A protester holds a pirate flag from the Japanese manga "One Piece" as they block roads in front of the regent's office in Pati, Indonesia, October 31, 2025. - / AFP
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rom Indonesia to Morocco, the Philippines to Peru, Nepal and Madagascar to France, a single flag has been raised by young protesters around the globe demanding more social, economic, fiscal or political justice: A pirate flag belonging to crew of the Vogue Merry, the ship captained by Luffy, the hero of One Piece, the bestselling manga.
The series by Japanese mangaka Eiichiro Oda, launched in 1997 and ongoing, chronicles the formation and adventures of a band of pirates who sail the seas in search of a mysterious treasure, the "One Piece." On every island and in every country they visit, Luffy's crew fights for the oppressed – using solidarity, cunning and even superpowers – against the injustices and violence of corrupt authorities, facing off against a relentless world government.
One Piece is filled with references to the names and universe of historical piracy from the 17th and 18th centuries. The Vogue Merry flies the "Jolly Roger," a black pirate flag that features two crossed bones beneath a laughing skull wearing a straw hat with a red ribbon. This is the flag Gen Z – born around the same time as the release of One Piece – has chosen to raise in defiance of the authorities.
