ONE PIECE Episode 61 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

An Angry Showdown! Cross the Red Line!

After Eric attacks Nelson and draws the Straw Hats' attention, he proposes they join his plan to obtain Dragonite and gain eternal life, and proposes splitting the Dragonite. Nami points out that nothing useful can be gained by destroying the fossilized Sennenryu, and Eric insists there is enough Dragonite in the living Sennenryu. Apis refuses, Eric attacks her, and Usopp saves her. Luffy takes on Eric, who wounds him, but Luffy grabs him and strikes him with Gomu Gomu no Kane, then finishes him with Gomu Gomu no Bazooka. The crew leaves the village, Apis stays behind to protect the Dragon's Nest, and the Straw Hats enter the Grand Line through a current, where Eric reappears and is kicked away.

• Eric's proposal and refusal

  Eric attacks Nelson and proposes that the Straw Hats join his Dragonite plan. Nami objects that the fossilized Sennenryu gives nothing useful, and Eric insists the living Sennenryu hold enough Dragonite. Apis refuses and Eric attacks her, but Usopp rescues her.

• Luffy's defeat of Eric

  Luffy declines to let Zoro intervene, takes on Eric's attacks, and grabs him to land Gomu Gomu no Kane, breaking his glasses, before finishing with Gomu Gomu no Bazooka.

• Farewell at the village

  The Straw Hats prepare to leave, and Apis chooses to stay and guard the Dragon's Nest. Usopp notes the next Sennenryu return is 1000 years away.

• Passage into the Grand Line

  The crew follows a current through a mountain entrance. Luffy uses Gomu Gomu no Fusen to save the caravel, and Nami kicks Eric into the current as the pirates enter the Grand Line.

Recent Timeline

• Nelson's ship split and Lost Island resurfaces (Episode 60)

  Luffy launches a Battle-Axe kick that splits Nelson's large ship in two, and the Marines flee in fear of his power. Soon after, the ocean around Warship Island trembles and the water recedes to reveal Lost Island, the nest that migratory sennenryus return to every thousand years. Fossilized ancestors found there identify it as the Dragonite that Nelson and Eric sought.

• Ryu reborn and Eric turns on Nelson (Episode 60)

  After Ryu collapses and Apis refuses to accept his death, a baby sennenryu hatches from an egg at the nest and is presumed to be Ryu reborn. It screeches to Apis, who agrees to its request.

  Eric, soaked and furious, ignores Nelson's proposed deal and slashes him with his Devil Fruit power. Afterward, the Straw Hat Pirates see Eric combing his ice-cream-like hair.

• Luffy defeats Eric (Episode 61)

  Luffy closes in on Eric's relentless attacks, grabs him, and lands a Gomu Gomu no Kane that breaks his eyeglasses. He finishes Eric with a Gomu Gomu no Bazooka that blows him away. Eric, who sought Dragonite for eternal life, is beaten.

• Passage through Reverse Mountain (Episode 61)

  The caravel is steered into the mountain entrance against a strong current. Luffy uses Gomu Gomu no Fusen to keep the ship from crashing into the arcs.

  Near the end of the current, Eric reappears and is kicked back into it by Nami, and the crew enters the Grand Line.

Character Graph

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.

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.

• Buggy (Other, Hostility)

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

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.

A fish-man who claims his heritage makes him superior to humans and holds Nami captive to chart the sea.

• Base and claims

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

• Broken promise

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

• Supremacist stance

  Declares fish-men superior to humans, boasting he can kill humans without touching them and citing his strength as proof.

• Claimed superiority

  Declares that fish-men are fundamentally superior to Luffy and other humans.

• Nami (Hierarchy, Pact, Hostility)

  Commands Nami as his officer and cartographer.

  Forced Nami to draw sea charts over eight years and insists her talent should serve the fish-men, calling her their comrade.

• Roronoa Zoro (Other, Hostility)

  Interrogates Zoro after capturing 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.

Genzo

Cocoyasi Village · 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 acted as a father figure to Bellemere's daughters, Nami and Nojiko, after Bellemere's death.

• 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.

• Guardian of Nami's freedom

  Accepted Nami's decision to become a pirate, threatened Luffy to keep her smile safe, and resolved that the survivors should live wholeheartedly.

• 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.

