One Piece: All characters with ringed eyes explained

Tulisha srivastava
An image of One Piece characters with ringed eyes

One of the many mysteries surrounding One Piece is the ringed eyes that only the important characters seem to possess.

One Piece is one of the longest-running anime, famous for its light-hearted tale of action, adventure, and comedy. Despite having the complexities of multiple storylines, the series places everything on a single track.

Whether it is the mystery of the Void Century or the truth behind the world’s ruler, the series has several mysteries scattered throughout the story that needs to be solved. One of the most perplexing elements of One Piece is the ringed eyes which several characters seem to possess. 

Not only that, but each character who possesses it has great importance to the story. It’s uncertain what these eyes mean, but there has to be a certain meaning as to why only a handful of characters in One Piece possess ringed eyes.

Im’s ringed eyes can be seen clearly in One Piece

An image of Im's eyes in One Piece

Fans have yet to see the real form of the mysterious ruler Im. However, the only feature that Oda clearly shows is their ringed eyes, which are easy to distinguish even through a silhouette. 

Imu, or some might call them Im, is the world’s true sovereign sitting on the Empty Throne. They appear to possess a powerful ability or weapon capable of completely wiping off islands without a trace.

Mihawk remains one of the most mysterious characters to this day

An image of Mihawk from One Piece

Despite being introduced in the first Saga, fans know almost nothing about the former Warlord Dracule Mihawk. Mihawk is considered the world’s greatest swordsman, but the full extent of his powers is yet to be explored.

In One Piece, he is one of the few characters possessing strange ringed eyes. His nickname, “Hawk’s Eye Mihawk”, comes from his strangely coloured red eyes — yellow in the anime — which resemble a hawk’s eyes.

Zunesha’s ringed eyes in One Piece could foretell its connection to the Void Century

An image of Zunehsa's eyes in One Piece

Zunesha is the oldest living creature introduced in the series, with its lifetime predating even the Void Century. It is a Naitamie-Norida elephant, a species of a gigantic elephant whose legs stretch down to the ocean floor.

Zunesha has exceptional eyesight, which allows it to see faraway places with utmost clarity. The elephant’s sunken sockets make the unique turquoise-ringed irises somewhat difficult to notice.

Luffy’s awakened form has the most unusual appearance, with special eyes

An image of Luffy's eyes in Gear 5

The series reveals that not only does Luffy possess a legendary devil fruit called Hito Hito no Mi: Model Nika, but it is also a mythical Zoan-type, not a Paramecia-type. Luffy takes on a cartoonish form in his awakened state, which is also called Gear 5. 

This power is something the World Government has been trying to acquire for over 800 years, and it somehow ended up in Luffy’s hands. In this form, Luffy has ringed eyes, which again proves that it has some significance in One Piece. 

Hakuba also possess ringed eyes in One Piece

An image of Hakuba from One Piece

Hakuba is the alternate personality of Cavendish, a popular Pirate who met Luffy in Dressrosa and swore allegiance to him. Cavendish is a former prince of the Bourgeois Kingdom but was exiled because of his murderous alter ego. 

Whenever Cavendish speaks, Hakuba takes over his body and slaughters dozens of people. Although Cavendish is talented in swordsmanship, his skills pale in comparison to Hakuba. 

What’s more, whenever Hakuba takes over, his face becomes creepy, and the irises from his eyes disappear. However, when Cavendish struggled to keep Hakuba from taking over, he possessed ringed eyes, both with different colours. 

Big Mom’s ringed eyes appear when she uses certain techniques in One Piece

An image of Big Mom in One Piece

Big Mom is a former Yonko who possesses the power of the Soul-Soul Fruit. Law and Kid defeated her during the “Wano Country Saga.” Although the series never showed her getting killed, her crew believes she didn’t survive the battle. 

Big Mom normally has round, orange eyes with prominent eyelashes. However, whenever she’s on a rampage or uses her full powers, she appears to have the same eyes as Mihawk and Cavendish’s left part.

One Piece can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other anime coverage below:

Genya’s abilities in Demon Slayer | Muzan Kibutsuji abilities in Demon Slayer | Demon Slayer’s The Infinity Castle | Kagaya Ubuyashiki abilities in Demon Slayer | Demon Slayer Thunder Breathing 7th form | The real villain in Hell’s Paradise | Hell’s Paradise’s Elixir of Life | One Piece’s Empty Throne | One Piece creator | One Piece manga hiatuses | One Piece Red Hair Pirates | One Piece Shanks’ twin theory | Bleach vs Naruto | Naruto’s Talk no Jutsu problem