800 Years of Suffering: How Joy Boy's Defeat Destroyed the World.

One man’s loss changed history forever. Let’s dive into the tragic defeat of Joy Boy and how it created the darkest era in the One Piece world. 

In the previous post, I dived deep into the legendary Sun God Nika. After Nika, the next character we need to explore is, of course, Joy Boy. Just like the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, Joy Boy is a super important figure who greatly affected the world of One Piece. While Gol D. Roger created the Great Pirate Era—which eventually led to our main character, Monkey D. Luffy, becoming a pirate—Joy Boy is one of the figures who shaped the very foundation of the One Piece world.

Based on the hints in the anime, we know that Joy Boy’s loss is the main reason the world became what it is today. You may ask what I mean by that, so please let me explain. Before Luffy and his crew entered the New World, we knew a "big darkness" existed in this world, but back then it was just hints; no one really knew what was happening behind the scenes. Before the New World, the story focused entirely on Luffy’s adventure, and the author, Eiichiro Oda, hadn't yet dived deep into that darkness.

Source: ONE PIECE スタッフ【公式】/ Official X account

After entering the New World, especially once the crew landed on Punk Hazard, we started to learn more about the darkness of the One Piece world. However, even after Luffy and his crew entered the Wano Country and Onigashima, the darkness we witnessed was still just the tip of the iceberg; there is still so much we don't know. The dark side of the One Piece world is actually a theme fans worldwide have longed to understand. Fortunately, with the introduction of the Lunarians and the tragic backstory of Bartholomew Kuma and Jewelry Bonney, we are finally seeing the "True Hell" of this world.

In Kozuki Oden’s backstory, when Roger and his crew reached Laugh Tale, they laughed because Joy Boy had such an amazing journey. Yet, in a way, Joy Boy is indirectly responsible for the current darkness. It’s a hard truth to face, but after Joy Boy was defeated, everything changed, and the darkest era in the history of the One Piece world began.

Before we dive in, please note that this post only covers the One Piece anime. One Piece exists as both an anime and a manga; as a massive fan of the series, I have watched and read everything multiple times. While we could discuss much more with manga spoilers, I won’t include any here so that everyone can read this post without concern. However, this post will cover episodes which Joy Boy has appeared in the anime, with a specific focus on the Egghead Island Arc. If you haven't finished, or even started the Egghead Island Arc and want to avoid spoilers, please stop scrolling here!

Source: ONE PIECE スタッフ【公式】/ Official X account

The first pirate on the seas and the legendary man connected to the Ancient Kingdom:

Based on Dr. Vegapunk’s explanation in One Piece Egghead Island arc, we’ve learned some vital information about Joy Boy. The first key detail is that he fought just like Nika. As I mentioned in my previous post, Joy Boy and Nika are two different figures: Joy Boy was a man who truly existed in the past, while Nika is the legendary Sun God whose existence remains a myth. Since Joy Boy fought like Nika and had the "Drums of Liberation" as a heartbeat, we can confirm that Joy Boy was the previous user of the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika.

The second piece of information is that Joy Boy was connected to a highly advanced kingdom. Manga readers and long-time fans will know about this Ancient Kingdom, but for anime-only viewers, there isn't much information available yet. To avoid spoilers, what I can share is that this kingdom possessed incredible technology and used the Mother Flame as a power source. As Dr. Vegapunk (Shaka) explained, even though Egghead looks like a "future island," it is actually just a "copycat" of that ancient civilization. That kingdom was far more advanced than Egghead is today.

The third piece of vital information Dr. Vegapunk gave us is that Joy Boy lost to an alliance of 20 kingdoms, which later became the World Government. This is a crucial detail that I’ll dive deeper into later. Understanding that Joy Boy lost is important because it connects back to the hints from the Fish-Man Island arc. We know from that arc that Joy Boy left an apology letter to the Mermaid Princess because he failed to fulfill his promise. At the time, we didn’t know why he had failed, but looking back now, the reason is becoming clear.

Source: ONE PIECE スタッフ【公式】/ Official X account

Besides the apology, we also know that Joy Boy is linked to the massive ship, Noah. It was supposedly intended to be the ship for Joy Boy and the Mermaid Princess of that era. When Noah was first shown, many fans assumed Joy Boy must be a giant, but it turns out he likely looks more like our protagonist, Luffy. What’s even more surprising is that the Sea Kings are the ones meant to move the ship. Furthermore, the knowledge and techniques required to repair Noah have vanished—much like the "D" initial, the rare races, and the advanced technology of the past.

The reason I am sharing this with everyone is that, through this information, we know Joy Boy was someone who truly existed in the One Piece world and had deep connections to incredible technologies and structures. With these advancements, Joy Boy could have made the world a better place; unfortunately, after his death, the world did not improve. Instead, it became a "hell" for many people.