• Nami (Guardian, Affinity)

  Adoptive father figure who encouraged her to live as she wished, and who gave her a pinwheel to make her smile as a child.

• Luffy (Guardian, Mixed)

  Warned him that his crew must never take away Nami's smile; Luffy accepted the warning.

Nami

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

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.

Bellemere's daughter who left the island to pursue her dream of charting the world's seas as a pirate.

• Ambition

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

• Motive

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

• Forced chart-making

  Was made by Arlong to produce sea charts over eight years, which he called his treasure.

• Departure from the island

  Left Cocoyasi with her companions and drew her own charts, after the villagers gained freedom.

• Luffy (Colleague, Affinity)

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

  Recruited as a crewmate by Luffy, who vowed to destroy Arlong and accepted her into the crew.

• 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.

  Arlong forced her to produce sea charts and claims she is a comrade of the fish-men.

• Nojiko (Family, Affinity)

  Nojiko is her adopted sister.

  Older sister; shares a tattoo-marked past and a close bond as Bellemere's daughters.

• Genzo (Guardian, Affinity)

  Adoptive father figure who accepted her pirate path and encouraged her to live freely.

Nojiko

Cocoyasi Village · Village

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

Bellemere's daughter who stayed on Cocoyasi Village after the liberation.

• Rescue of Usopp

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

• 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.

• Village life

  Pointed out Luffy as the one who defeated Arlong, and bid her sister farewell at departure.

• Nami (Family, Affinity)

  Nami is her adopted sister.

  Older sister who stayed behind while Nami left to pursue her dream; they share a close bond.

• Genzo (Colleague, Guardian, Affinity)

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

  Guardian figure who raised her alongside Nami after Bellemere's death.

Gaimon (the island's guardian deity)

former pirate · island hermit

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.

A former pirate who was left behind by his companions and has lived on the Island of Rare Animals for twenty years, claiming to be its guardian deity.

• 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

  Content to stay with the animals and refuses Buggy's invitation to join his crew.

• Luffy (Friend, Affinity)

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

• Buggy (Friend, Affinity)

  Met Buggy on the island, shared liquor and a friendly parting, and helped him build a raft; Gaimon believed Buggy and the young pirate could become friends.

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.

Leads his group in hunting Luffy in town and announces that the time for revenge has come.

• 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.

  Seeks revenge against Luffy, claims a fortune-telling confirmed Luffy is in town, and unknowingly gives Luffy directions.

Bokuden (Grandpa)

An old man living on Warship Island, grandfather of Apis, who knows the island's legend of the dragons.

• Apis (Family, Affinity)

  His granddaughter, whom he welcomes back after she was taken by the marines.

Nelson Royal

Marine

A Marine officer who was told Apis was lost at sea, then learned she was back on Warship Island and ordered her recaptured.

• Eric (Hierarchy, Neutral)

  A mercenary he has hired and commands, ordered to capture Apis again.

Ryu

dragon · sennenryu

An old dragon hiding in a cave on Warship Island, who lost his way to Lost Island and is weakened with age.

A sennenryu whose dream was to reach the nest; he was taken down by Marine cannons and apparently died, after which he is reborn as a baby sennenryu from an egg.

• Rebirth at the nest

  Luffy tells Apis that sennenryus are reborn in the nest, and a baby sennenryu hatches from an egg, presumably Ryu.

• Apis (Guardian, Friend, Affinity)

  A dragon she met in the mountains and helps find his way home; she calls him Grandpa Ryu.

  Apis wanted him to live and believed his promise to get better at the nest; he is her companion in the nest.

• Luffy (Friend, Affinity)

  Luffy understood Ryu's call and agreed to carry his message to Apis.

Apis

Warship Island · Dragon's Nest guardian

A little girl held aboard a Marine ship who escaped her room and was later pulled from the sea onto the Going Merry by Luffy; she introduces herself as Apis and says her home is on Warship Island.

Villager who stays behind in the village to protect the Dragon's Nest after the Straw Hats leave.

• Escape from Marine ship

  Incapacitates one of her Marine guards, breaks out of her room, and climbs the mast before jumping into a lifeboat.

• Refusal to explain

  When asked why the Marines were holding her, she refuses to answer, and Sanji backs her, saying it is her business.

• Choice to stay

  Declines to join the Straw Hats, staying in the village to protect the Dragon's Nest.

