In Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, where anger against the government reached its peak in September 2025, the flag from the popular Japanese manga One Piece became an iconic image of the uprising, as flames spread inside the Singha Durbar Palace, the seat of Nepal’s power.
View this post on Instagram
What began as an emblem of a fictional pirate crew born nearly three decades ago has become a powerful symbol of youth-led resistance, appearing in protests in Indonesia and Nepal, the Philippines (video below) and France.
@gmapublicaffairs TINGNAN: Flag ng anime na ‘One Piece,’ spotted sa kilos-protesta ngayong araw, Sept. 21.
♬ original sound – GMA Public Affairs
As a scholar of media and democracy, I see the spread of this image—which has moved from manga pages to protest squares—as an example of how Generation Z is redefining the cultural vocabulary of dissent.
Pop culture as a mode of political expression
The manga One Piece appeared at the same time as Generation Z. It was created in 1997 by the Japanese mangaka Eiichirō Oda. Since then, it has sold more than 500 million copies and has the best global performance listed in the Guinness Book of Records for its editorial success.
It spawned a hit television series, live-action films and an industry worth more than US$20 billion, with merchandise licensing alone generating an estimated $720 million each year for Bandai Namco, the holding company best known for creating video games. Pac-Man And Tekken.
In One Piecewe follow pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat crew as he challenges a corrupt world government while seeking freedom and adventure. For fans, the flag of One Piece is not trivial, it is an emblem of challenge and perseverance. Luffy’s ability to surpass his physical limits after consuming a magical fruit has become a powerful metaphor for resilience, while his unwavering quest for freedom resonates with young people who operate in political environments marked by corruption, inequality and excessive authoritarianism.
When protesters adopt this flag, they are not just importing an aesthetic element from pop culture. They draw on a narrative that is already understandable to millions of people. The flag began appearing in protests in recent years. It was brandished at a “Free Palestine” protest in October 2023 in Indonesia (see below) and a few weeks later in New York, also during a pro-Palestinian demonstration.
View this post on Instagram
But it was in Indonesia, in August 2025, that the flag really took off politically. There, protesters adopted it to express their frustration with government policies and their growing discontent with corruption and inequality. This coincided with government calls to demonstrate patriotism during independence celebrations, sharpening the contrast between official nationalism and popular dissent.
The movement gained momentum when authorities responded by sharply criticizing the use of the flag, unintentionally drawing more attention to the symbol. Government officials characterized the protests as threats to national unity, while demonstrators saw them as legitimate expressions of political frustration.
A traveling flag
The speed at which the Jolly Roger One Piece spread across borders reflects the digital education of members of Generation Z. They are the first cohort to have grown up entirely online, immersed in memes, anime and global entertainment franchises. Their political communication relies on what researchers call “networked publics,” communities that form and act through digital platforms rather than formal organizations.
In this context, solidarity does not require membership in a party or ideology. It is rather based on common cultural references. A meme, gesture or flag can instantly convey meaning across linguistic, religious or geographic divides. This form of connection relies on shared cultural codes, which allow young people to identify with each other even when their political systems differ.
Social networks give this solidarity exceptional scope and speed. Videos of Indonesians waving the flag were excerpted and shared on TikTok and Instagram, reaching audiences far beyond their original context. When the symbol appeared in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu in September, it already carried an aura of youthful rebellion.
In Nepal, the flag was associated with anger over youth unemployment and the ostentatious wealth of political dynasties. In Indonesia, this reflected disillusionment with patriotic rituals that seemed hollow in a context of corruption. The two movements are motivated by very different causes. But, in both cases, the flag functioned like open source: adaptable locally, but immediately understandable elsewhere.
Part of the flag’s effectiveness comes from its ambiguity. Unlike a party logo, the flag of One Piece has its origins in popular culture, making it difficult for governments to suppress it without appearing authoritarian. During the latest protests in Indonesia, authorities confiscated banners and called using them a betrayal. But such repressive measures have only amplified the protesters’ frustration.
Several people have been targeted by Indonesian authorities for raising the flag from the popular Japanese anime to express discontent with the government. One minister said the act could be considered treason.
The Indonesian government should stop repressing freedom of… pic.twitter.com/LMX9qB12Ws— Amnesty International (@amnesty) August 7, 2025
When fiction invades reality
The flag of One Piece is not the only one to have been reinvented as a symbol of resistance. In movements around the world, pop culture and digital culture have become powerful resources for activists. In Chile and Beirut in October 2019, protesters wore Joker masks to symbolize their anger at corruption and inequality. In Thailand, in the summer of 2020, protesters turned to Hamtaroa children’s cartoon featuring a little hamster. They parodied its theme song and held up stuffed animals to ridicule political leaders.
This mix of politics, entertainment, and personal identity reflects a hybrid media environment in which symbols from fan culture gain power. They are easy to recognize, adapt and defend against state repression.
However, cultural resonance is not enough to explain this craze. The flag of One Piece was very successful because it reflected the real grievances of the people. In Nepal, where youth unemployment exceeds 20% and migration for work is common, protesters have associated the emblem with slogans such as “Generation Z will not be silent” And “our future is not for sale”. In Indonesia, some protesters argued that the national flag was “too sacred” to be waved in a corrupt system, therefore using the pirate flag as a declaration of disillusionment.
The spread of the flag also reflects a broader shift in the way protest ideas cross borders. In the past, sit-ins, marches or hunger strikes held the upper hand in the media space. Today, it is the symbols and visual references from world culture that circulate the fastest. They can be adapted to local struggles while remaining immediately recognizable elsewhere.
The flag’s journey from Asian streets to protests in France and Slovakia (video below) demonstrates the extent to which the grammar of dissent has become globalized.
@lucy_birch Strawhats against Fico! #slovakia #fico #onepiece #strawhats #protest ♬ original sound – Gabii❤️🔥
For today’s young activists, culture and politics are inseparable. The digital generation has given rise to a generation that communicates its grievances through memes, symbols and cultural references that easily cross borders.
When demonstrators in Jakarta, Kathmandu or Manila wave the Jolly Roger flag of One Piecethey are not engaging in role-playing, but transforming a cultural icon into a living emblem of defiance.
