#manji

So, just some symbolism behind Oda's original plan for Whitebeard's flag having a Manji rather than the standard bones it was retconned into.

The symbol originally shown on Ace's back was a Manji, an ancient Japanese symbol which has various meanings, which harkens back to what Whitebeard wanted for his family and lands.

Prosperity, Stability, and Peace.

It can also be used in various japanese words to change the meaning of it to "Great" or Awesome" which speaks for itself, when used as the symbol for the Strongest Man in the World.

As for the censored flag, it doesn't have any particular meaning, though the way it has the same shape as the World Government symbol could be seen as a challenge or fuck you by Whitebeard.

However, the Jolly Roger in general has a very distinct meaning when put against the World Government.

The skull and Crossbones has a thousand variants and are used in many contexts all dating back to death in some way... But it originates back to the Templar Knights.

The Templar Knights were a monastic Knightly order who's most famous role in history is the fact they invented Banking as we know it, a process that made the fabulously rich.

And this was in turn to be their doom, as they attracted the ire of an evil King.

Philip the 4th of France, also known as "the Iron King", was a monster, possessed by a great greed, and he caused the destruction of the order as after borriwing large amounts of money from them(He also borrowed money from Merchants and jewish money lenders, which he dealt with in similar circumstances, so he didn't have to pay what they were owed)and he declared them heretics and had them rounded up on trumped up charges of Heresy and demon worship so that he could sieze their wealth for himself.

The final master of the order Jacques de Molay, was burned at the stake, and by the time his friends and followers had reached the place to find his remains, all they found amongst the ashes were his skull and two Femur bones that survived the flames.

This became a symbol of defiance against the French King for his evil ways, and would much later be used by Pirates.

Whatever the Jolly roger meant later, the original meaning of the Skull and Crossbones, is as a message of defiance against an evil, unjust, greedy, warmongering King who always stabbed those who lend him aid in the back in his wish for dominance and treasure.

鍾馗さん