The Straw Hats (麦わら, Mugiwara), also called the Straw Hat Crew (麦わらの一味, Mugiwara no Ichimi), or the Straw Hat Pirates (麦わら海賊団, Mugiwara Kaizokudan), are a group of fictional characters and the main protagonists of the Japanese manga series One Piece, written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, and its related media. Captain Monkey D. Luffy leads the pirate crew, recruiting three-sword-style swordsman and former bounty hunter Roronoa Zoro, navigator and thief Nami, sniper and inventor Usopp, cook and Modified Human Sanji, doctor and anthropomorphic reindeer Tony Tony Chopper, archaeologist and historian Nico Robin, shipwright and cyborg Franky, musician and living skeleton Brook, and helmsman and martial artist Fish-Man Jimbei. Additionally, the diplomat and princess of Alabasta Nefertari Vivi traveled with the crew for a time, being considered as an honorary crewmember for the first six members of the crew. The Straw Hats initially sail the seas aboard the caravel Going Merry before Franky builds a brigantine-rigged sloop-of-war called the Thousand Sunny that is the crew's current ship.
The Straw Hats are the protagonists of One Piece, and the crew explores the East Blue and Grand Line in pursuit of their dreams including their search for the mythical treasure called the One Piece. During their adventures, the Straw Hats encounter several friends and foes, including other pirates, bounty hunters, revolutionaries, members of organized crime, as well as all three types of great powers in One Piece: the World Government's Marines and allied privateer Seven Warlords of the Sea, and the strongest pirates known as the Four Emperors of the Sea.
A boy in the East Blue named Monkey D. Luffy seeks the One Piece and recruits new crew members while gaining a ship and entering the Grand Line. Leading pirates are in a race to find Laugh Tale, the hidden final island at the end of the Grand Line where the One Piece is said to be. The Straw Hats travel with Princess Nefertari Vivi of the Kingdom of Alabasta to save the island from a coup d'état by the Warlord Sir Crocodile, who seeks control over one of the Three Ancient Weapons said to be able to destroy the world. The Straw Hats become infamous worldwide after they escape from a World Government armada known as the Buster Call in the Enies Lobby Incident. Luffy and Zoro are labelled by the press as part of the Worst Generation of pirates as they reach the end of Paradise, the first half of the Grand Line.
Two years after the Straw Hats' journey began, they travel underwater together to Fish-Man Island to reach the New World, the second half of the Grand Line. After the Straw Hats save the country of Dressrosa from massacre by Warlord Donquixote Doflamingo, 5,640 pirates from crews captained by Cavendish, Bartolomeo, Sai, Ideo, Leo, Hajrudin, and Orlumbus swear allegiance to Luffy. The seven crews of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet are the Beautiful Pirates, Barto Club, Happosui Army, Ideo Pirates, Tontatta Pirates, New Giant Warrior Pirates, and the Yontamaria Fleet. The fleet pledges to defend each other when needed, and separates. The Straw Hats then form the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance to defeat Emperors Big Mom and Kaido in the Wano Country. Afterwards they are recognized worldwide as a great power led by Emperor of the Sea Luffy and his nine Senior Officers. The territories of Fish-Man Island and Wano swear allegiance to Luffy in exchange for protection. The new Emperor crew then sails from Wano to Egghead, where they escape another, larger Buster Call. The Straw Hats reunite with Hajrudin and the New Giant Warrior Pirates after landing on Elbaph, island of giants.
Creation and conception
Eiichiro Oda first created the Straw Hats in his prototype one-shot, "Romance Dawn", then refined the artistic style and story elements before publishing the final product a year later as the first chapter of One Piece. In the second version of "Romance Dawn", Luffy resembled his design at the beginning of the series.
