Nico Robin finds the Fishman Island Poneglyph (Image via Toei Animation)

4 One Piece characters who can read the Poneglyphs

Modified Jul 11, 2023 12:12 GMT

The Poneglyphs are one of the most integral pieces of the One Piece story, especially as the series approaches its final years. They’re also some of the most mysterious artefacts of One Piece, with only one living person confirmed as being able to truly read the Poneglyphs.

The series has shown more characters than this one person to read the Poneglyphs, but the list is still extremely small. While some yet-to-be-introduced characters may be able to read the Poneglyph language, this is still speculation.

As a result, here are the four One Piece characters who can read the Poneglyphs.

These four dead or alive One Piece characters are the only ones confirmed able to read the Poneglyphs

1) Nico Robin

Nico Robin as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Nico Robin is the only person currently alive in One Piece with the ability to read the Poneglyphs. Known as the Devil Child as a result of this ability, Robin has been pursued by the World Government her entire life. Families and organizations would take her in only to betray her for the bounty money or as a way to save themselves in a dire situation.

Robin can read the Ponegylphs as she comes from the island of Ohara. Another tragic example of the World Government’s cruelty in One Piece, Ohara was destroyed with a Buster Call due to the nation’s studying of the Void Century and ability to read Poneglyphs. Robin was sadly the only survivor, and thus the last living person who can read the Poneglyphs.

2) Nico Olvia

Nico Olvia as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Nico Olvia was Nico Robin’s mother and fellow citizen of the One Piece island of Ohara. As an Oharan archaeologist, she studied the Void Century and Poneglyphs, as did many other Oharans. Olvia was part of a group of sailing archaeologists who were studying the forbidden knowledge of the Void Century.

The group was then captured by the World Government for this research. Thankfully, Nico Olvia was able to return to Ohara and briefly reunite with Robin thanks to Jaguar D. Saul. Unfortunately, Olvia and Saul both ended up perishing along with the rest of Ohara that day.

3) Professor Clover

Professor Clover (Image via Toei Animation)

Professor Clover was, like Nico Olvia, an Oharan archaeologist, and professor who was teaching Nico Robin during her childhood. Professor Clover was not only able to read the Poneglyphs but taught others such as Robin how to do so as well.

Unfortunately, Professor Clovus was the first death in the tragedy of Ohara and died that day along with nearly every other Oharan.

4) Kozuki Oden

Kozuki Oden as seen in the series' anime (Image via Toei Animation)

The Kozuki clan is canonically the clan that created and first inscribed upon the Poneglyphs, making it logical they would know how to read them.

However, this family knowledge ended with Kozuki Oden’s death as his son Momonosuke was never taught in time.

Many presume that Robin will eventually teach Momonosuke how to read and write this language to restart the chain of knowledge, but that hasn’t officially happened yet in One Piece. Oden was shown to understand the Poneglyphs at Skypeia and Laugh Tale, reading and writing in the Poneglyph language on these islands.

Be sure to follow for more anime updates and manga news as 2023 progresses.

This article was modified on Tuesday, July 11, at 5:19 pm.

Edited by
R. Elahi