One Piece: The Dual Leadership in Zou, Explained

Highlights

The Mokomo Dukedom on the island of Zou is the only known place in the One Piece world ruled by two sovereigns: Inuarashi and Nekomamushi.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi used to be best friends and fought together under Kozuki Oden, but now they hate each other and refuse to see each other.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi work in shifts to rule their people, with Inuarashi ruling during the day and Nekomamushi ruling during the night.

From a legendary island that floats high up in the sky to an ancient kingdom that lies on the bottom of the ocean, the world of One Piece is full of interesting places. Every single one of those places has its own culture, its way of life, and its sovereignty.

Some places have been ruled by the same royal family for generations, such as the Nefertari family of Arabasta. On the contrary, some places are led by an elected official, such as Mayor Iceburg of Water 7. This fact is true for the overwhelming majority of the islands, nations, and kingdoms in this series. The only known exception is the living island of Zou. This is the only place that is ruled by two sovereigns. So let’s use this chance to talk about why Zou has two rulers, who those rulers are, and how this system affects the citizens of this fascinating kingdom.

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The Mokomo Dukedom

The Longtime Home of One Piece's Mysterious Mink Tribe

The island of Zou is located on the back of a colossal prehistoric elephant named Zunesha. The official name of this enigmatic place is the Mokomo Dukedom, and it has been the hometown of the mysterious Mink Tribe for centuries. Since the Mokomo Dukedom sits on top of Zunesha’s back, it’s pretty much impossible to visit this place by any conventional means. After all, no log pose can ever pinpoint the exact location of Zunesha at any given moment. The only way to visit this kingdom is by using a Vivre Card given by one of the residents of the Mokomo Dukedom.

As the name suggests, the Mokomo Dukedom is ruled by a duke. Before the current storyline, the Duke of the Mink Tribe was a sheep mink named Hitsugisukan. He might not be a great fighter, but he was a wise leader. At some point before the story, Hitsugisukan appointed a dashing canine mink named Inuarashi as the new sovereign of the Mokomo Dukedom. However, there’s also another mink who deserves to be called a leader of this Dukedom. He is the guardian of an incredibly sacred place in Zou, the Whale Forest. He is a carefree feline mink named Nekomamushi, and he is the other ruler of the Mokomo Dukedom.

A Nation Divided

Inuarashi and Nekomamushi's Long-running Feud Gets Out of Hand

While having two active leaders at the same time is certainly unconventional, the most interesting part about the Mokomo Dukedom situation is the fact that both leaders, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, are not on good terms with each other. They hate each other’s guts. It’s so bad that both leaders refuse to see each other. Whenever they accidentally meet, a huge brawl will follow. But the most surprising part about this strange dynamic is the fact that Inuarashi and Nekomamushi used to be best friends and comrades who fought together under Kozuki Oden for decades.

Since the tender age of 7 years old, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi have served Kozuki Oden, the enigmatic heir to the throne of Wano. From the peaceful land of Wano to the hectic life of the Whitebeard Pirates, to the crazy voyage of the Roger Pirates, these two have always been there to accompany their master. They lived together, trained together, laughed together, and cried together. Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, along with the rest of Oden’s Red Scabbards, were more than comrades in arms, they were brothers.

But everything changed when Oden was tricked and killed by Kaidou and Orochi. As Oden’s loyal guards, the Red Scabbards became fugitives, forcing its members to scatter and flee for their lives. As a member of the Mink Tribes, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi decided to go back to their hometown.

However, the pain of losing their master was so great that they began to not only blame themselves for Oden’s death but also started to blame each other. The older they get, the bigger the disappointment, the frustration, and the hatred they have for each other. Without realizing it, the two people who used to live together as brothers have now become mortal enemies.

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The Ruler of Day, The Ruler of Night

The Two Manage to Make Things Work Despite Their Difference

So can two powerful minks who hate each other rule their people properly? The answer is a resounding yes. Inuarashi and Nekomamushi found an ingenious way to do their job properly without having to meet each other. They decided to work only at certain times of the day. In other words, they work in shifts.

Duke Inuarashi rules the Mokomo Dukedom from 6 AM to 6 PM. This is why he is known as the Ruler of Day. Inuarashi ruled the urban area of the Mokomo Dukedom, with his citizens composed mostly of the townsfolk. His main combat force is a group of highly trained minks called the Inuarashi Musketeer Squad. The leader of this elite group is a fiery and hot-blooded lion mink named Shishilian.

Master Nekomamushi rules the Mokomo Dukedom from 6 PM to 6 AM. This is why he is known as the Ruler of Night. Since Nekomamushi is the Guardian of the Whale Forest, his domain is the forest outside of the city limits, with his subjects composed mostly of the forest folk. His main combat force is a group of highly trained minks whose main job is to be a guardian of the whale forest, just like Nekomamushi. This group is called the Guardians and they are led by a calm and cunning jaguar mink named Pedro.

Interestingly enough, this 12-hour shift does not only affect the leaders’ ruling time but also their citizen’s daily life cycle. Inuarashi, along with the townsfolk, would wake up at 6 AM and fall asleep at 6 PM. On the contrary, Nekomamushi, along with the forest folk, would wake up at 6 PM and fall asleep at 6 AM. This strange arrangement lasted for about two decades until the Straw Hats visited Zou and took Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, and their respective elite forces to fight together with the samurai to free Wano Country.

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