Who is Imu in One Piece? Explained

The one character we didn’t expect to take center stage in this Egghead Arc in One Piece is Imu. Imu is the most mysterious character we have ever been introduced to. It has been half a decade since Imu was first introduced to us, and still, we only know very little about that character. But the curtains are slowly starting to draw and reveal more about this inexplicable character. In this article, let’s learn all we know about Imu Sama in One Piece and discover their character and powers.

Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers about the story and the Imu character in One Piece. We suggest you watch the anime or read the manga first to avoid ruining the intended experience.

Imu’s True Identity in One Piece

• Japanese Name: イム
• English Name: Imu or Im

Imu is considered to be the most powerful being in the entire One Piece universe. It was a mind-blowing twist to learn that there was a person who was secretly pulling the strings in the background, controlling even the Five Elders. Imu is the secret ruler of the One Piece world and owns the so-thought-empty throne. As a result, Imu holds the highest authority in the world. This was confirmed when the Five Elders (Gorosei) who were thought to be the supreme authorities bowed down to Imu.

Imu’s existence is known to only a handful of people and will remain so for the time being. But based on how the events are happening in the manga right now, this secret will be brought to the light sooner or later and the world shall know Imu! Therefore, Imu will serve as the final boss in One Piece and may well be the evilest antagonist in the history of One Piece. Based on the most recent news, Nefertari Cobra mentioned that Imu has a connection to the First Twenty Founders of the World Government.

In One Piece manga chapter 1086, Emporio Ivankov suggested that Imu is indeed connected to the First Twenty Founders and Imu’s true identity is Saint Nerona Imu. This person hails from the Nerona family, one of the First Twenty Founders from 800 years ago. Ivankov believes that St. Imu got the Perennial Youth Operation from the previous Ope Ope no Mi devil fruit user (current user – Trafalgar Law) to grant themselves eternal youth or immortality. Furthermore, Marcus Mars, one of the Five Elders, referred to Imu as the “Creator,” which could be a huge hint that Ivankov’s theory is true.

When was Imu Introduced in One Piece?

• Debut: Episode 885, Manga Chapter 906

Imu first appeared in the Reverie arc in One Piece manga chapter 906 or anime episode 885. To this day, knowing there was a hidden ruler all along and we never knew is one of the most unexpected plot twists for fans. As previously said, it has been more than five years since we were introduced to Imu, and we still know little about this enigmatic figure.

What Is Imu’s Gender in One Piece

Imu’s gender has not been revealed yet. While most of the fandom considers Imu to be female, there isn’t any solid evidence to back up that claim. In one instance, Imu was referred to as Imu-sama, but it should be noted that Sama is a gender-neutral term in Japanese. Therefore, let’s for the official confirmation and not draw a conclusion based on speculations. There is no concrete evidence that Imu is Luffy’s mother but there was another character introduced in the manga recently, Ginny, who is speculated to be Luffy’s or Bonney’s mother by fans.

Although we don’t know Imu’s gender, we do know their pronouns. Imu favors and employs the first-person pronoun “Mu (ムー)”, which is borrowed from their name. It is also noted that Imu uses “Nushia (ヌシア)” for others.

Imu’s Powers and Abilities in One Piece

Apparently, we don’t know much about Imu’s powers right now. Imu’s only power seen in the manga is when they were able to destroy the Lulusia Kingdom. It is now confirmed that Imu obliterated the island with the “Mother Flame,” a weapon invented by Dr. Vegapunk.

But theoretically, Imu being the final boss and the supreme ruler of this world means they have one of the supreme world-ending powers. It makes sense that way, doesn’t it? With this mighty power, one can shower beams of energy and destroy an island in the blink of an eye.

Possible Devil Fruit Powers

Furthermore, when Sabo infiltrated and learned about their secret identity, Imu and the Gorosei turned into dark silhouette monsters. This monster form was capable of battling against one of the strongest logia devil fruit users, Sabo. It is strongly hinted that Imu will have a devil fruit power and based on the story Imu will likely get a dark and evil devil fruit power. We will update this section as we hear more updates about Imu’s powers in the manga soon.

Mysteries Around Imu in One Piece

There are many mysteries revolving around the character of Imu in the world of One Piece. We have tried to collect some of these mysteries right here:

• Imu with a giant Straw Hat and holding the wanted poster of the Straw Hat Pirates’ captain, Monkey D. Luffy
• Imu was also seen slashing down the posters of Luffy, Blackbeard, Shirahoshi, and more, who are basically the members of the D. It is noted that Imu showed their hatred towards the members of D in recent chapters. Want to learn the meaning of D in One Piece, follow the linked guide.
• Imu was seen carrying a picture of Vivi, who is also confirmed to be a member of the D. There is a relationship between the Nefertari family and Imu, but we don’t have a concrete answer right now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who exactly is Imu?

Imu is the supreme hidden ruler of the One Piece world and their existence is only known by a few.

Is Imu a God in One Piece?

We don’t know the answer to that question yet it is speculated by many that Imu is a god that’s why their character has godly abilities.

Is Imu a villain?

Yes! Imu is one of the major villains in One Piece and most likely be the final boss of Luffy.

Is Shanks the son of Imu?

No! There have been many rumors that Imu’s sons are Luffy or Shanks. But nothing has been confirmed at this moment.