Continuing "The Story of One Piece Explained" series, I focus on Free Will and Justice. Patreon: www.patreon.co... Twitter: / mrmorjman Discord: / discord TH-camr Ohara: / @ohara-the-fox
I just fucking love your choice to only use manga panels to illustrate your points. I always found the manga to have a more beautiful, mysterious and special atmosphere.
Pedro Caldas With the amount of content in One Piece there is so much material that you can provide evidence for two conflicting theories. It’s called “cherrypicking” and it’s a common occurrence. I’m not saying mr morj does this, but rely on your common sense and reasoning to decide if what someone else makes sense. Often when I make a prediction in One Piece I try to disprove my hypothesis before posting. I make counter arguments and argue against what I want. Doing so often makes your statements a lot more stable against people who don’t believe you. Additionally some line of reasonings can’t directly be shown my any available evidence and common sense is needed. For example, the statement “Akainu won’t be the fleet admiral at the end of the series” we don’t have any precedent to base this off on, however it probably makes sense. But yes, providing evidence for your claims is an amazing thing that mr morj does. Head canoning is clearly enjoyable, but hold up.
@@dylaninfinity9756 Isn't cherrypicking the same thing you did? You said HxH doesn't lay plot armour on thick whilst neglecting the epitome of plot armour in the asspull introduction of Nanika's abilities and his revival of Gon, which when I pointed out you made some BS excuse saying "it's not thick" Gosh, HxH dickriders
Sky Kaizoku-ō When I was using the word thick I was implying HxH doesn’t apply plot armor a lot. Every story regardless of whether their shounen or anime has some kind of instance of plot armor. I was commending HxH for not generally not having characters survive that shouldn’t have survived. HxH often “coddles” Killua and Gon. Somehow Killua was able to fight Youpi albeit for a brief time period really evenly. None of the other characters experienced the massive power up. Just episodes ago they couldn’t even touch Netero nor were they anywhere near Kite. There are issues with HxH I’m aware. However the one thing I was commending it on was the fact the writer isn’t heavy handed with plot armor. By doing so you could understand what a credible threat these enemies posed. I’m not aware of the manga but there aren’t very many instances in the anime where Gon is saved thanks to plot armor, so no for this point I was not cherrypicking.
This dude is criminally underrated in this community. Deserves WAY more subs. The depth he goes into for videos, the thought behind his ideas, the way he articulates those ideas....bravo my man. Just know that those of us here appreciate the work you do.
Only ppl who see with open eyes like us (ppl who understand a deeper meaning of oda's story) can appreciate videos like this. We are the pirates of the real world 👏😂
Man on the Moon Sure, they’re not mutually exclusive terms. Ethical egoism = normative ethical theory about how people ought to behave, anarchism = political philosophy about how society ought to function. They’re highly compatible, so why not!
@@albinjohnsson2511 I agree with you that they're compatible. I was referring to Max Stirner's philosophy though. He says that the egoist rejects pursuit of devotion to a great idea, a good cause, a doctrine, a system, a lofty calling, saying that the egoist has no political calling, but rather lives themselves out without regard to how well or ill humanity may fare thereby. This is commonly accepted as anarcho-egoism
i'd say blackbeard and luffy are both moral nihilists. however, while luffy does what he wants in the name of stopping an oppressor, blackbeard wants to destroy everything in order to create order. the idea doflamingo presents at marineford is the answer to what's wrong with blackbeard's philosophy.
The brilliance of the philosophy of OP is rather than attack several ideas at once, it takes freedom as its base and expands on it as much as possible while maintaining its core. Its simple turned complex rather than complex trying to be simplified. Even the art style mimics this method where overly simplistic art/biomes are made complex the further into the story we get which was inevitable, but helps tell the beautiful story that is One Piece. Appreciate your work bro.
One Piece is so saturated with poorly-constructed theories that people no longer take analytical videos like these seriously, hence the lack of analysis videos for One Piece. It's honestly disheartening and it's a shame you're experiencing the effect of this. Your video deserves MUCH MORE views. One Piece also deserves more dissecting because it does the best in what it does in the shonen category. Only one that comes close is HxH
Sky Kaizoku-ō OP, Fmab and HxH is the holy trinity of battle shonen. The order is based on personal preference. Some prefer HxH more than the other two, and vice versa. All masterpieces on their own.
Ajay Avinash each part has some pretty obvious theming in them tho, especially later on. Part 7 and 8 outright tell you the theme at the start of the story
I've always liked how there's a sort of id-ego-superego dynamic between the bad pirates, good pirates, and the world government. Rather than telling a story about one side versus the other, the Straw Hats are placed in the middle and are forced to contend with both extremes. What I enjoy about these types of stories is that they emphasize the importance of being balanced.
I loved that since the start too because that makes it more deep and "real". But I think the MCs are not in the middle, as they're pirates so they're more, you know, pirates-like than "order"/marines/WG-like xD I also don't think Kurohige's "freedom is the contrary as the authority/too much control of the WG/Marines, because what he does is not freedom, but licentiousess, which is an extermo of believing you're free, but being controling about it because you have no moral compass. Not sure if that explains well my point. Tha things is that the Mugis have an ideal philosophy that gets targeted by both ends anyway want others or not, so yeah LOL.
Wow, this is a great analogy. I am currently playing a game called Xenogears that goes heavily in Freudian and Jungian psychology, id, ego, super-ego, idea of the shadow, enneagram of personality. The story emphasizes balance incredibly, mostly inspired by Jung’s idea of the anima and animus; the importance of the masculine developing their inner opposite (feminine) and vice versa. Absolutely incredible game. The best video game story you will ever play. anyways this stuff fascinates me and I never thought of OP in a Freudian way like this, cheers
I recommend you to read a book called "The many-headed hydra", it's a social History book about pirates, I'm 1000% sure Oda has read it before writing One Piece. The thing I love the most about OP is how it takes a lot from our world's history and translates it into another oversized version of it. One Piece's morals are complex because so are our world's, and if you read that book you'll see that a lot of piracy was exactly how it is depicted in it. One Piece is an AMAZING source for social history and moral philosophy too, which is the main reason I absolutely adore it. Oda is hands down the best world builder and character builder in manga history, and one of the greatest in fiction in general. I'm yet to find a better constructed villain than Doflamingo in any piece of fiction tbh.
Oda really does translate history into One piece. Especially with the wano arc currently. I feel like im reading a less boring version of Japan's history
Aw man, this was amazing. I mean, One Piece is my all time favorite manga and I'm a student in political philosophy, so, like, your video is pretty much everything I love. And, consequently, I have wayyy too much to say about it, but I'll try to keep it short (I mean, as short as I can, because I probably could write a whole book about this). So, first, let's just say that this conflict between absolute authority and pure anarchy has basically been the central problem of political philosophy since the beginning of human history, from Plato to Marx to Foucault and, like, just everyone else. It's just THE question that, if we were able to answer, then we would probably be able to live happily ever after. And you're right, this question is central in OP, and the manga gives no clear answer, which is one of the things that make it pretty amazing. But I think I don't fully agree with you on one point, that is the idea that there is an anarchist "pirates' mentality" which would be like "do whatever you want". I mean, I totally get where you come from and I don't even think you're wrong, but at the same time I think that it is a mistake to consider Luffy's and Blackbeard's ideologies as belonging to the same kind of ideologies. Of course they are very much alike and of course both of them are very closely linked to the concept of freedom, but still, I believe they differ in very very significant ways. And it actually ties in to the concept of "anarchy", which actually has pretty different meanings whether you use it in common language or in political philosophy or politcal science. It's kind of hard to say that the Strawhats are fundamentally anarchists, since they have a leader, Luffy, which is really contradictory with anarchist principles. You could say they are liberals, in the political sense of the term (they value freedom above all else), but it's not exactly true either because they are also egalitarian, they want everyone to have the same freedom and despise any form of unjustfied hierarchy (which would be closer to anarchism). In some aspects they are also close to libertarianism but, once again, not entirely, because they recognize and fight systematic oppression like racism... I believe Blackbeard's ideology can be defined as libertarian, "do whatever the fuck you want to do", but libertarianism is not anarchism, just as Luffy is presented as fundamentally opposed to Blackbeard, because yes, he wants to be able to do whatever he wants to do, but he also wants everyone else to have that liberty, which is in fact a huge difference between both, and a huge difference between anarchism and libertarianism (and yeah as I've already said it would be wrong to label Luffy and his crew as pure anarchists, but that's also precisely what makes them great, you just can't label them, they are in this weird in-between that you just cannot precisely define with pre-existing concepts). So, to me, Luffy and his crew are closer to anarchism than to any other ideology, but 1) their anarchism can absolutely not be reduced to the idea that "you can just do anything you want' (which is the case of anarchism as a philosophy in general I believe) and, 2) some aspects of their philosophy are just plainly in contradiction to any kind of anarchism. And the last thing I'd like to mention is your sentiment about the idea that finding a solution to all this is just a utopia. I mean, maybe it is, I'm not saying it's not, I just firmly believe that trying to build and understand utopias is actually an important and valuable work, which can in fact create a lot of great stuff. In some way it's the same problem I have with the common use of the word "anarchism": it's not because it seems impossible that it is, because the world has already transformed numerous times in ways that seemed not only impossible but just completely unthinkable in the past. (Okay, this was way too long, but, well, I've tried my best)
Not gonna lie, that comment I made that is at he top now, I made it before watching the video. I just wanted to express my gratitude for Morj, for being someone finally giving OP credit and attention it deserves. But, regarding the video: Even though I liked it, It pissed me off how he made the series to be more centrist than it actually is. Also, him making the common mistake of fundemantally not understanding anarchism, but also political spectrum in general.
