One Piece is a paragon both in terms of manga and anime. This iconic manga series is coming to a close and its mangaka, Eiichiro Oda, who writes and illustrates this work of art, gifted the fandom with a very touching message for them to prepare their hearts and souls for the final adventures of the crew.
Oda plans to end the saga in 2024 or 2025, so, the fans can enjoy the series for a few more years yet. Also, this genius more than deserves his current net worth, as well as having this unique manga series as the best-selling of all time.
What Makes One Piece So Great
Unlike most pirates who are shown in fiction as bandits or romanticized, Eiichiro Oda brought a new and stunning vision on the theme: in One Piece, the pirates banded together and even declared war on the World Government, thus creating a unique view on pirates, and giving birth to what is referred to as "The Golden Age of Piracy" and entertaining the world since 1999 (in anime) and 1997 (in the original manga), with brilliant storytelling and more than awesome arcs, as well as the evolution and introduction of new representations among the range of One Piece's characters. Among them is Kiku, a transgender woman who has an extremely positive representation in the universe of One Piece.
Diversity And Representation In Anime & Why It Matters
Stories have always played big roles in people’s lives. Whether they are told by a good book, by family members, or even by our ancestors around bonfires, stories matter because they affect the way we live, how we see others, in a good or bad light, as well as how we think about ourselves. Therefore, stories without diversity and representation can make people feel like they are outcasts. And stories with negative portrayals of what is different from the male-centric, white and heteronormative “standard” unfortunately make a disservice by perpetuating more than unwelcome stereotypes.
Diversity in popular films and TV shows matters because a truthful portrayal of society affects the two extremes: the groups that are over-represented and the under-represented ones. Anime is a medium the popularity of which has already crossed seas, and with One Piece being such a long-running manga/anime series, it is more than welcome and important that it incorporates new diverse characters, diverging from some initial stereotyping in some portrayals of LGBTQIA+ characters, upon whom positive lights shine.
Enter Kiku!
In the series, Kiku is shown as a confident and hardened warrior with a friendly nature that is translated into a strong sense of justice and the desire to protect those around her. While shonen anime in general tend to be notorious for their not-so-great LGBTQIA+ characters, who are often portrayed as a gag or joke, in very stereotyped ways, that is not the case with Kiku, who is positively presented in the universe of One Piece and has a good reputation among its fans. She is the most popular member of the Nine Red Scabbards. Her name is a nod to Segawa Kikunojo, a guild name used by a line of onnagata, male actors who played women’s roles in Kabuki theater.
The kanji for kiku (èŠ) in her name is the Japanese word for chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemums are symbols of friendship, happiness, and well-being, frequently tied to the arrival of Autumn for they are one of the most popular fall flowers. Kiku’s birthday is on September 9, which is the date of the Chrysanthemum Festival in Japan. The Chrysanthemum Day (Kiku no Sekku) is a holiday when this festival is held, dedicated to the flower that is the symbol of the Imperial House of Japan.
The Real Meaning Of The Phrase “Woman At Heart”
In the One Piece manga chapter 948, when Luffy and Chopper get to know that Kikunojo was assigned male at birth, her reply to them is that she is “a woman at heart” (心ã¯å¥³ã§ã™ kokoro wa on'na desu). This phrase in Japanese is generally used to identify someone as transgender, with the kanji 心 (kokoro) referring to the metaphorical heart. A more exact translation of this phrase would be something along the lines of “[My] being is a woman”.
Kiku had referred to herself before, in Chapter 916, as a woman, and, in chapter 1052, at a bathhouse, Kiku asks to bathe with the other women and is accepted without any problem, which is an excellently positive representation, especially when we consider the terrible transphobia and its harmful effects in real life. Helpful and nurturing toward her friends, Kiku is a very upbeat and friendly woman, who lives and presents herself in a traditionally feminine fashion. Kikunojo made her debut as Kiku in volume 91, chapter 913 of the manga series, and episode 899 of the One Piece anime series.
The anime’s English dub is deemed one of the best in anime, which is quite a feat, considering the number of characters the anime has. With the upcoming Wano saga, fans knew more stars would be joining the dub, and another VA is about to make their debut, and that is Kayleigh McKee, who is a transgender rising actress, who is as excited to give voice to Kiku as fans are to watch her doing so. McKee shared the news of her casting with One Piece fans, marking the first time fans learned about the Wano dub’s cast addition, and her casting was met with earned applause.
Kayleigh McKee is a transgender woman specializing in both feminine and masculine roles in voice-over for animation and games. The anime industry has already embraced her talent and voice in several projects, and she is known for her roles as Pina (BEASTARS), Kusunoki (Lyrics Recoil), and Yuta (Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (movie)).
Looks like it's time. You can hear me as the voice of Kiku in the English Dub of One Piece. This is my 1st time voicing a trans woman- and to portray one so strong, confident in herself, and loved by the people around her is an immense gift. The directors have been so kind, and really believed in what I could bring to her while understanding the challenges it entails. - Kayleigh McKee
The Times Are A-Changing…
Representation and diversity matter, and it is good to see anime casts starting to reflect that. This casting choice comes to cement the good direction the path of entertainment is taking toward more equality.
Even if slowly, even with baby steps, even if in Japan same-sex marriage is still considered illegal. Representation and diversity matter — emphasis shall be given on that —, and stories matter since they impact people, they can lead to changes in mindset and real life. Also, everyone deserves to have their story told, and under good lights.
Source: Comic Book