Episode 31: The Most Wicked Man of East Blue, Arlong of the Mermen Crew
Air Date: 2000-07-12
Opening: We Are! (1st Opening)
Ending: Run! Run! Run! (2nd Ending)
Manga Chapters: Chapter 69 (1-20/20), Chapter 70 (1-12/19), Chapter 71 (5-8/19)
Short Summary
Yosaku tells Luffy and Sanji about Arlong the merman and how dangerous mermen are, and that they are heading to Arlong Park. Nami arrives at Arlong Park and is welcomed by Arlong. Zoro, Usopp, and Johnny also arrive, and Zoro is captured by the mermen. Usopp and Johnny find a ruined village, and Usopp meets a girl who looks very much like Nami, Nojiko.
In-Depth Summary
The episode opens with Yosaku, Luffy, and Sanji sailing on the water through a school of flying fish. Luffy is sleeping on the bow and wakes up, eagerly talking about getting Nami back so they can head for the Grand Line. Yosaku interrupts him, saying that they are getting close to Arlong's base. Neither Sanji or Luffy know who Arlong is, so Yosaku exasperatedly explains that he is a merman - half man, half fish. Yosaku says that Nami is after Arlong's bounty. Luffy draws a bad picture of a merman - a fish with legs - that makes Yosaku frustrated. He explains that there are three superpowers on the Grand Line, and one of them is the Shichibukai. The Shichibukai are seven pirates hired by the government to track down other pirates, and they give a share of their treasures to the government. Mihawk is one of the Shichibukai, as well as a merman captain named Jinbei. Arlong fought alongside Jinbei on the Grand Line. Luffy draws another bad picture of a merman, and Sanji daydreams about Nami, wondering if she is a mermaid. Luffy draws yet another bad picture, making Sanji angry. Yosaku is frustrated that they don't seem to grasp the situation, saying that Arlong is much more powerful than Don Krieg, but Luffy remains confident that he will be able to defeat Arlong and take Nami back to the crew.
Meanwhile, Nami is aboard the Going Merry, finally arriving at Arlong Park. In the park, Arlong sits at a table with Nezumi, passing him the month's pay. Arlong mentions how, though he hates humans, Nezumi is different because he understands how the real world works. Hachi comes up and offers to take Nezumi back to his base in his octopus pot. At that moment, Nami arrives at the front gate of Arlong Park, and a kid with a sword runs up to her, yelling to let him through because Arlong killed his father and he wants revenge. Nami knocks the kid down with her staff, tosses him some money, and tells him to go take care of himself. She then steps into Arlong Park where she is welcomed by Arlong and his merman crew, and Arlong says that Nami is the greatest at backstabbing.
In another boat, Johnny, Usopp, and Zoro draw near to Arlong Park. Zoro stands at the bow and declares that they should just charge in, since he promised Luffy to get Nami back, but Usopp and Johnny freak out, figuring they need to plan everything out because Arlong is a merman and they know nothing about him. Usopp and Johnny tie up Zoro, and as they sail along the coast of the island, they spot some mermen standing by a dock. The mermen don't recognize the boat, and so they jump into the water, swimming toward it. Usopp and Johnny abandon ship, leaving Zoro alone. The mermen board the ship and examine him carefully, while Zoro promises to kill Usopp and Johnny.
Usopp and Johnny swim to shore, arriving at Gosa Village. They are shocked to find that it is in ruins, with all of the buildings turned upside-down. Johnny explained that Arlong attacked the place, and that mermen are ten times stronger than humans. Johnny hides as Usopp ponders what caused the big trench in the road, and a voice behind him answers that it was a monster named Mohmoo from the Grand Line. Usopp turns to see a giant merman behind him, and he flees in terror, bumping into the boy with the sword from before. Nojiko is also there, and she warns Usopp about the merman. Usopp stands up to protect them, but Nojiko knocks him out by hitting him in the head with a hammer. She and the boy drag him to her house.
Luffy, Sanji, and Yosaku are still out to sea, and Luffy and Yosaku watch hungrily as Sanji cooks up a delicious meal. As they eat, the smell causes a beast below the water to stir. The scene shifts to Hachi cooking an entire pig, but is surprised when Mohmoo doesn't come. The scene shifts again to Zoro being brought into Arlong Park on his boat, and Arlong goes on a rant about how mermen are the most evolved species. Nami comes out to protest this, and Zoro is shocked to see her, wondering why she is so close to Arlong. Arlong claims Nami is an exception among humans, and Nami shows Zoro the tattoo on her arm, bearing the insignia of the Arlong Pirates, as the episode ends.
Mumbo230's Notes
This episode begins the Arlong arc, quite possibly the darkest story arc of the entire series. It's a fan favorite, and for good reason. Arlong is introduced as a powerful figure, and this is really the first time that one of the Straw Hats turns against the others.
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