ONE PIECE Episode 40 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

Proud Warriors! Sanji and Usopp's Fierce Battles!

Zoro fights Hatchan while Sanji is forced to fight Kuroobi underwater to protect Genzo and free Luffy. Sanji defeats Kuroobi on land, and Usopp, having reconsidered his retreat, beats Chew with his hammer and fire attacks. The episode ends with Arlong dismissing the lives of the crew and Nami declaring that she has come to kill him.

• Underwater rescue and Kuroobi's defeat

  Sanji escapes Kuroobi's underwater attacks by using the gills of fish-men to his advantage, then defeats him on land with a series of kicks. Sanji learns that Luffy can be revived only by another trip to the seabed.

• Usopp's duel with Chew

  Usopp reveals that he fooled Chew with ketchup and considers retreating, but the memories of his companions and Nami's suffering make him fight. He uses hammer blows, a rubber-band projectile, and fire to defeat Chew.

• Arlong's water attacks and Nami's challenge

  Arlong boasts that a little water is enough to kill humans and orders the crew to die. Nami confronts him and declares that she has come to kill him.

Recent Timeline

• Marines seize Nami's savings and shoot Nojiko (Episode 37)

  Nezumi's searchers found the hundred million berries Nami had hidden and the Marines seized them, with Nezumi claiming thirty percent for himself. Arlong's knowledge of the exact amount suggested he had sent the Marines, and the loss destroyed Nami's years-long plan to buy back Cocoyasi Village.

  During the search the Marines shot Nojiko. She survived and said she was fine, but her account that Arlong had allied with the Marines and deceived Nami for eight years made the betrayal behind the seizure clear.

• Usopp escapes Chew (Episode 39)

  Usopp drew Chew, an enemy officer, away from his companions. After taunting him, however, he was caught and chased off again, so the lead he had gained was short-lived.

• Zoro defeats Hatchan (Episode 39)

  Despite a fever and a reopened wound, Zoro countered Hatchan's six-sword assault, cut his hands with a rolling counter, and finished him with a tornado technique. Hatchan could not understand how three swords had beaten six.

• Sanji defeats Kuroobi (Episode 40)

  Sanji escaped Kuroobi's underwater attack by forcing air into the fish-man's gills. He then challenged him on land and defeated him with a series of kicks.

• Usopp defeats Chew (Episode 40)

  Usopp recalled Chew after deciding to fight with everything he had. He used hammer and projectile attacks, ignited alcohol to hit Chew, and finally beat the fish-man.

Character Graph

Helmeppo

Marine

A snobbish, cruel man who is the son of Captain Morgan and abuses the townspeople.

• Abuse of townspeople

  Brings a hostile wolf into a bar, then threatens to execute the customers unless Zoro surrenders.

• Broken deal

  Breaks his deal with Zoro by intending to execute him anyway.

• Roronoa Zoro (Other, Hostility)

  Struck a deal with Zoro after Zoro defeated his wolf, then intended to execute him anyway.

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.

• Nami (Hierarchy, Hostility)

  Accepted Nami into his crew as a supposed defector; ordered her to fire a Buggy Ball at Luffy as proof of loyalty.

• Luffy (Other, Hostility)

  Fights Luffy and pierces his straw hat with knives, enraging him.

  Luffy struck Buggy down during the attempt to seize his treasure and later blasted him out of town.

Usopp

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

Village liar who joins the crew as a new permanent member after his backstory is revealed.

• 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.

• Childhood and father's departure

  His father Yasopp left to become a pirate with Shanks, leaving Usopp and his wife behind. His mother later died of illness, and Usopp became the village liar hoping his father would return.

• Luffy (Colleague, Affinity)

  Invited to join the crew as a new permanent member.

Gaimon

A man who was trapped in an empty treasure chest for twenty years on the island; refuses to join Luffy's crew and lives freely on the island.

• Past life

  Formerly a boy aboard a pirate ship that came to the island searching for treasure; after a month of failing to find any, his crew left him behind.

