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Complete with a sample character bio template, at that! (*A*) Just remove all of my rambling and maybe the spacer-things between each category, and you should be nice and peachy.

If anyone wants to discuss things on the topic of 'One Piece' characters (fan-made or otherwise), then I'd be happy to oblige. This series is my happy place, more often than not... well, one of them. Also, I'm open to doing this for other fandoms as well... so long as I know enough about it... Any suggestions for me to consider?

In short... I'd love for people to talk to me about this kind of thing. (T^T) I don't bite, I promise...! You can even do it privately, if you want~?

Righty, one last thing before getting into this... I do use rather... 'colourful' words with topics I'm invested in, and there are potential spoilers in what I say, if you've only been following the English release. (^u^'') I couldn't stick to the English release if it killed me, I love this stuff too much. Anyhoo, onto the actual meat of this thing~!

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Name:
Any name will do, really… ‘One Piece’ takes place in a world where both perfectly ‘normal’ names and completely ridiculous ones coexist in harmony. The only caveat is that you should be very restrictive with middle initials, as they aren’t a particularly common thing… and you should be especially careful with ‘D.’ as a middle initial, as it means something special and carries a selection of traits alongside it. It is possible to create a character who bears the ‘D.’ initial in a way that fits the world, but you certainly shouldn’t overload your personal cast with them.

On a side note, I find that it’s a real help to also note how the name is meant to be pronounced, as best as you can. It saves some potential confusion later down the line.

~*~

Nickname:
So long as there is a reason behind the nickname, and you don’t give them… say… ten completely separate ones, anything goes. It also helps to put down not only who calls them that, but also why. Again, pronunciation notes also helps.

~*~

Epithet:
An epithet in the ‘One Piece’ world is usually given by someone who does not like the character, and so you should be careful to make sure that it doesn’t sound too flattering for no real reason. Epithets are generally meant to describe either the character’s physical traits, something about their history, or something about their abilities. Often, they are meant to inspire some sort of fear, so as to urge civilians to stay out of their way. However, it should be noted that even Marines can get epithets, and even theirs aren’t generally particularly flattering.

All that being said, it is possible to have a fancy or even ‘pretty’ epithet, but there needs to be a really good reason for it. It helps to explain what prompted that particular epithet to be given to them, as well. Also, almost every character who gains an epithet will only get the one, so make sure you don’t overload them onto the one character.

~*~

Bounty:
One thing that many people seem to forget about bounties in the ‘One Piece’ world is that they are not a ‘one-for-one’ indication of the character’s strength, or even how dangerous they are to the general public. What they are, however, is an indication of how badly the World Government wants them to be taken down.

Each part of the world also has certain ranges that are ‘typical’ for a starting bounty, but unfortunately we don’t have proper examples for what these are, in most cases. What we do know is that a starting bounty of 30 million in the East Blue is astonishing, while a (presumably early) bounty of 85 million in the first half of the Grand Line is… negligible, really… and bounties in the range of 300 million to half a billion seem to be fairly normal in the second half of the Grand Line. When putting together what sort of price is on your character’s head (assuming that they are a pirate or other such kind of criminal), it helps to list out what they’ve done or been accused of that actually earned them that sort of infamy. It also helps to bear in mind any increases they’ve gotten over the course of their ‘career’.

Oh, and… despite what many people seem to believe, a rookie pirate with a bounty of 100 million or more is not necessarily a Supernova! They will be part of ‘the Worst Generation’, but the Supernovas were a specific group for a very particular reason; they were the rookies with a minimum of 100 million on their heads, who were at the Archipelago at that particular time. Nothing else. There is nothing wrong with having your character have a bounty that is ‘Supernova level’, so long as there is a valid reason for it. Heck, if you can explain it well enough, you could even have your character be a Supernova… as in, the legit was-actually-at-the-Archipelago-at-the-time type. The ‘number limit’ on Supernova is nowhere near as important as the number of Warlords or Emperors, after all.

~*~

Rank:
For a pirate, bear in mind what they do on the crew. It helps to have some knowledge of what roles would be legitimately-needed on a sailing vessel when making this decision, as well. Age requirements are less strict for pirate characters than they are for many other subsets of your cast, so one of the best things to say here is ‘have fun but do your research’.

As for Marines, age starts to become a primary point of concern. There is a limit to how young a character can be when they join the Marines, and there is also a certain air of ‘the old guard’ when you start to look at the higher ranking characters in the canon material. A Marine Captain who is in their teens or early twenties had better have an extremely mind-bogglingly-good record or power to have that rank, and when you start getting towards the rank of Vice-Admiral, then it would be best for them to be at least in their late thirties…

While I’m on the topic of Marine ranks, it’s a good idea to look up the ranks used in the Japanese Navy, as that is what is used in the series.

~*~

Age:
The only advice I can give on this topic is to be sensible. Consider what you have in mind for them to know, what skills they possess, and (for a Marine) what rank they have. No adult or teenager is going to take a preteen captain seriously, even on a pirate crew, and those who are particularly elderly will be faced with some issues as well.

On a side note, if you plan for the character’s storyline to have any correlation to the canon events, then you should probably make sure to note how old they are at the beginning of the story, and at the beginning of the two-year timeskip.

