Zou

Zou is an island located on the back of a massive 1000 year old elephant that roams the New World. It is home to the Mink Tribe and where the Heart Pirates crew members currently reside while waiting for their captain.

Zou is the primary setting of the Zou Arc.

Layout
Zou is a massive living elephant that has been around for 1000 years, as a result it cannot be tracked by a Log or Eternal Pose. It shows slight damage due to time as its ear is torn and its body is slightly ragged. Its legs are very tall, making it difficult to get on the island. Zou moves very slowly.

The ground on Zou is made up of the rippled skin of the elephant, which makes it difficult to traverse. It was shown to impede Sanji's group after they had arrived and were on the run from Kaido's subordinates, and once Luffy's group arrived, they noticed similar inconvenience with the paths of elephant skin. It also has countless strange trees growing from it with round-shaped formations of leaves that resemble scales.

Occasionally, Zou will spout water (likely from its trunk judging by the shape of the structure which shot out the water and the fact it was covered in elephant skin), which results in a large blast deemed an "eruption rain" pouring down from above that can wash away those on its back if they don't take cover.

Somewhere on Zou is the Mokomo Dukedom, where members of the Mink Tribe dwell. It is a country with ancient-looking buildings and a place known as the Whale Forest that features a unique tree in the shape of a whale.

Whale Forest
The Whale Forest (くじらの森) is a forest in the approximate center of Zou's back. In the center of the forest, there is a giant tree with a trunk stylized into a baleen whale bending upwards.

The forest is protected by the mink Guardians (侠客団(ガーディアンズ)) who will attack any invaders.

Kurau City
Kurau City (クラウ都) is a city located at the edge of the Whale Forest. It has been heavily damaged, presumably due to Jack's invasion.

Rightrump Forest
Rightrump Forest (右尻（ウシリー）の森) is the forest located right on Zou's right rump.

Deep, Dark Swamp
Not much is known about it, except if you head straight down the path from Right Rump Forest, one will find this place, and if you turn right from here, one can reach the Belly Forest.

Rightflank Forest
Rightflank Forest (右腹（ウバラ）の森) is the forest located on Zou's right flank (or belly).

History
Zou has been home to the Mink Tribe for around 1000 years.

Kin'emon, Momonosuke, and his samurai comrades were headed to Zou, but they were shipwrecked on the way there.

After arriving at Dressrosa, Trafalgar Law gave Nami a Vivre Card. He told her it led to Zou and encouraged her to use it if something happened. After Sanji's brief clash with Doflamingo, the Straw Hats on board the Thousand Sunny set their course for Zou, in order to keep Momonosuke and Caesar out of Doflamingo's hands while the remaining members finished their business on Dressrosa.

Sanji and the Sunny guard group finally arrived at Zou in three days, barely escaping Big Mom. They docked near the elephant's leg. When they arrived to the top, they attempted to find a girl while fighting off Kaido's lackeys and Sheepshead. They were almost washed away by a flash flood. Later on, Chopper noticed something and called everyone to come to his location.

A week later, Luffy and the others arrived and climbed to the top of the elephant. After encountering some of the minkmen, they learned that Zou was recently attacked by a man called Jack.

Trivia

 * Zou's architecture looks very similar to the Old City of Sana'a in Yemen. The gate to Mokomo Dukedom also resembles the Gate of Yemen.
 * The island may be based on the Sanatani (Hindu) myth of the world residing on the backs of four elephants.
 * The giant elephant is one of the oldest creatures introduced in the series, its lifetime predating even the Void Century.
 * Zō is the Japanese word for "Elephant".
 * Given the fact that Zou can stand in the middle of the sea, it is highly probable his design was also based on the painting The Elephants by the surrealist painter Salvador Dalí, The Elephants are notorious for being quite gigantic elephants with buildings on their back and extremely long legs similar to those of the animals seen on the Long Ring Long Land.
 * The island resembles Elephant Rock, a giant elephant shaped natural rock formation located on the island of Heimaey, Iceland.

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