Ask anyone who watched anime in the Saturday morning cartoons and Limewire era what the most hyped fight was at the time. Odds are, the answer will be either Arlong vs. Luffy or Rock Lee vs. Gaara in the Chunin Exams. This isn’t a Naruto review though, so it’s time to review One Piece’s game-changing Arlong Park arc!
In the Baratie arc, Sanji joined the Straw Hat crew as they defended Baratie from Don Krieg’s pirates. Nami meanwhile stole the Merry Go along with all their treasure, sailing off to Arlong Park. Zolo attempted to face down Warlord Hawkeye Mihawk but was gravely wounded in no time. Now, the Straw Hats sail onward into the world of Fishmen, ever closer to the Grand Line!
The Fishmen Debut
Fishmen haven’t been mentioned before now, but they make an impressive debut quickly. Arlong and his crew are presented as a broken faction of the Fishman Pirates before they sailed to the East Blue for money and power. He moved in quickly, he and his crew demanded payment and killed anyone who couldn’t. This is where Nami’s story takes a turn.
Nami and her sister Nojiko aren’t related but were both found by Navy soldier Belle-Mere on a battlefield. She raised the girls and was one of the first victims of Arlong’s rampage. She was killed because she loved her daughters too much to disown them, and dammit that’s a better mother than One Piece usually gives readers. Belle-Mere’s death is tragic and makes Arlong the most dangerous enemy yet before they even step foot in Arlong Park.
Nami Asks for Help
Nami has been on the Arlong Pirates since then, where she draws navigation charts for the Fishmen and makes her own trips out. Granted, she uses these trips to steal money which she hides away, with the desperate hope to buy the village’s freedom eventually. Even after Nami has most of the money and cuts off the Straw Hats, Arlong betrays her and steals it all for themselves. Nami’s breakdown is also one of Luffy’s greatest moments of character development early on.
When Luffy finally caves in, asking for Luffy to help save her village, he immediately steps up. The moment when he puts the Straw Hat on a crying Nami and tells her to take care of it for a few minutes gives chills to this day. It’s one of the first times when Luffy shows his dedication to saving his crew, and just how angry their pain can make him.
The Straw Hats Work Together
Luffy gets scary when he’s angry, but anger alone doesn’t quite get him through the fight against Arlong. Every Straw Hat pulls their weight in Arlong Park whether it be Usopp lying his way through a fight or Sanji and Nami’s rescue of Luffy. Luffy’s weaknesses are finally highlighted in relation to the crew, especially since he’s the only Devil Fruit user against a crew of Fishmen. When Luffy sinks, it’s Sanji’s quick thinking that saves him from a too-early watery grave.
Stretching Luffy’s head up to the surface so he could breathe was a genius move. Nami wasn’t much in this fight, but she and Nojiko definitely helped keep Luffy alive. Zolo’s fight against Hachi was a great show of power too, especially catching Johnny and Yasuke’s swords to use his signature style. The Straw Hats teamwork shines in Arlong Park as they cover each other’s weaknesses and use their strengths. Even Nami “killing” Usopp played into his strength to pull off the lie.
Luffy Protects His Friends
There are two things in the world that Luffy loves unconditionally- food and his friends. If he either is disrespected or hurt in some way, Luffy will do everything he can to make it right or hurt whoever made it happen. The tale of Nami’s history only enraged him. Then Nami breaks down and begs for help, so Luffy goes into his first of many rage beatdowns.
He doesn’t think it’s enough just to beat down Arlong, but he makes it a point to destroy Nami’s prison. Luffy caves the tower with his Gum-Gum Ax and destroys the charts along with Arlong. It’s cathartic, and just the first hint of Luffy’s overarching role as Joyboy, a bringer of freedom.
More World Building
Arlong’s Pirates are just a drop in the proverbial ocean when it comes to One Piece’s vast history. Jimbei debuts in name when Arlong mentions his status as a Warlord of the Sea like Hawkeye Mihawk. In the current story, Jimbei is an official Straw Hat after Luffy saves Fishman Island. Not only that but Arlong appears much later in the story in a flashback to the original Fishman Pirates.
Arlong’s blatant disdain for humans is on full display in Arlong Park, but later in Fishman Island the crew finds out why. Turns out, he and Jimbei, along with their respective crews, were once part of a legendary crew of Fishman Pirates. These pirates disbanded around fifteen years before the current events, due to the death of their captain Fisher Tiger.
To the Grand Line!
Nami’s emotional arc comes to a satisfying conclusion here when she finally joins the Straw Hats. Now truly free, without the worry of her village falling to Arlong, she joins the Straw Hats as their trusty navigator. She saves the Merry Go and Thousand Sunny more than any of the others.
Luffy beating Arlong into the ground also earns his first bounty, with the Navy’s offer of thirty million Berries, dead or alive. Only fitting that the captain be the first to get a bounty, but the remaining Straw Hats will gain their own in due time. For now, it just means that Luffy will have to keep his head down during their last stop before the Grand Line.
Navy Corruption
In just the one instance of One Piece’s Navy showing it’s not all it claims to be, Arlong pays off a commodore to leave them alone. At the one point they try to fight back (after extorting the money, of course) but sunk by Arlong’s crew. The Navy Commodore didn’t give a second thought to selling out Coco Village for his own profit. Unfortunately, the Navy will prove even more corrupt as the Grand Line expands.
Important Notes
- Arlong and Hachi debut. Expect to see them play a big part in the second half of the series.
- Jimbei debuts in name only.
- Nami’s tragic history and grudge against Arlong revealed.
- Johnny and Yasuke part ways with the crew.
- Luffy gains his first bounty!
Luffy has everyone needed for the Grand Line, and set off to their final stop in East Blue, Loguetown! Gold Roger’s place of execution and the final island before the Grand Line! Loguetown is a destination for all in the East Blue who search for the One Piece.
The Straw Hats will meet foes old and new during their brief stop and receive help from some mysterious figures. Onward, to the Grand Line.
One Piece’s Arlong Park arc streams on Crunchyroll or Netflix, found in Episodes 31-44.
