What did Joyboy look like?

The appearance of Joy Boy in One Piece has been a mystery for much of the series. However, there are some clues and hints about his appearance based on the current story developments, particularly the events that unfold in Wano and the lore surrounding the Void Century.

1. Joy Boy’s Appearance in the Past

As of now, there is no definitive, canonical depiction of what Joy Boy looked like during his lifetime. However, we do have a few key pieces of information:

• The Joy Boy of the Past was linked to the Void Century, a period of time in the One Piece world that has been erased from history. Joy Boy's significance is tied to the Poneglyphs and the Ancient Kingdom, and he is a key figure in the mystery of the lost history.

• Joy Boy’s Connection to Luffy: It's revealed that Luffy has some sort of connection to Joy Boy, especially with his newly awakened powers in Gear 5. In this form, Luffy demonstrates traits that seem to echo or resonate with the will of Joy Boy, such as freedom, laughter, and the ability to inspire others. However, this doesn't give us a full image of what Joy Boy looked like physically.

2. The Joy Boy of the Present (Luffy as Joy Boy?)

While we haven’t seen a clear depiction of Joy Boy's appearance, there is speculation that Luffy may be the modern-day incarnation of Joy Boy. In the events of Wano, Luffy's awakening of his Devil Fruit power (the Gomu Gomu no Mi), as well as his transformation into Gear 5, has drawn parallels to the mysterious and legendary figure. This form might symbolize Joy Boy's freedom and desire to bring joy to the world.

• Luffy's Gear 5 (Sun God Nika) has also been linked to Joy Boy, with his rubber body and immense power. This suggests that Joy Boy’s appearance, when he was alive, might have been a more traditional human form rather than a cartoonish figure like Luffy. However, Luffy's connection to Joy Boy suggests that some elements of Luffy's physical features might be symbolic of the original Joy Boy's legacy.

3. Theories and Speculation

• The Straw Hat: Joy Boy is believed to be connected to the Straw Hat that Luffy inherited from Shanks. The hat might represent the legacy of Joy Boy in a more symbolic sense, emphasizing freedom and the desire to bring joy to the world. This could mean that Joy Boy, like Luffy, might have worn a similar hat to symbolize his rebellious and free-spirited nature.

• The Ancient Texts: Some of the ancient texts or Poneglyphs may hold clues to his appearance, but these haven’t been revealed in full yet. It’s possible that Joy Boy’s likeness is depicted somewhere in the lost history, but that hasn’t been fully uncovered by the story just yet.

Conclusion: A Figure Shrouded in Mystery

To sum up, Joy Boy’s appearance remains largely unknown, with only symbolic connections to the character being revealed, especially through Luffy’s transformation into Gear 5 and the connection between their shared ideals. What we do know is that Joy Boy is a figure connected to the legacy of freedom, laughter, and the will to bring joy, themes that are very much reflected in Luffy’s actions and goals. While we haven’t seen a direct, canonical image of Joy Boy yet, the mystery surrounding his true identity and appearance adds to the intrigue and complexity of One Piece's world-building.