Episode 35: The Hidden Past! Female Fighter Bellemere
Air Date: 2000-08-02
Opening: We Are! (1st Opening)
Ending: Run! Run! Run! (2nd Ending)
Manga Chapters: Chapter 77 (5-19/19), Chapter 78 (1-5/19)
Short Summary
Nojiko tells the story of Nami's past to Sanji, Usopp, and Zoro. A flashback of Nami's early days depicts Nami getting in trouble after trying to steal a book from a bookstore. She and her mother Bellemere get into an argument after Nami is given hand-me-downs. Genzo tells Nami of Bellemere's time as a Marine soldier. The town is then thrown into a frenzy as Arlong and his crew arrive, demanding payments from the villagers for their lives.
In-Depth Summary
The episode opens with Chu, Hatchi, and Kurobi standing at the large trench made by Luffy's ship crashing, wondering how it was made. They look and see Luffy walking down the road, wondering about him as they know he is not from Cocoyashi Village. Nojiko, in the meantime, proceeds to tell Sanji, Zoro, and Usopp about Bellemere, who raised her and Nami when they were young. In her house, Nami looks over to a satchel of oranges, and remembers the orange orchard from her past. A flashback begins showing young Nami, eight years younger, putting the finishing touches on a map. She then goes to the village bookstore and tries to sneak out with a book under her dress, but as she backs away from the bookstore owner she bumps into Genzo and the book falls to the floor. Genzo picks her up and brings her to her house. He yells at Bellemere to stop Nami from stealing things, but Bellemere sweet-talks Genzo, telling him he'll repay her with her body, and he turns bright red and runs back as Nami and Bellemere laugh.
Bellemere sits down and asks why Nami didn't just ask for the book, but Nami replies that Bellemere wouldn't have gotten it. Bellemere then takes a look at a map that Nami drew, and is amazed at its quality, saying that no one will believe such a small child drew it. Inside, Nami, Nojiko, and Bellemere eat dinner, and Nami asks why Bellemere isn't eating. Bellemere replies that she is on a diet, and she puts the final stitch on a dress for Nami. Nami complains that it's a hand-me-down from Nojiko, and that the lion on it used to be a sunflower. Nami starts complaining about how she doesn't get new clothes, but Nojiko replies that her clothes are used too. Nami then complains that Nojiko isn't her real sister, and Bellemere strikes her across the face, knocking her down. Nami says that Bellemere would be better off without them, and she yells that she should have been taken care of by a rich family. Bellemere tells her to just leave, and Nami runs off into the night, as it is raining outside.
The next morning, Nami is dried up by Genzo. Genzo explains that Bellemere, as a child, was just as naughty as Nami, and says it was a shock when she joined the Marines. Nami didn't know that Bellemere was a Marine, and so Genzo tells her a story. A flashback begins as Bellemere is fighting in a brutal battle. She leans against a piece of wreckage when she hears a baby crying and sees a very young Nojiko approach with a baby Nami. Bellemere asks if Nami is Nojiko's sister, but Nojiko replies that she is not. Bellemere braves a mighty storm at sea and manages to bring Nami and Nojiko to Cocoyashi Village, demanding that a doctor tend to them. The doctor tells her to seek medical attention as well, but Bellemere refuses, telling him to treat Nami and Nojiko first. After Nami and Nojiko are better, Bellemere announces that she wants to be a mother to Nami and Nojiko, to the shock of the villagers and the flashback ends.
With Genzo finished his story, Nojiko comes for Nami, and the two happily run home. The villagers watch happily, but suddenly one man yells that pirates have come. Sure enough, a great ship bearing the Arlong Pirates flag arrives at the village, and off of it steps Arlong and his crew. Genzo tells Nami and Nojiko to hide in the forest behind the village. Arlong declares that the entire island will become part of his domain, and says that on this day, every month, every villager will have to buy their own lives - 100,000 berries for adults, 50,000 berries for kids. He collects money from the villagers without remorse. Kurobi counts up 25 million berries in total. Genzo is glad that Bellemere's house, being apart from the village, was overlooked, as he knows Bellemere can't afford the 200,000 berry total. However, one of Arlong's mermen spots smoke rising from Bellemere's chimney, so the mermen approach the house. Nami and Nojiko, frightened, run off to warn Bellemere. Bellemere, in the house, is cooking a big dinner, waiting for Nami and Nojiko to come back as the episode draws to a close.
Mumbo230’s Notes
This episode begins Nami's past, a pivotal point to the story arc. Interestingly, it contains a "flashback within a flashback" - Genzo tells young Nami of Bellemere's service in the Marines.
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