Clockwork Island Adventure

Clockwork Island Adventure (ねじまき島の冒険) is a theatrical feature, originally released on March 3, 2001 as a double feature with Digimon Adventure 02: Revenge of Diaboromon at Toei's Spring Anime Fair. Its story stands separate from the canon, though its status quo somewhat fits the period between the East Blue Saga and the Alabasta Saga; it was also bundled with the otherwise-unrelated short Jango's Dance Carnival.

Like most of Toei's early movies, Clockwork Island Adventure was never dubbed into English. Its only 'official' English-language release remains a 2014 Manga Entertainment box-set compiling the first three movies with optional subtitles.

Synopsis
In pursuit of a stolen Going Merry, the Straw Hat Pirates join forces with the Thief Brothers, a pair of mismatched rogues with designs on the wondrous - but deadly - Clockwork Island. Soon, an all-out war erupts between them and Clockwork Island's reigning pirate clan, whose tyrannical captain Bear King schemes to not only conquer the seas with a fearsome superweapon, but take Nami as his bride by any means necessary.

Extended Summary
Having found a sunny, peaceful island in the midst of their voyage, the Straw Hat Pirates - Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji - disembark and relax on the beach together. To the others' annoyance, Luffy soon begins clamoring over a toy windmill washed ashore by the surf; the annoyance becomes horror, however, when Luffy begins marveling at a full-sailed Going Merry. Too late, the Straw Hats realize their ship has been stolen, and already sailed too far for even Luffy to reach.

Forced to rent a crude paddleboat (and clothes) from a nearby wedding shop, the Straw Hats give chase, only to come across a small boy flailing in the water. Stopping to help, they are suddenly trapped by a giant fishing net; the boy, Akisu, was actually trying to lure victims to an older outlaw named Borodo. After determining the Straw Hats have nothing worth looting, the pair proudly introduce themselves as the Thief Brothers, and announce their dream of stealing Clockwork Island's crown jewel, the legendary Diamond Clock.



When asked, Borodo reports the Going Merry had been stolen by the Trump Pirates, who terrorize the entire area from a stronghold atop Clockwork Island. These playing card-themed pirates, commanded by the fearsome Bear King and his lieutenants Honey Queen, Boo Jack, Skunk One, and Pin Joker, boast a massive fleet - a portion of which, led by Honey Queen and Boo Jack, soon corners the Thief Brothers' small boat. While Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji eagerly fight back and wreak havoc, Boo Jack's spiked armor threatens to capsize them all; panicked, Usopp singlehandedly rows the boat away.

Inadvertently, Usopp's wild rowing jostles a small music-box from Akisu's jacket; as the box falls into the sea, an upset Akisu forces Usopp to stop so Borodo can retrieve the box. This, unfortunately, allows Honey Queen and Boo Jack to catch up and bomb the Thief Brothers' boat to splinters. In the resulting chaos, the two Trump lieutenants kidnap Nami, proclaiming her "the perfect bride" for Bear King.

Afterward, the Thief Brothers and the remaining Straw Hats salvage enough of the boat to use as a raft, with Borodo improvising a sail from a spare parachute. As they advance on Clockwork Island, the Straw Hats mull over the music-box; grimly, Borodo explains that he had found Akisu as an infant castaway, accompanied by the music-box and nothing else. Ever since, Akisu has treasured it as his only tie to his homeland - a sentiment that Borodo unflinchingly respects, as his brother in all but blood.

While the Straw Hats consider this (Luffy in particular recalling how far Shanks had went for him) Borodo calls their attention to a small, barren rock in the sea. Atop this rock stands a huge spiral staircase, stretching far beyond the clouds - and atop this staircase stands the "true" Clockwork Island, a hill town full of scientists and engineers. The hill is topped by a great castle, which houses the delicate engine keeping the island stable; for seven years, Bear King has commandeered it as his base, Trump Castle.

Their very existence held hostage, most of the island's populace have reluctantly worked day and night to build the King Cannon, a superweapon meant to execute Bear King's ambitions of becoming Pirate King. As this weapon nears completion, its chief engineers try to deter Bear King, but are easily rebuffed; afterward, Bear King finds his lieutenants proffering Nami, and immediately falls for her. When Nami tries to stall for time, he swears to "court" her by defeating her crew, and use Luffy's bounty to fund their wedding.

For their part, the remaining Straw Hats charge up the staircase at the first opportunity, despite the Thief Brothers' warnings of traps. To their dismay, the stairs quickly flatten into a slide, flood with water, and unleash a clump of boulders; hastily, Luffy braces the others with his rubber body, while Sanji kicks the boulders apart and Zoro stems the flood by uprooting the floor with his bare hands. Though exhausted, they climb the rest of the staircase without further incident, and soon pinpoint Trump Castle.