Joy Boy was a man who left a legacy for the future—the kind of person who would even leave an apology letter to a woman he couldn't keep a promise to. For someone like him, I believe those amazing technologies and structures weren't destroyed, but were hidden away—much like the Mother Flame, the Ancient Weapons, and the secrets of the Kozuki Clan. Joy Boy existed over 800 years ago, and while it may seem impossible for a future person to gather everything he left behind, the miracles Luffy has created give us faith. We believe that one day, everything related to Joy Boy will finally return.

Source: ONE PIECE スタッフ【公式】/ Official X account

The loss of Joy Boy and the regret of the Iron Giant, Emet:

In anime episode 1153, the Iron Giant—whose name we learn is Emet—apologizes to Luffy. This apology isn't actually meant for Luffy himself, but for Joy Boy. Emet regrets that he couldn't help make Joy Boy the king. While this is just a short sentence, when we combine it with what Dr. Vegapunk recently revealed, we can start to understand why he feels such deep regret and the need to apologize.

Before the end of episode 1153, there is a scene featuring a dialogue between Emet and Joy Boy. From that scene, we see that Joy Boy isn’t a giant, but someone who closely resembles Luffy. We also learn that Joy Boy had a special ability—beyond his Nika powers—that somehow allowed him to save Emet at any time. Emet is clearly moved and grateful that Joy Boy was willing to protect him. This episode makes it clear that Emet truly loved Joy Boy, which makes it even sadder to realize how much the world fell into chaos after Joy Boy’s death.

You may have forgotten, but the Iron Giant, Emet, once attacked Mary Geoise, the capital of the World Government. We still don't know much about that incident or who ordered Emet to attack. Perhaps Emet went there for revenge, or to fight for someone—or maybe it was an order left by Joy Boy? While the details are a mystery, the fact that Emet attacked the Holy Land suggests he must have witnessed the true darkness of the world firsthand.

Source: ONE PIECE スタッフ【公式】/ Official X account

After the death of Joy Boy, the elimination of the "D" clan, the rise of the slave system, and the "hunting games" targeting rare races began. These are all part of a darkness we never want to witness again. Even the "killing game" on God Valley, formally known as the Native Hunting Competition, was so brutal that it shattered lives and terrified the world. Knowing that these games and purges continued for centuries, it’s no wonder Emet feels such regret. It sounds harsh to say, but the persecution by Imu and the World Government was so absolute that no one related to Joy Boy could escape it.

Besides Emet, there is another mysterious creature that is constantly atoning and punishing itself: Zunesha. We still know very little about Zunesha’s past, but given how excited it was for the return of Joy Boy, and its demand to finally open Wano’s borders, the chances that Zunesha was an ally of Joy Boy are incredibly high.

Since Zunesha was so overjoyed by Joy Boy's return, it must have lived for over 800 years. Considering it has been wandering the seas for all that time, it has likely witnessed the "hell" of the One Piece world firsthand. While we, as viewers, only see glimpses of this suffering, the purges and persecutions have continued for centuries. In the world of One Piece, "hell" exists wherever you go. Looking at how corrupted the world has become, it’s impossible for those linked to Joy Boy to feel nothing.

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The legendary adventure of Joy Boy, the Kozuki Clan, and the Poneglyphs:

Over the centuries, the persecution by Imu and the World Government has been incredibly thorough. The number of people carrying the "D" initial has dwindled, and only three known members of the rare races remain. From the Native Hunting Competitions to the Ohara Incident, the world has been draped in darkness ever since Joy Boy’s defeat. Through these brutal efforts, Imu and the World Government have tried to wipe out anyone who might become part of Joy Boy’s strength—yet, his story remains!

Even though the World Government has tried to erase every trace of him, Joy Boy’s legacy survived. Thanks to Nico Robin discovering his name and Gol D. Roger’s crew uncovering his full history, the truth is finally coming to light. This was only made possible through the help of the Kozuki Clan and their creation of the Poneglyphs. Because of their sacrifice, passing down Joy Boy’s story became possible, even in a world ruled by silence.

From the hints we can gather in the anime, we know that the Kozuki Clan were master stonemasons. They created the Poneglyphs to record history and preserve the story of Joy Boy. Given that they closed their borders and completely transformed their country just to hide an Ancient Weapon, it is safe to say that the Kozuki Clan is deeply connected to Joy Boy's legacy.

The ancient Kozuki Clan did an incredible job for Joy Boy; because of their Poneglyphs, his story was passed down through the centuries, eventually leading to the birth of the next Nika. Speaking of the Kozuki family, besides Gol D. Roger and his crew, there is one other person who knew the truth about Joy Boy and the world: Kozuki Toki, the wife of Kozuki Oden.

