Hollywood’s Captain Jack Sparrow sailed into the world of One Piece at Tokyo Comic Con 2025, where actor Johnny Depp received a personalized gift from manga artist Eiichiro Oda.
Depp received an unforgettable surprise on his final-day appearance as a special guest at the comic convention that took place at the Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Center in Chiba, Japan, from December 5 to December 7, 2025.
The special gift was a blue noren curtain, a traditional Japanese fabric divider often hung in doorways of shops, restaurants, and homes. This particular noren featured a custom illustration drawn by Eiichiro himself. It shows Johnny’s character, Jack Sparrow, reimagined in the manga artist’s signature One Piece art style.
Johnny Depp receives personalized pirate art from One Piece creator, Eiichiro Oda
The gift was not presented directly by Eiichiro, but instead, by the Japanese voice actor Hiroaki Hirata, who shares a special connection with Johnny Depp.
Hiroaki is best known as the voice of Sanji in the One Piece anime. He is also the Japanese dub voice of Johnny Depp’s characters, including Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series and the titular protagonist, Charlie Mortdecai, in the film Mortdecai.
Hiroaki Hirata and Johnny Depp shared the stage for the presentation, with the voice actor offering the noren curtain as an early Christmas gift.
Showing his appreciation, the actor initially said he “just wanted to cover myself in it.” He then playfully stepped behind the noren and popped out like a mischievous pirate.
Watch Johnny Depp at Tokyo Comic Con 2025 below:
For fans, this moment was the ultimate dream crossover between two legendary pirate worlds. Johnny Depp’s most famous character is the flamboyant Captain Jack Sparrow, the protagonist of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean. He shares a few traits with One Piece’s Monkey D. Luffy, including having sharp intelligence that enemies often overlook.
Johnny Depp is an American actor, producer, and musician known for his versatility and dramatic roles. While his signature character is Captain Jack Sparrow, his extensive filmography includes long-standing collaborations with director Tim Burton.
Iconic roles aside from Jack Sparrow include Edward Scissorhands in the film of the same name, Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Donnie Brasco, and The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.
What is One Piece about
The Japanese manga series, One Piece, was written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It tells the story of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as they sail the Grand Line in pursuit of the ultimate treasure, the “One Piece,” aiming to crown Luffy as the next King of the Pirates.
One Piece debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in July 1997. As of August 2022, it holds the Guinness World Record for “The most copies published for the same comic book series by a single author,” with over 516 million copies in circulation globally, making it the best-selling manga series in history.
Its widespread success has resulted in numerous adaptations, including a long-running anime series, several animated movies, various video games, a trading card game, and a successful live-action show on Netflix.