• Current stance

  Knowing there was no treasure gave him closure and the freedom to live as he pleased; he has befriended the animals native to the island.

• Luffy (Friend, Affinity)

  Quickly befriended by Luffy, who later invited him to join his crew; Gaimon declined.

Sanji

Baratie · Baratie cook · cook

Sous chef of the Baratie; kicks Fullbody after Fullbody wastes the food he made.

A cook at the Baratie who owes his life to Zeff and refuses to surrender the restaurant even at the cost of his life.

• Crew invitation

  Luffy asked him to become the cook aboard his pirate ship; Sanji refused while staying at the restaurant.

• Infatuation with Nami

  Became infatuated with Nami and declared himself willing to become a pirate for her.

• Debt to Zeff

  Insists he can only repay his debt to Zeff by risking death to protect the restaurant Zeff treasured.

• Kindness to Gin

  Fed Gin for free and urged him to survive rather than die for pride, which moved Gin to spare him.

• Luffy (Colleague, Hostility)

  Luffy invited him to be the cook of his pirate ship; he refused at first but was later told to join Luffy's group.

  Sanji was angered when Luffy announced he would sink the ship and argued with him over the debt and the restaurant.

• Nami (Other, Affinity)

  Infatuated with Nami and willing to become a pirate for her.

Bell-mère

Marine (former)

Adoptive mother of Nami and Nojiko, who farmed mikan in the outskirts of Cocoyasi Village to survive; she formerly travelled overseas as a Marine.

• Adoption

  Met Nojiko and infant Nami overseas, then took them back to Cocoyasi Village to raise them as her own children.

• Nami (Family, Guardian, Affinity)

  Adoptive mother who went without food so she could feed Nami, and who regretted their quarrel and prepared Nami's favorite meal.

• Nojiko (Family, Guardian, Affinity)

  Adoptive mother who raised Nojiko alongside Nami on a low income.

Luffy

Would-be pirate who set sail to begin a pirating career; cast adrift at sea in a barrel after his dinghy was destroyed by a whirlpool. Aims for the Grand Line to search for the One Piece, and first sets out to recruit Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro into his crew.

Pirate who confronts Arlong, introduces himself as a pirate, and demands that Arlong stop making his navigator cry.

• Origin at sea

  Dinghy destroyed by a whirlpool, left trapped in a barrel

• Response to Nami's plea

  Readily agreed to help after Nami broke down and asked, then called for the others to go.

• Roronoa Zoro (Colleague, Affinity)

  Rescued by Zoro in the fight against Buggy's men; Luffy told him to run.

• Gaimon (Friend, Affinity)

  Befriended Gaimon and then invited him to join the crew, which Gaimon declined.

• Nami (Other, Colleague, Affinity)

  Offered help, which she first refused, and later accepted when she asked for it.

  Luffy calls Nami his navigator and confronts Arlong on her behalf.

• Arlong (Other, Hostility)

  Luffy names Arlong as his real target and stands against him.

Roronoa Zoro

Straw Hat Pirates

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

Pirate who offers to fight Hatchan so the others can continue, and declares that the pirates intend to crush the fish-men.

• 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.

• Childhood training

  Was a dojoyaburi who challenged local dojos; after defeat by Kuina he joined her father's dojo and trained harder than peers.

• Vow to Kuina

  After Kuina's fatal fall, decided to become the world's greatest swordsman; received Kuina's katana Wado Ichimonji from her father and trained eight more years before becoming a pirate hunter.

• Pursuit of the hawk-eyed man

  Revealed that the attacker on the Grand Line is the man he went to sea to find, and became more determined to head there.

• Helmeppo (Other, Hostility)

  Defeated Helmeppo's wolf to protect the bar's customers, then was threatened and betrayed by him.

• Buggy (Other, Hostility)

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

• Hatchan (Other, Hostility)

  Zoro dismisses Hatchan's grievances over the fish-men he cut down and offers to fight him.

Genzo

Cocoyasi Village

Genzo is a villager of Cocoyasi Village who was nearly executed by Arlong for possessing a weapon and was treated for his wounds afterward.

