James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ Feels Inspired by ‘One Piece’s Monkey D. Luffy

Superman has been holding strong at the box office since its release, with positive word of mouth helping to sustain the momentum for James Gunn‘s first movie in the new DCU. One of the primary reasons that the movie has maintained popularity is the characterization of Superman, played by David Corenswet. While Henry Cavill’s version of the character was more brooding and self-serious, this new Superman isn’t only more lighthearted, but the hero’s need to save and preserve life is given much more focus in this film. The last son of Krypton is a man of the people, who is shown even to maintain relationships with the everyday individuals of Metropolis.

The empathetic nature of Clark Kent in this film is remarkably reminiscent of another unexpected character from an incredibly popular comic. However, this isn’t a Marvel or DC character — it’s Monkey D. Luffy, the protagonist of the Japanese manga One Piece, created by Eiichiro Oda. The series is the best-selling manga of all time. At the same time, Superman is the best-selling character/single-issue comic series of all time, making the similarly written characters feel like they were meant to complement one another. It’s in one tragic subplot of Superman that the hero bears a striking resemblance to Luffy, with the parallels making perfect sense within the context and structure of One Piece‘s story.

Superman and ‘One Piece’s Monkey D. Luffy Share Surprisingly Similar Qualities

Early on in Superman, when the hero flies back to Metropolis to fight the Hammer of Boravia, he crashes down into the streets. He is eventually helped up by Malik Ali (Dinesh Thyagarajan), a falafel vendor who greatly admires Superman and runs into the street to show support for the hero. Luthorcorp closely monitors anyone who shares an association with the Kryptonian (no matter how small), which ultimately contributes to the character’s tragic fate later. It’s a heartfelt scene that emphasizes how Superman is a hero and a representative of everyone, regardless of their social standing, and it also mirrors how Monkey D. Luffy interacts and empathizes with everyday characters in One Piece.

One Piece is an incredibly enthralling and massive story about the pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his journey to find the titular treasure, with Luffy and his crew stopping at various islands along the way and embarking on all kinds of adventures. While each island is filled with entirely different characters, backdrops, and abilities, there is usually a consistent pattern that draws Luffy into the geopolitical conflict of its location. The “Dressrosa” and “Wano Country Saga” arcs of One Piece are prime examples of this, in which Luffy stumbles upon someone living there, is gifted food by them, and eventually learns of the turmoil and oppressive regime at the heart of the country or island he is in.

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Superman’s relationship with Malik exemplifies the selfless and liberating nature of the hero, further cementing similarities with Luffy. Later on in the film, when Superman is in Lex Luthor’s custody, Malik is used as a torture method in an interrogation, where Lex threatens to kill Malik if the hero doesn’t answer his questions. Malik is eventually killed, but not before saying that it was an honor that Superman ate his food. The loss of another life hurts Superman more than anything else, and it’s reminiscent of how Luffy is driven to take down abusive authority figures after being shown kindness in a similar manner to what Malik did to Superman.

‘Superman’ and ‘One Piece’ Deal With Their Hopeful Characters in the Same Way

Recent developments in One Piece have transformed Luffy and his powers into a figure that inspires hope, earning him the title of the warrior of liberation who brings joy to everyone. Superman is also a figure meant to represent hope, as while there are plenty of exciting fight scenes in the movie, there is a greater emphasis on how he saves people from dire situations. Malik’s death is a heartbreaking aside at first, until the movie’s ending reveals that an article in the Daily Planet was written about the character after the events in Metropolis, in which he is honored as a hero. It’s safe to assume that Clark Kent wrote the piece as well.

Both One Piece and Superman have larger-than-life stakes, but they are grounded by the personal connections that the main characters have to the people and places that they are defending. As Superman fights Ultraman and the Engineer, he is more concerned about stopping the rift before it reaches a location where people are, and is unconcerned with any envy or hatred that Lex Luthor has for him. It’s in this regard that Luffy and Superman’s paths diverge, because as much as Luffy cares about protecting people, he is also just as invested in proving his strength over oppressors.

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Another impactful trait that Superman and Luffy share is that their actions are condemned by their governments. Superman’s actions at the beginning of the movie, when he stops a war between countries, lead figures of authority in the U.S. Government to grow weary of him, and the same thing happens to Luffy with the World Government in One Piece. Despite liberating countries on his pirating adventures, Luffy is considered a criminal and wanted around the world. Both characters have their hopeful ideals misconstrued or outright rejected by their respective governments.

Superman and Luffy Inspire Hope Like No Other Characters

Superman is not only a refreshing take on the character, but also feels like a much-needed revitalization of the superhero genre. More than just his own abilities and actions, Corenswet’s Superman’s values and ability to represent hope inspire other characters and heroes in the film to stand up for what’s right. Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece is a manga that shares many of the same qualities, with Luffy also serving as inspiration for numerous other characters to rise above their struggles and fears. While both Superman and Luffy’s worlds are vast and filled with all sorts of colorful and powerful characters, they both stand out in their respective stories as singular points of hope and optimism.

The traits that Luffy and Superman share further exemplify how David Corenswet’s version of the character differs significantly from previous iterations of the hero in various media. Watching how James Gunn was able to humanize a character who is seemingly invincible is also part of what makes this version of the character similar to Luffy, as the Pirate is also a polarizing figure within the context of the world of One Piece, who still manages to connect with everyday people. Hopefully, future Superman movies will continue to follow the precedent set by Gunn’s first film, and create a meaningful relationship between the hero and the people he protects. Superman is in theaters now.