Episode 39

"Luffy Drowning! Zoro vs Octopus Hatchan!" is the 39th episode of the One Piece anime.

Short Summary
Zoro faces the six-sword wielding octopus fishman Hatchan and defeats him. Meanwhile, Nojiko with Genzo are helping out Luffy without being noticed.

Long Summary
The episode opens with Luffy struggling to hold his breath underwater. Hachi and Zoro square off as Zoro is manage to slice off the tips of Hachi's hair. Zoro swings his sword again, only using one sword because the other two were wrecked in his fight with Mihawk, and Hachi attempts to catch it with his hands. He fails, and his forehead starts to bleed. As Sanji and Kuroobi continue their fight, Hachi uses Tako Hachi Number 9, leaping up onto a pillar and hanging on. As he hangs there, Zoro starts to weaken, the pain from his wound returning. Genzo sees that Zoro is in pain and demands that he will help him, but Johnny and Yosaku hold him back, saying that he stands no chance.

Hatchi then goes on about how he has a great secret of how no human swordsman can defeat him. He leaps onto the roof and takes out six swords, but Zoro collapses from pain. Hachi gets angry for being ignored, and the villagers are worried for Zoro. Sanji looks over, and Kuroobi makes use of the moment of distraction to deliver a punch to Sanji's midsection that sends him plowing through a wall. Kuroobi declares that he is a Level 40 Merman Karate artist.

Hachi leaps down from the roof, disappointed that Zoro did not put up a better fight. Kuroobi identifies with him, as Sanji went down with one punch. As Hachi starts showing off his Rokutoryu, his six-sword style technique, Zoro rises to his feet, announcing that there is someone he must defeat. Meanwhile, Usopp continues to flee from Chew, and Chew is surprised with the amount of stamina Usopp has. Usopp thinks that if he can just distract one fishman from Arlong Park, it will help Luffy. Usopp stops, noticing that he lost Chew, and he starts to dance in celebration, but Chew arrives behind him, so Usopp takes off running again.

Meanwhile, Genzo and Nojiko dive into the pool, and Genzo tries to break the block of cement Luffy's feet are encased in with a hammer. It's no use, so as Nojiko and Genzo struggle to think, they get an idea. On the path, Sanji takes a puff of his cigarette, then stands up and declares that if Kuroobi's punches are at Level 40, then Zeff's kicks must be at Level 400.

Back in Arlong Park, Zoro asks to lend Johnny and Yosaku's swords. They toss the swords to him. Hachi declares that Zoro is weaker because he only has two arms, and Hachi's swords weigh 300 kg each. Zoro does not care as he prepares to face Hachi. Hachi charges at him, using Tako Ashi Kiken (Octopus Leg Hanger), but Zoro manages to evade every single swing Hachi takes, using Toro Nagashi to slash Hachi across the chest. Hachi does not understand, as his swords are heavier and more powerful, as the two opponents square off again.

Hachi uses Roku-tou no Wa-ru-tsu (Six-Sword Waltz), as he twirls his swords above his head. Zoro leaps up and comes down, knocking all of the swords out of Hachi's hands and cutting them up. Hachi becomes livid. He thrusts out his arms and uses Tako Tsubo no Kamae (Octopus Jar Stance), then charges at Zoro with full speed, using Shin Shun (New Year). However, Zoro stands his ground, and whirling around, he uses Tatsumaki (Tornado) to send Hachi flying into the air, slashed repeatedly as he finally collapsed on the ground, defeated. Zoro falls to his knees, victorious.

Arlong is not happy to see one of his mermen fall, but Kuroobi stands over Zoro, winding up to knock Zoro out. Sanji leaps in and drives Kuroobi back with a kick. Kuroobi is surprised to see that Sanji is still alive, as few can survive his punch, but Sanji replies that everyone on his restaurant could. Zoro stumbles to the edge of the pool, saying how there's no time left and he needs to save Luffy, but Sanji replies that Zoro going into the water will only end up in him killing himself.

To everyone's surprise, Sanji dives into the water to save Luffy, which causes Kuroobi to laugh, as fighting a Fishman in water is a death wish. Kuroobi leaps into the water after his opponent. Sanji swims down and sees Genzo pumping on Luffy's chest, as Luffy's neck has been stretched way out with Nojiko holding his head out of the water. Sanji realizes he needs to kick the cement chunk to free Luffy, but before he can reach it Kuroobi strikes him in the back of the neck with an Arm Blade Chop. On the road, Usopp continues to run from Chew, yelling how he is stubborn as the episode ends.

Anime Notes

 * 4Kids combined Japanese Episodes 39 and part of 40 to make 4Kids Episode 37.
 * In the manga, Zoro broke Hachi's swords with Oni Giri and then finished him with Tatsu Maki, while in the anime, Zoro just used Tatsu Maki.

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Episodi 39