The Great Swordsman Appears! Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro
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Introduction
The second episode of One Piece made its debut on November 17, 1999, on the Japanese television station Fuji TV, with the title, The Great Swordsman Appears! Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro.
It opens with a brief introduction as all One Piece episodes do, with the voice of the narrator repeating the following:
Wealth, fame, power. The man who had obtained everything in this world, the Pirate King, Gold Roger. His final words that he said at his execution sent people to the seas. ‘My wealth and treasure? If you want it, I’ll let you have it. Look for it! I left in all in that place!’
Now men, chasing their dreams, sailed toward the Grand Line. The world now enters the Great Age of Pirates!
The first series opening theme, “We Are” by Hiroshi Kitadani, then begins.
Contents |
Summary
Part A
The episode opens with a scene of Monkey D. Luffy and Coby sitting in the small boat from the previous episode, with Coby navigating toward the town where the infamous pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro is being held captive by the Marines.
Luffy and Coby are next seen walking through the town, speaking of Roronoa Zoro and the local Marine captain, Captain Morgan. Upon hearing these names, the town’s people jump back in fright, while Luffy remains light-hearted. Luffy and Coby then approach the gate of the Marine base. Luffy takes a look over the wall in an attempt to see Roronoa Zoro, and Coby tells him that he is probably kept in a cell, though Luffy quickly spots him in the court yard tied to a cross in the hot mid-day sun. Zoro spots Luffy and Coby, telling them to get lost, as a young girl climbs over the wall using a ladder and rope, with the intent of giving Roronoa Zoro some onigiri. Zoro refuses to eat the food as Captain Morgan’s son, Helmeppo, enters the courtyard. Helmepo approaches the young girl, and to the surprise of Coby who believe she was safe in the accompany of Marines, takes one of the girl’s onigiri, eats it, and insults the sugary taste. He continues to grind the onigiri into the ground, as he states that anyone caught assisting Roronoa Zoro is sentenced to be put to death. Helmeppo then orders a soldier to toss the girl over the wall, and he reluctantly does so as he appologizes to the girl, but she lands safely in the arms of Luffy.
Coby looks up expecting to see Luffy, and the scene cuts to Roronoa Zoro looking up at Luffy. Zoro asks Luffy to feed him the dirt covered onigiri, which he says is delicious.
Back in the town, the little girls tells the story of Helmeppo rampaging through the town with a wolf, threatening to execute anyone in his way. The wolf entered a restaurant where the little girl was working, and leapt toward the young girl. The wolf was then stopped by Roronoa Zoro, who had thrown a stool at the canine. Helmeppo attacked Zoro, only to be put in his place, but threatens to have his father execute everyone in the bar if Zoro tries to harm him. Zoro agrees to spend one month tied up in the courtyard to save the lives of the bystanders.
Cutting out of the flashback, Helmeppo enters the restaurant and decides he will eat for free. As he announces that he will execute Zoro the following day, the mysterious orange-haired girl from the first episode can be seen in the background. Luffy hears this and punches Helmeppo out of his chair, stating that Helmeppo is trash, and saying that he will officially have Zoro become the first member of his crew.
Helmeppo is then seen running into his father’s office, stating that there is a man whom he would like killed.
Part B
Back in the courtyard, Zoro has a flashback of him as a young child having a kendo fight with a young girl, slighly older than he was. He thinks of a promise he made with that girl, though he mentions no details.
Zoro snaps out of his daydream to see Luffy again standing before him. Luffy tells him that he will untie the ropes and making him a part of his pirate crew, only to be answered by a refusal. Luffy refuses the refusal and goes off to get Zoro’s swords which are being held by Helmeppo.
Captain Morgan is then seen watching as soldiers raise a statue of him on top of the base. Helmeppo complains that his father has yet to punish the boy, and Morgan proceeds to hit Helmeppo and state his worthlessness. He then orders a soldier to go and execute the young girl from the restaurant. Luffy then appears on the statue as it is being raised, causing it to split in half, and the upper half falls to the ground below. Morgan orders the soldiers to capture Luffy, just as Luffy grabs Helmeppo and runs into the base.
The mysterious orange-haired girl is then seen sneaking through the base as soldiers armed with rifles corner Luffy. Using Helmeppo as a shield, Luffy runs passed the soldiers toward Helmeppo’s bedroom.
Outside in the courtyard, Coby is untying Zoro as Morgan’s soldiers get him at gunpoint.
Back in the base, Luffy enters Helmeppo’s room, finding three swords. Unable to determine which is Zoro’s Luffy grabs all three and escapes out the window, just in time to land between the firing soldiers and Coby and Zoro. The bullets hit Luffy, only to be slingshotted back at the soldiers, leaving everyone in the courtyard stunned. He looks back at Zoro, who is amazed at this occurrence, and states that he is the man who will become the Pirate King.
