Romance Dawn Arc

The Romance Dawn Arc, also referred to as the Captain Morgan Arc, is the first story arc in the East Blue Saga of the popular Japanese manga and anime series One Piece. This arc is made up of three stories in one. The first is the story of how Monkey D. Luffy gained his Devil Fruit abilities and tells of his driving force to become a pirate. The second story is his meeting with a boy named Coby and helping him escape from a female pirate named Alvida. In the final story Luffy tries to get the Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro, to join his crew while contending with the Marine Captain Axe-Hand Morgan. The series starts off with a flashback. Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, is about to be executed, but before he dies he tells the crowds to go out and search for his treasure, which sparks the Golden Age of Pirates. Countless pirates raise their flags and set off to find Roger's treasure, One Piece. 12 years later in Foosha Village, Luffy (age 7 at the time) is seen on a ship, trying to prove his worth to the Red Hair Pirates by cutting himself in the cheek (which is the cause of his scar). Afterwards, we get a more formal introduction to Luffy and his idol, Red-Haired Shanks, while Shanks's crew enjoys themselves in a bar owned by Luffy's friend, Makino. Shanks' crew has used the village as a base of operations for a year; during that time Luffy has taken an appreciation to the pirate life and tries to talk Shanks into taking him with them on their next departure. However, Shanks continually refuses, as it is too dangerous, and instead teases Luffy on his inability to swim. The mood shifts when mountain bandits enter the bar with their leader, Higuma. Seeing pirates for the first time, Higuma categorized the pirates as dumb, and demands some rum. Makino tells him that the pirates have already finished off all the rum, though Shanks offers the last remaining bottle as an apology. Higuma smashes it over Shanks' head and introduce himself with a bounty of 8 million. Shanks ignores Higuma and starts to clean up the mess, which only serves to anger Higuma and causes him to break more bottles. With one final insult, Higuma and the bandits leave. After they are gone, Shanks and his crew laugh at what had just occurred, though Luffy thinks otherwise. Luffy chides Shanks because he did not fight back and then starts to leave. When Shanks grabs Luffy's arm to stop him, it suddenly stretches. One of the crew members now realizes that a fruit that was kept in a chest on the bar is gone; it does not take them long to figure out that Luffy had eaten it. Shanks then reveals the cause for panic: Luffy had eaten a Devil Fruit that will cause him to never be able to swim again. The Gomu Gomu no Mi: a Devil Fruit that gives the eater the ability to stretch their body. The next day, Luffy starts to see an upside in eating the fruit. He begins to show off his rubber abilities to some of the villagers, much to the chagrin of the mayor of the village, who does not like the idea of Luffy becoming a pirate. Later, Luffy visits Makino and once again expresses his disappointment at Shanks for not fighting back the day before. Suddenly, Higuma and his bandits enter the bar. The story shifts ahead a bit when Makino runs to the mayor for help, because Luffy had upset the bandits and they are beating him up. After a couple of poundings, Higuma goes to finish Luffy off. The mayor tries to apologize for Luffy's actions and offers money for his safety, but Higuma refuses and continues to attack Luffy anyway.

Shanks suddenly returns and demands Higuma let Luffy go. Higuma laughs at Shanks and sends his men to kill him, as well. However, Shanks' first mate easily takes care of Higuma's thugs. When Shanks again demands that he let Luffy go, Higuma throws a smoke bomb, grabs Luffy, and escapes. Shanks starts panicking, but his first mate notices something. Higuma sails a boat away from the town, claiming a perfect getaway because no one suspects a bandit would flee to the ocean. Far from land, Higuma throws Luffy into the water and, true to the myth of the Devil Fruit, Luffy is unable to swim. A flashback shows us that when Higuma re-entered the bar, he immediately started bad-mouthing Shanks, to which Luffy took offense and screamed for them to take back their words. Back in the present, Higuma laughs at Luffy's struggle but fails to notice the giant sea monster creeping up on him - until it is too late and he is eaten in one bite. The monster then sets his sights on Luffy, but Shanks pulls him away just in time and, with a very menacing expression on his face, tells the sea monster to leave. The monster leaves and Shanks tries to calm down a sobbing Luffy, who points out that Shanks' left arm has been chomped off. Shanks tells him it is just a small price to pay for saving him. Some time later, Shanks' crew prepares to leave the village for the last time, and Luffy comes to say his goodbyes. When asked if he is disappointed, Luffy replies he is, but will not ask to join and that he will be a pirate on his own. Shanks teases him again and Luffy screams that he will be a better pirate than him, and that he will be the Pirate King. Upon hearing this, Shanks gives Luffy his favorite straw hat and makes him promise that he will return it someday when they meet again. Afterwards, Shanks and his crew leave the village. Ten years pass and Luffy, now 17 years old, is old enough to leave on his own. As Luffy sails away from his village, he runs into the sea monster again. This time, Luffy is ready and punches the monster with a Gomu Gomu no Pistol, instantly knocking it out. Luffy once again claims that he will become the Pirate King!