Shark Submerge III

Shark Submerge III(シャークサブマージ3,Shāku Sabumāji)

The Shark Submerge III is a deep-sea exploring submarine shaped as a shark that can carry three people. It is a part of the Thousand Sunny's Soldier Dock System and can be deployed by the number 3 channel.

Ship Design and Appearance

The Shark Submerge III is a small three-man submarine shaped like a shark. It was built by Franky in order to aid the Straw Hats should they ever come across a situation that requires going underwater. It has a Den Den Mushi so that the members of the Straw Hat crew that are using it can keep in touch with the rest aboard the Thousand Sunny. The Shark Sumberge III has a diving limit of 5,000 meters. Going below any further than that would cause the sub to crack due to the surrounding water pressure.^[2]

Anime and Manga Differences

Originally in the manga, the Shark Submerge was first shown when the Straw Hats when Franky explained about the Soldier Dock System in Thriller Bark. While shown, however, it wasn't until the crew reached the second half of the Red Line that the submarine was seen being used to look for Fishman Island.^[3] In the anime, the Shark Submerge was first shown and used during the Ice Hunter Arc.

Mini Merry II

Mini Merry II(ミニメリー2号,Mini Merī Ni-Gō)

Mini Merry II is a smaller version of the Going Merry that is Soldier Dock System Number 2.^[1] It is almost identical in appearance to the original Merry, including the sheep figurehead; however, this time it has a steam engine and paddle wheels. It can only hold four people a time. The Mini Merry made the crew very happy with Franky, and they thanked him for making it. It is meant to be used for shopping.

Nami, Usopp and Chopper rode on it for the first time to Thriller Bark; however they got lost in the fog and Nami could not tell where they were going. The Mini Merry crashed into the island, throwing the three to the bottom of the moat.

It is now known that it is stuck in a giant web.

Shiro Mokuba I

Shiro Mokuba I(シロモクバ1号,Shiro Mokuba)

History

Nami's Waver being found by Luffy

Nami's waver was first seen in the Jaya arc, where the Straw Hats discovered it on the fallen ruins of the St. Bliss.^[1][2] It was old, but they decided to keep it.

When they reached Skypiea, Nami showed it to Pagaya, who repaired it, and made it good as new. Pagaya pointed out that this waver, unlike other wavers, used a Jet Dial instead of a Breath Dial, so it is able to go much faster.

It was later seen in the beginning of the Davy Back Fight arc when Nami tried it on the Blue Sea and found that it worked on it. Nami had it on the ship and after that it disappeared until it was recently shown to be in the Thousand Sunny.

When Franky explains the Thousand Sunny's Soldier Dock system at the beginning of the Thriller Bark arc, the waver is shown in its new form. It now has a figurehead resembling a Yagara Bull, and has been named the Shiro Mokuba I ("White Rocking Horse I".)^[3] However, Nami severly scolded Franky for remodeling her waver without her permission.

Usage

Nami's waver played it's biggest role in the Skypiea Saga. Nami not only used the waver to get around Sky Island, but the waver also proved instrumental in the fight of Luffy against Eneru. Both Nami and Luffy rode the waver on a collapsing Giant Jack and rocketed off toward Eneru's ship for Luffy to fight Eneru himself.

Although in the original manga, the waver has only been used shown so far in the Skypiea Saga, the Davy Back Fight arc, and the Thriller Bark arc, it has been used additional times in the anime. In the G8 arc, Nami had to hide her waver in tall grass, so it wouldn't be spotted by the Marines. She later used the waver to retrieve the gold they brought from Skypiea that the marines took.

The waver was seen again in the Ocean's Dream arc, where Nami, forgetting everything that had happened after she joined the crew, used it to escape the ship and steal their gold.

Thousand Sunny

Thousand Sunny(サウザンドサニー号,Sauzando Sanī-gō)

Ship Design and Appearance

The Thousand Sunny

The Thousand Sunny is a Brigantine Sloop, which relies on the skills of its navigator. The ship has a lawn on it's deck, complete with a swing and a slide, as well as an observation tower for a crow's nest. The masts are huge, and help make the ship extremely maneuverable. The figurehead, like the one on the Going Merry, is an animal's head specifically a lion's with its mane in the shape of a flower's petals. There is a giant "1" on the side of the ship.

In Volume 46 of the manga, a complete set of blueprints of the Thousand Sunny was given in same fashion of the Going Merry's.^[2]

The upper deck and third floor parts

The second floor rooms

The first floor rooms

Below deck and the Soldier Dock System

Figurehead, Helm, and Anchors

Thousand Sunny's figurehead, helm, and anchors

The figurehead of the Thousand Sunny is a large lion face with two crossbones beneath it resembling a typical Jolly Roger. The mouth of the figurehead can open in order to reveal the Gaon Cannon for frontal attacks, meanwhile the lion's "mane" can rotate similar to a propeller to move the ship backwards if need be. Due to its color scheme and shape, the figurehead can be mistaken for a flower.^[3]

The Thousand Sunny's helm is located at the front of the ship. Unlike the conventional steering wheels found on traditional sailing ships of olden times, the Sunny's steering wheel's position on the ship resembles those found on modern ships. On the steering wheel is a device that controls the Sunny's Dock System. By turning the knob to a certain direction, one can choose which compartments can be opened at the side of the ship. A lever situated next to the steering wheel can then used to open the compartments. A bench is also located near the steering wheel for comfortability.

