Every legend has a beginning and a dream. In the great world of One Piece that dream belongs to a boy named Monkey D. Luffy, who has only one desire to become the King of the Pirates and the Romance Dawn Arc is the place where it all begins. A tale of courage, freedom and a boy’s unshakeable smile in the face of danger.
Boy with a Dream
In a small village called Foosha, little Luffy spends his admiring a strong and cheerful group of pirates crew named Red-Haired Pirates led by a kind yet strong captain named Red-Haired Shanks. Shanks isn’t the kind of pirate who destroys or steals from fun. He is a kind person who laughs, drinks, and treats life like an endless adventure and for Luffy, he’s the very image of what a pirate should be.
Luffy want nothing more than to join shanks crew but shanks always laughs and says “maybe when you will get older.” to prove himself Luffy does something reckless. He eat the eats a mysterious Devil Fruit that Shanks and his crew found, thinking that it might impress them,
That very moment changed his life forever. The fruit named Gomu Gomu no Mi turned Luffy’s body into rubber granting him the power stretch, bounce and absorb blows on his body but at a very terrible cost. He can no longer swim, a very cruel twist for a person who dreams to rule the seas.
The Test of Courage
Luffy’s resolve is test when a group of mountain bandits led by the ruthless Higuma mocks Shanks and attacks the villagers. Shanks laugh off the insults refusing to start a fight. But when Luffy is kidnapped by Higuma and thrown into the ocean Luffy begins to drown because of his Devil fruit’s curse at that moment Shanks intervenes.
He rescues Luffy, but with a sacrifice. A Sea King appears, a monstrous sea creature atacks them biting off Shank’s left arm. Yet Shanks didn’t flinch his simple but furious glares at the beast and it retreats. That moment sears itself into Luffy’s heart. Shanks may have lost his arm but in luffy eyes ha became the bravest man. Before leaving the island, Shanks gives Luffy his straw hat, his most prized possession, and says, “Give it back to me someday… when you’ve become a great pirate.”
The hat becomes a symbol of his bond with Shanks and his vow to set sail for the Grand Line.
Setting Sail
Years go by and now seventeen year old Luffy builds a small boat and is ready to set sail from Foosha village. Luffy’s plan is it form a crew to find the One Piece and become the King of the Pirates. On his way Luffy meets Coby a timid boy trapped as a servant under the cruel pirate Alvida.
This is the first test of Luffy’s principles. Luffy encourages Coby to fight for his dreams to become a Marine even if they stand on the opposite side of the law. Their friendship show that Luffy doesn’t divide people of the basses of pirates or Marine he only judges them on the basis on the strength of their hearts.
After defeating Alvida and her crew Luffy and Coby prats ways, both of them inspired by each other’s courage. For Luffy, Coby become the proof that no matter how small a dream can change the world. For Coby ,Luffy become the person who treats him as an equal.
A Legend Begins
Luffy set his sight on finding a crew the people who will share Luffy’s dream and sail under his flag. His first goal to find a swordsman named Roronoa Zoro who is imprisoned by the Marines.
This is the dawn of romance — the dawn of adventure — the dawn of a pirate king