~*~

Gender:
I use ‘gender’ as the primary question here, and I always make certain to note when there is any form of disconnect between the character’s gender identity and their biological sex. Although, to help other people take your character more seriously, please don’t use phrases like “Female, duh”.

~*~

Race:
There are so many options for what race your character can be, that there’s very little reason to even try coming up with your own race ideas. That being said, however, that’s not to say that you cannot create your own race… just make sure that it makes sense in the world and has both upsides and downsides ‘built in’ to the race, and you should be good. However, it may be better to refrain from doing this until you’re reasonably practiced with not only coming up with races, but also until you’re very familiar with the world you’re putting it into. If you do choose to create a new race, you will need to explain it fairly thoroughly to other people, as well.

As for the canonical races, it’s best to be aware of the types of interactions between them as much as you can, as this will help to make the character feel more ‘complete’. Humans are very common, but there’s also Fishfolk (Fishmen and Merfolk, I combine them due to their exceedingly-negligible differences), Skyfolk (the three races of Sky Islanders with wings), Giants, Dwarves, Longarms, Longlegs, Snakenecks, Minkmen, Triclopes (what I currently call the three-eyed race), and even Birdfolk (what I currently call the race Morgans belongs to)…! Heck, even hybrids are an option, but don’t go too overboard with piling on the fractions for this, else it will come across as nothing other than ridiculous.

~*~

Eyes:
One of the things that, as an artistic OC-creator, I really love about ‘One Piece’ is the fact that they can look like almost anything, and still have a chance of fitting in, just fine. There are no restrictions on what your character’s eyes can look like other than two points…

Number one, be extremely sparing about the sclera (the white of the eye) being a different colour, as we don’t actually have a canon example of this as-yet.

Number two, if your character’s eyes are yellow, then you shouldn’t have them be described as being ‘hawk-like’ as well, because that’s a trait that is so-far unique to Dracule Mihawk.

It might be wise to be sparing on rainbow-coloured eyes, as well, for ‘safety’s sake’… Other than that, however, go wild! I personally don’t even care if your character has heterochromia, in any format or arrangement.

~*~

Hair:
Literally any colour is a possibility in the world of ‘One Piece’, and I love it. White or silver for someone from a very young age, canon compliant. Purple or blue or green or pink, canon compliant. It is so liberating to be able to apply any colour you want to something that is so frequently restricted in other universes, and, unlike what many people may try to tell you, even naturally-bicoloured hair is plausible. We have yet to see naturally-tricoloured or more, so it may be best to limit it to two colours at most.

As for length, however, it is best to bear in mind what they do, although significantly-longer hair is still viable for a fighter if they either have an ability that uses it in battle or if they tie it up somehow. Or, you know, they’re a ranged-fighter.

~*~

Skin:
In the world of ‘One Piece’, even humans can have some pretty weird skin colours, so it is possible to go a little ‘nuts’ on this topic. So long as there is either canonical proof for that sort of colour for their race, or a viable explanation, then there is literally no rules on this. This category is also where I like to list out any notable scarring or tattoos that they may have.

~*~

Build:
Other than the basic descriptions of what type of build they have, you should also be certain to mention their height… and remember that even humans can be ludicrously-tall in this universe. If they aren’t finished growing yet, it may be useful to note how tall they are ‘at the moment’ as well as how tall they’ll be when they’ve finished growing.

~*~

Typical Clothing:
This is more for keeping in mind the sorts of outfits they might wear at various points throughout their story. Do they like bold patterns, or are they a more plain-clothes kind of person?

You should also be aware that, despite taking place in a world that mirrors a lot of things from the early 1700s of our world, there are many much more modern pieces of clothing that we see throughout canon, so don’t feel the need to restrict yourself to ‘classic pirate getup’, although there’s also nothing saying that you can’t choose to do just that.

Oh, and… if there’s any traces of a uniform or ‘theme’ with the people your character is associated with… stick with it. Marines will wear the uniform, in some way. Themed pirate crews will have certain ‘looks’. This is inescapable and inexcusable if your character breaks it, especially for no damned reason.

~*~

Personality:
This is one of the categories where the bulk of your character will shine through. While a dot-point list will work for the initial idea, eventually you will need to expand upon it. Make your character feel like a real person, in and of their own right, and you won’t generally have any issues. A character’s personality will be about half ‘ingrained’ and half ‘learned’, and these two things must not contradict each other without extremely careful and detailed reasoning… and an acknowledgement that the character is not mentally-stable. It is infinitely-important that you bear in mind what they went through up until the point you’re starting their story, because that will influence how they turned out.

Don’t be afraid to give your character ‘undesirable’ traits, either, because that will actually make them seem more ‘real’ and generally more entertaining to deal with from a writing or roleplaying perspective… in fact, some of the most fun characters in my own cast actually have more ‘undesirable’ traits than they have ‘desirable’ ones!

Also, it should be said… there seems to be some unspoken ‘rule’ about those to take to the seas in the world of ‘One Piece’… and that is that, to survive in that universe, you need to have some traits that would be considered ‘crazy’ in our world. So have fun! That is, after all, the primary point behind making an OC in the first place, isn’t it?

~*~

Abilities:
Each race, other than Human, has its own inbuilt capabilities, and you should list them out, along with any learned skills that your character has. Haki can be learned by any race, but you should be aware of the requirements for having unlocked it… some form of immense physical or emotional trauma seems to be the universal checkbox.

