Dr. Vegapunk in One Piece started off as a man enshrouded in mystery. Over the decades, very little has been revealed about the famed scientist of the World Government. But with the StrawHats finally landing on Egghead Island, fans are finally given the chance to meet Dr. Vegapunk in flesh! Of course, aside from his looks, truth about his devil fruit powers also came to light.
Read More: Who Is Dr. Vegapunk in One Piece Explained
What Does Dr. Vegapunk Look Like?
Although the name of Dr. Vegapunk has been mentioned numerous times throughout the whole One Piece series, it is not until Chapter 1065 of the manga that the famous scientist was finally introduced and seen by fans. And boy, the wait was all worth it!
To everyone’s surprise, One Piece‘s most brilliant scientist was, in fact, inspired by none other than real-life genius Albert Einstein! And to add up to the hype, his appearance resembles the iconic picture that made rounds online featuring the real-life scientist with his tongue sticking out.
Specifically, Vegapunk was portrayed to be an elderly man with tall, slender legs. Similar to the popular image of Einstein, he was designed to have round eyes, with his tongue sticking out. He also has spiky white hair on the sides and has a thick mustache that covers his upper lip. What is most distinguishable about him, however, is his head, which was neatly cut in a horizontal manner and is supported by a shaft.
What is Dr. Vegapunk’s Power?
The famous genius Vegapunk weilds the power of the “Brain-Brain fruit,” a Paramecia-type that enables him to store all kinds of information without limits in his brain, effectively giving him an infinite data bank! In fact, this is the very reason why Vegapunk appears to have a peculiar-looking head that is cut into half.
According to the scientist, the more knowledge he acquires, the bigger his brain becomes. In truth, before his interaction with the Strawhats, Vegapunk used to have a towering head that was twice or thrice more than his actual size. During his conversation with the crew, he even revealed that he “was going to be the height of a giant before long.”
And so, as his brain continues to grow, Vegapunk then decided to cut his head and placed the storage space of his brain somewhere else, away from his actual body. To date, his brain space is now located in a place called Punk Records, which is located at the top of the Egghead Island.
Still, the genius scientist is able to access all the information contained in the Punk Records even at a distance, thanks to the antenna on top of his head that looks like a twig on top of an an apple-core. Through the said antenna, Vegapunk still can access all information that goes in and out of Punk Records, as if it was right inside him.
Is Vegapunk Good or Bad?
Vegapunk’s character is complex and illustrates a man in absolute quest for truth and scientific advancement. Generally, he is portrayed to be generous and even carries a strong sense of justice. In his conversation with Luffy, he shared his dream of creating an ideal world through science where energy is abundant and available to everyone around the globe for free.
And yet, his quest for knowledge and innovation also drives him to become a lapdog of the World Government. In fact, in one part of the manga, it was further revealed that Vegapunk shares a cordial relationship with the revolutionary Dragon. Yet, despite their shared respect to the people of Ohara and their interest in unveiling the truth to the Void Century, Vegapunk did not join the Revolutionary Army. According to him, his intellect and expertise would achieve nothing within an impoverished military force like the Revolutionary Army.
From the interaction, it can be gleamed that while Vegapunk is a seeker of truth and a people’s genius, he is also opportunistic, willing to side with any force that will allow him to advance his scientific knowledge. Even now, he chooses to side with the Strawhats because he knows that being with them will allow him to leave the island alive, break free from the shackles of the World Government, and further his research on the Void Century.
Still, with the way the manga is now going, there is much more to learn about Vegapunk, his true nature, and even the truth to the power of his devil fruit.
Read More: What is the Role of the World Government in One Piece?
