Shirahata Elementary School in Kosa City, Kumamoto Prefecture became the talk of the town when the school held a special class inspired by the One piece manga on June 28, 2024.

Organized by Shueisha, publisher of One pieceThe program is part of a national initiative that aims to integrate professional education with cultural appreciation.

Since its inception last year, the program has visited a school in each of Japan's 47 prefectures, encouraging students to explore their dreams through the lens of the beloved manga series.

The special class at Shirahata Elementary School began with the homeroom teacher guiding the students through the program, starting with a review of the One piece plot.

The focus was on how the manga characters cling to big dreams and cherish their pirate flags as symbols of those dreams.

The students were then divided into groups and encouraged to write down parts of their dreams. This included their personal interests, career aspirations, and future goals. After this, they shared and discussed each other’s strengths within the groups.

Afterward, the students illustrated their pirate flags with tools and symbols related to their future ambitions. They made statements like “I want to become a hairdresser” and “I will work hard to achieve my dream,” imitating Luffy’s dream of becoming a pirate.

Source: Kumanichi Shimbun