Among the many mysteries in the world of One Piece, the identity of Joy Boy (and the meaning of this name) is becoming more and more relevant with each new chapter of the hit manga series by Eiichiro Oda. Kaido, the antagonist of the current Wano Arc, has mentioned Joy Boy many times, and one theory is making the rounds among fans, connecting the fearsome Emperor with the obscure character from the past of One Piece‘s world.
Joy Boy was first mentioned in chapter #628 as an important man from the Void Century who visited Fish-Man Island 900 years before the events of the manga, leaving an apology letter for breaking a promise made with the inhabitants. After that, he was not mentioned for more than 300 chapters, before being revealed, during Kozuki Oden’s flashback, as the first one to discover the Grand Line’s final island, Laugh Tale, and leave there a mysterious treasure that would become known to the world as the One Piece. Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King and the only pirate captain to reach Laugh Tale, after discovering the treasure wished that he had lived during the same time as Joy Boy. After that, several characters have mentioned an expected return of Joy Boy, leading fans to speculate that this could be a title that someone can inherit.
Kaido first mentions Joy Boy in chapter #1014. After defeating Luffy, the Emperor says, “You couldn’t be Joy Boy either, it seems.” Apparently, Kaido learned of Joy Boy at some point in the past, and he is searching for someone who can hold that title. The theory that Joy Boy is not a specific person is also confirmed by Kozuki Oden, who was with Roger when they reached Laugh Tale and, after returning to his home country of Wano, made plans to open up the enclosed land in preparations for Joy Boy’s return. Finally, King the Lunarian, Kaido’s subordinate in the Beasts Pirates, believed that his captain could have become Joy Boy and changed the world, a notion that Kaido dismissed with a laugh. One theory, however, shared by Twitter user @sandman_AP, seems to give credence to this idea.
Looking at the kanji characters for the name “Kaido,” one of the possible meanings is “joy boy.” While Kaido’s name is normally written with katakana (so the use of kanji is a transliteration not actually present in the manga), Oda is known for his wordplay and the hidden meanings behind his choices of language. Surely, it is not a coincidence that Joy Boy was mentioned by Kaido once again in chapter #1036, at a time when the Wano Arc has reached its climax, and both Kaido and Big Mom will possibly be defeated, opening the way for the next, momentous phase of the manga. It is also worth mentioning that there is another theory connecting Joy Boy to the Sun God Nika, a legendary warrior that was once revered by slaves from ancient times. The word “Nike” in Greek means “victory,” and in the Javanese language victory is “Jaya.” An ancient, legendary king from Java was even called Joyoboyo, and brought prosperity to his kingdom (just as King expects Kaido to “change the world.“)
There is no direct confirmation that Kaido could be related to Joy Boy, but fans have picked up on these language tricks to predict a connection between the two. Perhaps the outcome of his fight with Luffy will determine if the Emperor will share more of his knowledge on the obscure character. What is certain is that, now that One Piece is slowly heading towards its ending, fans will start getting the answers to many of the mysteries that make the hit manga so appealing.
