Domo-kun and Nnke-kun

Domo-kun and Nnke-kun

Domo-kun and Nnke-kun are aliens planning to conquer the Earth. They are the first joke characters created by Oda. They first appeared in Oda’s short story God’s Gift for the Future. Later Domo-kun makes an appearance among the Buggy Pirates. Oda answered a question in an SBS and drew both of them. Nnke-kun appeared again alongside Pandaman on the cover of Volume 52.

Appearance

Domo-kun is humanoid creature with a pear-shaped head, dark circles on his cheeks and braided dark hair with a ribbon at the end. He wears an orange jumpsuit that covers his entire body apart from his hands.

Nnke-kun is a creature that consists of a mushroom cap-shaped head segment and several tentacle-like appendages. He has two eyes and a mouth with some missing teeth.

Nnke-kun with Pandaman from Vol.52.

Domo-kun from Vol.52.

History

Domo-kun and Nnke-kun once had an encounter with Pandaman. As Domo-kun preyed on Pandaman with a net in hand, Nnke-kun descended from a UFO. The two aliens attempted to capture Pandaman using the net, but were beaten up and forced to reflect while Pandaman lectured them. They then ran away when a strange bear-like creatured appeared.

Comprehensive List

God’s Gift for the Future

  • Page 21 – Panel 4
  • Page 27 – Panel 6

One Piece

  • Chapter 9 – Page 7 – Panel 4
  • Volume 52 – Inside Cover
  • Volume 53 – Inside Cover Back
  • Volume 54 – Inside Cover Back
  • Volume 55 – Inside Cover Back
  • Volume 56 – Inside Cover Back
  • Volume 57 – Inside Cover Back
  • Volume 58 – Inside Cover Back
  • Volume 59 – Inside Cover Back
  • Volume 60 – Inside Cover Back

Trivia

  • “Domo-kun” is also the name of a fictional creature that has served as NHK broadcasting’s mascot since the late 1990s.
    • Though predating this character by several years, Oda’s Domo-kun (and Nnke-kun) may still have been named in a deliberate homage, as their names were not established until Databook Blue in 2002.
  • One of the events God writes into existence in God’s Gift for the Future is the appearance and crash of a UFO. This possibly explains how Domo-kun and Nnke-kun ended up on Earth, as the UFO design is very similar to the one later used by Nnke-kun on the inside covers of One Piece volumes.

References

  1. Vivre Card – One Piece Visual Dictionary (EX Characters: East Blue Saga Vol. 2 #0047), Domo-kun’s birthday is revealed.
  2. One Piece Blue: Grand Data File (p. 38), Information about Domo-kun plans revealed.
  3. One Piece Manga — Vol. 2 Chapter 9 (p. 7).
  4. SBS One Piece Manga — Vol. 31 (p. 166), Fan question: “I would really like to see these earth-domination-plotting aliens like “Nnke-kun”, the partner of “Domo-kun”. Please show me what he looks like.”
  5. One Piece Manga — Vol. 53–Vol. 60, inside covers: Domo-kun and Nnke-kun attempt to capture Pandaman.

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