Gen Z protesters are uniting beneath an unlikely image : NPR

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Gen Z-led protests are making waves from Africa to Asia, and whereas the problems spurring them are completely different, the image they’re utilizing is identical: a grinning cranium and crossbones sporting a straw hat.

It was there when younger individuals offended with the lavish existence of the elite introduced down Nepal’s authorities final month. It was seen within the Indonesian and Philippine protests this 12 months, and once more when Madagascan youth marched towards continual water and electrical energy shortages over the previous 10 days. Proper now, it is being waved at protests raging over poor healthcare in Morocco.

Why are annoyed youth taking to the streets worldwide elevating this explicit Jolly Roger?

The flag comes from a long-running Japanese anime and manga collection known as One Piece, a couple of rag-tag band of pirates dubbed “the straw hats,” who’re led by a cheerful character named Monkey D. Luffy and are combating an oppressive world authorities.

It is develop into a worldwide popular culture phenomenon, translated into a number of languages, and is now additionally a live-action Netflix collection.

Protesters in Madagascar Sept.25.

Victor LOCHON/Gamma-Rapho through Getty Photos

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Victor LOCHON/Gamma-Rapho through Getty Photos

“What makes One Piece so highly effective in protest is basically the story at its core. It’s a couple of group of misfits, outsiders, rebels, individuals who don’t match within the system coming collectively,” explains Nuurrianti Jalli, an assistant professor affiliated with the Institute for Southeast Asian Research, at Yusof Ishak Institute Singapore.

A person hanging a pirate flag as smoke and flames rise from the Singha Durbar, the seat of Nepal authorities’s numerous ministers workplaces in Kathmandu, Sept. 9, 2025.

Sunil Pradhan/Anadolu through Getty Photos

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Sunil Pradhan/Anadolu through Getty Photos

“That narrative interprets throughout borders, whether or not you’re in Asia, Africa, or elsewhere,” she says. “Younger individuals who really feel unheard by the federal government, who really feel trapped in unfair techniques, instantly acknowledge themselves in that story.”

A 23-year-old Nepali who took half within the protests there final month is consultant of this group. He does not need to be named for concern of retribution however says he is watched the One Piece anime and browse a number of the manga.

“Along with leisure, the Straw Hat pirates symbolize freedom, liberty – the spirit that it’s important to oppose the unjust authority. That basically impressed me,” he says.

A 25 year-old Madagascan protester, who does not want to be named for a similar causes, can be a One Piece fan.

“It relates and resonates with the Gen Z protests world wide as a result of Gen Zs try to take down corrupt techniques,” he explains. “The primary character Monkey D. Luffy stands towards injustice and that is what we Gen Zs world wide are standing towards.”

“It’s so inspiring for younger individuals. Within the story of One Piece there’s injustice, there’s corruption, the federal government is pondering themselves to be untouchable, however it may be touched by the ability of the individuals,” he continues.

The Madagascans have even tailored the image barely to provide it an area taste. The cranium wears a satroka bucket hat, worn by Madagascar’s Betsileo ethnic group.

Andrea Horbinski, has a PHD in trendy Japanese historical past and is an professional on manga. She says when individuals deliver the One Piece picture to a protest they are not simply signifying that they are followers of the present “but in addition in solidarity with different protesters in different international locations who’ve lately famously flown the flag themselves.”

May it get politically complicated if these teams in numerous corners of the world, with completely different ideologies, all use the identical flag?

Horbinski does not assume so.

A protester outdoors the U.N. headquarters wears a Monkey D. Luffy pirate flag from the “One Piece” manga and anime Sept. 26, 2025, in New York.

Ted Shaffrey/AP

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Ted Shaffrey/AP

“I do not assume that bringing a pirate flag, whether or not it is the straw hat flag or a unique pirate flag to the protests, goes to essentially confuse individuals,” she says. “And I feel additionally the ability of this type of image at a protest is that it’s a frequent narrative.”

“Pirates traditionally and within the collection One Piece are against the federal government. The federal government needs to stamp them out as a result of they do not observe the foundations and so they flout the federal government’s authority,” she says.

Some governments need to stamp them out in actual life too.

Indonesian officers advised flying the flag may quantity to treason, prompting Amnesty Worldwide to problem an announcement defending protesters’ rights to free expression.

In fact, the Straw Hat jolly roger is not the one popular culture image to have been utilized in anti-government protests through the years.

In Hong Kong, demonstrators reclaimed alt-right meme Pepe the Frog as a pro-democracy image. In Myanmar protesters towards navy rule used the three-finger salute from The Starvation Video games films. And elsewhere protesters have used the Man Fawkes masks from V for Vendetta and masks from The Joker films.

“As a result of they’re standard and acquainted to a big swath of individuals, that is what conjures up individuals to make an indication or deliver a flag that references them… to point out the place you stand fairly rapidly,” says Horbinski, noting that this additionally occurs within the US.

On the “No Kings” protests towards President Trump in June, a number of the placards made references to Andor, a Star Wars franchise on Disney+ a couple of insurgent alliance combating an oppressive regime.

However for the Gen Z youth proper now, the anime flag embodies a spirit no politician can match.