One Piece's Sun God Nika and more may be inspired by Brazilian history

Modified Jan 08, 2025 15:30 GMT

One Piece could be taking inspiration from Brazilian myths for Sun God Nika (Image via Toei Animation).

One Piece is a series that has become known for taking inspiration from myths, pop culture, human history, and a lot of other elements, so it is not surprising that the concept of the Sun God Nika could originate from similar sources. This is something that an X user named @writingpanini has pointed out, connecting this element of lore with Brazilian history.

That is an interesting connection when considering that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has confirmed that the main character, Luffy, would be Brazilian in real life. This means that there are some legs to this theory and also when considering how many myths and historical events from that country connect quite well with the lore of the Sun God Nika.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a publication.

Explaining how the Sun God Nika in One Piece is inspired by Brazilian history and myths

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As mentioned earlier, someone named @writingpanini on X came up with the theory that the Sun God Nika could be inspired by several elements from Brazilian history and culture. One of the first examples was the man Louis Arnote, who features in a book named History of Brazil, which is known for making up absurd tales and that is how the Giants of Elbaph refer to Nika.

It is also worth pointing out that a character named Louis Arnote was mentioned in chapter 115 of the manga and fought next to the Guarani in Brazil against the slavers in real life back in the 1810s, fitting with Joy Boy and Luffy's actions as liberators. The design could be inspired by the Brazilian mythological figure Curupira, which has flame-like hair like Nika and twisted feet, with this possibly being interpreted as made of rubber.

The theory goes one step further by stating that, when Luffy uses Gear 5, he is doing Capoeira, which is an Afro-Brazilian fighting style that involves mobility, movement, grace, and a lot of flexibility. There is also the concept of rubber in Luffy's Devil Fruit perhaps being influenced by the Amazon rubber cycle that was pivotal in Brazil's economic rise, although this might be a stretch.

More elements regarding this theory

Luffy using Gear 5 in the anime (Image via Toei Animation).

There is another element that connects these myths with the One Piece universe is the fact that Papa Legba arrived in the New World during the days of slavery and was treated as a representation of the sun. This individual is often depicted with a straw hat and wearing red clothes, which fits quite well with Luffy's appearance, especially considering how Nika is treated as the "Sun God".

Furthermore, analyzing all these elements and how author Eiichiro Oda has mentioned that Luffy would be Brazilian in real life, shows that there is some validity to this theory. Moreover, it could explain the structure of this plot point, although is early stages when considering what audiences know about the Sun God Nika as of right now.

Final thoughts

It has been shown time and time again in the One Piece franchise that Oda can take inspiration from a lot of sources, so these Brazilian elements could play a role in the concept of the Sun God Nika. There are a lot of coincidences and would fit quite well with Luffy's characterization and his abilities.

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Edited by Tiasha