Though Borodo easily finds the Going Merry - and the Diamond Clock - atop the castle, the Straw Hats decide to first explore the surrounding town for food and more practical clothes. In time, they encounter the island's chief engineers, who explain the island's plight and the tyranny of the Trump Pirates; even the Diamond Clock, once the island's beloved masterwork, has become nothing but a painful reminder. The engineers then beg the group to leave for their own safety, to which Luffy replies:

If you don't stake your life, you can't make a future.

Together, the Straw Hats and the Thief Brothers assemble a parasail for an air assault on Trump Castle, only to be intercepted by Honey Queen and Boo Jack. In the ensuing battle, Sanji is tricked into kicking one of Boo Jack's spiked projectiles; as Borodo tries to catch the wounded Sanji, Honey Queen unleashes the powers of the Toro Toro no Mi, a Logia-type Devil Fruit that converts her body into a wave of airtight fluid. Their parasail quickly flooded, the group is forced to fend for themselves while Sanji plunges to the landmine-strewn hill below.

In moments, the landmines completely incapacitate Sanji, allowing the Trump lieutenants to capture him as well. While Sanji is taken to an elated Bear King (and a horrified Nami), Borodo brings the parasail to a crash landing at the gates of Trump Castle. There, stung by their reversal of fortunes, Akisu and Usopp begin accusing each other of cowardice; once again reminded of Shanks, Luffy takes charge and curbs Akisu's insecurities with a well-placed taunt, before smashing the gates.

Met by hundreds of the Trump Pirates' foot-soldiers, Luffy, Zoro, and Borodo readily attack, Usopp and Akisu following in their wake. Atop the castle, meanwhile, Bear King proudly presents a finished King Cannon to his lieutenants and the captive Straw Hats; unimpressed, Sanji begins recounting his more "intimate" experiences with Nami, enraging Bear King. Despite Nami's pleas, Sanji is promptly crucified on one of the castle spires, awaiting execution.

The remaining Straw Hats soon find themselves in similar jeopardy when the wily Skunk One joins the fray, spraying a toxic (and foul-smelling) "devil-gas" that begins to paralyze them. As the only Straw Hat not immediately afflicted, Usopp takes a desperate gamble and hurls himself onto Skunk One's gas nozzle, blocking it with his own body. This, while leaving him at the mercy of Skunk One - who quickly has him crucified beside Sanji - gives the others enough of an opening to enter Trump Castle.

Spurred by Usopp's sacrifice, Luffy, Zoro, Borodo and Akisu boldly charge through the castle. On an upper floor, however, Akisu is waylaid by a foot-soldier; seconds later, the floor springs a pressure-trap that threatens to crush them against the ceiling. Luffy and Zoro desperately try to hold the trap back, only for Borodo to slip away, taking himself - and Akisu - to safety. As the Straw Hats look on in shock, Borodo coldly deems them unfit to fight the Trump Pirates - the reason he had stolen their ship and sailed it to Clockwork Island in the first place.

Laying the unconscious Akisu on a nearby stair, Borodo explains - against Zoro's accusations - that his goal had never been the Diamond Clock, but the liberation of Clockwork Island, which he has long suspected to be Akisu's homeland. With all the Straw Hats now incapacitated, he resolves to stake his life on a brighter future for Akisu, and challenge the Trump Pirates by himself.

As Borodo moves on, the outraged Luffy and Zoro are accosted by the last Trump lieutenant, the vendetta-minded Pin Joker. Already taxed from holding the pressure-trap at bay, Zoro bluntly dismisses Pin Joker's claims of a past defeat (and accompanying scar); outraged, Pin Joker unleashes a flurry of darts carrying traces of Skunk One's devil-gas. To Luffy's horror, Zoro throws himself into these darts head-on, shielding Luffy's body at the cost of his own.

Soon after, the paralyzed Zoro is brought to Bear King, and crucified alongside Usopp and Sanji. Once assured that Luffy has been crushed by the pressure-trap, Bear King gleefully claims victory, declaring Nami his betrothed - and the three crucified Straw Hats his first test subjects for the King Cannon. No longer able to stall, Nami lashes out at Bear King, and proclaims she would rather die with her own than marry him. Furious, Bear King "indulges" her and trains the King Cannon on all four Straw Hats.

