Summary
One Pieceis one of the few anime series that doesn’t just focus on the main characters. Oda has spent countless hours meticulously planning each and every detail. This is why even the side characters have so many fans.
One of the characters who has seen a resurgence in their popularity is Bartholomew Kuma.The former Warlord of the Sea made his debutbefore the timeskip but remained largely unused. However, things are about to change soon, especially with the One Piece anime confirming the release date for Bartholomew Kuma’s flashback.
One Piece Confirms When Kuma’s Flashback Will Start
The One Piece anime will officially start airing Kuma’s flashback in May 2025. So fans should prepare themselves for an emotional ride as they uncover the truth about Bartholomew Kuma and how he ended up becoming a test subject for Dr. Vegapunk.
Spoilers for the One Piece manga beyond this point.
Prior to the flashback, fans thought of Kuma as just another side character. They thought that his importance to the overall story was going to be kept to a minimum. However, Oda had different plans for Kuma. The former Warlord is a member of the Buccaneer race, which was nearly eradicated by the World Government for its transgressions. Kuma’s life fellapart when the World Government abducted himand his family.
The World Nobles decided to enslave them as they considered it a punishment befitting their crimes. Unfortunately, Kuma’s mother fell sick and died in captivity. Kuma was still mourning the loss of his mother when a new tragedy struck. A World Noble shot Kuma’s father, and there was nothing that the young boy could do about it. All he could do was look helplessly as his father passed away.
Losing both of his parents took a serious toll on Kuma’s mind, but he pushed through the pain. He remained in the captivity of the World Government and was chosen as a target in the Hunting Competition in God Valley. Considering his luck, Kuma knew that he didn’t have a chance at survival, but fate had something else in store for him.
Finally Escaping From Captivity
As previously stated, Kuma was picked to be a prey in the Hunting Competition. The Celestial Dragons organized the tournament for their entertainment, and they didn’t care how many people died. Figarland Garling was also participating in the competition and not for the first time. Over the years, he cemented his reputation as the champion of the Celestial Dragons.
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn was also present on the island, so his involvement in the Egghead arc makes even more sense. Kuma feared for his life, and deep down, he knew that escape was impossible. Thankfully, he met Ginny and Ivankov on the island, who helped him get off the island safely. Additionally, Kumaalso ate the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi in God Valley.
Rescuing His Daughter From Certain Death
Kuma grew up to be a kind person who helped everyone. But there was still no respite for him. Kuma was targeted by the king of his country and eventually forced to leave. He joined the Revolutionary Army, but not long afterward, he lost Ginny, who was abducted by the Celestial Dragons.
Kuma never met Ginny again, a fact that would haunt him for the rest of his days. However, he did meet Bonney, Ginny’s daughter. From their first meeting, Kuma made it his life’sgoal to look after Bonney. Unfortunately, Kuma had to face another problem. A doctor told him about Bonney’s illness and revealed that she would die. The only way to help her was to find a cure. Kuma tried everything in his power, but he found no leads until Dragon told him to visit Vegapunk.
When Kuma approached Vegapunk, the latter leaped at the opportunity to help him, but he had a condition.
Vegapunk wanted to conduct experiments on Kuma’s body,and the Revolutionary was more than happyto oblige. However, the deal was hijacked by the malevolent Saturn, who stipulated multiple conditions before the operation could be performed. Kuma didn’t care as long as Bonney would be safe. He left everything to protect Bonney. Kuma went through so many trials and tribulations, but he never gave up and continued to stay on the right path. He is by far the best father in One Piece and the biggest hero as well.
