Rubber-bodied rookie Monkey D. Luffy drifts out of Foosha Village in a barrel, clobbers iron-mace Alvida, liberates timid deckhand Koby, and vows to claim the legendary One Piece and crown himself Pirate King.
In Shells Town, Luffy frees feared bounty hunter Roronoa Zoro from corrupt Marine Captain Morgan's clutches, gaining a swordsman crewmate and drawing Navy fire.
Luffy and Zoro battle axe-armed Captain Morgan and cowardly son Helmeppo to save Coby and a captive girl, toppling the tyrant and earning a Marine bounty on Luffy's head.
On their first voyage together, Luffy recalls how red-haired pirate Shanks inspired his dream--and sacrificed an arm to save him--while Coby stays behind to join the Marines.
Luffy and Zoro arrive in Orange Town, reluctantly ally with thief Nami, and clash with body-splitting clown captain Buggy, whose devastating Buggy Balls threaten to level the city along with their Grand Line dreams.
To save Orange Town, Luffy faces beast-tamer Mohji and his giant lion Richie, while Nami slips off with Buggy's loot and an injured Zoro shields the townsfolk.
Buggy reunites his body, fires a colossal Buggy Ball, but Luffy ricochets it back, wrecking the pirate's ship; Nami steals the Grand Line map and joins the voyage.
In Syrup Village, tall-tale spinner Usopp's fake pirate alarms hide real bravery; meeting Luffy ignites his dream to sail and defend sickly heiress Kaya.
Usopp's hypnotist guardian Jango conspires with ex-butler Kuro to kill Kaya; his trance turns the Straw Hats into accidental strongmen until Luffy snaps free to foil the plot.
Usopp discovers Kaya's mild-mannered butler is the infamous Captain Kuro, who plans to murder her at dawn; ignored by the villagers, he rushes to enlist Luffy, Zoro, and Nami to ambush the incoming Black Cat Pirates.
Before sunrise, Luffy's crew and Usopp's pint-sized pirates barricade the village slope, but the Black Cat raiders charge ashore, forcing Zoro, Nami, and the kids to stall the assault while Luffy wriggles free of a hypnotic blunder.
Wounded yet unyielding, Zoro duels the claw-whirling Meowban Brothers as Nami hunts for Kaya's stolen treasure; Luffy finally snaps awake and catapults through the feline pirates, tipping the battle uphill.
Kaya flees into the woods with Usopp and the kids while hypnotist Jango gives chase; on the beach Luffy squares off against Kuro's lightning-fast "Shakushi" attack, vowing to smash the decade-long scheme.
Luffy pummels Kuro into defeat, exposing the butler's plot; a grateful Kaya promises reparations, and a tearful Usopp parts with his village's disbelief, accepting Luffy's invitation to chase pirate dreams on the high seas.
Hypnotist Jango hunts heiress Kaya through the forest until Usopp's kid pirates and Zoro stall him; Luffy flattens the moon-walking mesmerist, ending the Black Cat plot and keeping Kaya safe.
A grateful Kaya gifts Luffy's crew their first ship, the Going Merry; Usopp tearfully leaves Syrup Village, joins the Straw Hats, and they chart a course for new horizons.
On a lonely cliff-isle, the crew meets Gaimon, a castaway fused to a treasure chest who protects quirky animal pals and empty chests; Luffy's empathy rekindles his hope before they sail on.
A storm stirs Zoro's memory of sparring prodigy Kuina and their pledge to be the world's greatest swordsman; her sudden death ignites his unwavering three-blade resolve aboard the Going Merry.
At the Baratie ocean-restaurant, suave chef Sanji knocks out pompous Marine Fullbody and feeds the Straw Hats--until Luffy smashes a mast into the galley and must work off the damage.
Starving pirate Gin collapses in Baratie, and soft-hearted chef Sanji risks Marine wrath to feed him--an act that soon lures fearsome warlord Don Krieg to the floating restaurant.
Gin returns leading a ravaged but ruthless Don Krieg, who demands supplies and control of Baratie, forcing Luffy and the cooks to defend their galley against an armada.
Krieg's siege exposes Zeff's past as legendary Red-Leg Zeff; Luffy vows to safeguard the restaurant, repaying his debt with bare-knuckle resolve instead of broken dishes.
Flashbacks show Zeff losing a leg saving shipwrecked Sanji; their shared dream of the mythical All Blue steels the chef's resolve as Don Krieg circles Baratie.
Sanji tearfully parts with Zeff and the kitchen crew, joins the Straw Hats as chef, and the team heads toward Nami's troubled hometown--next stop, Arlong Park.
Luffy's crew races to Arlong Park after Nami steals the Going Merry, but fish-man tyrant Arlong seizes Zoro and shocks everyone by revealing that Nami is one of his officers.
Luffy, Sanji, and Yosaku wrangle sea-cow Momoo toward Arlong Park while, in Cocoyasi, Arlong terrorizes Genzo until Usopp's slingshot and Zoro's jailbreak sow chaos and further test Nami's divided loyalties.
To prove her "loyalty," Nami appears to kill Usopp before Arlong; Zoro unknowingly hitches a ride with octopus Hatchan; Luffy's party finally lands, unaware Usopp survived and Nami's act masks a deeper plan.
Arlong's officers sink a Marine rescue ship as Usopp reunites with the crew and Nojiko starts unveiling Nami's painful past; Luffy plants himself in the road, vowing not to leave without his navigator.
Flashbacks show ex-Marine Bellemere rescuing war orphans Nami and Nojiko and raising them in Cocoyasi until Arlong's brutal takeover forces villagers to pay tribute, setting the stage for Nami's desperate bargain.
Bellemere's shocking last stand against Arlong reveals Nami's tragic past. A crushed Nami vows to buy back Cocoyashi Village, forging the impossible promise that has bound her to the fish-man ever since.
Moved by Nami's sacrifice, the Straw Hats storm Arlong Park. With Zoro wounded and Usopp cornered, Sanji's fiery kick clears a path while Luffy smashes the gates, declaring he'll end Nami's nightmare himself.
Luffy battles Arlong head-on but becomes trapped underwater by a concrete anchor. As Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp fight Arlong's officers, Nami races to free Luffy before his last breath slips away.
With Luffy still immobilized, Zoro duels octopus-swordsman Hachi despite his own wounds, and Sanji takes to the sea against the ruthless Kuroobi. Every second counts as Nami dives to unshackle her captain.
Freed at last, Luffy wrecks Arlong Park and shatters Arlong's saw-blade sword. Realizing Nami's charts were chains, Luffy demolishes the map room, defeating Arlong and liberating Cocoyashi Village.
Luffy breaks into Arlong Park and duels the saw-shark captain to free Nami, shattering the fish-men's pride-filled fortress in a furious, water-logged showdown.
Nami's courage ignites the crew as Luffy smashes Arlong's chart room, erasing years of her bondage; the tyrant falls and Cocoyasi is finally liberated.
While the village celebrates freedom, Luffy's first bounty-30 million berries-arrives, painting a target on the Straw Hats and alerting foes across the seas.
The crew departs Cocoyasi, sharing dreams aboard the newly named Going Merry, unaware that Marine Captain Smoker is already tracking the infamous rookie.
At Reverse Mountain, the Straw Hats brave a colossal whirlpool, soothe Laboon the giant whale, and shoot through the daring passage into the Grand Line.
