The recent viral phenomenon of raising the Jolly Roger flag, popularized by the anime One Piece, has drawn serious attention from the Center for Digital Society (CfDS) at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Fisipol UGM). The trend has sparked discussions not only among anime fans but also among media observers and public policy experts.
Massive conversations across platforms illustrate how a seemingly simple visual issue can evolve into a national topic. According to CfDS researcher Ayom Mratita Purbandani, her team recorded a significant surge in online discussions.
“So far, we have noted at least 2.6 million impressions related to the One Piece flag-raising issue,” she said on Wednesday (Aug. 13).
Public attention has been drawn not merely to the visual aesthetics but also to the polarized interpretations of its meaning. Online discussions reveal clear differences in perspective between mainstream media and conversations among netizens. This indicates a perception gap shaped by contrasting framing and information sources.
While mainstream media coverage tends to be negative or neutral, highlighting issues of treason and anti-nationalism, many social media users interpret it as a form of creative expression in delivering messages.
“We see the use of popular culture idioms like this as a common medium for articulating protest,” Purbandani explained.
Purbandani observed that the Jolly Roger phenomenon in Indonesia parallels the use of other global symbols that have become protest icons, such as the watermelon for Palestine or the three-finger salute in Thailand. These patterns demonstrate the transnational power of popular culture in building symbolic solidarity.
Such symbols are easily adopted because they carry narratives already widely recognized by the public, minimizing barriers to understanding. The presence of symbols drawn from popular works makes the messages more accessible as they resonate with collective memory and emotional familiarity.
“The One Piece flag is a simple yet powerful communication channel because it is easily recognized and deeply embedded in public consciousness,” she said.
Interestingly, attempts to prohibit the flag by some parties only amplified online discussions. This “Streisand effect” is common in the digital era, where efforts to restrict content often lead to increased attention and wider dissemination.
The public tends to respond with solidarity toward symbols perceived as being suppressed or banned. According to Purbandani, this dynamic shows that the symbol not only attracts attention but also strengthens the intended message.
“When prohibition occurs, the symbolic message becomes even more effective,” she noted.
She further emphasized that popular media carries an ideological power of its own, delivering criticism in a non-conventional and subtler way compared to traditional protest.
Its light and visual form allows messages to reach broader audiences, including those usually apathetic toward political issues. The strength of such symbols lies in their ability to blend entertainment with social awareness, sparking discussions without confrontation.
“Non-confrontational symbols enable people from diverse backgrounds to grasp the message without needing to read lengthy manifestos,” Purbandani explained.
The choice of a flag as a medium of protest, she argued, is also closely tied to the current context. Flags possess a strong visual power that can be instantly understood without verbal explanation.
During Indonesia’s independence commemoration, the use of flags resonates even more strongly with the prevailing national atmosphere. In today’s digital era, simple visual symbols with strong emotional resonance are especially effective in attracting attention and fostering engagement.
“The Jolly Roger is effective because its symbolism is simple, resonant, and widely accessible,” Purbandani concluded.
She also added that the success of symbolic messages in digital spaces relies on their adaptability. On social media, symbols can be continuously modified, adapted, and reproduced without losing their core meaning. This process ensures that the messages remain relevant and continually reach new audiences.
“As long as there is social relevance, symbols like the Jolly Roger will continue to be used and discussed,” Purbandani stressed.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Illustration: iStockphoto