One Piece Fans In China Get Inadvertent Kuma Spoilers Thanks To Skyscraper Promo

Manga panels from the most recent One Piece chapter displayed on skyscrapers in China may have inadvertently spoiled Kuma’s tragic past for fans.

One Piece fans in China may have literally looked up to unexpected manga spoilers after Chapter 1102 panels were displayed on skyscrapers.

The buildings, via images posted on X (formerly Twitter) by One Piece aficionado @pewpiece, display a few manga panels and text from One Piece’s most recent chapter, which was published on Dec. 24. The images, seen below, were also posted on Reddit, where user @Oreo-and-Fly offered an English translation of the text displayed. The location and owner(s) of the buildings have yet to be identified, but this has not stopped fans from speculating over the motivations of the costly One Piece promotion, with some theorizing that the owners must be big One Piece fans. However, others have stated that it’s more likely that a wealthy fan or group of fans simply paid the owner of the buildings to display the promo.

Regardless of the motivations behind the One Piece promotion, the display has brought international attention to Chapter 1102, forcing fans who fell behind to get caught up quickly. The most recent chapter, as well as several preceding it, haven’t been easy reads. Chapter 1102, titled “Kuma’s Life,” is a flashback of several of Bartholomew Kuma’s memories.

Kuma, a former Revolutionary War soldier and later a Warlord of the Sea, has one of the most tragic storylines in One Piece. Despite his intimidating appearance and terrifying reputation as “Tyrant Kuma” — which turned out to be fictitiously created by the World Government — Kuma is a gentle person at heart who has gone through much suffering. The World Government has repeatedly taken advantage of his immense strength and Devil Fruit power, most recently going as far as to remove all his former memories and stripping him of free will.

Kuma’s adopted daughter, Jewelry Bonney, has been in desperate search of a way to return her father’s memories and personality, which so far has been to no avail. Kuma has been caught between allegiances for most of his life but has unwaveringly put his daughter’s well-being above all else. The last few chapters of One Piece have been increasingly heartbreaking, revealing further details of Kuma’s past and Bonney’s childhood.

One Piece is displayed on a large building in China, featuring Kuma’s flashback.

Imagine being spoiled by a building. 😂 pic.twitter.com/aWjHRBGySO

— Pew (@pewpiece) December 29, 2023

X users replied to the post with many tearful emojis. Many expressed gratitude for the promotion and its dedication to Kuma, stating that he deserved the recognition. Others offered pity to the fans who weren’t caught up with the manga and caught sight of the tear-jerking spoilers in public.

One Piece is available to read on Viz Media, with Chapter 1103 scheduled to be released on Jan. 5. The One Piece anime is currently streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll, and Amazon Prime Video.