Mont Blanc Cricket

Montblanc Cricket (モンブラン・クリケット, Monburan Kuriketto) is an inhabitant of Jaya Island, living in a small home behind the facade of a castle. He is the distant descendant of Montblanc Norland. He and the Saruyama Alliance aided the Straw Hats in getting to Skypiea.

Appearance


Cricket is a muscular, middle aged man with blond hair. He has a large chestnut on his head which he inherited from his ancestor, Norland. He wears dark-purple tracksuit-pants with a white stripe running along each leg, and a rope around his waist. He doesn't wear a shirt, nor shoes, due to his continuous diving explorations. He is usually seen smoking with a cigarette in his mouth. On his left arm, Cricket has a tattoo of a chestnut with the word "Maroon" written across it.

Personality
Cricket is a very determined and somewhat stubborn man. He can be cheerful at some times.

Abilities and Powers
Cricket is a skilled diver, being able to dive at great depths. This skill was apparently inherited from his ancestor, Norland, who also dived great depths. However because of his constant diving without rest, his body had taken its toll. Cricket is also a skilled martial artist, being able to keep up in his fight against Sanji before succumbing to Decompression sickness and able to outclass Sarquiss in a one-on-one fight. In combat he takes an unusual fighting stance and attacks mainly with kicks.

As the leader of the Saruyama Alliance, Cricket commands two large pirate crews through his proteges, Masira and Shoujou. He also has great stamina by completing a manual labour tasks right after his ambush by the Bellamy Pirates.

Cricket's Past and the Duel against an Ancestor


Since he was a kid, Cricket was always laughed at by everyone due to the shame brought by the story of his ancestor, Norland. Ashamed of his family, Cricket ran away from home and became the captain of a crew of pirates. He didn't necessarily wanted to become a pirate then, he just wanted to escape the curse of carrying the Montblanc family name. However, ten years ago before the current storyline, Cricket and his crew accidentally came across Jaya, the island that Norland supposedly found the city of gold and the island that so many of Cricket's family members failed in finding. Standing upon the cape where the city of gold was supposed to be, Cricket decided to accept his fate and find out once and for all if there was the legendary city that Norland found. His crew however, didn't agree with his decision and left him alone on the island. Left all alone, Cricket decided to live in a house near the cape and began diving all alone into the waters surrounding Jaya back and forth in his search for the city of gold.

He didn't care if it existed or not, or to even proved Norland's innocence. He just decided then to continue doing so with the ambition that before he died, he would settle the matter once and for all.



Five or six years ago before the beginning of the storyline, two fans of the King of Liars, Norland fairy tale then suddenly came to Jaya and proclaimed themselves Cricket's followers without his permission. These two fans, Masira and Shoujou, believed truly that the city of gold existed. Though they were loud and very much bothersome, Cricket allowed them to help him in his search and accepted them as his surrogate sons.

To Cricket, their barging into his life out of the blue saved his life as the constant loneliness he felt before they came was unbearable. With this, Cricket became the leader of the Saruyama Alliance. Together with the two brothers and their pirate crews, Cricket had been searching all around Jaya for the lost city. They had since then found all sorts of clues such as golden bells and trinkets, remnants of the city.

The Straw Hats and the Hyena
While going out on one of his regular diving trips, Cricket came across Luffy as he came up for air. Thinking he and the people with him were people trying to steal the gold he had found so far, Cricket pulled Luffy into the water. Cricket then pulled himself out and decided to defend his gold. Cricket was soon fighting with Sanji. In the midst of the battle, Cricket pulled out a gun and began firing at Sanji. However before the fight could escalate, Cricket succumbed to Decompression sickness and collapsed. He was then carried by the Straw Hats into his home and was taken cared by Chopper.

After recovering, thanked the Straw Hats for helping him and apologized for earlier. Cricket was then told that the Straw Hats had come to him in order to find a way up to Sky Island. Cricket merely laughed at the mention of the idea since he himself didn't know if it existed or not. Cricket however explained that Norland, his ancestor, might know something of it. The moment the Straw Hats learned that he and Norland were related, Cricket explained his family's shame and his past. He then later explained to the Straw Hats the relationship he had with Masira and Shoujou. Luffy however, after listening to all this, asked Cricket again how to get to Sky Island. Seeing the determination in Luffy, Cricket took out Norland's log book and showed it to the Straw Hats. Within the log book, Cricket told them that evidences of a island in the sky were written there. Upon seeing the Straw Hats' excited expressions upon finding these pieces of information about Sky Island's existence, Cricket went out of his house and asked Masira and Shoujou if they should help the Straw Hats get to Sky Island. For this, they agreed.

Cricket then began explaining to the Straw Hats where they could find Sky Island. There was cloud, he explained, that was so dense that it caused sunlight to be blocked from reaching the area below. Cricket wasn't exactly sure but he believed that's where Sky Island would most likely be. Cricket then continued to explain how to get to the cloud. He explained that the Straw Hats needed to use the Knock-Up Stream to get there. He however warned the Straw Hats that this journey to the cloud had to be precise and fast as the Knock-Up Stream was very dangerous and would only last for one minute. Fortunately, Cricket stated he knew when and where these two phenomenon would met up exactly. He also stated that Masira, Shoujou, and him would also help reinforce and strengthen the Going Merry for the trip. Everything seem well and good then, however, Usopp suspected that it was all too perfect. Usopp accused Cricket that he was lying and that he was actually planning something sinister for him and his compatriots. Cricket merely replied that he was just happy to have met people like the Straw Hats and just wanted to help. He then invited all the Straw Hats to his home for a party. Usopp, feeling down for his behavior, apologized to Cricket. Cricket however, was a bit disgusted by Usopp as he was rubbing his running nose on Cricket's pants while apologizing on his knees.



