Raftel / Laugh Tale & the One Piece Treasure — The Mystery of the Final Island

Article written by the Wanted Store team — sources: One Piece manga vols. 1-110+ by Eiichiro Oda, Toei Animation anime, official SBS. Updated on April 26, 2026. Major spoilers.

Since the very first panel of chapter 1, back in 1997, Eiichiro Oda has posed a simple question: what is the One Piece? Nearly thirty years later, the mystery remains almost intact. But the Wano arc has lifted a corner of the veil on the mythical island that holds it: Laugh Tale, long known by its anglicised name Raftel. Here is a complete deep dive into the Straw Hats’ ultimate destination.

What Is Raftel / Laugh Tale?

Raftel (true name: Laugh Tale) is the final island of the Grand Line, situated at the end of the New World. It is the ultimate destination for any pirate aspiring to the title of Pirate King, as it is said to hold the legendary treasure known as the One Piece, left there by Gol D. Roger himself after discovering it.

For more than 900 chapters, the island’s official name was “Raftel.” But in chapter 967, during the flashback dedicated to the final voyage of Roger’s crew, Oda reveals that this name was simply a Western transliteration. The true name, given by Roger himself, is Laugh Tale — literally “the tale of laughter.” A name that takes on its full meaning when you know the crew’s reaction upon discovering the truth hidden there.

The island is invisible on charts, inaccessible by conventional navigation methods (an ordinary Log Pose or an Eternal Pose), and its existence is considered a legend by the majority of sailors. Only one very particular instrument allows one to reach it.

How to Reach Laugh Tale

Access to Laugh Tale rests on a mechanism unique to the One Piece world: the convergence of the 4 Road Poneglyphs. Each of these red stones, inscribed in an ancient language, contains partial coordinates. Only by superimposing all four pieces of information does one obtain a single point on the New World’s seas: the exact position of Laugh Tale.

The process unfolds in several steps:

1. Locate the 4 Road Poneglyphs scattered across the New World and its most dangerous territories.
2. Decipher the ancient language — a knowledge forbidden by the World Government. Only Nico Robin, the last archaeologist of Ohara, is currently capable of this among the living.
3. Plot the coordinates on a map of the New World.
4. Navigate to the point, which presumably requires a specific Log Pose or a particular route through the sea currents.

After the Wano arc, Monkey D. Luffy‘s crew holds rubbings of several Road Poneglyphs: Big Mom’s (Charlotte Linlin), Kaido’s, and the one from Fish-Man Island. They are still missing the fourth, held by Shanks. A final confrontation is therefore inevitable.

The 4 Road Poneglyphs — Locations

The fact that three Road Poneglyphs were held by Yonko is no coincidence: only the most powerful pirates can protect them. The fall of Big Mom (Charlotte Linlin) and Kaido during the Wano arc has completely reshuffled the cards in this race for treasure.

Who Has Reached Laugh Tale?

To this day, within the manga’s timeline, only one crew has reached Laugh Tale: that of Gol D. Roger, approximately 24 years before the present of the story. The known members who set foot on the island are:

• Gol D. Roger — captain, future Pirate King
• Silvers Rayleigh — first mate, the “Dark King”
• Crocus — ship’s doctor, later the lighthouse keeper of the Twin Capes
• Kozuki Oden — recruited at Wano Country, one of the only people able to read the Poneglyphs
• Buggy the Clown and Shanks — then young apprentices. Shanks was present on the ship, but Buggy the Clown was sick on the day of the landing, and it is officially unclear whether Shanks himself set foot on the island

To discover all these characters, take a look at our Former Yonko Wanted Poster pack, which includes Roger.

After reaching Laugh Tale, Roger disbanded his crew, surrendered to the Marines, and was publicly executed at Loguetown, igniting the Great Age of Pirates with his legendary declaration: “My treasure? You want it? I’ll leave it right there for you to find it!”

What Is the One Piece (the Treasure)?

That is the question. Here are the four major theories circulating in the community, based on clues planted by Oda.

1. The Rio Poneglyph — The Truth of the Void Century

The most solid theory. The One Piece would be the Rio Poneglyph, a giant Poneglyph or collection of stones recounting the entirety of the Void Century — those 100 years erased by the World Government between 800 and 900 years before the present. Knowing this truth would grant its possessor colossal political power: the ability to destroy the legitimacy of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons. This is exactly what the Government feared when it destroyed Ohara. For more, read our feature on the Void Century.

2. A Symbolic Material Treasure

A more classical theory: the One Piece would be a genuine physical treasure — gold, jewels, a unique artefact — left by Joy Boy 800 years ago, then discovered by Roger. This interpretation fits with Roger’s literal declaration (“I left it there”) and with the title of the work itself. Oda himself confirmed in an SBS that it was a “real treasure.”

