"The flag comes from a long-running Japanese anime and manga series called One Piece, about a rag-tag band of pirates dubbed "the straw hats," who are led by a cheerful character named Monkey D. Luffy and are fighting an oppressive world government. It's become a global pop culture phenomenon, translated into multiple languages, and is now also a live-action Netflix series."
""What makes One Piece so powerful in protest is really the story at its core. It is about a group of misfits, outsiders, rebels, people who do not fit in the system coming together," explains Nuurrianti Jalli, an assistant professor affiliated with the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies, at Yusof Ishak Institute Singapore. "That narrative translates across borders, whether you are in Asia, Africa, or elsewhere," she says."
Gen Z-led protests across Africa and Asia have adopted a grinning skull and crossbones wearing a straw hat as a symbol. The emblem appeared in Nepal, Indonesia, the Philippines, Madagascar, and Morocco amid demonstrations over elite privilege, utility shortages, and poor healthcare. The flag originates from the Japanese anime and manga One Piece, featuring the Straw Hat pirates led by Monkey D. Luffy fighting an oppressive world government. The series has become a global phenomenon and a live-action Netflix series. Experts say the narrative of misfits and outsiders resonates with young people across borders. A Nepali protester who watched the series said the Straw Hat pirates symbolize freedom and liberty.
Read at www.npr.org
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