For years,One Piecehas been the source of countlessmemes that have become viral worldwide. From Zoro getting lost and appearing in other series to the iconic Straw Hats’s reaction to Luffy getting captured in Wano, Oda Eiichiro’s work isn’t short on hilarious moments. But, if there is someone who could match the meme-worthy vibe ofOne Piece, it is the renowned actor Willem Dafoe, who has captivated online fans due to his unique expressiveness, making him great material for inspiring memes. However,Willem Dafoe’s memes have become so popular that evenOne Piece’s animatorsare aware of their existence.
From way back to his role as antagonist playing Green Goblin in Sam Raimi’sSpider-Mantrilogy film and throughout his decades-long and impressive career, some of Willem Dafoe’s roles were ripe material for memes. And finally,one of Willem Dafoe’s most iconic scenes made its way into animewithOne Piece’s episode 1133, including an unexpected reference to the actor.
One Piece Included One of Willem Dafoe’s Most Popular Memes
InOne Pieceepisode 1133, which continues to showcase Bartholomew Kuma’s backstory, it is revealed that time after the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi user put an end to Bekori’s rule, the dictator tried to come back after gaining the World Government’s support thanks to a smear campaign to taint Kuma’s image. Following this,Kuma sails to the sea to encounter Bekori with a Marine fleet.
Amid this confrontation,Toei Animation’s adaptation made a nod to internet culture by including a navy officer strikingly similar to Willem Dafoelooking with an overwhelmed expression as Kuma caused a massive shockwave with his paws to sink the armada. This is a reference to the meme that originated from the 2018 biopicAt Eternity’s Gate, in which Willem Dafoe (interpreting Vincent van Gogh) has an anxious expression as he looks at the sky.
Willem Dafoe’s cameo inOne Pieceis attributed tothe animator Doctorbean, who, when inquired by fans of the series about the scene, stated that they may have done it.
This reference not only fits perfectly into the context of the scene, as the meme is used to represent someone surprised by something above him, butwhat makes the meme even better is that it was included in such an action-focused and iconic scene, bringing extra life to the moment, which is more appreciated after the emotionally charged few episodes ofOne Piecefollowing the recollection of Kuma’s sad memories.
Willem Dafoe Is Finally Canonized as an Anime Character
Willem Dafoe Isn’t a Stranger to the Anime Medium
While this is the first time Willem Dafoe has made a cameo in an anime, he has lent his voice to several iconic characters.Starting by voicing Cob in the anime filmTales from Earthsea, a villain obsessed with achieving eternal life, Willem has also voiced the shinigami Ryuk in Netflix’sDeath NoteLive-Action film as well as the Old Pelican in theOscar-winning film by Hayao Miyazaki.The Boy and the Heron.
The actor was even immortalized in a special one-shot mangamade by Junji Itoas promotional material handed out during the Japanese screening of the filmThe Lighthouse.Now Willem Dafoe is something of aOne Piececharacter himself, which is something that he could add to his extensive resume.One Piecekeeps surprising fans every week, and due to the reception of Willem Dafoe’s cameo, there will surely be plenty more similar references as the anime heads up toward its final arcs.
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One Piece
Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history’s longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix’s 2023 adaptation.
