Nika could be One Piece’s Jesus Christ, and Joy Boy his first apostle

The latest chapter of One Piece, 1114, unveiled that Nika and JoyBoy were not the same being, despite Nika being a mythical tale passed down for generations and JoyBoy being a renowned historical figure as the first pirate to sail the Grand Line. However, there may be a deeper connection between the two, as JoyBoy was said to possess the devil fruit powers originating from Nika. This new revelation could potentially tie in with Christian beliefs and become a significant religious theory in the series.

Just as God manifested into Jesus after achieving enlightenment through the Human-Human devil fruit, He also manifested into Nika in the same manner. This designation made JoyBoy Nika the apostle of God, spreading His beliefs just as the apostles did for Jesus’ teachings. This concept forms a strong connection between this series and Christianity.

This article includes possible spoilers from the One Piece manga series and reflects the author’s personal views.

Exploring the Connection between Christianity and One Piece

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

Nika, also known as the Sun God, is a legendary being revered by slaves. This deity holds significant significance among the Elbafian and Buccaneer races. According to legends, Nika is destined to one day emerge and rescue the slaves from their oppressors. One of the defining traits of Nika is their distinctive laugh.

Despite his depiction with a sword and spear, the true extent of Nika’s powers remains a mystery. However, Kuma has unveiled one of the deity’s abilities – a stretchy body that allows him to fight in various ways.

Similarly to the protagonist of One Piece, Monkey D Luffy, this ability shares the same characteristics as devil fruit powers. In addition, the true identity of Luffy’s devil fruit was disclosed as the Human-Human devil fruit, Model: Nika, indicating that it originated from the Sun God, Nika.

The reveal of JoyBoy as by Dr Vegapunk (Image via Shueisha)

In Chapter 1114, Vegapunk unveiled JoyBoy as the original bearer of this devil fruit. Similar to Nika, JoyBoy was a major enigma and this chapter provided the initial clue about him as the first pirate to conquer the Grand Line.

In addition, Vegapunk’s revelation that JoyBoy existed during the Void Century has left fans pondering the purpose of his existence during that time. This may shed light on the potential connection between Nika and JoyBoy, drawing parallels to the relationship between Jesus and his apostles.

Jesus is a prominent figure in Christianity and is considered the central figure of this religion. According to Christian beliefs, Jesus was the vessel for God himself, earning him the title of ‘the Great Apostle.’ Prior to his crucifixion, he handpicked 12 apostles from among his followers to spread his teachings across the globe.

Therefore, Nika was believed to be the embodiment of God, assuming the role of the Sun God and liberating the enslaved individuals. This association with God draws parallels to Jesus. Furthermore, Nika’s teachings were passed down through a fruit, and JoyBoy was the first to receive this inheritance, mirroring the role of the first apostle of Jesus.

Luffy awakening his Nika fruit (Image via Toei Animation)

During the Void Century, JoyBoy became known as the individual who propagated Nika’s ideals of freedom and liberation. However, the government of that era branded JoyBoy as a ‘pirate,’ leading to the negative connotation of the term. This could have sparked the government’s fear of other potential liberators, causing them to target all pirates.

Following JoyBoy’s passing, the Nika fruit was passed around and eventually ended up in the possession of Who’s Who, a member of the Beast Pirates, after 800 years. Luckily, Shanks acquired the fruit without any knowledge of its true identity, as it had been given a fake name, the Gum-Gum devil fruit, by the World Government.

It was fate that led Luffy to accidentally consume the fruit and awaken its power as Gear 5. In doing so, he became a liberator akin to JoyBoy, spreading the message of the Sun God Nika.