Impel Down

Impel Down (インペルダウン), the Great Jail, is the World Government's maximum-security prison for the most dangerous criminals and pirates. Its name derives from the English verb 'impel', meaning to force. Some translations use the word Gaol which is an early Modern English spelling for jail.

It is located underwater in the middle of a Calm Belt. The only way to get there with the greatest of ease, one must use a water current accessible by going through the Gates of Justice located at either the Marine Headquarters or Enies Lobby. Also, the only way to safely get to the prison is to use one of the Seastone lined Marine battleships as the entire place is surrounded by Sea Kings.

Because of its brutal nature and being renowned for being inescapable since Kinjishi, almost no person wishes to ever go there. However, there are people who choose to enter it willingly: such as Monkey D. Luffy, Daz Bones and Crocodile.

While Kinjishi made the record of being the first person to break-out of the prison, Luffy made the record of being the first to break-in.

General Layout
Impel Down is a large submerged tower-like structure whose foundation is at the very bottom of the sea bed. Due to it being built within the Calm Belt, the entire structure is constantly surrounded by gigantic Sea Kings swimming below the water. Along with these beasts, the prison is guarded by a force of Marine battleships.

Within the dark confines of the prison are various cells and torture chambers that used for the prisoners. The cells are all made from seastone to keep those with Devil Fruit powers from escaping. The torture chambers are used for all sorts of brutal unspeakable acts. Among these include continuous whipping, brutal beating to death, boiling cauldrons for burning and drowning, and spiked pits used for impaling.

The prison is carefully monitored all around by a Surveillance Den Den Mushi. Tiny versions of them are found in specific locations throughout Impel Down. Whatever they see is transferred to a larger version that sends video feeds to monitors connected to it, allowing the guards to keep surveillance. Each of the smaller versions has an alarm beeper connected to the shells. The large Surveillance Den Den Mushi is kept in a monitor room somewhere within the fortress.

There is also what appears to be a medical laboratory stationed somewhere within the great jail, with doctors and a variety of medical equipment for immediate treatments of anyone within the prison, both prisoner and staff alike. However, the doctors seem to have a limit, as they cannot produce a cure for an accumulation of various poisons.

Most prisoners have their clothes taken before they are given a striped black and white shirt and trousers. The exceptions are Portgas D. Ace, Jinbei, and Monkey D. Luffy, all of whom were not meant to be kept long in the prison before death (or in Jinbei's case, until he cooperates with the World Government). Shiryuu was also allowed to continue to wear his Impel Down uniform, despite being placed in Level 6 for his abuse of privileges. Also, the residents of New Kama Land seem to have managed to retrieve their old clothes after escaping from their cells. Similarly, Crocodile seems to have somehow retrieved his clothes, including his long fur coat, almost immediately after escaping from his cell.

Levels
When a prisoner arrives in Impel Down they are put in boiling water to disinfect and sterilize them. This is ritually referred to as "baptizing" them. While most have screamed in pain due to the extreme heat, only a few prisoners have been known to take the sterilization without flinching even one bit. These prisoners include Ace, Jinbei, and Crocodile. After being sterilized, they are then placed in one of the six known levels of Impel Down based on their crimes and strength. The more heinous or powerful a prisoner is, the lower the level they will be placed.

A prisoner's level is by default determined by the bounty value on his head. Although with exceptions, such as Crocodile whose bounty was removed a long time ago and Mr. 2 Bon Kurei.

Along with various cells to keep inmates, each level possesses a unique form of torture. Because of these unspeakable acts being performed, each level is given the title of hell.

Level 1: Crimson Hell
Crimson Hell (紅蓮地獄) is the first level of Impel Down in which prisoners are kept. While the level relatively is used for less wanted criminals, it contains a large forest of red trees. The leaves of the trees, known as Kenju (剣樹), are as sharp as blades while the grass on the floor, the Haribarisou (針グ草), is as spiky as needles. Here prisoners are forced to run through the forest while being chased by poisonous spiders and guards to experience all the pain from being cut from all directions. As consequence of prisoners being forced through this forest, it is soaked in blood. Deep within the forest is a hole that leads to Level 2. For those who do not wish to live through the pain of being cut any longer, they were given the option of jumping down the hole to Level 2, which contains an even more terrifying hell that nobody is willing to risk. The security here seems to be somewhat lax, as a prisoner has managed to sneaked a Black Den Den Mushi into his cell, eavesdropping on what is happening around the fortress.

