Arlong Park is one of the very first important arcs of One Piece and it perfectly encapsulates what makes the series as iconic as it is.

Chapter 69 of the official One Piece manga marked the beginning of one of the most iconic arcs of the franchise, which was filled to the brim with amazing action and emotional moments. Many things make this arc memorable and fans still place it as one of the best arcs in the series, even after over 1000 chapters and episodes since its release to the public.

Many aspects that were introduced in this arc have gone on to be some of the reasons why One Piece is still considered by many to be the best piece of fiction ever written. From incredible callbacks to amazing fights and impactful character moments, Arlong Park has it all, so let’s take a look at why this arc is so memorable and is the best introduction arc for the series.

One Of The Best Villains Of The Series

With a series as expansive and wide-spanning as One Piece, it’s truly a testament to how amazing Eiichiro Oda’s writing is, as a villain introduced during the first 100 chapters of the series still ranks up as one of the most legendary and iconic of them all. Arlong was introduced as the captain of the Arlong Pirates, who had taken over the Conomi Islands and became their ruler, subjugating all the residents under his terrifying rule.

By becoming such a terrifying and authoritarian ruler, he struck fear into the hearts of the villagers, who were all responsible for paying a certain amount to Arlong’s crew every month. Those who were unable to or revolted against the rule were met with a terrible fate, as was seen by what Arlong did to Gosa Village.

Arlong was a brash and cruel pirate who cared for Fish-Man supremacy and money over all else. He was seen to be very considerate and caring towards his crew, as he genuinely lamented their defeat at the hands of Zoro. However, at the same time, he thought of regular humans as worthless and less than dirt, valuing only Nezumi and Nami for their intellect and skills, though in the case of the latter, he still double-crossed her.

Arlong was also very strong for his placement in the story at the time. He was considerably more powerful than Zoro and Sanji, given their circumstances at the time, and could only really be defeated by Luffy, and even then, only after being outsmarted by the Straw-Hat. Arlong’s blatant disregard for human life and the overall strength of his crew are what made him the biggest threat of the East Blue, and a villain that will always be remembered for as long as the series continues!

This Was The First Arc To Show The Darker Side Of One Piece

Long-time fans of the series know it to be much darker than what the initial impression of the art style may portray. For beginners of the series, One Piece comes off as a goofy and lighthearted adventure, but Arlong Park is the very first instance in the entire series that shows how dark the franchise can truly get.

The best example of this is in the flashback which reveals Nami and Nojiko’s backstory. In this flashback, both girls are shown to have been adopted by a woman named Belle-Mére, a woman who loves them like her own daughters. However, Belle-Mére is very poor and cannot properly look after all of them, so when Arlong and his crew show up at Coco Village and demand everyone pay a tribute, she realizes she has enough money to either pay only for herself or for her 2 adopted daughters, of which she chooses the latter.

This was a harrowing scene to witness, as Belle-Mére is shot in the head by Arlong in front of her daughters. Arlong then proceeds to kidnap Nami to work for him. This showed the fans of the series that there is much more to the series than what was previously thought and that there is a lot more consequence and evil in this world, something which is proven yet again by Arlong’s betrayal of Nami.

Upon kidnapping her to work for his crew, Arlong promises Nami that if she gathers 100 million berries and pays it to him, he will no longer terrorize Coco village and let the residents live in peace. However, he betrays his promise to keep Nami in his employ for even longer, making the last 8 years of her life effectively worthless. These moments hit home the fact that One Piece is not a childish tale and, despite things being far darker down the line, Arlong Park can still be seen as the arc where this dark storytelling started.

Incredible Character Moments

Arlong Park is filled with incredible action from start to finish. However, the best part about the arc is the incredible character moments and the impactful scenes that remain some of the best in the history of the franchise. The first one of these that very quickly comes to mind is the scene that made many fans fall in love with the series; Luffy giving Nami his Straw Hat.

After being betrayed by Arlong and realizing that the last 8 years of her life have all been wasted, Nami breaks down and starts to cut up her arm where the tattoo that signifies her as being a part of Arlong’s crew is located. As she continues to brutalize her arm, Luffy appears to stop her, which incites a flurry of insults and commands at Luffy to leave her alone. Finally, however, she turns back to him with tears in her eyes and asks him to help her, prompting the pirate to place his Straw Hat on her head.

This is a momentous occasion that would dictate much of where the story of One Piece goes in the future. Since the Straw Hat was a gift from Shanks that marked Luffy’s dream to become the King of the Pirates, it was his ultimate treasure and the thing he valued above all else. By placing it upon Nami’s head, Luffy entrusted his dream to her, making her realize that her work had not been in vain.

Even after defeating Arlong, Luffy would announce to the entire island that Nami was one of them now, an official member of the Straw Hat Pirates. This marked Nami’s goal as the navigator and one of the series’ most important characters, while at the same time, marking the true start of the hero’s journey as a proper crew to the Grand Line!