"I'm Luffy! The Man Who Will Become the Pirate King!" is the 1st episode of the One Piece anime.

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Short Summary Edit

The series begins with an attack on a cruise ship at the hands of Alvida. Koby, a chore boy of Alvida, discovers a barrel. One of Alvida's pirates attempt to open the barrel, but a young boy emerges and accidentally hits him. The remaining pirates attack him, but the stranger stops them and says that his name is Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy drags Koby to the storage cellar of the ship, where he eats and converses with Koby, who reveals his dream of being a Marine. Alvida confronts Luffy, but he escapes and knocks her pirate crew down with his Devil Fruit power. Luffy explains that he ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi, therefore he has the powers of rubber. Koby, inspired by Luffy, stands up for himself when Alvida confronts them. Luffy uses his Gomu Gomu no Pistol technique on Alvida. Luffy and Koby sail away in a "borrowed" boat from Alvida's crew. Luffy asks about the pirate hunter that Koby mentioned earlier. Koby says that he was captured by the Marines and Luffy announces his intention of asking him to join his crew.

Long Summary Edit

The series begins with a barrel floating in the water. Aboard a passenger ship, two sailors spot the barrel floating in the sea. The ship is hosting a formal dance for the rich passengers, and among them, a pretty young girl is invited to dance. The two sailors cast out a rope to reel the barrel in. When they pull it in, however, another sailor spots a pirate ship in the distance, a pink one - belonging to the pirate Alvida. The pirate ship, known as the Miss Love Duck, fires its cannons and the barrel is knocked out of the sailors' hands, sent rolling into the kitchen. Panic ensues as the pirate ship attacks the cruise vessel, pulling up beside it and allowing the pirates to board, led by Alvida.

While pirates are attacking the ship, Koby, a young boy who is essentially a slave of Alvida's, sneaks into the kitchen and notices the barrel. As he is rolling it away, several pirates come in and ask why he's sneaking around. They then proclaim that they are thirsty and just as one of the pirates is about to smash open the barrel with his fist, it bursts open and out jumps Monkey D. Luffy, shocking everybody . The pirates try to attack him, but they are easily defeated and flee, and Koby is left intrigued by Luffy. Luffy and Koby head to the storage cellar of the ship and Luffy starts eating apples out of a crate.

While in the cellar, Luffy asks if they are on a pirate ship. Koby replies that they are not, but rather on a cruise ship being raided by pirates. Luffy then explains how his dinghy was destroyed in a whirlpool and how he barely survived by jumping into the barrel. Then, Koby explains how he ended up getting picked up by Alvida's pirates and how he has been their slave ever since. Luffy then mentions his dream, how he wants to become the Pirate King, which causes Koby to lose it, realizing that Luffy is a pirate. While this conversation is being held, Alvida's pirates tell their captain that there is a barrel monster aboard the ship, and are all oblivious to the fact that Nami is robbing them blind.

Alvida bursts through the ceiling of the cellar and sees Luffy, mentioning how he is not actually Roronoa Zoro. Luffy then asks who the fat lady is, infuriating Alvida. Alvida attacks but Luffy picks up Koby and launches himself out of the cellar, and onto the deck. He is attacked by Alvida's pirates but knocks them all out using a Gomu Gomu no Rocket attack. When everyone is shocked by this, Luffy explains that he is a rubber man who ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi. He says he wants to find One Piece and that he is currently looking for a crew, thinking that ten people is a good amount. Alvida asks Koby who the most beautiful woman in the world is. Alvida, who had trained Koby to stay by her side, is shocked when Koby, inspired by Luffy, stands up for himself and yells that Alvida is a smelly, fat, old hag.

Alvida becomes livid and attacks. Her mace strikes Luffy right on the head, but he stays standing. Luffy proclaims that a normal attack like that won't work on a rubber man, then winds back and uses a Gomu Gomu no Pistol attack to send Alvida flying, defeating her with one hit. Luffy orders Alvida's remaining pirates to get a boat ready for him and Koby, and they jump into the boat and sail away, briefly seeing Nami in her boat as they head off. Sailing out into the great blue sea, Luffy asks about the pirate hunter Koby mentioned. Koby says that he was captured by the Marines, and Luffy announces his intention of asking him to join his crew. This causes Koby to lose it again. Luffy makes up his mind, saying that he will recruit Roronoa Zoro as his next member. While they are speaking, the scene changes to a nearby Marine base where a man with a green bandanna is tied to a cross, looking up.

Characters in Order of Appearance Edit

Anime Notes Edit

The characters of "つづく" at the end card is translated to "Followed by". The end card here was replaced by the "To Be Continued" card from Episode 3 in the FUNimation DVD release.

In the manga, the setting was on an island, but in the anime, it was on the Lady Mary.

Nami appeared in this episode, while she does not appear in the manga until Chapter 8.

A scene is added that shows Luffy and Koby in the cellar where Luffy is eating apples.

In the manga, Koby shows Luffy a boat that he built in 2 years to escape from Alvida. This is not shown in the anime.

In the manga, Alvida and her crew seriously discuss the possibility that Koby had hired Roronoa Zoro to attack them. This is simplified in the anime, with Alvida simply mistaking Luffy as a bounty hunter.

Pandaman makes his first anime appearance, in this episode's theme song.

The first set of Eyecatchers premiered in this episode. Both featured Luffy, but were set to different pieces of music. The music accompanying the first Eyecatcher would go on to become Zoro's theme.

This episode is not based on Chapter 1, which is later covered in Episode 4. Instead, it is based off of material from Chapter 2.

One of the pirates in this episode (only credited as "Pirate A") is voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya in an early role; he would later have the more notable role of Trafalgar D. Water Law.

This is the first episode of the Romance Dawn Arc and the East Blue Saga.