Genzo

Genzo (sometimes called Gen-san by close friends) is the sheriff and mayor of Cocoyashi Village (Coco Village in the 4Kids version), which is Nami's home town.

Appearance
Genzo wears a pinwheel on his hat because he used to make Nami laugh when she was a baby (this pinwheel also inspired an attack for Luffy during their fight with Arlong). He played a role in rescuing Luffy after Arlong threw him into the ocean. All of Genzo's scars are from his first encounter with Arlong when he tried to stop Arlong from taking Nami, Arlong made Kuroobi cut every part of his body with a sword. He wears a police uniform.

In the American dub of One Piece, Genzo speaks with a thick Italian accent.

Personality
As she was growing up, Belle-Mère became familiar to him as a renown village trouble maker (he refers to her as you little thug). Around this time, Genzo supposedly was a thief himself. Her reputation caused him to express concerns over the children well being when she announced she was adopting them as hers. He has had close ties with Nami and Nojiko since they were kids because of this concern over their adoptive mother's capabilities and spent his entire time watching out for them. Somehow this grew into a desire just to see all three of them live together and grow together as a happy family.

After their mother's death, his main concern seemed to be for the happiness of Nami and Nojiko, he had grown into a father figure to them. He and the other villagers realized Nami would never join up with Arlong's crew without a good reason. His concern for her and Nojiko's well being also led him to promise Luffy that he would kill him if he ever took away Nami's smile.

He kept the town together after Arlong took over the island, making sure everyone was safe and able to pay Arlong's tax. Whenever there was trouble between the villagers and Arlong or his crew, he took full responsibility for everything so the villagers were not punished. He helps give Nami time to complete her plan to save the village. When her 8 years of work to save them fell apart after Arlong's betrayal, he decided enough was enough. If they were going to die, they would die trying to fight Arlong even with Nami pleading that she can just start all over again.

Genzo also has a perverted side, as he becomes quite flustered when Nami and Bellemere offer to pay back the items Nami stole "with (their) bod(ies)" ("In kisses" in the English manga), and has a blown-up image of Nami's wanted poster, in which she appears in a bikini.

Abilities and Powers
Nothing more than an ordinary fighter, Genzo lacks any great strength and was easily pushed around by Arlong and his crew trying to defend Belle-Mere and her children. He however has great leadership skills and was the binding force that helped the village to survive Arlong and his crew.

Weapons
Although he is never seen using it, Genzo uses a standard sabre. He also used a pair of pistols when Arlong first came to the island.

Past Story
In the past Genzo grew familiar with one particular girl in their village, Belle-Mere, a child who was a lot of trouble (although she claims Genzo himself stole things). He came to refer to her as 'you little thug' as a result of it. However a shock came upon him and the others one day when Belle-Mere declared she was going to join the Marines and fight bad pirates. Later he is seen at the dock aiding Belle-Mere who returned to the village with two small children. He is the first to protest when Belle-Mere declared she was old enough to look after children and would help Nojiko and Nami grow up in the troubled world they lived in. Genzo kept a close eye on her, but often Nami would cry upon seeing him. Bell-Mere said that Nami cried when she saw Genzo because he looked scary, but then Genzo put his pinwheel on to make Nami laugh.

As Nami was growing up, Genzo kept an eye on Nami as she was renowned for stealing, often he would referred to her as Belle-Meres 'little cat' upon returning her home. While he was fully aware of how Belle-Mere easily got her own way with him, often he would agree to do what she asked because she would say things to embarrass him (E.g. "I will repay you... With my body", in the English Dub version she simply comments that he takes her fruit without asking). He was the first to pick up Nami when she ran away from home and then finally revealed her origins to her. Soon after Nojiko came looking for Nami, he was seen agreeing with the other villagers that the three girls although struggle to get by are happy and that everyone should do their best to keep them happy. However as Nami and Nojiko were running off, Arlong the Fishman and his crew of pirates showed up.

They demanded money from the villagers to pay for his empire he was building. To his horror, Arlong spotted smoke coming from Belle-Mere's house. Despite his efforts to protect Belle-Mere and her children, Belle-Mere was shot in front of her children and Arlong took Nami off to become a member of his crew. For trying to interfer, Genzo was left with large scars all over his body.

Soon afterward, he formed a rebellion to storm Arlong Park to free Nami, but learned that Nami had joined Arlong's crew. Disgusted with Nami, he ordered her to never set foot in the village again. However, he later became suspicious of why Nami would join Arlong, and made Nojiko tell him about her plan to buy Cocoyashi village. In order to prevent her from feeling that the villagers were counting on her, and that she could not escape if she wanted, he resolved never to reveal that he knew about her motives.

Arlong Arc
Having endured Arlong and his crew for many years, Genzo began to put various plans of rebellion into place. Things go wrong and the weapons the villagers are hiding are discovered. He barely escapes death until Usopp steps in and interferes.

After losing all the money she had saved to buy her village, Genzo is disgusted that Arlong sent the Marines after Nami in order to keep her working for him forever. He and the villagers decide once and for all they had had enough and head off to Arlong Park to fight with the pirates much to Nami's tearful plea. They are stopped by Johnny and Yosaku who stand guard on the entrace preventing anyone entering until Luffy, Zoro, Sanji and Usopp arrive. During the fight with Arlong and his crew, he and Nojiko focus on keeping Luffy alive because he was thrown into the water at Arlong park after getting stuck in concrete. After Arlong is defeated he and the villagers celebrate freedom from the Fishmen who had made them suffer all these years. He meets Luffy by Bellemere's grave, and tells him that if he ever takes Nami's smile away, he will kill him.

After Nami sails off with Luffy and crew, Genzo says he no longer needs his pinwheel, placing it by Bellemere's grave. It is revealed later in the manga that Luffy is very interested in the pinwheel, not even noticing the Marines who are trying to find Nami, just Genzo's pinwheel. However, this could be a put down in reference to Luffy's simple-mindedness.

Genzo appears again later, and is outraged by Nami's wanted poster, wherein she is in a bikini, but has a blown-up version of the picture in his house.

Trivia

 * Genzo's pinwheel inspired Nami's new tattoo--a pinwheel to represent him with a tangerine to represent Belle-Mère.

Related Articles

 * Nami
 * Arlong
 * Nojiko
 * Belle-Mere