Chapter 1

Cover
Volume: 1 Pg.: 5

Color panel: Straw Hats and Red Hair Pirates partying in treasure along with seagulls. Shanks's flag is seen in the background.

Quick Summary
The main character of the series is introduced, and his history is revealed. 10 years later, he becomes a pirate and sets off to fufill his dream.

Long Summary


Monkey D. Luffy - a young citizen of Fuusha Village, stabs himself in front of captain Red Haired Shanks' and his pirate crew in order to prove he was not afraid of pain.

Back at Patty's Bar Shanks stands by his claim Luffy can't join unless he learns how to swim and that he is also too young to join. When Luffy stands by his claim he is a man, Shanks tricks him into drinking a glass of juice ("milk" in the English manga) - proving he is still just a kid. After being turned down once again by Shanks to join his crew, Luffy gets depressed. Beckman tries to explain to Luffy that the captain is only looking after everyone's best interest. However, Luffy thinks Shanks' isn't taking him serious - which Shanks proves by mocking the kid again. Finally Makino appears and gives Luffy a meal, as Luffy and Shanks eat their meals Luffy raises the question of how long the crew will be staying. Shanks states he is thinking of two or three more trips and then heading out, which Luffy states is fine as he will have learned to swim by then.

At that moment, Higuma and his bandits appear and begin to demand Sake. However, the Shanks and his crew have already drunk all the alcohol in the bar. Shanks offers Higuma the last bottle, unsatisfied with just one bottle, he smashes it over Shanks. When Shanks takes no stand to defend himself and instead asks for a cloth to clean up the mess, Higuma smashes his plate of food over him. Once again Shanks does nothing,instead he laughs it off. Higuma leaves convinced Shanks is a coward.

After he is gone, Shanks and his crew laugh at their captains humiliation, including Shanks himself. Luffy is angered, he claims he is going to find another role model. As Shanks grabs his arm to stop him, it stretches, to everyones horror it is revealed Luffy has eaten the Devil Fruit the Gomu Gomu no Mi which they recently stole from another ship. Luffy then finds out he is now made completely of rubber and is doomed to never be able to swim again.

A few days later, Shanks and his crew go out to sea, leaving Luffy behind once more. Luffy sits in the bar, angry at Shanks for not standing up to Higuma. Just then, Higuma reappears.

Makino is seen rushing through the village to find the mayor; Luffy has gotten himself into a hostage situation with Higuma after Higuma said something that angered him. As Makino and the Mayor return to reason with the bandit, the bandit states it is already too late - Luffy is going to die. As Higuma raises his sword to kill Luffy, Shanks and his crew reappear. Higuma and his men tell them it is none of the pirate's business.

As Shanks walks forward, one of the bandits points a gun at Shanks, which ends with him being shot himself. Shanks then tells Higuma he won't allow him to hurt a friend of his and get away with it. Higuma, unhindered by his speech sends the rest of the crew after him, Shanks' first mate decides to step in and single-handedly he takes out the entire gang of bandits, leaving Higuma alone. Realizing he can't win, Higuma drops a smoke bomb and takes Luffy away. As the smoke clear, Shanks' realizes Luffy is gone and panics.

Out at sea, Higuma and Luffy stand in a boat. Higuma decides it is time to loose Luffy and kicks him in the water. Luffy is angry that he could do nothing to Higuma and as Luffy struggles in the water, a sea monster appears. Higuma, unable to do anything, is eaten and the creature then turns towards Luffy. Moments before he is eaten, Shanks saves the boys life. The creature is scared away by one stare from Shanks. When it is gone, however Luffy lets out a cry: Shanks has lost an arm in saving his life.

Finally Luffy has realized he is too young to sail out to sea and become a pirate. He however realizes what a great man Shanks is. At the docks later, Luffy has come to say goodbye to Shanks and his crew. He is sad they are leaving, but not worried about going with them as he has decided he will become a pirate on his own. This leads to Shanks stating he didn't want him on his crew in the first place and that there is no way Luffy can become a pirate. In anger, Luffy proclaims he will become a pirate, gather a crew strong enough to beat Shanks' and find the worlds greatest treasure and no matter what, become the Pirate King. Shanks, happy at Luffy's claim, gives him his Straw Hat and tells Luffy to give it back; when he has become a great pirate. Honoured by Shanks' gesture, Luffy cries. As Shanks boards his ship to leave, his first mate comments on how Luffy will become big, Shanks remarks he knows because he reminds him of himself when he was young.

Ten years later, Luffy leaves the village to start his own pirate crew and become the pirate king setting the story of One Piece.

