After finally seeing Kuma’s life in the anime, the Nika dance from the show One Piece has become a trend, with dads around the world giving it a try! Here’s why we think it’s so special.
Ever since we saw those haunting manga panels, fans have been holding their breath, waiting for the episode where Kuma’s story would be brought to life in animation. Now that it has, the whole fandom is coping with the emotional weight of it. We learn how Kuma, along with his family, was forced into slavery simply because they were born into a particular clan. Amidst this suffering, his father tells him the story of Nika, the dancing and laughing god who would one day come to free all those in pain. That moment is seared into memory when Kuma says that he wants to be like Nika, someone who brings joy and salvation to others, right before he sees his father being shot in front of his eyes by a Celestial Dragon. Despite witnessing such unimaginable cruelty at such a young age, Kuma grows up without ever turning his heart toward revenge or hatred. Instead, he uses his powers to take away the pain of others, to save lives, and to protect people.
Also Read: The good, bad, and complex portrayal of father characters in Anime
It was truly heartwarming when Kuma’s daughter, Bonney, remembers her childhood, for a brief moment, as her father tells her the story of the Sun God Nika, to which she asks 'Will he free me too?' and they dance together to the rhythm of the Drums of Liberation.
Of course, the episode was so beautiful and moving that people around the world are talking about the emotional weight that Kuma's story holds. What’s even more touching is that many are now recreating the Nika dance with their own children.
This particular compilation of some of the father-kid duo recreating the dance has gone viral on social media. This montage of fathers across the globe doing the Nika dance caught people's attention for how heartwarming it is and they have been sharing the same thought online.
The entire point of Kuma being affected by Nika and the story as a whole is to show that sometimes, we must believe in the possibility of a better world. We must have faith and often become the change we want to see. One thing I really appreciate about One Piece is how it shows that children often suffer the most when the world is consumed by conflict. In a time when the world seems to be growing numb to the pain of others, we are reminded once again that we must speak more to our children about hope, about kindness, and about dreaming of a better world.
Isn't this so wholesome? Let us know what you think of the trend in the comments.
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