8th Branch

The Marine 8th Branch is a Marine unit active in the East Blue, though the precise location of their base is unknown. It is commanded by Nelson Royale.

The division consists of Nelson's flagship and a fleet of at least 10 smaller battleships. The main seen technique, which this branch uses to capture pirates, is the "Kakuyoku no Jin" (鶴翼の陣 Crane Wing Formation) - which consists of surrounding an enemy with a fleet of battleships and then blocking all escape routes by connecting each battleship with several large chains.

Known Members

 * Commodore Nelson Royale, the division commander.
 * Lieutenant Commander Hardy, a higher ranking officer who was sent after Apis, along with Eric.
 * Eric, a mercenary who is technically not a member of the division, but accompanied them.

Ship
The main ship of the 8th Branch is unlike any other previously seen Marine ship. It first appeared in Episode 54. By Episode 60, with the assistance of a Sennenryu, Luffy delivered a devastating kick that split the ship in two, effectively destroying it completely.

It is a large ship with plenty of gilding and an odd-shaped hull. It is also more wide than a common marine ship and its rudder had a structure attached to it strangely akin to that of a house. It compromises of three frontal structures, the middle one being the highest, having an odd, seven pointed red roof shape. The middle structure is where Nelson usually resides. There are also structures in the back of the ship. The ship's clothes has the number "8" on it.

For offense, the ship, unlike standard marine ships, has no inbuilt "slots" for cannons, but instead has portable cannons to be moved around on deck. It also leads a fleet of other marine ships, and while those circle around the targets with chains linked to each other, effectively sealing off the escape paths for the trapped vessels (known as the "Kakuyoku no Jin" (鶴翼の陣 Crane Wing's Formation)), the main ship launches attacks. The ship's main weapon is the "Big Elimination Cannon", which is normally pulled in. This was destroyed when Usopp managed to fire a cannon shot into it, just as it was being prepared to shoot, resulting in its explosion.