Fishman Island: A special feature on One Piece exploring the underwater paradise and the legend of mermaids

In the epic adventure of One Piece, Luffy and his friends visit Fishman Island, a place beloved by fans as an underwater paradise. This mysterious island is home to a unique culture of fishmen and mermaids, and at the same time, it depicts serious themes in relation to human society. The Fishman Island arc, which combines beautiful underwater scenery, mermaid legends, and long-standing social issues such as discrimination and slavery, has brought a new perspective to the world of One Piece. In this article, we will delve into Fishman Island's geography, culture, history, and role in the story, and thoroughly explain its charm and importance.

1. Fishman Island's Geography and Undersea Environment

Fishman Island is a mysterious island located 10,000 meters below the sea, located underground in the vast "Red Line". Fishman Island is surrounded by a "coral reef dome", and a unique ecosystem is formed by the warm ocean currents caused by undersea volcanoes flowing into it. The dome is filled with air, allowing fishmen and mermaids to live there just like they do on land.

Ryugujo: A huge palace located in the center of Fish-Man Island, where the royal family lives. Modeled after the legendary Japanese "Ryugujo", it features lavish decorations and vast gardens. It is also the political and cultural center of Fish-Man Island.

Coral Hill: A beautiful area of ​​Fish-Man Island covered with coral reefs. The colorful corals and tropical fish swimming around are like an underwater paradise. Coral Hill is also known as a tourist destination, and you can get a glimpse of the peaceful life of the residents.

Gyeongcordo Square: A square where the residents of Fish-Man Island gather, where events and festivals are held. Here, fishmen and mermaids gather together and can be seen interacting with each other on a daily basis. Gyeongcordo Square is a place that symbolizes the social connections of Fish-Man Island.

The beautiful scenery of Fish-Man Island gives Luffy and his friends a moment to breathe in their adventure, but behind it lies a serious problem. The geography and environment of Fish-Man Island are closely related to that problem and have a great influence on the development of the story.

2. Inhabitants of Fishman Island: The Life of Fishmen and Mermaids

In Fishman Island, "fishmen" and "mermaids" live together. Fishmen are a race that combines the characteristics of both fish and humans, and are characterized by their great strength. On the other hand, mermaids have the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish, and are characterized by their beautiful appearance. In Fishman Island, these races coexist and have built their own culture.

Fishmen: Fishmen have strong bodies adapted to life in the sea and excellent mobility in the water. They are also talented warriors, and some have their own martial arts such as Fishman Karate. Fishmen have a history of being discriminated against and persecuted in human society, and the effects of this continue to this day.

Mermaids: Mermaids are known for their beautiful appearance and graceful swimming, and are especially admired by human men. They live freely in the sea and like to play musical instruments and sing. Mermaids tend to have more peaceful personalities than fishmen and prefer to interact with others.

The inhabitants of Fishman Island live in harmony with nature and value the ecosystem in the sea. Their lives are based on values ​​and social structures that are different from those of humans on land, and a unique culture has been formed that is unique to Fishman Island.

3. Jinbe and the Royal Family: Leaders of Fishman Island

Fishman Island has a succession of royal families that govern the island. Jinbe also plays an important role as the leader of the fishmen and mermaids. Their existence is the key to maintaining peace and order on Fishman Island.

King Neptune: The current king of Fishman Island and rules over the Ryugu Kingdom. King Neptune is a gentle and compassionate leader who is revered by both fishmen and mermaids. He is also a father who cares about his family and wishes peace for Fishman Island.

Queen Otohime: Wife of King Neptune and the late queen of Fishman Island. She strongly wished for coexistence between fishmen and humans and continued to work peacefully. The death of Queen Otohime brought deep sadness to Fish-Man Island, but her will has a great impact on the future of the island.

Jinbe: Former Shichibukai and a prominent figure on Fish-Man Island. He is a master of Fish-Man Karate and a very powerful warrior. Jinbe is respected as a leader of the fishmen and mermaids, and his actions and beliefs are important in determining the direction of Fish-Man Island. He has a strong trust in Luffy, and his growth and change are depicted throughout the Fish-Man Island arc.