On the floor below, Akisu regains consciousness and finds Luffy still struggling against the pressure-trap. Despite Luffy's protests, Akisu immediately runs after Borodo - who has already donned several belts of dynamite for a suicide attack on Bear King. Borodo's arrival surprises the Trump lieutenants, and even forces Bear King to step away from the King Cannon; at the same time, however, Bear King smugly notes that any explosion will almost certainly damage the castle's engine and endanger the entire island.

As Borodo hesitates, Bear King attacks, scattering the dynamite while beating Borodo senseless. Nevertheless, Borodo accepts his fate with grim humor - until he finds Akisu trying to challenge the Trump lieutenants, and unceremoniously swatted aside. Inadvertently, the impact dislodges the toy windmill Akisu had fixed for Luffy, which bounces to the lower floors and shatters at the trapped Luffy's feet.

Seeing the windmill, Luffy remembers the Thief Brothers' integrity, and gains the resolve to shatter the pressure-trap in a single shove.



As everyone gapes in shock, Luffy picks up a stick of dynamite, notes how cool it is, and lights it. Everyone freaks out for Luffy to throw it away, so Luffy tosses it to the iron wall in front of his crew. It blows the iron wall to pieces, and Luffy asks where his friends are, which the Thief Brothers reply to that he just blew them up. However, Sanji, Zoro, and Usopp emerge from the smoke, albeit somewhat battered.

With the three now free, the Trump Siblings burst into action. Skunk One chases Usopp up to the roof of the castle. Sanji and Boo Jack square off, and Boo Jack laughs that Sanji will not be able to kick him with his bleeding feet. Usopp tosses down Sanji's shoes to him, and Sanji puts them on, but Boo Jack refuses to believe they will make a difference. Usopp shoots Skunk One in the face with a Sure Kill Egg Star, and as Skunk One goes down he tosses Zoro's swords down to him. Zoro catches them and barely blocks Pin Joker's sword, who took a stab at his back. Zoro stands in front of Nami, defending her. Bear King and Luffy begin their fight, as Luffy uses Gomu Gomu no Gatling Gun, but finds it has no effect. Bear King declares that his body is as strong as steel because he ate the Kachi Kachi (rock hard) Fruit.



Boo Jack curls up into a ball and charges at Sanji, but Sanji sends him careening into the roof with one kick. Sanji leaps up and proceeds to kick Boo Jack, several more times until he drives Boo Jack down through the floor, into the island key chamber. He again drives Boo Jack into the ground, and Sanji stands victorious, flicking away his cigarette, as Boo Jack lies in a bloody heap. On the balcony, Zoro tears off his sleeves, assuming his three sword stance, and he charges at Pin Joker. Skunk One declares to Usopp the power of his poison gas, and he charges at him as Usopp pretends to be frightened. At the last second Usopp fires his Flaming Star, striking Skunk One and causing a big explosion. Usopp falls back into the pool below while Skunk One is sent flying off into oblivion. Floating in the water, Usopp yells that Skunk One got what was coming to him. Luffy uses Gomu Gomu no Whip on Bear King, but gets all tangled up and is knocked to the floor.

Zoro and Pin Joker trade sword swings, engaging in a fierce duel. Pin Joker uses Hari Hari Ken once more, but Zoro blows them back with his swords. He stands back up, and Pin Joker says how he shouldn't be able to stand with all of the poison in his body. Zoro replies that he cannot fall, because he faces a long journey and there is one man at the end of it for him to beat. Zoro then uses Oni Giri and takes Pin Joker down. Upon seeing the defeat that the other Trump Siblings endured, Honey Queen flees, dropping her clothes and becoming water again, heading into a pipe, but Nami grabs the pipe and pours Honey Queen into a jar, which she screws shut and holds down.



Meanwhile, the fight between Luffy and Bear King continues as Bear King's arm lights with fire. Luffy grabs onto it but is singed. Bear King starts pounding Luffy around, but Borodo fires a missile from the King Cannon at Bear King. Bear King is barely able to avoid it as it smashes through the window and flies out into the sky, landing in the water with a great explosion. Borodo says that his next shot will not miss.

Bear King becomes furious that Borodo is using his cannon, so he pulls a gun and fires it at him. Akisu leaps in the way and is shot in the chest, falling to the ground. Luffy becomes furious and throws Bear King through the wall, causing the entire top tower to tip and water to pour down. Bear King emerges, more furious than ever, and he climbs onto the King Cannon and fires it at Luffy. Luffy catches the missile with his foot, twisting himself around and stretching himself way out into the sky, and so he pulls it back in, using Gomu Gomu no Screw to drive the missile right into Bear King's chest. Bear King is driven through the floor and lands in the island key chamber, where there is a great explosion and the island key is destroyed.