Chapter Notes

 * Origins of Luffy's scar revealed.
 * Shanks refuses to take Luffy with him.
 * Higuma spit food and drinks all over Shanks.
 * Luffy ate a Devil Fruit called the Gomu Gomu no mi and can no longer swim.
 * Luffy tried to fight Higuma and lost, thus creating a hostage situation.
 * Shanks stood up to Higuma to save Luffy from being eaten by a sea monster at the cost of his arm.
 * Shanks decides to leave after staying at Luffy's hometown for a year, leaving behind his straw hat with Luffy on a promise Luffy would return it someday when he became a grand pirate.
 * Luffy leaves ten years later.
 * Luffy states he will recruit ten people (not counting himself).

Quotes
No matter what the reason, I'll never forgive anyone who hurts my friends! Shanks: "Hey, don't cry! Aren't you a man?" Luffy: "But.. Shanks... your arm!" Shanks: "An arm's a small price to pay... I'm glad you're safe." Oh, you'll surpass us? Then, I'll give this hat to you. It's my precious hat. One day, come and give it back to me. Go and become a great pirate!

Attacks
Luffy
 * Gomu Gomu no Pistol

Trivia

 * Shanks' Crew - Although Benn Beckman and Lucky Roo both have fairly important parts in this chapter, neither man was mentioned by name. Yasopp, in this chapter, is simply one of Shanks' crew, and seems no more important than any other member. This is in stark contrast to later chapters, where he seems to be just as important as Benn Beckman and Lucky Roo. The rest of Shanks' crew are random generic pirates, only in the end of Marineford Arc, they appear more grown up, and less generic.
 * Shanks' Ship - It is similar to the design of the ship belonging to Crescent-Moon Galley from Romance Dawn V.1.
 * Shanks' Flag -Oda forgets to add the 3 scars onto Shanks' pirate flag on page 51, as mentioned in an SBS later on.
 * Devil Fruit Name - Shanks knew the name of the Devil Fruit before Luffy ate it, which was not explained why at this point. However, for the most part this can slip by the reader as the greater concept of Devil Fruit is not introduced at this point.
 * M. D. R. - "Rufi" and "Ruffy" are early commonly recorded versions of his name before Oda confirmed it was intending to be "Luffy". This name appeared even in Japan, as well as many other language translations across the world. It can be considered one of the very first incorrect versions of any character name and one of the first names to be "corrected" by Oda. However, there are still a number of fans in the english speaking fandom (particularly those who don't speak English as a first language) who use "Rufi" and usage of the name is generally not shunned.
 * The Length of the Chapter - As standard practice for the first chapter of a manga, this chapter has more pages then the average chapter. This is to give plenty of room to set the scene of the story.
 * Shanks' Arm - Medical Note - In the scene where Shanks lost his arm, you can clearly see Shanks arm was not completely ripped off some of it remained, however when you see him later he is missing everything from the shoulder onwards. Some fans of the series fail to understand why, however this is actually common practice when dealing with a limb that has been ripped/cut off. The remaining tissue on the arm is usually too damaged or the flesh too jagged to be able to do anything with. The easiest solution for a doctor to result to in dealing with this is to completely remove the remaining flesh up to the nearest joint to create a new clean cut. This also can save the person from receiving further problems to their health as the doctor can sterilize and close the new cut quickly to avoid infection; one of the many problems patients who have lost limbs face. The reason why the doctor may cut off the flesh at the joint is often to avoid any damaged, broken or exposed bone left which might stick out of the flesh and/or cause discomfort.
 * Floating on the water - Another question raised is how Shanks managed to stay upright in the water when one arm was missing and the other holding Luffy. You can actually stay floating on the surface of the water if you kick your feet correctly.
 * Luffy's departure - In all three versions of Romance Dawn, Luffy ends up sailing away in nothing more then a tiny dingy.
 * Famous Scene - There are two famous scenes in this chapter. The first scene is Luffy and Shanks in the water with Shanks missing an arm. The second is arguably the most famous scene in the whole of One Piece; the scene of Shanks putting his Straw Hat on Luffy which has appeared many times.
 * Returning Scenes - The scene where Shanks' crew in Romance Dawn V.1 reappears with the updatedcrew members instead. The scene itself has extra crewmembers, although some crew members have identical or mirrored poses from what would be their V.1 counterparts. The image of Shanks telling Luffy he will never be able to swim had appeared in all three versions of Romance Dawn with the only real difference between them being seen in V.2 where Luffy's grandfather replaced Shanks. The scene of Shanks glaring at the seamonster returns in an updated version, with the shark from V.1 replaced by the monster. There are other scenes like these as well.

Anime episode
Episode 4