Timeline of the Gecko Pirates
In Chapter 1158, published in Jump on September 1, 2025, a shocking frontispiece was revealed.
Vol.38: “Born in West Blue, the hero’s grave raised in Ringo, please pay your respects” / Vol.39: “To protect the village, he fought Kaido but died leaving no body” / Vol.40: “A hero of justice…”
The name of the hero who fell protecting Ringo… is Kouzuki Moria!!
Various questions arose: “Why does Moria have the Kouzuki surname?” / “Wasn’t he Gecko Moria?” / “Did he reverse the kanji of Kouzuki (光月) to use Tsukimi (月光) as a pseudonym?” / “Did he marry into the Kouzuki family?” — details await future chapters.
Let’s summarize what we know about the Thriller Bark Pirates timeline so far.
Gecko Moria
Profile
Age: 50 / Height: 692cm / Origin: West Blue / Favorite food: marinated caviar / Bounty: 320 million / Laugh: Kishishishi
History
24 years ago: Witnessed Roger’s execution / Got a 320M bounty / 23 years ago: Challenged Kaido in Wano and was defeated
Built the massive pirate ship Thriller Bark / Joined the Shichibukai / 2 years ago: Thriller Bark destroyed by the Straw Hats / Expelled from Shichibukai after Marineford / Currently: Thriller Bark Pirates reformed
What’s remarkable is that at age 26 he witnessed Roger’s execution in Loguetown (East Blue), immediately earned a 320M bounty, and the very next year challenged Kaido in Wano.
Yet Ochou described him as “born in West Blue, raised in Ringo.” When exactly did he grow up in Ringo — before Roger’s execution?
This means that by age 26, he had somehow moved from West Blue to East Blue — similar to how Sanji did.
He then entered the Grand Line and made his way to Wano, got along well with the people of Ringo, was defeated by Kaido, presumed dead, and enshrined as a hero.
In reality, he stole Ryuma’s corpse and the sword Shusui, then left the country.
Afterwards, he built Thriller Bark on an island (likely his birthplace?), traveled to an icy land and discovered Oars’ corpse…
Reviewing his history: a bounty of 320M, crossing seas alone, challenging a Yonko — Moria was actually an incredibly impressive figure.
Absalom
Profile
Age: deceased at 36 / Height: 195cm / Origin: West Blue / Favorite food: whole-roasted zebra / Laugh: Fufu
History: Ate the Suke-Suke (Clear-Clear) Fruit / Became Moria’s subordinate / Received surgery from Hogback / 2 years ago: Thriller Bark destroyed / Rescued Moria with Hogback
Later worked as freelance journalist “Absa,” scoring numerous scoops. Eventually killed by the Blackbeard Pirates, who stole both his life and his Devil Fruit ability.
Absalom’s death is confirmed by “deceased” in his vivre card. However, since Hogback-enhanced corpses have value as zombie soldiers, the Blackbeard Pirates may have collected his body — he could return as a zombie with a different personality.
Hogback
Profile
Age: 47 / Height: 223cm / Origin: West Blue / Favorite food: soup spaghetti / Laugh: Fosfos
His model is the Penguin from Batman Returns.
Batman → bat-man → Gecko Moria → Ko-Mori (the Japanese word for bat) / Penguin → Sanji’s shadow placed in a penguin zombie
History: Studied medicine / Fell in love with Cindry / Saved many as a surgeon / 12 years ago: Learned of Cindry’s death
Resurrected Cindry as a zombie / 7 years ago: Accidentally told Brook the zombie weaknesses / 2 years ago: Escaped Thriller Bark
Seen on vacation with Absalom in a Vol.59 frontispiece, but no information has been published since. Since Moria’s three monster retainers were all on good terms, Hogback would likely rejoin Moria if he became serious again — Hogback’s ability to surgically enhance corpses is essential to Moria’s power.
Also, Moria’s zombie army connects to Naglfar of Norse mythology’s Ragnarök — the ship that carries an army of the dead. Since Heidildin’s ship in One Piece is also called Naglfar, a Ragnarök homage is virtually confirmed.
Perona
Profile
Alias: Ghost Princess / Age: 25 / Height: 160cm / Origin: West Blue / Favorite food: bagel sandwich, hot cocoa / Laugh: Horohorohoro
Perona’s profile evokes the dark history associated with Jewish people: Horohoro Ghost Princess → Holocaust / Captain Gecko Moria → Ghetto (Jewish slums) / Favorite food: Bagel → traditional Jewish bread. This blog has often noted historical and religious connections in One Piece, so these are unlikely to be coincidences.
History: Picked up by Moria as a child / Became commander of Animal Zombies and Wild Zombies / Defeated by Usopp 2 years ago / Blown to Shikkearu Kingdom ruins / Nursed Zoro / Met Mihawk
Latest: Made a deal with Koby at Hachinosu to release Moria and escaped together — probably heading to Wano? If they obtained SMILE fruit user corpses in Wano, the Thriller Bark Pirates would gain tremendous power.
Childhood
Moria is unmistakably of noble birth — and so is Perona. Only nobles or royalty could dress children that way and walk ferocious bears on a leash.
Moria may have become a pirate and taken in Perona because the World Government’s human-hunting tournament killed the king (Perona’s parent) and destroyed their homeland. Perhaps he built Thriller Bark on the ruins of that island?
Frontispiece Theory: The Jinny Family and the Moria Family
Chapter 1158 appears to be approaching the heart of the God Valley Incident. God Valley involved Kuma and Jinny — Jinny was kidnapped by Celestial Dragons, returned battered to Sorbet Kingdom holding Bonney.
Suddenly featuring Moria in Yamato’s frontispiece suggests paralleling the Jinny parent-child story. Did Perona, who escaped Hachinosu, bring Moria (her father figure) to Wano — their second home?
Did Yamato find and protect them? Could Moria and Perona become Yamato’s retainers?!