Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow Gets One Piece Tribute in Tokyo

• One Piece creator honoured Jack Sparrow at Tokyo Comic Con, surprising fans worldwide.
• Jack Sparrow actor Johnny Depp received a One Piece–style noren tapestry, creating a fun moment.
• Any official crossover is not finalized yet, though fans still hope for subtle nods.

One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda delighted audiences at Tokyo Comic Con 2025 with a witty tribute to Johnny Depp, based on his famous role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates Of The Caribbean. It was a humorous yet significant moment that immediately garnered attention worldwide. Fans from both franchises praised the crossover, reacting with delight online, thus fueling massive speculations.

Depp shared the stage with Hiroaki Hirata, the Japanese voice actor who plays Straw Hat pirate Sanji in One Piece, and is also the Japanese dub voice for Jack Sparrow. Hirata gave Depp a custom-made noren (a traditional Japanese fabric curtain) as an “early Christmas gift.” Noren are usually given to kabuki performers or stage artists in Japan. The artwork preserved Sparrow's distinctive dreadlocks, smirk, and pirate swagger, but recreated them in Oda's bold, exaggerated signature One Piece style.

On stage, Depp seemed to be really thrilled and delighted, even joking that he wanted to wrap himself in noren. Hirata also set the tone with a lighthearted opening, referring to Oda as "a guy I know who draws pirate manga a lot." The moment playfully connected Hollywood's most famous pirate to the manga and anime world's most popular pirate story.

One Piece x Jack Sparrow: Not a Crossover — Yet

According to industry figures, Pirates of the Caribbean has grossed over $4.52 billion USD at the global box office.  Beyond theater revenue, the franchise has produced substantial profits from retail and home entertainment, bringing its total earnings surpassing the box office figure.

However, the One Piece franchise is valued at a little over $20B USD, which is significantly higher than the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. One Piece, therefore, has earned a place amongst the top 20 most profitable franchises. Its manga sales beat its movies, but the anime's success is steady. One Piece Film: Red (2022) is the franchise's highest-grossing film. According to Box Office Mojo, the movie earned approximately $171,315,305 USD globally.

The gift was just a tribute and did not represent an official crossover. According to various sources, Jack Sparrow's appearance in One Piece is doubtful due to legal and creative constraints. Nonetheless, the event has sparked fan curiosity. Some are wondering if Oda may create a Jack Sparrow-inspired character or make subtle references to Depp's legendary pirate character in the future storylines, as several aspects of One Piece are yet to be revealed.