If your character is a hybrid, then you can get a bit more creative, as well, although while it is viable for a hybrid to carry traits and abilities from each source, they shouldn’t have the full range of everything, and they must have at least some of the built-in caveats as well.

Back on the topic of Haki, however… while I have no issue with having OCs with the incredibly-limited Haoushoku Haki, you should be careful to not overload your cast with those who have it… and there seems to be a potential connection between having that form of Haki and being a ‘D.’, as well. It helps to mention whether or not your character has eaten a Devil Fruit, as well, and how long they’ve had it for… more details on the Fruit in question can come in the next category…

~*~

Devil Fruit:
For starters, you need to know what the Fruit is. Is it a Paramecian, a Zoan, or a Logian…? Canon has introduced some Fruits in the most recent arcs (as of September 2018) that appear to blur the lines, but it’s best to try to stay away from such things until we’re told more about it.

That being said, the Fruit’s ability will influence what its name is, as well… You should do your utmost to make the name suit the naming system that is presented in canon; the English name is short and to the point, and the Japanese name is always two syllables and tend to be onomatopoeias (‘sound words’). Also, and this is very, very, very important… unless you are dealing with an alternative version of the universe or a substantially-different time-frame, do not use a Devil Fruit that is in use by a canon character, with the only possible exceptions being those who are known to be dead at the time. Characters who show up in filler arcs or extra material, however, as far as I’m concerned, are fair game unless the storyline they appear in has been directly influenced by Oda for more than just character designs… Even SMILEs, until we know more about how they operate, should not be ‘doubled-up’ between canon and your character.

There are also some abilities that appear in other universes that should be avoided in ‘One Piece’… Any ability that, by its very nature, requires the input of another person is treading on incredibly-thin ice, if not an outright no-go. Same with any ability that manipulates reality… although probability is a slightly different story… and is in-use in canon, so… yeah. Illusions are viable, truly warping reality is not. There is also another thing that should be avoided as much as possible… don’t make a Fruit that enables transformation into any kind of explicitly-water-based creature. No Devil Fruit user can swim… not even Fishfolk who have eaten one. However, even with that, it is possible to create a water Fruit, even a Logian, so long as you are extremely careful about how it works.

With that out of the way, I have only one other ability-related note to make… If you create a Mythical Zoan Fruit, you can give it an additional ability, but make certain that it makes sense for that mythical creature to have that ability. Do your research on the stories about the creature, and you’re bound to be able to come up with something.

You should also remember that every single Devil Fruit, even the ‘joke’ ones, have battle capabilities if you’re imaginative enough… And, last but not least… no Devil Fruit is without weaknesses. None… At all. At the very least, being submerged beyond a certain point will sap your character of their strength, seastone will nullify their ability and do something of the same, and it’s always wise to have at least one other thing that the Fruit power itself interacts poorly with. The key here is ‘balance’.

~*~

Notable Attacks:
‘One Piece’ is one of the universes that seems to use the rule of ‘named attacks are more powerful’, if only as a focusing technique… as such, you can have fun with this. Make certain to have at least two or three things listed if they’re a combatant, as that guarantees that they have some variety… and, don’t have everything be the equivalent of a ‘one-hit-K.O.’ sort of thing, as that’s not only unrealistic in so many ways, but also generally lazy and boring. You shouldn’t just list the names, either, but make certain to describe how the move takes place and functions. It helps to note down any effect radius, additional effect, or extra requirements for using it, as well.

~*~

From:
Where in the world are they from? Where were they born? Where did they grow up? It’s best to make certain that you list the island and where in the world that island is, at the very least, but it also helps to include the settlement as well. Making up your own islands is fine, too… Heck, you can even have characters from Mary Geoise, if you want… so long as you make it make sense.

~*~

Family:
Unless there is something special about generations further back than your character’s grandparents, there’s little reason to bother listing them… unless you really like genealogy, I suppose. Grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, siblings, cousins, and any offspring is about the furthest you’d likely need to put down. Include any details about how these family members may have died (if they’re dead), or maybe even how their relationship with your character is.

You can even include ‘found-family’, if you like… And heck, I for one don’t give a damn if your character is related to (or in love with) a canon character, so long as you make it make sense and you don’t warp the canon character into something that they are not… especially without a fucking good reason.

~*~

Relationships:
It helps to also figure out at least the basics of relationships your character has with those who aren’t in their family. Who are their friends, where friends and family are actually separated in your character’s views? Who are their acquaintances, friendly, neutral, and otherwise? Who are their rivals or their enemies? And, most importantly, why? Everything of that sort needs a reason, and it can’t just be ‘such-and-such person doesn’t like my character because they’re jealous of their beauty or skills’. Give both your character and the other character some depth to their relationship.

You can even mention any specific love interests, so long as there’s a valid reason behind why they’re an item. I hope you’re seeing a basic trend, here…?

~*~

Sexual Orientation & Details:
Don’t be afraid to play around with various orientations in your cast… it can make for some intriguing character interactions when there’s some tension in the air, to say the least. That being said, there’s no real rules on what your character should like, but it definitely helps to have some idea of it, even if you don’t decide to share.

