One Piece: What Eiichiro Oda has to say about Imu’s appearance

Tulisha srivastava
An image of Imu standing near a giant straw hat and holding Luffy's bounty poster

One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda finally answers a question about Imu’s appearance, but it’s not the answer fans would want.

One Piece has yet to reveal its main antagonist, yet many speculations claim Imu to be the one. The series shocked the entire fandom in 2018 as it revealed Imu’s existence. Not only does this mysterious person have the right to sit on the Empty Throne, but even the world’s highest authority, Gorosei bows down to them.

Imu’s face has never been seen in the series, even after so many years. Eiichiro Oda always makes sure to draw Imu as a black, shadow-like person. The Empty Throne represents peace and equality between nations. The false premise is that no one, not even Gorosei, can sit on it.

And yet, no one other than Gorosei knows about the existence of this seemingly immortal being who has been lurking in the shadows since the Void Century. Fans would naturally be curious about this potential main villain. So, when one of them asked about Imu’s appearance, here’s how One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda responded to it.

One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda answers a question about Imu’s appearance in SBS Volume 107

The SBS (Shitsumon o Bosh Suru), which translates to “I’m Taking Questions,” is a special column that lays out Eiichiro Oda’s responses to fans’ letters on a wide range of topics. The questions are mostly about the series and things they find confusing. 

Oda’s answers may be short and flippant or extensive and thorough, depending on the question. This week, SBS Volume 107 was released, where a fan asks, “Is Imu-sama’s true appearance might be someone with a very pointy mouth?”

However, Eiichiro Oda’s response was, “OK. I will leave this message as seen.” Fans often refrain from asking questions that will have major spoilers, which is why this certain fan only wanted to confirm if the mysterious sovereign has a pointy mouth. Of course, it was meant as a joke. However, the creator refused to answer that since it might give us hints about Imu’s true self. 

If Imu were to have a unique appearance, it would be likely that they’re not human. However, for now, the series has only hinted that they’re immortal and are one of the twenty rulers from the allied nations that established the World Government. 

How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023

Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One PieceAttack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US.

If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple:

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Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference; for example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows.

You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan, or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind.

See our other One Piece coverage below, and you can check out our other anime coverage here.

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About The Author

Tulisha is an anime writer at Dexerto. In the past, she has worked for Comic Book Resources. She is most knowledgeable about Shonen series, particularly One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen. You can contact her at tulisha.srivastava@dexerto.com