One Piece's "Love Sickness" may hide a darker meaning

Modified Nov 18, 2024 02:53 GMT

One of the most jarring moments, in the history of mangaka Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece series, is watching the Straw Hats suffer their first major defeat in the Sabaody Arc. This leads to the crew being split up for two years, each training on various islands to prepare for the New World.

However, protagonist Monkey D. Luffy first goes on an adventure of his own, which begins on Amazon Lily, home of the Kuja tribe.

This arc is notable for many reasons, one of the biggest being Boa Hancock’s introduction. Likewise, One Piece sees Boa slowly falling in love with Luffy, resulting in her contracting the “Love Sickness,” which Kuja women suffer from when in love.

While fans initially brushed this off as an opportunistic gag from Oda, there’s an argument to be made that the disease hides a much darker true meaning.

Disclaimer: This article contains canon-typical mentions of sensitive topics. Readers’s discretion is advised.

One Piece’s Love Sickness disease may just be a euphemism for grief beyond recovery

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Initially, many One Piece fans viewed the Kuja tribe’s Love Sickness as an exaggeration of the real-life phenomenon of the same name. While not an officially recognized disorder, there are studies that show it can affect one’s physical being. Many experts agree with this assessment, likewise serving as the basis for the gag Oda is making by having someone be so lovesick that their life's in danger.

Yet, in reality, lovesickness is a unique manifestation of grief that manifests within the context of love specifically. In this way, lovesickness can theoretically lead to death, by nature of one being so grief stricken that they choose to harm themselves to a point of no return.

In this way, Oda could be hiding a darker truth behind the series’ Love Sickness disease, with previous Snake Princesses choosing to take their own life due to the grief they felt.

While One Piece does show Love Sickness to have a physiological effect on the body, it is accepted to be a psychosomatic illness, based on what fans know. This is further emphasized by the fact that one can cure the disease by pursuing their love off of Amazon Lily.

Shakuyaku survived the illness by leaving the island, presumably to pursue Silvers Rayleigh. Elder Nyon, also known as Gloriosa, survived in the same manner with an unknown lover.

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This would further support the fact that deaths caused by the disease are a result of past princesses taking their own lives, having been unable to cure the psychosomatic symptoms. This is further supported by the fact that Elder Nyon is no longer afflicted by the disease even after having returned to Amazon Lily, and without her lover, as far as fans know.

If it were a legitimate disease, she likely wouldn’t be able to both return to Amazon Lily and survive there for an extended period of time. This would also explain why the general tribe women hate men so much, knowing that their presence will only drive their rulers mad and force them to end their own lives.

Final thoughts

The Kuja tribe's hatred for men may be for a good reason (Image via Toei Animation)

While the aforementioned is speculative, it does add a unique twist and legitimate gravity to what can otherwise be described as a typical Oda gag plotline. Likewise, while fans are unlikely to ever get official clarity on this matter, the angle is nevertheless enjoyable to review this narrative from.