#FishMan Island

[every-sanji]

[bridgekc]

now that luffy can get all giant, shirahoshi can have a friend her size

the besties ever

[makielki]

fishman island🐙

honestly? one of my favorite arcs, its so underrated what!!!! i loved the characters and the plot!!! princess shirahoshi they will never make me hate you😢❤🌷

[baicaozhe]

otohime, compassion

[maximumqueer]

Luffy not wanting to be viewed as a hero is actually so important to me. Because while the first reasoning we get for this is him not wanting to share his food

We also learn later on that Luffy also doesn't want to be viewed as a savior, nor does he ever want to present himself as such. He doesn't want to be placed on a pedestal or (ironically) be deified by the people he helps.

At the end of Fishman island, he was fully ready to leave without fanfare because he did not want to be treated by the people in that way, and only agrees to stay because he is promised food. The same thing happens at the end of Wano, where he refuses to take any credit for the downfall of Kaido and instead simply enjoys the festival with everyone else.

I cannot overstate how much I love this decision for Luffy as a character. It is incredibly common for stories like Fishman Island and Wano to have the main character swoop in and save the oppressed people, with said character being to sole person to rally them and "teach" them how to fight back. We don't get that with Luffy.

In Fishman Island, he tells the people that its up to them to decide whether or not he is their friend or foe instead of swooping in playing the role of the hero. In Wano, he understands to importance of who begins the fight with Kaido, and stands back to let the Red Scabbards (Wano natives) get the first major hit on Kaido

Even in the prison when Luffy gives his speech, he is asking the people to let him help, to have faith that they and their country can be free again, to fight for the freedom that had been cruelly stripped away from them. And even then, it is Momo and members of the Red Scabbards that fully restore the Udon prisoners faith.

Hell, we even see this all the way back in Arlong Park, where Luffy waits to take action until Nami asks him for help. He doesn't come in guns blazing and save her like some sort of white knight, but instead waits for Nami's go ahead, placing the power in her hand.

It's just such a refreshing way of seeing a protagonist in this type of story be portrayed. To have him understand the importance of the people he fight's side by side with, and not place himself as the fixer of all problems, but rather as an aid to these people (often times an aid that they explicitly asked for). It actively rejects the white savior/white knight trope(s) and allows for the people native to the island to have agency in these large battles instead of being sidelined. It is their lives and stories that are centered as being the most important in these moments, and Luffy is simply there to help them.

[pyr0frnzy]

Oh how i cherish the One Piece english dub…

also here’s an extra bonus doodle:

[microwavingfranky]

Big bro 😭 finally got through all of Marineford… these guys make me soft

[atomikats]

big fish in a small pond

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(click for quality)

[onepiecethingsilike]

they’ve been back together for all of ten minutes and are already bouncing their single combined brain cell off of each other like a broken pinball machine

[muunwo]

[beaulesbian]

ONE PIECE ep. 523 // ch. 603 || Luffy & Zoro really wanting to catch some fish while underwater on their way to Fishman Island

"As you can imagine, when there are too many holes at once, the bubble will break. For example, if we are bitten by a Sea King's fangs, it'll be trouble. So we have to be careful with creatures and obstacles in the sea. As long as we don't do anything foolish from inside, it’ll be fine."

[every-sanji]

[gaytor-golf]

Nami and Robin loosely based on this swimsuit ad

Slay💪I imagine them modeling for crimin as a favor to Papag and the marines seeing it like Huh???

[livelaughloveluffy]

they're so in love 🥰

[pastghost]

Side Character Appreciation - girls / guys

[ellery-six]

Shirahoshi (and Luffy!) for Mermay!