ONE PIECE Episode 12 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

Clash with the Black Cat Pirates! The Great Battle on the Slope!

Kuro, disguised as Klahadore, slices Merry down and watches Kaya sleep, then at dawn the Black Cat Pirates led by Jango land while Usopp forgets the north entrance and Zoro is stuck on the oiled south slope. Usopp and Nami try to hold the north coast, but Luffy and Zoro arrive in time to stop the advance. Kuro, noticing the delay, heads to the north coast himself.

• Night infiltration

  Kuro returns to Kaya's mansion, destroys the glasses Kaya had made for him, reveals himself, and slices Merry down before watching Kaya sleep.

• Northern entrance breach

  Usopp forgets the north entrance, so Nami, Luffy and Usopp rush north while Zoro is trapped on the oiled slope. Usopp's slingshot fells many pirates, and Nami stops his attempt to bribe them.

• Arrival and Kuro's resolve

  Luffy and Zoro arrive in time to halt the pirates, and Kuro, noticing the delay, vows to personally head to the north coast and kill his whole crew if his plan fails.

Recent Timeline

• Usopp's false alarm and exposed bluffs (Episode 9)

  Usopp ran through the village with a false pirate alarm, then admitted he had made it up and fled from the angry villagers. He next claimed to command eighty million followers, but Nami exposed the lie, and when the visitors also detected his three followers, Tamanegi called for a retreat. Luffy then identified Yasopp as Usopp's father, having met him as a child when Yasopp sailed with Shanks's crew. This establishes Usopp's habit of fabrication and reveals that his father is a pirate who left the village for the sea.

• Usopp expelled and Luffy lost to the cliff (Episode 10)

  Usopp attacked Klahadore after Klahadore insulted his pirate father, and Klahadore expelled him and the crew from the mansion's front yard with orders never to return. Kuro and Jango discovered that Luffy and Usopp had overheard their plot, and Jango hypnotized Luffy, who fell headfirst off the cliff. Kuro and Jango chose not to pursue Usopp, judging that the townspeople would not believe him, so Usopp fled toward the village with news of the plot.

• Pirate leader's return and attack order (Episode 11)

  The pirate leader welcomed his men back after three years apart and promised them a share of the proceeds. He then ordered them to devastate the village at dawn.

• Kuro's attack on Merry (Episode 12)

  Still disguised as Klahadore, Kuro returned to Kaya's mansion and destroyed the glasses she had given him. He revealed his true self to Merry by slashing him with the blades on his fingers, leaving him wounded, and then went to watch Kaya sleep.

• Black Cat Pirates' attack on the village (Episode 12)

  The Black Cat Pirates led by Jango landed at the island's north end, bypassing the oiled south slope that Usopp had guarded. Usopp's slingshot and his offer to hand over the crew's treasure in exchange for the pirates leaving both failed, and Nami refused to give up the treasure. Luffy and Zoro arrived just in time to halt the advance.

Character Graph

Alvida

Alvida Pirates

Pirate captain leading the Alvida Pirates. Attacks ships and keeps chore boys; armed with a large spiked club. Defeated by Luffy and sent flying into the sea.

• Defeat

  Knocked off her ship into the sea by Luffy's Gomu Gomu no Pistol

Roronoa Zoro (the pirate hunter)

Pirate-hunter swordsman whom Luffy first finds crucified at the Marine base in Shells Town and sets out to recruit.

Former pirate hunter who says he has given up the practice; fights Buggy's crew and is stabbed during the battle.

• Crucified at base

  Held on a cross at the Marine base and refuses to be fed by others; he eats the dirt-stained rice Rika brought.

• Confiscated katanas

  His katanas are confiscated and kept in the Marine base, where Luffy goes to find them.

• Buggy (Other, Hostility)

  Fought Buggy, who wanted to kill him to enhance his reputation; stabbed during the clash.

Buggy

Buggy Pirates

Captain of the Buggy Pirates; a fearsome pirate with his own Devil Fruit ability; his territory is where Luffy lands after being dropped by the bird.

Former fellow apprentice of Shanks in the same pirate crew; plotted to steal a Devil Fruit and treasure map before being caught.

• Power

  Can separate his body parts and is immune to being cut apart, due to the Bara Bara Fruit.

• Roronoa Zoro (Other, Hostility)

  Fought Zoro and stabbed him; claimed Zoro's wound decided the fight.

Ninjin

Child follower of Usopp who joined his group and confirmed Kaya has become much more cheerful.

• Role

  Joined Usopp's group and, while searching for their captain, led Luffy, Zoro and Nami to Kaya's mansion.

• Usopp (Hierarchy, Affinity)

  Follower of Usopp.

Piiman

Child follower of Usopp who joined his group and explained that Usopp's stories make Kaya laugh.

• Role

  Joined Usopp's group and, while searching for their captain, led Luffy, Zoro and Nami to Kaya's mansion.

• Usopp (Hierarchy, Affinity)

  Follower of Usopp.

Tamanegi

Child follower of Usopp who brought news of a skull-marked ship and warned that the gatekeeper would block entry.

• Role

  Called for a retreat when the visitors detected Usopp's followers.

