Baratie Arc

The Baratie arc is the fourth story arc in the East Blue Saga of the anime and manga One Piece. The Straw Hats meet Johnny and Yosaku, who direct them to the restaurant ship Baratie, a sort of "floating oasis" in the middle of the ocean where they meet Sanji. However, a pirate admiral named Don Krieg sets his sights on the Baratie as a replacement for his devastated fleet, and the restaurant soon comes under siege.

Of Bounty Hunters, Cooks and Pirates
The arc begins with the Straw Hats (Monkey D. Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, Nami and the newly joined Usopp) checking out their new pirate ship as well as designing a Jolly Roger for it. As a test of the ship's capabilities, Luffy and Usopp test out one of the cannons on board by shooting at a rock formation. However, unbeknownst to them, two pirate hunters happen to be on said rock and one of them attacks the ship in retaliation. Luffy fights him, but Zoro points him out to be a friend of his. It's here we meet Johnny and Yosaku, who were on the rock that was shot at. After the Straw Hats apologize and Nami cures Yosaku of his scurvy, the crew realizes that they are going to need a cook for the ship to maintain the healthy quality of their food stores before they can go to the Grand Line. To repay the favor for helping them, Johnny and Yosaku tell the crew of a floating restaurant in the middle of the ocean where they might find a cook and then help navigate the crew to said restaurant, the Baratie.

As soon as they get there the group runs into trouble with a Marine Lieutenant, Fullbody. In the scuffle between the two, Luffy accidentally redirects a cannonball into the Baratie's roof. While Luffy tries to make a deal with the captain, head chef and owner of the ship, Zeff, to pay for the damages caused to the roof, we meet Sanji, the assistant chef. Sanji has an encounter with Fullbody as well, and almost kills Fullbody for insulting the Baratie's food. However, an even bigger incident occurs when a pirate named Gin, comes onto the ship demanding food (he was being detained by Fullbody, because he is a member of Don Krieg's armada). Although denied food, beaten and thrown out of the restaurant by the crew, Sanji secretly serves the man a savory meal, saving Gin from starvation. Despite this act of kindness, when Gin leaves and returns to his ship, he tells Don Krieg about the Baratie. After hearing about the ship, Don Krieg comes to believe that taking over the Baratie is a key step in ressurecting his fleet.

Eventually Krieg comes to the restaurant under the pretense that he won't hurt anyone if he receives some food. Of course, Krieg attacks the cooks onboard and claims the Baratie as his own, since his original ship and his entire fleet were destroyed seven days into the Grand Line by a mysterious figure. Just as important, his crew is on the verge of death from starvation. Surprisingly, Zeff gives a sack of food to Krieg and warns his cooks about the upcoming battle. The Baratie raises the battle fins, which protect the restaurant part of the Baratie, and the cooks and Krieg's pirates begin to fight.

The Ultimate Armada and the Ultimate Swordsman
In the midst of the battle, Luffy (who has been working as "Chore Boy" to pay off the damages to the roof) and the other male Straw Hat members try to get the Going Merry away from the battle. Only then do they realize that Nami double crossed them and stole their ship and treasure. Usopp, Johnny and Yosaku prepare to go after her. However, their plans are brought to a halt when Krieg's galleon is suddenly sliced in half. Through the wreckage of the ship sails the mysterious figure that Zoro instantly recognizes as Dracule "Hawkeye" Mihawk, one of the Shichibukai, and the best swordsman in the world. Zoro decides to try and defeat Mihawk to gain the title of best swordsman in the world, but is clearly outmatched by Mihawk's strength. However, Zoro impresses Mihawk with his courage and honor. As a result, Mihawk spares Zoro's life (so that he can become a better swordsman and that they may battle again). After the loss, Zoro vows never to lose again before setting off with the other Straw Hats to go after Nami while Luffy stays behind to help the Baratie. With that Mihawk disappears and Krieg directs his attention back to the Baratie.

The Chef's Battles, the Chore Boy's Battles
The cooks find that Krieg's pirates aren't pushovers and the battle isn't going well for the Baratie's cooks, at least until Sanji joins the fray. However, the tide turns back in Krieg's favor when his second mate, Iron Wall Pearl arrives. He almost burns down the ship, and thrashes Sanji around while Gin holds Zeff at gunpoint. It is during this point we learn about Sanji's past. Surprisingly, Gin saves Sanji from Pearl, claiming he wanted to kill the cook. The two fight briefly, with Gin gaining the upper hand. However Gin can't bring himself to kill Sanji, which makes Krieg furious. As a result, he tries to kill Gin with a poison gas grenade known as MH5. Gin barely survives. This act upsets Luffy, and he attacks Krieg. What follows is a long fight on the wreckage of Krieg's ship. Krieg uses everything in his armor's arsenal to kill Luffy. However, Luffy counters and powers though each weapon, finally finishing off Krieg by slamming him into the side of the Baratie with his legs (although Krieg would not stay down until a final punch in the gut by Gin stops him in his tracks). However, Krieg's final attack with his iron net sends Luffy into the ocean. Sanji saves Luffy from the ocean and Gin and the rest of Kreig's pirates sail away on a small dingy.

In the final act of the arc, Zeff and his cooks try to persuade Sanji to leave by telling him a soup he cooked tasted awful. Sanji doesn't buy into the act but remembers his dream of the All Blue and finally decides agrees to join Luffy's crew. Just as he makes his decision, Yosaku comes back (traveling on a panda shark) and warns Luffy that Nami headed toward a dangerous island. Zeff and the Baratie cooks all give Sanji a tearful send off before he, Luffy, and Yosaku head out to catch up with the others.