In the final saga of One Piece, important information about Shanks has been revealed. Eiichiro Oda disclosed in One Piece Billy Volume 4 Billion magazine that Shanks has a special plan for the ongoing new era. Although currently, Shanks is searching for Kurohige and One Piece, his plan is closely connected to his meeting with Luffy, which will be revealed in the future.
In one of the crucial moments in the final saga of One Piece, Shanks met with Gorosei, the highest leaders of the New World. This meeting was accompanied by mutual respect between Shanks and Gorosei, showing the level of admiration they have for each other. However, the more surprising thing is the special ability that Shanks possessed. In the Red film script, which is part of the One Piece narrative, Eiichiro Oda revealed that Shanks had the ability to nullify the opponent’s Observation Haki.
With this ability, Shanks could disable the opponents’ ability to see the future, giving an explanation as to why Shanks could enter Marineford undetected and stop Akainu’s attack by surprising him. Shanks’ sudden appearance and unpredictable attack on Akainu demonstrated the effectiveness of Shanks’ special ability in confronting Observation Haki users.
After the events of Wano, Shanks’ appearance at various events was always accompanied by drinking wine. Interestingly, the wine he drank often had the inscription “No. 5, 67” on it. This has sparked speculation that the inscription could be a reference to the 67th bar of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony “Fate.” The connection between Shanks’ consumed wine and the said bar becomes more intriguing when involving Shanks’ reply to the village mayor’s question to Luffy. When asked if this is his dream or destiny, Shanks stated that Luffy is destined to become the Pirate King. The “No. 5, 67” inscription on Shanks’ drinking wine can symbolize Shanks’ belief in destiny related to Luffy and his important role as the Pirate King. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, with the 67th bar entitled “Fate,” may reflect that Shanks sees Luffy’s journey as a predetermined destiny.
In the Red movie, it has been confirmed that Shanks comes from the Fearland family. During his childhood, after the incident in the Valley of God, Shanks was found by Gol D. Roger when he was still a baby, as revealed in One Piece Billy Volume 4 Billion magazine. This information provides new insights into Shanks’ background and origin. The Fearland family has become the focal point of understanding Shanks’ journey and how he became one of the important characters in the One Piece story. Interestingly, Eiichiro Oda, the author, also stated that there will be more information about the Fearland family to be revealed soon through the SBS Red segment.
As we know, the “Shanks Kick” means “Kamusari” in Japanese, which can literally be translated as “death of rulers or kings.” This interpretation provides new understanding of the meaning behind the nickname attached to Shanks. Perhaps this nickname is a testament or message that Gol D. Roger shared with Shanks. In this context, “Kamusari” can be interpreted as an attitude that hates or wishes for the death of Celestial Dragons. Oda also noted that Shanks is not perfect, although he is a strong and respected leader, he also faces moments of confusion and doubt in his life journey. One such moment occurred in Chapter 1 of One Piece, where Shanks appeared confused. However, in his confusion, there were Shanks’ crew members who secretly supported him. The crew member was Ben Beckman, an individual who had extraordinary wisdom and intelligence. In that moment, Ben Beckman provided support without being known to others, becoming a secret among Shanks’ crew. Then in the final chapter, when Shanks was seen by Kid, Ben Beckman remained calm and supportive of his leader. In this moment, Ben Beckman gave confidence to Shanks by saying, “You must be seeing a terrible future.” This shows that although Shanks may face difficulties or challenges that have yet to be revealed, he has the full trust of his crew members, especially from Ben Beckman. Supporting and understanding each other, and being willing to stand by Shanks in every situation, including when he will face his uncertain future in the final saga.
