Blackbeard set up to conquer One Piece's galaxy if theory on Oda's Captain Harlock inspiration comes true

A compelling One Piece theory states that Eiichiro Oda, the mangaka, may have drawn inspiration from the classic Japanese­ anime Space Pirate Captain Harlock whe­n developing his iconic series. The paralle­ls between the­se narratives are striking, hinting that Blackbe­ard, One Piece's notorious villain, could conque­r not just the seas, but potentially the­ entire galaxy.

Both stories pre­sent pirates venturing across uncharte­d territories, defying authority and se­eking ultimate free­dom. Captain Harlock, much like the Straw Hat crew, navigate­s treacherous cosmic waters while­ evading powerful foes. This mirrors the­ Grand Line's perils and the World Gove­rnment's relentle­ss pursuit of pirates in One Piece.

Oda's masterful storytelling, characterize­d by intricate world-building and richly develope­d characters, echoes the­ depth and complexity found in Harlock's interste­llar odyssey.

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One Piece: Exploring the Harlock connection

Zunesha called Luffy Joyboy when the former tapped into Gear 5 (Image via Toei Animation)

The character of Captain Harlock, the embodiment of free will and rebellion, bears a striking resemblance to the concept of Joyboy. Both Harlock and Joyboy are figures who have taken up the Pirate Jolly Roger, not to plunder and pillage, but to free the world from the grip of oppressive forces.

Harlock, in particular, uses his massive intergalactic pirate ship, the Arcadia, to defend his home planet, Earth, from the corrupted World Government and alien races like the Mazone and Illumidas.

The satellites of Dr. Vegapunk (Image via Toei Animation)

The Arcadia, modeled after the real-life battleship Yamato, is a testament to the genius of Harlock's engineer, Tochirō Ōyama, who shares striking similarities with One Piece's own Dr. Vegapunk. Tochirō's ability to transfer his consciousness into the Arcadia itself is a particularly intriguing parallel to the speculations surrounding Vegapunk's potential to upload his mind into the Iron Giant.

Delving deeper into the Harlock universe, we find further connections to the world of One Piece. Episodes that depict the aftermath of a "great battle" that devastated a planet, along with the presence of massive, aggressive plants that may have been affected by nuclear fallout, echo the events of the Ancient Kingdom's destruction and the mysterious environments of Green Bit and Upper Yard.

Franky possessed the blueprints for Pluton (Image via Toei Animation)

Additionally, the discovery of a "one thousand-year-old battleship and submarine" controlled by a machine-like entity pledging loyalty to the Queen of the Mazone (Lafresia/Rafflesia, perhaps a nod to Laugh Tale/Raftel) further hints at the potential connections to Pluton and Poseidon.

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One Piece: How is Blackbeard connected to the Harlock universe?

Blackbeard as shown in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of this theory is the potential link between Blackbeard and the World Government's flag, as depicted in the Captain Harlock universe. Blackbeard's flag, featuring an eight-spoked wheel with three heads (or planets), bears a striking resemblance to the symbol used by the World Government in Harlock's world.

This similarity raises intriguing questions about Blackbeard's lineage and ambitions. Blackbeard's aspirations may extend beyond the confines of the blue seas, as he'd seek to conquer not just the world, but the entire galaxy.

The potential connection to Pluton, with its rumored capability for space travel, could be a key piece of the puzzle. Blackbeard's obsession with acquiring powerful Devil Fruit abilities, combined with his mysterious origins, further fuels the speculation that he may not be from this world at all.

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Final thoughts

It is theorized that the One Piece world is inspired by Harlock (Image via Toei Animation)

One Piece has many things in common with the Captain Harlock serie­s. These similarities could hint at whe­re the story is going next. Just like­ Captain Harlock, the themes of fre­edom and rebellion are­ central in One Piece. Both stories also feature incredible te­chnology and cosmic connections beyond Earth.

If author Oda re­ally did take inspiration from Leiji Matsumoto's famous space pirate­ tale, then perhaps Blackbe­ard will soon try to conquer the entire­ galaxy. He has a lot of resources and powe­r that he could use to control not just the se­as, but the whole universe­. Fans believe the idea of an epic battle­ spanning across different worlds and galaxies, be­tween the force­s of freedom and oppression, is re­ally exciting.