• Bokuden (Family, Affinity)

  Her grandfather, who lives on Warship Island and welcomes her return.

• Ryu (Guardian, Affinity)

  A dragon she found helpless in a cave; she is determined to help him return to his nest on Lost Island.

• Luffy (Friend, Affinity)

  Friendly exchange with the Straw Hats at departure; Luffy invited her to come along.

Eric

Mercenary

A mercenary working under Nelson Royal who confirmed Apis was lost at sea, then was ordered to recapture her on Warship Island and believes she knows the dragonite's whereabouts.

Antagonist who attacks Nelson and fights the Straw Hats while pursuing Dragonite for eternal life.

• Defeat and expulsion

  Defeated by Luffy and thrown into the current, kicked away by Nami after falling into a trap.

• Nelson Royal (Hierarchy, Colleague, Hostility)

  His employer, who ordered him to capture Apis again.

  Nelson welcomes Eric's return and proposes a deal, but Eric attacks him in fury.

• Luffy (Other, Hostility)

  Eric fights Luffy, and Luffy defeats him with a Gomu Gomu no Kane and a Gomu Gomu no Bazooka.

• Nami (Other, Hostility)

  Nami warns him about the Dragonite beside him and kicks him into the current.

World Memo

• Warship Island and Dragonite

  Warship Island is named for its shape: seen from afar, it resembles a huge warship, though it is an island rather than a ship. Local legend holds that its people descend from Lost Island, which sank beneath the sea a thousand years ago and was home to the millennial dragons. The bones of these dragons are called dragonite, also known as the Elixir of Immortality.

• Sennenryu nest resurfaces

  The nest island rises again as the water recedes after the tremors near Warship Island, showing that it is only accessible at intervals.

• Dragonite in living Sennenryu

  Living Sennenryu contain more than enough Dragonite, while fossilized Sennenryu yield nothing useful when destroyed.

• Sennenryu and the Nest

  Sennenryu are named not for their lifespan but for their migratory cycle: they return to the nest only once every thousand years. The nest is called Lost Island because a long span of time passes before it becomes accessible again.

  Sennenryu are reborn in the nest, where the fossilized remains of their ancestors lie covered in coral.

• Mountain current passage

  A strong current runs through the mountain, and its entrance is lined with arcs that ships must avoid crashing into when passing through.

Battle Record

Luffy fights Eric, who wants the Dragonite for eternal life, after Eric attacks Nelson and Apis refuses to give up the Sennenryu.

Sea King ambush in the Calm Belt

Going Merry surrounded in the Calm Belt · Episode 55

Location: Calm Belt

Trigger: Usopp's shout alerts a Sea King, which attacks the ship

Straw Hats vs Sea Kings

• Straw Hat Pirates — combatants: Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Nami, Apis
• Sea Kings — attackers: Sea King

Outcome: Straw Hats escape; the Going Merry is launched out of the Calm Belt by the Sea King's sneeze

Aftermath

• Apis is rescued by Luffy after falling off the ship
• Apis pulls out the Sea King's nostril hair, provoking the sneeze

Warship Island standoff with Nelson's fleet

Nelson's marines vs Luffy and Eric · Episode 60

Location: Warship Island

Trigger: Nelson's marines, ordered by Nelson, throw a harpoon at Ryu and Luffy

Sides

• Straw Hat side — fighter: Luffy
• Nelson's fleet — commander: Nelson Royal / fighters: Marines
• Eric's side — fighter: Eric

Outcome: Nelson's big ship broken in two; the marines retreat; Eric slashes Nelson with his Devil Fruit power

Aftermath

• Marines scared off by Luffy's power
• Nelson slashed by Eric

Luffy vs Eric at the Dragon's Nest

Eric's bid for Dragonite · Episode 61

Location: the Dragon's Nest

Trigger: Eric proposed splitting the Dragonite to obtain eternal life, and Apis refused

Sides

• Straw Hat Crew — fighter: Luffy / protector: Usopp
• Eric — opponent: Eric

Outcome: Eric is blown away by Luffy and thrown into the current, and the Straw Hats pass into the Grand Line

Aftermath

• Eric's distinctive eyeglasses are broken and he bleeds
• Apis remains on the island to protect the Dragon's Nest

Ability Table

Music Releases

• Believe (OP)
• RUN! RUN! RUN! (ED)