What in the World - How the One Piece flag became a worldwide symbol of protest

Download How the One Piece flag became a worldwide symbol of protest

Gen Z protests have been happening all around the world. And you might have seen photos of some of these protestors waving the same anime pirate flag in countries from Indonesia to Morocco. It’s from the hit Japanese manga show, One Piece that recently got a live action makeover on Netflix.

In this episode, LaNeysha Campbell, a podcast host and anime fan based in the US, explains why One Piece has become such a big deal and talks us through some of the political themes within it. Panisa Aemocha, a BBC journalist in Thailand, tells us why protest movements in South Asia and South East Asia have been using these symbols.

One of the other countries where people have been using the flag is Madagascar. Mika, from the campaign organisation Za Koa Hanorina, tells us what it means to him.

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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Benita Barden, and Chelsea Coates
Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde

Published on Thursday, 16th October 2025.

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