Loguetown Arc

The Loguetown arc is the sixth and final story arc in the East Blue Saga of the anime and manga, One Piece. The Straw-Hats stop at the island that the city of Loguetown is on, the birth and death place of Gold Roger to get supplies before heading to The Grand Line. In the English manga and anime, the town's name is spelled "Roguetown". It is followed by the Laboon arc in the manga, the Warship Island arc in the anime.

Chapters: 96-100 (Volume 11-12)

Episodes: 48-53 (English dub: 40-43)

The arc starts off with the Straw Hats lounging around on the Going Merry's deck when a flier slips out of the newspaper Nami is reading, showing the 30,000,000 Beli bounty on Luffy's head. Luffy is more than overjoyed with it, though Nami tells him it'll be more trouble for the crew now that people will be after him. Zoro then spots an island, and Nami points it out to be Loguetown, the last stop in East Blue before the Grand Line, as well as the birth and death place of the famous pirate, Gold Roger. The crew decide to stop off there to grab supplies.

Meanwhile, the bounty poster reaches Luffy's hometown and the villagers are more than happy that Luffy's fulfilling his dream though the Mayor, Woop Slap, whose always been against Luffy becoming a pirate, thinks its more destiny then a dream. Meanwhile, Mihawk also delivers the poster to Shanks, who celebrates Luffy's coming with a party.

Back in Loguetown, while shopping for new swords to replace the ones Mihawk destroyed, Zoro has his first meeting with Tashigi, shaken that she looks like his childhood friend Kuina, who helps him pick out two new swords. Sanji buys a gigantic fish for the crew; Usopp, some more supplies, ammo, and new goggles; and Nami, a bundle of clothes. Luffy, meanwhile, goes to check the execution stand where Gold Roger was executed. While he climbs and admires the view from the stand, a woman calls out to him, seemingly recognizing Luffy though he has no idea who she is. When part of the fountain in the town square breaks off and hits her, the debris just slides right off her. She then reveals herself to be Alvida, the first pirate Luffy came across on his trip. Only now, she eaten the Slip Slip Fruit causing her figure to change, dramatically. She not alone either, as another familiar pirate makes himself known, Buggy the Clown. Cabaji ambushes Luffy on the platform, and puts him in shackles, while Buggy's pirates holds the town square hostage. Buggy then explains that this is Luffy's execution.

At the Marine Base in town, one of the men reports to his captain about the pirate ongoings in town. It is here where we meet Captain Smoker (Chaser in the English dub) who never lets a pirate leave his town uncaptured. He decides to wait for Luffy to be executed before moving in. The rest of the Straw Hats also get wind of whats going on and split off, Zoro and Sanji to go rescue Luffy, while Nami and Usopp ready the ship to leave as Nami detects a storm approaching the island.

Zoro and Sanji reach the execution area and try to plow through Buggy's pirates. But it doesn't look like they'll make it as Buggy begins to bring his sword down on Luffy's head. With all seeming lost, Luffy smiles and tells his two friends that it looks like the end. However a bolt of lighting hits Buggy's sword at the last second, and destroys the platform, freeing Luffy as with not a scratch on him. He, Zoro and Sanji then make for the Going Merry while Smoker, who was looking on, seems disturbed that Luffy laughed in the face of death. Realizing that it was very similar to Gold Roger before he died.

Buggy, after recovering from the shock, Alvida and Buggy's crew try to make their escape but are quickly captured by the Marines. Nami and Usopp reach the ship and quickly take down Mohji and his lion Richie who were trying to burn down the Going Merry. The other Straw Hats also run into opposition in the form of Tashigi, angry at that Zoro "tricked" her, causing him to stay behind and duel her. As well as Smoker, who Luffy and Sanji can't even hit due to his Moku Moku (Plume Plume in the dub) powers. However, the two are saved by a mysterious figure named Dragon, and his apparent powers over the storm that quickly blows the Marines away, allowing Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji to reach the ship unhindered. However, Smoker and Tashigi decide to abandon their posts to chase after them. Buggy and his crew, also freed by Dragon's powers, also decide to head for the Grand Line to chase Luffy.

With the storm guiding them and the lighthouse in sight, the Going Merry is soon nearing its long awaited destination. Each of the Straw Hats perform a "ceremony" of sorts by placing their foot on the barrel and revowing their dreams as the ship nears the entrance to the Grand Line.

Manga-to-Anime Changes
This arc received a lot of major changes from what was displayed in the manga. It was also the first arc in the anime series to feature filler.
 * Luffy encounters a bartender who tells him about Gol D. Roger's exploits.
 * After Zoro meets Tashigi, he accidentally breaks her glasses and has to work at the Marine base for awhile to repay her before he goes sword shopping.
 * Instead of buying the fish in the manga, Sanji has to win it in a cooking contest where he meets Carmen.
 * Usopp and Nami encounter Daddy the Father, a former high-level Marine turned bounty hunter, who now only hunts low bounty heads. He forces Usopp to duel him when he gets his daughter, Carol Masterson, angry. Although Eiichiro Oda had planned for this story to be part of the manga (to explain how Usopp received his new goggles), it had to be cut for time. This episode was cut from the English dub, probably because it had a heavy emphasis on gun play.
 * Smoker fought Luffy earlier at the execution stand and managed to send him flying into another part of town.
 * We also see Buggy, Alvida, and his crew searching for Luffy during these events.
 * During the race back to the Going Merry, Luffy fought Smoker alone and the Marines attack the ship forcing Nami to pull the Going Merry away from the docks. Sanji's role is placed here rather then the fight with Smoker as he fights the marines attacking the ship.
 * And finally, rather than simply make it to the ship in the manga, the Going Merry gets washed out to sea with Nami onboard. Luffy then uses his Gomu Gomu no Rocket to throw himself and the rest to the crew to reach it.

Episodes
48. The Town of the Beginning and the End. Arrival at Loguetown

49. Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri! Zoro's New Swords, and the Female Sergeant Major

50. Usopp vs Daddy the Father. Showdown at High Noon!

51. A Burning Culinary Battle? Sanji vs The Gorgeous Chef

52. Buggy's Revenge! The Man who Smiles at the Execution Platform!

53. The Legend Has Begun! Head to the Grand Line