What Is Laugh Tale in One Piece? Explained

The immensely popular manga series ONE PIECE has been cherished by fans for over 20 years. Now, as we approach the much-anticipated final chapter, we are coming closer than ever to the island known as “Laugh Tale,” where the legendary treasure “One Piece” is said to reside, just a step away.

Therefore, in this discussion, let’s delve into the information that has currently come to light about Laugh Tale.

What is Laugh Tale?

Laugh Tale is the final island located at the end of the Grand Line, the Great Sea Route. Currently, the only ones known to have reached this island are the Roger Pirates led by the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.

The existence and name of Laugh Tale were first explicitly mentioned by Crocus, whom Luffy and his crew met at the Twin Capes, located at the foot of Reverse Mountain, the entrance to the Grand Line.

However, it was revealed during the Wano Country arc and Oden’s flashback that the ultimate destination after progressing through the Grand Line is a different island called “Wadeshi Star Island” (also known as “Lodestar Island”). Crocus stated that regardless of which of the seven routes one takes, one will inevitably head toward the final destination. However, it does not imply that one can reach Laugh Tale solely by following the Log Pose.

Beyond the final destination indicated by the Log Pose, there exists Laugh Tale, the last island where the fabled treasure “One Piece” sleeps, awaiting discovery.

Where is Laugh Tale?

The location of Laugh Tale is said to be at the center point where the four Road Poneglyphs, which exist in the world, intersect on the map.

In other words, to reach Laugh Tale, it is necessary to decipher all four Road Poneglyphs. However, the problem lies in their locations.

Three of them have already been discovered, and they were found on Zou, Whole Cake Island, and Wano Country. As for the remaining one, its whereabouts are still unknown.

Speculations on the Location of Laugh Tale

There are three main speculations regarding the location of Laugh Tale:

“Left everything there” = Undersea Theory?

Some argue that Laugh Tale is located underwater, interpreting the famous words of Gol D. Roger before his execution: “I left everything at that place.”

However, this interpretation is more of a pun. In terms of substantial evidence for an underwater theory, we can observe that “One Piece” has numerous episodes revolving around the sea. The “Devil Fruits” that render individuals unable to swim after consumption still hold many mysteries.

Fish-Man Island was also situated underwater, where a written apology from an important figure known as “Joy Boy,” who is believed to hold the key to One Piece, was found.

The depths of the sea remain difficult for humans to explore even in the present day, and it is a place shrouded in mysteries. Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising if the legendary treasure, One Piece, were located in such a place.

Antarctic Theory?

The final destination indicated by the Log Pose, Lodestar Island leads to the emergence of the “Antarctic Theory.”

In Episode 19, during the early stages of the series, there is a scene where Shanks and Buggy debate which is colder, the “North Pole” or the “South Pole.” While there has been some debate about the existence of the North and South Poles in the world of “ONE PIECE,” the recurrence of this scene in Episode 967 suggests that it may hold some significant meaning.

Since it was Shanks who argued that the “South Pole” is colder, there is a possibility of foreshadowing that Shanks heads toward the South Pole, where Laugh Tale is located, and reunites with Luffy.

Lodestar Island and Laugh Tale Were Originally One Island?

If Lodestar Island and Laugh Tale were originally the same island, it would explain why the Log Pose doesn’t point directly to Laugh Tale. Throughout their adventures, it has been proven that the Log Pose doesn’t necessarily indicate a single island.

For instance, “Long Ring Long Land” consists of ten islands, and even after collecting logs, the Log Pose doesn’t point to the neighbouring islands. There is also the example of Jaya, which split into two islands—Upper Yard (Skypiea) and Shandora—due to natural phenomena.

If Laugh Tale and Lodestar Island were originally one island, it would provide an explanation for the malfunctioning of the Log Pose.

The Straw Hat Pirates’ Journey

The Straw Hat Pirates discover a special Poneglyph called “Road Poneglyph” in the Mokomo Kingdom, the land of the Mink Tribe, located on Zou. It contained information that could pinpoint a certain location.

Typically, following the Log Pose, a record guide, is the official route. Sailors navigate according to its indications and only upon reaching the final destination island do they become aware of the mysteries of the Poneglyphs, ancient inscriptions, and the existence of Laugh Tale.

However, in the case of Luffy and his crew, they formed an alliance with Trafalgar Law and managed to reach Zou. As a result, they have already stepped foot into the subsequent adventures beyond that point.

The Meaning of Laugh Tale

The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, named the nameless final island “Laugh Tale.” Laugh Tale consists of “Laugh” and “Tale.” “Laugh”, combining to create the meaning of “a funny story.”

