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Memes

The ‘Blackbeard Writing’ meme from ‘One Piece,’ explained

As with many great memes, it all started with a piece of anime fan art.

Photo of Angela Andaloro

Angela Andaloro

blackbeard writing meme

People are getting ready to put on their writer hats. In this case, it’s more like busting out their quills, channeling One Piece’s Blackbeard (a.k.a Marshall D. Teach) to pen a masterpiece.

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What is the Blackbeard writing meme?

The meme format, which has been floating around the internet recently, started as a piece of fan art. It has turned into the visual anime fans are channeling as they pen their magnum opus (or finals essay).

One Piece is a Japanese manga turned Netflix anime series that follows gangs of pirates who are after a mythical treasure—and the title“King of the Pirates. This meme’s main character, Blackbeard, is one of the main antagonists in the series, who made his own fleet of pirates after betraying his previous crew. 

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If you haven’t yet seen the piece, shows Blackbeard with a slick smile on his face as he draws on a map with a quill. He works by candlelight, with his rings glistening:

Blackbeard writing meme origin

The Blackbeard writing meme features fan art first created by DeviantArt user Jen-and-Kris in 2012 and shows the character Blackbeard from the anime One Piece. Amino Apps shared the fan art piece in 2017 and 2018, which began the image’s circulation outside of the Deviant Art Community.

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The image resurfaced in September 2023, used in a meme on Reddit’s r/DNDmemes. Soon after, it started being used across the internet by users who were penning their own masterpieces — be it a Skyrim character’s background story or a D&D campaign. 

Blackbeard writing meme examples

You may have noticed that the meme has recently seen new life as many students face the end of the school year. They’re channeling Blackbeard as they catch up on assignments and write essays. There are also many memes from those who work in offices, channeling the meme as they compose a crucial email, especially on TikTok.

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@yulthatsall/TikTok
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@landomemez/TikTok
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iFunny
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X/@epicdndmemes
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memedroid
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Blackbeard writing spreads to TikTok

As with any popular meme in the past half-decade, it’s also become a trending sound on TikTok. Here are a few recent examples:

@mike_literus690 zee harh harh ha haa lookin ahh #blackbeard #onepiece #meme #foryoupage #foryou #fyp ♬ Jennifers body Kurdish – Hokty
@trueromanceee i might be black beard #blackbeard #foryou #fyp #viral #blowthisup #trending #toothfairy #relateable #real #funny #meme #writing #lmao #onepiece ♬ Jennifers body Kurdish – Hokty
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@freakus_reekus Blackbeard just like me fr 😭🫸🫷#blackbeard #onepiece #memes #fyp ♬ Jennifers body Kurdish – Hokty
@jtsutton_author The Winds of Winter is coming eventually, right? …right? #blackbeardwritingmeme #georgerrmartin #got #gameofthrones #windsofwinter #booktok #writing #fyp #jokes #blackbeard #blackbeardwriting #onepiece #memes #fyp #viral ♬ Jennifers body Kurdish – Hokty
@maejohs Real #blackbeardwriting #meme #blackbeard #blackbeardonepiece #jennifersbody #onepeice #theonepeiceisreal #anime #fypp #gamble #drawing #gambling #divorce #divorcepapers ♬ Jennifers body Kurdish – Hokty

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