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When does One Piece take place?

Savannah Howard
One Piece official release posterIMDB

One Piece is one of the longest-running and most popular anime series. But it still has some unanswered questions, like when and where it actually takes place.

One Piece is set in a universe that’s totally different from our own one. In fact, examining a map of One Piece universe shows a world almost entirely dominated by the ocean, with communities split across many islands. But, of course, it still takes inspiration from Earth.

Across the four watery quadrants that form the One Piece world – East Blue, West Blue, North Blue and South Blue – are vicious pirates, small kingdoms, and our beloved Straw Hats crew.

Although we know that the series doesn’t operate along the same timeline as our own. That hasn’t stopped fans from wondering when the anime actually takes place.

What time period is One Piece set in?

Using Noland’s journal as a guide, the current storyline of One Piece takes place in the 16th century. Which is roughly 100-years before the Golden Age of Piracy.

Two calendar systems exist in the One Piece world: Age of the Sea Circle and Age of Heaven. The Age of the Sea Circle, which was used by the explorer Mont Blanc Noland in 1120, enables diligent fans to figure out exactly when the current storyline takes place.

As we know, the Noland flashback was set roughly 400 years before the current events. Since Noland is shown dating his arrival on Jaya to the year 1122. That means if you add 400 years, the events in One Piece are set in 1520 (the early 16th century).

Although, this rough time period isn’t set in stone. As you’ll see in the series, the different islands appear to occupy different time periods. Which is why some islands like Little Garden seem to be stuck back in the stone ages, whereas the Kakakuri Island is filled with futuristic cyborgs and technology.

The One Piece universe

Now we know when One Piece takes place, what about where?

As you can see from the Live Action’s map shown above, the One Piece universe looks nothing like our own. In short, the world is a giant ocean. A singular landmass known as the Red Line divides this ocean, forming a ring around the entire planet and further dividing it into four quadrants: the East Blue, North Blue, South Blue, and West Blue. However, rumors suggest the existence of a mythical fifth ocean called the All Blue.

There are two lines circling the entire One Piece globe, which divide the map. One, as mentioned earlier, is the Red Line. The other is the Grand Line, a treacherous strip of ocean. On both sides of the Grand Line, there exists something known as a Calm Belt. In this region, no wind blows, giant monsters live and only special ships can pass safely through.

However, fans don’t typically question the actual geography of the One Piece universe. What they really want to know is how the Straw Hats nationalities match up with the real world. And, a few years ago, Oda provided us with an answer.

Monkey D. Luffy is Brazil, meaning that Foosha Island is modelled on the South American country. Zoro is from Japan and Nami from Sweden. Oda also confirmed what fans have long suspected by revealing that Tony Tony Chopper’s Drum Island is based on Canada, and Soul King Brook hails from Austria.

Pirates have always been multicultural. So it’s no surprise that Luffy’s crew hails from all parts of the One Piece and our own universe. Although, since its a fictional world, the truth about their origins and their islands is far from black and white.

Did you guess One Piece’s time period or the cultures that inspired the various islands?

How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023

Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US.

If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple:

  1. Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world
  2.  Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica
  3.  Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched

Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference; for example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows.

You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan, or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind.

You can check out our other anime coverage here and our One Piece coverage below:

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