Hikari e

"Hikari e" or "Towards the Light" in English, was the song sung for the third opening song of the One Piece anime. It was sung by The Babystars and by Vic Mignogna for the Funimation dub. 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 in Episode 168.

Opening
The One Piece title appears and turns into the Straw Hats, then a Jolly Roger, and finally the Going Merry. Gol D. Roger narrates as the world is shown on the side of the ship with images of the Straw Hats running on the top right side. After Roger finishes, a still frame of the Straw Hats (including Chopper and Robin) is shown until Luffy is shown. He does a few stretching attacks before punching the screen. Zoro does the same with his swords, Nami creates a Thunder Tempo which nearly hits Usopp, who hops on a cannon and fires it at a rock. Chopper comes flying off of the rock, morphing into his different points before ending in his Guard Point where Sanji, who is cooking, kicks him into the air and throws 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 Robin catches him with her ability and smiles. An overhead shot of the crew is given, the Going Merry is shown again, and the world appears before the logo comes up.

The camera sweeps over the Going Merry as it sails with her crew doing various things. After this, the Straw Hats battle a storm and try to keep the Merry afloat. They survive and get a sunrise as a reward. Next, the crew sees a dolphin sea king (resembling the one from the beginning of the Little Garden Arc) that looks normal until it splashes near them and nearly capsizes the ship. Finally, one more shot of the crew is given as they sail on toward a sunset. Finally, there is a still shot of the crew posing in different outfits, with Luffy wearing a captain's coat over his clothes.

Funimation Version
English Title: Towards The Light

English Credits:

English Translation - Michael McFarland

English Singer - Victor Joseph Mignogna

Intro
[Chorus] Aah... aaah... aaaah...

[Narrator] The world...

[Narrator] What a glorious place!

[Narrator] Seek freedom, and it will lie stretched out before your eyes.

[Narrator] If the endless dream guides your restless spirit,

[Narrator] seize it!

[Narrator] Raise your flag, and stand tall!

[Chorus] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...!

Lyrics
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, somewhere, I'll finally see the light I have searched for everywhere.

[Chorus] ~where, where...~

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 travel 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, somewhere, I'll finally see the light I have searched for everywhere.

Trivia

 * As Robin was an enemy during the time the opening premiered, yet was pictured in the opening with the rest of the Straw Hats, it served as a spoiler that she would eventually join the crew.
 * This is the first opening that features Chopper and Nico Robin.
 * When the song was shown on Cartoon Network's Toonami, due to their (at the time) standards and practices, all instances of Sanji's cigarette were removed and in the group shot of the crew looking at the sunset his arm was redrawn so that it was not near his face. The post-watershed Toonami reboot now airs the uncensored version of the Funimation dub and does not omit his cigarette in the episodes.
 * In the special edition print, the "Special Edition" text in Japanese katakana was added to the One Piece logo (which was later removed in the international prints).

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