Crew overview and portrayals
Pirate Crew
Monkey D. Luffy
Monkey D. Luffy (モンキー・D・ルフィ, Monkī Dī Rufi) is the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and the main protagonist of the One Piece franchise. At age seven, he admires and tries to join the pirates of the "Red-Haired" Shanks. Ridiculed and rejected, he inadvertently eats their treasure, the Paramecia-type Gum-Gum Fruit (ゴムゴムの実, Gomu Gomu no Mi), which grants his body the properties of rubber. His reckless actions ultimately lead him into grave peril causing Shanks to lose an arm while rescuing him from a Sea King. After this, Luffy gives up on joining Shanks, resolving instead to start a crew of his own and become King of the Pirates.[ch. 1] Displeased by Shanks influencing his grandson, Monkey D. Garp takes Luffy to be raised by Curly Dadan, a mountain bandit, and her team of bandits, who he strong-arms into taking him in. During Luffy's time there, he becomes a sworn brother with Portgas D. Ace, Garp's other ward, and Sabo, a young local runaway noble.[ch. 582–589] Ten years later and still wearing Shanks' treasured straw hat, Luffy forms and commands his own pirate crew called the Straw Hat Pirates and sets sail for the Grand Line, quickly gaining infamy as "Straw Hat" Luffy (麦わらのルフィ, Mugiwara no Rufi).[ch. 2, 7, 96, 98] Eventually, after his strength proves insufficient to save Ace from execution, he spends two years on a secluded island, practising the use of all three types of Haki as well as developing his rubber ability's Fourth Gear with Silvers Rayleigh, before heading to the New World.[ch. 590–602] Due to his infamy, he is one of the eleven pirates who are known as "The Worst Generation". After the defeat of Kaido and Big Mom, he was subsequently named one of the newest members of the Four Emperors. Luffy is also capable of using the advanced application for all three types of Haki. During his fight with Kaido, his Devil Fruit power awakened, revealing its true nature as the Mythical Zoan-type Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika (ヒトヒトの実 モデル“ニカ”, Hito Hito no Mi, Moderu: Nika).
Roronoa Zoro
Roronoa Zoro (ロロノア・ゾロ, Roronoa Zoro) is a proficient swordsman who is the only known user of the Three-Sword Style (Santoryu), holding one in each hand and a third in his mouth, although he is also capable of fighting with only one or two swords.[ch. 3, 5, 28] To fulfill a promise to Kuina, his deceased childhood friend and rival, he aims to defeat Dracule Mihawk and become the world's greatest swordsman.[ch. 5, 50] Traveling the seas in search of Mihawk and making a living as a bounty hunter, he became infamously known as "Pirate Hunter" Zoro (海賊狩りのゾロ, Kaizoku-Gari no Zoro), a title he rejects.
Eventually, he comes into conflict with Helmeppo, the spoiled son of a navy officer named Axe-Hand Morgan. To prevent the harm of innocent civilians, Zoro allows himself to be incarcerated temporarily, while Helmeppo plots to have him killed. Zoro is saved from execution by Luffy in exchange for becoming his first crewman. At that point, Zoro makes it clear that he would turn on his captain if he ever stepped between him and his dream.[ch. 2–6] However, Zoro grows fond of his crew and after several defeats in their defense, his priorities change and he convinces Mihawk to take him on as a student during the two-year timeskip.[ch. 51f., 485, 597] Zoro is capable of utilizing all three types of Haki and is capable of using the advanced application for both Haoshoku and Busoshoku Haki. He is known for his complete lack of a sense of direction and constantly gets lost when traveling.
