Episode 15: Defeat Kuro! Usopp's Tearfilled Determination!
Air Date: 2000-02-23
Opening: We Are! (1st Opening)
Ending: Memories (1st Ending)
Short Summary
Zoro and Buchi square off once again as Luffy and Kuro begin their fight. Usopp orders the Usopp Pirates to run away with Kaya, but Jango chases after them. When Usopp tries to follow, he is unable to, and a flashback reveals how Kuro faked his death and came to be Kaya's butler.
In-Depth Summary
The episode opens with the Kuroneko Pirates gaping at Luffy's Gomu Gomu powers. At that moment, the Usopp Pirates arrive, and with a frying pan, shovel, and bat they start whacking Kuro, yelling to kill him. Usopp orders them to stop, and the Usopp Pirates demand why Usopp didn't tell them everything. Kuro then gets up and walks forward, kicking Usopp while he's down and remarking that Luffy had a powerful punch. He orders Jango to get Kaya to write the will, but as Jango steps forward Zoro blocks his way with his sword. Jango order's a powered-up Buchi to attack, who does so, and so Zoro and Buchi clash again. Usopp then yells at the Usopp Pirates for their most dangerous mission yet - to escort Kaya to safety. As they run off with Kaya, Jango starts after them, but Usopp shoots Jango in the back with his slingshot. Jango keeps going anyway, and Kuro says how Kaya is in too bad of a condition for them to escape.
As Luffy walks up to the slope to fight Kuro, Buchi has Zoro pressed against the wall. Zoro knocks Buchi forward and slashes him across the chest, then hurls his sword into the air and catches them in his sheaths as Buchi hits the ground, defeated. Usopp struggles to get, trying to force himself to run after Kaya and protect her, but can't get up. Kuro taunts Usopp, making Luffy angry. Zoro picks up Usopp and tells Luffy he is going after Jango, but as he walks past Kuro, Kuro demands him who gave them permission to leave. Luffy aims a punch right at Kuro's head, giving Zoro a chance to carry Usopp away. Luffy aims another punch at Kuro, missing again, and uses Gomu Gomu no Power Kick but is unsuccessful and Kuro takes him down. The pirates cheer for Kuro, but Kuro yells at them, telling them to stop calling him by that name. Kuro then says how he refuses to be a pirate anymore.
A flashback begins and shows Captain Kuro with Jango in their ship's cabin, and Kuro saying he doesn't want to be a pirate anymore. The pirate ship comes under attack by the Marines, and so Kuro walks out it alone, killing all of the soldiers aboard except one, Morgan. Kuro stomps on Morgan's jaw, breaking it, and so Jango hypnotizes one of the Kuroneko Pirates into believing he is Kuro, then hypnotizes Morgan into believing he caught Kuro. The Kuroneko Pirates then leave, and so the imposter is executed and Kuro is believed to be dead. Luffy becomes angry by this, saying Kuro can't be a real pirate, and grabs a boulder, charging at Kuro. Kuro swings his claw and it digs into the boulder, and Luffy swings the boulder so Kuro's swords snap. Luffy claims his ambition is much greater as the episode ends.
Mumbo230's Notes
We are given a glimpse into Kuro's past in this episode, and yes, the Marine that Kuro has hypnotized so that he thinks he captured Kuro is indeed the Captain Morgan of the Romance Dawn story arc, and he has that metal jaw because of Kuro. It's great how Oda ties things like this together.