During the party, Cricket noticed Robin was reading the last page of Norland's log book. He quoted a passage from it and explained that everything after that was a blank. With this he explained to everyone why they must continue searching for the answer for such mysteries. After partying some more with everyone, Cricket continued to quote things from Norland's log book. He then showed the Straw Hats pieces of the gold he and the rest of the Saruyama Alliance had found over the years at the bottom of the ocean. Cricket then showed the Straw Hats a small golden statue of a South Bird holding a bell. As Cricket and his two protégés were explaining about the bird, they suddenly realized something then. Cricket explained to the Straw Hats that they needed to catch a South Bird found in the forest south of Cricket's house. He explained that they needed it to tell them which way is south so they could find the location where they could use the Knock-Up Stream to get to Sky Island.

Since they were in the Grand Line, the Straw Hats wouldn't know where to go south since normal compasses wouldn't work. Also since the place that they were headed to was a location in the sea and not an island, the Log Pose wouldn't help either. The only way they could go there is if they followed the South Bird's direction. With this Cricket gave the Straw Hats some nets to catch the bird. As the Straw Hats rushed off to the forest, Cricket said that he, Masira, and Shoujou would enhance the Going Merry in the meantime as they awaited for the Straw Hats' return.

As Cricket and his two proteges were waiting for the Straw Hats' return, Bellamy the Hyena however arrives along with his entire crew ready to steal all of Cricket's hard earned artifacts. Cricket and his two proteges were able to put up a good fight against Bellamy and his crew. That was however until Bellamy started using his Devil Fruit, the Bane Bane no Mi against them. Beaten badly, Cricket tried to stop Bellamy from taking the gold. In the chaos that followed afterwards, both Masira and Shoujou were heavily injured while protecting Cricket. Seeing them wounded deeply saddened Cricket. As Bellamy took off with Cricket's gold, he mockingly told Cricket to stop dreaming of things like Norland's city of gold as it was unfitting for a pirate in this day and age. Cricket however responded, that a person like Bellamy shouldn't be lecturing Cricket of how to be a pirate. For this remark, Bellamy beat Cricket up.

A chicken who doesn't have the guts to fight with fantasies like your... should not be talking about how to be a pirate!"



Cricket and his two proteges are then later found by the Straw Hats badly injured. Not caring for what has happened to him, Cricket apologized to Luffy for not being able to do much to enhance the Going Merry. He however stated with the rest of the Saruyama Alliance, he could fix it up before the schedule. Luffy on the other hand, didn't cared about such things at the moment and decided to get Cricket's gold back. Cricket tried telling Luffy to stop and not mind Cricket's own problems, however, he was stopped and told by Zoro if he wanted to stop Luffy, he would need to use force.

Unable to do anything else, Cricket allowed Luffy to reclaim his gold. After recovering from his wounds and enhancing the Going Merry the best he could, Cricket saw Luffy coming back from Mock Town with his gold. After Luffy saw the improvements on the Going Merry, he gave Cricket back his gold and thanked Cricket for the improvements.

With his gold returned, Cricket told the Saruyama Alliance to not mess up with the Straw Hats' trip to Sky Island. and gave the Straw Hats a little encouragement. He stated that while the Golden City and Sky Island maybe dreams, there has yet to be anyone who could prove that they don't exist. With this, Cricket said his goodbyes with the Straw Hats and thanked them for getting his gold back.

Later, as the Straw Hats rode up on the Knock-Up Stream, Cricket witnessed the event from his house.

A Mystery solved and a New Dream to pursue


While doing business as usual, Cricket and the rest of the Saruyama Alliance hear the sound of the Golden Bell of Shandora ringing. This beautiful sound, which was accompanied with a large shadow of Luffy casted on the clouds, was proof that the city of gold that Norland found was true and that it was in the sky all along. With this proof, Cricket burst into tears of happiness at finally knowing the truth and at the knowledge that the Straw Hats were still alive after using the Knock-Up Stream to get to Sky Island. With this, the entire Saruyama Alliance rejoiced.

With proof that the golden city was all along in the sky, Cricket decided to stop searching in the sea and move on. However before leaving, he invited the Saruyama Alliance to follow him onto a new dream. This they accepted wholeheartedly. Together, Cricket and the Saruyama Alliance ventured forth for a new dream to pursue.

Translation and Dub Issues
In the video game One Piece: Pirates Carnival (dubbed by 4Kids), Norland and Cricket's family name is "Mombran". However, in the edited FUNimation dub, Norland and Cricket's family name is "Monbran". While this romanization of the family name is taken directly from how it is pronounced, this is not necessarily the correct romanization of it as the Japanese characters used for the family name (モンブラン) are the same characters used for the word Mont Blanc in Japanese. It is written as "Mont Blanc" in the Viz Manga and "Montblanc" in the uncut FUNimation dub.

In the edited FUNimation dub, Cricket's cigarette is removed, but was accidently left in one scene. But until FUNimation uncut, Cricket's cigarette it's on DVD in Season Three - First Voyage.

Trivia

 * Though he owes much of the credit for finding out the truth on his ancestor Norland to Wiper, Calgara's descendant, the two never meet with each other. Also while Wiper is aware of his existence, Cricket does not even know his ancestor's old friend even has a descendant; even though it was hearing about Cricket's struggles against his family curse that had led the Shandian's actions in the finals moments of the fight against Enel.