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The record-breaking manga One Piece revolves around the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, and the people they meet throughout their journey. There's little doubt about the incredible variety of characters that the author, Eiichiro Oda, introduced and developed.
What's interesting is that many One Piece characters are based, at least in regards to their names, on real-life pirates and other historical figures. Some characters share slight similarities with the individuals they're based on, such as having the same epithets.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's personal views.
From Yorki to Blackbeard, find out 10 One Piece characters who are based on real-life pirates
1) "Calico" Yorki, inspired by "Calico" Jack
"Calico" Yorki was the captain of the Rumbar Pirates. He loved music and ensured his crew's objective was to make children smile. Despite being an outlaw, he was a carefree and light-hearted man. Yorki was selfless, to the point that, when he fell ill, he told his crew to leave him, worrying that they could catch his disease. A former member of his Rumbar Pirates is Brook, the current member of Strawhats.
Fifty years ago, the Rumbar Pirates came across Laboon, a baby whale that eventually began following them. Before venturing into the Grand Line, they left Laboon, promising to return someday. Unfortunately, Yorki and others contracted an incurable disease. They died together, playing Bink's Sake, their favorite song, one last time. However, Brook returned to life, thanks to the Revive-Revive Fruit.
Yorki went by the nickname "Calico," which likely refers to Calico Jack, an English pirate during the early 18th century. Born John Rackham, he mainly operated in the Bahamas and around Cuba. His nickname was derived from the clothing that he used to wear. At one point, his crew became famous for including the famous pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read.
2) Jewelry Bonney, inspired by Anne Bonny
Born in South Blue, Jewelry Bonney is a pirate captain hailed among the Eleven Supernovas of the Worst Generation. She is known as "Big Eater" for being an extremely gluttonous person with deplorable table manners. Bonney has an undisclosed relationship with former Warlord of the Sea Bartholomew Kuma. She was heartbroken upon witnessing his brutal enslavement in Mary Geoise.
Bonney ate an unnamed Devil Fruit that allows her to manipulate the aging process. She can use this power to disguise herself. She can also cripple opponents by rapidly increasing or decreasing their age. In the latest installment of the One Piece series, Bonney met the Strawhats on Egghead, Dr. Vegapunk's island.
Jewelry Bonney's character is likely based on Anne Bonny, a famous real-life pirate who operated in the Caribbean. An Irish noblewoman who decided to take up a life of piracy, she earned quite a reputation together with her second husband, Calico Jack. They were captured and sentenced to death, but Bonny and her friend Mary Read had their executions stayed because they were both pregnant.
3) X Drake, inspired by Sir Francis Drake
Drake is a member of the Marine. However, as a cover-up for his espionage activities, he pretended to quit the Navy and feigned to be a pirate. He became one of the Eleven Supernovas and infiltrated the Beasts Pirates, acting as he joined Kaido's side. After being exposed, he allied with Luffy, Zoro, and the others. He fought against the CP0 agents, briefly teaming up with Scratchman Apoo.
The alleged leader of the secret Marine organization SWORD, Drake, prioritizes the mission over anything else, acting as a severe and honorable individual. He is a skilled dual wielder with a sword and a four-bladed ax. Drake ate the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Model: Allosaurus, earning him the ability to transform into a carnivorous dinosaur and boosting his durability and physical strength.
X Drake's name is likely based on Sir Francis Drake, an English pirate and a well-known explorer of the Elizabethan Era. He is well-known for being the second person to complete the globe's circumnavigation in a single voyage. He became a naval officer of the English fleet and took part in the victorious battle against the Spanish Armada in 1588.
4) Charlotte Linlin/"Big Mom," inspired by Charlotte Badger
More commonly known as "Big Mom," Charlotte Linlin is the captain of her crew and the ruler of Totto Land. During her past days as a member of the Rocks Pirates, she befriended Kaido, a young apprentice at the time. She teamed up with him, but they were defeated at the hands of the Strawhats Pirates and their allies. As a result, Linlin and Kaido lost their Yonko status.
Linlin was raised by Mother Carmel, a child trafficker who used to run an orphanage as a facade to hide her business. Due to her strength, Big Mom has always been considered a freak. She ate the Soul-Soul Fruit, which allows her to manipulate human souls, and using it, she created a set of weird creatures called the Homies.
Although this information is not confirmed, One Piece author Eiichiro Oda appears to have taken inspiration for Big Mom's character from the famous real-life pirate Charlotte Badger. However, according to some historians, she erroneously became known as a pirate while she was just a convict on board a ship during its mutiny.
5) Eustass "Captain" Kid, inspired by William "Captain" Kidd
Eustass "Captain" Kid is the leader of the Kid Pirates and a member of the Worst Generation. He is one of the leaders of the alliance that defeated Kaido and Big Mom. Kid is arrogant and fearless, never backing down from a fight or a challenge. He has a violent and bloodthirsty nature, so his actions often cause casualties among civilians.
Kid feels a deep affection for his crewmembers, especially for Killer, his right-hand man. He has a childish competitive side, especially towards his fellow Supernovas. Kid is a tough fighter who has shown remarkable feats of physical strength and endurance. In the Wano Arc, he awakened the next stage of his Magnet-Magnet Devil Fruit abilities, which allows him to control magnetic forces.
Kid's character appears to be based on real-life Scottish pirate William Kidd, who shares the same epithet of "Captain." Kidd had captured a French ship, commanded by an English captain, as a prize. The Crown commissioned him as a privateer for this expedition, but the political climate of England turned against him. As a result, Kidd was executed in 1701 for murder and piracy.
