Eiichiro Oda’sOne Pieceis an unrivaled masterpieceamidst theBig Threeof the Shonen genre. The thrilling adventure series comprises breathtaking plot twists, shocking discoveries fulfilling fights, immersive character development, and above all, flawless comedy. The action-comedy series lives up to its name, using timely gags like Brook’s skull jokes, Zoro’s awful sense of direction, and Luffy’s obsessive love for Niku (– 肉 にく/Meat).
Leading these classic gags is none other than Usopp’s outrageous lies. The marksman of the Straw Hats adds to the comedic value ofOne Piecewith his made-up stories of overblown achievements and feats. However, among his deceptive schemes, Usopp’s multiple identities is certainly the most iconic. It’s one of the reasons he obtained ajaw-dropping bounty of 200 million berriesas God Usopp. So, how did Usopp come about all of his fake aliases?
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Sogeking
“Sogeking” is one of Usopp’s biggest identities thatOne Pieceintroduced to fans in theEnies Lobby Arc. Initially, Usopp left the Straw Hats crew following the big fight he had with Luffy, his captain, over Going Merry. Usopp resolved the leave the Straw Hats until he saw his former crewmates struggling to save Nico Robin, highly sought after by the Navy and the World Government. He then made anopen remark to Sanji and Zorothat he could not help them with their rescue mission due to the heavy guilt he felt and his pride. To counter this shortcoming, Usopp camouflaged his original identity using a mask.
Calling himself “Sogeking,” derived from the Japanese word for sniper (sogeki) and the English word “King,” Usopp was able to birth a new identity every member of the Straw Hats saw through. Naturally, the disguise fooled the simple-minded Luffy and even the crew doctor, Chopper. While he plays the new, foreign identity, Sogeking, Usopp talks with a deeper voice, sticking to the language used by the Samurais in the Wano Kingdom. After Sogeking made his appearance, Chopper bought the fake identity, hook, line, and sinker, asking Sogeking for his autograph, adding toOne Piece’slong list of funny moments. Sogeking may be a laughable development inOne Piece, but the fake identity allowedUsopp to fight alongside his former crew memberswhile avoiding the issue of his sad departure.
The identity Sogeking is yet to make its appearance in theWano arc; it probably never would. Regardless, it’s among Usopp’s accolades for being able to improvise and proffer quick solutions to critical issues.
Usoland
“Usoland” both alludes to Usopp’sfake identity in theDressrossa arcand the ship of the Tontatta pirates. However, the ship’s name is a product of Usopp’s mischief. In Dressrossa, the mini people of the Tontatta Kingdom. The simple-minded citizens of the mini country fell prey to Usopp’s legendary lies. The individual, Mont Blanc Noland, was an icon in the Tontatta Kingdom, revered as a heroic sailor. Usopp then claimed to be a descendant of this famed character, dubbing the name, Usoland.
Expertly mixing the truth with well-crafted lies, Usopp was able to spin a believable story for the citizens of the Tontatta tribe. In reality, Usopp meant no harm by lying about his name. The fake identity was a smart attempt of Usopp aimed at escaping from the Tontatta Kingdom. Lucky for Usopp, the following eventsthat occurred inDressrossa arcworked in his favor, solidifying the Tontatta tribe’s belief that he was truly Noland’s descendant. The whole drama even led to the Tontatta pirates naming their ship, Usoland.
God Usopp
Out of all Usopp’s fake names, “God Usopp” is the most legendary. Ironically, contrary to his other identities, “God Usopp” was born from mistaken facts and coincidences. God Usopp was first used in theDressrossa Arc. The name can even be viewed as an excessive reward for Usopp’s efforts. Usopp saved a number of people from being toys – an awful experience for those who had been in the toy state for many years. Most of them even lost the hope of ever returning to their original human identities.
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A nasty fact about the Toy ability,linked to a powerful devil fruitwas that alongside changing its targets to toys, it also wiped the memories of the targets from people who know them. After an interesting fight, Usopp saved these people from their misery, freeing them from their toy state. Afterward, he was raised by a giant, allowing the people he saved to see him coated in a ray of light, changing his outlook to that of a heavenly figure. Even his words were misconstrued as heavenly dictates. However, in reality, Usopp was heavily injured and unable to speak, and the largely interpreted ‘heavenly dictates’ were actually Usopp’s groans from intense pain. No doubt, God Usopp will always remain one of the best gags in theOne Piecefranchise.
Usohachi
For once, Usopp’s expert lying abilities were used for a genuine reason inWano Arc. After arriving at Wano Kingdom, the Straw Hats devised a strategy to blend into the Wano Kingdom without arousing thesuspicions of Kaido’s subordinatesand the malevolent Orochi. Usopp adopted the identity, ‘Usohachi,” a toad oil vendor. However, his real intentions were to find the Kozuki retainers. On the other hand, Zoro adopted the identity “Zorojuro” Franky, became “Franosuke,” Robin – “O-Robin,” Nami – “O-Nami, etc.”
Usopp’s lies and deceptive schemes are among the major highlights ofOne Piece. The highly deceptive sniper of the Straw Hats will probably create new identities before the ending ofOne Piece. Either way, even if he doesn’t, Usopp is still one of the best comical characters in theOne Pieceseries.
