Despite his evident significance, author Eiichiro Oda has only offered a few details about Joy Boy and his impact on One Piece’s past.
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One Piece is a story full of secrets, but none are more crucial to the plot as the involvement of the mystery character known as Joy Boy. His ties to Monkey D. Luffy, Gol D. Roger, and a number of other pirates have only grown more significant with each following arc, causing increasing suspense among fans and characters alike.
Despite his evident significance, author Eiichiro Oda has only offered a few details about Joy Boy and his impact on the history of One Piece. With this information, though, it is conceivable to begin to build together a profile for the show’s forgotten legend.
Joy Boy and Zunesha already knew each other.
Zunesha, the ancient, island-bearing elephant, plays a significant role in One Piece, essentially acting as the scene for the whole Zou arc. While Zunesha’s contribution in this arc is significant, it pales in comparison to Momonosuke’s revelation that the elephant was Joy Boy’s friend.
Links to Joy Boy have been sporadic, thus this discovery was a significant step forward for the series. The nature of Zunesha’s and Joy Boy’s friendship is unknown, although given the elephant’s unspecified crime and millennia-long punishment, the two appear to have been involved in some divisive events.
His Promise to The Fish-Men
The Straw Hat Pirates’ trip into the New World begins with a bang, as they are thrown into Fish-Man Island, the kingdom of fish-men and mermaids. During their stay on the island, they come upon a Poneglyph that is distinct from the rest. It was a personal apology written by a person known as Joy Boy.
Joy Boy regrets his failure to fulfil his pledge to Fish-Man Island in the Poneglyph and promises that someone else will do so in his place at some point in the future. His promise has yet to be fulfilled, but it does provide some rare insight into his seldom-seen personality.
Joy Boy Wrote The "Laugh Tale"
Fans of One Piece have known the name of Laugh Tale, the island where the One Piece resides, for quite some time, but the origin of its name was unknown until recently. It has now been linked to Joy Boy thanks to flashbacks displaying the Roger Pirates.
Joy Boy added another Poneglyph to the one on Fish-Man Island, but this one was much more informative. The Poneglyph discovered with the One Piece told the narrative of Joy Boy and his treasure, which was so amusing that Gol D. Roger named the entire island Laugh Tale.
The Pursuit of the One Piece Is Motivated by Joy Boy
Gol D. Roger openly reveals the series’ long-term goal in the first episode of One Piece: discovering the One Piece. Because of this speech, most fans assumed that the King of the Pirates was the one who left these riches. This, however, is not the case, as shown throughout the Wano arc.
Anything remains on Laugh Tale surpasses the Roger Pirates by centuries. They were the only known travellers to discover it. The flashbacks plainly demonstrate that Joy Boy had a hand in the treasure’s disappearance.
Joy Boy’s name wasn't mentioned till after the time skip.
One Piece has become known for its long-term setups. Despite his evident importance, Joy Boy’s character was not introduced until Chapter 628 of the manga and Episode 548 of the anime, respectively. Prior to these scenes, the character is never mentioned or directly acknowledged in the series.
As far as character introductions go, Joy Boy’s initial appearance is quite innocuous. Although his commitment to the fish-men becomes more important later, Nico Robin only remarks that a Poneglpyh is an unusual medium for his apologetic letter.
He predicted that someone else will come along and fulfil his promises.
So far, in One Piece, two pieces of literary evidence attributable to Joy Boy have been discovered: the apology note to the fish-men and his writings on Laugh Tale. He indicates in both of them that another person will carry on his legacy, and that they will appear 800 years in the future during the later.
Surprisingly, the events of One Piece occur about 800 years after Joy Boy is thought to have penned these notes. With the Wano arc behind us, the accuracy of his projections should become obvious sooner rather than later.
Kaido looked for a successor.
Kaido, Emperor of the Sea and Captain of the Beast Pirates, established himself as the “World’s Strongest Monster.” Despite his efforts, he was unable to locate the one thing that had escaped him – the next Joy Boy. Kaido’s extraordinary power ties to his ardent desire to find the heir to his title as one of the few characters who is aware of the legendary figure’s lineage.
Kaido says several times during his fight with Monkey D. Luffy that the Straw Hat “couldn’t possibly be Joy Boy.” Later, in a flashback featuring him and his second-in-command, King, the Yonko mentions Joy Boy as the man he defeated, making a link between his goals and the search for the missing figure.
Joy Boy was born in the Void Century
The Void Century has been mentioned since the Skypeia arc, making it one of anime’s longest-running mysteries. Despite this prolonged period, almost no information has been supplied regarding the century-long era, other from its connection to the show’s other biggest unknown, Joy Boy.
His link with Zunesha confirms that he existed throughout the Void Century, prompting fans to wonder about their relationship. The shortage of information around the two suggests a link between their disappearance from historical records.
He encouraged Oden to try to open Wano
The Wano arc considerably increased Kozuki Oden’s reputation among fans, thanks in large part to the multiple flashbacks depicting his time as a member of the Whitebeard and Roger Pirates. Laugh Tale and Joy Boy’s prophecy were uncovered during his time with these groups.
This prophecy, outlining the appearance of someone who continues Joy Boy’s efforts, definitely had an impression on Oden. When he returned to his nation, Oden persuaded its people to reopen their borders, knowing that they would have to deal with the figure foretold by him in the near future.
Monkey D. Luffy Almost Certainly Carries His Legacy
As crucial as Joy Boy is to the events of One Piece, it has been evident from the beginning that the series centres around one person – Monkey D. Luffy. He is destined to become King of Pirates, but as it becomes clearer, his future may also include adopting Joy Boy’s title.
He predicted that in 800 years, someone will return to help Fish-Man Island where he couldn’t, open the frontiers of Wano, and reveal the secrets of Laugh Tale. Luffy is on his way to accomplishing all three. Furthermore, while Luffy used his newly discovered Gear 5 form to fight Kaido, Zunesha said firmly that Luffy’s actions foreshadowed the return of Joy Boy. Given this, it appears apparent that the Straw Hat Pirates’ captain is the person destined to carry his torch.