Episode 56: Erik's Raid! Great Escape from Gunkan Island!
Air Date: 2001-01-31
Opening: Believe (2nd Opening)
Ending: Run! Run! Run! (2nd Ending)
Manga Chapters: n/a
Short Summary
With the knowledge of Apis' harbored Sennenryuu, the Straw Hats concoct a plan to get Ryuuji off of the island and to his home, Lost Island. While Zoro and Usopp take back the Going Merry, Luffy, Sanji, Nami, and Apis bring Ryuuji down to the cape. On the way, they meet Erik and several Marine soldiers, and Erik unveils the powers of his Kama Kama Fruit. The Straw Hats manage to escape and set sail for Lost Island.
In-Depth Summary
The episode opens with a bright and sunny morning, and Nami steps into the room where Sanji, Zoro, and Usopp are, and find them sleeping as Bokuden mumbles on about the 1201st generation of Lost Island in his sleep. Nami brings them away to show them something. AT the coast, a large Marine ship arrives, with Erik standing on board, and he commands them to seize the Going Merry, In the cave, Nami, Luffy, and Apis show Ryuuji to Sanji, Zoro, and Usopp, who are shocked. Nami explains the situation to them and why the Marines want the Sennenryuu, and realize that Luffy made a promise to get Ryuuji back to its homeland. They brainstorm how to move Ryuuji there, as doing anything will attract attention, so Nami tells them to construct a cart. The Straw Hats head into the woods behind the cave and start knocking down trees, and with Usopp's carpentry they manage to construct a large cart for Ryuuji to ride on. With the cart completed, they decide to load Ryuuji onto it and head for the cape that looks like Usopp's nose. Zoro and Usopp head down to the coast to get the Going Merry to the cape while Nami, Apis, Sanji, and Luffy head down with the cart.
At Bokuden's house, the Marines bust in and ask for Apis, but Bokuden just goes on about the generations of Lost Island. At the coast, Usopp and Zoro sneak around to find a Marine ship right by the Going Merry, so Zoro cuts down some tubes and gives one to Usopp so they can breathe underwater. They swim undetected and reach the Going Merry, but when Usopp is scaling up the side on a rope, his tube gets stuck in his mouth and he is spotted by Marine soldiers. The Marines fire at him as he cries out for Zoro. Zoro unfurls the sail so the ship starts to move, and Usopp scrambles onto the deck. The Going Merry heads right for the Marine ship, however, and Zoro and Usopp struggle to turn it away. The Going Merry ends up grinding against the side of the Marine ship and heads past it, so the Marine ship gives chase, following them. On a mountainside, Luffy, Apis, Sanji, and Nami stand with Ryuuji on his cart when Apis spots several Marine soldiers scaling the mountain toward them. The soldiers gape at Ryuuji, which causes a wicked grin to spread across Erik's face. He tells the Marine commander that the girl is no longer important, and that they need the dragon.
As the soldiers open fire, Luffy leaps in front and deflects the bullets with his stretchy body. Erik realizes Luffy ate a Devil's Fruit, so he orders the Marines to attack with swords. The Marines charge forward, but Luffy and Sanji make quick work of them. Erik figures he has to do it himself, so he advances forward, introducing himself as Erik the Whirlwind. He explains that he ate the Kama Kama Fruit, which Luffy mistakes as being okama (a homosexual man). Erik becomes angry and uses Kama Kama no Whirlwind, slashing Sanji and Luffy with wind. He demands that they hand over Ryuuji, asking if they want another attack. Apis asks Nami if they can leave yet, and Nami spots the Going Merry in the water below. She gives the call, so she, Luffy, and Apis climb onto the cart while Sanji gives it a kick start. They barrel down the mountainside, and Luffy aims a Gomu Gomu no Gatling Gun at Erik to get him out of the way. Erik counters with Kama Kama no Whirlwind to get himself out of the way, and so he watches as the cart barrels down the mountainside, Erik claiming that he hasn't given up yet.
The cart nears the bottom of the mountainside, and Zoro and Usopp watch, wondering what the plan was. The cart crashes into the water, and Apis laughs, saying that the end result is all that matters. Luffy agrees. The cart is tied to the back of the Going Merry like a raft, and the Straw Hats plus Apis assemble onboard with Ryuuji on the raft. They sail off toward Lost Island as the episode draws to a close.
Mumbo230’s Notes
In several anime-only story arcs of the series, the characters have a tendency to become somewhat out of character, even to the point of becoming a caricature. This is the case with Sanji in this episode, as his rabid love for Nami is somewhat overdone.
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