Nami
Nami (ナミ), adopted and raised by Marine officer turned tangerine farmer Belle-Mère, in her childhood witnessed her mother being murdered by the infamous Arlong, whose pirate gang occupies their island and extracts tribute from the population. Striking a deal with him, Nami, still a child, but already an accomplished cartographer who dreams of drawing a complete map of the world, joins the pirates, hoping to buy freedom for her village eventually. Growing up as a pirate-hating pirate drawing maps for Arlong and stealing treasure from other pirates, Nami becomes an excellent burglar, pickpocket, and navigator with an exceptional ability to forecast weather.[ch. 77, 95, 130] After Arlong betrays her, and he and his gang are defeated by the Straw Hat Pirates, Nami joins them in pursuit of her dream and acquires infamy herself as "Cat Burglar" Nami (泥棒猫のナミ, Dorobō Neko no Nami).[ch. 94f., 435]
Zeus
Zeus (ゼウス, Zeusu) is a cloud Homie who Big Mom created, originally being one of her main sidekicks.[ch. 843] He was captured by Nami in Whole Cake Island,[ch. 890] and after it he partnered up with her, residing inside Nami's Sorcery Clima-Tact.[ch. 903]
Zeus is voiced by Yū Mizushima in the original Japanese version and by Kevin D. Thelwell in the Funimation dub.
Usopp
Usopp (ウソップ, Usoppu) was abandoned during his early childhood by his father, Yasopp, who left to join the Red-Haired Pirates. As his mother, Banchina, falls ill, Usopp starts telling tall tales, expressing his hope that his father will return and take them out to sea. He regularly goes to the mansion at the top of the hill where he lives, to visit Kaya. Even after his mother dies, Usopp does not blame his father for leaving. Despite his cowardly disposition, he strives to become a great pirate.[ch. 25, 41] Usopp is recognizable for his long nose, a reference to the fact that he tends to lie a lot. He is also a gifted inventor, painter, and sculptor.[ch. 42, 106, 190] In combat, he relies primarily on slingshots to fire various kinds of ammunition with great precision in coordination with a set of lies and other weapons giving him a unique fighting style named "The Usopp Arsenal".[ch. 332] To help the Straw Hats rescue Nico Robin, he achieves notoriety under his adopted alter-ego "Sogeking, the King of Snipers" (狙撃の王様そげキング, Sogeki no Ō-sama Sogekingu), a hero sniper wearing a golden mask and cape. Eventually, after helping the Straw Hats liberate Dressrosa from Donquixote Doflamingo's rule, he becomes infamous as "God" Usopp (ゴッド ウソップ, Goddo Usoppu).[ch. 435]
Sanji
Sanji (サンジ), born as Vinsmoke Sanji (ヴィンスモーク・サンジ, Vinsumōku Sanji), was a prince of Germa Kingdom. He was routinely ridiculed by his genetically enhanced siblings and is locked away by his father Vinsmoke Judge for being a disgrace. With help from his sister Vinsmoke Reiju, he escapes and flees Germa, a floating kingdom composed of several ships, after it enters the East Blue and his father permits it. While serving as an apprentice cook on a passenger ship, nine-year-old Sanji stands up to a boarding party of pirates led by the infamous "Red Foot" Zeff. During the encounter, Sanji is swept into the sea by a massive wave. Zeff jumps in after him because of their common dream of finding the All Blue (オールブルー, Ōru Burū), a legendary area where the East, West, North, and South Blue seas meet, containing every kind of fish in the world. While castaways together, the pirate saves Sanji's life yet again by giving him all of their food. After their eventual rescue, Sanji stays with Zeff for several years and helps him build a floating restaurant, the Baratie (バラティエ). Zeff in turn makes him a first-rate cook and teaches him his kick-based fighting style.[ch. 56–59] Mirroring Zeff, Sanji will never refuse a starving person a meal and he uses only his legs when fighting to protect the hands he needs for cooking.[ch. 48, 370] He has a massive weakness for women and makes it a principle never to harm one, even if it means his death.[ch. 403]
Eventually, he becomes infamous as "Black Leg" Sanji (黒脚のサンジ, Kuro Ashi no Sanji).[ch. 435] While training for a period of two years in Emporio Ivankov's Kamabakka Queendom (カマバッカ王国, Kamabakka Ōkoku), he develops the Sky Walk (空中歩行（スカイ・ウォーク）, Sukai Wōku), a variant of the Six Powers (六式, Rokushiki) technique Moonwalk (月歩, Geppo), which allows him to essentially run through air.[ch. 635] Sanji receives his own Raid Suit from his family that grants him the ability to turn invisible[ch. 903], though he later destroys it out of fear of losing his humanity.[ch. 1031]
Sanji's standard choice of clothing a well-fitting black suit with a blue shirt and skinny black tie. He is almost always portrayed with his hair covering one of his eyes, and he is often shown smoking a cigarette.
