Summary

  • Robin's tragic childhood on Ohara led to her dedication to studying the Poneglyphs.
  • Nico Olvia, Robin's mother, passed away on the island, igniting Robin's passion for ancient history.
  • Robin's father remains a mystery in One Piece, with fan theories suggesting he may be a key figure.

Throughout the story of One Piece, Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates have taught the audience the importance of “found” family, and how blood isn’t always thicker than water. However, despite the characters being content with their new families, many fans have often wondered about the mysterious origins that many of the Straw Hat Pirates have. With characters like Luffy having incredibly notorious parents, Garp and Dragon, or Usopp’s father being Yasopp of the Red Hair Pirates, many have speculated who the parents of the other One Piece Straw Hats could be.

One such character that is shrouded in mystery is Robin, the archeologist of the Straw Hat Crew. Although much more is known about her mother, Nico Olvia, Robin’s father in One Piece, is a much more mysterious figure. In fact, so little is known about the character that more fan theories have been made discussing who the character might be than actual information has been released about the character.

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Robin's Childhood In One Piece Was Tragic

Losing Everything As A Child

Robin, as a child, grew up on the island of Ohara. This island was renowned for its scholars and possessed knowledge of how to read the ancient language of the Poneglyphs. However, the World Government, wishing to keep the world’s history that could be unlocked from the Poneglyphs, lost forever, sent the Navy to destroy the island and murder all scholars in the first-ever Buster Call of One Piece. Robin, with the help of Jaguar D. Saul, a Navy Vice Admiral, was able to escape the island, being spared by a young Kuzan as well.

I can't abandon the will of those who came before me. - Nico Olvia in reference to her husband

Robin’s mother, Nico Olvia, was a renowned scholar, who dedicated her life to researching and studying the Poneglyphs. However, she, alongside the other scholars, perishes on One Piece's Ohara Island, after only briefly being reunited with her daughter after a long journey. This will to study the Poneglyphs was inherited by Robin at this point, and is still her goal of the series as she adventures with the Straw Hat Crew.

Nico Robin's Father Passed Away Before The Series

A Mysterious Figure

Nico Olivia

As for Nico Robin’s father, very little information is known about him. Apparently, he passed away many years before the events of One Piece. It is assumed that since he doesn’t appear anywhere in the events of Nico Robin’s backstory and flashbacks, he may have passed away before Robin was born. Of course, these facts could change with more information being revealed about the character later in the story.

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Besides this, the only other thing that is known about Nico Robin’s father in One Piece is that Nico Olvia holds him in high regard. Apparently, her goal of studying the Poneglyphs was ignited after his passing, meaning he may have some connection to them as well. Whether this means he was an actual scholar or just curious about the ancient history of the world of One Piece is currently unknown.

Many Fan Theories Surround Robin's Father

Robin's Father Is Alive

Garp vs. Kuzan 2-1

Due to the mysterious nature of the figure, many fans have come together with various theories on who Robin’s father could be. Some fans point to the former Admiral, Kuzan, being her father. Many believe that since Kuzan constantly protects Robin and her allies on multiple occasions, despite being enemies, it must mean that their connection runs deeper than what’s readily apparent. Instead of dying, Kuzan left Ohara and Nico Olvia, and to keep it a secret, Olvia lied about him dying.

Oh my, you've turned into a pretty woman, Nico Robin. - Kuzan

Another fan theory points to Robin’s father being none other than One Piece’s Monkey D. Dragon. This theory states similar reasons for Dragon seeking out Robin and training her during the two-year time skip. This theory would also make Luffy and Robin half-siblings, which would be an interesting twist.

Despite the theories, more likely than not, Robin’s father was just another normal person in the One Piece universe. Although many fans want him to be an important part of the story, he’s better left as an unnamed character who won’t overshadow Robin in her own backstory. In the end, One Piece characters don’t need to have these crazy and convoluted origins. Sometimes the simplicity of an unknown father is better in the long run.

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Release Date
October 20, 1999
Network
Fuji TV
Directors
Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou
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  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Mayumi Tanaka
    Monkey D. Luffy (voice)
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Kazuya Nakai
    Roronoa Zoro (voice)

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming
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Creator
Eiichiro Oda
MyAnimeList Score
8.72