Fans of the popular manga series One Piece received intriguing new insights into the past and potential future role of pirate Red-Haired Shanks. Series creator Eiichiro Oda recently revealed telling details about Shanks’ rare mastery of the devastating “Divine Departure” technique also used by the late Pirate King Gol D. Roger. This revelation sheds new light on Shanks’ close connection to Roger and hints he may play a pivotal part in guiding protagonist Monkey D. Luffy toward fulfilling his destiny.
The “Divine Departure” technique enables users to launch a destructive attack, and it has only been seen from Roger and Shanks over the long history of One Piece. Interestingly, Oda disclosed that Shanks learned this skill by watching Roger carefully and copying his moves – a feat none of Roger’s other crewmembers achieved. As the man who took in the young Shanks and later entrusted him with his iconic straw hat, Roger clearly shared a uniquely close bond with Shanks.
Like Roger, Shanks relies on advanced Haki abilities rather than a devil fruit power. In contrast, Luffy’s style incorporates both his rubber powers and Haki. Both pirates also rose to legendary status without devil fruit powers. These parallels suggest Shanks may be following in Roger’s footsteps as his true successor, rather than Luffy.
As the manga nears its conclusion, Oda’s comments fuel ongoing debate about Shanks’ significance. When discovering the world’s deepest mysteries, Roger’s crew took an inexplicable action instead of seeking the One Piece treasure.
Their reaction hints at a deeper purpose now potentially involving Shanks’ guidance of Luffy, who increasingly embodies the spirit of the fabled hero Joy Boy. Fans will be keeping a close eye on Shanks’ interactions with Luffy to see if the secret plans of Roger and Joy Boy are finally achieved.
