One Piece inspires new slogan by Japanese police

The influence of Eiichiro Oda, creator of One Piece, is spreading into his own local police force, per a reference spotted by residents in Japan.

By this point, One Piece needs no introduction. One of the best anime and manga ever, not to mention one of the longest-running, Eiichiro Oda’s pirate saga has enthralled readers and viewers for generations now.

Luffy and the Straw Hats have become iconic in the process, and you never know where they’ll get a nod next. Like, for instance, a traffic sign.

Spotted in Kumamoto, Japan, where Eiichiro currently resides, the slogan for drivers is now: “I’m going to be the King of Safe Driving!!!”

As One Piece’s universe is full of monarchies, there are plenty of kings strewn across the land, many of whom our pirate protagonists have personally met. Clearly, law enforcement have been keeping up to date and hope to encourage road safety viz the allegorical seven seas.

In the pages of One Piece, we’re heading into the Elbaf Arc, as part of the Final Saga. Yes, that means this whole quest is winding down and Luffy will eventually face Imu and perhaps get the eponymous treasure, but that’s a long way off yet.

Right now, the Straw Hats are trapped in what appears to be a toy box, facing a new Sun God who has some connection to the Elbaf Kingdom. Besides the predicament being compelling in an of itself, this is the second Sun God we know of, the other being an ancient force Luffy channels in his Gear 5 form.

Y’know, typical pirate things, really. Unlike Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen or My Hero Academia, One Piece’s conclusion will be a journey in itself, as evidenced by the 25 years-plus it’s taken to get here. A truly seminal franchise, it may very well outlive another generation of manga upstarts before calling it a day.

You can check out the competition by looking at our guides to Dandadan and Sakamoto Days.