Yamato’s meteoric rise to fame is among the most spectacular of any of the one thousand or so characters featured in the one thousand or so chapters and episodes of One Piece. In last year’s Global Popularity Poll hosted by manga publisher Shueisha and decided by fan votes, Yamato placed ninth.
There are two reasons why this is incredible: For starters, Yamato was higher on the totem pole than several Straw Hats, notably Usopp and Chopper. Moreover, the poll was taken before Yamato appeared in the anime, therefore the support for her character came solely from manga fans.
This is encouraging because at the time the poll was taken, Yamato’s identity as a trans guy was largely acknowledged (and applauded) by the One Piece audience.
Is Yamato A Boy Or A Girl?
What is Yamato’s gender identity in One Piece? A little background is necessary. Following the Straw Heats’ relocation to Onigashima, we are introduced to Yamato for the first time as “Kaido’s son” (Kaido being one of the “Yonko,” or Four Emperors). Initially, Yamato dons a figure-obscuring suit and a Hannya mask, too (more on this in a second).
Yamato~✨ pic.twitter.com/GWPBEX8iCG
— Sotcho (@Sotchosis) November 5, 2022
In the Beast Pirates, and in the episode summaries on Crunchyroll, Yamato is always referred to with masculine pronouns. After Yamato formally introduces himself, Luffy immediately begins calling him “Yama-o,” which roughly translates to “Yama-guy,” in the same name structure he used for Trafalgar Law (“Oi, Tra-o!!”).
Then, in the fall of 2021, One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda revealed Yamato is a she in a set of Vivre Cards. Disarray and confusion spread throughout the fan base as a result of this. The anime and manga both reintroduce Yamato as “Kaido’s daughter” after the disclosure of her true identity.
Yamato calls herself Kozuki Oden, a male alias, and claims to have “become a man, too.” It’s also probably safe to conclude that Kaido doesn’t call Yamato “son” out of deference to Yamato’s wishes or Yamato’s veneration for the person who gave Kaido his scar. Even Kaido personally shackles Yamato with explosive handcuffs for his introduction to the audience.
If Kaido had a daughter, she’d probably be the sort to declare, “No way, I need a son.” Oh, you’re my son, then. As the combat on Onigashima progressed, all of this muddled Yamato’s pronouns even further. If you want to read more articles like this then click here Is Tokyo MX Renewing Or Canceling Buddy Daddies Season 2, And When Will Bocchi The Rock Season 2 Be Released
There’s also the highly symbolic Hannya mask to consider. However, as widespread as it is in Japan, many outside of the country wouldn’t notice the symbolism. The Hannya mask is a staple of the Japanese dance-drama known as Noh. It is a symbol of “feminine fury and pain,” to be more precise.
“When the mask is held straight ahead, it appears angry,” she writes, in a beautifully evocative turn of phrase. Putting Yamato’s mask on a little low makes him look melancholy.
Who Is Yamato’s Father?
Yamato is the offspring of the world’s strongest creature, Kaido, and an unidentified lady; her mother’s whereabouts and fate are currently unknown. Her horns indicate that she is likely the offspring of an Oni.
She saw Kozuki Oden die in the Flower Capital at the famous hour twenty years before the events of the current novel, around the same time she began to look up to him and the other Nine Red Scabbard. After hearing Oden’s brave and unselfish declaration that his retainers will open the borders even if he perishes, she was seen crying behind her mask.