Buggy was kept here prior to his escape due to the guards not knowing he was a Devil Fruit user, much less one whose power rendered him completely impervious to this type of torture.

Level 2: Wild Beast Hell
Wild Beast Hell (猛獣地獄) is the second level of Impel Down in which prisoners are kept. It contains various wild beasts of sorts. The beasts kept here include Puzzle Scorpions and Manticores. Puzzle Scorpions are large poisonous insects that can join together to become giant centipedes. Manticores are man-eating human faced lions that will devour everything from their prey including the bones. Their human faces allow them to speak however they can only imitate what they hear like parrots as they don't understand what they're actually speaking. The words they speak are mostly things they heard from the prisoners so some of the things that they say are completely out of place. Among these regular-sized beasts kept here are also two gigantic beasts, the Basilisk and the Sphinx.

The Basilisk is a gigantic snake born from a chicken. It is a feathered mutant that possesses both snake and chicken traits. It is extremely strong that it gave Luffy and Buggy a good chase until it was downed with one blow of Gear Third from Luffy. Though formidable, the Basilisk is not the most powerful beast in the level.

The Sphinx is a gigantic human faced feathered lion. Significantly larger than the Basilisk and much more fearsome than the other beasts, it is considered the "boss" of the level and is charged with guarded the stairway that leads out of the level. It is so fearsome that the prisoners kept in the level, and even the other beasts hide from it. Like the Manticores, it is capable of imitated speech. It randomly says the names of types of noodles and apparently understands the concept of giving thanks before meals. It is such a strong beast that it is capable of breaking the floor beneath it if it hits it enough times.

With these various beasts, prisoners kept here are forced to be chased by them through the corridors of the level. Because of the fearsome danger, prisoners often either lose the will to go on, or refuse to escape even when their cells are unlocked.

Mr. 3 was kept here prior to being set free by Luffy and Buggy. After both the Basilisk and the Sphinx were defeated, and along with all the prison doors being unlocked, there was a mass riot in the level caused by Luffy and his companions. The riot however is currently being quelled down by Saldeath and his Blue Gorillas. There was recently another riot that occured shortly after the previous riot but has since been quelled after Magellan apparently decimated almost all the prisoners on the level and blocked all the entrances and exits.

Level 3: Starvation Hell
Starvation Hell (飢餓地獄) is the third level of Impel Down in which prisoners are kept. Most of the prisoners kept here are pirates who have a bounty of 50,000,000 or higher. On this level, prisoners feel the heat rising up from Level 4 and are given precious little food and water to keep them in a near death state. They are reduced to the point where merely looking at them cannot tell that they were anywhere near once frightening criminals. And while the temperature here is nothing compared to the following level below, it is intense enough to cause overwhelming dryness, resulting in Level 3's somewhat desert-like terrain. Mr. 2 Bon Kurei was kept here, despite his bounty being only 32,000,000.

In the middle of the level is a large hole going directly to Level 4 down below. This combined with a gigantic fan directly above the hole, serves as the main ventilation system to redirect the smoke produced from below. Level 4 can be reached through this hole, however, to travel down it holds a risk of death or scalding by the fire and heat of the floor below.

Level 4: Blazing Hell
Blazing Hell (焦熱地獄) is the fourth level of Impel Down in which prisoners are kept. At this level, a pool lies filled with boiling blood heated by a raging fire making it extremely hot. The heat caused by this is so intense that it also heats up the level directly above it. If one tries to jump down to this level from Level 3 using the large hole used for ventilation above but don't land on a safe place, then they're dead.

Prisoners from other levels are regularly tortured here. The most prevalent form of torture here however is being thrown into the gigantic pot of boiling blood in the middle of the level.

Mr. 1 was kept here, though he was shown to be unfazed by the heat of this level while being placed in hard labor. He also saw Luffy and Magellan's battle while in his cell.

Magellan the warden of Impel Down stays here. His office contains a lift, which can take several people to all the Levels throughout the fortress, bypassing the stairs. This is also where the kitchen of the prison is located next to Magellan's office. Luffy's battle with Magellan was fought here prior to him being completely poisoned and captured.

