The Timeline of One Piece: Unraveling the Saga's Chronology

One Piece, a long-standing and highly popular anime series, still leaves fans with lingering questions about the time and place of its setting. Set in a universe distinctly separate from our own, the world of One Piece is predominantly consumed by ocean, featuring numerous islands that are home to various communities. However, it still draws inspiration from Earth.

In the One Piece world, which is divided into the four watery quadrants of East Blue, West Blue, North Blue, and South Blue, resides dangerous pirates, small kingdoms, and the beloved Straw Hats crew. Despite the series not following the same timeline as our own, fans are still curious about when the anime is actually set.

What time period is One Piece set in?

Using Noland’s journal as a guide, the current storyline of One Piece takes place in the 16th century. Which is roughly 100-years before the Golden Age of Piracy.

A short thread on the One Piece Timeline, The Age of Heaven, and The Age of the Sea Circle pic.twitter.com/zkR5qfNIXR

— Mohamed (@SonOfColtaine) April 20, 2023

In the One Piece world, there are two calendar systems: Age of the Sea Circle and Age of Heaven. The Age of the Sea Circle, used by explorer Mont Blanc Noland in 1120, allows dedicated fans to determine the timeline of the current storyline. Considering Noland's flashback took place around 400 years before present events and he dated his arrival on Jaya to the year 1122, this places the events in One Piece around 1520 (early 16th century).

The One Piece universe

The rough time period mentioned is not fixed. As illustrated in the series, the various islands seem to exist in different time periods. This is why some islands, such as Little Garden, appear to be stuck in the Stone Age, while Kakakuri Island is filled with futuristic cyborgs and advanced technology.

First look at the Maps in the One Piece Live Action!! pic.twitter.com/CvwutPatAW

— ONE PIECE NETFLIX FAN (@OP_Netflix_Fan) July 26, 2023

Now that we know the time setting of One Piece, where does it take place?

A glance at the map from the Live Action reveals that the One Piece universe is vastly different from our own. Essentially, it is a world covered primarily by ocean. The Red Line, a single landmass, cuts through this ocean, encircling the entire planet and creating four separate quadrants: the East Blue, North Blue, South Blue, and West Blue. There are also rumors of a legendary fifth ocean known as the All Blue.

The entire One Piece globe is divided by two lines circling it: the Red Line and the Grand Line, a dangerous strip of ocean. On both sides of the Grand Line is the Calm Belt, where no wind blows, giant monsters dwell, and only special ships can safely pass through.

But fans are less interested in the geography and more curious about how the nationalities of the Straw Hats match up with the real world. A few years ago, Oda provided an answer.

Oda has already addressed the question from readers about the nationalities of the Straw Hat Pirates if the world of One Piece were based on the real world. According to Oda:

Luffy = Brazil

Zoro = Japan

Nami = Sweden

Usopp = Africa

Sanji = France

Chopper = Canada

Robin = Russia

Franky = America

Brook = Austria.pic.twitter.com/LycC9cFxnM

— alvin (@alvinlaurentt) January 30, 2020

Monkey D. Luffy represents Brazil, with Foosha Island being a reflection of the South American country. Zoro is from Japan, Nami from Sweden, and Tony Tony Chopper’s Drum Island is based on Canada, while Soul King Brook hails from Austria. The diverse origins of the crew reflect the multicultural nature of pirates in both the One Piece universe and our own. However, in this fictional world, the truth about their origins and islands is anything but straightforward.

Did you guess One Piece’s time period or the cultures that inspired the various islands?

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Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan of One Piece, I am fascinated by the intricate timeline and world-building of this epic series. The fact that the current storyline takes place in the 16th century, roughly 100 years before the Golden Age of Piracy, adds a layer of historical intrigue to the narrative. It's captivating to imagine the adventures of the Straw Hats crew against the backdrop of real-world historical events.

The diverse nationalities of the Straw Hats crew, as revealed by Oda, further enhance the richness of the One Piece universe. It's exciting to see how Oda has drawn inspiration from different cultures around the world to create these iconic characters. The parallels between Foosha Island and Brazil, Zoro's Japanese heritage, and Nami's Swedish roots add depth and authenticity to the characters and their respective backgrounds.