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With the latest chapter’s floating sumo arena roof, I felt that I had to weigh in on the subject of the ruler of Wano.
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The Shogun of Wano is Golden Lion Shiki, and here’s why it makes narrative sense:
- Shiki’s film “Strong World” might not be canon, but chapter 0 and the character Shiki both are, so Oda-sensei will introduce Shiki in the manga in the future
- Twenty-odd years ago, Shiki went off to begin preparations for his grandiose plan, an action which coincides with the time Kozuki Oden was deposed as the regent of Wano.
- Wano is an isolationist nation, what better place is there for Shiki to carry out his dastardly machinations? No wonder that the Shogun opposed Oden when it came to opening the borders to foreign countries.
- Shiki and the Shogun’s personalities seem to match each other perfectly, how they act, the subordinates they amass. Also Orochi came into power 20 years ago and Shiki escaped from Impel Down 22 years ago, around the time Roger died.
- Shiki dresses in traditional Japanese garb, both he and his crew are very Yakuza-esque, he’s a proficient swordsman with two (according to him) legendary swords which he now utilizes as leg prosthetics, and well, essentially, he’s an evil, corrupt guy. Which perfectly matches up with how the shogun has been depicted so far.
- The floating sumo arena roof… Who other than Shiki is capable of such a feat? Sure Oda could add a similar devil fruit to the story, but why waste Shiki’s potential?
- Oda has stated in an interview that there will appear a new enemy in Wano, someone so strong that it will be the most dangerous foe that the Straw Hats have faced yet in the story. Who better than Shiki, someone who could compete with the Yonko in both influence and strength?
- Kizaru, the admiral distinctly linked to the three great treasures of Japan, has already volunteered to go to Wano, is that truly a coincidence when we have a potential Yamata no Orochi and Susano’o in the mix? I think not.
- Whilst Luffy faces off against Kaido, who better for Zoro to face off against than an aging Yonko/Admiral level swordsman like Shiki, potentially with Kizaru in the mix?
- The shogun’s symbol seems to be a flower of sorts, and while I know that that was and still is a common symbol in Japan, chapter 0 Shiki wore flower-patterned Japanese garb.
- Oda has stated that only his best ideas are left and that he wants to pull out all the stops for Wano, which begs the question; would Oda really waste Shiki as a film-only character when he went to the trouble of writing a canon chapter with Shiki as the main focus?
*Theory by MinisculeD
