Every One Piece character silhouette whose face is yet to be revealed

A distinctive feature of the One Piece series is to conceal the appearance of newly introduced characters by showing them as blackened silhouettes. This is done in order to maximize the hype around the character, sparking curiosity and interest among fans accordingly. For example, the introduction of Big Mom as a shadowy silhouette was absolutely masterful.

This, however, can be bothersome because fans are eager to see what new characters look like. The augmented waiting increases the mystery but may also raise the letdown if expectations are not met. Fans especially dislike when One Piece author Eiichiro Oda uses silhouettes for secondary characters who only play minor roles, as hiding their identities seems quite pointless.

Oda loves to tease and mislead his readers with red herrings, and this often happens when he introduces new characters. With that said, the mangaka conceals their full appearances until he believes it's time to show them in the story. Keep reading to find out about some major One Piece characters who have only been shown as silhouettes.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1112.

Some prominent One Piece characters have only been introduced as silhouettes

1) The Holy Knights

The silhouettes of the Holy Knights in One Piece chapter 1083 (Image via Shueisha)

The Holy Knights are nine high-ranking members of the World Government tasked with conducting punitive raids in insurgent kingdoms and settling internal disputes between Celestial Dragons. Also known as God’s Knights, these elite warriors are led by Saint Figarland Garling, a merciless individual who is known to be the Supreme Commander of the group.

So far, the identities of the Holy Knights have not been revealed yet, as the manga has only depicted them as darkened silhouettes, concealing their full appearances. Figarland Garling is the only member of the group who has been introduced completely.

38 years before the present One Piece narration, during the God Valley Incident, two other Holy Knights were seen alongside Saint Garling. However, it remains unknown whether these two individuals are still part of the group even now or not.

2) Imu-sama

Imu's silhouette in One Piece chapter 908 (Image via Shueisha)

A tyrannical dictator who operates in the shadows, Imu is the true leader of the World Government, with authority even higher than that of the Five Elders. Unbeknownst to the public, this enigmatic individual sits on Mary Geoise’s Empty Throne, which was supposed to have no occupant.

Imu-sama gives direct orders to the Five Elders, who act on the former’s behalf, manipulating events and even history itself. It should be noted that Imu and the Elders have complete control over Mother Flame, a ravaging weapon capable of destroying an entire island in a matter of seconds, literally erasing it from the maps.

The true identity of this character is unknown, but it’s rumored that Imu stands for Saint Imu of the Nerona Family, a Celestial Dragon who allegedly achieved immortality hundreds of years ago. For now, however, this remains mere speculation.

Imu's silhouette in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Until now, Imu has only been seen as an ominous silhouette who wears a spiked crown and possesses almond-shaped eyes with red irises and two black spirals surrounding the pupils. Just as the Five Elders can turn themselves into Yokai-like monsters, Imu can transform into a beastly creature with sharp teeth.

While the transformed appearances of the Five Elders were fully shown in the recent One Piece characters, Imu’s remains a blackened silhouette, much like the character’s normal aspect. Still, it must be noted that Imu’s red-ringed eyes, which normally have two spirals surrounding the pupils, added a third one when the character transformed.

Upon transforming, Imu can create and control some sharp-pointed shadow arrows. Interestingly, these arrows were able to inflict grievous injuries on Sabo, despite the latter having the powers of a Logia-class Devil Fruit.

3) Nefertari D. Lily

Lily's silhouette in One Piece chapter 1084 (Image via Shueisha)

About 800 years before the present One Piece narration, Nefertari Lily was the queen of Arabasta. Even though she was among the twenty monarchs who founded the Ancient Alliance, Lily, unlike the others, refused to go live at Mary Geoise and become a Celestial Dragon.

Due to Lily’s refusal, the World Government still considers the Nefertari family traitors, even nowadays. It’s very important to note that Lily’s full name was Nefertari D. Lily, as she was among the very few people in history to have the D. in their names.

Shortly after the official establishment of the World Government, Lily disappeared without a trace. Imu-sama claimed that the Poneglyphs were spread across the world due to Lily’s actions. According to Lily’s successor, Nefertari Cobra, the mysterious queen wrote a letter containing major information that she wanted to pass down to future generations.

4) Loki

Loki's silhouette in One Piece chapter 858 (Image via Shueisha)

Loki is the current prince of Elbaf, the homeland of the Giants. As such, he has command over an entire army of Giants, powerful warriors known for their whopping sides and insane physical strength.

Aiming to integrate Elbaf’s formidable militia within the ranks of the Big Mom Pirates, Charlotte Linlin “Big Mom” arranged a political marriage between one of her daughters, Charlotte Lola, and Loki. However, Lola ran away before the wedding, messing up her mother's plans.

5) Ochoku

Ochoku's silhouette in One Piece chapter 1096 (Image via Shueisha)

Ochoku, also known as Wang Zhi, was a prominent member of the infamous Rocks Pirates. After the crew disbanded, Ochoku went his own way and eventually became the new boss of Hachinosu, the so-called “Pirate Island.”

His rule over Hachonosu ended during the Rocky Port Incident. This event, which took place during the timeskip, was set up by Trafalgar Law. With some unspecified form of assistance from Marine Officer Koby, Marshall D. Teach “Blackbeard” overpowered Ochoku and became the new ruler of the island.

6) Rocks D. Xebec

Xebec's silhouette in One Piece chapter 957 (Image via Shueisha)

Along with the cryptic Imu, Xebec is possibly the most mysterious character in the One Piece series. A man who carried the Will of D. and allegedly aimed to rule the entire world, Xebec was the founder and leader of the Rocks Pirates, the mightiest crew of all time.

This dreadful group of pirates included Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom, three of the future Emperors, as well as other big names such as Shiki, Ochoku, and more. Needless to say, the fact that Xebec had those fearsome individuals as his subordinates is highly indicative of his own individual power.

As if that wasn’t enough, it was stated that Xebec was Gol D. Roger’s strongest foe ever. In fact, to beat Xebec and finally bring an end to his era, Roger had to team up with Monkey D. Garp.

To this day, the exact extent of Xebec’s powers remains unknown, as does his full appearance. After his defeat at the hands of Garp and Roger, the World Government erased every trace of Xebec’s life from history.