One Piece: Is Kuma the Most Heartbreaking Character?

One Piece’s anime is currently featuring the highly anticipated Kuma’s backstory. While anime-only fans will finally learn more about this tragic character, manga fans already know the horrors that await them. One of One Piece’s strongest elements is its backstories, which often add depth to the characters, even the minor ones. Bartholomew Kuma is one such character who left a deep impression in his first appearance. As a Warlord working for the government, he was supposed to be an enemy of the Straw Hat Pirates. Everything from Zoro’s iconic “Nothing Happened” scene to the tragic Straw Hats’ separation in the Sabaody Archipelago Arc was enough proof that Kuma was loyal to the World Government – or so we thought.

The fact that he was a member of the Revolutionary Army working for the government as a spy was revealed much later in the series. Not only that, but everything Kuma did for Luffy’s crew since the beginning was for their benefit. While the crew set sail for Fish-Man Island without knowing anything, Franky shared the details about how they had an important ally all along. The anime commenced Kuma’s backstory in Episode 1129, which will answer a lot of questions for us. Manga fans are already aware of the plot, and there’s often talk about Kuma being the most tragic character.

Warning: This Article Contains Major Spoilers from the One Piece Manga!

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Kuma’s Backstory and Sacrifices Make Him the Most Heartbreaking Character in One Piece

One Piece has its fair share of tragic characters, but it could easily be argued that Kuma is by far the most heartbreaking one. It combines elements of Dressrosa’s Kyros and Wano’s Oden to add equal parts tragic origins and a heroic element. While viewers got a glimpse with Episode 1129 of Kuma’s story detailing loss, enslavement, and a plan for a desperate escape at God Valley with the help of new friends, this only marks the beginning.

Not only did he suffer from slavery and oppression in his childhood, but he also couldn’t live freely despite escaping that hell. He met Ivankov and Ginny in God Valley, and the trio managed to free themselves and hundreds of slaves and inhabitants of the island. Every three years, the World Government chooses an island that’s not affiliated with them. They take it over and turn the inhabitants into hunting targets for a tournament just to amuse the Celestial Dragons.

One Piece Anime Viewers Will Soon See Kuma’s Entire Life, Not Just the Origin, Is Tragic

The horrors of God Valley are the World Government’s biggest stain, and they wouldn’t want to make it public. Kuma lived a peaceful life with Ginny in the Sorbet Kingdom before joining the Revolutionary Army. Despite having feelings for her, Kuma never agreed to marry Ginny because he didn’t want to recreate his family’s tragedy. After Ginny was taken away during a mission and forced to live as one of the Celestial Dragon’s wives, Kuma was too helpless to save her. She was abandoned after two years, after contracting a Sapphire Scales disease that also affected her newly born daughter, Bonney.

Kuma raised Bonney with as much love and care as any father would, but the disease was catching up to the young girl. She couldn’t live under the sun, and there was seemingly no cure for her. That is, until Vegapunk promised to cure her, but the scientist was under orders by the World Government to turn Kuma into a Pacifista. He happily agreed to erase his humanity in hopes of having his daughter live a free life.

Kuma Dreamed of Freedom, But It Was Always Out of Reach

On the surface, One Piece is a fun series about adventure. However, at its very core, it’s filled with tragedies and heartbreaks. Fan-favorite characters like Robin, Law, Sanji, and many more suffered because of the circumstances forced on them. And while Kuma was also a victim of this broken world, his true tragedy lies in his sacrifice. Even when he was about to become a mindless puppet, he decided to guard the Thousand Sunny for two years while taking unimaginable damage, alone and wordless, just to fulfill a promise no one even knew he made.

He saved Luffy and his crew and saved his daughter at his own expense. His biggest regret was leaving his young child alone in the world to fend for herself, but it was what he thought was right. As a Buccaneer, the tales of Nika were passed down in his family. Even in his final moments, Kuma’s father told him about a warrior who dances and smiles as he liberates people. Kuma carried on the tradition by telling those stories to Bonney, hoping she would one day be free.

However, that very freedom was always out of reach for him. His happiest days were when he raised Bonney, but even that didn’t last when he volunteered to erase his humanity. Even after being turned into a mindless weapon, fragments of his will live on. He gave up everything, yet his body screamed to go to his daughter and protect her from whoever is trying to harm her. He is currently in Elbaf with Bonney, and there’s no guarantee that he can ever regain his humanity. For all we know, that might be how his soul-crushing journey ended, as a tool for the very people who destroyed his life.