@@behanort4556 Maybe, but look at it this way; It's the first step towards genuine in-depth discussion on the philosophy and themes of One Piece. If someone in the future has anything to add, they can make their own. Thus resulting in people giving One Piece more of the analysis it deserves.
@@redx589 You may have a point. But, for the most part, most people in this day and age are either centrists or neolibs, and as such, are most likely to analyze art through their "MUH BOTH SIDES BAD!" framework. Which is a shame, because One Piece is a truly complex story filled with hundreds of diffrent themes, and I'm 100% certain it does not fit within the horseshoe theory
@@behanort4556 Agreed! This video was so great until the last couple of minutes when Morj inserted his own morality into it by saying that there is no real world solution (classic centrism) and that increased freedom will always require some powerful centralized authority to bring wrong-doers into check. It's true that there needs to be some powerful force to bring wrong-doers into check, but the idea that it has to be a centralized authority like a state or military is pure neoliberal/centrist propaganda. We can definitely move beyond centralized authority and develop community empowerment to protect ourselves and keep up the never-ending fight against freedom. Thanks for adding. And same to Lucille LACROIX, building utopia is a never-ending project, but I can't stand centrists who act like doing nothing is the rational choice because "both options are imperfect"!
@@casperg3rl789 Ohara imo made a great essay on OP's version of "grey morality". Basically, instead of going for an easy "A & B are equally flawed", Oda decides to show people having their very own, unique goals, ideologies and moral codes, that can vairy from well-meaning, but ultimetly misguided Sengoku, to a ruthless fanatic like Sakazuki, ending on Big Mom, who may or may not be an actual demon ( or at least an antichrist, but who knows tbh)
In other words, both sides can be bad. The Strawhats are basically chaotic neutral forces, who are willing to do heroics because of the relationships they form with the oppressed. In fact, it's often the supporting characters who spout out the big morals instead of the main characters.
I'd say the Straw Hats are Lawful Neutral! They're neutral because they don't care about anyone's law, they just kind of follow their own interests and feelings, but they're lawful, because they're principled people with specific values and standards and things that they very much care about deeply.
@@m.pensive That's not what Lawful means you dumb fuck. Seriously, what do you people even consider Chaotic, then? Who would you see as Chaotic Good? And what's the difference between Chaotic Neutral and Chaotic Evil?
@@m.pensive , Luffy is either Chaotic Good or Chaotic Neutral depending on the arcs he’s in, so if anything he’s closer to Truly Neutral than a Lawful Good Person like Naruto, Sengoku, Garp, Koby, Fujitora, or Smoker for that matter.
It really makes me mad when people talk about One Piece as "typical shonen". By "people", I mostly mean creators who cover anime, but don't mainly talk about OP, and general anime fandom. They act as if One Piece is just this another mainstream shonen series, and when they say "shonen", they mean: - dumb, - without depth - literally evey conflict is solved by "POwEr oF fRenDsHip" (which as we all know, is a bad, and a "sHoNeN cLIcHe" , which makes it double bad) - mindless entertaiment made for, and enjoyed by the normies, - it's "tropes" need to be "dEcOnStRucTeD" in order to be worthy of analysis Mathwiz made an excellent video, talking about how people tend to misrepresnt, and looked down upon this genre (mostly in the context of Bleach). Anyway, as always: You are the best OP youtber out there, Mr Morj-senpai!
@@Blackmage456 still, even though shonen now seems to either mean "mindless trash" at worst, or "guilty pleasure" at best, this genre remains to be most dominant, most refrenced, and the most talked about in all of western manga/anime community. Sometimes, I really don't understand us, weebs
I really do admire One Piece for its creative use of the hierarchical power structures. I always felt that it was very self-aware in slapping the generic "goodguy" "badguy" labels on pirates and marines alike, but it addresses the illusion of those power hierarchies being just surprisingly early (with Coby and Luffy's meeting, as you stated). The reason I believe it is an excellent world-building tool is because not only does the reader get to, both consciously and unconsciously, contemplate who is in doing the "right" thing in the current situation and vice versa, but it is made extremely easy to follow through the reflections of those moral dilemmas in the Straw Hats and other major characters. Good video.
A literary work that will stand the test of time and become a classic is one that explores the fundamental duality of chaos and order. One Piece is truly a literary masterpiece that transcend borders and culture. Thanks Mr. Morj for making these videos.
One Piece has very strong anarchist and revolutionary themes, which is part of the reason why I love it so much. It well and truly embraces the idea of freedom
Anarchy and chaos are used interchangeably. Luffy encompasses much of anarchy, absence of government and absolute freedom of the individual, regarded as a political ideal. There are many different versions of anarchy though freedom and lack of heiracy are in most. Most still set systems so everything moves forward. A state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority or other controlling systems. Example of anarchy? A police officer not writing you up for jaywalking.
@@ADerpyReality I know your point, but a police officer shouldn't even write you a ticket for thinking you're walking in a wrong manner. That's so stupid and cartoonishly authoritarian.
I literally can't think of any other franchise (let alone manga or any other Japanese franchise) that subverts and deconstructs authority the same way One Piece does. The WG has full institutional and political power yet they're clearly bad guys that have brainwashed 99% of people and yet Luffy doesn't care that they are as long as they stay out of his way.
The best aspect of One Piece´s take on Good vs Evil is that it isn´t really Pirates vs Marines. It is freedom vs oppression. And oppression can be represented by both pirates and marines.
Go donate a dollar to this man, what is that , a dollar a month for man that is changing perspective or better way to put it opening mind to many uninformed and ignorant fans, Mr Morj and Craftsdwarf are gold of this community, they deserve support
I always loved this ideology about One Piece but was never able to properly put it into words. You perfectly summed up the conflict of order vs. chaos that makes One Piece’s narrative so engaging. I really appreciate someone like you being able to explain the overarching meaning behind the series so well!
I've always read One Piece's story not as a conflict between systems but between individuals. For every Luffy there is a Black Beard, for every Akinu there is an Akoji and, for every King Riku there is a Doflamingo. Be it freedom, authority, or physical might good people will use them for good and bad people for bad. I don't think Oda cares if totalitarianism or anarchy wins so long as good triumphs over evil.
@@MechaStorm7 Yeah they crossed it to get Sanji's food and party together :D the interesting detail is that if you look at 10:48 Smoker is the only one who never crossed the line, and is still sitting behind where the old line was
It's a very Shin Megami Tensei-esque setup which also pits two insane sides of law and chaos against each other and typically the neutral side is the best solution. I think there's some Buddhist philosophy underpinning all of this, maybe about balance being good. I would also disagree with most other shonen being simple good side vs. Bad side stories, most of the stories where heroes join a organization are shady. The Gotei 13, the hunters, the magic knights, the heroes all have their own shady characters. Still the organization is good, but the bad apples and elements should be removed. I think the most typical stance for Shonen stories even One Piece is that the status quo is good, but you must remove the bad apples. One Piece has the revolutionaries, who are the most positively portrayed group so far and they just want the current world government without the Celestial dragons. I think this fits with the more conservative Japanese worldview where, tradition, hierarchy, and the status quo are important. I mean the arcs about Luffy helping out kingdoms are to go back to the old ways.
Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water, right? I can agree with that. When someone develops a tumor, you only remove an entire organ if the entire thing is infected from top to bottom. But if it’s just a small tumor, then it’s just a matter of cutting out the infection from the body. In most cases, that’s for the best, because replacing an entire organ runs the risk of the body rejecting it. Meanwhile cutting only a small piece out allows the organ to repair itself naturally. The same can be said for governments. While restructuring a flawed government can be more difficult than simply replacing it, sometimes the devil you know really is better than the one you don’t.
@@zhakartheambitious2652 No shit dude. I know reality is currently different. But thats the whole point. "If" all Pirates were like Luffy the government wouldn't need to crack down on pirates. Luffy's way is the correct answer to the problem. Do what you want. Just don't be a dick. lol.
i would say order vs chaos, not anarchy. we need to get away from the idea that chaos=anarchy or anarchy =chaos. anarchy means without masters/ lords. so it does not necessarily correlate with chaos; chaos may come about because of it, but they are not mutually exclusive...other wise, amazing analysis as always.
Good analysis but I disagree. One Piece is actually a brilliant way to illustrate that the answer to our dilemmas lay elsewhere than we originally think. Much like you, you focus on order vs chaos which seems an unsolvable dilemma as too much of either leads to problems. However, Oda's actual point, I believe is not whether you institute order or chaos through your actions but the role of leadership itself. It is about leading by example, not by force or demand. It is about being capable of taking responsibility for your actions and having others follow. Notice how the badguys in One Piece never actually feel responsible? Vice versa, the positive characters are always weighed down by an overwhelming sense of responsibility. This could be a very long post but I'll end it here. Hope you see what I mean.
Intressting point but I don't see where you and Mr Morj disagree. The theme disscussed in this video are at no odds with the theme of leadership. In fact Mr Morj has disscussed this exact theme of leadership in both multiple of his videos, such as his video about themes in Wano.
