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One of the most exciting aspects of author and illustrator Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece series is the built-up way in which many of its characters are introduced. Instead of introducing their full identity alongside their initial appearance, Oda often chooses not to show or address various aspects of who they are.
This is done in a variety of ways and can range from simply silhouetting their appearances to misdirecting readers completely about a character's goals, alignments and motivations. In any case, all One Piece characters introduced or brought up in this manner usually have some aspect that is hidden from fans for quite some time after their initial introduction.
Here are eight One Piece characters whose full identities are still a mystery.
One Piece’s legends of old and yet-to-be-introduced characters are the most mysterious in the series
1) Joy Boy
When discussing enigmatic figures in One Piece, Joy Boy is undoubtedly one of the first individuals to come to mind. The mysterious figure of the past is responsible for leaving the legendary eponymous treasure behind at Laugh Tale, as well as leaving some hints and messages on the trail along the way.
There are plenty of theories on who Joy Boy is, why he was important, and why he’s so significant to the series’ contemporary events. However, all of this is speculative, with very little actually being known about Joy Boy’s life, such as what he did and what people and morals he allied himself with.
2) Zunesha
One tiny fact fans do know about Joy Boy is that Zunesha was once his comrade. Fans will remember Zunesha as the giant elephant, also called the island Zou, upon which the Mokomo Dukedom sits. Fans also know that Zunesha was once punished for a crime, which is why it walks the sea endlessly.
After the reveal that Zunesha was once Joy Boy’s comrade, some fans began suspecting that the enigmatic elephant took Joy Boy’s punishment for him. Although speculative, it certainly seems to be the best answer, as well as the only answer fans currently have on Zunesha’s origins beyond what little is already known.
3) Im-sama
The star of One Piece Chapter 1060 in the eyes of fans, many readers feel that the inscrutable Im-sama is indeed the series’ ultimate and final antagonist. Their sitting on the empty throne, as well as apparent control over the Gorosei and, transitively, the World Government, suggest them to be the secret, true ruler of the world.
Not much else is known about them, but their actions so far indicate that they’re particularly interested in Blackbeard, Luffy, Vivi Nefertari, and Shirahoshi.
4) Commander-in-Chief Kong
Commander-in-Chief Kong has only appeared once in the entire series thus far, debuting in the Post-Marineford arc. He’s known to be stationed at Mariejois - where a luxurious office functions as his workspace - and he seems to be devoted to the World Government and his position.
Even less is known about his past, other than the fact that he was a Fleet Admiral (Sengoku’s pre-time-skip and Akainu’s current ranks) by the time of the Edd War conflict against Shiki. His morals, ideals, and larger role in the story (if any) are all still unknown.
5) Luffy’s mom
While Oda has said that Luffy’s mom has already appeared in One Piece, fans still have no idea who she is, when she appeared, or what she looks like. There are a few prime suspects, with some theories having a more devoted following than others, but these are all speculative.
As a result, fans can’t attribute any moral alignment or status in the series to her until her identity is known.
6) The “Burned Man”
The “Burned Man” is a yet-to-be-introduced individual first discussed towards the end of the Wano arc. Captain Eustass Kid brings him up in the context of getting ahead in the race for the One Piece, suggesting that he’s someone who has knowledge about Laugh Tale and its treasure.
Many fans, unsurprisingly, peg him to be a former Roger Pirate, with Scopper Gaban being the favored possibility. However, this is a speculative claim as of this article’s writing.
7) Shimotsuki Ryuma
“Sword God” Shimotsuki Ryuma was a Wano samurai who lived hundreds of years prior to the starting point of the One Piece series. He was famed for having killed a dragon with his coveted Black Blade, Shisui, and even in the contemporary series is regarded as one of the greatest swordsmen who ever lived.
However, not much is known about the true Shimotsuki Ryuma’s ideals, beliefs, actions, or past. While fans did meet a Ryuma during the Thriller Bark arc, this was merely his body and swordsmanship skills with Brook’s personality implanted inside thanks to Moria’s Shadow-Shadow Fruit.
8) The Gorosei
The Gorosei are some of the most enigmatic individuals in the entire One Piece series. In fact, one of the biggest pieces of information about them - revealed via Im-sama’s introduction - was that they serve a hidden master in Im-sama.
They haven’t even been named yet as individuals, let alone given backstories or an opportunity to show their powers and potential strength. While many do suspect them to be strong, this is still speculative due to how mysterious and inexplicable they are.
