Sea Circle Calendar and the Real World Calendar
The “present day” in ONE PIECE is around Sea Circle Year 1520.
It was an era of great pirates.
Meanwhile, in real-world history, starting around the 15th century — roughly the year 1500 —
it was an era of great voyages of exploration.
Uncannily similar. So if we study actual history, can we solve the mysteries of ONE PIECE’s world?
Let’s investigate events from 800 years ago. 800 years before 1500 would be around 700 AD.
Events of the 8th century (700–800 AD):
- 702 AD: Japan changes its country name from “Wa no Kuni” to “Nihon”
- 793 AD: Viking Age begins when Vikings raid Lindisfarne monastery in northern England
Oops, maybe I’ve gotten a little too close to the core of things…
Elders Who Know the Past
Doctor Kureha (141 years old), who appears to know Roger’s real name and the will of “D.”
Naturally, the longer someone has lived, the more they know about the past.
The next destination for the Straw Hats after Egghead is Elbaf, home to the Giant Tribe who live three times as long as humans.
The oldest among them, Mountain Beard Yarul, is 345 years old.
And this is from a flashback of when Big Mom was 5 years old.
63 years ago.
So if Mountain Beard Yarul were still alive today, he would be 408 years old.
400 years ago — before the golden city of Shandora had even been launched into the sky. Around when Norland first set foot there. What was the rest of the world like back then?
What stories would those who knew the world at that time tell us?
If they were still alive, that is.
Norse Mythology, Giants, and the Ice Island
I know I’ve said this so many times, but the giants of Elbaf are modeled after Norse Viking pirates.
And according to Norse mythology passed down among the Nordic peoples, “this world is made up of nine realms,” one of which is Niflheim — the “land of ice” inhabited by fierce giants.
The fearsome Oars and the savage Ancient Giant Tribe have always been depicted alongside ice. ↑↓
The “Ice Island” at the Heart of the Story
Shanks’ real name is probably “Figarland Shanks,” and unfortunately he is the son of Figarland Garling.
Because the young Garling looks remarkably like him: ↓
And as I’ve written in another article,
- “Figar” means “ice” in French
- “Land” means “island”
- So it literally means “island of ice”
Shanks, who has truly begun moving to seize ONE PIECE, was heading to an island beyond Elbaf — and I believe it was the same destination as Law.
Surely the fourth Road Poneglyph is there.
In other words…
- Kid, who went east from Wano and arrived at Elbaf
- Law’s northeast route that should have arrived at the island beyond
- Shanks’ true destination — having made a detour through Elbaf
To put it all together: ↓
If that’s the case, even if he hadn’t been ambushed by Blackbeard on the way, Law would have been forced to fight Shanks at the island upon arrival.
Either way, it was his fate to fall.
So why was Shanks heading to the island beyond Elbaf?
Naturally, to seize ONE PIECE.
The Adventure in the “Land of Ice”
Probably in the “Land of Ice” beyond Elbaf…
- The last Road Poneglyph is there
- Shanks — bearing the name of the “Ice Island” — awaits Luffy
- Shanks VS Luffy battle for all the Poneglyphs
- Probably also where the Eight Treasures Fleet’s centuries of hidden treasure lies
- Oars tried to steal the Eight Treasures Fleet’s treasure but froze to death
…and I think we’ll see a story that resolves all the foreshadowing and prepares for the final act.
Most stories that pay homage to Norse mythology end with the final battle of Ragnarok (the great war) — and just before that, there’s always the prophecy that “winter is coming”: ↓
Which means that if ONE PIECE depicts the “Land of Ice” arc, the final chapter is truly near.
It fills me with excitement and sadness in equal measure — wanting to read it, yet not wanting it to end.
And that’s all for this week. See you next time!