Usopp

Lore & Background

Usopp was born to pirate Yasopp and Banchina in Syrup Village, inheriting his long nose from the latter. He never saw his father again after he left to serve Red-Haired Shanks and witnessed his mother die from an illness, motivating him to lie about pirates and fantastical scenarios to amuse her. He befriended three children and branded the group the "Usopp Pirates," alongside rich heiress and orphan Kaya, telling her lies of various adventures to entertain her. Usopp meets Luffy and his friends when they arrive in Syrup Village. He befriends Luffy upon learning that he knows his father Yasopp through his interactions with the Red-Haired Pirates. He also learns that the butler of his friend Kaya is actually a pirate named Kuro, who is plotting to assassinate Kaya for her fortune. Despite the villagers not believing him due to his habit of lying, he decides to fight the pirates to protect his village. He defeats the hypnotist Django and averts Kaya's assassination, keeping the incident a secret from the village and departing with Luffy's crew on the Going Merry, a ship gifted by Kaya. After demonstrating his skill with a cannon, Usopp is granted the position of the Straw Hat Pirates' sniper.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled across the deck of the Thousand Sunny, carrying the scent of salt and impending rain. Usopp adjusted his goggles, his fingers trembling slightly as he loaded a special Pop Green into his Kabuto slingshot. 'I'm not scared,' he whispered to himself, though his heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird. Below him, the enemy fleet loomed massive and dark, a wall of steel that made his small village seem insignificant in comparison. He took a deep breath, remembering the faces of his friends who trusted him with their lives. With a sudden surge of resolve, he shouted his signature battle cry, leaping into the fray not as a god, but as Usopp, the brave warrior of the sea.

Reader's Guide

Usopp is the sniper of the Straw Hat Pirates, renowned for his incredible accuracy and inventive use of 'Pop Greens'—seeds that grow into various plants with explosive or defensive properties. Though initially characterized by his cowardice and habit of lying to gain attention, his character arc is defined by a gradual transformation into genuine bravery. He does not fight with overwhelming physical strength but relies on strategy, traps, and his unique perspective to solve problems. His most defining moments include the defense of Syrup Village against Kuro, where he first demonstrated his courage; his departure from the crew in Water 7 due to a conflict over their beloved ship, Going Merry; and his return as the masked vigilante Sogeking. Later, during the Dressrosa arc, he achieved a legendary status for sniping an enemy commander from impossible distances, earning him the title 'God' Usopp among the populace. He represents the idea that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary feats through determination and belief in their friends.

Did You Know?

• Usopp's name comes from the Japanese word 'uso' (lie) and Aesop's Fables, specifically 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf'.
• In original concept art, Usopp was labeled as the Vice-Captain of the Straw Hat crew.
• Usopp inherited his famous long nose from his mother, Banchina.
• Usopp awakened his Observation Haki during the Dressrosa arc, allowing him to see auras from a great distance.
• Usopp is portrayed by Jacob Romero Gibson in the live-action adaptation of One Piece.

Origins and Character Conception

In the original concept art for the Straw Hats, Usopp was labeled the Vice-Captain of the crew. Usopp is based on Pinocchio and his name refers to uso (Japanese for lie) and Aesop's Fables (mostly The Boy Who Cried Wolf). When asked by a fan what the nationalities of the members of the Straw Hat Pirates would be if One Piece was set in the real world, for Usopp Oda only replied that he would be "African". Usopp has black hair, an abnormally long nose and usually wears a dark yellow diamond-patterned kerchief, special sniper goggles, and brown coveralls with a white sash and no shirt underneath (despite wearing a dark green shirt in Skypiea). Usopp inherited his famous nose from his mother, while the rest of his face resembles that of his father. After the two-year timeskip, Usopp undergoes a dramatic physical transformation, becoming much more muscular and having longer hair. Usopp also dons a new hat and acquires new goggles and headphones. He develops his fighting style around the use of Pop Greens, rapidly growing seeds from the Boin Archipelago, which may be inspired by the original concept art of the crew featuring a male botanist.

Evolution of Combat Abilities

Despite not excelling in physical combat, Usopp, like his father, is known for his prodigious skill with the slingshot, almost never missing his mark, even at distances at which he can barely see the target. To attack, Usopp uses a slingshot and initially shoots various spherical projectiles which he makes himself and called "Stars". Each Star has different effects: some include explosives, smoke, fire, lead and even Tabasco. Following the visit of the Straw Hats to Skypiea, Usopp adds to his arsenal the shell-shaped Dials, artifacts that can do things such as reflect attacks, emit fire and absorb and store energy from impacts to be released later. After the two-year time skip, Usopp uses a plant-based fighting style based on plants from the Boin Archipelago, replacing most of the conventional ammunition he used previously with Pop Greens, seeds which can quickly grow into full-sized dangerous plants. He is also skilled in psychological warfare, manipulating Perona's entomophobia and Sugar's fear of his shocked face to his advantage and impressively defeating them despite it being otherwise impossible when both characters are mentally fit for combat. He has an extremely versatile fighting style, often resorting to distracting the opponent by dragging his nails down a chalkboard, or pelting them with rotting eggs and rubber bands.

Pivotal Moments and Heroic Ascension

Usopp awakened his Observation Haki during the climax of the Dressrosa revolt, as he was able to see auras of Luffy, Law, and Sugar, who were in the royal palace, from the old King's Plateau near the Corrida Colosseum. With this, he was able to pinpoint Sugar's location and launch a projectile resembling his shocked face, traumatizing Sugar into falling unconscious, saving those she had enslaved as toys in a successful attempt of psychological warfare. Usopp's declaration of war on the World Government flag is cited by fans and critics alike as one of the best moments of One Piece. Eventually, after helping the Straw Hats liberate Dressrosa from Don Quixote Doflamingo's rule, he becomes infamous as "God" Usopp (ゴッド ウソップ, Goddo Usoppu) due to freeing thousands of people from lives as slave toys, as well as light shining from above onto Usopp whilst underground as he addressed the people he freed.

Versatility and Crew Contributions

Usopp is a great inventor and artist, having drawn the Straw Hats' iconic jolly roger and created the Clima-Tact for Nami for self defense. Additionally, when the Straw Hat crew was without a shipwright, Usopp was the one who repaired the Going Merry whenever it got damaged; his attachment to the ship led to a rift between the crew and his temporary departure from the Straw Hats when it was rendered unfixable and Luffy made the decision to acquire a new ship.