Yamato from One Piece has received a lot of attention as many viewers wonder if Yamato is a trans character as they was first introduced as a man but was later re-introduced as ‘daughter’. Well, let’s discuss Yamato’s gender in detail and have a look at what Reddit users think.
Among 1000s of characters, there are very few characters who have gotten as much attention as Yamato, especially because of their gender. Yamato’s gender identity has been an important point of controversy since their debut appearance in the Wano arc.
Despite being referred to as male in their introduction and throughout the Wano arc, the text box accompanying Yamato in their introduction clearly referred to them as Kaido‘s daughter, indicating that the problem existed from the start. Worsening the situation is Yamato’s entry in the One Piece Visual Dictionary, which refers to Yamato as female and uses female pronouns.
As a result, many viewers have concerns regarding their gender. On the other hand, some even wonder if Yamato is a trans character. Well, let’s examine it in detail.
Previously, we discussed the stories of Chrystia Freeland and Guy Fieri.
One Piece: Know Why Many Viewers Believe Yamato Is a Trans Character!
Yamato‘s gender is subjective for now as the creators of One Piece have never confirmed or denied whether or not Yamato is a trans character. Yamato is first introduced to us as “Kaido‘s son”. Yamato also begins wearing a figure-obscuring suit and a Hannya mask.
Yamato is addressed with “he/him” pronouns throughout the Beast Pirates, as are the episode descriptions on Crunchyroll. Luffy promptly refers to Yamato as “Yama-o,” which roughly translates to “Yama-guy” and is the same nicknaming structure he uses for Trafalgar Law.
Image Source: Toei Animation
However, in the fall of 2021, One Piece author Eiichiro Oda revealed in a set of Vivre Cards that Yamato is female. The fans were thrown into turmoil and bewilderment as a result of this. Furthermore, following the discovery of Yamato’s face, both the anime and manga reintroduce Yamato as “Kaido’s daughter.”
Yamato self-identifies as Kozuki Oden, a ma. But it’s also plausible to conclude that Kaido’s use of the term “son” to refer to Yamato isn’t based on Yamato’s personal wants, and it’s certainly not based on Yamato’s veneration for the person who gave Kaido his scar. After all, Yamato is introduced to us in explosive handcuffs bound by Kaido himself. Kaido is the sort to have a daughter and then exclaim, “No way, I need a son. So you’re my child.” As the war on Onigashima progressed, Yamato’s pronouns became even more confusing.
There’s also the Hannya mask, which is a powerful symbol. However, as common as it is in Japan, many people outside of the nation would miss the symbolism. The Hannya mask is one of the most well-known masks in Noh, a Japanese dance-drama. It is said to signify “female rage and pain.” It is said that “When the mask is held straight ahead, it looks angry. When the mask is held a little down it looks sad,” which clearly fits Yamato’s character.
As a result, there is a high chance that Yamato is a trans character. However, do remember that the information is completely based on our speculation.
Reddit Discusses Yamato’s Gender!
Many One Piece have been discussing Yamato‘s gender ever since they was introduced in the Wano arc. One user believes Yamato is not a trans character because:
Yamato uses the term bokkuko. Bokkuko is a term describing a female character who uses masculine pronouns but is still a woman. It describes a female character who is a tomboy which is a specific character trope that mostly exists in East Asian countries like Japan.
Image Source: Screen Rant
Similarly, another user explained Yamato’s gender from both perspectives writing,
The Yamato thing is always a little fascinating to me because of how it’s presented. Like, everything that says Yamato’s a woman or uses feminine terms to describe them are things that exist outside of the story. Things like the Vivre Card, the character introduction box, etc.
However, the characters within the story itself use masculine terms to refer to Yamato. Kaido refers to Yamato as his son, the Beast Pirates all refer to Yamato as “Young Master,” Luffy calls Yamato “Yamao” a similar nickname to Law’s Tarao. And then of course there’s Yamato’s preference for the male bath.
