Episode 400

"Roger and Rayleigh - The Pirate King and His Right Hand" is the 400th episode of the One Piece anime.

Short Summary
Upon arriving back at Shakky's Bar, Silvers Rayleigh reveals to the Straw Hats that he was the first mate of the legendary Gol D. Roger and also reveals the truth about his crew's dismissal. Thus, they leave soon after with a bit of Rayleigh's Vivre Card for each of them, and he tells them to come back in three days when their ship will be ready. Meanwhile, Admiral Kizaru arrives at the Archipelago.

Long Summary
The Heart Pirates are still fighting off the remaining Marines at the auction house, tearing through them to escape. However, they come across the Kid Pirates, most of whom are already wounded due to Kuma. The Shichibukai immediately identifies and attacks Law, but Law manages to dodge the attack. With the Marines starting to close in from behind, Kid and Law, despite their mutual dislike of each other, tell Kuma they are leaving and prepare to face him. In Grove 8, Peterman has been thrashed by the Straw Hats and the Rosy Life Riders for his earlier abduction of Keimi. After giving back Keimi's backpack, they depart promising to aid them 'till they leave the island. The Straw Hats then head back to Shakky's Bar to treat Hachi's gun wound.

As they do so, they talk with Rayleigh where he reveals his relation to Gol D. Roger, much to their surprise (Hachi apparently knew this too, but did not tell them since they just needed a coater). Rayleigh also reveals how he met Hachi (the Fishman had saved Rayleigh's life when he was a kid, and they had remained friends 'till Hachi joined Arlong's crew, then named the Sun Pirates). Sanji then questions how he could still be alive if Roger's crew was captured, to which Rayleigh reveals that Roger actually turned himself in. The government just made it seem that way to show their strength to the public. Rayleigh goes on to tell them the reason why. It was because four years before he was executed, Roger was diagnosed with an incurable disease. His crew, however, had come across Crocus at the entrance of the Grand Line and asked him to join them on Roger's final journey to keep his disease in check.

Finally, after three years, they had managed to conquer the Grand Line. This surprises the Straw Hats, Brook especially, since Crocus did reveal to them he was a pirate doctor for a time. Rayleigh even tells them that the reason Crocus joined was to find a certain pirate crew, which the Straw Hats figure must have been the Rumbar Pirates, bringing tears to Brook's eyes sockets. Rayleigh continues, stating that after they conquered the sea, Roger was dubbed the Pirate King. However, the title was meaningless since he was about to die. But Roger enjoyed it anyway, as he was a man who loved doing everything in grand style. Eventually, Roger disbanded his crew who silently went their separate ways, fates unknown.

One year later, Roger turned himself in to the Marines who decided to make a public execution of him to throw fear into pirates around the world. However, Roger had other plans; his last words to Rayleigh being "I ain't gonna die, partner". On the fateful day of his execution, Roger made his famous speech to the world which, in turn, created the current age of piracy. The Straw Hats are astonished by the story. Rayleigh then tells the group about Shanks and Buggy's apprenticeship aboard Roger's ship, the former of which ran into Rayleigh ten years earlier and told Rayleigh about Luffy, claiming that he had met a kid that said the same things as their captain did.

The story suddenly shifts to a harbor at Grove 27, where a pirate crew is about to set off. Before they can do so, they spot a ship on the horizon that suddenly fires a cannonball with a person actually standing on top of it. The ball lands in the harbor amidst the pirates and the figure, revealed to be Kizaru, awaits orders from his Den Den Mushi.

Back at Shakky's Bar, Rayleigh congratulates Luffy for making it this far into the Grand Line and offers to do the coating job for free, much to the Straw Hats' pleasure. Robin then asks him about the Void Century, telling Rayleigh about a note written by Roger in the Poneglyph in Skypiea. Rayleigh replies that the Roger Pirates did indeed find out the whole history, though he advises her to continue looking for it on her own. Rayleigh says that maybe she could reach different conclusions than those that they reached. Still, he offers to reveal it to her but Robin politely turns him down, agreeing with his earlier advice. Rayleigh also reveals that Roger could not decipher everything like the genius Clover or the other Oharan Scholars. Roger just "could hear the voice of all things". Usopp then asks Robin if she would want to let an opportunity like this get away and starts to question Rayleigh about One Piece. Luffy stops him however, demanding that the mystery of the treasure remain hidden since countless pirates were risking their lives just to search for it. He then threatens to quit being a pirate if any of the crew asked Rayleigh about it, stating "I DON'T WANT TO GO ON A BORING ADVENTURE LIKE THAT!!!".

Usopp apologizes for his actions before Rayleigh asks Luffy if he can really conquer the Grand Line. Luffy replies that he does not really intend to conquer it, only that the person with the most freedom in the ocean would be the Pirate King, which brings a smile to Rayleigh and Shakky's faces. Rayleigh then tells the crew he will have their ship coated in three days which, until then, the crew will have to avoid trouble. Thus, the Straw Hats decide their best bet is to split up and draw attention away from the shop. Shakky gives each member a Vivre Card so they can find their way back to Rayleigh once the coating is finished and Rayleigh decides to move the Thousand Sunny to a safer location. With that, they bid Hachi, Keimi, Pappug, and Shakky farewell for the time being and head back into the groves. Luffy suggests to hide in the theme park though the others (save for Chopper and Brook) reject this idea.

However, the Marines are already hot on the heels of the Straw Hat Pirates. At Grove 27, a warship approaches, causing a panic. As it prepares to make landfall, it fires off a round of cannonballs. Riding atop one, Admiral Kizaru descends on the grove in a frightening explosion and terrifies all the nearby pirates of the lawless area in the vicinity by his arrival. Kizaru announces his arrival on the Sabaody Archipelago back to Marine Headquarters through a Black Den Den Mushi on his wrist and requests a response.

Anime Notes

 * This episode sees the full reveal of Gol D. Roger's face.