It also helps to know what sort of thing your character likes in a partner… Are they a butt person? Do they like boobs? Big dicks? Do they have a particular fetish? What about how they go about making their interest known? Do they want just one person, or are they hoping to have multiple partners at once? Are they prone to cheating? You know, all that prime-time soap opera shit.

~*~

Dream:
Everyone who sets out for a journey must have some reason to have left their home… even if it’s because they have no home. These don’t need to be deep, or complicated, and sometimes the most simple and plaintive goals are the most heart-wrenching.

~*~

History:
Here is the other primary part of any character’s information where they really shine… A character’s history will guide and shape at least half of who they are as a person, so you should make certain to do a decent job. As with personality, a list of dot points is fine to start with, but you’ll need to go more in-depth eventually.

Something about their childhood, something about their adolescence, and so on. Whether or not you share a character’s history, you need to know it… Even if they have complete amnesia, it will still shape them.

One thing that you may find liberating is that almost any type of backstory is plausible in that universe, even the really traumatic and ‘angsty’ ones. Despite the cheery and colourful veneer of the art-style, the world is actually incredibly-dark, just below the surface. It is advisable to try to avoid giving your character the exact same backstory as a canon character, though, especially a prominent one, but there are actually ways to make them work regardless… so long as you’re willing to put in the amounts of effort required to make it personalised to your character. Be reasonable, but have fun at the same time, basically.

~*~

Colour:
A representative colour can be an interesting way to say without so many words what your character is all about… and it makes for a fun artistic exercise, as well. Try to either make it their ‘most prominent’ colour, or a colour which has meanings and symbolism that suit your character’s personality.

~*~

Real-World Nationality:
As Oda has listed some of these, I think it’s only right to include it with my character sheets… While it may be easy to go with stereotypes, I find it rather interesting to really dig in to the culture of the place when answering this part. It also helps to explain why your character would be that particular nationality.

~*~

Animal:
Being an artist who sometimes draws animals more than humanoids, and who loves making comparisons between my characters and animals (and other people’s characters, while I’m at it), this is something that I really love to do. Behaviours and even physical traits that are in-common can be a good place to start… and be honest. Not every character is going to be comparable to something cute or ‘cool’.

~*~

Smells Like:
If a person spends a lot of time around something with a particular scent, it tends to ‘sink into’ their bodies. What a person smells like can even be used to make a comment about them as an individual, as well… If your character smells like sweat, then they either don’t bathe very often or they spend a lot of time working out. If they smell like soap, they are probably rather fastidious about their personal hygiene or are quite well-off… Stuff like that.

~*~

Theme Song:
Some people will tell you “never give your character a theme song, it’s stupid and cliché and obnoxious”… I say fuck ‘em, do it if you want to. It can be a really fun way to give just that little bit of extra flair to your character, and don’t be afraid to go with instrumental pieces, as well. Some of my cast have been conceptualised while I was listening to a particular piece of music, and it just makes sense to have that be their theme song… doesn’t it?

Although, one thing that is good to bear in mind is that you shouldn’t have all of your cast have their theme being music by a singular person or group… vary it up a bit, and it will help your cast feel more alive than ever before. Oh, and be sure to specify who did the piece you’re thinking of, too, because there are a whole heap of pieces that have the same name but are entirely different. That goes for any specific cover or remix, too.

~*~

Laughter Style:
In the world of ‘One Piece’, there is a trend… Most of the cast have a particular way of laughing, a specific sound that indicates them even when they’re off-screen. To help make your character ‘fit in’ even further, it may be a good idea to give them something of the same. You should also remember that you can have a different sound to your character’s ‘full belly-laugh’ and their ‘chuckle or giggle’.

~*~

Voice Actor/Seiyuu:
Another thing that many people may say to not bother with is an ideal voice actor, but I find it helps to set how my character sounds down in writing. This goes for both an English voice actor and a Japanese seiyuu. It’s really up to you as to whether you want to go the full way and do both, but I highly recommend doing it for one, at least. Be sure to note down what role and source you’re referencing for the sound, as well… Many of the best voice actors have immensely-versatile voices, after all.

~*~

Favourite/Least Favourite Food:
Something that I find to be an interesting tidbit to include is what my characters particularly like to eat, and conversely, what they try to avoid eating. Maybe your character has an allergy to carrots? The possibilities are endless, really.

~*~

Japanese Pronouns/Manner of Speech:
Another thing that I like to put down is how my characters refer to themselves and to others… In Japanese, it can give really useful and subtle insights into how they think, as each of the forms of address lend themselves to a particular ‘flavour’ of person. If you don’t know enough about the pronouns used in Japanese, then try putting down how they speak to others…

Are they arrogant and crass, or are they more reserved and polite? Do they hide any hostility behind a mask of polite words? Do they speak in a way that is geared to spark a fight, or do they prefer to avoid arguments wherever possible? Is there any difference between how they speak or refer to various types of people, such as a pirate speaking to another pirate or a Marine? If there is any ‘type’ of person your character particularly dislikes, it really helps to know whether they’ll make it clear or not, and if they do… how.

~*~

Trivia/Other:
Is there anything that doesn’t fit in any of the previous categories? Make sure to list it in one like this. Because of the ambiguity of a category like this, there aren’t really any rules for it… just… make it fit the universe, and make sure it doesn’t completely contradict what you’ve already put down.

