A Roland Barthes Semiotic Analysis of Feudalism Representation within the World Government in the Anime Series One Piece Episode 886

Abstrak

Episode 886 of the anime series One Piece portrays a system of feudalism through the political and social structure of the world created by Eiichiro Oda. In this fictional world, power is centralized under the World Government, which is controlled by the Celestial Dragons, known as the Tenryuubito—descendants of the twenty original kingdoms that founded the regime. The Tenryuubito occupy the highest tier of a feudal hierarchy, enjoying extreme privileges without accountability for their actions. This study aims to identify the denotative, connotative, and mythological signs related to feudalism in One Piece, specifically Episode 886. The research employs a qualitative method using Roland Barthes’ semiotic analysis framework. Data were collected through scene observation and documentation of dialogues, visual symbols, and narrative elements as units of analysis, while validity was ensured through source triangulation and interpretive consistency. The findings indicate that at the denotative level, feudalism is depicted through the dominance of the Tenryuubito, who are regarded as gods and protected by Cipher Pol Aigis Zero (CP0), while common citizens and even other nobles are positioned as inferior. At the connotative level, the World Government is represented as a symbol of absolute power and modern feudalism, with the Tenryuubito portrayed as untouchable rulers and CP0 functioning as an apparatus safeguarding elite interests. At the mythological level, feudalism is constructed through the Tenryuubito as symbols of political and economic authority who naturalize injustice, commodify Shirahoshi, and reinforce CP0’s role as protector of elite privilege. These findings imply that popular media such as anime can function as a critical medium for reflecting and challenging hierarchical power structures, thereby contributing to broader discussions on social inequality and ideological control in contemporary society.