After decades of waiting, the voice of one of the most mysterious antagonists of the One Piece franchise, the enigmatic Imu, has been revealed. To prevent any kind of detail about this character’s identity from being revealed, including the gender, the audio was altered significantly with many filters.

Yet, these changes to Imu’s voice may not have been implemented simply to hide who is behind that shadow. While it was a convenient way to keep IMu's identity a secret, it's also a solution that the anime will have to address at some point. There is a possibility that the robotic voice heard in episode #1118 might be suggesting that the body of the world’s ruler is indeed artificial. Seeing as Imu comes from a time when technology was exponentially more advanced, his current vessel may be a robot, similar to the ones used by Vegapunk.

Imu’s Origins Suggest That His Body Cannot Be Human

He Might Have Lived This Long by Transferring His Mind to a Robot

One of the few details that have been confirmed about the mysterious Imu, is that they have lived through the events of the Void Century. The ruler of the world not only fought against the Ancient Kingdom and Joy Boy but is also aware of everything that has happened since. This fact implies that Imu has been alive for more than 100 years, at the minimum. A regular human body cannot live that long without any aid unless the power of a Devil Fruit is used. Nonetheless, the series has already hinted at a way for humans to live longer: robots.

The most common theory is that Imu has used the powers of the Ope Ope Fruit to gain eternal life.

Vegapunk’s Satellites, artificial beings with fragments of the brilliant scientist’s mind, seem to be able to continue living even after their bodies are destroyed. Since their minds exist on a server known as Punk Records, they can continuously be transferred to other robots. This was seen in chapter #1125 of the manga, in which the Satellites who had supposedly died during the battle against the World Government were seen inhabiting a new body. Since Imu is from a time in which technology was vastly superior, robots like Vegapunk’s likely existed.

One example is the Iron Giant Emet, who has been alive since Joy Boy's time and has a mind and consciousness despite being an artificial being. In an attempt to prevent his death and live forever as the ruler of all, Imu could have transplanted his mind into a powerful artificial body that would not age. His robotic voice might not be a simple way to hide the identity of this enigmatic character, it might be a literal sign that the heroes of the story are dealing with an artificial enemy.

Imu’s Voice Might Also Be the Result of a Devil Fruit

His Powers Might Have Stripped Him From His Humanity

Another plausible explanation as to why Imu’s voice sounds extremely altered could be a Devil Fruit power. Many characters in the series have had their speeches distorted when using their abilities, like Kaido, whose voice sounded much more powerful when in dragon form. It is likely that Imu’s Devil Fruit, which has been speculated to be among the most powerful, has stripped the ruler of his humanity. His voice might be a hint at his inhuman nature, which could also explain why he is such a cruel and uncaring leader.

Whether Imu’s voice is a clue to this being’s identity and nature or not, there is no doubt that his revelation will go down as one of One Piece’s most iconic moments. The series will almost certainly reveal the backstory of the world’s ruler at some point in the future. By that moment, the reason behind Imu’s voice will become clear for viewers of this beloved anime.