In the manga One Piece, Fishmen are a species that lives in the depths of the Grand Line . Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirates first encounter them during the Fishman Island arc . These half-human, half-fish creatures have unique abilities, such as breathing underwater and communicating with sea creatures. Unfortunately, their history is marked by discrimination and tensions with humans in the New World.
Among them, we find both allies of the Mugiwara, like Jinbe , and antagonists of the series, like Hody Jones . Discover all the Fish-Men characters in the One Piece series.
Fishmen in One Piece
Jinbe: The Paladin of the Seas
Jinbe is the blue-skinned whale shark fishman of the Straw Hat Pirates. He grew up in the Fishman District with Fisher Tiger, Arlong, and other orphans. A child prodigy of Fishman karate, he joined the Neptune Army and then Fisher Tiger's Sun Pirates , becoming captain after his death. To strengthen the bonds between fishmen and humans, Jinbe even became a Grand Corsair for a time.
He first meets Luffy at Impel Down where they try to help Ace escape from the Marine prison. During the Summit War, they fight alongside Whitebeard to try to save Ace but the latter succumbs to his injuries. Jinbe manages to escape with a devastated Luffy and will later help him overcome his grief on Amazon Lily . A strong friendship and unwavering loyalty are born.
Two years later, he finds Luffy's crew on Fish-Man Island. Together, they foil the coup d'état of the New Fish-Man Pirates led by Hody Jones and save the Ryugu Kingdom. Luffy then offers Jinbe to join the Mugiwara but he declines, being then linked to the Big Mom crew who protect the island. But the two friends promise to meet again!
The time to keep this promise comes during the Whole Cake arc. During Sanji's wedding, Jinbe announces to Big Mom that he is leaving his crew to join the Straw Hat Pirates . After bravely facing the wrath of the empress, he helps the Straw Hats escape Totto Land . He then joins them in Wano as their helmsman and tenth crew member. Together, they will do everything to thwart the World Government 's plans and make Luffy the next Pirate King!
Fisher Tiger
Fisher Tiger was a sea bream-type fishman, over 5 meters tall. Born a slave , he was marked with the seal of the Celestial Dragons on his chest. One day, he seized weapons and rebelled alone against the Tenryubitos and the Navy in Mariejoie, freeing many slaves in the process. To hide his slave mark, he tattooed the symbol of the sun which would become the emblem of his future crew.
Following his escape from Mariejoie, Fisher Tiger founded the Sun Pirates, a pirate crew composed entirely of fishmen. Famous members included Jinbe, Arlong, Hachi, and Aladdin. Their Jolly Roger represented a red sun , a symbol of freedom for Tiger.
The Sun Pirates were attacking Navy ships and stripping them of their possessions. Their captain was reputed to have a bounty of 230 million berries . Fisher Tiger also took in a young human slave named Koala whom he decided to take home, which changed him deeply.
After escorting Koala back, Fisher Tiger was ambushed by the Navy . Gravely injured, he refused a human blood transfusion, preferring to die rather than have such blood in his veins.
On his deathbed, he asked his crew not to hate humans despite everything and not to reveal to the fishmen what had happened. He acknowledged that there were good humans like Koala and that he would have liked to help Queen Otohime in her cause. But the pain of his past as a slave still prevented him from loving humans.
Arlong
Arlong is a fish-man of the saw shark type, measuring more than 2.5 meters and very muscular. He has blue skin, red eyes and a long saw-shaped nose , his main weapon. He considers fish-men as a superior race intended to dominate humans whom he treats like cattle. His hatred of humans comes from the slavery and discrimination suffered by his people.
As a child, he suffered discrimination from humans. He joined Fisher Tiger's Sun Pirates , becoming an important member. After the latter's death, he was imprisoned by the Navy, but Jinbe freed him by becoming a Grand Corsair. He then founded his own crew and left for the East Blue. He conquered the village of Cocoyashi and enslaved its inhabitants. It was there that he met Nami, whose cartographic talents he exploited.