Tony Tony Chopper
Tony Tony Chopper (トニートニー・チョッパー, Tonī Tonī Choppā) is an anthropomorphic reindeer and doctor. The power of the Zoan-type Human-Human Fruit (ヒトヒトの実, Hito Hito no Mi) provides him with the ability to transform into a full-sized reindeer or a reindeer-human hybrid.[ch. 140] A self-developed drug he calls Rumble Ball (ランブル・ボール, Ranburu Bōru) enables him to perform even more transformations for three minutes.[ch. 149] With help from Caesar Clown, Chopper can last in his transformations for about 30 minutes.[ch. 1014] Rejected by his herd because of his blue nose and eating the Devil Fruit, Chopper is rescued by Drum Island's quack doctor named Hiriluk. Chopper is heartbroken when Hiriluk falls ill with a deadly disease while developing a potion to create cherry blossoms when in contact with snow. After Hiriluk's death, Dr. Kureha takes him in as his mentor. After the Straw Hats arrive at Drum Island and take Chopper with them, Kureha uses Hiriluk's potion to turn the snowy sky into cherry blossoms, fulfilling Hiriluk's life mission. When complimented, Chopper acts flustered and sometimes yells at the person who complimented him to stop trying to make him happy.[ch. 140] A running gag within the series is when other characters mistake him as a Tanuki, and he angrily corrects them, pointing out that he is a Tonakai (Japanese for "Reindeer").
When creating Chopper, Oda wanted a mascot who is both cute and feeble. An IGN review of the manga praised Chopper's character as one of the best in the series and said that he was able to be both touching and funny. With Chopper's backstory, Oda wanted to illustrate that one need not be blood-related to be considered family.
Nico Robin
Nico Robin (ニコ・ロビン, Niko Robin) was raised in Ohara (オハラ), home of the world's oldest and largest library. Robin becomes an archaeologist at the age of eight.[ch. 218,391f.] At some point she gains the power of the Paramecia-type Flower-Flower Fruit (ハナハナの実, Hana Hana no Mi), which allows her to produce temporary copies of parts of her body, including her eyes and ears, which spring up on surfaces near her.[ch. 170] Behind her teachers' backs, she acquires from them the outlawed knowledge of how to translate the ancient stones called Poneglyphs (歴史の本文（ ポーネグリフ）, Pōnegurifu; alt. Poneglyphs), which are scattered around the world. She comes to share their goal of finding the elusive Rio Poneglyph (真の歴史の本文（リオ・ポーネグリフ）, Rio Pōnegurifu), which is said to tell the world's lost history referred to as the 100-Year Void (空白の100年, Kūhaku no Hyaku-nen; Void Century).[ch. 218] However, the World Government finds out about these efforts and sends a Buster Call to destroy the island, a fleet of 20 Marine warships and 5 Vice Admirals. Only Robin escapes the devastating attack that claims the lives of the island's entire population, including that of her mother.[ch. 218, 395] Called "Devil Child" (悪魔の子, Akuma no Ko), traumatized, and with a bounty on her head, Robin lives a life on the run, unable to trust anyone.[ch. 218]
To survive, she cooperates with various pirates and other outlaws. She eventually joins Sir Crocodile's Baroque Works group, using the codename "Ms. All-Sunday" (ミス・オールサンデー, Misu Ōrusandē)[ch. 398] and becomes their vice-president.[ch. 218]
After Baroque Works falls apart, with nowhere else to go, she tags along with the Straw Hat Pirates[ch. 218] and grows so fond of them that she gives herself up to the Government to save them. After they discover her real reason for leaving, the Straw Hat Pirates declare open war against the Government to get her back. She realizes that she has finally found people who will never betray her and officially joins the crew.[ch. 398] During the two-year timeskip, Robin further hones her Devil Fruit powers with the Revolutionary Army to the point where she can create a full-bodied duplicate of herself.