The presence of Jinbe and King Neptune is a symbol of leadership on Fish-Man Island, and their actions affect the entire island. Their decisions will determine the future of Fish-Man Island, and their relationship with Luffy and his friends has great significance in the development of the story.

4. History of Fish-Man Island and the Shadow of Discrimination

Discrimination and persecution from humans has existed on Fish-Man Island for a long time. This historical background is an important theme of the Fish-Man Island arc. Fishmen were once treated as slaves by humans and were alienated from society on the surface. This pain has deeply affected their society and values.

Fisher Tiger: A former fishman hero and leader of the slave liberation movement. Fisher Tiger was enslaved by the Celestial Dragons, which motivated him to rebel. He formed the "Sun Pirates" and fought to free the slaves, but ultimately ended up deepening the gap between humans and fishmen.

Queen Otohime's Activities: Queen Otohime worked to reconcile fishmen and humans, calling for peaceful coexistence. She campaigned for the residents of Fishman Island to sign petitions and tried to build friendship between humans and fishmen. However, Queen Otohime was assassinated, and her death brought great sadness and confusion to Fishman Island.

The history of Fishman Island is a constant series of discrimination and conflict, and this theme is at the heart of the Fishman Island arc. Through Luffy and his friends' adventures, the residents of Fishman Island are shown to find new hope and try to overcome the pain of the past.

5. The New Fishman Pirates and Hody Jones' Ambition

The main enemy in the Fishman Island arc is Hody Jones, the leader of the New Fishman Pirates. Hody has an extreme hatred for humans and a desire for revenge, and he plans to take control of Fishman Island.

Hody Jones: The leader of the New Fishman Pirates, he aims to destroy Fishman Island and take revenge on humans. Hody uses the energy steroid "E.S." to increase his power and terrorize the island. His radical thoughts and actions bring a new crisis to Fishman Island.

New Fishman Pirates: A group of radical fishmen centered around Hody. They are planning a war with humans due to their anger at past discrimination and persecution. The existence of the New Fishman Pirates symbolizes the tension and conflict on Fishman Island, and their battle with Luffy and his friends marks the climax of the story.

The ambitions of Hody Jones and the New Fishman Pirates are a major threat to the residents of Fishman Island, and develop into a battle that involves the entire island. The story takes a thrilling turn as Luffy and the Straw Hats face off against Hordy and his crew to protect Fish-Man Island.

6. Luffy and Jinbei's Promise: The Future of Fish-Man Island

The friendship between Luffy and Jinbei is an important element in the climax of the Fish-Man Island arc. Luffy tries to protect Fish-Man Island to keep his promise to Jinbei. Their friendship symbolizes the future of Fish-Man Island and brings deep emotion to the story.

The Trust Between Luffy and Jinbei: Luffy and Jinbei fight together to protect Fish-Man Island and build a strong relationship of trust. Luffy's determination and actions give hope to Jinbei and the residents of Fish-Man Island, and are the catalyst for the entire island to come together as one.

"Put Fish-Man Island on the Same Level as Humans": Luffy declares that he aims to create a society where Fish-Man Island is treated equally with humans, and that he will fight for it. Luffy's words give new hope to the residents of Fish-Man Island and are the driving force behind opening up a path to the future.

The promise between Luffy and Jinbe is the core of the Fishman Island arc, symbolizing the theme of overcoming discrimination and fighting to aim for a new future. This promise became an important turning point in Luffy's adventure and the key to opening up the future of Fishman Island.

Summary

Fishman Island is an important setting in the world of One Piece, and not only is it attractive as a beautiful underwater paradise, but it also depicts serious social issues between humans and fishmen. Elements such as the history of discrimination and persecution, efforts to achieve coexistence between fishmen and humans, and Hody Jones' ambitions are intertwined, making the Fishman Island arc an episode with deep drama and a message.

Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates' visit to Fishman Island gave new hope to the island's residents, allowing them to take a step toward overcoming the pain of the past. The story of Fishman Island strongly appeals to the importance of freedom, equality, and coexistence, and is a moving episode that reaffirms one of the themes of One Piece: the bond with friends.

References

Oda Eiichiro "ONE PIECE" Shueisha

Anime "ONE PIECE" Fishman Island Arc Episodes