Villager who stops the injured fighters and volunteers to rescue Luffy himself, recognizing that his survival could decide the battle.

• Near execution

  Arlong decides to execute Genzo for possessing a weapon, which he treats as rebellion; Usopp interferes.

• Rescue of Luffy

  Refuses other villagers' help to avoid drawing the fish-men into the fight and works to free Luffy from the trapping stone.

• Arlong (Other, Hostility)

  Arlong tried to execute Genzo for possessing a weapon.

• Nojiko (Colleague, Affinity)

  Agrees to let her join the rescue; they work together to free Luffy.

Hatchan

Arlong Pirates

An octopus fish-man who met Zoro and guided him to Cocoyasi Village, mistaking him for a guest.

Fish-man with six arms who boasts of his six-sword style and fights Zoro.

• Guiding Zoro

  Took Zoro to Cocoyasi Village without knowing his identity and later admitted doing so.

• Duel with Zoro

  Boasts that his six arms make him impossible to cut, mistakes Zoro's condition for a trick, and claims each of his swords weighs three hundred kilograms.

• Arlong (Hierarchy, Neutral)

  Serves Arlong as a fish-man crew member who reports on his movements.

• Roronoa Zoro (Other, Hostility)

  Hatchan accuses Zoro of deceiving him and cutting down his comrades.

  Opponent in a sword duel; Hatchan threatens to kill Zoro and is beaten by Zoro's tornado technique.

Kuroobi

Arlong Pirates

A fish-man of the Arlong Pirates who suspected Nami of betraying the crew and questioned her loyalty.

Fish-man fighting Sanji who takes advantage of Sanji's distraction and reports to Arlong that he finished him off.

• Accusing Nami

  Argued that someone freed Zoro and accused Nami of letting him infiltrate the crew, and suspected her of hiding a treasure map.

• Fight with Sanji

  Warns Sanji not to look away, strikes after his distraction, and is later confronted again by Sanji, who questions his surprise at a survivor.

• Nami (Colleague, Hostility)

  Suspects Nami of betrayal and questions her motives for buying Cocoyasi Village.

• Arlong (Hierarchy, Neutral)

  Serves Arlong within the Arlong Pirates.

  Reports to Arlong and asks him what to do with Zoro, acting under his command.

• Sanji (Other, Hostility)

  Opponent in the fight at the sea; Sanji targets him after recovering.

Nojiko (Nami's sister)

Cocoyasi Village

A human resident who rescues Usopp by diverting an Arlong Pirate away.

Joins Genzo to rescue Luffy because Luffy and his companions are fighting for her sister.

• Rescue of Usopp

  Intervenes when a revealed Arlong Pirate attempts to capture Usopp, diverting the pirate away.

• Search for Nami

  Went looking for Nami at Bell-mère's request and reunited with her before they returned home for dinner.

• Accusation against Arlong

  Asserted that Arlong allied with the Marines and deceived Nami for eight years.

• Rescue mission

  Insists on joining Genzo's rescue of Luffy and later tries to help him expel water.

• Nami (Family, Affinity)

  Nami is her adopted sister.

  Her sister, for whom Luffy and his companions are fighting.

• Bell-mère (Family, Guardian, Affinity)

  Adoptive mother who raised her and Nami on a low income.

• Genzo (Colleague, Affinity)

  Accompanies Genzo on the rescue; Genzo agrees to her joining.

Arlong

Arlong Pirates · fish-man

The most notorious pirate in East Blue, a fish-man originating from the Grand Line, who claims fish-men are far superior to humans.

Fish-man leader who boasts of killing humans with water and dismisses the lives of his opponents.

• Base and claims

  Operates from Arlong Park; bribes a corrupt Marine officer; asserts fish-men surpass humans in strength and underwater breathing.

• Gosa destruction

  Arlong destroyed Gosa Village because one person failed to pay the tribute.

• Commanding the pursuit

  Ordered the hunt for Usopp and suspected the captured swordsman was a bounty hunter come for his head.

• Broken promise

  Refused to return the village unless Nami presented the full sum, and threatened to kill everyone if she fled.