Great video as usual! At first I was a little hesitant to say One Piece is unique for the way it sets up its conflict, but the more I thought about it, the more you're right that most stories will still simply focus on one even if it sets up two, which One Piece doesn't fall into. I think there's likely some good additional examples of this in fantasy novels, at least moreso than in movies and manga, but I don't think there are many. I think the elephant in the room is how much the themes of One Piece are similar to certain real life philosophies and political theories. Not that I really want to be discussing that can of worms, but it does surprise me I haven't seen more of it. Feels like certain groups could very easily latch on to One Piece's themes (though perhaps at the surface level more than the real answer).
I think it's not discussed because One Piece isn't really a very political manga per se! I don't think anyone views Oda as a political individual who has a message to preach. And really, that's what makes One Piece so appealing, it has values but it's not preachy! it shows rather than telling, which is the correct way of portraying philosophy OR politics in a fictional setting. The reason why this is great is because the story just lays out the facts, it shows plainly the reality of the situation in this fictional world, and leaves it all open for reader interpretation, so that YOU can reach your own philosophical/political conclusions without the story having to tell you "yeah this position is the best one to have." And by having it be in a fictional setting not related to any real world nations or states or anything of the sort, the relationship between what happens in the story and what happens in real life is also left up to interpretation, so the story has a heart, and a spirit, but not an opinion. I think that's genius. However, we do have to see how the driving conflict plays out throughout the ending of the story for us to really conclude whether or not the manga wants to actually tell us something very specific, so keep an eye out for that!
Wow the last few minutes of this video almost made me cry. "So which is worse? Absolute authority or anarchy?" Wow! So basically the summary of the video: Absolute authority and anarchy are both mostly bad but we know that in the end Luffy and the strawhats will be the winners and have AUTHORITY to rule the world but since the strawhats are not oppressive like it will feel like there is no authority but anarchy (freedom) in a good way. Oda truly is a genius and thank you Mr Morj you are awesome.
Every single time I watch one of your videos on one piece its so eye opening and intelligent - it really brings out aspects of the story I haven't even considered or thought of in these ways. If you ever do delve into other series with this kind of analytic level of discussion, i'd be more than happy to see those too
Good vid. I mostly agree with you, your understanding of one piece and of course your fascination. Nevertheless there are some points up to discussion: 1. You confuse Anarchy with Anomie (but i get the meanig). Check out the definitions. 2. I think it´s not only about authority vs freedom. Surely we are given examples of absolute authority and absolute feedom, but more for a dramatic purpose. It´s also about individualism: what is more important? Individuality or the greater good? Egoism vs altruism. It concerns the fundamental questions of the human nature: who are we? what makes us human? what do we want? 3. And i think that´s why we are rooting for the straw-hats. Every member has a dream and he wants to reach it no matter what. This is egoism and it´s neither good nor bad. Good and evil are only relative concepts. They are indipendent individuals. But that´s not all. They sacrifice everyrthing for their friends if necessary. This is altruism. Clearly they evolve over time and become more mature. But in a world with set rules and morals (similar to ours), they don´t give in and keep their individuality.
Wow, wooow I never would’ve guessed anyone would take the time to break down Oda’s masterpiece to its core and discuss its genius in depth .. kudos to you sir, and the effort you put into this is duly appreciated
Love you man. Great video. It will be an even greater day when you apply this same logic to the real world. The line, "the viewer favors freedom over absolute authority, but prefer order over chaos." This line is the dictating line of the human condition itself, especially in this day and age. The Dream is the realest thing that exist.
I've always sorta thought that One Piece isn't trying to preach any sort of truth (when it comes to this stuff), it's... well, basically just representing real conflicts, why they exist and why they will pretty much always exist. When one power rises, another will oppose it. People create systems of government in order to maintain order, because order is predictable and therefore "safe". Pirates are chaotic--if a pirate ship docks, all a civilian population can do is wait and hope those pirates aren't here to pilage. This uncertainty makes people feel unsafe and turn to the government--especially people with a strong sense of justice, community and responsibility. The intelligent people who are aware of the government's shortcomings believe this is a net improvement for the overall population of the world (and... I largely have to agree). The problems--things that those in power choose to sacrifice for what they believe to be the "greater good"--result in the formation of the Revolutionary Army, anti-government pirates and even local insurgencies. Ironically, this only leads the world government to further assert its power and military. The division becomes more and more clear as those involved develop/cling to their own ideologies. I think Luffy is, in this aspect, someone who judges people on an individual level. He is the perfect leader for his small crew, but he wouldn't be for a country--and he is aware of this. He doesn't have a belief on how the world should be run, and fixing these conflicts is not his goal. He didn't join the fight at Marineford to support some greater ideology, it was personal. Many of the pirates in that battle likely didn't know Ace but would still lay down their lives for him because he is their brother, regardless of the individual relationship. The marines likely don't personally think Ace should die, but trust in the system that they've dedicated their lives to--even in the face of someone as terrifying as Whitebeard. Luffy is there to save his brother. With every movement he can control, he is running straight towards his brother while others stop to get in fights or organize to manifest their strategies. That said, Luffy has a complex understanding of individuals. He can see through people quickly and figure out exactly what action needs to be taken against/for them. Not only that, he has a complex understanding of himself... just not where he fits in the world. At least... not until Marineford. This is how he knows his limits, and doesn't try to do everything himself, instead relying on his friends. This personal understanding of those around him causes him to value people in a way that few others in One Piece are able to comprehend--to the point where he would happily sacrifice his own life for their sakes in a heartbeat. Which is why it's all the more heartbreaking when they are taken from him, without even giving him the opportunity to lay down his life to save them. How they weren't doing something brave or that he could ultimately appreciate... they were looking to him, their source of security, for help that he couldn't give. The amazing thing about Luffy is that he has no real big-picture philosophy. That a world full of Luffys would collapse into chaos very quickly... but a world devoid of people like him would eat itself. In a world caught up in a genuinely thought-provoking and complicated ideological conflict, he reminds people that the present exists and there is value in it. While it isn't always a great idea to constantly do what you personally think is right, it is important to remember where you are and what is going on around you. This is a point that Oda communicated over and over and over again, as almost all of the antagonists, "good guys" and conflicted characters are trapped in the bigger picture, unable to see what is happening right here and right now. It's why he is underestimated by Bellamy, who placed more stock in bounties than Luffy as an individual. It's why Doflamingo seemed invincible and why Law was so instrumental in actually getting Luffy directly in front of Doflamingo... because while he was practically invulnerable in the bigger picture, he was still just a person (however powerful) when it came down to an actual fight. Over and over, characters overtly rely on their reputation, plans, ideology and structure, all of which are toppled by direct conflict... because none of those things really exist in the moment. Fights and the here-and-now are Luffy's territory. I think this is why the show is such a deep/meaningful comfort to many of us... because it deals with very real struggles that we have. Going to work, school or whatever is sacrificing the moment for money, an education, a degree, etc. So much time is dedicated to long-term goals that being able to exist 100% right here and now is a gift that went away with our childhood... which is also why I think Luffy's behavior is often compared to that of a child, lol. He is actually really honest, mature, etc--he just held on to important qualities that our adult lives don't really allow us to keep... what's more amazing is that he does grow more and more thoughtful/mature without sacrificing this important part of his character. Personally, I think Luffy's genius isn't in simplicity, but in his transparency. He is always thinking, reacting and judging, but he does so openly--letting everyone know his intent... for better or worse. Then he confronts opponents in fair, direct ways, because the long-term outcome isn't what he values. I love it. It's been my favorite show ever since the first time I watched through... well, Enies Lobby. Since then, it has only further risen above its competition in my mind to where I don't even include it in my "favorites" lists anymore, because it's assumed that it will be the top of every category it's in. Well, thanks for reading my nerdy brain-dump. That's all, I suppose.
I almost teared up watching this amazing video. Everything I thought about One Piece was put into words. I can’t even come close to explaining this the way you did. To think Oda made a story like this is mind blowing. That’s why he’s the GOAT and so is this series. I applaud you for this video man GREAT FUCKING WORK!
I agree with almost all of what you are saying, but there is just one thing that I don't agree with, and that is the miss using of the word Anarchy. It is misleading as with anarchism and all the theology around it means the tipe of freedom that Luffy wants to achieve... I think that with the right research on Anarchism everybody would agree and I also think that unfortunately most of the time the word "anarchy" is exchanged with the word "chaos"... For the rest I like a lot the video and I share your prospective on the opera, you are doing a great job with your channel!!!
I discovered your channel today, and after checking out every video I just had come here and really thank you for the amazing content. You have reignited my passion for the series
I think any authority that's supranational is pretty much bad. There's no way One Piece would make me change that. The world government and its marines is bad.
Very good video, and the argument is totally right, one piece have a depth that some people may not perceive. Now, about the answer of all that, i think, one piece shows that one man can't change the world, but it can give hope to the world( gold roger, luffy) hope, faith to keep humanity fire burning, so it won't be crushed by the fact that the struggle betwen freedom and authority, chaos and order, might be eternal. There will always be a dream, a hope, a ONE PIECE. And i think the characteristic that both luffy and roger shows that are very connected to all this, its their capacity, or willingness to judge people as individuals, as to what they do and believe and never as members of a group, or race, or anything.