3. The Poetic Theory — Friendship and Adventure

“The real treasure was the friends we made along the way.” Often mocked, this interpretation has nevertheless been directly teased by Oda on several occasions. The Straw Hats’ journey, their bonds, their impact on every island they visit, would form the true meaning of the work — with the material treasure being merely a narrative pretext. Oda has even stated that he would regret readers being disappointed when they discover the concrete nature of the One Piece.

4. The Power to Reshape the World

The most radical theory: the One Piece would be a mechanism — perhaps linked to the Ancient Weapons Pluton, Poseidon, and Uranus — enabling the reshaping of global geography or politics. Combined with the Rio Poneglyph and the weapons, the possessor of the One Piece could literally forge a new era, as Joy Boy had promised 800 years earlier.

Why Did Roger Laugh When He Discovered the One Piece?

This is one of the most striking moments of the Wano flashback. When Roger’s crew finally arrives on the final island, discovers the treasure, and learns the truth about the Void Century, their reaction is neither stunned silence, nor fear, nor ecstasy. They all burst out laughing. A Homeric, contagious laughter that echoes across the entire island.

Why laugh? Because what they discovered is simultaneously so immense, so incredible, and so out of step with what everyone had imagined, that the only possible human reaction was an outburst of laughter. Roger himself then declared a phrase that has since become legendary:

“Our generation arrived too early. We cannot accomplish this.”

This means two things: Roger understood what needed to be done with the One Piece, but he had neither the time (he was already ill) nor, presumably, the “right person” in his crew to carry it forward. This is why he renamed the island Laugh Tale — in tribute to that moment of collective laughter — and passed hope to future generations, waiting for the one he had sensed would come: a new Joy Boy.

Luffy’s Ultimate Goal

Since chapter 1, the dream of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew has been crystal clear: to become Pirate King. A title which, in Oda’s universe, does not simply mean “the most powerful pirate” but literally “the one who possesses everything, including ultimate freedom.” And the only way to claim that title is to reach Laugh Tale and lay hands on the One Piece.

But the Wano arc and the revelation of the true name of Luffy’s Devil Fruit (Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika) have added an extra dimension: Luffy would be the reincarnation of Joy Boy, the legendary hero of the Void Century. He would therefore not merely be one candidate among many, but the “right person” that Roger was waiting for. His Will of D. is doubtless connected to this destiny.

FAQ — Raftel, Laugh Tale and the One Piece

What is the difference between Raftel and Laugh Tale?

None — they are the same island. “Raftel” was the name used until chapter 967; “Laugh Tale” is the true name revealed by Oda during the Roger flashback in Wano. Raftel corresponds to the Japanese phonetic transliteration of the original English name.

Has the One Piece ever been seen in the manga?

No. To this day, neither readers nor any living character has seen the One Piece on the page. Only surviving members of Roger’s crew (Silvers Rayleigh, Crocus, and possibly Shanks) know its exact nature.

How long does the voyage to Laugh Tale take?

For Roger’s crew, the complete Grand Line voyage lasted approximately 3 years. For the Straw Hats, the post-Wano arc suggests the end of the journey is drawing near, though several key islands remain to be visited (Elbaf, Laugh Tale).

Why does the World Government want to prevent access to Laugh Tale?

Because the treasure (likely tied to the Rio Poneglyph) would reveal the truth about the Void Century and utterly delegitimise the Twenty Kingdoms’ founders and the Celestial Dragons. The power of Im/Im-sama and the Five Elders (Gorosei) would be called into question.

Did Shanks reach Laugh Tale with Roger?

Oda has never explicitly confirmed it. Shanks was part of the crew during the final voyage, but the manga remains deliberately ambiguous about his physical presence on the island. Several theories suggest he was there, which would explain his profound knowledge of Joy Boy and his ownership of a Road Poneglyph.

What happened to Laugh Tale after Roger’s visit?

The island has remained untouched for 24 years. Roger left the One Piece intact, waiting for the “right generation” to come and claim it. The island is likely naturally protected by its position and the impossibility of reaching it without all 4 Road Poneglyphs.

Will the One Piece be revealed before the manga ends?

Yes. Oda has confirmed on multiple occasions that the manga will conclude with the Straw Hats arriving at Laugh Tale and discovering the One Piece. It is the planned narrative climax since chapter 1.

What makes Luffy different from other contenders?

Three factors: he carries the Will of D., he is the possessor of the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika (Joy Boy’s reincarnation), and his crew includes Nico Robin — the only person alive capable of reading the Poneglyphs. No other pirate combines all three conditions.

Further Reading

• Joy Boy and Im/Im-sama: the Key Figures of the Void Century
• The Void Century Explained: 100 Years Erased from History
• Pluton, Poseidon, Uranus: the Ancient Weapons Decoded
• The Will of D.: Oda’s Secret Family