Why did Roger name the final island “Laugh Tale”? He discovered a treasure known as “One Piece,” which would become the Great Pirate Treasure, and it made him burst into laughter, to the point of tears. From that moment on, the name “Laugh Tale” was given to the island.

Was “Binks’ Sake” a foreshadowing?

It is believed that this “Binks’ Sake” contains foreshadowing related to Laugh Tale.

The reason is that the word “Laugh Tale” appears at the end of the lyrics of “Binks’ Sake.” Considering that “Laugh Tale” means a funny story, it seems unlikely that this is merely a coincidence.

The lyrics of the song suggest delivering “Binks’ Sake” somewhere. Some speculate that this may refer to the Poneglyphs. Since Brook knew this song even before his death, it could have been sung for at least 50 years and possibly existed for 800 years.

It is possible that the giant kingdom (possibly the D. clan) that created the Poneglyphs composed this song when transporting them to various locations. It has been revealed that the Kozuki Family in Wano Country possessed the technology to create Poneglyphs, and the phrase “a bird that spins in a circle” mentioned in the lyrics evokes their family crest.

Furthermore, in Chapter 967 of the original manga, which depicts the Roger Pirates reaching the final island, there is a scene where they sing “Binks’ Sake” during their voyage, suggesting a connection to Laugh Tale.

The First Appearance of “Laugh Tale” was in the Film STAMPEDE

Interestingly, the spelling of “Raftel” as “Laugh Tale” was first revealed in the Film STAMPEDE, rather than in the original manga. As a commemorative work for the 20th anniversary of the anime’s broadcast, it can be seen that considerable effort was put into it.

Initially, the English name for “Raftel” was spelled as “Raftel.” Therefore, at the time, it became a topic of discussion among fans who watched the movie, and various speculations arose. However, in Chapter 967 of the original manga, it was officially revealed that Roger was the one who named it.

Speculating the True Identity of Laugh Tale

22 years ago, Robin’s homeland, Ohara, was eradicated by the World Government. The reason behind this was their progress in researching the forbidden Poneglyphs and gaining too much knowledge about them.

Dr. Clover of Ohara, on the brink of death, reveals a hypothesis based on deciphering the Poneglyphs. He suggests that the people of the past engraved messages on indestructible Poneglyphs because there were “enemies” trying to conceal the truth.

He further explains that 800 years ago, after the “Void Century,” the World Government was established, and as a result, the existence of a “certain giant kingdom” that had prospered until then came to light.

In other words, Dr. Clover speculates that the people of the kingdom, who opposed the World Government, realized their defeat and engraved the truth on the Poneglyphs to entrust their ideology to the future. However, the moment he tried to mention the name of that kingdom, he was killed under the orders of the Five Elders.

The fact that the Five Elders, who had been listening to him with ease until then, hastily silenced him the moment he tried to utter the name of the kingdom indicates that the name holds significant meaning. Laugh Tale, in which one reaches and learns everything about the world, is indeed closely related to the “certain giant kingdom.”

What is the Relationship Between the “D.” Clan and Laugh Tale?

The “D.” clan is clearly regarded with hostility and suspicion by the current World Government. In Law’s flashback, Corazon mentioned that in certain lands, the “D.” was referred to as the “natural enemy of God.” If we consider the Celestial Dragons, who created the World Government, as gods, then it is reasonable to believe that they have had an antagonistic relationship with the “D.” clan since ancient times.

Furthermore, considering the “certain giant kingdom” mentioned by Dr. Clover, which is believed to have fought against the World Government, it is highly likely that this kingdom and the “D.” clan are one and the same. In other words, the “D.” clan that fought against the World Government during the “Void Century” may have been defeated, leading to the downfall of their kingdom.

If the “D.” clan sought to pass down the true history to future generations through the Poneglyphs and if Laugh Tale is the place where everything is revealed, it becomes highly probable that Joy Boy, who left behind a treasure there, is also a member of the “D.” clan.

This leads to the theory that Laugh Tale is the “kingdom of the D. clan.” However, there are inconsistencies. If Roger truly learned about the entire world at Laugh Tale and if it was a kingdom, he should have known its name as well. Yet it was Roger who named the final island “Laugh Tale.”

Regarding this point, one could argue that using the original name of the kingdom was too dangerous, considering its connection to the “certain giant kingdom” known by Ohara. In order to maintain consistency, it is possible to speculate that using the original name was simply too risky.

Introduction of the Eternal Pose in STAMPEDE

In the theatrical film ONE PIECE STAMPEDE, released in August 2019, an Eternal Pose that recorded the location of Laugh Tale made its appearance.

