Who is Uta in the new One Piece Movie? There are plenty of amazing One Piece characters, but thanks to the latest anime movie in the beloved franchise, a brand new face has made a splash in the swashbuckling story – the pop star Uta.
Uta is the main antagonist in the One Piece Film: Red and proves to be more than just your average enemy once she faces the Straw Hat Pirates in their latest adventure. Although One Piece Film: Red isn’t exactly canon to the One Piece anime series, Uta is still an important fresh figure that appears in both the backstories of Captain Monkey D Luffy and Captain Shanks. So sit up straight, pirate king enthusiasts; you’ll want to pay attention.
Here we go over all the details of this new anime character, giving you the down-low on her powers, history and connection with Luffy and Shanks. From Devil Fruit abilities to familial relations, we’ve left no stone unturned when it comes to Uta.
Uta’s childhood and past
Uta was first discovered as a baby in a treasure chest that fell into the hands of The Red Haired Pirates. Shanks took her in, and she became his adoptive daughter and later the crew’s young musician.
When she was nine, The Red Haired Pirates set up a base at Foosha Village in the East Blue, where she would meet a seven-year-old Monkey D. Luffy, who she would often play with and tease. The two soon became friends as Uta told Luffy about the pirate crew he dreamed of joining, and Luffy showed Uta around the village.
One day, Luffy took Uta to a windmill where they saw the sunset across the sea – it was this moment when Uta seriously started to dream of performing for the world. She shared her dream with Luffy, telling him how one day she wanted to use music to make a ‘New Genesis’ ushering in a new reality for everyone through her music.
But Uta’s childhood wasn’t all smiles and adventures. In fact, her life changed drastically after The Red Haired Pirates visited the Kingdom of Elegia. Known for leading the way with music, King Gordon and the rest of the people of Elegia recognised Uta’s talents immediately, and unfortunately, so did the demon Tot Musica, who was contained in ancient song sheets.
The music sheets fall into Uta’s hands, and without knowing the consequences, Uta sings the song – releasing the demon who destroys the Kingdom. The population is massacred, and in order to protect Uta, Shanks decides to publicly take the blame for the incident. He leaves Uta in King Gordon’s care so that she may fulfil her dream as a world singer, leaving the island while she is still unconscious.
After waking up alone, Uta feels betrayed after Shanks leaves without a word, having seemingly killed everyone for treasure. However, after a year, she learns the truth that Shanks is innocent – still, she can’t forgive him for leaving her all alone, though.
For the next 12 years, Uta became a star thanks to her hit song ‘New Genesis’. Her fame grows as she streams performances and music to her fans via Transponder Snails – but the communication is a two-way street, and she begins to hear all the issues and hardships her listeners face.
Adamant to create a new world where everyone is happy, Uta forms a plan to usher in a new reality, inviting all of her fans to a concert in Elegia.
Uta in One Piece Film: Red
One Piece Film: Red starts at the site of Uta’s first live concert. The Straw Hats are among her band of fans, and Uta is reunited with Luffy once again. However, after reminiscing about the past, she becomes hostile to him after learning that he is a pirate and that he is wearing Shanks’ iconic Straw hat. Matters only get worse once Luffy attempts to leave her concert, and Uta sets her fans on him and his crew.
The concert is a huge deal, with tons of fans present and others watching the performance via a stream. It is also being monitored by the Five Elders, who have been eyeing Uta since the whole Tot Musica incident for quite some time. And they are right to be suspicious, as Uta’s plan is revealed.
Uta is a Devil Fruit user and has the powers of Uta Uta no Mi. It isn’t said when she ate the fruit, but it is assumed to have happened in her early life, as only the Uta Uta no Mi user can summon Tot Musica. The Uta Uta no Mi also lets Uta transport people’s consciousness to a virtual world that she controls, and the singer plans to use this ability to trap her fans in an ideal world – her ‘New Genesis’.
To make matters worse, Uta is planning on slowly killing herself by exhausting her body – which will effectively trap everyone in the fantasy world permanently – yikes.
Much to Uta’s dismay, her fans aren’t too pleased about being trapped, and she is put in a corner by the Straw Hats. In the movie, Luffy and Shanks (who, figuring out her plans, comes to save her) confront Ut, adding to the pressure. Uta summons Tot Musica in a panic, adamant about ushering in her New Genisis – no matter what her fans or adoptive father may say.
Tot Musica absorbs Uta and begins to rampage both the real world and the fantasy world. However, the day and Uta is saved thanks to Shanks and Luffy teaming up and beating the demon once and for all. Once freed, Uta finally gets some closure with Shanks but refuses to take an antidote he offers that will allow her to finally sleep – saving her life from exhaustion.
Instead of drinking the antidote, she sacrifices herself and sings another song which releases all of her fans from the fantasy world. At the end of the One Piece Film: Red Uta is heavily implied to have died from exhaustion. Her body is taken by Shanks, and she is finally reunited with her pirate family during her final moments.
Powers and abilities
Uta is a musical prodigy – period. But she is also a Devil Fruit User. Having eaten the Uta Uta no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit, she has the power to transport people’s consciousness into another realm of reality called the Uta World by singing. In this world, Uta is all-powerful and can manipulate space and others around her to her will.
The Uta Uta no Mi also has some devastating powers that aren’t fully explored in One Piece Film: Red. It is said that a past user of the Devil Fruit created the Demon King Tot Musica. With her power, Uta can unseal this immense power and have it fight in her place – granted, every time it is summoned, someone dies, so probably not a good idea.
On top of Devil Fruit and musical ability, Uta is also shown to be a steady fighter – and pretty skilled in combat when armed with a spear. So yeah, she is a powerful force for sure!
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