Level 5: Freezing Hell
Freezing Hell (極寒地獄) is the fifth level of Impel Down in which prisoners are kept in. This is the level where criminals with bounties of 100,000,000 and over are kept. In stark contrast to the level above it, the entire level here is a giant freezer. The level is so cold that not only do the prisoners kept here either freeze to death or lose pieces of their flesh from severe frostbite, and the food given to them is frozen to the level of being virtually inedible. Due to the extreme cold, Den Den Mushi don't function in this Level, thus cutting off both contact and surveillance, except on the locations localized around the entrances that connects Level 5 to the previous and next levels. Along with the severe cold, the level is inhabited by wolves. These wolves roam around the level like the beasts of Level 2, where they were originally stationed at. However, they proved to be too brutal to be in Level 2 as they also hunted the other beasts as well, including the Basilisk and the Sphinx.

Along with the bitter cold of the level, there seems to be a occurrence of prisoners mysteriously disappearing as well. Prisoners who are incapable of moving by themselves have been disappearing without a trace. Because of this, the Impel Down staff and the prisoners call this phenomenon, the "demoning away". The superstition is that the missing prisoners have been actually pulled away by demons to the Gates of Hell itself. The belief of this superstition has been carefully kept within level 5 that no inmate from the upper levels were aware about it prior Bon Kurei (disguised as Hannyabal), Buggy, and Mr. 3 descending down to it where they were informed by the guards. Among these missing prisoners is Emporio Ivankov, the queen of the okama. He was imprisoned here until he mysteriously disappeared from his cell. Since then he was rumored to be living in an abandoned guard's office deep within a forest situated in the level.

Luffy was transferred into the central tower of this floor after his loss against Magellan, where he would have been killed from the latter's poison in 24 hours though Bon has recently broken him out of his cell and tries to find Iva in hopes of a cure.

Level 5.5: New Kama Land
Known as the The "Prisoners' Secret Flower Garden", New Kama Land (番地ニューカマーランド) is a hidden sub level of Freezing Hell, and is where all the prisoners who have been supposedly "demoned away" have gone to. The secret area is located inside rock between Levels 5 and 6. It was carved out long ago by a prisoner with a tunneling Devil Fruit power, and is a secret location unknown by the jailers. It is ruled by the "Queen" Emporio Ivankov, and it's called the Okama Paradise where all the Okama and prisoners party and have fun at all times. Indeed, it has been described by Iva as a "paradise within hell", and true enough, not one inmate from this hidden level is inclined at all to escaping the Great Jail as a result.

One of its main rooms is a combination of a sit-down cafe and a discotheque, with the main attraction being a cabaret stage where Emporio Ivankov and his followers perform The level also has a Surveillance Den Den Mushi so the prisoners can see what's going on from all levels in the prison. They also steal newspapers from the prison's garbage cans to stay informed of current events.

It's name is a pun on New Comer and Okama, and refers to the Okama who are completely able to change genders thanks to Iva's powers.

Level 6: Eternal Hell


Eternal Hell (無限地獄) is the lowest level of Impel Down. It is where prisoners who are insanely powerful, have caused crimes extremely atrocious, or whose mere existences have become a serious threat to the World Government itself are kept. The prisoners on this level have been given either the death penalty or a life sentence. They are basically "erased" from history.

Ace was kept here on death row, awaiting his execution. Because most people dismiss Level 6 as just a rumor, Ace was believed to be on Level 5 by other prisoners. Jinbei was also placed on this floor, and was being kept in the same cell as Ace. Though the prisoners on this floor are either jailed for the rest of their lives or until their execution day arrives, Jinbei was only given a temporary sentence. However, if he still refuses to fight on behalf of the Shichibukai, then he may indeed suffer harsher consequences. Crocodile is also being kept here in a cell next to theirs. Near them are various other pirates who hold deep grudges against Whitebeard,some of which include several imprisoned Giants.

Kept alongside the prisoners is the former Chief Guard Shiryuu. Because he constantly massacred prisoners, he was deemed to be a menace even within Impel Down, and became too dangerous to be kept anywhere else in the prison. For abusing his powers, he was sentenced to Level 6.

High Ranking Staff

 * Magellan: Chief Warden (監獄署長), resides in Level 4, possesses the Doku Doku no Mi, only serves about four hours of service.
 * Shiryuu: Former Chief Guard (看守長), Magellan's equal, abuse of privilege, stripped of status and sentenced to Level 6, currently released for assistance.
 * Hannyabal: Vice Warden (副署長), ambitious person.
 * Saldeath: Chief Guard (牢番長), commander of the Blue Gorillas.
 * Sadi-chan: Chief Guard (獄卒長), sadistic torturer, commander of the Four Demon Guards.
 * Domino: Vice Chief Guard (副看守長).

