Chapter 3

Cover
Volume: 1 Pg.: 83

Straw Hats and animals : Luffy riding a shark

Quick Summary
Luffy and Coby arrive at an island with a marine base, where a man named Roronoa Zoro is being held prisoner. Despite the fact that Zoro is seen as being a demon, Luffy is insistent on having him on his crew, and goes to meet him. There he and Coby meet Rika, a young girl that Zoro protected, causing him to be imprisoned.

Long Summary


Out at sea, Coby and Luffy are discussing Luffy's discussion to recruit Zoro.

Some time later, they arrive at the Marine base Zoro is being held at. Luffy is surprised that they actually arrived; Coby points out that is the basics of navigation. Coby points out that Luffy can't just float around out at sea he must find a navigator soon.

At a restaurant, Coby and Luffy discuss parting ways, Luffy mentions Zoro's name with shocking results from the other customers. When Coby mentions the name of the Marine in charge of the base, Morgan, the same effect occurs. In the street Coby comments on the reactions for the villagers here in the town. He can understand why they reacted out of fear for Zoro due to his reputation, but not Morgan's name.

At the Marine base Luffy climbs up the wall to see Zoro, he climbs up another part of the wall afterwards to get a better view of someone he saw in the base. Coby also climbs up, but out of fear falls down again afterwards upon sighting Zoro. Zoro offers the two the head of a bounty carrier if they'd free him due to him going without food for 9 days.

As they talk with Zoro, Rika suddenly appears next to them and she climbs up it, hushing them to be quiet. Rika climbs over the wall, Coby beckons her to come back as she walks towards Zoro. She offers him some rice balls since he hasn't eaten in several days. Zoro refuses and tells her to go away.

Just then, Morgan's son Helmeppo appears with a few Marines and starts mocking Zoro. He snatches the rice balls off Rika and eats one of them, however soon spits it out due to the fact she made them out of sugar instead of salt. He knocks them to the ground and stomps on them. She cries, causing Helmeppo to order one of the Marines with him to toss her over the wall. When he refuses, he reminds them who his father is and the Marine throws her over the wall, Luffy catches her. Helmeppo continues to mock Zoro, but Zoro continues to be strong about his situation.

After he is gone, Luffy talks to Zoro about joining his crew. Zoro states that he will not join a pirate crew and become a criminal as he has his own dream to follow. After they finish talking, Zoro orders Luffy to give him the Rice Balls to eat despite the state they are now in with a message to Luffy to tell Rika; that he ate them all and they were tasty.

Later Luffy explains how Zoro ate up the Rich Balls and enjoyed them to Rika. She explains that Zoro is not a bad person and that he was arrested for killing Helmeppo's pet dog Soro while defending her from it. As Rika finishes explaining the story, Helmeppo appears bragging about going back on his promise to Zoro and is planning to have him killed tomorrow. Luffy hits him out of anger and after he runs away, Luffy decides Zoro is joining his crew.

Quotes
Zoro: "Hey, wait! Could you give that to me?" Luffy: "You're gonna eat this? But it's not a riceball anymore, it's a mudball. No matter how hungry you are..."

Zoro: "Just be quiet and give it to me. All of it that fell!"

Luffy: "See, I told you. Do you wanna die?"

Zoro: "C-could you tell that kid something?"

Luffy: "What?"

Zoro: "It was great. Thank you."

Luffy's Planning
... Or "lack of". This would be a reoccurring theme for Luffy's crew is that the crew constantly needs to find a crew member to fill in a position that the situation at hand causes. From the word "Go!" Luffy already displays a lack of consideration of these things; he has set out with nothing.

Helmeppo's Wolf
Was later named in the data books as Soro.

Fishmen?
Originally Oda planned on introducing Fishmen in this chapter. However, due to his editor he then put it back, ending up introducing the concept during the Arlong Park Arc instead.

Plot Points

 * 1) Luffy wants to recruit Zoro.
 * 2) Zoro was arrested by the Marines.
 * 3) Luffy arrives at the Marine base.
 * 4) The townsfolk are jumpy at the mention of Zoro or Morgan's name.
 * 5) Luffy has found Zoro.
 * 6) Rika arrives and tries to offer Zoro Rice Balls, Helmeppo appears and Rika is tossed back over the wall after they are destroyed.
 * 7) Zoro orders Luffy to give him the Rice Balls anyway.
 * 8) Luffy tells Rika about Zoro eating the Rice Balls.
 * 9) Rika explains why Zoro was arrested.
 * 10) Helmeppo planned to not keep his promise to Zoro and gets hit by Luffy for bragging about this.
 * 11) Luffy decides Zoro is joining his crew.

Characters
1 : First introduction

3 : First apparition

4 : First time mentionned

Anime episode
Episode 2