Man I wouldnt really hate Akainu, if only he wasnt involved with Ohara. Without Ohara, all his actions would be justified. Killing the deserted officer(not moral by today's standards but realistic considering what we've heard about old times like in world war period or even before etc). Or standing up to Coby and trying to kill him in heat of battle etc. Executing Ace was probably not right since Marines wanted to do so coz he was son of PK, but Ace was also a criminal, at least defined by WG. Now we are not shown this, but I like to believe that One Piece is mature and complex and hence it makes sense that Ace has done terrible things to get to where he is, like bounty hunting people, taking law into his own hands causing destruction to property, lives of innocent civilians and marines in the process and so forth. However it probably is also not right to execute him when they have far more dangerous criminals in Impel Down. It indeed is a dilemma. Now we also dont know what background Akainu has. Maybe his wife was killed, raped by pirates and or maybe his parents were killed and yet the pirates who did so did not receive justice? Hence his ideology for absolute justice? I hope Oda gives a meaningful and believable reasons as to why Akainu is so hellbent on absolute justice. I dont want Oda to write him off as an evil character just coz he has to be for plot progression. Of course would be great to see him die at hands of Sabo or better yet someone else in a way that we are all surprised.
Even without Ohara, he was willing to keep fighting a war at Marineford when he could have stopped and healed the wounds of the injured marines, since the pirates were no longer trying to fight. In a sense Akainu's motto is actually beneficial to the world, since he's absolutely relentless in killing and capturing the pirates who wreck havoc on the lives of civilians, but sometimes it comes at the cost of disregarding the lives of citizens and marines. I think the difference between people like Fujitora and Akainun is that the former fights pirates out of concern for the people, whereas Akainu fights pirates out of hate for rebels against the WG. That's what allows him to burn ship full of innocent people due to the mere possibility of there being a single scholar aboard.
@@Nathan-tg4gu The anime makes it seem like a children fairy tail. There is no one thats 100% good. Even Fujitora must have committed sins. Aokiji himself was ready to kill Robin for nothing. Kizaru is just lazy like Garp and Sen Goku. A lot of people question why Akainu didnt stop slavery etc, but they forget that Garp or Sen Goku dint do jack shit in the first place too. For a world like one piece we need people like akain(minus the ohara)
Dude, you make want to rewatch one piece from episode 1. You're soo good at detailing everything that's open for discussion but also rooted in your facts and opinions that are fluid. Well done!!!
This is pure gold. I always loved one piece mainly due to its realistic representation on Philosophy even after being a fictional work with fantasy . So glad someone made such a majestic video about it.
Wonderful video Good Job One Piece is a Master Piece BUT WHAT BOTHERS ME is that why odda is choosing the pirates side Why luffy is a pirate in the first place It would be much better if he joined his father into the revolutionary army to free people. Idk Don't get it
What Luffy really wants is to be the freest man and for him, the Pirate King is the freest. Thus, his dream is to find One Piece and become the Pirate King.
This is one of my most favourite video on the Internet. Morj has outdone himself on this one. The idea was so well presented in simple words. Really brought ought the true beauty of the dichotomy of Authority and Freedom in the world of one piece paralleled to our own relatily.
Holy shit a Morj video! We are all blessed on this day haha. Amazing amazing content. didn't know you were posting today so this was a beautiful suprise. Unrivaled analysis and breakdown of One Piece. at this point your long form videos are so consistently brilliant, youre the Pirate King of OP analysis in my eyes haha. Keep it up!
The philosophy that you should sink into yourself has been around. I believe Luffy always acts for himself as he may be helping someone but he always does it for himself. He's not gonna put blame if he fails hell take responsibility and prepare. I believe acting for yourself isn't a dangerous idea and can be healthy with a decisive and strategic behavior. I believe in this idea myself.
I think Luffy does it better than most heroes. He lives life free, but lives also by a moral code. He's far from perfect, but he doesn't try to be perfect. His flaws are there for all to see. He's selfish, gluttonous, moronic, and stubborn. But at the same time he's kind, compassionate, selfless, brave, and in many ways self actualized. He doesn't care if people hate him or not , but also knows he needs his friends and listens to them because they matter. He may be doing what he wants, but he does have sense of right and wrong; a sense of honor. Like Whitebeard said: "You can't live in this world without a code of conduct". Luffy shows me that when you're free, you can accomplish anything. Someone who is free is capable of great good or evil, but what also matters is having the drive to pursue. Luffy isn't trying to be the perfect hero, he's a good person being himself in a world that's constantly trying to conform us to a standard. That is something very few people ever truly achieve in life.
The philosophy of One Piece is better reflected in the German Conservative Revolution: you can find it between Ernst von Salomon (The Outlaws), Ernst Jünger (Eumeswil, On Pain), Friedrich Nietzsche (Thus Spoke Zarathustra, The Will To Power) and Arthur Moeller van der Bruck (The Third Empire). I have written part 1 of an article on this.
I love the analysis and breakdown! Thank you for taking the time to do it! I do wish you had included the Revolutionary Army and their own view though, I feel like they have a more middle ground philosophy...
Well played mr morj. The moment i saw your shanks arc way back i was totally IN. Daaaamn. You really thought this through. Kudos. Thaank youuu for making us happy and giving us insights about OP.
It was not rocket science why one piece became most highest selling manga and difference b/w #1 #2 are Enomorous. It was because it was different, unique simply out of ordinary. And that is reason to this date upto 900+ chapters in.. People wait for its chapter like nothing. More people join up the adventure and being addicted to it. Well the haters, i guarantee you 90% are those who're jealous of it of how popular or loving it is among its fan folloowing or theyre fans of other series and that series isn't getting as much love as our love. That is why you'd see and only in this case only "... Far better than One Piece".
I just fucking love your choice to only use manga panels to illustrate your points. I always found the manga to have a more beautiful, mysterious and special atmosphere.
Pedro Caldas With the amount of content in One Piece there is so much material that you can provide evidence for two conflicting theories. It’s called “cherrypicking” and it’s a common occurrence. I’m not saying mr morj does this, but rely on your common sense and reasoning to decide if what someone else makes sense.
Often when I make a prediction in One Piece I try to disprove my hypothesis before posting. I make counter arguments and argue against what I want. Doing so often makes your statements a lot more stable against people who don’t believe you.
Additionally some line of reasonings can’t directly be shown my any available evidence and common sense is needed. For example, the statement “Akainu won’t be the fleet admiral at the end of the series” we don’t have any precedent to base this off on, however it probably makes sense.
But yes, providing evidence for your claims is an amazing thing that mr morj does. Head canoning is clearly enjoyable, but hold up.
@@dylaninfinity9756 Isn't cherrypicking the same thing you did? You said HxH doesn't lay plot armour on thick whilst neglecting the epitome of plot armour in the asspull introduction of Nanika's abilities and his revival of Gon, which when I pointed out you made some BS excuse saying "it's not thick"
Gosh, HxH dickriders
Sky Kaizoku-ō When I was using the word thick I was implying HxH doesn’t apply plot armor a lot. Every story regardless of whether their shounen or anime has some kind of instance of plot armor.
I was commending HxH for not generally not having characters survive that shouldn’t have survived.
HxH often “coddles” Killua and Gon. Somehow Killua was able to fight Youpi albeit for a brief time period really evenly. None of the other characters experienced the massive power up. Just episodes ago they couldn’t even touch Netero nor were they anywhere near Kite.
There are issues with HxH I’m aware. However the one thing I was commending it on was the fact the writer isn’t heavy handed with plot armor. By doing so you could understand what a credible threat these enemies posed.
I’m not aware of the manga but there aren’t very many instances in the anime where Gon is saved thanks to plot armor, so no for this point I was not cherrypicking.
Love your comment
Dylan Infinity Apologies if I sounded rude. I was being attacked by HxH fans else where 😂
This dude is criminally underrated in this community. Deserves WAY more subs. The depth he goes into for videos, the thought behind his ideas, the way he articulates those ideas....bravo my man. Just know that those of us here appreciate the work you do.
Only ppl who see with open eyes like us (ppl who understand a deeper meaning of oda's story) can appreciate videos like this.
We are the pirates of the real world 👏😂
Arrrgh for pirates!
I found him by mere chance because YT recommended him to me, otherwise who knows how long it would have taken me.
@@gravellergear4703 aye aye capt'n
World government: totalitarian divine command theory
Pirates in general: ethical egoism
Doflamingo: meta-ethical nihilism
Robin: act utilitarianism
Luffy: situational ethics
Sanji: romanticism
Zoro: stoicism / bushido
Nami: laissez-faire capitalism
I'd say Pirates in general are anarcho-egoists
Man on the Moon Sure, they’re not mutually exclusive terms. Ethical egoism = normative ethical theory about how people ought to behave, anarchism = political philosophy about how society ought to function. They’re highly compatible, so why not!
@@albinjohnsson2511 I agree with you that they're compatible. I was referring to Max Stirner's philosophy though. He says that the egoist rejects pursuit of devotion to a great idea, a good cause, a doctrine, a system, a lofty calling, saying that the egoist has no political calling, but rather lives themselves out without regard to how well or ill humanity may fare thereby. This is commonly accepted as anarcho-egoism
Man on the Moon Ah, I see! Yeah, that seems to fit perfectly :)
i'd say blackbeard and luffy are both moral nihilists. however, while luffy does what he wants in the name of stopping an oppressor, blackbeard wants to destroy everything in order to create order. the idea doflamingo presents at marineford is the answer to what's wrong with blackbeard's philosophy.