There is one last thing I have to say… Don’t just take what people online (let alone the wiki) say at face value, and remember that even the characters in canon can give the reader/watcher false information… Use your brain, basically.

.

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

Complete with a sample character bio template, at that! (*A*) Just remove all of my rambling and maybe the spacer-things between each category, and you should be nice and peachy.

If anyone wants to discuss things on the topic of 'One Piece' characters (fan-made or otherwise), then I'd be happy to oblige. This series is my happy place, more often than not... well, one of them. Also, I'm open to doing this for other fandoms as well... so long as I know enough about it... Any suggestions for me to consider?

In short... I'd love for people to talk to me about this kind of thing. (T^T) I don't bite, I promise...! You can even do it privately, if you want~?

Righty, one last thing before getting into this... I do use rather... 'colourful' words with topics I'm invested in, and there are potential spoilers in what I say, if you've only been following the English release. (^u^'') I couldn't stick to the English release if it killed me, I love this stuff too much. Anyhoo, onto the actual meat of this thing~!

-~-*-~-

Name:
Any name will do, really… ‘One Piece’ takes place in a world where both perfectly ‘normal’ names and completely ridiculous ones coexist in harmony. The only caveat is that you should be very restrictive with middle initials, as they aren’t a particularly common thing… and you should be especially careful with ‘D.’ as a middle initial, as it means something special and carries a selection of traits alongside it. It is possible to create a character who bears the ‘D.’ initial in a way that fits the world, but you certainly shouldn’t overload your personal cast with them.

On a side note, I find that it’s a real help to also note how the name is meant to be pronounced, as best as you can. It saves some potential confusion later down the line.

~*~

Nickname:
So long as there is a reason behind the nickname, and you don’t give them… say… ten completely separate ones, anything goes. It also helps to put down not only who calls them that, but also why. Again, pronunciation notes also helps.

~*~

Epithet:
An epithet in the ‘One Piece’ world is usually given by someone who does not like the character, and so you should be careful to make sure that it doesn’t sound too flattering for no real reason. Epithets are generally meant to describe either the character’s physical traits, something about their history, or something about their abilities. Often, they are meant to inspire some sort of fear, so as to urge civilians to stay out of their way. However, it should be noted that even Marines can get epithets, and even theirs aren’t generally particularly flattering.

All that being said, it is possible to have a fancy or even ‘pretty’ epithet, but there needs to be a really good reason for it. It helps to explain what prompted that particular epithet to be given to them, as well. Also, almost every character who gains an epithet will only get the one, so make sure you don’t overload them onto the one character.

~*~

Bounty:
One thing that many people seem to forget about bounties in the ‘One Piece’ world is that they are not a ‘one-for-one’ indication of the character’s strength, or even how dangerous they are to the general public. What they are, however, is an indication of how badly the World Government wants them to be taken down.

Each part of the world also has certain ranges that are ‘typical’ for a starting bounty, but unfortunately we don’t have proper examples for what these are, in most cases. What we do know is that a starting bounty of 30 million in the East Blue is astonishing, while a (presumably early) bounty of 85 million in the first half of the Grand Line is… negligible, really… and bounties in the range of 300 million to half a billion seem to be fairly normal in the second half of the Grand Line. When putting together what sort of price is on your character’s head (assuming that they are a pirate or other such kind of criminal), it helps to list out what they’ve done or been accused of that actually earned them that sort of infamy. It also helps to bear in mind any increases they’ve gotten over the course of their ‘career’.

Oh, and… despite what many people seem to believe, a rookie pirate with a bounty of 100 million or more is not necessarily a Supernova! They will be part of ‘the Worst Generation’, but the Supernovas were a specific group for a very particular reason; they were the rookies with a minimum of 100 million on their heads, who were at the Archipelago at that particular time. Nothing else. There is nothing wrong with having your character have a bounty that is ‘Supernova level’, so long as there is a valid reason for it. Heck, if you can explain it well enough, you could even have your character be a Supernova… as in, the legit was-actually-at-the-Archipelago-at-the-time type. The ‘number limit’ on Supernova is nowhere near as important as the number of Warlords or Emperors, after all.

~*~

Rank:
For a pirate, bear in mind what they do on the crew. It helps to have some knowledge of what roles would be legitimately-needed on a sailing vessel when making this decision, as well. Age requirements are less strict for pirate characters than they are for many other subsets of your cast, so one of the best things to say here is ‘have fun but do your research’.

As for Marines, age starts to become a primary point of concern. There is a limit to how young a character can be when they join the Marines, and there is also a certain air of ‘the old guard’ when you start to look at the higher ranking characters in the canon material. A Marine Captain who is in their teens or early twenties had better have an extremely mind-bogglingly-good record or power to have that rank, and when you start getting towards the rank of Vice-Admiral, then it would be best for them to be at least in their late thirties…

While I’m on the topic of Marine ranks, it’s a good idea to look up the ranks used in the Japanese Navy, as that is what is used in the series.

~*~

Age:
The only advice I can give on this topic is to be sensible. Consider what you have in mind for them to know, what skills they possess, and (for a Marine) what rank they have. No adult or teenager is going to take a preteen captain seriously, even on a pirate crew, and those who are particularly elderly will be faced with some issues as well.

On a side note, if you plan for the character’s storyline to have any correlation to the canon events, then you should probably make sure to note how old they are at the beginning of the story, and at the beginning of the two-year timeskip.

