlords seemed distant and powerful. After Hawk Eyes Mihawk appeared and defeated Zoro, our swordsman imagined an organization of seven elite sword fighters. The shadow image showed seven warriors all wielding swords, leading fans to confidently call them the “Seven Swordsmen.”
But when the members were revealed, that theory completely fell apart. Aside from Mihawk’s black sword, the other six had very different appearances and abilities, including a fish-man (Jinbe). Most of them were formidable thanks to Devil Fruits, not swordsmanship.
2. The First Three Admirals
On a deserted island, the Straw Hats unexpectedly encountered Admiral Aokiji, who was standing asleep. Nico Robin warned the crew about the Navy’s top force of three admirals.
In Robin’s shadow illustration, only the middle silhouette matched Aokiji. The two shadows on either side didn’t resemble Akainu or Kizaru at all. Clearly, at that time Oda hadn’t finalized the designs for the other two admirals.
3. Yonko Kaido
The shadow of the “World’s Strongest Creature” Kaido was first introduced through Vice Admiral Garp’s story about the four Yonko ruling the New World. At that time, Kaido appeared as a fairly round-faced, angular, and somewhat ordinary-looking figure.
When Kaido finally appeared by jumping from 10,000 meters high, fans were stunned. He was a muscular man with a long beard, bull-like horns, and a large scar, completely different from the earlier shadow.
4. Prince Loki of Elbaf
Before the Elbaf arc officially began, Prince Loki’s shadow was shown in a small panel wearing a quirky crown, giving off a silly, comedic vibe. Everyone thought this prince would be a trivial character.
But Oda surprised everyone again! Loki actually carries ancient giant blood, standing 60-70 meters tall, with a godlike muscular build and wielding a thunder hammer reminiscent of Thor from Norse mythology.
Currently, Loki has eaten the Mythical Zoan Nidhogg fruit and is directly battling Imu at Elbaf, a grand scene far surpassing the deceptive shadow from before.
5. Lord Imu (Im-sama)
First appearing in chapter 906, Imu was only shown as a shadowed figure with a covered head. Oda kept the true face of the Empty Throne’s ruler hidden for over eight years. Clues from their clothing and the way they cared for butterflies and flowers led many to believe Imu was female.
However, during the battle at Elbaf, Imu’s true form began to shift, revealing a towering, muscular man nearly as tall as Kaido. Still, this might not be Imu’s real face.
6. Rocks D. Xebec
The name Rocks D. Xebec was first mentioned by former Fleet Admiral Sengoku in chapter 907, accompanied by a dark silhouette with wildly spiked hair. But it wasn’t until Loki’s flashback at Elbaf that Rocks’ true appearance was revealed.
Surprisingly, it didn’t match Sengoku’s shadow at all! Fans joked whether Sengoku ever really saw Rocks’ face or just imagined a scary silhouette. Even more interesting, Rocks is Blackbeard’s father, and they look almost identical. Yet the world, including Whitebeard, who was once part of Rocks’ crew, never noticed.
7. Shamrock
Among the confusing shadows, the Holy Knights’ silhouettes sparked the most curiosity, especially the central figure whose stance and sword closely resembled Red-Haired Shanks. The theory that Shanks has a twin brother became reality at Elbaf.
The figure emerging from the shadows is Shamrock, Shanks’ twin brother. Their mother gave them special names starting with characters corresponding to the numbers 3 and 4. Of the nine shadows, Shamrock’s was the clearest, almost a direct copy of Shanks’ silhouette.
8. Admiral Ryokugyu
When first mentioned, Ryokugyu appeared as a bulky, fierce figure with wild, lion-like hair. Fans expected a muscular, thunderous force. But when he appeared in Wano, Aramaki (Ryokugyu) was a relatively slim, poetic young man.
Oda said Ryokugyu looks very “cool,” but that coolness comes from his demeanor and plant-based powers, not the bulky appearance of the original shadow.
9. The Beast Forms of the Five Elders (Gorosei)
When the Five Elders summoned creatures on Egghead Island, Oda sketched five bizarre black shadows attacking Sabo. At that time, fans only recognized Ushioni (the bull-faced spider of Saint Saturn), while the other four shadows looked like undefined black blobs.
It wasn’t until they landed on Egghead that we learned these were mythical creatures. Given the situation, Sabo’s escape from the room with these five monsters and Lord Imu was truly thanks to the “supporting character aura” protected by the storyline.