"Luffy inspiring people even in the real world"- One Piece fans are shocked by the Straw Hat Flag's usage in Indonesia

Several Indonesian citizens have been displaying the Straw Hat Pirates' Jolly Roger from One Piece on houses, cars, and in public areas, seemingly as a symbolic protest against perceived political and social grievances, particularly prior to Indonesia's 80th Independence Day celebrations.

Government officials, including Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and Coordinating Minister Budi Gunawan, cautioned that this trend could potentially threaten national unity, constitute symbolic defiance, or even treason under national flag laws. Meanwhile, observers are cautiously describing it as a stylized expression of citizen critique, rather than outright disloyalty.

In One Piece, the protagonist Monkey D. Luffy snaps the Straw Hat flag when confronting authoritarian forces to protect freedom and liberty, and that fictional gesture seems to be happening in the real world now.

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Indonesian citizens using the Straw Hat Flag shocked the whole One Piece fandom

Fans around the world were shocked when pictures and videos emerged of Indonesian people displaying the Straw Hat Pirates' Jolly Roger as a symbolic protest. Subsequently, some made comments on social media, saying that they never thought to see One Piece symbols amid actual political activities.

One of the strongest themes in the fan comments was how closely the real events aligned with the show's core values, as Monkey D. Luffy tends to challenge powerful forces and fight for individual freedom.

Fans noted that what occurred in cities like Jakarta felt lifted directly from arcs such as Impel Down or Marineford, in which Luffy's flag was a rallying banner. They noticed a moving echo: Luffy's fictional battle against oppression inspired a real‑world affirmation around the same principles.

"Luffy inspiring people even in the real world," someone on X said. "Never thought I would see this happening in the real world before the one piece world," a fan mentioned. "One Piece breaks records in influence and becomes the most influential franchise in the world," another fan remarked. "Luffy bringing freedom IRL and in fantasy," one netizen wrote.

The viral outreach of the trend led most fans to declare that no other fictional franchise has ever impacted real-world conversation to this extent. Posts on platforms like X stated that One Piece has set records for influence, beating all other manga and live-action fandoms by becoming street-level dissent.

Meanwhile, as several posts called it the most influential franchise in the world, others held the character of Luffy itself responsible for sparking bravery in protestors thousands of miles away.

Behind the humor, however, was evident disbelief on the part of the fandom: people termed the unexpected scene as something they would never have imagined seeing. Witnessing the Straw Hat banner and the national flag of Indonesia displayed together was a surreal instance of life imitating art for veteran readers and anime watchers.

On the other hand, a few fans cautioned that the convergence of pop culture and politics could be a double‑edged sword. While others were awed by the symbolism, some urged not to oversimplify social change by using fictional heroes.

Nevertheless, the message was clear: the fandom stood solidly together in understanding that what started as a pirate's manifesto of Luffy had now drifted into the everyday streets, making the Straw Hat flag something much greater than merely a cosplay prop.

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Final thoughts

Luffy as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Indonesian citizens have raised the flag of the fictional series' Straw Hat Pirates in symbolic protests, especially around the country's 80th Independence Day. State officials have cautioned that it could challenge national unity, but others see it as a stylized expression of criticism.

Meanwhile, fans all over were surprised to witness Luffy's fictional values of standing against oppression in real life, with social media streams buzzing with disbelief and admiration. Subsequently, many proclaimed One Piece to be the most influential franchise ever.

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Related links:

• 10 One Piece episodes with the best opening scenes
• Davy Jones' curse could explain why Devil Fruit users sink
• One Piece timeline suggests a surprising origin for Mihawk

Edited by Janhavi Chauhan