Episode 543

"The Hero's Last Moments - The Shocking Truth of Tiger " is the 543rd episode of the One Piece anime.

Long Summary
Sun Pirates get the Eternal Pose to Koala's hometown. Koala has been given a new look and has lost some of her trauma, as Aladdin notes that trauma isn't something you get over so easily. Koala sails with Fishmen and learn that they are not like Celestial Dragons. Arlong does not get along with Koala, while Jinbe changes his views about human beings, recalling what Otohime said about them and realizing she may be right. Koala's time with the Sun Pirates becomes fun as all the members (except Arlong) get along.

Koala reaches her hometown and Fisher Tiger accompanies her. Koala reunites with her mother and cries after seeing her mother. She says to her mother that Fishmen are nice people and says her goodbyes to Tiger stating she'll never forget her with Tiger just smiling back at her.

Just as Fisher Tiger leaves, gets attacked by Marines with Rear Admiral Strawberry stating that someone from village has informed about his arrival, but the people on the island were alright with the Marines attacking him in exchange that Koala won't return to the Tenryuubito as property. He tells Tiger that his crime are assault and evasion. Jinbe hears gunshots and sees Marine battleships arrive and start attacking the ship while Arlong comments on how this is what humans are. Meanwhile, Jinbe says to Arlong that they need to go and find Fisher Tiger to bring him back safely. Arlong hijacks one of the Marines ships and Jinbe and the others manage to save Tiger. Tiger however, has sustained several injuries with blood all over him from the bullet wounds while Koala is unaware of what happened and her mother not telling her what happened.

On the ship they hijacked, Aladdin tries to perform a blood transfusion to save Tiger cause human blood is the same as Fishman's, but Fisher Tiger resist to transfuse a human blood into his body, stating it has the blood of humans who hate Fishmen and that their blood is tainted and he won't give into humans. Tiger explains to his crew that he was a slave and how he escaped and why he saved all the slaves. He says that both humans as well as Fishmen need peace and admits that Otohime was right and that only the children of the next generation like Koala who aren't prejudiced and asks his crew not to tell the island of what really happened nor of their grudge and hatred towards the humans for the sake of the future. He states that his body would reject that blood due to the demon that dwells inside his heart and he's tried but he just can't ever love a human. Jinbe and Aladdin beg Tiger to live and reassure him of how he's the hero of slaves and greatest Fishman ever, giving Tiger comfort and remember his youth and the episode ends with Fisher Tiger's death and his crew grieving the loss of their beloved captain.

Anime Notes

 * The scene of the people on Foolshout Island, when they are afraid of Tiger because he is a fishman, is further elaborated in the anime.
 * Fisher Tiger and Koala's farewell is extended.
 * In the manga, Tiger was completely covered with blood while battling the Marines. In the anime, less blood is shown.
 * The anime shows Jinbe to directly attack Rear Admiral Strawberry.
 * In the manga, when Tiger was being treated for his injuries, his body was covered in bandages while in the anime, he was not bandaged.
 * In the anime, Tiger's last flashback shows that he had to fight some people, like Jinbe and Arlong, to gain leadership of the Fishman District.