It’s a good time to be a “One Piece” fan.
Not only is the live-action version doing extremely well on Netflix with season two heralded by critics and viewers alike, but the anime is about to return after a lengthy hiatus with the beginning of the Elbaph Arc.
But those two things might pale in comparison to what’s happening in the manga weekly, as the story that started in July 1997 is approaching its possible endgame in the spring of 2026.
The upcoming chapter of the manga is one of the most highly anticipated in its history, as the possible final villain of the story, Imu, is about to take center stage against Luffy and his pirate crew.
After being introduced as the ruler of the evil World government almost a decade ago, Imu has been a dark force plotting in the shadows, masked in black with only their distinctive spiraled eyes showing through.
Since 2018, when they were first introduced, thousands of theories have been posted on social media and YouTube about the true identity of Imu.
Is it a man? Is it a woman? Is it a god?
Finally, with spoilers for the 1179th chapter of the series, it seems like we are finally going to get some answers as we head towards the climax of the epic tale that has spanned three decades.
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Spoilers ahead.
Per “pewpiece,” who is a leading news breaker and leaker for One Piece on social media, Imu’s identity and full look are revealed in the upcoming chapter.
“Imu appears to be male, with handsome features,” he wrote. “Black clouds surround him. He has long horns similar to Kaido and the ancient giants, but they curve twice, forming the letter ‘S.’ He is not wearing any upper clothing, but he has a cape with a logo, though only half of it is visible. His skin is tanned, similar to a Lunarian king. He also has a devil-like tail, the same one seen piercing Sabo.
“He has white circular tattoos across his body, including an eye tattoo on his right hand. There is also a tattoo on the left side of his face. He possesses the same black Hagoromo clouds seen in awakened Zoan users like Lucci and the Five Elders. However, instead of swirly patterns, his clouds have eyes, similar to those of a biblically accurate ophanim often depicted online.”
Along with the description, fans have begun speculating what Imu might look like on the page, based on the initial leaks.
The new chapter will officially be released worldwide by VIZ this Sunday.
