Uncovering Nami’s True Name in One Piece: A Possible Connection to the Nerona Family

The true origins of Cat Burglar Nami, a member of the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece, remain a mystery to many fans. Although the Cocoyasi Village arc provides some insight into her past, it is revealed that Bellemere discovered Nami and her sister Nojiko when they were on the verge of death. This occurred during Nami’s time in the Marines, where she fought against pirates in the Oykot Kingdom.

Similarly, the battle resulted in the complete destruction of the Kingdom, leaving only Nami and Nojiko as the heavily implied survivors. The entire area was reduced to rubble, and as of the time of writing this article, fans have yet to receive any information about Nami’s origins before meeting Bellemere in the One Piece storyline.

Understandably, in light of the increased focus on lore, the introduction of Nerona Imu, and other recent developments, One Piece fans are now even more determined to uncover the truth about Nami’s origins. According to the latest theory, similar to how Gol D. Roger’s true name was disguised as Gold Roger, a mere reading error in Nami’s name may be concealing her true identity.

Uncovering the Identity of One Piece’s Nami: Possible Connections to Joy Boy and the Void Century

At the time of writing, it is important to establish certain aspects of Nami’s character as seen in One Piece. To begin with, she possesses a strong affinity for water and displays exceptional sailing abilities. Her dream is to create a complete map of the world and its oceans. Additionally, though she is not a skilled fighter, there have been instances hinting at her potential for Haki, such as her ability to withstand Ulti’s headbutt.

Nami’s dream of creating a complete map of the world, including its seas, was mentioned earlier and holds great significance in light of the events of the Egghead Island arc. The arc revealed that the world has been consumed by water before and will be once again, making Nami’s desire to accurately map the world inherently connected to Imu, Joy Boy, and the Void Century.

To begin, this recent One Piece theory must first address Nami’s name. While her full name remains a mystery, it is unclear how Bellemere came to know it. It is possible that she or Nojiko stumbled upon it while reading through the rubble, potentially misreading “N. Ami”as “Nami”. If this were the case, then there are several similarities that can be drawn between Nami and Nerona Imu, including the similar sounds of “Imu”and “Ami”.

In Japanese, the name Imu can have multiple translations such as “shun,””avoid,”or “detest,”while also being a palindrome of “umi,”meaning sea. Similarly, the name Ami can be translated as “beauty,””ocean,”or “fruit,”all of which evoke feelings and associations with water. When combined, the name “Amimu”can be translated as “apricot tree,””hope,””wish,””desire,”or “sprout,”all of which tie into Nami’s origins in the tangerine groves of Cocoyasi Village and Imu’s garden in Mariejois.

Both Imu and Nami are portrayed with a common theme of royalty. While Imu’s portrayal is more explicit in the mainline story, Nami’s is more understated. This can be observed in several color spreads where crows can be seen either on her or surrounding her, such as in chapters 1, 733, 921, and 1113. Additionally, in her first appearance in the One Piece story, Nami is depicted stealing a crown from different pirates.

Additionally, the Nerona name’s katakana can be arranged to create the Kanji character for “god,”and he resides among the Celestial Dragons. Similarly, Nami has also been associated with a god, Enel, and has been granted permission to accompany him. In a parallel manner, just as Sanji was frequently called a prince prior to his true identity being revealed, Nami has also been dubbed a goddess or queen on multiple occasions.

Imu may target the Straw Hats specifically to obtain Nami in One Piece's coming arcs (Image via Toei Animation) — Imu may target the Straw Hats specifically to obtain Nami in One Piece’s coming arcs (Image via Toei Animation)

The fact that both are knowledgeable in cartography further strengthens the connection between them, especially considering Dr. Vegapunk’s broadcast. This can be seen when Imu marked Lulusia Kingdom off a map during the One Piece’s Egghead arc, which suggests that Imu may have been planning the next great flood and mapping out the future world instead of simply recording the erased islands.

In the Arlong Park arc, a potential connection can be made between Nami and Imu. Similar to how Nami received Luffy’s straw hat during the climax of the arc, Imu is shown to possess a large straw hat that is being kept in Mariejois. It is plausible that Imu also had a figure similar to Sun God Nika, known as Joy Boy, fight for him after receiving the hat. However, unlike Luffy’s victory, Joy Boy most likely lost due to Imu’s betrayal rather than remaining loyal.

Similarly, chapter 1036 of One Piece provides further evidence of Imu’s connection to the Void Century, which has been all but confirmed by this article. The color spread in this chapter features Nami sitting inside a sunken building with a castle-like design, observing her friends outside. Upon reflection, the text on Luffy and Brook’s jackets can be interpreted as a foreshadowing of the reveal of the great flood, strengthening the connection between the two.

It is a commonly held belief that the queen leitmotif of Nami is closely connected to the recurring water and flood themes mentioned above. Whales and their appearances are said to have significant significance in the series, with multiple instances where they play crucial roles in the plot. These important moments often occur when Nami and Luffy reunite or encounter each other.

The presence of the Orange Town fountain, Laboon in Loguetown, the post-Fishman Island reunion of the crew, the whale tree at Zou, and even Jinbe the whale shark Fishman at Whole Cake Island all serve as evidence for this theory. Additionally, a One Piece color spread shows Nami positioned beneath a whale wearing a crown, further hinting at her potential identity as the princess of the Nerona family. Thus, it can be concluded that Nami’s true identity holds a significant importance.

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