Chapter 78

Bell-mère-san
Chapter Info
Volume:	9
Chapter:	78
Japanese Title:	ベルメールさん
Romanized Title:	Berumēru-san
Viz Title:	"Belle-Mère"
Pages:	19
Release Date:	March 1, 1999[ref]
WSJ Issue:	1999 Issue 14
Anime:	Episode 35 (p. 2-4) Episode 36 (p. 5-19)
Chapter Chronology
← Previous
Next →

Chapter 78 is titled "Bell-mère-san".

Cover Page

Animal Theater: Usopp and a platypus try to sell some paintings—prominent among them a portrait of Kaya—from a curbside stall. However, their exorbitant prices end up earning little more than tips (which are quickly blown away by the wind).

Short Summary

10 years ago, Arlong took a tribute from every adult and child in Cocoyasi Village as he declared it his property. Bell-mère could not pay for her and her two adoptive daughters. She sacrificed herself instead of admitting that the little girls were not related to her.

Long Summary

In order to stay alive, every villager had to pay 100,000 and 50,000 more per child to the Arlong Pirates. Everyone in Cocoyasi Village was able to pay and they were preparing to leave. However, one noticed Bell-mère's isolated house when he noticed smoke coming up from a chimney in the trees.

Genzo knew very well that she could not afford to pay such a high price. He asked her two adoptive daughters, Nami and Nojiko, to flee and hide. When the fish-men arrive at Bell-mère's house, she attacked them. However, she was no match against their brute force. When Genzo told her about the pirate's demands. She agreed and gave Arlong 100,000. The pirates believe she was paying for herself, as one adult. But, as they are about to leave, she told them that the money was for her two adoptive daughters. She could not abandon them and after expressing her love to the two, they attempted to run to her side. She accepted her fate as Arlong raised his gun to her head and told them it would be a warning to all villagers who could not pay. A loud bang erupted and the two children buried their crying faces in horror as their mother was executed.

Quick Reference

Chapter Notes

• Arlong declares that for every village to stay alive, they must pay 50,000 belly for each child, and 100,000 belly for adults.
• Bell-mère gives Arlong 100,000 for Nami and Nojiko to live.
• Arlong kills Bell-mère.

Characters

Pirates	Citizens
Straw Hat Pirates Usopp (cover) Arlong Pirates Arlong Hatchan Chew Kuroobi Kaneshiro Pisaro	Cocoyasi Village Nojiko Genzo Nami Bell-mère Nako Syrup Village Kaya (cover, portrait)

Author Comment

Author Comment
Translation Original Nosebleed FWOOOSH!! Thank you very much for all the chocolates!! They've got my brain power running at full speed!! 鼻血ブ――!!たくさんのチョコどうもありがとうございます!!これで脳ミソ全開だ!! —Eiichiro Oda
English translation by Greg Werner. For comprehensive translation credits, see here.

Site Navigation

← Previous Chapter

Next Chapter →