Jump Festa 2023, in December 2022, Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, hinted that there would be a Battle Royale in which one of the characters in the series might die. This led to several speculations by fans of One Piece, suggesting that the Battle Royale was already happening, considering some events in the Egghead arc.
For instance, the fight between Yonkou Kurohige and Trafalgar Law on Wine Island, where they battled for control of the road poneglyph, which is a clue to reaching Raftel, the last island on the Grand Line. Other events on Egghead Island, such as Luffy’s fight against CP0 agents leading to a direct confrontation with one of the Gorosei and a Navy admiral, also lended towards the possibility of a Battle Royale.
Furthermore, on Elbaf Island, there was another brawl between Yonkou Shanks and Eustass Kid, and Garp destroying Beehive Island with a single attack to save a member of SWORD, Coby. All of these led to the conclusion that they were all part of Eiichiro Oda’s Battle Royale.
The question on everyone’s mind is who will emerge as the winner of this Battle Royale? Will it be the World Government represented by Gorosei, or the pirates, including the Yonkou? Participants in the Battle Royale would range from the World Government, such as Gorosei and CP0 agents, to the Navy, and the pirates, including both the Yonkou and rookie pirates like Law and Eustass Kid.
Regardless, Eiichiro Oda has hinted that one character is likely to die during the Battle Royale. However, based on the events thus far, Eustass Kid may not be a contender for the winner of the Battle Royale, since he was left decimated after facing Shanks.
On the other hand, strong contenders who could emerge as the winner of the Battle Royale are Shanks, Kurohige, Gorosei, Garp, and Luffy. Shanks has already demonstrated great power, which makes him the most likely contender to win the Battle Royale. Although Kurohige and Luffy are not as powerful as some of the other contenders, they do possess a stroke of luck that may make them victorious in the Battle Royale.
Finally, Garp and Saturn, one of the Gorosei, are also likely contenders, given Garp’s power, which was displayed in One Piece Chapter 1080, where he destroyed Beehive Island. Similarly, Saturn’s exceptional strength makes him a potential victor in the Battle Royale, capable of ruling the entire sea in One Piece.
In conclusion, One Piece fans are eagerly anticipating the Battle Royale hinted by Eiichiro Oda at Jump Festa 2023. While it is unclear who will emerge as the winner, it is certain that this will be one of the most climactic events in the series, for both the fans and the characters themselves.
