Hikari e

Hikari E or as it known in English as Towards the Light was the song sung for the 3rd opening song of the One Piece anime. It was sung by The Babystars. It was also the first opening to be featured as an opening in the FUNimation dub. It was first used on Episode 116, and last used on Episode 168.

Opening
The One Piece title which turn into the Straw Hats; jolly roger which in turn turns into the Going Merry as it sails on. Gold Roger narrates as the world of the series is shown on the side of the ship with images of the Straw Hat crew running in the top right side. After Roger finishes, still freeze frame shot of the Straw Hat (which now include Chopper and Robin) are show till we reach Luffy. He does a few stretching attacks till he punches the screen. Zoro next doing the same (except with his swords) then to Nami who creates a Thunder tempo which nearly hits Usopp, he hops on a cannon and fire it at a rock where Chopper come flying off morphing into his different Points (or Boosts) ending in his Guard Point where Sanji, who is cooking, kicks him into the air before throwing up the food as well. Chopper, back in regular form lands on his shoulders as Sanji and he catch the dishes. Sanji nearly falls over but hands sprout up to catch him thanks to Robin who just smiles. We then go to a overhead shot of the crew, then the ship, then the world before the logo come up.

The camera sweep the Going Merry as it sail with her crew doing various things. After this we see the Straw Hat battling as storm and trying to keep the Merry afloat. They manage and get a sunrise as a reward. Next is the crew seeing the dolphin sea king (from the end of Little Garden) though it made to look like a normal one till it splash near them and nearly capsizes the ship. Finally we get one more shot of the crew as they sail on toward a sunset then a still shot of the crew posing in different outfits. (Luffy wearing a captain's coat over him.)

Lyrics
僕は今　さがしはじめた　水しぶきあげて

果てしなく続く世界へ

あふれだす情熱を胸に　どこまでも行くよ

まだ見ぬヒカリ　求め

夏色太陽が　ココロの帆をゆらせば

あたらしい世界への　扉を開く合図

波間にゆれてる　絶望を抜けて

水平線の向こう側　目指して

僕は今　さがしはじめた　水しぶきあげて

果てしなく続く世界へ

あふれだす情熱を胸に　どこまでも行くよ

まだ見ぬヒカリ　求め

きまりきった毎日と　ありふれた雲の流れ

君にも映ってる　知るはずもない未来

変わらないことで　傷つかなくても

それじゃ夢も希望さえもない　さぁ行こう

僕はなぜ　さがしてるんだろう　何がほしいんだろう

答えはきっとその先に

動き出す世界の中へ　ココロして行くよ

まだ見ぬチカラ秘めて

僕はなぜ　さがしてるんだろう　何がほしいんだろう

まだ見ぬタカラはどこに

あふれだす情熱を胸に　どこまで行ける？

わからないけれど

僕は今　さがしはじめた　水しぶきあげて

果てしなく続く世界へ

あふれだす情熱を胸に　どこまでも行くよ

まだ見ぬ光　求め

その　向こうへ

Romaji
(yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah) boku wa ima sagashi hajimeta mizushibuki agete

hateshinaku tsuzuku sekai e

afuredasu jônetsu o mune ni doko made mo yuku yo

mada minu hikari moto me

natsuiro taiyô ga kokoro no ho o yuraseba (fly away glum blue sea...)

atarashî sekai e no tobira o hiraku aizu (fly away glum blue sky...)

nami ma ni yureteru zetsubô o nukete

suiheisen no mukôgawa (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah) mezashite

boku wa ima sagashi hajimeta mizushibuki agete

hateshinaku tsuzuku sekai e

afuredasu jônetsu o mune ni doko made mo yuku yo

mada minu hikari moto me

kimarikitta mainichi to arifureta kumo no nagare

kimi ni mo utsutteru shiru hazu mo nai mirai

kawaranai koto de kizutsukanakute mo

sore ja yume mo kibô sae mo nai sâ yukô

boku wa naze sagashiteru'n darô nani ga hoshî'n darô

kotae wa kitto sono saki ni

ugokidasu sekai no naka e kokoro shite yuku yo

made minu chikara himete

boku wa naze sagashiteru'n darô nani ga hoshî'n darô

made minu takara wa doko ni

afuredasu jônetsu o mune ni doko made yukeru?

wakaranai keredo

boku wa ima sagashi hajimeta mizushibuki agete

hateshinaku tsuzuku sekai e

afuredasu jônetsu o mune ni doko made mo yuku yo

mada minu hikari moto me

sono mukô e

English Translation
Making a splash, I've just started on my search

Heading towards a world without end

My heart bursting with enthusiasm,

I'll go to the ends of the earth

In search of light yet unseen

When the summer sun sways the sails of my heart (fly away glum blue sea!)

It's the cue to open the door to a new world (fly away glum blue sky!)

Sailing through the rocky waves of despair,

We head beyond the horizon...

...yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

...is what we aim for!

Making a splash, I've just started on my search

Heading towards a world without end

My heart bursting with enthusiasm,

I'll go to the ends of the earth

In search of light yet unseen

FUNimation Dub
I think back to the time when my search first began

I left behind those shores of sand

For the endless, everlasting world out there

I know that with this burning passion driving me

Some day, some where, I'll finally

see the light I have searched for everywhere

When the summer sun is shining

Shaking the sails of my heart, I know (Fly away glum blue sea)

A brand new world that had been hiding

has opened up its doors for me to go (Fly away glum blue sky)

Swaying in the troubled waves

From all despair I can be saved

For the horizon on the other side is yeah yeah yeah yeah is what I aim for!

And though I traveled far from where my search began

Over seas of green and shores of sand

Through the endless, everlasting world out there

I know that with this burning passion driving me

Some day, some where, I'll finally

see the light I have searched for everywhere