Episode 62: The First Obstacle? Giant Whale Laboon Appears
Air Date: 2001-03-21
Opening: Believe (2nd Opening)
Ending: Run! Run! Run! (2nd Ending)
Manga Chapters: Chapter 102 (1-18/18), Chapter 103 (1-18/20)
Short Summary
As the Straw Hats descend the side of Reverse Mountain and enter the Grand Line, they encounter a gigantic Island Whale named Laboon. They are swallowed by it and inside they find a small island with an old man named Crocus living on it. Meanwhile, two criminals seek to kill Laboon as Crocus begins to explain why Laboon drives his head into the Red Line.
In-Depth Summary
The episode opens with the Going Merry flying down Reverse Mountain. Zoro says he hears a strange noise, and through the clouds, Usopp says he sees a mountain in front of them. Nami protests, since there should be nothing but ocean after the Twin Capes. As they emerge from the clouds they find it is a giant whale. Sanji realizes it may not have noticed them yet, so they steer the ship for the opening on the left, beside the whale. Despite a great effort, the ship won't turn. Luffy fires the cannon, striking the whale, and the Going Merry barely stops right in front of the whale. The Straw Hats struggle to edge past the whale, but are getting sucked in. Luffy stands up, furious that the figurehead of the Going Merry was knocked off, as it was his favorite seat. Luffy attacks the whale, causing the whale to look down at them. It opens its great mouth to swallow the Going Merry. Luffy stretches out his arm and grabs onto the whale's tooth, trying to climb up the whale. The whale swallows the Going Merry with the others aboard, and so Luffy stands on top of the whale's back, furious that his friends are gone. He starts punching and kicking the whale as it slowly descends beneath the water's surface, and he spots a hatch on the whale's back as the whale goes completely underwater.
Inside the whale, the Straw Hats are surprised to find themselves on what appears to be an open green sea. They find a very tiny island in front of them with a small house and a lounnging chair. Suddenly, a giant squid emerges to attack them, but is stuck full of spears before they can react. Meanwhile, Luffy finds himself in a corridor after descending through the hatch. Back at the small island, a strange old man in pink emerges from the house holding the ropes of the spears in the squid. While the Straw Hats discuss whether the man killed the squid for food or to save them, the man sits down on a chair and starts to read the paper. Sanji and Usopp yell at him to talk. Zoro asks who he is, but the man says that they should introduce themselves first for good manners. Before Zoro can introduce himself, the old man cuts in, introducing himself as Crocus, the keeper of the Twin Capes Lighthouses. Crocus explains they are inside the whale, confusing the others as there is sky above their heads. He points to the exit. The others are shocked to see a door in the sky in a whale, but Usopp realizes that the sky is really just a painting.
Suddenly, the water begins to churn, and the Straw Hats see that the tiny island is made of iron. Crocus explains that the whale, Laboon, is ramming himself against the Red Line. Usopp figures that the old man's plan is to kill Laboon from the inside. Sanji says they should just get out. Meanwhile, in another corridor of the whale, two people, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, are shown with guns. The ramming of the whale causes Luffy to go flying down the corridor and into another chamber. He starts to slide down the floor as Laboon moves again. Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday are also in the chamber, talking about how their infiltration was successful and they plan on killing Laboon. They hear Luffy's voice, and suddenly Luffy plows into them, all three of them flying through the wall and out into empty space. Crocus climbs up a ladder on the wall of the whale, heading down a corridor as the Straw Hats worry about Luffy, as he has fallen into the water and is sinking quickly. Crocus comes to a chamber with a giant sedative needle, and he pumps the sedative into Laboon so that Laboon calms down and stops ramming the Red Line.
Luffy, Miss Wednesday, and Mr. 9 climb onto the deck of the Going Merry, and Crocus calls them scoundrels. Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday stand up, holding great bazookas, and they fire them at the inside of the whale's stomach. Crocus leaps at the cannonballs to stop them from hitting the whale. Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday laugh evilly over this, so Luffy knocks them both out with his fists. Crocus lands in the water, battered but okay. Nami asks Crocus about Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday and why Crocus is in Laboon's stomach. Crocus explains that they want the whale's meat for large amounts of money, since Laboon is a Island Whale, a special whale that only lives in West Blue. Crocus then explains that Laboon is a special whale and has been waiting for a special band of pirates for fifty years as the episode draws to a close.
Mumbo230’s Notes
to be added later
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