The brilliance of the philosophy of OP is rather than attack several ideas at once, it takes freedom as its base and expands on it as much as possible while maintaining its core. Its simple turned complex rather than complex trying to be simplified. Even the art style mimics this method where overly simplistic art/biomes are made complex the further into the story we get which was inevitable, but helps tell the beautiful story that is One Piece. Appreciate your work bro.
Oh! It's Here! It's about time too. You surpassed my expectations on this one Morj. This really came out nice.
You really are on a whole league of your own within the One Piece community. Splendid job Morj!
he desrieves more subs and likes
One Piece is so saturated with poorly-constructed theories that people no longer take analytical videos like these seriously, hence the lack of analysis videos for One Piece. It's honestly disheartening and it's a shame you're experiencing the effect of this. Your video deserves MUCH MORE views.
One Piece also deserves more dissecting because it does the best in what it does in the shonen category. Only one that comes close is HxH
One Piece, HxH and JJBA are the Holy Trinity of shonen
@@behanort4556
FullMetal Alchemist, One Piece and HXH
@@behanort4556 eventhough I liked and watched JJBA fully... I don't know how its deep and has a strong theme
Sky Kaizoku-ō OP, Fmab and HxH is the holy trinity of battle shonen. The order is based on personal preference. Some prefer HxH more than the other two, and vice versa. All masterpieces on their own.
Ajay Avinash each part has some pretty obvious theming in them tho, especially later on. Part 7 and 8 outright tell you the theme at the start of the story
I've always liked how there's a sort of id-ego-superego dynamic between the bad pirates, good pirates, and the world government. Rather than telling a story about one side versus the other, the Straw Hats are placed in the middle and are forced to contend with both extremes. What I enjoy about these types of stories is that they emphasize the importance of being balanced.
*thanos voice* it's all about...balance
I loved that since the start too because that makes it more deep and "real".
But I think the MCs are not in the middle, as they're pirates so they're more, you know, pirates-like than "order"/marines/WG-like xD
I also don't think Kurohige's "freedom is the contrary as the authority/too much control of the WG/Marines, because what he does is not freedom, but licentiousess, which is an extermo of believing you're free, but being controling about it because you have no moral compass.
Not sure if that explains well my point. Tha things is that the Mugis have an ideal philosophy that gets targeted by both ends anyway want others or not, so yeah LOL.
Wow, this is a great analogy. I am currently playing a game called Xenogears that goes heavily in Freudian and Jungian psychology, id, ego, super-ego, idea of the shadow, enneagram of personality. The story emphasizes balance incredibly, mostly inspired by Jung’s idea of the anima and animus; the importance of the masculine developing their inner opposite (feminine) and vice versa. Absolutely incredible game. The best video game story you will ever play.
anyways this stuff fascinates me and I never thought of OP in a Freudian way like this, cheers
@@EmeraldaKasim It's definitely on my to-play list. I hear nothing but good things!
@@sakura5sango6I think the true middle is the revolutionary army
I recommend you to read a book called "The many-headed hydra", it's a social History book about pirates, I'm 1000% sure Oda has read it before writing One Piece. The thing I love the most about OP is how it takes a lot from our world's history and translates it into another oversized version of it. One Piece's morals are complex because so are our world's, and if you read that book you'll see that a lot of piracy was exactly how it is depicted in it. One Piece is an AMAZING source for social history and moral philosophy too, which is the main reason I absolutely adore it. Oda is hands down the best world builder and character builder in manga history, and one of the greatest in fiction in general. I'm yet to find a better constructed villain than Doflamingo in any piece of fiction tbh.
Oda really does translate history into One piece. Especially with the wano arc currently. I feel like im reading a less boring version of Japan's history
@@pen3169 lmao not quite, but I see what you mean 😂
One Piece is like an onion. It has layers and makes me cry
😂👏👏👏✌
And tastes great
Onions taste great?
Or One Piece tastes great?
@@misters6749 both
Oof. What mood
Aw man, this was amazing. I mean, One Piece is my all time favorite manga and I'm a student in political philosophy, so, like, your video is pretty much everything I love. And, consequently, I have wayyy too much to say about it, but I'll try to keep it short (I mean, as short as I can, because I probably could write a whole book about this).
So, first, let's just say that this conflict between absolute authority and pure anarchy has basically been the central problem of political philosophy since the beginning of human history, from Plato to Marx to Foucault and, like, just everyone else. It's just THE question that, if we were able to answer, then we would probably be able to live happily ever after. And you're right, this question is central in OP, and the manga gives no clear answer, which is one of the things that make it pretty amazing.
But I think I don't fully agree with you on one point, that is the idea that there is an anarchist "pirates' mentality" which would be like "do whatever you want". I mean, I totally get where you come from and I don't even think you're wrong, but at the same time I think that it is a mistake to consider Luffy's and Blackbeard's ideologies as belonging to the same kind of ideologies. Of course they are very much alike and of course both of them are very closely linked to the concept of freedom, but still, I believe they differ in very very significant ways. And it actually ties in to the concept of "anarchy", which actually has pretty different meanings whether you use it in common language or in political philosophy or politcal science.
It's kind of hard to say that the Strawhats are fundamentally anarchists, since they have a leader, Luffy, which is really contradictory with anarchist principles. You could say they are liberals, in the political sense of the term (they value freedom above all else), but it's not exactly true either because they are also egalitarian, they want everyone to have the same freedom and despise any form of unjustfied hierarchy (which would be closer to anarchism). In some aspects they are also close to libertarianism but, once again, not entirely, because they recognize and fight systematic oppression like racism... I believe Blackbeard's ideology can be defined as libertarian, "do whatever the fuck you want to do", but libertarianism is not anarchism, just as Luffy is presented as fundamentally opposed to Blackbeard, because yes, he wants to be able to do whatever he wants to do, but he also wants everyone else to have that liberty, which is in fact a huge difference between both, and a huge difference between anarchism and libertarianism (and yeah as I've already said it would be wrong to label Luffy and his crew as pure anarchists, but that's also precisely what makes them great, you just can't label them, they are in this weird in-between that you just cannot precisely define with pre-existing concepts). So, to me, Luffy and his crew are closer to anarchism than to any other ideology, but 1) their anarchism can absolutely not be reduced to the idea that "you can just do anything you want' (which is the case of anarchism as a philosophy in general I believe) and, 2) some aspects of their philosophy are just plainly in contradiction to any kind of anarchism.
And the last thing I'd like to mention is your sentiment about the idea that finding a solution to all this is just a utopia. I mean, maybe it is, I'm not saying it's not, I just firmly believe that trying to build and understand utopias is actually an important and valuable work, which can in fact create a lot of great stuff. In some way it's the same problem I have with the common use of the word "anarchism": it's not because it seems impossible that it is, because the world has already transformed numerous times in ways that seemed not only impossible but just completely unthinkable in the past.
(Okay, this was way too long, but, well, I've tried my best)
Not gonna lie, that comment I made that is at he top now, I made it before watching the video. I just wanted to express my gratitude for Morj, for being someone finally giving OP credit and attention it deserves. But, regarding the video:
Even though I liked it, It pissed me off how he made the series to be more centrist than it actually is. Also, him making the common mistake of fundemantally not understanding anarchism, but also political spectrum in general.
@@behanort4556 Maybe, but look at it this way; It's the first step towards genuine in-depth discussion on the philosophy and themes of One Piece. If someone in the future has anything to add, they can make their own. Thus resulting in people giving One Piece more of the analysis it deserves.
@@redx589 You may have a point. But, for the most part, most people in this day and age are either centrists or neolibs, and as such, are most likely to analyze art through their "MUH BOTH SIDES BAD!" framework. Which is a shame, because One Piece is a truly complex story filled with hundreds of diffrent themes, and I'm 100% certain it does not fit within the horseshoe theory
@@behanort4556 Agreed! This video was so great until the last couple of minutes when Morj inserted his own morality into it by saying that there is no real world solution (classic centrism) and that increased freedom will always require some powerful centralized authority to bring wrong-doers into check.
It's true that there needs to be some powerful force to bring wrong-doers into check, but the idea that it has to be a centralized authority like a state or military is pure neoliberal/centrist propaganda. We can definitely move beyond centralized authority and develop community empowerment to protect ourselves and keep up the never-ending fight against freedom. Thanks for adding. And same to Lucille LACROIX, building utopia is a never-ending project, but I can't stand centrists who act like doing nothing is the rational choice because "both options are imperfect"!
@@casperg3rl789 Ohara imo made a great essay on OP's version of "grey morality". Basically, instead of going for an easy "A & B are equally flawed", Oda decides to show people having their very own, unique goals, ideologies and moral codes, that can vairy from well-meaning, but ultimetly misguided Sengoku, to a ruthless fanatic like Sakazuki, ending on Big Mom, who may or may not be an actual demon ( or at least an antichrist, but who knows tbh)
In other words, both sides can be bad. The Strawhats are basically chaotic neutral forces, who are willing to do heroics because of the relationships they form with the oppressed. In fact, it's often the supporting characters who spout out the big morals instead of the main characters.
True, but all of the Strawhats are morally just and stick up for the oppressed in every situation.