~*~

Gender:
I use ‘gender’ as the primary question here, and I always make certain to note when there is any form of disconnect between the character’s gender identity and their biological sex. Although, to help other people take your character more seriously, please don’t use phrases like “Female, duh”.

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Race:
There are so many options for what race your character can be, that there’s very little reason to even try coming up with your own race ideas. That being said, however, that’s not to say that you cannot create your own race… just make sure that it makes sense in the world and has both upsides and downsides ‘built in’ to the race, and you should be good. However, it may be better to refrain from doing this until you’re reasonably practiced with not only coming up with races, but also until you’re very familiar with the world you’re putting it into. If you do choose to create a new race, you will need to explain it fairly thoroughly to other people, as well.

As for the canonical races, it’s best to be aware of the types of interactions between them as much as you can, as this will help to make the character feel more ‘complete’. Humans are very common, but there’s also Fishfolk (Fishmen and Merfolk, I combine them due to their exceedingly-negligible differences), Skyfolk (the three races of Sky Islanders with wings), Giants, Dwarves, Longarms, Longlegs, Snakenecks, Minkmen, Triclopes (what I currently call the three-eyed race), and even Birdfolk (what I currently call the race Morgans belongs to)…! Heck, even hybrids are an option, but don’t go too overboard with piling on the fractions for this, else it will come across as nothing other than ridiculous.

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Eyes:
One of the things that, as an artistic OC-creator, I really love about ‘One Piece’ is the fact that they can look like almost anything, and still have a chance of fitting in, just fine. There are no restrictions on what your character’s eyes can look like other than two points…

Number one, be extremely sparing about the sclera (the white of the eye) being a different colour, as we don’t actually have a canon example of this as-yet.

Number two, if your character’s eyes are yellow, then you shouldn’t have them be described as being ‘hawk-like’ as well, because that’s a trait that is so-far unique to Dracule Mihawk.

It might be wise to be sparing on rainbow-coloured eyes, as well, for ‘safety’s sake’… Other than that, however, go wild! I personally don’t even care if your character has heterochromia, in any format or arrangement.

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Hair:
Literally any colour is a possibility in the world of ‘One Piece’, and I love it. White or silver for someone from a very young age, canon compliant. Purple or blue or green or pink, canon compliant. It is so liberating to be able to apply any colour you want to something that is so frequently restricted in other universes, and, unlike what many people may try to tell you, even naturally-bicoloured hair is plausible. We have yet to see naturally-tricoloured or more, so it may be best to limit it to two colours at most.

As for length, however, it is best to bear in mind what they do, although significantly-longer hair is still viable for a fighter if they either have an ability that uses it in battle or if they tie it up somehow. Or, you know, they’re a ranged-fighter.

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Skin:
In the world of ‘One Piece’, even humans can have some pretty weird skin colours, so it is possible to go a little ‘nuts’ on this topic. So long as there is either canonical proof for that sort of colour for their race, or a viable explanation, then there is literally no rules on this. This category is also where I like to list out any notable scarring or tattoos that they may have.

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Build:
Other than the basic descriptions of what type of build they have, you should also be certain to mention their height… and remember that even humans can be ludicrously-tall in this universe. If they aren’t finished growing yet, it may be useful to note how tall they are ‘at the moment’ as well as how tall they’ll be when they’ve finished growing.

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Typical Clothing:
This is more for keeping in mind the sorts of outfits they might wear at various points throughout their story. Do they like bold patterns, or are they a more plain-clothes kind of person?

You should also be aware that, despite taking place in a world that mirrors a lot of things from the early 1700s of our world, there are many much more modern pieces of clothing that we see throughout canon, so don’t feel the need to restrict yourself to ‘classic pirate getup’, although there’s also nothing saying that you can’t choose to do just that.

Oh, and… if there’s any traces of a uniform or ‘theme’ with the people your character is associated with… stick with it. Marines will wear the uniform, in some way. Themed pirate crews will have certain ‘looks’. This is inescapable and inexcusable if your character breaks it, especially for no damned reason.

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Personality:
This is one of the categories where the bulk of your character will shine through. While a dot-point list will work for the initial idea, eventually you will need to expand upon it. Make your character feel like a real person, in and of their own right, and you won’t generally have any issues. A character’s personality will be about half ‘ingrained’ and half ‘learned’, and these two things must not contradict each other without extremely careful and detailed reasoning… and an acknowledgement that the character is not mentally-stable. It is infinitely-important that you bear in mind what they went through up until the point you’re starting their story, because that will influence how they turned out.

Don’t be afraid to give your character ‘undesirable’ traits, either, because that will actually make them seem more ‘real’ and generally more entertaining to deal with from a writing or roleplaying perspective… in fact, some of the most fun characters in my own cast actually have more ‘undesirable’ traits than they have ‘desirable’ ones!

Also, it should be said… there seems to be some unspoken ‘rule’ about those to take to the seas in the world of ‘One Piece’… and that is that, to survive in that universe, you need to have some traits that would be considered ‘crazy’ in our world. So have fun! That is, after all, the primary point behind making an OC in the first place, isn’t it?

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Abilities:
Each race, other than Human, has its own inbuilt capabilities, and you should list them out, along with any learned skills that your character has. Haki can be learned by any race, but you should be aware of the requirements for having unlocked it… some form of immense physical or emotional trauma seems to be the universal checkbox.

