Donquixote Doflamingo — May, 2018
Is this really the most “tragic” backstory in One Piece?
Doflamingo’s past is framed as unbearably cruel.
But when Japanese fans revisit it, something feels off.
Is this tragedy… or just another villain monologue?
The “Too Sad” Reaction
1: Anonymous Pirate
Donquixote Doflamingo
“From the age of ten, I struggled and saw the highs and lows of this world…
That’s what you think happened, right?!
I took my own father’s head
and carried it back to Mary Geoise!!!
But the Celestial Dragons
never allowed us to return as Celestial Dragons ever again…!!
There’s no way out of this hell.
That’s what I swore.
I’ll destroy everything—
the entire world these people live in!!!
Your lives and mine
aren’t even on the same level!!!
I don’t have time
to play around with kids like you!!!”
2: Anonymous Pirate
This is just way too sad…
10: Anonymous Pirate
Luffy, Law, Bellamy: “(Why is this guy suddenly telling his life story?)”
22: Anonymous Pirate
Still easier than Nami’s life though.
36: Anonymous Pirate
That was a ton of pure exposition dialogue.
42: Anonymous Pirate
Flexing your bloodline is just lame.
48: Anonymous Pirate
The point is that his past is so extreme he’s fundamentally different from normal people,
so there’s no way to understand each other — only to fight.
That’s exactly what the story was going for, so this is the correct answer.
49: Anonymous Pirate
Zoro losing his childhood friend to some stairs is way more tragic.
Comparison With Other Characters’ Suffering
66: Anonymous Pirate
Oda: “Hmm, what generic sad story should I do next… got it!
Let’s ruin a kid’s personality by moving him to a terrible environment because of his dad’s job transfer,
and casually traumatize him while I’m at it! (author’s duty)”
67: Anonymous Pirate
Why does he absolutely refuse to take off his sunglasses?
87: Anonymous Pirate
>>67
Because his eyes look like 3 3.
Villain Monologues and Lost Aura
70: Anonymous Pirate
Luffy: “Shut up! Let’s go!!” BAM
Doffy: “M-Mugiwara…!” sob
Problem solved.
71: Anonymous Pirate
I kinda wish he’d kept that childish way of speaking into adulthood.
74: Anonymous Pirate
In the end he was just a small fry wagging his ass for Kaido.
That was disappointing.
Only Mihawk from the original Warlords still holds his ground.
81: Anonymous Pirate
>>74
Hancock.
94: Anonymous Pirate
>>81
She’s basically just written as simping for Luffy,
and barely interacts with other top-tiers,
so her strength doesn’t really come across.
World Government, Power, and Credibility
104: Anonymous Pirate
I don’t get why the World Government gets hyped at all
when they can’t even properly crack down on pirates.
108: Anonymous Pirate
>>104
Yeah, the power structure is confusing.
Maybe it’ll get explained eventually.
105: Anonymous Pirate
Why do One Piece villains always start monologuing
the moment they’re convinced they’ve already won —
and then lose?
Side Tangents and Comparisons
112: Anonymous Pirate
I don’t really get it, but let’s just leave the commanders of the world’s strongest pirate crew here.
121: Anonymous Pirate
>>112
Only Thatch gets a memorial portrait lol
146: Anonymous Pirate
>>112
Wasn’t the guy who stabbed Whitebeard not even a commander?
135: Anonymous Pirate
Crocodile was way more compelling without a tragic past.
He’s still No.1.
136: Anonymous Pirate
Katakuri’s past must’ve been tragic too, right?
↓
“My sister was bullied, so I became the perfect big brother!
I’ll hide my mouth!”
152: Anonymous Pirate
>>136
Bullying Big Mom’s kids in Whole Cake Island makes zero sense.
That’s messed up.
“Who Actually Had It Worse?”
201: Anonymous Pirate
Robin had it way worse.
Robin: “It’s me!!! Robin!!! I grew up, but don’t you remember me!?
I’ve been waiting for you this whole time!!!”
217: Anonymous Pirate
>>201
Here comes the Buster Call.
247: Anonymous Pirate
Gaimon ended up with a girlfriend who got stuck in a similar chest,
so he’s a real winner.
265: Anonymous Pirate
>>250
273: Anonymous Pirate
Oda really likes world history.
This totally ends with a citizen revolution in the story.
276: Anonymous Pirate
329: Anonymous Pirate
>>276
No wonder he’s the man who scared Kaido.
Backstories vs Pure Evil
289: Anonymous Pirate
Honestly, villains were more appealing
when they were just straight-up evil instead of getting backstories.
Tesoro, this includes you.
333: Anonymous Pirate
The Seven Warlords of the Sea.
514: Anonymous Pirate
>>333
Naruto’s Akatsuki.
529: Anonymous Pirate
>>514
Yeah, they’re just cooler.
64: Anonymous Pirate
Elementary school kids: “So cool…”
That’s the reality.
145: Anonymous Pirate
Still way better than being stuck in a treasure chest
on a deserted island for decades.
👉 Why Japanese Fans Read It This Way
Japanese readers tend to judge tragedy comparatively.
Doflamingo’s suffering isn’t isolated — it’s stacked against Robin, Nami, Zoro, and even joke characters.
When tragedy becomes formulaic, sympathy turns into skepticism.
👉 When the Villain Starts Talking, the Threat Is Already Gone
For many fans, Doflamingo didn’t lose because his past was sad.
He lost the moment he started explaining himself.
In One Piece, villains are often remembered not for how much they suffered —
but for how quietly terrifying they were before they talked too much.
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