One Piece manga entered its final stages a few years ago, and fans are all hyped to get answers to their questions as soon as possible. The characters who hardly ever received screen time are now in the spotlight, making One Piece more hyped than ever!
Shrouded in mystery, Imu has puzzled One Piece fans ever since her first brief appearance years ago. As the enigmatic ruler of the world, she holds immense power and influence. Yet little is known about her links to the past or the full extent of her authority.
That’s all about to change as the manga heads into its final saga. Imu is stepping out of the shadows, and her role could reshape the world of One Piece forever.
So, what are her links to the past? Does she have any link to Joy Boy or the Void Century? Why does she possess authority over the whole world?
All of these questions will be answered here, so let’s take a deep dive and see who Imu is and her importance in the story of One Piece.
First Appearance of Imu
Imu first appeared during the Reverie arc after Whole Cake Island Arc. Imu stood next to a large Straw Hat (which was most probably that of Joy Boy), preserved in a cold environment. Imu holds an intense grudge against people with the “Will of D” or the word “D” in their name, hinting at a vendetta against certain bloodlines.
She is seen ripping apart the bounty flyers of Luffy and Teech, confirming this hatred against “D.” She also seems to be against Princess Shirahoshi, as she shoved a sword in her picture.
Her links to the Nefartari family are pretty much evident in the latest chapter of One Piece when she inquires about the first ruler of Alabasta from King Cobra and also, during her first appearance, she was holding the picture of Vivi, the Princess of Alabasta, making these links more evident.
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Imu Character Design
Imu has only been revealed as a silhouette with no body design. The natural body of Imu might be revealed when Oda thinks it is the right time.
The things evident from her silhouette are that she is very tall, has crimson eyes with a design similar to Shanks, and a crown that she always wears that has pointy edges on top of it.
Personality of Imu
Imu hasn’t gotten much screen time yet, so it is hard to judge her real personality. But based on the few encounters with Imu, she seems like a proud, arrogant person who believes in her power and authority in the pirate world.
Imu is emotionless as she orders mass murder without giving any thought, unlike the Five Elders of the World Government. The only time her power and influence are seen is when Imu orders the destruction of the whole of Lulusia Island to test a new weapon.
Devil Fruit Powers of Imu
Imu’s devil fruit powers haven’t been revealed as of yet, but in the recent chapters of One Piece manga, a transformation of Imu has been shown.
Imu seems to transform into a non-humanoid giant, also shown as a silhouette. So, she might possess a Zoan-type fruit.
As far as weapons go, Imu holds a saber which she does not use in combat. It only seems to be something rulers hold to show their authority. And given that Imu sits on the Empty Throne, she is the King (or Queen) of the One Piece World.
Why is Imu so Important in One Piece?
Considering all the information stated so far, Imu’s importance is already signified as someone who can change the course of the One Piece series at any time.
Her authority as the world’s ruler gives her the power to control everything happening in the world. She even has the Five Elders under her, which gives her the authority to kill anyone she wants or deems unneeded.
In the recent manga chapters, Imu destroyed an island to test a new weapon’s power. She chose Lulusia Island to destroy because it was the nearest, not because it had the fewest people. After the last, the Island was declared non-existent, which shows Imu’s prowess in the real world.
In the latest chapters of One Piece, Ivankov linked Imu to one of the 20 ancient founding members of the World Government, hinting at the fact that Imu might be an immortal being and had the “Immortality Operation” performed on her by someone who possessed the Op-Op Devil Fruit (Law’s Devil Fruit) at that time.
This might indicate that Imu has had relations with past pirates and other people like Roger, Xebec, Joy Boy, and many others. This not only makes Imu powerful but also a little bit creepy at the same time.
And lastly, Imu is against the “Will of D,” as mentioned earlier, so this might make Imu the main antagonist of the One Piece world, which Luffy has to face at the end of the series.
With Luffy and the others closing in on Raftel, fans are hyped to finally get answers about Imu’s ties to the past, her endgame, and if she could be the ultimate antagonist standing between the Straw Hats and One Piece itself. Her days in the shadows are numbered.
The curtain is falling on One Piece’s biggest mysteries. And Imu may turn out to be the key to all of them.
