Wapol One Piece: the Former Gluttonous King and his Baku Baku Fruit

August 12, 2026

The essentials in 30 seconds: Wapol is the former king of Drum Island, a gluttonous and cowardly tyrant who tormented his people before being overthrown by Luffy and his crew. His Devil Fruit, the Baku Baku no Mi (a Paramecia-type “eat-anything” fruit), allows him to devour any object to appropriate it and fuse parts of his body with metal, weapons, or machines. After his humiliating defeat, he resurfaces later in the story as a fallen prisoner reduced to a comic anecdote, the perfect symbol of the downfall of the powerful in One Piece.

Before becoming the most wanted pirate king in the New World, Luffy had to cross the eternal winter of Drum Island, a snowy island ruled with an iron fist by a ruler as grotesque as he was dangerous: Wapol. This character, often relegated to the role of a “comic villain” in the East Blue arc, actually conceals a fascinating power structure and one of the most significant origins of the entire Straw Hat crew, since it was his tyranny that shaped Tony Tony Chopper's destiny.

In this article, we take a detailed look at Wapol's journey: his rule over Drum Island, the secrets of his Devil Fruit Baku Baku no Mi, his downfall at the hands of the Mugiwara, and what became of him afterward. Enough to understand why this gluttonous king remains, years after his appearance, one of the most memorable antagonists from the beginning of the series.

Who is Wapol, the former king of Drum Island?

Wapol is the despotic ruler of Drum Island, a winter island in the Grand Line governed from the fortified castle perched atop the snow-covered mountain overlooking the kingdom. Unlike the classic image of the charismatic supervillain, Wapol is portrayed as a grotesque character: obese, temperamental, cowardly in the face of the slightest serious threat, and endlessly cruel toward his own people. He taxes his subjects until they starve, burns his opponents' crops, and does not hesitate to have his own capital razed to build a new fortress to his liking.

This is the king who, years before Luffy's arrival, drove away the doctor Hiluluk and his apprentice, the reindeer Tony Tony Chopper, by simply banning the practice of medicine on his island. This decision would have dramatic consequences, detailed in our article on Chopper and the Rumble Balls: without this tyranny, the crew's future doctor would probably never have left Drum Island. Wapol is surrounded by three loyal bodyguards, Chess, Kuromarimo, and Kamakiri, who share his Devil Fruit and his penchant for boastful excess.

The Baku Baku no Mi: the fruit that devours and fuses everything

Wapol's power is based on the Baku Baku no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit sometimes nicknamed the "everything-eating fruit." It allows its user to literally bite and swallow any object—weapon, piece of furniture, wall, vehicle—and then fuse that material with their own body. Wapol uses it to transform himself into a veritable walking weapon: his head can turn into a cannon, his arms into pistols or blades, and his entire torso into metal armor capable of withstanding blows that no ordinary human could endure.

This fruit perfectly illustrates the diversity of powers found in the One Piece universe, where every ability, no matter how comical it may seem at first glance, can prove formidable in the wrong hands. To understand how this type of power fits into the broader family of Devil Fruits and Haki, our dedicated page on Devil Fruits and Haki explains the main Zoan, Paramecia, and Logia categories, as well as the awakening mechanics that allow certain users to transform their entire surroundings.

Devoured object	Fusion result	Context
Fortress cannon	Head transformed into a cannon muzzle	Defense of Drum Island Castle
Various firearms	Arms transformed into pistols	Close-quarters combat against intruders
Metal plates / armor	Nearly indestructible armored torso	Final confrontation with Luffy
Various castle objects	Roughly enhanced and deformed body	Desperate attempt to repel the crew

One Piece Figurine - Monkey D. Luffy Gear 5 (Combat Statue)

The Fall of the Kingdom: Wapol Facing Luffy and His Crew

When the Straw Hat crew lands on Drum Island to treat Nami, who is seriously ill, Wapol is in the midst of reclaiming his throne after being driven out by the population a few years earlier. He plans to take advantage of the pirates' arrival to seize power by force, backed by his three henchmen, who also possess Baku Baku-type Devil Fruits. The ensuing battle pits Wapol against Luffy in a confrontation that, despite its sometimes comedic tone, marks a turning point: it is one of the first clashes to clearly show the gap in power separating Luffy from the minor threats at the beginning of his journey.

Despite his impressive arsenal of cannons and improvised blades, Wapol proves to be more cowardly than truly dangerous: he flees as soon as the situation turns against him and abandons his own guards without hesitation. This defeat definitively seals his fate as the ruler of Drum Island, renamed “Sakura Kingdom” some time later under a new peaceful government. To place this episode within the complete chronology of the story, our page on One Piece arcs in order helps position the Drum Island arc just before the arrival in Alabasta.