If your character is a hybrid, then you can get a bit more creative, as well, although while it is viable for a hybrid to carry traits and abilities from each source, they shouldn’t have the full range of everything, and they must have at least some of the built-in caveats as well.

Back on the topic of Haki, however… while I have no issue with having OCs with the incredibly-limited Haoushoku Haki, you should be careful to not overload your cast with those who have it… and there seems to be a potential connection between having that form of Haki and being a ‘D.’, as well. It helps to mention whether or not your character has eaten a Devil Fruit, as well, and how long they’ve had it for… more details on the Fruit in question can come in the next category…

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Devil Fruit:
For starters, you need to know what the Fruit is. Is it a Paramecian, a Zoan, or a Logian…? Canon has introduced some Fruits in the most recent arcs (as of September 2018) that appear to blur the lines, but it’s best to try to stay away from such things until we’re told more about it.

That being said, the Fruit’s ability will influence what its name is, as well… You should do your utmost to make the name suit the naming system that is presented in canon; the English name is short and to the point, and the Japanese name is always two syllables and tend to be onomatopoeias (‘sound words’). Also, and this is very, very, very important… unless you are dealing with an alternative version of the universe or a substantially-different time-frame, do not use a Devil Fruit that is in use by a canon character, with the only possible exceptions being those who are known to be dead at the time. Characters who show up in filler arcs or extra material, however, as far as I’m concerned, are fair game unless the storyline they appear in has been directly influenced by Oda for more than just character designs… Even SMILEs, until we know more about how they operate, should not be ‘doubled-up’ between canon and your character.

There are also some abilities that appear in other universes that should be avoided in ‘One Piece’… Any ability that, by its very nature, requires the input of another person is treading on incredibly-thin ice, if not an outright no-go. Same with any ability that manipulates reality… although probability is a slightly different story… and is in-use in canon, so… yeah. Illusions are viable, truly warping reality is not. There is also another thing that should be avoided as much as possible… don’t make a Fruit that enables transformation into any kind of explicitly-water-based creature. No Devil Fruit user can swim… not even Fishfolk who have eaten one. However, even with that, it is possible to create a water Fruit, even a Logian, so long as you are extremely careful about how it works.

With that out of the way, I have only one other ability-related note to make… If you create a Mythical Zoan Fruit, you can give it an additional ability, but make certain that it makes sense for that mythical creature to have that ability. Do your research on the stories about the creature, and you’re bound to be able to come up with something.

You should also remember that every single Devil Fruit, even the ‘joke’ ones, have battle capabilities if you’re imaginative enough… And, last but not least… no Devil Fruit is without weaknesses. None… At all. At the very least, being submerged beyond a certain point will sap your character of their strength, seastone will nullify their ability and do something of the same, and it’s always wise to have at least one other thing that the Fruit power itself interacts poorly with. The key here is ‘balance’.

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Notable Attacks:
‘One Piece’ is one of the universes that seems to use the rule of ‘named attacks are more powerful’, if only as a focusing technique… as such, you can have fun with this. Make certain to have at least two or three things listed if they’re a combatant, as that guarantees that they have some variety… and, don’t have everything be the equivalent of a ‘one-hit-K.O.’ sort of thing, as that’s not only unrealistic in so many ways, but also generally lazy and boring. You shouldn’t just list the names, either, but make certain to describe how the move takes place and functions. It helps to note down any effect radius, additional effect, or extra requirements for using it, as well.

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From:
Where in the world are they from? Where were they born? Where did they grow up? It’s best to make certain that you list the island and where in the world that island is, at the very least, but it also helps to include the settlement as well. Making up your own islands is fine, too… Heck, you can even have characters from Mary Geoise, if you want… so long as you make it make sense.

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Family:
Unless there is something special about generations further back than your character’s grandparents, there’s little reason to bother listing them… unless you really like genealogy, I suppose. Grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, siblings, cousins, and any offspring is about the furthest you’d likely need to put down. Include any details about how these family members may have died (if they’re dead), or maybe even how their relationship with your character is.

You can even include ‘found-family’, if you like… And heck, I for one don’t give a damn if your character is related to (or in love with) a canon character, so long as you make it make sense and you don’t warp the canon character into something that they are not… especially without a fucking good reason.

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Relationships:
It helps to also figure out at least the basics of relationships your character has with those who aren’t in their family. Who are their friends, where friends and family are actually separated in your character’s views? Who are their acquaintances, friendly, neutral, and otherwise? Who are their rivals or their enemies? And, most importantly, why? Everything of that sort needs a reason, and it can’t just be ‘such-and-such person doesn’t like my character because they’re jealous of their beauty or skills’. Give both your character and the other character some depth to their relationship.

You can even mention any specific love interests, so long as there’s a valid reason behind why they’re an item. I hope you’re seeing a basic trend, here…?

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Sexual Orientation & Details:
Don’t be afraid to play around with various orientations in your cast… it can make for some intriguing character interactions when there’s some tension in the air, to say the least. That being said, there’s no real rules on what your character should like, but it definitely helps to have some idea of it, even if you don’t decide to share.

