Hikari e, or as it known in the English version as Towards the Light, was the song sung for the 3rd 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.
The One Piece title which turns 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 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.)
I've just now begun to search, over the splashing waves
果てしなく続く世界へ
hateshinaku tsuzuku sekai e
For the everlasting world
あふれだす情熱を胸に どこまでも行くよ
afuredasu jônetsu wo mune ni doko made mo yuku yo
With this overflowing passion in my chest, I will go anywhere
まだ見ぬヒカリ 求め
mada minu hikari moto me
Seeking the light yet unseen
夏色太陽が ココロの帆をゆらせば
natsuiro taiyô ga kokoro no ho wo yuraseba
When the summer sun shakes my heart's sail
(fly away glum blue sea...)
(fly away glum blue sea...)
(fly away glum blue sea...)
あたらしい世界への 扉を開く合図
atarashî sekai e no tobira o hiraku aizu
That's the signal to open the door to a new world
(fly away glum blue sky...)
(fly away glum blue sky...)
(fly away glum blue sky...)
波間にゆれてる 絶望を抜けて
nami ma ni yureteru zetsubô o nukete
Swaying on the waves, supassing my despair
水平線の向こう側 目指して
suiheisen no mukôgawa (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah) mezashite
Aiming for the other side of the horizon
僕は今 さがしはじめた 水しぶきあげて
boku wa ima sagashi hajimeta mizushibuki agete
I've just now begun to search, over the splashing waves
果てしなく続く世界へ
hateshinaku tsuzuku sekai e
For the everlasting world
あふれだす情熱を胸に どこまでも行くよ
afuredasu jônetsu wo mune ni doko made mo yuku yo
With this overflowing passion in my chest, I will go anywhere
まだ見ぬヒカリ 求め
mada minu hikari moto me
Seeking the light yet unseen
きまりきった毎日と ありふれた雲の流れ
kimarikitta mainichi to arifureta kumo no nagare
A current of repetitious days and mundane clouds
(flying over sea of love)
(flying over sea of love)
(flying over sea of love)
君にも映ってる 知るはずもない未来
kimi ni mo utsutteru shiru hazu mo nai mirai
I see reflected in you a future you can't possibly know
(fly away endless blue...)
(fly away endless blue...)
(fly away endless blue...)
変わらないことで 傷つかなくても
kawaranai koto de kizutsukanakute mo
Even if I avoid pain by not changing
それじゃ夢も希望さえもない さぁ行こう
sore ja yume mo kibô sae mo nai sâ yukô
That leaves me without dreams or even hope—so let's go!
僕はなぜ さがしてるんだろう 何がほしいんだろう
boku wa naze sagashiteru'n darô nani ga hoshî'n darô
Why am I searching? What is it I want?
答えはきっとその先に
kotae wa kitto sono saki ni
The answer is surely somewhere ahead
動き出す世界の中へ ココロして行くよ
ugokidasu sekai no naka e kokoro shite yuku yo
My heart will go on to the moving world
まだ見ぬチカラ秘めて
made minu chikara himete
Hiding my yet unseen strength
僕はなぜ さがしてるんだろう 何がほしいんだろう
boku wa naze sagashiteru'n darô nani ga hoshî'n darô
Why am I searching? What is it I want?
まだ見ぬタカラはどこに
made minu takara wa doko ni
Where is the yet unseen treasure?
あふれだす情熱を胸に どこまで行ける？
afuredasu jônetsu wo mune ni doko made yukeru?
With this overflowing passion in my chest, how far can I go?
わからないけれど
wakaranai keredo
I don't know, but
僕は今 さがしはじめた 水しぶきあげて
boku wa ima sagashi hajimeta mizushibuki agete
I've just now begun to search, over the splashing waves,
果てしなく続く世界へ
hateshinaku tsuzuku sekai e
For the everlasting world
あふれだす情熱を胸に どこまでも行くよ
afuredasu jônetsu wo mune ni doko made mo yuku yo
With this overflowing passion in my chest, I will go anywhere,
まだ見ぬ光 求め
mada minu hikari moto me
Seeking the light yet unseen
その 向こうへ
sono mukô e
To the other side
FUNimation Dub
English Title: Towards The Light
English Credits:
English Translation - Mike McFarland
English Singer - Vic Mignogna
Intro:
~Aah,aah,aaaah~
The world
What a glorious place!
Seek freedom and it will lie stretched out before your eyes.
If the endless dream guides your restless spirit
Seize it!
Raise your flag and stand tall!
~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 (~Aaah,Aaaah~)
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, somewhere, I'll finally
see the light I have searched for everywhere
Trivia
As Robin was an enemy during the time this opening premiered, yet she was later pictured in the opening with the rest of the Straw Hats, it served as a spoiler that she would eventually join the crew.