I'd say the Straw Hats are Lawful Neutral!
They're neutral because they don't care about anyone's law, they just kind of follow their own interests and feelings, but they're lawful, because they're principled people with specific values and standards and things that they very much care about deeply.
@@m.pensive That's not what Lawful means you dumb fuck.
Seriously, what do you people even consider Chaotic, then? Who would you see as Chaotic Good? And what's the difference between Chaotic Neutral and Chaotic Evil?
@@Punaparta I agree with you, but I don't think you have to insult him just for being wrong. Trust me, I seen way more idiotic comments than Sown's.
@@m.pensive , Luffy is either Chaotic Good or Chaotic Neutral depending on the arcs he’s in, so if anything he’s closer to Truly Neutral than a Lawful Good Person like Naruto, Sengoku, Garp, Koby, Fujitora, or Smoker for that matter.
It really makes me mad when people talk about One Piece as "typical shonen". By "people", I mostly mean creators who cover anime, but don't mainly talk about OP, and general anime fandom. They act as if One Piece is just this another mainstream shonen series, and when they say "shonen", they mean:
- dumb,
- without depth
- literally evey conflict is solved by "POwEr oF fRenDsHip" (which as we all know, is a bad, and a "sHoNeN cLIcHe" , which makes it double bad)
- mindless entertaiment made for, and enjoyed by the normies,
- it's "tropes" need to be "dEcOnStRucTeD" in order to be worthy of analysis
Mathwiz made an excellent video, talking about how people tend to misrepresnt, and looked down upon this genre (mostly in the context of Bleach).
Anyway, as always: You are the best OP youtber out there, Mr Morj-senpai!
Behanort anime elitism is honestly the worst. It doesn’t make you look superior, it makes you look hella cringey and an asshole
^So much this. Both of you are on point.
yeah
I've never agreed to something as strongly as with this.
@@Blackmage456 still, even though shonen now seems to either mean "mindless trash" at worst, or "guilty pleasure" at best, this genre remains to be most dominant, most refrenced, and the most talked about in all of western manga/anime community. Sometimes, I really don't understand us, weebs
If a song writer, Bob Dylan, could win Nobel prize for literature. Oda should get one too!
Japonaise is underrated when it comes to noble prize .
Especially in literature
If oda was a english writer i think he would’ve already had one
He should get the Booker Prize.
I really do admire One Piece for its creative use of the hierarchical power structures. I always felt that it was very self-aware in slapping the generic "goodguy" "badguy" labels on pirates and marines alike, but it addresses the illusion of those power hierarchies being just surprisingly early (with Coby and Luffy's meeting, as you stated). The reason I believe it is an excellent world-building tool is because not only does the reader get to, both consciously and unconsciously, contemplate who is in doing the "right" thing in the current situation and vice versa, but it is made extremely easy to follow through the reflections of those moral dilemmas in the Straw Hats and other major characters.
Good video.
A literary work that will stand the test of time and become a classic is one that explores the fundamental duality of chaos and order. One Piece is truly a literary masterpiece that transcend borders and culture. Thanks Mr. Morj for making these videos.
One Piece has very strong anarchist and revolutionary themes, which is part of the reason why I love it so much. It well and truly embraces the idea of freedom
Love your pfp
Anarchy and chaos are used interchangeably. Luffy encompasses much of anarchy, absence of government and absolute freedom of the individual, regarded as a political ideal. There are many different versions of anarchy though freedom and lack of heiracy are in most. Most still set systems so everything moves forward.
A state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority or other controlling systems.
Example of anarchy? A police officer not writing you up for jaywalking.
@@ADerpyReality I know your point, but a police officer shouldn't even write you a ticket for thinking you're walking in a wrong manner. That's so stupid and cartoonishly authoritarian.
And yet you constantly see people saying one piece is "garbage" and my hero academia and naruto are masterpieces
Mha and naruto are masterpieces in their own right but no anime does it like one piece
I literally can't think of any other franchise (let alone manga or any other Japanese franchise) that subverts and deconstructs authority the same way One Piece does. The WG has full institutional and political power yet they're clearly bad guys that have brainwashed 99% of people and yet Luffy doesn't care that they are as long as they stay out of his way.
First I saw the title, and I was like "yessss", and then I saw "Mr Morj", and I was like "OMG YES this is gonna be the best thing ever!!!!"
The best aspect of One Piece´s take on Good vs Evil is that it isn´t really Pirates vs Marines. It is freedom vs oppression. And oppression can be represented by both pirates and marines.
Go donate a dollar to this man, what is that , a dollar a month for man that is changing perspective or better way to put it opening mind to many uninformed and ignorant fans, Mr Morj and Craftsdwarf are gold of this community, they deserve support
Marko Marinkovic I’m gonna do the same thing tbh, it’s really only a dollar
I gotta say ... YISSSSSSS
Throw in Ohara in that one as well. He’s done a couple of good Straw Hat videos based on individual characters and their overall greatness.
Is it ok to call this video a masterpiece?
No its not ok. Because this whole channel is a masterpiece
Mr. Morj and Craftsdwarf both post within the same week? Oh boy!
This is why One Piece is amazing, your analysis is fantastic
I always loved this ideology about One Piece but was never able to properly put it into words. You perfectly summed up the conflict of order vs. chaos that makes One Piece’s narrative so engaging. I really appreciate someone like you being able to explain the overarching meaning behind the series so well!
I've always read One Piece's story not as a conflict between systems but between individuals. For every Luffy there is a Black Beard, for every Akinu there is an Akoji and, for every King Riku there is a Doflamingo. Be it freedom, authority, or physical might good people will use them for good and bad people for bad. I don't think Oda cares if totalitarianism or anarchy wins so long as good triumphs over evil.
Exactly. Evil and Good in One Piece are not represented by organizations, but individuals.
one piece is the only Manga that saved my life during my darkest years
if you don't mind me asking what happened?
Same here it coloured my dark phase
I was honestly moved by your final speech about a dream world...
A MAN'S DREAM, NEVER END!!
This might be my favorite video from your channel! I loved how you used the image of the "justice-evil" line from Punk Hazard
It's about time I realized Oda LITERALLY DREW THIS LINE and Smoker's marines crossed it.
@@MechaStorm7 Yeah they crossed it to get Sanji's food and party together :D the interesting detail is that if you look at 10:48 Smoker is the only one who never crossed the line, and is still sitting behind where the old line was
This video was a joy to watch. I feel that I love One Piece a little bit more with every grand scope style video you make.
Doffy: Those who stay at the top decides what is good and what is evil
Other authors: Hm...good society or bad society?
Oda: Both. Both is good.
It's a very Shin Megami Tensei-esque setup which also pits two insane sides of law and chaos against each other and typically the neutral side is the best solution. I think there's some Buddhist philosophy underpinning all of this, maybe about balance being good.
I would also disagree with most other shonen being simple good side vs. Bad side stories, most of the stories where heroes join a organization are shady. The Gotei 13, the hunters, the magic knights, the heroes all have their own shady characters. Still the organization is good, but the bad apples and elements should be removed.
I think the most typical stance for Shonen stories even One Piece is that the status quo is good, but you must remove the bad apples. One Piece has the revolutionaries, who are the most positively portrayed group so far and they just want the current world government without the Celestial dragons. I think this fits with the more conservative Japanese worldview where, tradition, hierarchy, and the status quo are important. I mean the arcs about Luffy helping out kingdoms are to go back to the old ways.
Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water, right? I can agree with that. When someone develops a tumor, you only remove an entire organ if the entire thing is infected from top to bottom. But if it’s just a small tumor, then it’s just a matter of cutting out the infection from the body. In most cases, that’s for the best, because replacing an entire organ runs the risk of the body rejecting it. Meanwhile cutting only a small piece out allows the organ to repair itself naturally. The same can be said for governments. While restructuring a flawed government can be more difficult than simply replacing it, sometimes the devil you know really is better than the one you don’t.
@@coltonwilliams4153 then the old misery repeats itself until all gets corrupted again
I’ve already watched all of Mr.morj’s analysis vids on one piece...time to rewatch them😂
Honestly I think Paddington said it best: "If people are nice and polite, the world will be right".
Zehahahahaha what a nice world to imagine but reality is not so nice once you realized that the world made these people who they are right now
Thats dump shit
If theirs no bad people, good peoole would never exits.
Waht is the meaning of good when theres was never a bad thing
@fibonaccho yes exaktly
@@zhakartheambitious2652 No shit dude. I know reality is currently different. But thats the whole point. "If" all Pirates were like Luffy the government wouldn't need to crack down on pirates. Luffy's way is the correct answer to the problem. Do what you want. Just don't be a dick. lol.
I don't comprehend how this video can even have dislikes.
fairy tail fans
@@ultimatehaki1 😂
i would say order vs chaos, not anarchy. we need to get away from the idea that chaos=anarchy or anarchy =chaos. anarchy means without masters/ lords. so it does not necessarily correlate with chaos; chaos may come about because of it, but they are not mutually exclusive...other wise, amazing analysis as always.
