One Piece Reveals Its Best Character Design in History With Nerona Imu

One Piece chapter 1179 was significant for the story in more ways than one, but most importantly, it finally unleashed the full character design of the endgame villain of the series, Nerona Imu, one of the First 20 Kings, and the creator of the World Government. As is clear in One Piece, Imu Nerona is the ruler of the current world order, and he sits on the Empty Throne. For years, Oda hid Imu behind a silhouette, but chapter 1179 has seen him take the covers off of him, finally unleashing his true form for all the fans to see.

Assessing The Key Traits Of The World Sovereign's True Form

The character design of Saint Imu Nerona is unique. Usually, One Piece characters have certain idiosyncrasies that are reflected very well in all the designs that Oda draws. However, Nerona Imu is remarkably different. In fact, upon first look, one could even say that Imu does not look like a traditional One Piece character design at all, but that is exactly what makes him incredibly unique.

Imu sports a somewhat feminine appearance, which is a telltale sign of royalty in various stories. Imu also sports white hair, which covers half of his face, as well as giant horns, which might signify a connection to the Ancient Giants of the One Piece world. At the same time, Imu has tan skin, which is incredibly rare in the One Piece world, and only the Lunarian race is known to have. More than that, Imu has white tattoos all over their body, which could be stemming from some scientific ability that they hold. The fact that Imu sports a black ring around their neck suggests that their Devil Fruit, called Akuma no Mi, has been awakened fully. On top of that, Imu also wields a weapon that looks similar to a Bisento, carrying a sharp blade on top, which is likely to belong to the category of the Supreme Grade Blades.

Oda's character design for the Sovereign of the World also shows him supported by black wings upon transforming, as well as a pointy tail, which once again implies that he possesses the powers of the Devil. This is backed up by the reveal of the Devil Fruit ability itself, which doesn't hold any name but is titled "The Devil’s Fruit", or Akuma no Mi, solidifying the fact that it is the mightiest ability of all.

Breaking Down Imu's Connection To Lunarians And Giants

When it comes to Imu's physical appearance, the thing that stands out the most is the tan skin and the ash-white hair. As established by Oda long ago in the Wano Country arc, these are traits of the Lunarian race of the One Piece world. The Lunarians were once known as the Gods of the world, and it is said that long ago they existed atop the Red Line in a place they called the Land of the Gods. At some point, the World Government established Marijoa on top of the Red Line, and the Lunarians were scattered all across the world.

Now, things are starting to add up, and it appears that Imu could be one of the Lunarians, or at least a half-Lunarian, who is primarily responsible for the extermination of this race. It also makes sense why Imu decided to build Marijoa on top of the Red Line, because that was supposed to be his home in the first place. Imu's horns also suggest that he has some kind of connection to the giants of the world, but this could also be a key indicator of their Devil Fruit ability, especially since it allows him to transform into the devil itself. The connection to the giant race remains to be confirmed, but it is interesting nonetheless.

How The World Ruler's Design Indicates An Awakened Ability

Whenever Oda showcases Devil Fruit Awakenings, he gives certain indicators that point towards it. For the antagonists of the One Piece world, specifically those linked to the World Government, Oda gives black cloud rings around their necks. Rob Lucci and Kaku both had these rings after they tapped into their awakened Devil Fruit form, and so did the Five Elders. Shamrock showed the power of Cerberus in the Elbaph arc, and it too had the black ring around its neck, which signified the usage of Devil Fruit Awakening.

It is by the Great One's design…none of us can prevent it. — Saint Shepherd Ju Peter, Chapter 1179

Imu also wields this dark ring, only in his case, there are eyes embedded all over it, which suggests complete mastery of the fruit and the fact that it has been taken beyond all limits. It would be surprising if Nerona Imu’s Akuma no Mi were not awakened.

Why One Piece's Ultimate Villain Boasts The Best Design

Quite clearly, Imu's character design is absolutely incredible from top to bottom. This character design is unique, and the feminine touch that Oda gave to it makes it even more interesting. On top of that, it reflects all the key traits of Imu very well and sets him up to be a fearsome villain for Luffy and Loki to face in the Elbaph arc. Out of all the character designs that Oda has done as of late, Imu might have one of the most intimidating yet surprisingly elegant ones, and fans absolutely cannot wait to see what moves the Sovereign of the world makes upon making landfall in the warland.

One Piece Chapter 1179 is available to read on Manga Plus.