• Usopp (Hierarchy, Affinity)

  Follower of Usopp who brought him news of a skull-marked ship.

Yasopp

Red Hair Pirates

Usopp's father, a sharpshooter in Shanks's crew who left the village because he could not resist the pirate life.

• Past

  Met Luffy as a child aboard Shanks's ship and repeatedly spoke of his son.

• Usopp (Family, Affinity)

  Father of Usopp who left the village to sail as a pirate.

Jango (the hypnotist)

A hypnotist who introduces himself as such and conspires with Captain Kuro to assassinate Kaya.

• Hypnotism

  Demonstrated hypnotism by putting children to sleep with a chakram on a string, and can hypnotize people into changing their wills.

Kaya

Sickly girl who lost both parents to illness a year earlier and withdrew into grief; her cheer has returned through Usopp's stories.

Heiress who regards Usopp's warning as a lie and rejects him, unaware that her butler is plotting against her.

• Health

  Sickly, and her caretaker restricts visitors to protect her weak health.

• Response to the warning

  She dismisses Usopp's accusation against her butler as a lie prompted by earlier insults.

• Usopp (Friend, Mixed)

  Friend who visits her and makes her laugh with invented adventures.

  Once enjoyed his fanciful stories; now rejects his accusation and his urging to flee.

Usopp

Village youth who invents tall tales and leads a small group of followers; wants to become a pirate.

Known as a habitual liar, he warns the village of a pirate attack and, once disbelieved, resolves to meet the pirates alone at the coast.

• Tall tales

  Invents an alarm, claims to command eighty million followers, and tells extravagant stories to entertain Kaya.

• Reputation as a liar

  His repeated lies make the villagers refuse to believe his pirate warning.

• Retraction and resolve

  He claims the pirate threat was invented, then decides to intercept the pirates at the coast himself.

• Kaya (Friend, Mixed)

  Visits Kaya despite her caretaker's refusal and entertains her with stories.

  Former friend who enjoyed his stories; she rejected his warning and his accusation against her butler.

• Yasopp (Family, Affinity)

  Son of Yasopp, who is proud of his father's willingness to risk his life at sea.

• Piiman (Hierarchy, Friend, Affinity)

  Follower who joins Usopp's group.

  Follower who was disappointed and left him when Usopp claimed his pirate warning had been a lie.

• Ninjin (Hierarchy, Friend, Affinity)

  Follower who joins Usopp's group.

  Follower who was disappointed and left him when Usopp claimed his pirate warning had been a lie.

• Tamanegi (Hierarchy, Friend, Affinity)

  Follower who brings Usopp news and joins his group.

  Follower who was disappointed and left him when Usopp claimed his pirate warning had been a lie.

Kuro (Klahadore)

Black Cat Pirates

Captain of the Black Cat Pirates who has been disguised as Klahadore; his true self is revealed to Merry, whom he attacks.

• True identity

  Hides his true self behind the Klahadore disguise and removes it by destroying the glasses Kaya gave him; fingers are fitted with long blades like cat claws.

• Plan

  Waits in Kaya's mansion while the crew attacks the village; when his crew is late entering the village he goes down to the north coast himself, vowing to kill the entire crew if the plan fails.

World Memo

• Village has two entrances

  The village is reachable by a single sloped path at the island's south end and by a second entrance at the island's north end.

Battle Record

The Black Cat Pirates land at the island at dawn and push through the north entrance. The crew's defense splits between the south slope and the north coast, and Luffy and Zoro arrive to halt the advance.

Zoro vs Cabaji duel

Episode 7

Trigger: Cabaji offers to fight the group on Buggy's behalf

Sides

• Straw Hat group — duelist: Roronoa Zoro
• Buggy Pirates — duelist: Cabaji

Outcome: Cabaji defeated by Zoro's Oni Giri slash to the chest; Zoro collapses asleep on the ground

Aftermath

• Cabaji falls off his unicycle

Battle against the Buggy Pirates in Orange Town

Bara Bara split and rope restraint · Episodes 6–8

Location: Orange Town

Trigger: Buggy's assault on Orange Town, ending with his attempt to seize back the treasure Nami stole from him

Buggy vs Luffy and Nami

• Buggy Pirates — leader: Buggy
• Straw Hat crew — fighters: Luffy, Nami

Outcome: Buggy is sent flying out of town and the Buggy Pirates are repelled

Aftermath

• Nami gives Luffy the Grand Line map and keeps the rest of Buggy's treasure
• Citizens wrongly blame the group for the town's destruction
• Luffy leaves part of Buggy's treasure behind for the town's repairs, to Nami's dismay

Dawn assault on the village

Black Cat Pirates land on the north coast · Episode 12– (Ongoing)

Location: The north coast slope leading to Syrup Village

Trigger: The Black Cat Pirates, led by Jango, attack the village at dawn as planned

The crew vs Black Cat Pirates

• the crew — defenders: Nami, Luffy, Usopp, Zoro
• Black Cat Pirates — attackers: Jango, the Black Cat Pirates

Ability Table

Music Releases

• We Are! (OP)
• Memories (ED)