Throwing the shade at naruto lol
Good analysis but I disagree. One Piece is actually a brilliant way to illustrate that the answer to our dilemmas lay elsewhere than we originally think. Much like you, you focus on order vs chaos which seems an unsolvable dilemma as too much of either leads to problems. However, Oda's actual point, I believe is not whether you institute order or chaos through your actions but the role of leadership itself. It is about leading by example, not by force or demand. It is about being capable of taking responsibility for your actions and having others follow. Notice how the badguys in One Piece never actually feel responsible? Vice versa, the positive characters are always weighed down by an overwhelming sense of responsibility. This could be a very long post but I'll end it here. Hope you see what I mean.
I think you should watch his blackbeard video.
Intressting point but I don't see where you and Mr Morj disagree.
The theme disscussed in this video are at no odds with the theme of leadership. In fact Mr Morj has disscussed this exact theme of leadership in both multiple of his videos, such as his video about themes in Wano.
Great video as usual!
At first I was a little hesitant to say One Piece is unique for the way it sets up its conflict, but the more I thought about it, the more you're right that most stories will still simply focus on one even if it sets up two, which One Piece doesn't fall into. I think there's likely some good additional examples of this in fantasy novels, at least moreso than in movies and manga, but I don't think there are many.
I think the elephant in the room is how much the themes of One Piece are similar to certain real life philosophies and political theories. Not that I really want to be discussing that can of worms, but it does surprise me I haven't seen more of it. Feels like certain groups could very easily latch on to One Piece's themes (though perhaps at the surface level more than the real answer).
Hmmmm
Shut the fuck up
@@sasakihaise5739 stop clicking on these videos if you have nothing to contribute, skrub
I think it's not discussed because One Piece isn't really a very political manga per se! I don't think anyone views Oda as a political individual who has a message to preach. And really, that's what makes One Piece so appealing, it has values but it's not preachy! it shows rather than telling, which is the correct way of portraying philosophy OR politics in a fictional setting.
The reason why this is great is because the story just lays out the facts, it shows plainly the reality of the situation in this fictional world, and leaves it all open for reader interpretation, so that YOU can reach your own philosophical/political conclusions without the story having to tell you "yeah this position is the best one to have." And by having it be in a fictional setting not related to any real world nations or states or anything of the sort, the relationship between what happens in the story and what happens in real life is also left up to interpretation, so the story has a heart, and a spirit, but not an opinion.
I think that's genius.
However, we do have to see how the driving conflict plays out throughout the ending of the story for us to really conclude whether or not the manga wants to actually tell us something very specific, so keep an eye out for that!
@@m.pensive of course it will tell us, Oda built for it for years
Wow the last few minutes of this video almost made me cry. "So which is worse? Absolute authority or anarchy?" Wow! So basically the summary of the video: Absolute authority and anarchy are both mostly bad but we know that in the end Luffy and the strawhats will be the winners and have AUTHORITY to rule the world but since the strawhats are not oppressive like it will feel like there is no authority but anarchy (freedom) in a good way. Oda truly is a genius and thank you Mr Morj you are awesome.
Every single time I watch one of your videos on one piece its so eye opening and intelligent - it really brings out aspects of the story I haven't even considered or thought of in these ways. If you ever do delve into other series with this kind of analytic level of discussion, i'd be more than happy to see those too
Haven’t even watched yet but I know it’s 🔥
Good vid. I mostly agree with you, your understanding of one piece and of course your fascination. Nevertheless there are some points up to discussion:
1. You confuse Anarchy with Anomie (but i get the meanig). Check out the definitions.
2. I think it´s not only about authority vs freedom. Surely we are given examples of absolute authority and absolute feedom, but more for a dramatic purpose. It´s also about individualism: what is more important? Individuality or the greater good? Egoism vs altruism. It concerns the fundamental questions of the human nature: who are we? what makes us human? what do we want?
3. And i think that´s why we are rooting for the straw-hats. Every member has a dream and he wants to reach it no matter what. This is egoism and it´s neither good nor bad. Good and evil are only relative concepts. They are indipendent individuals. But that´s not all. They sacrifice everyrthing for their friends if necessary. This is altruism. Clearly they evolve over time and become more mature. But in a world with set rules and morals (similar to ours), they don´t give in and keep their individuality.
another homerun for mr morj...
So many good One Piece analysis videos this week! 😍
Can i get youtuber recommendation beside this man?
@@fikriharswa1429 I personally like Tekking101 (though he's not everyone's cup of tea), Craftsdwarf, Ohara is also a very great analyst
@@fikriharswa1429 I also like Nux Taku, though he doesn't only make One Piece videos
@@frauleinzuckerguss1906 thx man, now i have video to watch
@@fikriharswa1429 No problem
My god man this was amazing. Very well thought out and conveyed. Everything you mentioned about Marineford was amazing.
Splendid, profound, intelligent and entertaining video as always! You really are the peak of the One Piece community
Wow, wooow
I never would’ve guessed anyone would take the time to break down Oda’s masterpiece to its core and discuss its genius in depth .. kudos to you sir, and the effort you put into this is duly appreciated
Stop it making me want to reread one piece
Love you man. Great video. It will be an even greater day when you apply this same logic to the real world. The line, "the viewer favors freedom over absolute authority, but prefer order over chaos." This line is the dictating line of the human condition itself, especially in this day and age. The Dream is the realest thing that exist.
I've always sorta thought that One Piece isn't trying to preach any sort of truth (when it comes to this stuff), it's... well, basically just representing real conflicts, why they exist and why they will pretty much always exist. When one power rises, another will oppose it. People create systems of government in order to maintain order, because order is predictable and therefore "safe". Pirates are chaotic--if a pirate ship docks, all a civilian population can do is wait and hope those pirates aren't here to pilage. This uncertainty makes people feel unsafe and turn to the government--especially people with a strong sense of justice, community and responsibility. The intelligent people who are aware of the government's shortcomings believe this is a net improvement for the overall population of the world (and... I largely have to agree).
The problems--things that those in power choose to sacrifice for what they believe to be the "greater good"--result in the formation of the Revolutionary Army, anti-government pirates and even local insurgencies. Ironically, this only leads the world government to further assert its power and military. The division becomes more and more clear as those involved develop/cling to their own ideologies.
I think Luffy is, in this aspect, someone who judges people on an individual level. He is the perfect leader for his small crew, but he wouldn't be for a country--and he is aware of this. He doesn't have a belief on how the world should be run, and fixing these conflicts is not his goal. He didn't join the fight at Marineford to support some greater ideology, it was personal. Many of the pirates in that battle likely didn't know Ace but would still lay down their lives for him because he is their brother, regardless of the individual relationship. The marines likely don't personally think Ace should die, but trust in the system that they've dedicated their lives to--even in the face of someone as terrifying as Whitebeard.
Luffy is there to save his brother. With every movement he can control, he is running straight towards his brother while others stop to get in fights or organize to manifest their strategies.
That said, Luffy has a complex understanding of individuals. He can see through people quickly and figure out exactly what action needs to be taken against/for them. Not only that, he has a complex understanding of himself... just not where he fits in the world. At least... not until Marineford. This is how he knows his limits, and doesn't try to do everything himself, instead relying on his friends. This personal understanding of those around him causes him to value people in a way that few others in One Piece are able to comprehend--to the point where he would happily sacrifice his own life for their sakes in a heartbeat.
Which is why it's all the more heartbreaking when they are taken from him, without even giving him the opportunity to lay down his life to save them. How they weren't doing something brave or that he could ultimately appreciate... they were looking to him, their source of security, for help that he couldn't give.
The amazing thing about Luffy is that he has no real big-picture philosophy. That a world full of Luffys would collapse into chaos very quickly... but a world devoid of people like him would eat itself. In a world caught up in a genuinely thought-provoking and complicated ideological conflict, he reminds people that the present exists and there is value in it. While it isn't always a great idea to constantly do what you personally think is right, it is important to remember where you are and what is going on around you. This is a point that Oda communicated over and over and over again, as almost all of the antagonists, "good guys" and conflicted characters are trapped in the bigger picture, unable to see what is happening right here and right now. It's why he is underestimated by Bellamy, who placed more stock in bounties than Luffy as an individual. It's why Doflamingo seemed invincible and why Law was so instrumental in actually getting Luffy directly in front of Doflamingo... because while he was practically invulnerable in the bigger picture, he was still just a person (however powerful) when it came down to an actual fight.
Over and over, characters overtly rely on their reputation, plans, ideology and structure, all of which are toppled by direct conflict... because none of those things really exist in the moment. Fights and the here-and-now are Luffy's territory.
I think this is why the show is such a deep/meaningful comfort to many of us... because it deals with very real struggles that we have. Going to work, school or whatever is sacrificing the moment for money, an education, a degree, etc. So much time is dedicated to long-term goals that being able to exist 100% right here and now is a gift that went away with our childhood... which is also why I think Luffy's behavior is often compared to that of a child, lol. He is actually really honest, mature, etc--he just held on to important qualities that our adult lives don't really allow us to keep... what's more amazing is that he does grow more and more thoughtful/mature without sacrificing this important part of his character.
Personally, I think Luffy's genius isn't in simplicity, but in his transparency. He is always thinking, reacting and judging, but he does so openly--letting everyone know his intent... for better or worse. Then he confronts opponents in fair, direct ways, because the long-term outcome isn't what he values.
I love it. It's been my favorite show ever since the first time I watched through... well, Enies Lobby. Since then, it has only further risen above its competition in my mind to where I don't even include it in my "favorites" lists anymore, because it's assumed that it will be the top of every category it's in. Well, thanks for reading my nerdy brain-dump. That's all, I suppose.