Source: ONE PIECE スタッフ【公式】/ Official X account

Since Toki is a minor character who didn't appear much during the Wano Country arc, many fans might have forgotten her significance. In reality, Toki was originally from over 800 years ago, and she was actively searching for the return of Joy Boy. While it may seem hard to believe that someone from the distant past could appear in the present, she was the user of the Toki Toki no Mi (Time-Time Fruit)—a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that allows the user to send themselves or others forward in time.

Her husband, Oden, was well aware of this power, which is why he urged Toki to travel through time once more to escape being killed by Orochi and Kaidou. Oden wanted Toki to survive, but as we know from the story, Toki accepted her fate and was killed. The reason I am bringing her up now is that, although she has passed away, she was one of the few who knew the full truth—and she surprisingly managed to achieve all of her goals before the end.

You might wonder, what is the big deal about her reaching all her goals? But if you look closely at Toki’s wishes, it is truly amazing. She waited for the return of Joy Boy—symbolized by her "son and daughter" (the new generation)—and Joy Boy finally reached her country, kicking out the monsters who had taken over the beautiful Wano. Beyond Toki’s own desires, Oden’s dream was fulfilled as well. Right now, Wano Country has formed a strong alliance with the Straw Hats; once the new Nika decides to move, Wano will be ready to fight alongside him.

Because Toki’s story was so brief, there is still much we don't know. We don't know exactly why she was searching for Joy Boy’s return, but the fact that she was willing to leap over 800 years into the future suggests she witnessed the "darkness" firsthand and was someone who held deep knowledge of him. If she didn't know the truth about Joy Boy, it wouldn't make sense for her to travel so far into the future and endure so many nightmares alone. With the Toki Toki no Mi, she could have lived as a simple villager in any timeline, yet she insisted on finding Joy Boy. Although this wasn't portrayed in detail, there must be a massive reason behind her dedication to finding him.

Source: ONE PIECE スタッフ【公式】/ Official X account

The mysterious Queen Nefertari D. Lili, Imu, and the pirate Joy Boy:

When discussing Joy Boy and the main antagonist, Imu, there is a mysterious character we must address: Nefertari D. Lili. Since her name first appeared back in episode 1119, some of you may have forgotten her, so let me reintroduce her (since information on her is still quite scarce). Nefertari D. Lili was a queen who lived over 800 years ago and is a direct ancestor of Nefertari Vivi and Nefertari Cobra.

In episode 1119, Nefertari Cobra had a tense conversation with Imu and the Gorosei. From that dialogue, we gathered some vital pieces of information. These details are incredibly important, and since they all connect, I will first list each one individually and then we can analyze them all together.

First, we learned that Nefertari D. Lili actually joined the alliance of the 20 Kingdoms and fought against Joy Boy. Second, although Lili helped establish the World Government, she refused to become a Celestial Dragon; however, while attempting to return home to Alabasta, she mysteriously vanished. Finally, according to Imu, Lili was the one responsible for scattering the Poneglyphs worldwide, which ultimately preserved the hints and stories of Joy Boy for future generations.

On AnimeOshi, One Piece Episode 1119 has received reviews from 5 scouts, and the data now shows a high score of 89%. Everyone is hyped for the conversation between Nefertari Cobra and Imu!

This information is massive for both Luffy’s crew and the overall lore of One Piece. From the first point, we know that despite carrying the name "D," Lili fought against Joy Boy and played a role in his defeat. While that might seem like a small detail, Imu confirmed that the "D" were the original group who opposed the 20 Kingdoms. This suggests that Lili initially betrayed the "D" clan to join the alliance, only to somehow betray the alliance later on. Furthermore, because Lili carried the hidden name "D," her descendants—Cobra and Vivi—now officially inherit that legacy as well.

Based on the second and third pieces of information, we know that Lili eventually betrayed the Alliance and scattered the Poneglyphs across the globe. We don’t yet know her motivations—perhaps she witnessed the growing darkness of the new World Government? Perhaps she felt deep regret, or was even persuaded by someone else? While the details of the past remain a mystery, it is because of her actions that the fragments Joy Boy left behind began to resurface and come together.

Although helping to defeat Joy Boy makes Lili partially responsible for the world’s "darkness," the gifts she left behind have changed the course of history. Some might view her actions as a mere coincidence, but considering everything Joy Boy set in motion, I personally don't believe in accidents here. I believe this was someone’s will at work. The fact that the new Nika, Luffy, met and formed such a powerful bond with Lili’s descendant, Vivi, makes it hard to believe that any of this is just a coincidence.

