Germa 66

Germa 66 (pronounced Germa Double-Six), also known as the Warmongers (戦争屋), is both the military branch of the Germa Kingdom, and an Underworld mercenary force commanded by the Kingdom's ruling family, the Vinsmoke Family. They have recently aligned with the Big Mom Pirates, as part of a political agreement between the Charlotte and Vinsmoke Families.

Due to their actions, Germa 66 are the secondary antagonist group of the Whole Cake Island Arc.

Reputation
Germa 66 are popularly known throughout the world as the main antagonists of the fictional Marine hero Sora, as depicted in World Economic Journal's long-running propaganda comic strip Sora, Warrior of the Sea. For this reason, the organization's existence is doubted by many, with Nami describing them as a "mythical evil army"; furthermore, the East Blue nation of Cozia was also shocked to discover that Germa 66 was real, even while Germa was attacking them. It was revealed by Vinsmoke Yonji that Germa 66 was chosen as the model for the comic's villain group because the name of its commanders was once considered synonymous with evil.

On the other hand, the organization's existence is well-known in both the Underworld and the seas in which they have been militarily active. Irrespective of whether or not people believe in the army's existence, the army retains a fearful reputation throughout the world.

Activities and Abilities
Germa 66's activities are a mix of national military expansion and Underworld warmongering. In the former case, they were involved in the Conquest of Four Nations, which culminated in the assassination of the kings of four North Blue nations. In the latter case, they have been shown operating as mercenaries for hire; most recently, they were paid by one side of a two-year civil war on Broc Coli Island to eliminate the other side, which they managed in four hours, using only a portion of their forces. The army's Vinsmoke commanders accept commissions on the basis of profitability, but will not take on different sides of the same conflict even if it would generate a greater return.

As a fighting squad, the Germa makes extensive and adept use of sophisticated military technology, which they continually improve and develop through engagement in warfare. This technology is so advanced that Big Mom of the Yonko sought an alliance with the Vinsmokes in order to gain access to their resources. The Vinsmoke siblings who co-command Germa's forces directly under their father are also genetically modified humans whose combat prowess and special abilities easily eclipse the limitations of average humans. Furthermore, they have been shown to use combat gear, including shoes that allow them to hover in midair, jump large distances, and boost their kick power. According to Germa 66's soldiers, this set of technological accessories and clothing is called a Raid Suit (レイドスーツ). When not being worn, raid suits can be wholly contained inside small canisters, each marked with the Vinsmoke's allocated number (for Judge, the letter "J" marks his canister). Once clicked, the canisters rotate and release the material of the suit; this material remembers the shape of its wearer, and is completely resistant to fire. The army's supreme commander also possesses an assortment of weapons powered by electromagnetic energy.

Germa 66's overall military might is immense, earning the group great notoriety and making it the source of great respect and desire for Big Mom. Aside from its demonstrated ability to defeat whole nations within hours, it is also a highly mobile unit which has so far been shown traversing both North Blue and East Blue (a rare feat which requires crossing the Red Line), as well as entering the New World. Germa's extensive reach allows it to make credible threats across different seas, as seen when Judge threatened the safety of the Baratie (located in East Blue) from the Germa's position in the New World.

Symbol
Germa 66's members and associated property make prominent use of the number "66" in various forms. It is commonly featured as part of their uniforms, as tattoos, and on their equipment (including their headphones and belts). The Germa Kingdom's flag, and the sails of its ships, also bear the number.

The organization's symbol is sometimes stylized with the second "6" rotated upside down; in this stylization, Germa's symbol resembles an ordinary skull with eyes like futatsudomoe. Whenever this version of the symbol is used within the Vinsmoke castle, it is overlaid with a lightning bolt between the two "6s".

Members
Note: Despite leaving the Family and renouncing his ties to Germa 66, Vinsmoke Sanji (whose designated number would be "3") is still treated by others (most notably the Big Mom Pirates) as a member of the group.

Commanders
The Vinsmoke Family heads the organization, with the family patriarch, Vinsmoke Judge, operating as its supreme commander. When leading their troops into battle, each Vinsmoke commander wears a Raid Suit bearing their designated number: "0" for Vinsmoke Reiju, "1" for Vinsmoke Ichiji, "2" for Vinsmoke Niji, and "4" for Vinsmoke Yonji.

Scientific Unit
Germa 66's Scientific Unit is the primary source of the army's renowned strength. It is constituted by capable scientists working together under Judge to create more and more performing warfare technologies. They notably created its Clone Army, which constitutes Germa's main strength, and also successfully conducted experiments on the Vinsmoke siblings in order to make them "perfect warriors". Much of the Scientific Unit's work is a continuation of the research conducted by Judge with his former research partner, the famous World Government scientist Vegapunk.

Clone Soldiers


Germa 66's present soldiers are artificially manufactured humans, using the cloning technology of the Germa Kingdom. So far, three types of Clone Soldiers have been shown:


 * Type MB
 * Type MST
 * Type MH

These types cover many distinctive physiques: soldiers of average size, tall and thin, very broad and heavily muscular builds have all been seen. Regardless of their type, everyone of them wears dark lens over their eyes at all times. While cloned, they are kept in culture fluid capsules in a secluded section of the Vinsmoke Castle, being observed and monitored by the Scientific Unit in a sealed laboratory called the Soldier Stock Depot (兵士のストック倉庫 (デポ)). They are known as Clone Soldiers (複製 (クローン) 兵) and are themselves not aware of their origins.

Germa 66's soldiers are known for their endless and tireless training; the clones spend every moment outside of battle in preparation for their next operation. They are also fiercely loyal to their commanders, and execute orders without hesitation. They are indeed programmed to obey every order that is given by their superiors, and will not hesitate throw their lives away to protect a commander; even under trivial circumstances, a soldier will sacrifice himself purely to demonstrate the loyalty of the group.

