One Piece’s Elbaph Arc Won’t Settle This Straw Hat Controversy, Even After Oda’s Confirmation

One Piece just rolled out the official Straw Hat character sheets for the Elbaf arc, and the conversation immediately went from hype to: why does Usopp look lighter again? We have been here before, and the reaction is not subtle.

What set this off

The new Elbaf designs hit social feeds and fans noticed Usopp’s skin tone looks noticeably lighter. That bump isn’t happening in a vacuum, either. Nico Robin’s design has been through similar shifts over the years, and people are once again pointing the finger at Toei Animation for sanding off the diversity Eiichiro Oda built into the crew.

'USOPP ELBAPH OFFICIAL DESIGN'

— Pew (@pewpiece), Oct 28, 2025

The long-running issue

Usopp’s complexion has been inconsistent in the anime for years. Depending on the episode, lighting, and even the week’s animation quality, he’s swung from darker to lighter and back again. That would be annoying on its own, but it clashes with what Oda has made crystal clear. In SBS Volume 56, Oda said that if the Straw Hats lived in our world, Usopp would be from Africa. That context matters, and the show not holding the line on his appearance keeps reigniting the same fight about representation.

Fans see the lightening as whitewashing, which undercuts the crew’s diversity and sends a lousy message to people who care about seeing that variety on screen. The Elbaf designs landing with a lighter Usopp has just restarted the whole debate: why does Toei keep mishandling this?

What Oda has said about where the crew would be from

Oda has mapped the Straw Hats to real-world places. It’s not plot-critical, but it’s a nice touch that underlines how broad the crew is meant to feel:

• Luffy: Brazil
• Zoro: Japan
• Nami: Sweden
• Usopp: Africa
• Sanji: France
• Chopper: Canada
• Robin: Russia
• Franky: USA
• Brook: Austria
• Jinbe: India

Why it matters (and what fans want)

None of this is about nitpicking a hex code; it’s about keeping the intent intact. Oda’s crew isn’t just a collection of personalities, it’s a deliberately varied bunch. When the anime drifts lighter on characters like Usopp (or Robin), it reads as the series trimming away part of that identity. The ask is simple: keep the characters culturally appropriate and honor Oda’s original vision.

Where things stand

The Elbaf sheets have already sparked another round of pushback. We’ll see if Toei adjusts before the arc fully airs, but the message from fans is loud: stop moving the goalposts on skin tone. Agree? Disagree? I’m curious where you land.

One Piece is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.