Guards

 * Human guards: Either stationed in the monitor room or various other places. They vary in duties.
 * Blue Gorillas: Super strong and mindless gorillas with doubleheaded axes. Mainly reside in level one. Can be called to other levels.
 * The Four Demon Guards: Four fearsome guardians of Impel Down, under the command of Sadi-chan.
 * Minotauros: A bipedal bull who beats up prisoners often.
 * Minorhinoceros: A bashful bipedal rhinoceros.
 * Minokoala: A bipedal that is also an armed fighter.
 * Minozebra: A shy bipedal zebra who pushes prisoners into the lake of blood.

Other Beasts

 * Basilisk: Giant snake born from a chicken that shares traits of both creatures.
 * Manticores: Man-eating, human-faced lions that can eat their preys completely. Has the ability to talk but not understand what they are saying.
 * Puzzle Scorpions: Extremely poisonous creatures that can unite to form giant centipedes.
 * Sphinx: Boss of the level, extremely strong and guards the stairs. Also has the ability to talk but likewise with the manticores has no understanding of what what it is saying.
 * Hummingbirds: Wild beasts also found in Level 2. Only one has been shown.
 * Wolves: Extremely vicious wolves that prey on even other beasts, relocated to Level 5.

Prisoners

 * Crocodile: For abusing his Shichibukai title, founding the Baroque Works organization and attempted coup d'etat of the Arabasta Kingdom; Life sentence, Level 6, currently teamed up with Luffy and is in Level 4.
 * Daz Bones: For being an infamous assassin and a member of Baroque Works; Life sentence, Level 4, currently freed from cell by Crocodile.
 * Bentham: For being a member of Baroque Works; Life sentence, Level 3, Prisoner number C9915; Currently in Level 4.
 * Galdino: For being a member of Baroque Works; Life sentence, Level 2, Prisoner number D0464; Currently wandering in Level 2.
 * Portgas D. Ace: For being a member of Whitebeard Pirates; Death penalty in less than 5 hours, Level 6; Transfer of custody to Marines complete.
 * Jinbei: For causing an uproar at Marine Headquarters and refusing to fight on behalf of the World Government; Temporarily sentenced, Level 6, currently teamed up with Luffy and is in Level 4.
 * Buggy the Clown: For piracy; Level 1, Prisoner number E8200; Currently wandering in Level 2.
 * Emporio Ivankov: Revolutionary; Level 5; Residing in Level 5.5, currently in Level 4.
 * Kinjishi: Escaped 20 years ago.
 * Monkey D. Luffy: For infiltrating Impel Down in attempt to break Portgas D. Ace out of prison; Death by poison in 24 hours, Level 5; Received treatment in Level 5.5, currently in Level 4.
 * Roche Tomson: Reason unknown; Level 5.
 * ? Black: As seen on the role sheet only Black is visible. It is unknown what the whole name is. Reason unknown; Level 5.
 * Inazuma: Revolutionary; Level 5; Residing in Level 5.5, currently in Level 4.
 * Unknown Devil Fruit User: An unknown prisoner who had the ability of tunneling Devil Fruit. He was the original creator of Level 5.5.
 * Shiryuu: For killing too many prisoners; Postponed Death penalty, Level 6.
 * Catarina Devon: The world's worst female prisoner in the entire pirate age; Life sentence, Level 6.
 * San Juan Wolf: Reason Unknown; Life sentence, Level 6.
 * Basco Shot: Reason Unknown; Life Sentence, Level 6.

Crocodile and Mr. 1 were imprisoned in a Marine base, but were transferred to Impel Down after most of the captured Baroque Works members escaped (Crocodile and Mr. 1 chose to stay behind). Currently, Both Crocodile and Mr. 1 has joined Luffy, Iva, Inazuma and Jinbei to escape Impel Down.

Mr. 2 Bon Kurei and Mr. 3 were captured by Hina, and presumably transferred to Impel Down for reasons similar to Crocodile and Mr. 1's transfers. Currently, both Mr. 3 and Mr. 2 Bon Kurei have left their cells and are teamed up with Luffy and Buggy. While Mr. 2 Bon Kurei is healing in Level 5.5, Mr. 3 is wandering in Level 5 with Buggy. They were able to sneak their way to Level 2, where they proceed to starting another prison riot. Mr. 2 had taken Emperio Ivankov's Vigour Hormones and joined Luffy, Crocodile, Mr. 1 and Jinbei at Level 4.

