One Piece is known for drawing influences for its characters from a variety of sources, but the most surprising influence may be an unexpected rapper.

Many of One Piece‘s characters have appearances based on real pop culture icons, but few of these inspirations are as surprising as the likely basis for the villain Enel. This shows that mangaka Eiichiro Oda is truly drawing inspiration from all parts of the world and all corners of pop culture. It also may cause some fans to view Enel much differently from how he appeared in Skypiea.

Enel was the narcissistic tyrant who ruled over the Sky Islands in the Skypiea arc. With his Rumble-Rumble Devil Fruit, he could control lightning and transform himself into it as well, making him nearly invincible. Luffy’s powers provided the first real threat that he faced during his time ruling, as rubber is an insulator and thus has a natural advantage against electricity. His previous untouchability just fueled his god complex, causing him to rule over the sky islanders as a deity, brutally silencing any dissent. His appearance reflects this, as he wears the drums and long ears associated with various gods and deities. However, in addition to mythological influences, his appearance was likely also inspired by a surprising American musician.

One Piece‘s Enel Is Likely Based On Eminem

Oda once said in an interview that he is a fan of Eminem. Given Skypiea was being written in the early 2000s, around the time when Eminem was at his most popular, this makes it possible that Enel was based on the rapper. Comparing Enel and Eminem side by side, it is clear to see the visual similarities between the two figures, making this extremely likely. This would also help gel with Enel’s personality, as his narcissism could be tied to Eminem’s braggadocious persona. It could have even inspired Enel’s defeat, as the way Luffy beats the false god is with a musical object, just like the only way to defeat Eminem in real life would be through a rap battle.

If Oda did indeed base Enel on Eminem it would once again show how varied the visual influences for the series are. It also wouldn’t be the first time Oda has based a character after a figure in American pop culture, with Sanji being inspired by Steve Buscemi in the film Reservoir Dogs. Oda doesn’t just draw from American culture though, as some characters like the Admirals are all based on famous Japanese actors. Despite these strong inspirations however, Enel’s design also shows how Oda can warp his muses to fit the more cartoonish world of his manga, as something like Enel’s elongated earlobes are extreme even for the mythological sources they are borrowed from.

Oda has never explicitly confirmed that Enel is based on Eminem, but based on their similarities it seems very likely. While this may surprise some fans, it also makes sense given how quirky One Piece and its creator are. One Piece‘s cartoonish art style may be somewhat controversial, but its quirkiness has a charm to it that many fans love about the series, making Enel‘s potential Eminem inspiration a cool feature hidden in the series.