One Piece: Who is the father of Makino’s kid? Explored

One Piece, created by Eiichiro Oda, is praised for its intricate worldbuilding and intricate plot, which revolves around the interactions between numerous characters. The story follows the Straw Hat Pirates as they travel the world in pursuit of the One Piece treasure, while also delving into various subplots.

The subplots frequently intertwine with the main narrative, showcasing the dynamic and realistic world of One Piece. This effectively keeps all characters, even the minor ones who make infrequent appearances in the manga, relevant to the overarching story. Despite their limited screen time, Oda skillfully hints at their growth and development through seemingly insignificant details.

For instance, this rings true for Makino, the woman who brought up Luffy. Makino has such a strong affection for Luffy that she could be regarded as a surrogate mother or elder sibling to him, as well as to his loyal companions Ace and Sabo. Following the two-year hiatus, it was disclosed that Makino has since had a child. Nonetheless, the father of the newborn remains a mystery.

One Piece Fans Puzzled by Makino’s Lover’s Identity

Who is Makino in One Piece?

Makino, a warm and motivated young woman with brown eyes and dark hair, resides in Foosha Village, the hometown of Luffy. She is the proud owner of Partys Bar, a beloved spot among One Piece enthusiasts, as it holds special memories of a younger Shanks and his crew’s lively gatherings and festivities.

This location holds great significance as it is where Luffy consumed the Gum-Gum Fruit, which was later revealed to be the legendary Human-Human Fruit Model: Nika. Following the departure of Shanks and his crew from Foosha Village, Luffy was taken care of by Makino. She also provided support for Ace and Sabo, bringing them new clothing.

After leaving the village, Luffy received a heartfelt goodbye from Makino who expressed how much she would miss him. Despite the newspaper reports detailing Luffy’s actions, she continued to show unwavering support for the young pirate. In the aftermath of the Paramount War, Curly Dadan pointed the finger at Monkey D. Garp for Ace’s tragic death during the conflict.

Makino with Luffy and Ace, who at the time were children (Image via Toei Animation)

Despite feeling guilty, Garp allowed Dadan to hit him without retaliating. It wasn’t until Makino intervened and reminded Dadan that the former Marine was struggling with his own inner turmoil. Dadan argued that Luffy was going through even more pain, but Makino couldn’t help but burst into tears as she recalled her memories with Ace and Luffy.

During the two-year time skip, it was revealed that Makino had given birth to a child, as shown on the cover of One Piece chapter 614 where she can be seen cradling her baby. This cover page was part of the story “From the Decks of the World,”which depicted the world’s response to the Straw Hat Pirates’ long-awaited return.

As the story continued, Makino could be heard mentioning Luffy’s adventures and sharing her disappointment over the news of Sabo. She concurred with Woop Slap that Garp would surely return from Blackbeard’s Pirate Island, despite the challenging situation. She also mentioned that her child was starting to recognize Luffy’s face in the newspaper.

Oda teases the truth, but doesn’t reveal it

Makino with her child (Image via Shueisha)

Despite numerous speculations, the father of Makino’s child has not been officially disclosed by One Piece author Eiichiro Oda. In response to this ongoing debate, the mangaka shared his thoughts in volume 63’s SBS, stating the following:

“Yes, Makino-san became a mother. She looks very happy. The father is maybe that person… yeah, probably that person.”

Undoubtedly, the cryptic remark failed to quench the fans’ insatiable curiosity. For a while, it was widely believed that the father in question was Shanks himself. As the revered leader of the Red Hair Pirates, Shanks exudes charm and strength, making him a beloved figure in the world of One Piece.

It is undeniable that the Red Hair Pirates are well acquainted with Foosha Village and the Partys Bar, making it no surprise that fans have long shipped Shanks and Makino. It is worth noting that they appear to have a good relationship, and in terms of age, Shanks is only a few years older than Makino.

Given this perspective, it is possible that Oda’s ambiguous statement was meant to support the most widely accepted hypothesis, albeit without directly verifying it. According to this theory, as one of the Four Emperors, Shanks would not be able to roam freely because the Navy would closely monitor his movements and activities to prevent any major schemes.

Shanks attending a certain wedding (Image via Shueisha)

Following the Paramount War, Garp was in Foosha, providing another reason for Shanks to avoid returning to the village. Interestingly, a different cover story depicts Shanks attending a wedding on an undisclosed island. The location and newlyweds are left unknown.

Despite not being seen and Shanks’ attire and actions not matching those of a groom, it remains uncertain. One Piece author Eiichiro Oda deliberately left this detail ambiguous.

Despite the popular belief that Shanks is Makino’s partner, some fans argue that Sabo could be the father of the bartender’s child. This theory is supported by Oda’s statement that the father is “that person,”which was made before the official reveal of Sabo’s survival. It’s possible that Oda didn’t want to give away this crucial information. Additionally, Sabo and Makino have a good relationship, although there is a significant age gap between them. Sabo is much younger than Makino.

Oda's illustration (Image via Shueisha) — Oda’s illustration (Image via Shueisha)

In a recently released drawing by Eiichiro Oda to advertise One Piece Film: Red, the mangaka illustrated Makino and a few members of the Red Hair Pirates alongside Luffy and Uta. Strikingly, Makino is not portrayed with Shanks but is instead shown next to Benn Beckman, who is drinking beside her.

Makino’s blushing is noticeable, which could imply that she is not unaffected by Benn’s charming presence. However, the drawing could also be interpreted differently. It could be that Makino is simply in close proximity to Benn because she has just served him wine. While her cheeks are visibly red, she is not looking at Benn as she blushes.

Therefore, this example does not provide any evidence to support or disprove any theories regarding the identity of Makino’s lover. Regardless, there is currently no indication that the mystery surrounding the father of Makino’s son will have any significance in the main plot of One Piece. However, the numerous theories surrounding this topic only highlight Eiichiro Oda’s skill in captivating his readers with even the smallest elements of his masterpiece.

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