Defeating Portgas D. Ace led to Blackbeard becoming a Shichibukai, and Ace being sent to Impel Down. Ace is currently sentenced to public execution. With the prospect of Whitebeard's and Monkey D. Luffy's attempts to rescue him, and that his escape would shake the foundations of the world, Ace is possibly the most important prisoner of Impel Down at this time. He is currently being escorted to the Marines to be transferred to Marine Headquarters.

Jinbei has caused a wild outburst during his summons in the Marine HQ, and is sent to Impel Down until he is calmed, but he shows no sign in folding. He has been released form his cell by Luffy, Iva and Inazuma to assist them in breaking out of Impel Down.

Buggy the Clown was transferred here after being captured after leaving the island he mistook for Treasure Island. Buggy managed to escape his cage in Impel Down, but it is unknown whether his acquaintance with Ace has any effect on his recent capture at Impel Down. With Luffy currently breaking in Impel Down to rescue Ace, he has teamed up with Buggy to get there, and fight off any guards that come on their way. Currently, Buggy and Mr. 3 are wandering in Level 5, after fleeing from the wolves. They were able to sneak their way to Level 2, where they proceed to starting another prison riot.

The former "queen" of the Kamabakka Kingdom, Emporio Ivankov, was arrested and sent to Level 5 of Impel Down "without rhyme nor reason". However, he escaped from his cell and founded Level 5.5: New Kama Land, and took other prisoners to take refuge in the "Okama Paradise", Inazuma being one of them. Both of them are Revolutionary members, and have been waiting for their leader to declare war before plotting a break-out. However, with the news that both of Dragon's sons are here in Impel Down, they decided the time is now, and decided to help Luffy rescue Ace. He has freed former Shichibukai Crocodile and Shichibukai Jinbei to escape the confines of Impel Down and rescue Ace.

20 years ago, Kinjishi the "Flying Pirate" made the only successful breakout of Impel Down, due to a mistake of the Marines.

Being the first person to break into Impel Down, Monkey D. Luffy eventually lost to Magellan in battle, and was coated in the lethal poison of the Hydra, which was to kill him after 24 hours of pain. Despite this, Magellan still ordered Luffy to be locked up into the central tower of Level 5, just to be sure. He was taken out of his cell by Mr. 2 Bon Kurei, and was being healed in Level 5.5. He had made a miraculous recovery and is assisted by Emporio Ivankov and Inazuma, two Revolutionaries who are also plotting escape. Luffy has released and is also joined by his old nemesis, Crocodile and Jinbei to aid them them in escaping Impel Down and head to Marine Headquarters.

Roche Tomson and ? Black are some of the Level 5 prisoners listed on the list Mr. 2 Bon Kurei (disguised as Hannyabal) was reading from.

An unknown Devil Fruit user with tunneling powers has created Level 5.5.

Shiryuu of the Rain is a former chief guard of the prison, and Magellan's equal. But due to his abuse of privilege of killing prisoners, he has been labeled as a menace and sentenced to Level 6. He was given a death sentence, but it was postponed and is currently released in order to help the short-handed Impel Down.

During Iva's explanation about Level 6, he mentioned legendary pirates that have been imprisoned there: Catarina Devon, "Colossal Battleship" San Juan Wolf, and "Mighty Drinker" Basco Shot are some of them.

Trivia
This is heavy spoiler
 * Impel Down seems to be heavily based on how Hell is described in Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. Both are level-based, "inescapable" prisons with unique forms of punishment per level, and the lower one traverses, the worse the punishments become. Consequently, Luffy's journey to the fifth level of Impel Down can be likened to Dante's descent.
 * A few of the levels of Impel Down also seem to resemble Buddhist concepts of hell such as the Crimson Hell which seems based on the "Hell of the Sword Tree and Knife Hill" which similarly tortures its victims by forcing them to run upon or impaling them upon trees and hills covered with knives and swords. Also the Four Demon Guards seem to resemble the demon guards Horse Face and Ox Head.
 * Each of the high ranking staff members seems to have a devil theme in their dress codes, a reflection to how each level of Impel Down is called Hell.
 * The Basilisk featured in Impel Down is based on a common mistake. Often depictions of the Basilisk show a "chicken-like" snake creature, but such a creature is actually known as a Cockatrice, as the legends are commonly mixed up.
 * Impel Down prisoners are assigned a 4-digit number preceded by a single letter that appears to denote what floor the prisoner is to be held at, starting with E for level 1 and presumably ending with A for Level 5. It is unknown what letter would be given to Level 6 inmates, or if they are even assigned numbers.