One Piece's inspiration for Laugh Tale could see Luffy meet the original Joy Boy at series end

Modified Jul 19, 2024 10:30 GMT

Throughout the years, numerous One Piece theories have delved into the location of Laugh Tale. Some theories state that Laugh Tale could be at a location that the Straw Hat pirates have already visited, while some deduce that the location could be entirely new to the Straw Hats and viewers alike.

Recently, a unique theory delves into an Irish legend while digging deeper into the possible connections that Eiichiro Oda may be making with time and space. The theory is supported by statements by Gol D. Roger and Kozuki Oden during the Wano Country arc.

One Piece: Theory of Laugh Tale's location

One of the four Road Poneglyphs as shown in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

The theory regarding the location of Laugh Tale presents a unique perspective that hasn't been widely discussed. The idea centers around the concept of needing four Road Poneglyphs to determine the island's location. While three Road Poneglyphs suffice to pinpoint a location on a surface, the fourth Road Poneglyph might be required to establish a position in space-time.

Role of time in One Piece series

Toki came from the Void Century using her Devil Fruit powers (Image via Toei Animation)

Time has been a recurring theme in One Piece, especially since the Wano arc. Toki's powers and frequent references by Oden, Roger, and Kaido about being "too early" or that "it is not the time" to open Wano highlight the importance of timing. This leads to the speculation that Laugh Tale might only be accessible during specific periods within a time cycle.

Drawing inspiration from real life, the legend of the Island of Brasil, an Irish myth from the Middle Ages, describes an island that appears every seven years.

According to a poem by an Irish poet in the 1800s, the island is ruled by an eternal king who holds court every seven years, allowing only special individuals to partake in a feast. The island is depicted as a place without death, old age, sadness, or cold, where everyone is merry and enjoys heartily with loads of food and drinks.

Expand Tweet

Several aspects of this legend resonate with the concept of Laugh Tale. The name Laugh Tale itself aligns with the celebratory nature of the Island of Brasil. Additionally, the recent revelation of Clover's real name, Claiomh D. Clover, reinforces the Irish connection. Furthermore, there might be a subtle hint as to why Oda stated that Luffy would be Brazilian.

One Piece: Eternity and the Voice of All Things

Roger, along with his crew, are shown laughing when they reach Laugh Tale (Image via Toei Animation)

The idea of eternity and the Voice of All Things further supports this theory. Chapter 967 of One Piece depicted Roger and his crew laughing, suggesting they either heard the Voice of All Things or Oden read a Poneglyph and translated it for the crew. However, the scene suggests a more collective experience rather than one person reading a slab or hearing voices alone.

The theory states that Joy Boy might have been present in some form on Laugh Tale, having a party with Roger's crew, as reinforced by Vegapunk's comment in chapter 1120:

"They must have heard the voices of the past from the purest source possible."

This implies that Laugh Tale exists in a unique place in time, where everyone who visits the island during a specific moment of the cycle experiences it together.

Roger states how they were too early when they reached Laugh Tale (Image via Toei Animation)

If Laugh Tale, like Brasil, opens every seven years within a complete cycle of, say, 700 years, it means that the 101st time the island appears, visitors from different points in time would converge simultaneously. This circular time structure explains why Oden and Roger felt they were "too early" despite reaching Laugh Tale and learning the truth.

It suggests they arrived at the "wrong" moment in the cycle. The Ancient Kingdom might have been familiar with this concept, which could explain their advanced knowledge through communication with the future.

Final thoughts

Luffy in his Gear 5 form (Image via Toei Animation)

To conclude, it is reasonable to say that when the Straw Hats find the fourth Road Poneglyph, it would tell them when Laugh Tale may reappear. And when the island reappears, all the previous visitors of Laugh Tale would come together, making it possible for Luffy to meet the original Joy Boy.

Related links:

Edited by Shreya Das