• Nami (Hierarchy, Pact, Hostility)

  Commands Nami as his officer and cartographer.

  Captain of the crew Nami joined under the promise; holds her to the debt.

• Roronoa Zoro (Other, Hostility)

  Interrogates Zoro after capturing him.

• Hatchan (Hierarchy, Neutral)

  Learned from Hatchan that Zoro was also searching for him.

• Luffy (Other, Hostility)

  Arlong calls Luffy his target after Luffy names him as the real target of the fight and threatens to kill him.

• Kuroobi (Hierarchy, Hostility)

  Arlong reacts angrily to the defeat of Kuroobi, one of his subordinates.

Nami

Straw Hat Pirates · Arlong Pirates · Arlong Pirates (surveyor)

A thief who targets pirates and steals sea charts; infiltrates Buggy's crew under a false pretext while secretly aiming to recover the chart and steal his treasure.

Confronts Arlong and declares she has come to kill him.

• Ambition

  Aims to earn one hundred million berries for reasons she keeps secret.

• Arlong's plan

  Arlong called her indispensable to his planned empire and affirmed his promise from eight years earlier to free her and Cocoyasi Village if she accumulated one hundred million berries.

• Family background

  Stole books from a local bookstore to support her cartography interest, and wore only hand-me-down clothing from Nojiko.

• Motive

  Works for Arlong to earn 100 million berries for the village's freedom, and vows to earn it alone.

• Luffy (Colleague, Neutral)

  Met Luffy after he defeated armed men; proposed a partnership, then declined his invitation to join his crew upon learning he was a pirate.

  Gave Luffy the Grand Line map and agreed to sail with the crew temporarily to acquire Bellies.

• Buggy (Hierarchy, Other, Hostility)

  Infiltrated Buggy's crew by claiming to have quarreled with her boss; privately plans to steal from him.

  Nami was attempting to leave with Buggy's treasure when he spotted her, and she restrained him with rope.

• Arlong (Hierarchy, Pact, Other, Hostility)

  Serves under Arlong as his officer and cartographer.

  Nami confronts Arlong and declares she has come to kill him.

• Nojiko (Family, Mixed)

  Nojiko is her adopted sister.

  Sister who condemned her decision; Nami keeps her in the dark about her plan to fight alone.

• Usopp (Other, Hostility)

  Threatened to eliminate Usopp because his companions could ruin her work, and Usopp accused her of deceiving Luffy.

• Bell-mère (Family, Guardian, Mixed)

  Adoptive mother with whom Nami quarrelled before running away from home; Bell-mère later prepared her favorite meal to make up for it.

World Memo

• Fish-men species traits

  Fish-men originate from the Grand Line and live among residents of islands; they are described as far stronger than humans and able to breathe underwater.

  Fish-men breathe through gills underwater, so forcing air into their gills makes them suffer when they are submerged.

Battle Record

Arlong's water attacks continue; Nami confronts Arlong, declaring she came to kill him.

Sanji vs Kuroobi underwater duel

Sea duel · Episode 40

Location: underwater, then land near the village

Trigger: Kuroobi discovered Genzo and threatened to sink him

Combatants

• Straw Hat side — fighter: Sanji
• Arlong side — fighter: Kuroobi

Outcome: Kuroobi defeated by Sanji's kicks

Aftermath

• Arlong reacted angrily to the defeat of his comrades

Usopp vs Chew at the village

Village duel · Episode 40

Location: Cocoyasi Village

Trigger: Chew assumed his water shot had killed Usopp

Combatants

• Straw Hat side — fighter: Usopp
• Arlong side — fighter: Chew

Outcome: Chew beaten by Usopp

Arlong Park infiltration

Arlong confrontation · Episode 31– (Ongoing)

Location: Arlong Park

Trigger: Arlong Pirates' attack on the village

Combatants

• Straw Hat side — fighter: Nami
• Arlong side — leader: Arlong

Ability Table

Music Releases

• We Are! (OP)
• RUN! RUN! RUN! (ED)