Overview
- Reports in recent days place the One Piece flag in protests in Peru, extending a wave already visible in Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Madagascar and France.
- The emblem first surfaced publicly in Indonesia in August and drew a threat of prohibition from authorities there.
- Its spread accelerated in Madagascar from late September, amplified by Instagram networks such as the "Gen Z Madagascar" account.
- Protesters cite the series’ themes—liberating oppressed peoples and challenging abusive rulers—as reasons the flag resonates with their generation.
- Scholars describe the skull-and-straw-hat as a depoliticized, unifying image suited to leaderless, online-to-street mobilization, and they say social-media mimicry could fuel further diffusion.