Free Will is a song, sung by Ruppina, for the 9th ending of the One Piece anime. It is also the first ending to be featured in the English Funimation dub that was sung by Kristina Sa. This ending is also interesting as it shows glimpses of Nico Robin's past before her official backstory was told.
Ending
Robin is the main focus of this ending. It starts with her in the crow's nest looking out over the stars as the rest of the Straw Hats are sleeping. It contains bits of her past as a little girl, gloomily looking over people passing by and huddling on her bed. It then goes to the present, as she notices shooting stars flying across the sky. She uses her Hana Hana powers to wake the crew (simply patting Nami awake while knocking the male crew members off their hammocks or couches). The Straw Hats groggily head on deck but were fully awaken upon seeing the shooting stars and enjoy the view.
Lyrics
Japanese Kanji | Japanese Rōmaji | English Translation |
あぁ 果てしなく 続いてる 空の向こうに |
Aa hateshinaku tsuzuiteru sora no mukou ni |
Ah, as I look beyond the endless sky I begin to draw a tomorrow that I'll have someday. |
例えば夢が儚いモノでも 少しの希望信じて |
Tatoeba yume ga hakanai mono demo Sukoshi no kibou shinjite |
Even if the dream happens to be impossible, Believe in the small hope. |
Ah 星達が降り注ぐ この空の下 2度とない今を ほら 胸に刻んで |
Aa hoshi-tachi ga furisosogu kono sora no shita Nido to nai ima o hora mune ni kizande |
Ah, the stars are streaming down beneath the sky! I etch out this moment that will only happen once. |
傷つくことを恐れずに進む そんな君は光り輝いていたね |
Kizutsuku koto o osorezu ni susumu Sonna kimi wa hikarikagayaite ita ne |
Moving on without fearing being hurt You were always shining like that. |
Ah 星達がささやいた そんな夜には |
Aa hoshi-tachi ga sasayaita sonna yoru ni wa |
On such days that the stars whisper, I feel this time as it turns into memories. |
Ah 星達が降り注ぐ この空の下 2度とない今を ほら 胸に刻んで |
Aa hoshi-tachi ga furisosogu kono sora no shita Nido to nai ima o hora mune ni kizande |
Ah, the stars are streaming down beneath the sky! I etch out this moment that will only happen once. |
僕たちは それぞれの花を抱いて それぞれの旅路へと |
Boku-tachi wa sorezore no hana o idaite Sorezore no tabiji e to |
Each one of us hold our own flower Begin to walk along our own road. |
Funimation Version
Lyrics
Now I look up and see
There's something out there
Beyond the endless, clear blue sky
Possibilities
Of just what could be
That someday I'll see if I try
When I am alone
All of the memories go racing through my mind
The things that I've said and done
The ones I've lost, the dreams that I've left behind
Sometimes I felt like I would defeat myself
Until I recalled
That there was a warm place I could always go
If I happen to fall
With friends and family
Who pick me up...
Trivia
- In this ending, (as a kid) Robin appeared with sandals but in the actual story, she has brown shoes.