One Piece: ‘Fullmetal Alchemist’ Has Already Shown What Oda Needs to Do With the Good Marines in the Final War Against World Government

Manga authors aren’t strangers to politics and aren’t afraid of depicting war and genocide. Fullmetal Alchemist did this with the Ishvalan War of Extermination where the Fuhrer of Amestris ordered the mass murder of Ishvalan race.

The real-life allegories aren’t lost on anime fans. It mirrors many events of the past and unfortunately, the present. It also depicted the part Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye, and other fan favorites played. It soured the fans’ opinions on them, despite the guilt and trying to atone for it.

Ishvalan Genocide in Fullmetal Alchemist. [Credit: Studio Bones]

This isn’t the first or last depiction of genocide and war in anime. The events of One Piece are a constant reminder of the real-life political climate and the effects of war. It has included not one but two confirmed genocides by the World Government.

What makes these atrocities in One Piece more complex is that the people in power have possibly covered up more. But we also get to know some of the Marines who were either complacent or responsible for both genocides, namely Aokiji, but are depicted to be good people.

Good Marines exist but their crimes will never be forgiven

Eiichiro Oda has masterfully written a nuanced perspective of the Marines. Akainu, the Fleet Admiral, might be a deplorable person with a warped sense of justice, but we know not all Marines are like that. Most of them start as wide-eyed kids who just want to do good, like Koby.

Aokiji spares Nico Robin from the Ohara Genocide in One Piece. [Credit: Toei Animation]

Soon, however, they start to become complacent pawns in the World Government’s schemes. Aokiji is a prime example of it. He’s the former Admiral-turned-pirate who left because he didn’t want to be under Akainu’s command and be free. However, nobody is forgetting the part he played in the Ohara Genocide.

Garp has stayed a Vice Admiral for years because he refuses to work with Celestial Dragons, but he wouldn’t defy the Marines for his own grandson. He’s complicit through and through, despite his will to break the system from the inside.

Sengoku might be a good person with a compassionate heart but nobody upholds the World Government’s ideals like him. He truly believes in their words and doesn’t exactly think for himself.

Similarly, in Fullmetal Alchemist, Roy Mustang was simply doing his duty but he becomes disillusioned after the Ishval War. The former Fleet Admiral is yet to show that side of him.

The World Government of One Piece doesn’t hesitate to get its way and every Marine is complacent

Many other atrocities were allowed to happen during their time in the Marines. Beyond the Ohara Incident, there was Flevance, Trafalgar Law’s home. As a child, the mining city became riddled with Amber Lead Syndrome. Despite not being contagious, a genocide was ordered to contain it.

Law loses his people in One Piece. [Credit: Toei Animation]

A devastated Trafalgar Law barely made it out. The World Government only wanted to hone the fear-mongering of the people. While the magnitude of both genocides was larger, they weren’t the last ones.

Lulusia was destroyed by Imu without a single trace while the entire world was distracted by Wano’s events. After Gol D. Roger’s execution, a mass murder of children was ordered in case he had a child. Slavery is still prevalent in One Piece.

The list goes on. And yet, Garp and Sengoku stay with the Marines, and Aokiji is part of a terrible pirate crew. It doesn’t exactly scream that they’re trying to atone for their crimes.

In Fullmetal Alchemist, the Ishval Genocide was the catalyst for change in Roy Mustang and others. Mustang, in particular, experiences PTSD for his actions. He vowed to lead Amestris toward peace instead of war and corruption. He’s an example of how to change the military from the inside, like how Garp should have.

Eiichiro Oda has the chance in the Final War to make them defy the World Government. If he employs how Hiromu Arakawa resolved the crimes of others, he could redeem Garp, Aokiji, and possibly Sengoku.

One Piece is available on Crunchyroll.