Arlong meets Luffy when he comes to free Nami from his control. After a violent fight that destroys Arlong Park, Luffy prevails, freeing the village of Cocoyashi and allowing Nami to realize her dream. He will later be arrested by the Navy and imprisoned in Impel Down . It is unknown what became of him after the mass escape orchestrated by Luffy and Blackbeard...
Hody Jones
Hody Jones is a white shark-type fishman from Fishman Island. In his youth, he was a soldier in the army of Neptune , the king of the island. He had a great admiration for Arlong and his crew, the Sun Pirates. He dreamed of joining them but was too young at the time.
Frustrated at not being able to join his idol Arlong, Hody decides to create his own crew: the New Fish-Man Pirates . His main lieutenants are Dosun, Zeo, Daruma and Ikaros Much. He and his crew settle in the Fish-Man district. Their reputation grows, making them the worst generation of criminals the island has ever known.
After several fights, Hody confronts Luffy , determined to stop him. Despite his strength increased tenfold by a drug, he is defeated by Straw Hat. His crew is defeated and his men arrested by the Royal Guard. Hody is then imprisoned by the Navy with Vander Decken IX and his aborted coup marks the end of the New Fish-Man Pirates.
Dellinger
Dellinger is a 16-year-old fishman hybrid with long blond hair and an androgynous appearance. He joined Don Quixote's crew at age 3 and was raised by Jora , which explains his effeminate attitude. As a member of Diamante's crew, Dellinger is a formidable warrior specializing in close combat . His strength and speed are enhanced tenfold by his fishman genes.
He has Devil Fruit -like powers that allow him to grow a sharp dorsal fin and change his teeth. In this form, his personality becomes more aggressive and violent.
During the Dressrosa arc, Dellinger is tasked by Doflamingo to ensure that Bellamy has completed his mission to eliminate Luffy . When the latter fails, he savagely attacks him until Bartolomeo intervenes. Later called to the SMILE factory by Diamante, Dellinger confronts Franky alongside Señor Pink and Machvise. After Sugar's defeat at the hands of Usopp, he joins the rest of the Donquixote Family to defend Doflamingo .
Eventually, Dellinger would be defeated by Hakuba , Cavendish's second personality. Despite his young age, he proved to be a powerful and ruthless opponent, a worthy member of Doflamingo's crew.
Queen Otohime
Queen Otohime was a goldfish mermaid, wife of King Neptune and mother of Fukaboshi, Ryuboshi, Manboshi and Shirahoshi. She was the queen of the Ryugu Kingdom on Fishman Island and dedicated her life to improving relations between fishmen and humans. For years, she campaigned for her people to be allowed to participate in the World Council and live above ground.
Her greatest feat was successfully changing the heart of the Sky Dragon Mjosgard , transforming him into a better person. She also gained his support in allowing the fish-men to migrate to the surface.
Sadly, Otohime was murdered by Hody Jones 10 years ago. Her death was a shock, but her children took up her fight. Despite Hody's attempts to stir up hatred, Otohime's dream eventually came true years later with Luffy's help. Through her courageous fight and faith in humanity, she paved the way for the long-awaited reconciliation between the two peoples.
Since then, her children have taken up the torch. The migration of her people to the surface and the destruction of the bubble symbolize the accomplishment of her dream. Otohime embodies the noblest values of One Piece: tolerance, forgiveness, the courage to stand up for one's beliefs, and the will to create a better world by overcoming prejudice. Her example will continue to inspire future generations.
Truly unique characters
In the One Piece universe, the Fishmen occupy a special place. They have suffered discrimination on a global scale from humans for many centuries. They were forced to live underwater in order to escape the hateful humans . Some pirates constantly invaded the Ryugu Kingdom, killing and kidnapping Fishmen.
From the Fish-Man Island arc to the Battle of Marineford, their destinies intertwine with that of Luffy and his crew. Precious allies like Jinbe , formidable enemies like Arlong , the Fish-Men are truly unique characters in the manga created by Eiichiro Oda . Will they have an even more important place in the next episodes of the anime?
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