Eight years after the character’s debut, One Piece has finally given its readers a full look at Imu, the secret ruler of the World Government, along with the name of the Devil Fruit used by the villain who will most likely be the final antagonist of the series. It’s one of the biggest reveals in One Piece history, comparable to the debut of Luffy’s Gear 5. While there’s still a lot to be explained about Imu and their powers, one small detail could be a massive hint.
One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda is a master of hype and tension, so of course, Imu’s full look was only revealed in the final panel of chapter 1179. The Straw Hats seemed to have wrapped up the crisis in Elbaph, thanks to the help of the Accursed Prince, Loki, whose massive transformation through the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Model: Nidhöggr, along with the power of his weapon, Ragnir, made short work of the Holy Knights of God who were planning to kidnap the giant children from the island. Seeing the tables turned from Mary Geoise, Imu decides to descend into “the lower world” and take care of the rebels. And so Saint Nerona Imu, creator of the World Government and King of the World, arrives in Elbaph.
In previous chapters, Imu operated by possessing Gunko, one of the Holy Knights, through the Covenant that the ruler bestows on their most faithful servants. However, that wasn’t enough to stop Luffy and Loki, so Imu decides to take drastic measures. A lot of the chapter is spent showing the Five Elders begging Imu not to leave the castle, worried about an unspecified risk. When Imu finally arrives in Elbaph, we see them kneeling and spitting blood, hinting at some weakness affecting them in the lower world. This could explain why Imu spends all their time in secrecy in Pangea Castle; it’s not just the aloofness of an absolute ruler, but perhaps a necessity born from an illness or curse.
Imu’s appearance will be debated by fans for the two weeks between us and the next One Piece chapter (the series is skipping a week, as it often does). We still don’t know their gender, as the face revealed in the final panel has some masculine traits but also long eyelashes, nails, and delicate eyes. The full-body shot in the previous panel, instead, is ripe with details to be dissected. The horns and pointed tail reinforce the idea that Imu is, indeed, the devil of the world of One Piece. If there were still doubts, the name of their Devil Fruit should dispel them: Imu possesses the Akuma no Mi, which was effectively translated in English as “Devil’s Fruit.”
In the Japanese version of the chapter, “Devil” is written in katakana, while that same word in “Devil Fruit” is usually written in kanji in the series. That’s a significant detail. Katakana is used in Japanese for transcribing words that come from foreign languages. One Piece often uses katakana for emphasis, but in this case, there could be a subtler meaning. Imu is the Devil in the Western sense, with pointed tail and horns. Their powers to possess, corrupt souls, and create magic circles all create a strong imagery of occultism and devil worship rooted in Christian religion and Western folklore. The clues to this conclusion were already there, but the name of Imu’s Devil Fruit and the fact that it is written in katakana further reinforce the theory.
There’s also an unexpected, sillier element, however. When Imu lands in Elbaph, the trees and houses in the area become possessed, showing wicked smiles and singing a song to herald their arrival. It’s an interesting parallel to Luffy’s Nika powers, which are equally silly and manipulate the environment for hilarious effects.
Imu’s Devil Fruit being literally the Devil’s Fruit is a stroke of genius. Fans have been wondering about this “devil of the sea” who created these mysterious fruits since the start of the series, and we’re finally close to an explanation.
More will be revealed about Imu’s powers in the upcoming chapters, but for now, fans are busy discussing the villain’s looks. As one user on X noted, based on the proportions of Aurust Castle, Imu should be as tall as Loki, who is massive even by giant standards. Another fan pointed out the similarities between Imu and popular representations of Son Goku, the legendary Monkey King from Chinese myths. Finally, the concentric circles in Imu’s pupils are drawing comparisons with the Rinnegan seen in Naruto, and it would be cool if Oda decided to pay homage to his friend Masashi Kishimoto with this detail.
While most of the attention is understandably focusing on Imu’s looks and powers, the most exciting implication is that, in the next chapter, Luffy will finally come face-to-face with the biggest villain in the series, who embodies the opposite of everything the Straw Hat captain stands for. Sadly for us fans, that’s an indication that One Piece has truly entered its endgame. All good things must come to an end.