One Piece of the Male Puzzle : Rebranding Masculinity through Adult Crying in One Piece

This study closely analyzed the Japanese anime series One Piece by Eiichiro Oda to determine the role of men crying, as well as the nature of tears, within the work. Furthermore, this research explored how adult crying challenged gender stereotypes by reimagining Japanese virtues and masculinity. It posited that men cried more than women and adults more than children, deeming it socially acceptable and universal behavior among sentient beings (Hypothesis 1 and 2). When a man wept, he elicited a positive response from other men (Hypothesis 3). Crying was commonplace, sincere, intense, unobscured, and presented through close-ups, resulting in compassionate reactions and the cultivation or preservation of social bonds (Hypothesis 4). The data reflects the attitude One Piece has towards crying, offering insight into what is being taught about proper adult and male behavior, respectively, within popular shounen anime.