The Worst Man in the Eastern Seas! Fish-Man Pirate Arlong!

Out at sea, Yosaku names Nami's destination as Arlong Park and warns that its master ranks among the East Blue's most feared pirates. Arlong, a fish-man hailing from the Grand Line, is said to outmatch even Krieg in raw might, and he once ran alongside Jinbe of the Seven Warlords. Nami arrives at the base as Arlong bribes a crooked Marine, then beats down a boy who tries to strike at him. Eager to charge in, Zoro is bound with rope by Usopp and Johnny, who circle the island only to be spotted by fish-men. The pair flees the ship, leaving the tied Zoro to be seized by the Arlong Pirates.

Hauled before Arlong, Zoro endures a lecture on how fish-men tower over humans in strength and can breathe underwater. Nami then confronts him directly and confirms that she works under Arlong as an officer and mapmaker. Elsewhere, Johnny and Usopp come ashore at Gosa Village to find every home overturned and the settlement wrecked. A fish-man explains that Arlong's sea-cow Momoo leveled the place to punish defiance, then tries to capture Usopp, only for the villager Nojiko to lure him off and shelter the two at her home.

This is the opening chapter of the Arlong Park Arc and Nojiko's first anime appearance. It marks the debut of the ending theme RUN! RUN! RUN!, whose special print keeps the original 4:3 framing. Yosaku also gives the first mention of Jinbe's name.