One Piece’s latest chapter takes the narrative forward, and the inevitable has finally happened, revealing the first look at the series’ main villain. The story has been building toward this moment for more than eight years, and along the way, countless theories emerged. One of the most popular suggestions was that Imu was female; however, the big reveal has debunked many of them.
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Meanwhile, with this latest reveal, new theories about the character have already begun to surface. As we also dissect the new appearance, we’ve identified a few details that might not be evident at first glance. So, here are five fun details you likely missed in One Piece’s shocking Imu reveal.
5) Naruto Might Inspire Imu’s Eyes
In the big reveal of Imu’s face, one of the most striking details is the character’s eyes. Up until now, Imu’s eyes appeared as circular red pupils with inner rings. However, in this reveal, Imu’s eyes closely resemble the famous Rinnegan from the Naruto series, one of the most powerful eyes in that story.
While there is no confirmation that Oda is intentionally referencing One Piece’s old competitor with this design choice, Imu’s eyes are strikingly similar to the Rinnegan. It’s a fun comparison fans shouldn’t miss, bringing two of the biggest shonen series even closer.
4) Imu’s Appearance Also Comes With Music
With the appearance of Gear 5 Luffy, One Piece has further emphasized its use of sound effects to define characters, particularly significant ones like Luffy’s Gear 5 form, which represents the god-like entity, Nika. A detail fans might have missed is that before Imu fully transforms and unveils his appearance, there is also a musical element present.
As houses turn into monsters, dialogue boxes appear, making it clear that they are singing a song for Imu’s reveal. This is an easy detail to overlook, but it’s an important one that suggests a connection between Imu and Nika. Interestingly, this isn’t the only hint pointing to a link between these enigmatic entities, as there are other details as well.
3) Imu Can Materialize Elements
Speaking of Imu having music accompany his arrival and his similarity to Nika, whose most prominent ability is to materialize elements, Imu appears to possess a similar ability that could be easily overlooked. The houses that transform into demonic structures and sing upon his arrival might not just be a playful element to enhance the moment, but rather a display of his power to manipulate elements into bizarre forms, much like Luffy does in his Gear 5.
If anything, this suggests that Imu could be a dark counterpart to Luffy’s Gear 5, or Joy Boy, the Sun God Nika. The key difference may be that while Luffy’s Gear 5 represents liberation, Imu’s power leans toward despair and destruction. This aligns with the idea that the series has presented two contrasting interpretations of the Sun God Nika.
2) Imu Might Just Be Tall as the Giants
One easy-to-miss detail is Imu’s actual appearance in terms of height. Previously, when seen sitting on the throne, Imu didn’t appear much taller than the Five Elders, suggesting he might be of normal human height. However, in his full appearance at Elbaph, Imu is shown standing atop a roof, where he appears proportionate to the surroundings.
Given that these structures are built for giants, this implies that Imu, in this form, is just as tall as they are. It supports the idea that Imu can take on a gigantic form, further strengthening the theory that he could be a Second Sun God Nika with the ability to materialize elements, making size manipulation as effortless for him as it is for Luffy in Gear 5.
1) Imu is the Devil Himself
Imu’s existence in the world of One Piece has always been intriguing, especially given that he has lived for hundreds of years. It has become increasingly clear that he is no longer human, if he ever was, but the story has never explicitly explained what he truly is. While fans have long theorized that Imu is a dark entity, the latest chapter includes subtle details that strongly suggest he is, in fact, a devil.
Whenever Imu is in focus, the sound effects used to describe him, written in katakana, translate to “devil,” a nuance that is often lost in translation. This kind of emphasis has never been used for any other character, making the implication even more striking. This small but fascinating detail further supports the idea that Imu is the direct counterpart to the Sun God Nika, reinforcing the notion of him as a second Sun God, one associated with destruction.
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