Amid the chaos of the Gen Z protests that have engulfed Nepal, leaving 19 dead and more than 500 injured, many demonstrators were seen carrying black flags depicting an unmistakable grinning skull in a straw hat with crossed bones behind it, the Jolly Roger of the Straw Hat Pirates from One Piece.
The symbol, which is associated with themes of freedom and rebellion in the anime and manga world, also made a significant appearance in Indonesia during anti-government protests last month.
In Nepal, the Jolly Roger served as a similar rallying point for students angry over censorship and corruption. Protesters say it signals a refusal to submit to government control. “#WAKEUPNEPAL” and “UNMUTE YOUR VOICE” posters were raised alongside the anime insignia.
One Piece, first published in 1997 as a manga by Eiichiro Oda, is one of the most popular franchises in the world. The manga has sold more than 520 million copies, while the TV series has run for more than 1,100 episodes.
Set in the world of pirates, One Piece follows Monkey D. Luffy, a young boy who sets sail with his crew on a dangerous journey across the Grand Line to find the legendary treasure One Piece and become the Pirate King.
Luffy and his crew of Straw Hat Pirates are often branded as terrorists for resisting the World Government’s authority. For many protesters, the story resonates, with the flag symbolising the cost of speaking out against systems that punish dissent. By carrying it, Nepal’s youth signal that they see their struggle as a fight against control and corruption.
Protests in Nepal erupted on September 8 after the government imposed a sweeping ban on major social media platforms, citing concerns over fraud and misinformation. Students and youth activists denounced the move as a direct attack on free expression, and demonstrations quickly spread across Kathmandu and other cities, with protesters demanding the restoration of online platforms and action against corruption.
Widespread use in Indonesia
In Indonesia, the flag appeared during weeks of demonstrations leading up to the country’s Independence Day on August 17. Hoisted alongside the national flag, its widespread use drew condemnation from politicians, with a deputy house speaker calling it an “attempt to divide the nation,” while a senior aide to President Prabowo Subianto warned it could undermine the national flag itself.
Firman Soebagyo, from the centre-right Golkar Party, went to the extent of suggesting that displaying these flags could even amount to treason.
Some Indonesian residents say raising the flag is a "symbol that we love this country, but don't completely agree with its policies".
The anime reflects the injustice and inequality that Indonesians experience, said Ali Maulana, a resident of Jayapura city in Papua province.
"Even though this country is officially independent, many of us have not truly experienced that freedom in our daily lives," he told BBC Indonesian.
Later, the country's state secretary minister Prasetyo Hadi said the president himself had "no objection" to the flags as a form of "creative expression".
"However, it should not be used to challenge or diminish the significance of the red and white flag. The two should not be placed side by side in a way that invites comparison or conflict," his office said in a statement.
In Indonesia, there are no laws that restrict the display of fictional flags, but the law stipulates that if they are flown alongside the red-and-white national flags, the country's flag must always be hoisted higher.
Police in the capital Jakarta have said they are "monitoring the use of non-national flags and symbols that don't align with the spirit of nationalism, including pirate or fictional-themed flags".