One Piece: 10 Islands Inspired By Real Places

Among the many episodes that the anime series is made up of, One Piece‘s many story arcs have seen Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates sail across the seven seas. And amongst their journey, they have visited a variety of exciting and colorful islands and kingdoms.

But what fans may not know is that they are actually based on cities and historical sites from around the world. From the countries of Europe to the temples of Asia, Eiichiro Oda took a lot of inspirations to create the series and expand its horizons.

Rommel Kingdom – London, England

Out of all the locations featured across the One Piece series, Rommel Kingdom was introduced in a few panels within chapter 734 and scenes of episode 666 of the anime. It was the setting for a tale about an unknown assailant responsible for cutting down people throughout the city, who would be revealed as a man named Hakuba.

But despite its brief appearance, it is very clear to see that it was inspired by London, especially with the iconic clock tower Big Ben. And with London’s very own Jack the Ripper murders in the 19th century, it looks like this historical event was also a narrative inspiration as well.

Zou Island – Elephant Rock, Iceland

Perhaps one of the most visually unique islands in the series to date, Zou Island sits atop the back of a large elephant named Zunesha who travels across the sea on their incredibly long legs. Protecting the inhabitants from those trying to attack it, it shares a unique relationship with the civilization that lives on it.

While the idea of elephants carrying worlds on their back isn’t a new concept in literature (looking at you, Discworld series), it is very much inspired by Iceland’s Elephant Rock. Sharing the same color scheme of green and grey as well as the cave-like eyes it’s understandable how well it can fit into the sea-fairing adventures of Luffy and his crew.

Gray Terminal Of Dawn Island – Smokey Mountain, Philipines

Dawn Island is recognizable to fans as this is the home island to some of the best main characters across the series. While the island is made up of different locales, Gray Terminal was the home of Sabo and other citizens who look for trinkets and treasures beneath the rubble of trash.

Perhaps one of the most controversial sources, Smokey Mountain is the slums of Manila in the Philipines. The mountain of garbage and unwanted goods is also covered in smoke due to the burning of wood. And people even live as well as work there too, looking for valuable items.

Dressrosa – Park Guell, Spain

Dressrosa was a pinnacle island as it saw the Straw Hat Pirates go up against its tyrannical and sinister leader: Donquixote Doflamingo! With its colorful, chequered buildings and its citizens being made up of people and sentient toys, it was shocking to discover just how much of a threatening place it was under the ruthless ruler.

Its real-world counterpart is Park Güell in Barcelona, Spain. The park features lush gardens, mosaic designs, and architecture designed by Antoni Gaudi, one of the people behind Modernism. This blend created one of the most visually striking places across Spain and made a great island to see Luffy and Doflamingo eventually duke it out in one of the series’ most action-packed episodes.

Mary Geoise – Chateu De Chambord, France

This fictional capital is located on the Grand Line and is where the World Government comes together to discuss the actions of the many pirates of the seas and their attempts to stop them for good. Despite its gorgeous marble and clean aesthetic, it is home to some of the most corrupted characters and was also the former home of Doflamingo himself.

The inspiration for this particular building comes from the Chateau de Chambord, one of the most famous and visited manor houses in all of France. The UNESCO World Heritage Site features architecture from the French Renassaince and was owned by several French Kings.

Amazon Lily – Hanging Temple, China

After being knocked across the horizon by Kuma’s mighty blow, Luffy crash-landed on an island only inhabited by women. Furthermore, these women turn out to be some of the most dangerous warriors in One Piece and without his crew, Luffy initially had a tough time on his hands.

But at least he gets to spend some time running around a beautiful setting. The temple and architecture built into the walls of the steep cliffs of Amazon Lily are based on temples situated in the Shanxi Province in China. It was originally built in the 6th century and home to those studying a number of traditional Chinese philosophies.

Alabasta Kingdom – Egypt

During Luffy’s early adventures, he arrived at the Alabasta Kingdom, one of the biggest early arcs of One Piece. Eventually in this arc, he would gain two new crew members in Chopper and Nico Robin as well as reunite with his brother Ace. But it would also see them eventually clashing against one of the biggest antagonists in the series yet in the form of Crocodile, a crime boss with the ability to control and manipulate sand.

Despite the many cities and towns that make up this fictional kingdom, they are all inspired by the many landmarks that make up Egypt. From its iconic ancient pyramids to the banks of the Nile, these locations and Crocodile’s criminal empire helped to make some of the best episodes of the first 130.

Water 7 – Venice, Italy

The city of Water 7 is known for its canals that the citizens must use to get around. It is also known for its shipbuilders and it was a key location for the Straw Hats to get their ship, Going Merry, repaired and fully operational again.

From the canals to the style of the boats for transportation, it’s no surprise that Venice is an inspirational source for this key location. Built on a series of islands, it is one of the most beloved and visited Italian cities and has been celebrated as a source of inspiration for many television shows and movies.

Punk Hazard – Iceland

The island of Punk Hazard was engulfed in fire and ice after a clash between Kuzan and Sakazuki. With their elemental powers battling it out, they left a crater ocean in the center that kept both sides from distinguishing or melting the other.

Iceland has made another appearance on this list, but the geography of the country itself was the inspiration. With the country being home to some volcanic activity and some parts of it covered in snow, it’s not uncommon to see fire and ice at once, creating a visually devastating and peculiar One Piece island that was the star on one of the weirdest story arcs across the series.

 Wano Kuni – Ninja Kingdom, Japan

The Japanese-inspired island of Wano Kuni was the home of the Beast Pirates, ruled under by one of the strongest and towering villains to date: Kaiduo. Before his takeover, Wano was a beautiful country filled with lavish locations.

Perhaps one of the more unusual inspirations, one of its influences could very well be a theme park called the Ninja Kingdom in Japan. With a replicated and full-sized build of the Azuchi Castle and the entire place set in the Edo Period of Japan, it does seem to be one of the inspirations behind Wano. Furthermore, as it is recreationally set in the era of Japanese warriors and ninjas, it wouldn’t be a surprise if this led to Kaiduo’s duel against a band of samurai and stylized fighters too.