Franky
Franky (フランキー, Furankī), born as Cutty Flam (カティ・フラム, Kati Furamu), is the son of pirate parents who abandoned him at age nine. Cutty Flam was taken in as an apprentice by shipwright Tom, who built Pirate King Gold Roger's ship, the Oro Jackson. He secretly holds the plans for a devastating ancient weapon, eventually adopting the nickname Franky.[ch. 344, 354, 427] Franky's recklessness eventually provides an opportunity for World Government agents seeking these plans.[ch. 356] Attempting to rescue Tom from unjust imprisonment, Franky suffers severe injuries and only survives by rebuilding parts of his body using pieces of scrap metal, turning himself into a cola-powered cyborg with superhuman strength.[ch. 336, 339, 352, 357f.] After gaining notoriety as "Cyborg" Franky (サイボーグ フランキー, Saibōgu Furankī), and to fulfill his dream of sailing a ship he built around the world, he constructs the Thousand Sunny, a brigantine-rigged sloop-of-war, for the Straw Hat Pirates and joins the crew.[ch. 435–437]
Brook
Brook (ブルック, Burukku) was already a pirate before the time of Gold Roger. Brook first enters the Grand Line as a member of the music-themed Rumbar Pirates. Leaving his pet, the infant whale Laboon, at Reverse Mountain, he promises to return after sailing around the world.[ch. 487] After losing his captain "Calico" Yorki, Brook took over the crew as the new captain. Some time later, he is annihilated, but the power of the Paramecia-type Revive-Revive Fruit (ヨミヨミの実, Yomi Yomi no Mi) allows him to resurrect as a skeleton.[ch. 443] Fifty years later, Brook's goal is still to fulfill his late crew's promise, and to that end he joins the Straw Hat Pirates.[ch. 459] He is an excellent musician, who says that he can play any instrument, although he is usually seen playing the violin.[ch. 486] Brook can even influence people with his music to the point of making them fall asleep.[ch. 454] While separated from the other Straw Hats, and incognito as "Soul King" Brook, he gains world fame, filling concert halls with fans.[ch. 600] He is also a skilled fencer who uses a shikomizue (a Japanese cane sword) in battle.[ch. 454] His reduced weight allows him to jump extraordinarily high and to run across water.[ch. 443, 493] Eventually, Brook learns how to use his Devil Fruit ability to leave his skeleton body and explore his surroundings as a disembodied soul.[ch. 629]
Oda first conceived the idea of a skeleton musician in 2000, about the time of Laboon's introduction and more than half a decade before the first appearance of Brook.
Jimbei
Jimbei (ジンベエ, Jinbē; spelled Jinbe on his bounty poster), also known as "First Son of the Sea" Jimbei ((海侠のジンベエ, Kaikyō no Jinbē), is a whale shark Fish-Man, being the tenth member of the Straw Hats and the ninth to join, serving as their helmsman. Jimbei is from Fish-Man Island, 10,000 metres under the surface of the sea and directly under Mary Geoise, and hopes to one day bring Fish-Man Island society to the surface under the sun. His ultimate ambition is to achieve equality between humans and Fish-Men, by overcoming the long history of humans enslaving Fish-Men. Originally Jimbei was a member of the Sun Pirates, which was formed to protect formerly enslaved Fish-Men and Mermen from being re-enslaved. Jimbei joined the Seven Warlords to obtain a World Government pardon for his crew members. This included those who were once enslaved, but also the Fish-Man supremacist Arlong who went on to do great harm to Nami's hometown, Cocoyashi Villlage, and cause a lot of suffering for Nami.
