An early sketch of the Straw Hat Pirates with Jinbe.
In One Piece Green: Secret Pieces, some early concepts of Jinbe were revealed. Apparently, he was originally designed to look more like an umibozu of Japanese folklore, with a gallant, but also have a hotheaded personality befitting a mafia boss.[16]
Moreover, according to the Vivre Card databook, Jinbe was originally supposed to be an actual antagonist, who was, in fact, controlling Arlong from the shadows.[17]
As an early member of the Straw Hats, Jinbe was going to be a Helmsman named "Saigo" and described as a good friend of Roronoa Zoro.[18]
In Episode 470, Jinbe had a short duel with Mihawk during the Summit War of Marineford which was not seen happening in the manga. During the battle, Jinbe comes to Luffy's aid and challenges the swordsman. He uses his Fish-Man Karate to slow the oncoming cannon balls shot at him that Mihawk then cuts. The two then engage in a short clash, sending Jinbe flying back as Mihawk continues to pursue Luffy. Jinbe turned around for a brief moment when Whitebeard died. Jinbe's flashback of Ace and Luffy was longer. The scene where Akainu attacked Jinbe and Luffy was extended along with exchange in dialogue. Aokiji's and Kizaru's attacks on the Heart Pirates, Luffy, and Jinbe were shown in greater depth.
The anime added a scene of Jinbe in a bar stopping some human pirates from causing a scene. The scene in which Arlong was telling Jinbe that he's beating already unconscious marines is omitted in the anime. During Rear Admiral Strawberry's explanation of the Sun Pirates, which shows the silhouettes of Tiger, Jinbe, and Arlong, Jinbe's silhouette is incorrectly shown with its current appearance of 46 years, instead of its appearance 31 years, as a member of the Sun Pirates. The anime also added a scene in which a marine provoked Jinbe.
The anime shows Jinbe directly attacking Rear Admiral Strawberry. In the anime, Tiger's last flashback shows that he had to fight other fish-men to gain leadership of the Fish-Man District, including Jinbe and Arlong. The fight between Arlong and Jinbe is extended. In the manga, the talk between Arlong and Jinbe, about his becoming a Shichibukai happens at Impel Down, the fight between the two happens at an unknown island of the Grand Line, and the conversation between Jinbe and Aladine on Arlong not understanding the will of Tiger happens on the ship. But in the anime, all the scenes occur at the same unknown island.
His name comes from jinbei-zame (甚平鮫), which means "whale shark" in Japanese. It could also mean the type of clothing worn by Japanese during the summer, Jinbei.
Jinbe's name is sometimes spelled as Jimbei because when pronouncing it, the n of the name often sounds like a m to some. However, the fourth databook and later Chapter 829 confirmed that the correct spelling is indeed Jinbe. The English versions spell his name as Jimbei. However, the official Japanese website for One Piece: Burning Blood has the name "Jimbei" on his bounty.[19]
His epithet, Kaikyō, would normally translate into "Strait" or "Channel". However since the kanji for it is written as (海侠) and not (海峡), the kyō part (侠) of it comes from (任侠), an honorific used when addressing a high ranking yakuza member, thus making his epithet a Japanese pun. Because this honorific is used for addressing high ranking yakuza members, it does not have a literal English translation. The closest translations used of the epithet that can be interpreted into English are made up based on the pun's meaning. These include "Yakuza of the Sea" and "Knight of the Sea" among others. These however are not literal translations, but titles made to convey the idea behind the original Japanese term used. In the Viz Manga and FUNimation adaptations, his epithet is translated as "First Son of the Sea".
Trivia
Jinbe's Jolly Roger
As the rest of the Straw Hats, and some other characters, Jinbe has his own jolly roger. It is a rough drawing of his face with the Sun Pirates jolly roger in the background.
As shown in SBS Volume 100, this jolly roger is in fact a reimagining of a user sent image.
After his initial silhouette in Chapter 523, at the JUMP Festa 2009 Oda decided to a show a preview of Jinbe and drew a rough sketch of what he looked like.
Among the Seven Warlords, Jinbe has a whale shark animal theme. He was also the only fish-man Warlord.
In the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th fan polls of most popular characters, Jinbe was ranked 110th, 35th, 6th, and 18th, respectively, making him the most popular fish-man in the series.