Nami tosses Luffy's hat back to him as congratulations for defeating Bear King. Borodo kneels beside Akisu and sees that Akisu's chest was protected by a sheet of metal under his shirt. As Borodo carries Akisu to safety, the Diamond Clock starts chiming. All of the Straw Hats and Borodo as well as Akisu recognize the sound as Akisu's music box. It is then revealed that the two scientists they had met earlier were Akisu's parents.

The two brothers head back down out of the castle to the townspeople of Clockwork Town, and meet the two scientists from before again. The scientists explain that Akisu is their son, and a brief flashback shows the mother putting Akisu into the water, hoping that he will escape and survive.

With the key destroyed, the entire island starts to collapse, and the Going Merry falls from it and into the ocean. The people of the island land in the water and scramble into the boats as their island is completely gone, but they know it could not be helped and that they will rebuild a new island and a new future. On board one of the ships, Akisu is reunited with his parents, the two scientists from before, and he hugs his mom. As the Straw Hats sail in the Going Merry alongside Borodo in his small ship, Borodo says that Akisu's parents are great people and that he's better off. Borodo says he is glad to be on his own, because the Trump Siblings' treasure is all his now. However, Akisu jumps back onto the boat, declaring that he will continue along with Borodo, and so the Thief Brothers are reunited, deciding to split the treasure between them. The Going Merry then sails over the horizon as the movie draws to a close.

Reception
On its opening weekend, Clockwork Island Adventure initially placed second. The next weekend, it moved down to third. However, the following two weekends - within the period of March 17 to 25 - it moved up to the number one-ranked movie at the Japanese box office.

Translation and Dub Issues

 * For it's UK release, the film was titled 'Adventure Of Spiral Island' on the marketing, the DVD/disc covers and the DVD menu, but the film's subtitles translate the on-screen title as 'Adventures On Clockwork Island'.
 * Additionally, the UK DVD release translates the 'Trump Kyouddai' as the 'Card Brothers', despite one member being a woman; The DVD's back cover translates their name as the 'Trump Siblings'.

Trivia



 * When Borodo spots the Going Merry atop the Trump Siblings' castle, what appears to be a Baroque Works ship can be seen beside it.
 * Among Bear King's subordinates are the Hyena Three, who briefly reference the events of the first movie (even mentioning El Drago by name). This marks the first - and until the ninth movie, only - instance of a One Piece movie acknowledging a predecessor.
 * Pandaman can also be seen among the many Trump foot-soldiers being attacked during the Straw Hats' assault on Trump Castle.
 * The end credits are paired with the song "Believe", from the TV anime's second (and at the time, current) opening.
 * Reflecting this, the credits begin with a montage of past enemies (Krieg, Morgan, Kuro, Buggy, Arlong, and El Drago) and other figures important to the Straw Hats (Bell-mère, Dragon, Mihawk, Kaya, Zeff, and Shanks) modeled off the second TV opening.
 * The bulk of the credits depicts a set of teasers for the Alabasta Saga (the TV anime having just aired Episode 59 by the movie's release date). These include:
 * The Going Merry entering the Grand Line
 * Miss Wednesday speaking to her fellow Baroque Works agents at Whisky Peak, unaware that Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine have been sent after her
 * Dorry and Brogy dueling atop Little Garden
 * Mr. 3 and Miss Goldenweek relaxing at Kyuka Island
 * Dalton grimly patrolling the recently-sacked Drum Island
 * Wapol and his crew accosting another ship
 * Tony Tony Chopper working inside Drum Castle as Dr. Kureha looks on
 * Tashigi and Smoker mobilizing toward a new threat
 * Portgas D. Ace roaming the seas in his skiff
 * Miss All-Sunday lounging beside a Bananawani in the comfort of Rain Dinners, a shadowy figure just visible behind her
 * Continuity-wise, this movie is likely set at some point between the Loguetown Arc and the Warship Island Arc; Zoro and Usopp are depicted (respectively) with the Meito acquired from Ipponmatsu and the goggles from Daddy Masterson, but no mention is made of the Grand Line or Vivi.
 * In Episode 54, Nami mentions that two days have passed since the Straw Hat Pirates left Loguetown, a possible gap into which this story could fit.
 * This is the only movie where the Straw Hats' battle against another group has Sanji fighting an enemy with a bounty lower than those of Usopp's and Nami's enemies. However, it cannot be stated if Sanji's enemy, Boo Jack, is or is not the third strongest (as it happens normally, except in the Thriller Bark arc), as bounty does not always means fighting power.

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