Jimbei is originally introduced as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea who is imprisoned by the World Government after he refuses to support the execution of his friend and Monkey D. Luffy's brother Portgas D. Ace. Luffy frees Jimbei, who resigns his position as Warlord of the Sea. Throughout the story Jimbei serves as a commander under three successive Emperors of the Sea in order to protect Fish-Man Island: Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Straw Hat Luffy. Jimbei, Luffy, and Whitebeard fight to stop the execution of Ace.
Two years later, Jimbei meets the Straw Hats on Fish-Men Island apologizes to Nami for setting Arlong free. The Straw Hats and Jimbei save Fish-Man Island from a coup d'état by the New Fish-Man Pirates, Fish-men supremacists were inspired by Arlong. Luffy asks Jimbei to join his crew, and he agrees but says he needs to settle his affairs with Big Mom. Jimbei later rebels against Big Mom and helps Luffy plan an unsuccessful assassination attempt against her, officially joining the Straw Hats. then reunites with his new crew to successfully defeat an alliance between Big Mom and Kaido of the Four Emperors. After the Straw Hats emerge triumphant, Jimbei becomes one of Emperor Luffy's Senior Officers and currently has the third-highest bounty in the crew after Luffy and Roronoa Zoro.
Creation and conception
Jimbei is based on an honorable yakuza gangster. Though he did not appear in the story until Chapter 528, Jimbei was first mentioned in Chapter 69. Jimbei was originally designed to look like an Umibōzu with a gallant but hotheaded personality suitable for a yakuza boss,
Jimbei was originally supposed to be an actual antagonist, similar to the introduction of Nico Robin and Franky. In this conception Jimbei would have been pulling Arlong's strings from the shadows. This version of Jimbei was based on a Japanese sea demon and a mafia boss, and was not intended to join the Straw Hats. Instead, an early member of the Straw Hats would have been the Fish-Man "Saigo", a good friend of Roronoa Zoro.
Jimbei first appears in the Impel Down arc, which stands in as a metaphorical hell modeled after Dante Alighieri's Inferno. Jimbei's treatment illustrates "the World Government as a corrupt and tyrannical regime that subjugates its citizens, engaging in practices such as slavery, torture, and arbitrary imprisonment." Jimbei's character is seen as representing the theme of tolerance and anti-racism since he "rejects the discriminatory practices of the World Government and joins the Straw Hats, embracing more egalitarian values" as he "aims to achieve unity between humans and Fish-Men. His wisdom and strength make him a valuable addition to the crew," and "a symbol of unity within the diverse crew of the Straw Hat Pirates." The World Government tolerates the enslavement of Fish-Men, mermaids, and mermen, and it is customary among the Celestial Dragons. In one instance a World Noble even attempted to enslave Princess Shirahoshi of Fish-Man Island. One analysis highlights this incident as showing the banality of evil in One Piece regarding the theme of slavery during the 1500s.
Description
Jimbei is a Whale Shark Fish-Man who wears a jinbei and has a red tattoo of the Sun Pirates on his chest. He has blue skin and a shaggy mane of black hair. He has two enlargened lower teeth that stick out of his mouth even when closed. He generally wears a serious scowl but can possess a more light-hearted attitude.
Personality
Jimbei is honorable and dedicated to equality between peoples of all races. Jimbei embodies loyalty and "standing up for your ideals no matter what obstacles you face." Unlike most of the Straw Hats, Jimbei does not have a running gag but often acts as the straight man during a comedic sequence. Jimbei's decision to save Luffy's life at Fish-Man Island with a blood donation despite the taboo on Fish-men donating blood humans showed his moral code and was described as among "the series' most memorable and striking images."
Abilities
Jimbei's abilities include Fish-Man Karate & Jujutsu, super strength, water manipulation, Armament and Observation Haki.[ch. 528] He is the slowest of all the Straw Hats on land, but is much more proficient in swimming than running.