One Piece TCG Card - Monkey D. Luffy Gear 5 (Nika Holo Rare)

What happens to Wapol after his defeat?

After losing Drum Island, Wapol does not disappear from the story completely. He reappears later among the prisoners who escaped during the great mutiny at Impel Down, alongside other colorful figures from the pirate world. This reappearance confirms that, despite his downfall, Wapol still possesses his Devil Fruit and continues to wander on the fringes of the major events shaking the world of One Piece—some fans have also spotted a silhouette that strongly resembles him around Punk Hazard in crowd scenes, though there is still no definitive confirmation. This status as a recurring yet always secondary character makes him a textbook case: unlike major powers such as the Marine Admirals or the former Seven Warlords of the Sea, Wapol never had the ambition or talent to have a lasting impact on the balance of power in the New World.

His profile is reminiscent of other former kings or fallen powers encountered throughout the saga, halfway between comedy and tragedy. His trajectory also brings to mind that of Buggy the Clown, another character long underestimated before experiencing a spectacular reversal of fortune with the formation of the Cross Guild. Wapol, for his part, never regained such a level of influence, but his escape from Impel Down alongside figures like Crocodile, whose past we learn more about in our article on Crocodile’s secret, proves that he remains a discreet witness to the great upheavals of the pirate world.

Why Wapol remains a cult character despite his supporting role

Wapol never had the stature of one of the saga’s major antagonists, and that is precisely what makes him endearing to many fans. His massive design, Devil Fruit that is as absurd as it is ingenious, and behavior as a capricious tyrant make him a successful caricature of undeserved power. He embodies an effective contrast with Luffy: while the Straw Hat captain earns his companions’ respect through courage and loyalty, Wapol loses everything through cowardice and gratuitous cruelty.

A key role in Chopper’s story

Wapol’s main legacy in the One Piece mythology remains indirect: without his tyranny and ban on medicine, Hiluluk would never have needed to sacrifice his life to save his island, and Chopper probably would never have joined the Straw Hat crew. This cause-and-effect connection makes Wapol an antagonist whose influence extends far beyond his own arc.

A favorite among collectors

While figures dedicated to Wapol himself remain rare, his world—Drum Island, its guards, and its adversaries—continues to inspire numerous merchandise items centered on the East Blue arc and the beginning of the Grand Line, highly sought after by collectors nostalgic for the series' early days.

One Piece Pop Figure - Gol D. Roger (Pirate Captain Version)

Frequently asked questions about Wapol

What is Wapol's Devil Fruit?

Wapol possesses the Baku Baku no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that allows him to devour and fuse any object with his own body, transforming his limbs into weapons or armor.

Why did Wapol lose his throne?

After initially being driven out by his people, who had rebelled against his tyranny, Wapol attempts to retake Drum Island by force when Luffy arrives, but he is defeated and permanently deposed.

What is the connection between Wapol and Chopper?

It is Wapol's ban on medicine that drives Hiluluk to sacrifice himself for his island, a pivotal event that leads Chopper to leave Drum Island and join Luffy's crew.

Does Wapol reappear later in the story?

Yes, he is notably among the prisoners who escaped from Impel Down, proving that his Devil Fruit and survival instinct allow him to remain on the fringes of major events in the pirate world.

Is Wapol an important character for the rest of the story?

His direct influence remains limited, but his role in Chopper's origins makes him an antagonist whose narrative impact far exceeds the screen time devoted to him.

To Go Further into the One Piece Universe

Key takeaways

Wapol will remain in fans' memories as one of the most grotesque yet memorable antagonists of the early One Piece story: a gluttonous, cowardly, and cruel king whose tyranny paradoxically gave the Straw Hat crew one of its most endearing members, Tony Tony Chopper. His Devil Fruit, the Baku Baku no Mi, as comical as it is formidable, showcases the richness of the powers imagined in the series, and his reappearance later in the story proves that no character is ever completely removed from the plot. For fans who want to continue this exploration, our One Piece figurine collection is filled with pieces featuring the heroes who ended Wapol's reign, while the trading card collection lets you relive these legendary battles, card by card. Finally, for a gift that will delight any fan of the Drum Island arc, our One Piece gift ideas selection is sure to help you find the perfect present, as is our extensive One Piece merchandise catalog, our Pop figure collection, and our katana and sword collection for fans of the saga's iconic weapons.

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