"From Paris and Rome to Jakarta, Indonesia, and New York, a curious banner has appeared in protest squares. With hollow cheeks, a broad grin and a straw hat with a red band, the figure is instantly recognizable and has been hoisted by young demonstrators calling for change. In Kathmandu, Nepal, where anger at the government boiled over in September 2025, the flag became the defining image as flames spread through the gates of Singha Durbar, Nepal's ornate palace complex and seat of power."
""One Piece" arrived at the birth of Gen-Z, created in 1997 by Japanese manga artist Eiichiro Oda. Since then, it has sold more than 500 million copies and has a Guinness World Record for its publishing success. It has spawned a long-running TV series, live-action films and a more-than-$20 billion industry, with merchandise licensing alone generating about $720 million each year from Bandai Namco, the company best known for creating Pac-Man and Tekken. At its core, "One Piece" follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as they challenge a corrupt world government while seeking freedom and adventure."
The Straw Hat Jolly Roger from One Piece has appeared as a protest emblem across cities including Paris, Rome, Jakarta, Kathmandu and New York. The image typically appears on a black flag and is used by young demonstrators demanding change. One Piece was created in 1997 by Eiichiro Oda and has sold over 500 million copies, spawning TV shows, films and a $20 billion-plus industry with substantial merchandise revenue. The story centers on Monkey D. Luffy and his crew challenging a corrupt world government while seeking freedom. The flag conveys defiance, perseverance and a Gen Z vocabulary of dissent.
Read at Fortune
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