Might Post More About Them Because I Have Thoughts - Blog Posts

flashyfools

11 months ago

i’ve seen a lot of people genuinely confused about shachi and penguin’s relationship in canon. i happen to be hyperfixated on them both, so i thought i’d write a post briefly explaining the origin of their bond!!

i think the confusion stems from the fact most one piece fans haven’t read law’s novel, and learned more about penguin and shachi exclusively through the wiki, which (despite the editors’ much appreciated work) sometimes lacks info. when the wiki says “their parents were killed in a tsunami” it doesn’t mean they share the same parents, as someone seems to think. this is clarified in law’s novel (thank you @/odaslaughtale for your translation!), in the paragraph where penguin opens up about their past.

An excerpt from the first chapter of Law's novel, that reads as follows:

-Shachi's parents and mine died six months ago, Penguin blows.

At the time, I do not know what to say, but Penguin continues without further delay.

-That day, Shachi, his parents, as well as me and mine, we were having a barbecue on the most beautiful beach on all of Swallow Island. It was party time, everyone was enjoying themselves, and no one had noticed the strange aspect of the sea... we had not realized that a huge wave was approaching at high speed. A wave so big that it could have swallowed up the whole island. Shachi and I were saved, because we were playing tree climbing further inland, but our respective family members... were all washed away...

At this point in the story, Penguin suddenly withdraws. He does his best to contain his tears.

Then, after a short pause, he resumes speaking, evoking in snatches what happened to them next. Their remaining families have agreed to entrust them both to Shachi's uncle and aunt. However, the uncle and aunt did not want children, but drudgery "tools". Penguin and Shachi found themselves embroiled in weapons smuggling and jewelry store heists, against their will. To eat, they were only allowed water and a little bread.

plus, if they were related, i don’t think there would have been a point in specifying the people that took them in after the death of their parents were exclusively shachi’s relatives and not penguin’s.

we don’t know exactly when shachi and penguin met, but since their parents knew each other and it was normal for the two families to hang out together, it’s not a stretch to think they have known each other since birth due to their parents being friends or something like that. it warms my heart just thinking about it sorry

i obviously don’t have anything against people that see penguin and shachi as siblings; everyone is allowed to interpret the relationship between characters as they’d like (when no type of bond is explicitly stated in canon!!!), and exchanging ideas and headcanons is without doubt one of the best parts of fandom culture. however, i don’t want people to unknowingly spread misinformation, especially since law’s novel isn’t available in all languages and some may not have access to it. so i thought a post like this might be useful!!