Orange Town Arc

This second canon arc carries the fledgling crew to a seaside town under the thumb of the carnival-themed captain Buggy. It introduces two figures of lasting importance: Nami, the thief who eventually becomes the Straw Hats' navigator, and Buggy himself, a former crewmate of Shanks whose grudge and hidden history with the Roger Pirates pay off across the entire series. It also marks the first Devil Fruit user Luffy actually battles.

Lost and hungry at sea, Luffy is carried off by a giant bird while Zoro, rowing after him, fishes three drowning pirates from the water who recount being robbed of their ship by a clever young woman. In Orange Town, that same thief, Nami, is fleeing Buggy's men over a stolen Grand Line map when Luffy crashes down among them and easily beats them. Nami first tries to ally with him, then, learning he is a pirate, hands him over to Buggy as a ruse to steal the captain's gold. Her conscience stops her from killing Luffy on Buggy's order, and Zoro arrives in time, slicing Buggy apart only to discover the clown's Bara Bara no Mi lets him split his body and resist blades.

Escaping into the emptied town, the trio meets the mayor Boodle and a loyal dog named Chouchou guarding his late master's pet shop. Buggy's first mate Mohji and his lion Richie attack, burning the shop down, and an enraged Luffy beats them both before giving the dog the last surviving box of food. When Boodle bravely confronts Buggy and is nearly killed, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami save him. Zoro defeats the swordsman Cabaji despite his wounds, and Luffy battles Buggy directly, learning of the clown's bitter history with Shanks. Nami steals some of Buggy's detached body parts to leave him helpless, and Luffy sends him flying. As the townsfolk return and chase the pirates out, Nami agrees to partner with Luffy, who has quietly left behind a bag of treasure to help the town rebuild.

Buggy's flashback proves quietly significant, since he and Shanks are later revealed to have served together aboard the Roger Pirates, with the man who broke up their childhood quarrel being the future first mate Silvers Rayleigh. That pedigree eventually helps Buggy rise as a leader among the Impel Down escapees before Marineford. Sent flying, Buggy launches into his own cover-story mini arc, while his survival sets up his recurring role as a Grand Line nuisance for the crew. Luffy's defeat of him also draws further notice from the Marines, building toward his first official bounty in a later arc.