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Joy Boy, the next Nika, and the Dawn of the World:

After diving into all this information about Joy Boy, the next thing I want to discuss is his relationship with the current user of the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika—our protagonist, Luffy. While everything looks incredibly similar and seems almost "set up" by someone, I personally don’t think Luffy is just a puppet of Joy Boy’s legacy, even if their paths look identical.

The reason I believe Luffy isn't strictly "tied" to Joy Boy is that, while the parallels are there, events didn't just happen automatically according to Luffy’s timeline. In the world of One Piece, every day is filled with new stories, and countless pirates are competing fiercely with one another. After Luffy was born, figures like Big Mom, Kaidou, and Shanks were actually making more preparations than he was. Furthermore, the "gifts" left by Joy Boy—like Zunesha and Emet—didn't simply activate the moment Luffy was born. In fact, Zunesha continued its endless walking, and Emet remained dormant for years even after Luffy began his journey.

If we look closely at Luffy’s timeline, things don’t quite match up. We have to remember that Joy Boy, Toki, Oden, and even Roger accurately left behind so many clues for the future; if that's the case, why didn't they put more effort into matching a specific person's timeline? Wouldn't it be strange to know exactly what will happen in the future, yet have the timing of all these events be "off"?

I don’t believe Joy Boy is Luffy, nor do I think Joy Boy was betting specifically on Luffy. Instead, I believe Joy Boy and his allies were betting on the next Nika, who just coincidentally happens to be Luffy. Over the last 800+ years, I doubt Luffy is the only one who has eaten the Gomu Gomu no Mi. After Joy Boy’s defeat, the World Government renamed the fruit from the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika to the Gomu Gomu no Mi. With such a common, simple name, it would make no sense if no one else had eaten it throughout all those centuries.

We must remember that in the world of One Piece, Devil Fruits are considered ultimate treasures. I believe that over the centuries, others have eaten the Gomu Gomu no Mi; they simply either never went to sea or never managed to awaken it. Although the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika has a legendary name, it is effectively just a fruit that makes your body "rubbery" and "funny" until it is awakened. There is nothing inherently "God-like" about it before that point. Imu and the World Government likely knew this, which is why they didn't immediately move against Luffy despite knowing he had eaten the fruit years ago.

Furthermore, the World Government always seemed to know the fruit's general location. Combined with the fact that Zunesha felt nothing when meeting Luffy until the actual "Nika" transformation, I strongly believe others have eaten it and failed to awaken its true power. Therefore, Joy Boy and his allies weren't necessarily betting on a specific person named Luffy; they were betting on the awakening process itself. They weren't just hoping for a successor to "continue the story"—they were waiting for someone capable of becoming Nika to finish what was started 800 years ago.

When you look at the timeline of Nika’s awakening, everything from the past starts to make more sense. Toki and Oden didn’t know exactly who would come, only that the one destined to become Nika would eventually arrive in Wano Country. Zunesha and Emet didn't know when the unfinished story would continue, yet they waited for Nika's awakening, hoping he would be the one to carry it forward. Similarly, Queen Lili didn't know who would eventually contact her descendants, but she made sure everything was prepared for the moment the next Nika arose.

This explains why the world had to wait so many centuries. While we don't know the exact trigger for awakening the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, we can guess the "bottom line" requirements. The user must master every form of Haki, possess an incredible imagination, and overcome death itself. Meeting these requirements takes an immense amount of time and effort. Fortunately, Luffy is the one who fulfilled them all. Now, the plans for the "Next Nika" can finally launch, eventually tearing down the darkness to welcome the Dawn of the New World.

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Conclusion:

I don’t believe Luffy is simply the "next" Joy Boy, or that they are bound by a rigid fate. Instead, I believe that once the next Nika finally appeared, all the ancient preparations set 800 years ago began to move in his favor. Given that no one has awakened this power in over eight centuries, we can assume the requirements are far stricter than those of any other Devil Fruit—but fortunately, Luffy has met and cleared every one of them. 

After a few months of waiting, the One Piece anime Elbaf Arc is set to premiere on April 5, 2026. Now is the perfect time for us to do our homework and truly understand the history of Nika and Joy Boy before the next chapter of this legendary story begins!

On AnimeOshi, 114 scouts have left their reviews on Episode 1155, and the data now shows an impressive 98% score! With this rating, we can see that everyone is satisfied with the ending of the Egghead Island Arc and is looking forward to the Elbaf Arc.

Thank you for reading! I will be publishing more content soon, including plot explanations, character deep-dives, and much more, so please stay tuned. While you wait for my next post, feel free to leave as many episodic reviews as possible, as there are plenty of challenges waiting for you on AnimeOshi! Plus, AnimeOshi has just launched a new Dropkick on My Devil! campaign, so everyone is welcome to join!

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