This was really good. Enjoyed it.
I almost teared up watching this amazing video. Everything I thought about One Piece was put into words. I can’t even come close to explaining this the way you did. To think Oda made a story like this is mind blowing. That’s why he’s the GOAT and so is this series. I applaud you for this video man GREAT FUCKING WORK!
I agree with almost all of what you are saying, but there is just one thing that I don't agree with, and that is the miss using of the word Anarchy. It is misleading as with anarchism and all the theology around it means the tipe of freedom that Luffy wants to achieve... I think that with the right research on Anarchism everybody would agree and I also think that unfortunately most of the time the word "anarchy" is exchanged with the word "chaos"... For the rest I like a lot the video and I share your prospective on the opera, you are doing a great job with your channel!!!
I discovered your channel today, and after checking out every video I just had come here and really thank you for the amazing content. You have reignited my passion for the series
I think any authority that's supranational is pretty much bad. There's no way One Piece would make me change that. The world government and its marines is bad.
Very good video, and the argument is totally right, one piece have a depth that some people may not perceive. Now, about the answer of all that, i think, one piece shows that one man can't change the world, but it can give hope to the world( gold roger, luffy) hope, faith to keep humanity fire burning, so it won't be crushed by the fact that the struggle betwen freedom and authority, chaos and order, might be eternal. There will always be a dream, a hope, a ONE PIECE. And i think the characteristic that both luffy and roger shows that are very connected to all this, its their capacity, or willingness to judge people as individuals, as to what they do and believe and never as members of a group, or race, or anything.
I get excited over your video notification even more so than for a new OP chapter. Keep up the good work.
Man I wouldnt really hate Akainu, if only he wasnt involved with Ohara. Without Ohara, all his actions would be justified. Killing the deserted officer(not moral by today's standards but realistic considering what we've heard about old times like in world war period or even before etc). Or standing up to Coby and trying to kill him in heat of battle etc. Executing Ace was probably not right since Marines wanted to do so coz he was son of PK, but Ace was also a criminal, at least defined by WG. Now we are not shown this, but I like to believe that One Piece is mature and complex and hence it makes sense that Ace has done terrible things to get to where he is, like bounty hunting people, taking law into his own hands causing destruction to property, lives of innocent civilians and marines in the process and so forth. However it probably is also not right to execute him when they have far more dangerous criminals in Impel Down.
It indeed is a dilemma. Now we also dont know what background Akainu has. Maybe his wife was killed, raped by pirates and or maybe his parents were killed and yet the pirates who did so did not receive justice? Hence his ideology for absolute justice? I hope Oda gives a meaningful and believable reasons as to why Akainu is so hellbent on absolute justice. I dont want Oda to write him off as an evil character just coz he has to be for plot progression. Of course would be great to see him die at hands of Sabo or better yet someone else in a way that we are all surprised.
Even without Ohara, he was willing to keep fighting a war at Marineford when he could have stopped and healed the wounds of the injured marines, since the pirates were no longer trying to fight.
In a sense Akainu's motto is actually beneficial to the world, since he's absolutely relentless in killing and capturing the pirates who wreck havoc on the lives of civilians, but sometimes it comes at the cost of disregarding the lives of citizens and marines.
I think the difference between people like Fujitora and Akainun is that the former fights pirates out of concern for the people, whereas Akainu fights pirates out of hate for rebels against the WG. That's what allows him to burn ship full of innocent people due to the mere possibility of there being a single scholar aboard.
@@Nathan-tg4gu The anime makes it seem like a children fairy tail. There is no one thats 100% good. Even Fujitora must have committed sins. Aokiji himself was ready to kill Robin for nothing. Kizaru is just lazy like Garp and Sen Goku. A lot of people question why Akainu didnt stop slavery etc, but they forget that Garp or Sen Goku dint do jack shit in the first place too.
For a world like one piece we need people like akain(minus the ohara)
Dude, you make want to rewatch one piece from episode 1. You're soo good at detailing everything that's open for discussion but also rooted in your facts and opinions that are fluid. Well done!!!
Mr Morj is one of the most underrated, amazing One Piece analysers out there.
Good job on this video man!
Damn the moment when one piece is just SO Great that it can make me cry a little just listening to a video about it's philosophy and thinking about it
Another amazing video!
Amazing as always, you are one of the few people who actually show how good One Piece really is.
One Piece saved my life
Your videos are literally the best One Piece content on youtube. I dont know how, but we need to multiply that subscriber count by 10x
This is pure gold. I always loved one piece mainly due to its realistic representation on Philosophy even after being a fictional work with fantasy .
So glad someone made such a majestic video about it.
Wonderful video
Good Job
One Piece is a Master Piece
BUT WHAT BOTHERS ME
is that why odda is choosing the pirates side
Why luffy is a pirate in the first place
It would be much better if he joined his father into the revolutionary army to free people.
Idk Don't get it
Then he would end up being Naruto
What Luffy really wants is to be the freest man and for him, the Pirate King is the freest. Thus, his dream is to find One Piece and become the Pirate King.
One piece got deep state vibes
this video is the embodiment of pure beauty good job Mr. Morj
This deserves so many times more views what the heck.
This is one of my most favourite video on the Internet.
Morj has outdone himself on this one. The idea was so well presented in simple words. Really brought ought the true beauty of the dichotomy of Authority and Freedom in the world of one piece paralleled to our own relatily.
This is the best One Piece video on youtube.
Enjoyed this one so much I'll make my friends subscribe lol. Make more like this! And keep showing on screen what you're referencing when you talk.
Now this, this is why I love one piece. Everything summed up beautifully ♥️
Morj before his villain arc
Holy shit a Morj video! We are all blessed on this day haha. Amazing amazing content. didn't know you were posting today so this was a beautiful suprise. Unrivaled analysis and breakdown of One Piece. at this point your long form videos are so consistently brilliant, youre the Pirate King of OP analysis in my eyes haha. Keep it up!
Yet another amazing and super thoughtful analysis! I struggle with this exact issue while reading One Piece!
If I'd be an Im-sama one day, you'd definitely be in my Gorosei.
That's lame tbh
Mr Morj, making us One Piece more one video at a time!
The philosophy that you should sink into yourself has been around. I believe Luffy always acts for himself as he may be helping someone but he always does it for himself. He's not gonna put blame if he fails hell take responsibility and prepare. I believe acting for yourself isn't a dangerous idea and can be healthy with a decisive and strategic behavior. I believe in this idea myself.
I think Luffy does it better than most heroes. He lives life free, but lives also by a moral code. He's far from perfect, but he doesn't try to be perfect. His flaws are there for all to see. He's selfish, gluttonous, moronic, and stubborn. But at the same time he's kind, compassionate, selfless, brave, and in many ways self actualized. He doesn't care if people hate him or not , but also knows he needs his friends and listens to them because they matter. He may be doing what he wants, but he does have sense of right and wrong; a sense of honor. Like Whitebeard said: "You can't live in this world without a code of conduct". Luffy shows me that when you're free, you can accomplish anything. Someone who is free is capable of great good or evil, but what also matters is having the drive to pursue. Luffy isn't trying to be the perfect hero, he's a good person being himself in a world that's constantly trying to conform us to a standard. That is something very few people ever truly achieve in life.
The philosophy of One Piece is better reflected in the German Conservative Revolution: you can find it between Ernst von Salomon (The Outlaws), Ernst Jünger (Eumeswil, On Pain), Friedrich Nietzsche (Thus Spoke Zarathustra, The Will To Power) and Arthur Moeller van der Bruck (The Third Empire).
I have written part 1 of an article on this.
I love your work. One piece deserves this kind of analysis.
man.. Cannot wait for your videos on Inherited will and people's dreams. These two topics are the reason why I love One Piece
Amazing breakdown my guy!
one of those videos you know is gonna be good before you even watch it
This video is masterpiece.
as someone who's very familiar with that brand of philosophy, the way you put it broke my mind a bit... i never thought about it all this way.
Your videos make my life happier😍
This kind pf content creator deserves a million subs
This is the video I have been waiting for since I started watching one piece.
*bursts through the door, absolutely COVERED in sweat*
ONE PIECES WORLD IS JUST A POLITICAL COMPASS!
Everytime u post something i get super excited
I love the analysis and breakdown! Thank you for taking the time to do it! I do wish you had included the Revolutionary Army and their own view though, I feel like they have a more middle ground philosophy...
Well played mr morj. The moment i saw your shanks arc way back i was totally IN. Daaaamn. You really thought this through. Kudos. Thaank youuu for making us happy and giving us insights about OP.
Always find myself rewatching this entire video every once in awhile, truly one of your best!
Congrats, your work is amazing!!!
This video is simply an amazing outlook on the entire story. Awesome job! Very impressed.
We need to get this man to interview Oda!!!
It was not rocket science why one piece became most highest selling manga and difference b/w #1 #2 are Enomorous. It was because it was different, unique simply out of ordinary. And that is reason to this date upto 900+ chapters in.. People wait for its chapter like nothing. More people join up the adventure and being addicted to it.
Well the haters, i guarantee you 90% are those who're jealous of it of how popular or loving it is among its fan folloowing or theyre fans of other series and that series isn't getting as much love as our love.
That is why you'd see and only in this case only "... Far better than One Piece".