One reviewer considered Jimbei's "most impressive feat" to be "facing down Big Mom in her Life or Soul attack. She exerts her Soul-Soul Fruit power, which usually allows her to absorb the souls of those she chooses. This only works so long as they feel fear or doubt toward Big Mom though, and Jimbei shows none of that. He's steadfast in his commitment to joining Luffy, so even while the army of Big Mom succumbs to her power out of fear, Jimbei stands tall."
Fish-Man Karate
A master of Fish-Man Karate (魚人空手, Gyojin Karate) and Fish-Man Jujutsu (魚人柔術, Gyojin Jūjutsu), Jimbei is capable of manipulating water as if it were a tangible cloth.[ch. 546] Jimbei can communicate with fish, an ability more usually associated with merfolk, allowing him to enlist the help of whale sharks.[ch. 547–549]
Haki
Jimbei has the ability to use Haki (覇気; ambition). This ability has three types: Armament Haki (武装色の覇気, Busōshoku no Haki), an armor-like force, which can amplify defense and the force of attacks and negate a Devil Fruit user's defense, allow physical contact and damage; Observation Haki (見聞色の覇気, Kenbunshoku no Haki), a sixth sense, which can read a person's moves and detect their presence; and Conqueror's Haki (覇王色の覇気, Haōshoku no Haki), which can render weak-willed people or animals near him unconscious.
Jimbei was the first Fish-Man shown to use Armament Haki and Observation Haki.
History
Jimbei was born and raised on Fish-Man Island beneath the Grand Line. After growing up in the marginalized Fish-Man District, Jimbei became a soldier in the nation's royal army. Jimbei's mentor Fisher Tiger frees many of those enslaved in the World Government's capital of Mery Geoise, turning him into a wanted outlaw. Fisher Tiger forms the Sun Pirates (タイヨウの海賊団, Taiyō no Kaizokudan). Jimbei, the members of the Arlong Pirates and the Macro Pirates unite under Fisher Tiger's Sun Pirates. Arlong and Jimbei considered Fisher Tiger a big brother, although they were not biologically related.[ch. 624] The Sun Pirates were made up of fish-men and mermen and attacked any pirate ship they saw, but no matter who is on it, they would never kill directly. Their Sun insignia was created to cover up the mark of the Celestial Dragon's enslavement, "Hoof of the Soaring Dragon". Fisher Tiger reveals upon his deathbed that he was actually enslaved and escaped, later returning to free other enslaved peoples, including Pirate Empress Boa Hancock and her two sisters. With the Sun insignia, the World Government was unable to claim the formerly enslaved due to confusion over whether they were Sun Pirates or not.[ch. 620]
While originally Jimbei and Arlong saw humans similarly, Jimbei would go on to clash philosophically with Arlong.[ch. 623] Jimbei believed diplomacy could resolve the inequality between Fish-Men and humans. The Arlong Pirates and the Macro Pirates split off from the Sun Pirates when Jimbei joins the Seven Warlords of the Sea.[ch. 624] In exchange for the World Government granting him Warlord status and amnesty to the Sun Pirates members who were once enslaved, Jimbei disbands the crew, freeing Arlong from his recent imprisonment in Impel Down.[ch. 69, 624] Jimbei also sought to use his position as the first Fish-Man Warlord to strengthen the relationship between Fish-Men and humans. In time Jimbei would support the goals of Fish-Man Island's Queen Otohime to life in peace with humans and move Fish-Man Island to the surface.[ch. 621] One of Jimbei's main characer traits are his selflessness and dedication to honoring his obligations. Although Fisher Tiger was betrayed by humans, Jimbei refuses to give up hopes of equality between species.
After Jimbei became one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, he became close with Whitebeard, one of the four pirate Emperors of the Sea. A strong factor in their friendship came when the Whitebeard Pirates proclaimed Fish-Man Island a protectorate, deterring crimes by weaker pirates.[ch. 529]