The Eternal Pose is a special Log Pose that can memorize the magnetic field of a specific island, indicating the direction to that island no matter where you are. In other words, if there is an Eternal Pose for Laugh Tale, it means that you can reach it without having to collect all the Road Poneglyphs!

Why does the Eternal Pose for Laugh Tale exist?

Why does the Eternal Pose for “Laugh Tale,” which is intentionally made difficult to reach, actually exist? It is because one of the crew members of the Roger Pirates recorded it as a precautionary measure.

Roger, angry about the situation, declared, “Our adventure is over,” and threw the Eternal Pose into the sea, where it was swallowed by a Sea King. However, when Buena Festa was devoured by a Sea King, he happened to find it inside its belly and obtained it.

Thus, he joined forces with Douglas Bullet and organized the “Pirate Festival,” a battle for the treasure left behind by the Pirate King.

The Journey of the Roger Pirates to Reach Laugh Tale

39 years ago, the Roger Pirates reached the final destination indicated by the Log Pose, known as “Wasurenai Boshi Island” (Road Star Island). However, they realized that it wasn’t the true last island and decided to start their adventure anew. Thirteen years later, Roger encountered Kozuki Oden, who was a member of the Whitebeard Pirates at the time.

Roger knew that the four “Road Poneglyphs” could reveal the location of the last island, but no one could decipher them, causing him frustration. That’s when Oden, who had the ability to read ancient texts, appeared.

Immediately, Roger pleaded with Oden to lend him his services for a year. Whitebeard was reluctant, but due to Roger’s earnest request, he reluctantly agreed, and Roger set off on his final journey with Oden by his side.

Afterward, when Roger landed on Skypiea, he found a Poneglyph that contained information about the ancient weapon Poseidon. He had Oden decipher it and inscribed his own name along with the phrase “I have arrived here, guiding this message to the ends of the earth.”

Roger, the one who named Laugh Tale!

Upon learning from Oden that one of the Road Poneglyphs existed in Wano Country, Roger headed there. During their journey, they found another one on Fishman Island and confirmed the last piece on Zou. With these, combined with the one they had taken from Big Mom, they finally had all four and uncovered the route to Laugh Tale.

With little time remaining due to his incurable illness, Roger left Buggy, who had a high fever, and Shanks, who was nursing him, behind and set sail immediately.

Finally reaching the last island, Roger and his crew learned about the “Void Century,” the “D Clan,” and the “ancient weapons,” gaining knowledge about everything in the world. Witnessing the truly astonishing treasure, Roger and his comrades couldn’t help but burst into laughter, bringing tears to their eyes.

Roger, laughing and saying, “I wish I was born in the same era as Joy Boy,” named the last island “Laugh Tale.”

Another revelation was made here: Joy Boy was the one who initially left behind the “One Piece,” the great treasure.

The Reason Behind Shanks’ Tears?

When Shanks returned from Laugh Tale, he clung to Roger and burst into tears while asking him something. The exact exchange and the reason why Shanks was crying are not explicitly revealed.

This scene bears a striking resemblance to an earlier moment in the story when Luffy, in the early stages of the series, cried after being protected by Shanks, sacrificing his left arm. It’s possible that Shanks, too, has a past where he was saved by Roger, but the details remain unknown.

Furthermore, there have been rumours linking Shanks to the Celestial Dragons, so it’s possible that he was discussing something related to his birth and origins.

Another point of interest is that before Roger and his crew set off for Laugh Tale, Shanks declared, “If we’re going, we’ll go on our own ship someday!” However, currently, there doesn’t seem to be any indication that he is actively pursuing “Laugh Tale.” Instead, he appears to be fulfilling his own mission and entrusting it to Luffy.

Roger mentioned, “We were too early,” implying that he foresaw something happening in the future. Is Shanks carrying on his will and still taking action to this day?

Summary

Laugh Tale, believed to be the final island that only the Roger Pirates managed to reach after 800 years, poses the question of whether the Straw Hat Pirates can also reach it. The key to this lies in the possession of the four “Road Poneglyphs.”

As the Wano Country arc approaches its climax, the Straw Hat Pirates currently hold copies of three Road Poneglyphs: one obtained from Zou, one previously held by Big Mom, and one in the possession of Kaido in Wano Country.

If they can find the remaining one, then Luffy and his crew can set sail for Laugh Tale. However, the whereabouts of this last Road Poneglyph is currently unknown. It was said to be located on Fishman Island 26 years ago, but when Robin confirmed its existence, only the apology message from Joy Boy was found on the Poneglyph.

The mystery of what happened to the Road Poneglyph that was once on Fishman Island will undoubtedly become a crucial key to future developments!