It is likely, however, that Germa 66's forces were not always comprised of clone soldiers, since the cloning technology used to manufacture them is an application of the Lineage Factor research discovered in relatively recent times by Judge and Vegapunk. Furthermore, it is said that these duplicates were created from the strongest soldiers of Germa, meaning the originals that served as the template were born human.

Past
Sometime in the past, Germa 66 was involved in the infamous incident known as the Conquest of Four Nations, during which four kings in North Blue were assassinated by the army's leaders.

Thirteen years ago, Judge ordered a number of Germa soldiers to imprison Sanji in the Vinsmoke castle's dungeons, and told the rest of the soldiers (to their great sadness) that one of their future commanders had died in an accident. Six months later, Germa 66 crossed the Red Line and initiated a campaign against the nation of Cozia. During the early stages of the battle, Sanji successfully escaped the Germa Kingdom and fled onto the docked Orbit.

Zou Arc
Recently, Germa 66 allied with the Big Mom Pirates, as part of a political alliance between the two families which command each respective force. To seal the alliance, a marriage was arranged between a member of each family: the Vinsmoke Family's third son, Sanji, and the Charlotte Family's thirty-fifth daughter, Pudding.

Whole Cake Island Arc
As the Sanji Retrieval Team finally reached Big Mom's territory, their signal was detected by underwater sea slugs before they were subsequently discovered by one of Germa 66's ships. Germa 66 was surprised to see them, as they had intended to meet up with Sanji. As Vinsmoke Yonji conversed with the Straw Hats, tensions flared as he refused to help them cure Monkey D. Luffy of his poisoning; however, Vinsmoke Reiju appeared and cured Luffy, conversing briefly with the Straw Hat Pirates about the history of her family and Germa 66. Shortly afterwards, Germa 66 parted ways with the Sanji Retrieval Team, having decided to pretend that they had not encountered the team.

Three days before the wedding was scheduled to occur, Germa 66, led by Vinsmoke Ichiji and Vinsmoke Niji, put an end to a two-year civil war on Broc Coli Island within four hours, in exchange for an undisclosed payment.

Meanwhile, the rest of Germa 66's forces and ships began to converge at Whole Cake Island, reassembling the Germa Kingdom in preparation for the wedding. There, Sanji reunited with members of his family after 13 years of estrangement, before being challenged to a duel by his father. During the duel, a crowd of Germa 66 agents watched on, cheering both sides on as the fight intensified.

The day before the wedding, the Germa soldiers gave Ichiji and Niji a hero's reception upon their return to the kingdom; in particular, they expressed their awe at the brothers' success in quelling the uprising in Broc Coli Island. Later that day, following a confrontation between himself and Niji, Sanji went in pursuit of Niji, only to encounter Yonji. Yonji offered to take Sanji to Niji, but instead led Sanji to a laboratory in a sequestered area of the Vinsmoke castle, inside of which a shocked Sanji discovered hundreds of Germa 66 soldiers being monitored inside liquid capsules.

Germa 66 were later seen escorting their commanding family to Whole Cake Chateau. During the procession, they were encountered by Monkey D. Luffy and Nami, who tried unsuccessfully to convince Sanji to leave with them. As Sanji and Luffy duelled, Germa's soldiers observed Sanji's Diable Jamble attacks in amazement.

Anime and Manga Differences
The flag was altered in the anime. Instead of having a Nordic Cross flag, the anime flag features an indigo-colored fess between two white cottices under the number "66".

Trivia

 * The symbol of Germa 66 resembles a tomoe symbol. This symbol is also present on the outfits of Enel and Sentomaru.
 * The symbol of Germa 66 also resembles the eyebrows of the Vinsmoke Children, if turned clockwise.
 * The Throne room of the Germa Castle has some symbology in common with Germany during the Second World War, including the Reichsadler (a stylized eagle used to represent Germany at many points in history), two large skulls with tomoes for eyes, with an overlaid lightning bolt, which are a combination of the SchutzStaffel's SS-Runen symbol, and the Totenkopf or "death's head", and the Germa flag bears resemblance to the German warflag, which was used at various points in German history, including during World War 2. In addition, the insignia of the Vinsmoke, the 66, is written in such a font that appears to be S S  with a line connecting the bottom curve of the letter. This symbology fits in with the Germa's overall motive of creating genetically more powerful humans, something commonly associated with Germany during World War 2, cloning a la WW2-themed science fiction novel Boys From Brazil, and Judge Vinsmoke's desire to conquer the entire North Blue.
 * In the manga, the flag of Germa 66 resembles a Nordic Cross flag; without the number "66", it shares the exact same design (if not colors) as the flags of Iceland and Norway.
 * The flag of Germa 66 and their warmongering, cruelty, and "perfect soldier" ideology could also be inspired by the German Empire. The old German warflag shares similarities with the Nordic Cross flag and the Germa 66 flag. In addition, Judge Vinsmoke's shape of moustache and bears resemblance to the moustache of former German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II, who led Germany during World War One. Wilhelm II is also commonly depicted wearing a metal helmet.
 * Germa 66's Vinsmoke commanders also bear a resemblance to the popular Super Sentai series, as they bear similar color-coded designs and epithets: Reiju is "Poison Pink", Ichiji "Sparking Red", Niji "Electric Blue", Yonji "Winch Green". These colors are also prominently incorporated into their clothing and hair color.
 * The Red/Blue/Pink/Green team alignment matches that of the 1977 series J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, the first and only Sentai squad which started with four members.
 * The clone soldiers used by the Germa likewise resemble the various foot soldiers used by the villains in many tokusatsu series such as Sentai and Kamen Rider.

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