Much A pieceThe characters’ appearances are based on real pop culture icons, but few of these inspirations are as surprising as the potential basis for villains. Enel. This shows that mangaka Eiichiro Oda is truly drawing inspiration from every corner of the world and every corner of pop culture. It may also cause some fans to view Enel differently compared to how he appears on Skypiea.
Enel is the narcissistic tyrant who rules the Sky Islands in the Skypiea arc. With his Rumble-Rumble Devil Fruit, he can control lightning and transform himself into it, making him nearly invincible. Luffy’s strength provides the first real threat he faces during his reign, as rubber is an insulator and thus has a natural advantage against electricity. His previously untouchable abilities only fueled his god complex, causing him to rule over the sky islanders like a god, brutally silencing all dissent. cruel. His appearance reflects this, as he wears drums and long ears associated with various gods and deities. However, aside from the mythological influences, his look may also have been inspired by an incredible American musician.
One Piece’s Enel may be based on Eminem
Oda once said in an interview that he is a fan of Eminem. Based on Skypiea was written in the early 2000s, around the time Eminem was most famous, which makes it possible that Enel is based on the rapper. Comparing Enel and Eminem side by side, the visual similarities between the two characters are clear to see, making this highly probable. This would also help shape Enel’s character, as his narcissism can be tied to Eminem’s boastful personality. It could even inspire Enel’s defeat, just like how Luffy defeated the false god with a musical object, just like the only way to defeat Eminem in real life is through a rap battle .
If Oda truly based Enel on Eminem it would once again show how diverse the visual influences of the series are. This also isn’t the first time Oda has based a character on a figure in American pop culture, with Sanji being inspired by Steve Buscemi in the film Reservoir Dogs. However, Oda does not only draw inspiration from American culture, as some characters such as the Admiral are based on famous Japanese actors. However, despite these strong inspirations, Enel’s design also shows how Oda was able to adapt his muses to fit the more cartoonish world of his manga, as something like like Enel’s elongated earlobes are extreme even for the mythological sources from which they are borrowed.
Oda has never explicitly confirmed that Enel is based on Eminem, but based on their similarities it seems very likely. While this may surprise some fans, it makes sense given how quirky One Piece and its creator are. A pieceThe series’ cartoonish art style may be a bit controversial, but its quirkiness has an appeal that makes many fans love the series, making EnelEminem’s potential inspiration is an interesting hidden feature in the series.