6) Silvers Rayleigh, inspired by Sir Walter Raleigh
Known and feared all over the One Piece world as the "Dark King," Silvers Rayleigh is the former vice-captain of the Roger Pirates. More than a simple subordinate, he was the Pirate King's, right-hand man. Rayleigh is a compelling individual who is considered to be a living legend. Due to his strength and prominence, he was directly compared to characters of Whitebeard's caliber.
Even after old age weakened him, Rayleigh was still strong enough to fight with Admiral Kizaru and intimidate Blackbeard, one of the Four Emperors. This hints that the "Dark King," in his prime, would be one of the strongest One Piece characters. That's not surprising, as he is a powerful swordsman and Haki master who can even use the rare Conqueror Haki.
Rayleigh's name has most likely been inspired by Sir Walter Raleigh, a real-life English soldier, and explorer. An impactful trader, Raleigh is known to be the man who first brought potatoes and tobacco to Britain in the 16th century. He also played an essential role in the English colonization of North America and helped defend his country against the Spanish Armada.
7) Gol D. Roger, inspired by Olivier Levasseur
Gol D. Roger was the first and only one, alongside his crew, to reach Laugh Tale and find the One Piece, the legendary treasure. His achievements earned him the title of King of Pirates and inspired the Great Piracy Era, making him a legendary figure. Roger was mighty, thanks to his outstanding Haki: only a few selected individuals were able to fight on equal grounds with him.
Roger died undefeated. After ending his journey, knowing that his sickness meant unavoidable death, he let the Marines capture him. He was a fearless and confident man: those who witnessed his execution claim that he smiled even just before his death. Roger and his rivals, Garp and Whitebeard, respected each other. He also had a strong bond with his crew, especially with Rayleigh, his right-hand man.
Roger is why One Piece even has a story to tell. He is likely based on Olivier Levasseur, a real-life pirate who challenged others to find his legendary treasure. Before his execution, Levasseur tossed a cryptogram into the crowd, claiming that the one who could decipher it would be led to his accumulated wealth.
8) Roronoa Zoro, inspired by François L'Olonnais
A member of the Eleven Supernovas, the mightiest rookie pirates, Zoro is a master swordsman who aims to become the World's Strongest. Being Luffy's right-hand man, Zoro usually acts as the crew's vice-captain. His devotion to Luffy and the incredible determination he shows in battle easily make him a fan favorite.
Zoro is an outstanding fighter. He is a master of Armament Haki and Conqueror Haki, even managing to unlock the advanced stage of this ability, a feat that Kaido said only the strongest fighters could ever achieve. Unleashing his Haki and his physical strength, Zoro can perform destructive attacks with his three Graded Swords, Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu, and Enma.
Zoro is most likely based on a real-life French pirate, François l'Olonnais, who was known to have been active during the 17th century. Zoro's first name comes directly from him, although in Japanese, due to the different spelling, "l'Olonnais" becomes "Roronoa." Moreover, the pirate is known for his sheer brutality, a trait that the Strawhat Pirates' number two has sometimes shown during his fights.
9) Rocks D. Xebec, inspired by Roche Braziliano
Rocks D. Xebec is one of the most mysterious characters in the One Piece series. He was Roger's mightiest opponent and the leader of the Rocks Pirates, an infamous group that included Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom, the three future Yonko. The World Government feared Xebec to the point that, after his defeat, they erased every trace of his life.
Xebec was an outstanding individual. To end his era, the joined efforts of Roger, the King of Pirates, and Garp, the strongest Marine, were needed. While the precise extent of his powers is unknown, the fact that no one could match him individually makes his strength indisputable.
Rocks' name has most likely been taken from real-life pirate Roche Braziliano, which in English translates to "Rock the Brazilian." Braziliano was a Dutch buccaneer who started as a privateer and became an outlaw after leading a mutiny. He was a violent man who would shoot anyone who did not drink with him and treat his prisoners barbarously.
10) Marshall D. Teach "Blackbeard," inspired by Edward Teach's "Blackbeard"
Better known as "Blackbeard," Marshall D. Teach is one of the main antagonists in the One Piece series. The only known person in the story to wield two Devil Fruits is the captain of the Blackbeard Pirates and one of the current Four Emperors. Teach is a weird individual who is both ambitious and cowardly at the same time. He is one of the few with the initial "D" in their name.
Born with superhuman endurance and physical strength, Teach quickly became one of the top dogs in the One Piece world. He is a deceptive and greedy man willing to do anything to become the next Pirate King. To maximize his powers, Teach stole the Dark-Dark Fruit from his former comrade and the Quake-Quake Fruit from his former captain. Most One Piece fans consider him to be Shanks' sworn enemy.
Teach's character was inspired by the dreadful real-life pirate Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard. He was one of the most feared pirates of all time, being an individual who instilled horror into even his subordinates. His nickname was derived from his thick black beard and fearsome appearance, which reportedly had tied lit fuses under his hat to frighten his enemies.
Final thoughts
While some fans may be unaware of it, many different real-life pirates helped Eiichiro Oda shape One Piece, the most famous being François l'Olonnais, who inspired Roronoa Zoro, and "Blackbeard" Edward Teach, on who Marshall D. Teach was based.
It is interesting to note that Edward Teach not only inspired One Piece's Blackbeard but another character, Whitebeard, as well. The latter's real name was Edward Newgate, most likely based on the same aforementioned real-life pirate. Given the connection between Blackbeard and Whitebeard throughout the events of the One Piece series, this seems to be an irrefutable fact.
The author displayed his skills by brilliantly bringing the legends of real-life figures into his fictional work. Further examples of this are Boa Hancock and her female-only crew, inspired by the Amazons. Hopefully, One Piece fans will appreciate how Oda's wide cast of pirate characters features his valuable knowledge of history.
