In recent protests across Mexico, young demonstrators have embraced a striking symbol from the Japanese manga/anime One Piece: the Jolly Roger of the Straw Hat Pirates, featuring a skull wearing a straw hat. What once belonged solely to fiction now echoes as a banner of real-world dissent.

For Gen Z, the flag captures key themes from One Piece — freedom, rebellion against corrupt powers, and the fight for a fairer world. Protesters say they identify deeply with Monkey D. Luffy’s journey, in which he defies authoritarian “World Governments” and champions an oppressed crew.

The phenomenon isn’t unique to Mexico. The character’s pirate flag has also been seen in youth-led movements in countries like Indonesia, Nepal, France and Madagascar — making it a global Gen Z symbol of resistance. Political commentators argue that this is more than pop-culture nostalgia: it’s a generational way to articulate disagreement with entrenched systems, without relying on traditional partisan symbols.

In short: the “manga pirate” isn’t just a fictional hero anymore — for a generation, Luffy’s flag is a real-world emblem of hope, unity and defiance.