One of the biggest mysteries in One Piece concerns one of its antagonists. Leader of the World Government, with ties to the Forgotten Century and Nika, Imu remains a deeply enigmatic character. His true identity still remains a mystery, but a fan has likely managed to unravel it.
Imu is One Piece's biggest threat
Since his first appearance in Chapter 906, Imu's influence has continued to grow. The Egghead arc started things off, but it was with Elbaf that things really accelerated. The adventure on this island revealed many things about him, particularly through the frescoes, and above all allowed us to glimpse the extent of his power.
Chapters 1149 and 1150 revealed the full extent of Imu's terrifying powers. By possessing Gunko, he managed to enslave Dorry and Broggy, as well as other giants. One might wonder how our heroes got out of such a quagmire, but another element caught our attention: by controlling Gunko, Imu altered his appearance, to the point of making us wonder if he might be a woman. In any case, the question of his identity remains unanswered even if we have several leads available.
Imu's inspirations
To create Imu, Eiichiro Oda was probably inspired by many references. The first that comes to mind is obviously the devil. Linked to the Abyss and making pacts with his subjects, Imu possesses all the characteristics of the Evil One. He is thus associated with symbolic representations such as the serpent or the dragon, two creatures that can also be seen in the haley.
Beyond biblical references, we can also turn to mythology to find possible sources of inspiration. Imu seems linked to two Egyptian gods: Imhotep and Medjed. For the first, beyond the similarity of names, Imu became like him a divinity by annihilating an ancient kingdom. As for his appearance and powers, it is rather on the side of Medjed that we must look. Both possess enigmatic silhouettes, move in the shadows, and possess eyes from which they draw their powers.
From Egypt to Greece, it's only a short step, and that's also true for Imu. The story he undoubtedly experienced with Lillie recalls that of Hades and Persephone. Humanity lost its "goddess" of freedom and peace during the Forgotten Century, plunging the world into an era of darkness. Lillie's fate would be all the more tragic if, as this theory indicates, Imu took control of the woman. All of these inspirations are plausible, but you don't have to go that far geographically to find a credible one.
Imu is said to be related to a Japanese yokai
Each member of the Gorosei is associated with a yokai, and it's long been wondered if this also applies to Imu. Well, @writingpanini on X has probably given us an answer by bringing to light a theory that's been circulating online for a few years. According to him,Imu is an umi-bozu, a sea spirit from Japanese folklore.
#OnePiece #OnePiece1150 #opspoilers
— Panini (@writingpanini) May 26, 2025
Imu may be the Devil of the Sea, a powerful yokai from Japanese folklore. pic.twitter.com/UMO7XAspm4
Umi-bozu are vengeful spirits whose goal is to destroy ships. Imu shares a dark and imposing appearance with them, as seen during his confrontation with Sabo. His nature could therefore be close to theirs. It could be a vengeful god determined to eradicate all pirates. Note that similar sea monsters appear in the Florian Triangle and, if this theory is confirmed, they could be linked to Imu in some way.
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