One Piece Finally Unpacks Kuma’s Tragic Past

One Piece should hardly surprise fans with its world building by now. After decades on the scene, the hit shonen has crafted one of fiction’s most intricate universes. Monkey D. Luffy is at the heart of an expansive world, and series creator Eiichiro Oda has fleshed out countless pirate backstories. And at long last, we have been told all about Kuma’s past.

The big update came this week courtesy of One Piece chapter 1095. It was there fans met with Bonney as she faced a Gorosei head on. The godly elder has power beyond all reason, but Bonney is determined to get revenge. She places the blame of Kuma’s death on the elder, and it is there we get a rundown of the giant’s past.

As it turns out, Kuma was born to a loving mother and father in a remote island off the Grand Line. This was nearly 50 years ago, and Kuma was protected from birth due to his linage. After all, his father held the blood of the Buccaneer Clan, and the family was one hunted into extinction by the World Government.

Of course, it didn’t take long for the Gorosei to learn about Kuma and his dad. The small family was taken into slavery by the World Government, and the nobles treated them like trash. From a young age, Kuma was forced into servitude, and he watched his father undertake awful torture. Kuma’s mother was even killed while a slave, and this all culminated in Kuma partaking in a literal manhunt established by the World Government. The nobles wanted to hunt men for sport, and slaves like Kuma were fair game.

Of course, we know as an adult Kuma eventually made his own family with his daughter Jewelry, and he was turned into a weapon by Vegapunk. Bonney is still seeking revenge for her dad, but it seems his trauma is way worse than we could’ve imagined. And to make things worse, Oda isn’t done with Kuma and his backstory just yet…!

What do you think about One Piece’s exploration of Kuma? Do you think the Sun God could snap Kuma out of his horrific state? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!