It also helps to know what sort of thing your character likes in a partner… Are they a butt person? Do they like boobs? Big dicks? Do they have a particular fetish? What about how they go about making their interest known? Do they want just one person, or are they hoping to have multiple partners at once? Are they prone to cheating? You know, all that prime-time soap opera shit.

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Dream:
Everyone who sets out for a journey must have some reason to have left their home… even if it’s because they have no home. These don’t need to be deep, or complicated, and sometimes the most simple and plaintive goals are the most heart-wrenching.

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History:
Here is the other primary part of any character’s information where they really shine… A character’s history will guide and shape at least half of who they are as a person, so you should make certain to do a decent job. As with personality, a list of dot points is fine to start with, but you’ll need to go more in-depth eventually.

Something about their childhood, something about their adolescence, and so on. Whether or not you share a character’s history, you need to know it… Even if they have complete amnesia, it will still shape them.

One thing that you may find liberating is that almost any type of backstory is plausible in that universe, even the really traumatic and ‘angsty’ ones. Despite the cheery and colourful veneer of the art-style, the world is actually incredibly-dark, just below the surface. It is advisable to try to avoid giving your character the exact same backstory as a canon character, though, especially a prominent one, but there are actually ways to make them work regardless… so long as you’re willing to put in the amounts of effort required to make it personalised to your character. Be reasonable, but have fun at the same time, basically.

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Colour:
A representative colour can be an interesting way to say without so many words what your character is all about… and it makes for a fun artistic exercise, as well. Try to either make it their ‘most prominent’ colour, or a colour which has meanings and symbolism that suit your character’s personality.

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Real-World Nationality:
As Oda has listed some of these, I think it’s only right to include it with my character sheets… While it may be easy to go with stereotypes, I find it rather interesting to really dig in to the culture of the place when answering this part. It also helps to explain why your character would be that particular nationality.

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Animal:
Being an artist who sometimes draws animals more than humanoids, and who loves making comparisons between my characters and animals (and other people’s characters, while I’m at it), this is something that I really love to do. Behaviours and even physical traits that are in-common can be a good place to start… and be honest. Not every character is going to be comparable to something cute or ‘cool’.

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Smells Like:
If a person spends a lot of time around something with a particular scent, it tends to ‘sink into’ their bodies. What a person smells like can even be used to make a comment about them as an individual, as well… If your character smells like sweat, then they either don’t bathe very often or they spend a lot of time working out. If they smell like soap, they are probably rather fastidious about their personal hygiene or are quite well-off… Stuff like that.

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Theme Song:
Some people will tell you “never give your character a theme song, it’s stupid and cliché and obnoxious”… I say fuck ‘em, do it if you want to. It can be a really fun way to give just that little bit of extra flair to your character, and don’t be afraid to go with instrumental pieces, as well. Some of my cast have been conceptualised while I was listening to a particular piece of music, and it just makes sense to have that be their theme song… doesn’t it?

Although, one thing that is good to bear in mind is that you shouldn’t have all of your cast have their theme being music by a singular person or group… vary it up a bit, and it will help your cast feel more alive than ever before. Oh, and be sure to specify who did the piece you’re thinking of, too, because there are a whole heap of pieces that have the same name but are entirely different. That goes for any specific cover or remix, too.

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Laughter Style:
In the world of ‘One Piece’, there is a trend… Most of the cast have a particular way of laughing, a specific sound that indicates them even when they’re off-screen. To help make your character ‘fit in’ even further, it may be a good idea to give them something of the same. You should also remember that you can have a different sound to your character’s ‘full belly-laugh’ and their ‘chuckle or giggle’.

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Voice Actor/Seiyuu:
Another thing that many people may say to not bother with is an ideal voice actor, but I find it helps to set how my character sounds down in writing. This goes for both an English voice actor and a Japanese seiyuu. It’s really up to you as to whether you want to go the full way and do both, but I highly recommend doing it for one, at least. Be sure to note down what role and source you’re referencing for the sound, as well… Many of the best voice actors have immensely-versatile voices, after all.

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Favourite/Least Favourite Food:
Something that I find to be an interesting tidbit to include is what my characters particularly like to eat, and conversely, what they try to avoid eating. Maybe your character has an allergy to carrots? The possibilities are endless, really.

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Japanese Pronouns/Manner of Speech:
Another thing that I like to put down is how my characters refer to themselves and to others… In Japanese, it can give really useful and subtle insights into how they think, as each of the forms of address lend themselves to a particular ‘flavour’ of person. If you don’t know enough about the pronouns used in Japanese, then try putting down how they speak to others…

Are they arrogant and crass, or are they more reserved and polite? Do they hide any hostility behind a mask of polite words? Do they speak in a way that is geared to spark a fight, or do they prefer to avoid arguments wherever possible? Is there any difference between how they speak or refer to various types of people, such as a pirate speaking to another pirate or a Marine? If there is any ‘type’ of person your character particularly dislikes, it really helps to know whether they’ll make it clear or not, and if they do… how.

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Trivia/Other:
Is there anything that doesn’t fit in any of the previous categories? Make sure to list it in one like this. Because of the ambiguity of a category like this, there aren’t really any rules for it… just… make it fit the universe, and make sure it doesn’t completely contradict what you’ve already put down.

There is one last thing I have to say… Don’t just take what people online (let alone the wiki) say at face value, and remember that even the characters in canon can give the reader/watcher false information… Use your brain, basically.

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