One Piece Ends Wano Saga With a Controversial Decree

One Piece has been busy with its Wano saga for some years now, and at last, it seems the story has ended. Ahead of its final act, Wano was brought to an end this week as creator Eiichiro Oda released chapter 1057 after a long wait. The emotional wrap put the Straw Hat crew on their next adventure while Wano eyed a bright horizon after years of darkness. But in its last few pages, one hero’s decree sparked a hot debate with fans online.

The moment in question arrives as Wano’s tale comes to an end. The narrator reveals Orochi managed to survive the attack on Kaido’s lair and its plummet back to Earth. Surviving on rage alone, Orochi’s fiery body goes to confront the people of Wano, but Hiyori intervenes. The princess steps forward to condemn Oden in his final moments, and it is her statement that has drummed up issues.

And what did she say, you might be asking? Well, Hiyori simply said, “Kurozumi was born to burn!!!”

This statement might not be inflammatory from the start, but One Piece fans were quick to piece together the issue. Hiyori’s words are simple enough as context leads us to believe she’s talking about Orochi by himself here. However, the use of the Kurozumi family name isn’t sitting well with readers at large.

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After all, the clan itself doesn’t represent Orochi, and the villain’s horrific actions were spurred by the family’s unjust treatment. The group did try to overthrow Wano’s Shogunate decades ago, and those who planned the coup were punished justly. Not even Orochi could argue that point, but what became unbearable was Wano’s self-righteous lynch mob. When news of the Kurozumi clan’s actions was made public, all of its members were hunted and killed by locals. These murders weren’t sanctioned, and nothing was done to punish those who eradicated the clan. So of course, Orochi came to hold a grudge.

This history doesn’t excuse the tyrant’s actions in any way, of course. His fiery death was deserved, but fans are taking up the issue with Hiyori’s public shaming of the Kurozumi name. The clan was wronged in its own way, and this statement only furthers that injustice. The people of Wano who massacred the Kurozumi were never corrected, so the tragedy remains as sharp now as it did years ago. And even though Orochi is as bad as they come, his red marks don’t need to tarnish the Kurozumi any further.

What do you make of this arc’s final moment? Do you believe One Piece went against itself with the scene? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.