PLOT
Following the execution of famed pirate captain Gold Roger, pirates take to the sea to search for his hidden treasure, the "One Piece." Twenty-two years later, novice pirate Monkey D. Luffy is among those searching for the treasure. He winds up on the pirate ship of the cruel Alvida. Using his elasticity powers inherited from accidentally eating a Devil Fruit, he defeats Alvida and escapes with her mistreated cabin boy, Koby. The two head to a Marine base to obtain a map to the Grand Line, a treacherous sea route where the One Piece is rumored to be located. Luffy frees notorious pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro, who was punished after fighting Helmeppo, son of corrupt Marine captain Morgan. Nami, a cat burglar, helps Luffy steal Morgan's safe containing the map, and Zoro helps them defeat Morgan. The trio escape on a ship together with the safe; Koby remains behind to enlist with the Marines.
Luffy, Zoro, and Nami are captured by Buggy the Clown, a pirate who has imprisoned the people of Orange Town in his personal circus. Luffy swallows the map before capture, and learns of Buggy's ties to his childhood idol, Shanks, from whom Luffy received his straw hat as part of a promise to become king of the pirates. Buggy attempts to drown Luffy in a tank of seawater, but Zoro and Nami escape and rescue Luffy, inspired by his optimism. Buggy, whose Chop-Chop Fruit powers allow him to split himself apart, has his body parts locked in boxes, and Luffy launches him away, freeing the town. Meanwhile, Koby meets with Garp, who deduces that he was with pirates prior to joining the Marines. Garp allows Koby to stay due to his honesty, and punishes Morgan for lying about the attack on the base. While sailing away, Nami contacts someone about having the map in her possession. Throughout the episode, various flashbacks are shown of Luffy's childhood such as his time with Shanks and his pirate crew, eating the "Gum-Gum" Devil Fruit, and Shanks saving him from a sea creature using a mysterious power at the cost of his left arm.
In need of a new boat, the newly dubbed Straw Hat Crew stop by the Gecko Islands in Syrup Village to see if they can acquire a larger vessel. A rowdy young man named Usopp, who has a habit of declaring that pirates are coming on a daily basis, works at the ship yard and learns of Luffy and his crew's need for a boat. Knowing the owner, a sickly rich girl named Kaya, he takes them to see her about possibly selling a ship to them. Despite Usopp's wily ways, he and Kaya are good friends, though Zoro is suspicious of Kaya's butler, Klahadore. Elsewhere, Garp takes a liking to Koby and has him challenge himself and his loyalty to the Marines. They soon pick up word over Luffy's whereabouts and Garp asks that Koby lead the charge. At the same time, Buggy is captured and threatened by fishman Pirate Arlong, convincing him to go after Luffy instead. Luffy and Usopp bond over knowing the latter's father Yasopp, while Nami meets with Kaya and discuss their personal opinions about one another. Klahadore is revealed to be Kuro of the Black Cat pirates, and kills Kaya's, lawyer Merry. When confronted by Zoro and Usopp, Zoro is knocked out while Usopp runs away to get help. No one believes his cries except for Koby, who has arrived with the Marines.
After getting tossed down a well by Kuro's subordinates Sham and Buchi, Zoro thinks back to his childhood and the death of his friend Kuina, who inspired him to be a swordsman. Usopp brings Koby and the Marines to the house for help, but Kuro manages to dissuade them while also giving them an unconscious Luffy, who had eaten poisoned soup meant for Kaya. Usopp and Nami rush to Kaya's aid, who has trouble believing that Merry is dead and that Klahadore is really Kuro, until Kuro starts attacking her so that he can inherit her shipyards. Zoro rescues Luffy from the Marines and the two head back to the house, with Zoro battling Sham and Buchi, and Luffy taking on Kuro. The Straw Hats are victorious as Kuro flees the island, and Kaya rewards them with a recently built ship that Luffy dubs the Going Merry. Usopp is invited to join the crew while also admitting his feelings to Kaya, who now wishes to be a doctor. Despite Koby's failure to capture Luffy, Garp tells him that he managed to draw them out. As the Straw Hats continue their adventure, Garp begins attacking their ship, and Luffy reveals that Garp is his grandfather.