Jinbe is the first known fish-man able to use Busoshoku Haki.
While his name was first mentioned by Yosaku in the Arlong Park Arc when he was explaining about the Seven Warlords of the Sea,[5] he was not formally introduced until the Impel Down Arc[1], 459 chapters later.
Jinbe is the only known Warlord who is absolutely confirmed to have not eaten a Devil Fruit, given his ability to swim.
Jinbe is the first member of the Straw Hat Pirates who was affiliated with the World Government.
Jinbe is the only member of the Straw Hat Pirates arrived the Summit War of Marineford with Luffy, although he was not a member at that time.
At age 46 and 301 cm, Jinbe is the tallest and second oldest member of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Jinbe is the third member of the Straw Hat Pirates who was once the captain of his own pirate crew, with the first two being Usopp of the Usopp Pirates and Brook of the Rumbar Pirates.
Similar to Brook, Jinbe became the captain after the previous captain had no longer been available (Yorki for Brook and Fisher Tiger for Jinbe).
Jinbe is currently the only member of the Straw Hat Pirates to share the same blood type (F) as his captain.
Although Luffy stated that Jinbe was his subordinate in Chapter 901, and Jinbe was stated to be a member of the Straw Hat Pirates in Vivre Card databook,[17] he was notably excluded from other media depicting the current Straw Hats as a group while physically absent from the manga between Chapters 901-976.
Jinbe is the only current member of the Straw Hat Pirates who was not featured in One Piece: Stampede.
Jinbe is the only current member of the Straw Hat Pirates who was not featured in OVER THE TOP.
While Jinbe does appear in DREAMIN' ON, he does not appear in any of the group shots of the crew until Episode 981.
Jinbe is the only current member of the Straw Hat Pirates who is not known to have ever lived in one of the Four Blues (Chopper lived and trained on Torino Kingdom of South Blue during the timeskip).
Out of all the Straw Hat Pirates, Jinbe currently has the longest gap between his first appearance (Chapter 528 and Episode 430) and officially joining the crew (Chapter 901 and Episode 876), a full 373 chapters and 446 episodes.
A fan asked Katsuhisa Hōki which character was more difficult for him to voice in the anime adaptation of the manga, Jinbe or Gecko Moria, and the actor answered that he found Jinbe more difficult to voice because he found that Jinbe has led a life of twists and turns.[21]
Jinbe's favorite foods are mozuku seaweed in vinegar and fruits.[17][22] Also, his favorite food from Wano Country is ochazuke.[23] His least favorite food is parfait[17] because it is hard for him to eat.[22]
If One Piece was set in the real world, then Jinbe would be from India.[22]
In Japan, Orectolobiformes, the order that whale sharks are classified within, is called Tenjiku-Zame (テンジクザメ?) where Tenjiku (天竺?) means Tianzhu, the historical Chinese name for India.
Jinbe's thoughts are "Virtue, Virtue, Fist, Water, Wiseness", and like the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates, "Friendship".[22]
When a fan asked which flower Jinbe resembles the most, Oda answered he most resembles a peony.[22]
Jinbe typically sleeps at 3:00 A.M. and wakes up at 9:00 A.M.[17][22]
Oda revealed some details about Jinbe twice, first in Vivre Card and then in SBS.
If the Straw Hat Pirates were not pirates, then Jinbe would be a train station attendant.[22]
If Jinbe were to be given a Devil Fruit, he would have any model of the Tori Tori no Mi, in order to compensate the loss of his swimming abilities with flight.[21]
↑One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 63Chapter 624 (p. 4) and Episode 544, Jinbe succeeds Tiger as the captain the Sun crew, and joins the Seven Warlords.
↑ 11.011.1SBSOne Piece Manga — Vol. 58 (p. 100), Jinbe's age and height are revealed.
↑One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 66Chapter 648 (p. 16) and Episode 568, Jinbe reveals his blood type and shares his blood with Luffy in order to save him.
↑ 21.021.1SBSOne Piece Manga — Vol. 102 (p. 186-187), Jinbe's voice actor reveals what Devil Fruit his character would have and which character is more difficult for him to voice in the anime adaptation of the manga.
