Introduction
Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece and Hayao Miyazaki’s Laputa: Castle in the Sky are separated by time, genre, and medium — yet they share striking similarities in worldbuilding, themes, and symbols.
Both stories revolve around the search for a mythical floating island, the pursuit of ancient knowledge, and human greed’s clash with freedom and friendship.
Though Oda has never explicitly confirmed Laputa as a direct influence, the connections are too strong to ignore.
1. The Myth of the Floating Island
Laputa
In Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986), the floating island is a lost civilization hidden in the sky. It represents both human innovation and arrogance, combining beauty and destruction through its advanced technology and isolation.
One Piece
In One Piece, the Skypiea Arc (2003) centers on Skypiea, a floating island among the clouds. Like Laputa, it’s a legendary place thought to be a myth. Luffy and his crew’s journey to Skypiea mirrors Sheeta and Pazu’s adventure to Laputa — both start as a pursuit of legend and end as a confrontation with truth.
Parallel:
Both islands symbolize mankind’s dream to reach the sky, and both critique how the pursuit of godlike power corrupts that dream.
2. The Ancient Civilization and Lost Technology
Laputa’s Legacy
Laputa’s people mastered levitation crystals, ancient energy sources that powered the island and its deadly weapons. This technology, once used to dominate Earth, led to the civilization’s downfall — a commentary on human overreach.
The Void Century
In One Piece, the Ancient Kingdom — erased from history — mirrors Laputa’s lost civilization. The kingdom possessed advanced technology (e.g., the Poneglyphs, the ancient weapons Pluton, Uranus, and Poseidon) and suffered annihilation by a powerful world government, much like Laputa’s fall from grace.
Parallel:
Both stories explore the tension between progress and morality. Ancient power, when misused, becomes the catalyst for ruin.
3. The Search for Truth
The Heroes’ Curiosity
- Pazu and Sheeta seek Laputa out of wonder and personal destiny.
- Luffy and his crew sail for adventure and truth, defying governments and myths alike.
Both sets of heroes embody pure curiosity untainted by greed, distinguishing them from antagonists who chase power.
Parallel:
Their journeys reflect human innocence versus systemic control — curiosity as a force for freedom rather than domination.
4. The Greedy Villains
Colonel Muska (Laputa)
Muska wants to use Laputa’s weapons to rule the world — representing political greed and the lust for domination.
Enel (One Piece)
The self-proclaimed “god” of Skypiea, Enel, desires to reach the “Fairy Vearth” (the moon) and sees himself as divine. He destroys those who oppose him, mirroring Muska’s obsession with godlike authority.
Parallel:
Both antagonists are false gods who seek absolute control over heaven and earth, while the protagonists champion freedom, equality, and wonder.
5. Sky Imagery and Freedom
Miyazaki’s sky is vast and full of possibility — an escape from earthly corruption. Oda’s ocean serves the same purpose, representing infinite freedom.
When One Piece reaches the sky (Skypiea), these ideas merge: the sky becomes the sea of dreams, a literal realization of freedom.
Symbolism:
Both use the sky as a metaphor for limitless dreams, moral clarity, and escape from human corruption.
6. Nature vs. Industry
In Laputa, nature reclaims the abandoned floating city — a message that humanity’s creations will fade, but nature endures.
In One Piece, the same tension appears in Vegapunk’s technology, ancient weapons, and the World Government’s manipulation of science.
Emotional Core: Compassion Over Power
Both Laputa and One Piece reject power-driven ambitions.
- In Laputa, Sheeta destroys the castle rather than let Muska use it.
- In One Piece, Luffy defeats tyrants not for power, but for friends and freedom.
The message is identical: true strength lies in compassion, not domination. warn: progress without compassion leads to isolation and destruction.
8. Artistic and Stylistic Echoes
- Architecture: Skypiea’s ancient ruins and golden temples strongly resemble Laputa’s mechanical structures entwined with nature.
- Tone: Both balance whimsy and tragedy, mixing comedy with moral depth.
- Music and Atmosphere: The ethereal sense of discovery in both worlds evokes a shared spirit of wonder.
Conclusion
While Laputa: Castle in the Sky predates One Piece by nearly two decades, its influence is woven through Oda’s storytelling DNA.
Both tales celebrate adventure, humanity’s curiosity, and the fight against oppressive powers.
The mythical floating island — whether Laputa or Skypiea — represents the same dream: a place beyond reach, where truth and freedom await those pure of heart.
Ultimately, both Miyazaki and Oda remind us that the sky — like the sea — belongs not to kings or gods, but to those who dare to dream.