Luffy manages to deter the Marines by bouncing one of their cannon balls back at their mast as the Straw Hats escape through a fog. As the crew question Luffy's family connection to Garp, they end up at a floating restaurant called Baratie, and meet chef and waiter Sanji, who has a strong love for cooking. When Luffy is incapable of paying the bill, the owner Zeff puts him to work as a dishwasher to pay off his meals. Garp hires Warlord Dracule Mihawk to bring Luffy in alive. Koby overhears and Helmeppo informs him about the Seven Warlords of the Sea, who have hidden ties to the government when they need to get their hands dirty. Luffy sticks up for Sanji when Zeff refuses to have him cook. Mihawk arrives to take Luffy in, but Zoro challenges him to a sword duel to prove he is the greatest. Nami considers running away, but changes her mind to support her friend. Zoro viciously loses against Mihawk, who decides not to kill him, and leaves Luffy alone when he sees their determination. Zoro falls unconscious after the fight.
Luffy has Zeff treat Zoro's wounds, but he is unsure if he will live. Nami is convinced to speak to him in an effort to keep him tethered to life, and admits to pushing friends away. Sanji tells Luffy and Usopp his history with Zeff, and his dream to find All Blue, an area of ocean where all fish exist. Koby learns about Garp and Luffy's connection via Mihawk, and while he convinces Garp that Luffy will never change, he decides to lead the Marines into capturing him regardless. Arlong suddenly appears at Baratie with his crewmates Chew and Kuroobi in search of Luffy, having taken Buggy's head hostage to find him (he hid his ear in Luffy's hat). Luffy is severely beaten, and Nami reveals that she is a member of Arlong's crew, handing the Grand Line map to him before she leaves. Luffy believes he has failed as a captain until Zoro regains consciousness, and convinces them to go after Nami. Zeff convinces Sanji to leave, and Sanji officially joins the Straw Hats. As Zoro and Usopp question how to find Arlong, Luffy reveals that he stole Buggy's head.
Luffy and his crew arrive at Conomi Island and learn that Coco Village is under constant rule by Arlong and his pirates. They locate Nojiko, Nami's adoptive sister, who reveals that the two of them lost their adoptive mother to Arlong. Meanwhile, Garp arrives at Baratie and demands answers from Zeff over Luffy's whereabouts, admitting that he does not want to lose his grandson the same way as Gold Roger. Koby comes clean to Helmeppo about Garp's relation to Luffy, and a bartender informs them where Luffy is. Arlong is revealed to be paying off Marine Captain Nezumi to keep quiet about their actions, and vows his intent to destroy all humans. Nami is revealed to have accumulated 100 million berries to pay off Arlong and save Coco Village. However, Arlong orders Nezumi to confiscate the money, much to Nami's horror. Angered and at the end of her rope, Nami asks Luffy for help, and he affirms that he will help her. Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji notice that Arlong is now attacking Coco Village.
The people of Coco Village decide to unite as the Straw Hat Crew face off against Arlong and his Fishmen Pirates at Arlong Park. The battle rages, with the Straw Hats successfully taking out several fishmen as Luffy confronts Arlong in his tower. When the battle seems to falter, Luffy realizes that the tower contains much of Nami's work, which is vital to Arlong. Luffy brings the whole tower down on the fishman, defeating him. The Straw Hats celebrate their victory just as Garp and the Marines arrive. Garp plans to bring the Straw Hats in, but Luffy refuses to yield. Garp and Luffy fight with the former, dominating the battle. Despite this, Luffy refuses to give up on his dream and Garp finally relents, ordering his Marines to hunt down the rest of Arlong's crew. As revenge for his humiliation, Nezumi finally puts a wanted poster out for Luffy with a 30 million berry bounty, something he always wanted. Luffy and Koby say goodbye to one another. Later, Garp informs Koby and Helmeppo that he will personally train them to be better soldiers. As Luffy's wanted poster is seen by many of their past acquaintances, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji declare their future goals as the Straw Hat Pirates. Elsewhere, a smokey Marine captain sees Luffy's wanted poster and burns it with his cigars.
Rating: 10 Stars
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