The anchors of the Thousand Sunny are positioned at each side of the front of the ship. They both resemble large lion paws. The rope used for these are stored inside the metal ring positioned behind the figurehead.

Men's and Women's Quarters

The Men's and Women's Quarters

The men's quarters is located on the first floor of the fore of the ship, while the women's quarters is located above them on the second floor.

The men's quarters can be entered from either door on the first floor. In the middle of the room is a horigotatsu type kotatsu, a traditional Japanese fireplace setting, complete with a sunken table and low sofas. Within the room also are three two tiered bunks which the men sleep in. These are like wooden hammocks. Behind these bunks, at the back of the room, are six lockers where the men can store their clothes. Posted on the wall of the room is a collection of the mens' wanted posters. Only Sanji's poster isn't found here.

The women's quarters can be entered through the door on the second floor. The room is more bedroom like than the room the boys sleep in. It contains two beds, a closet, a dresser, and some comfy sofas among other things. A treasure chest belonging to Nami can also be found.

At the entrance to each room are two washrooms. The room by the men's quarters entrance is a typical household washroom setup. It contains a regular sink and some toothbrushes. The only other unique feature in this room is a bell to wake everyone up in case of emergencies or other important situations. The washroom by the women's quarters entrance however, has several other things other than toothbrushes. It contains a closet where wine and a tea set can be stored. Hot water for the tea set must be retrieved from the kitchen.

In front of these rooms, on the lawned deck, is the hatch leading to the room where the Soldier Dock System is stored.

Kitchen, Dining Room, and Sick bay

The Kitchen, Dinning Room, and Sick bay

The kitchen, dining room and sick bay are located on the second floor of the aft of the ship.

The kitchen and the dining room of the ship resembles a regular restaurant scene. The kitchen has a professional setup and cooking equipment. This includes a giant oven which can bake anything, and a giant fridge with a lock. The fridge is locked by a four digit code. This code "7326" is only known by Sanji, Nami, and Robin. This is because the code is combination of their names. 7 and 3 can be pronounced as "na" and "mi" respectively in Japanese and thus refers to Nami. Likewise, 2 and 6 can be pronounced as "ni" and "ro" respectively and thus refers to the two first syllables of Nico Robin's full name. 3 and 2 can also be pronounced as "san" and "ji" and thus refers to Sanji. Next to the kitchen is a mast of the ship and built within it is dumbwaiter that can used to deliver food to the aquarium bar down below. The area also contains a ladder that leads to a hatch giving access to the deck above the place. A Den Den Mushi can also be found near the coach in the dinning room for the Straw Hats to use.

The ship has a sick bay, which the previous ship lacked. It can be accessed by going either through the dinning room or by the door at the back leading to the outside of the ship. The room contains various medical supplies and furniture which include a desk, a bed, and Chopper's favorite swivel chair. It is generally used to treat any wounds the Straw Hats might receive. When not in use, it can be used as passageway to the back of the ship. In the first appearance of this room, having no patients to cure in it yet, the sick bay was used by Chopper to relax in. Seeing as he is the ship's doctor, Chopper considers the sick bay as his own personal room.

Aquarium Bar

The Aquarium Bar

A great place for keeping fish so they stay perfectly fresh once caught. The aquarium in which the fish are kept surrounds the whole room. It surrounds the bar and continues on the ceiling of the back of the room. When one wants to take a fish out of the aquarium for food, they have to net the fish out from the hatch on the second floor deck. If that doesn't work, they'll just have to dive in and grab the fish themselves. In the middle of room is the mast of the ship. It contains a small cupboard for storing alcohol and a dumbwaiter which leads to the kitchen above. Due to the room's atmosphere, Franky says it's a good place to eat dinner. In the initial scene of the aquarium being used, Luffy and Usopp foolishly put a shark in there, which unfortunately devoured all the fish they had previously caught.

The energy room of the Thousand Sunny can be entered through a ladder at the back of this room.

Library, Workrooms, Bath, Crow's Nest, and Survey Room

The Library, Workrooms, and Bathhouse

The Crow's Nest and Survey Room

The large hut like structure at the end of the ship contains the bath and library. At each side of this building is a large lamp. The library, within this structure, is a large circular room with several books. Except for Luffy, everyone has books stored in here. Circling together with the room's shape is a long bench for people to sit on. In the middle of the room is Nami's mapping desk and contains the Ship's Log and other things. The library, according to Nami, is the "Sunny's Brain".^[4]

On top of the library, located in the attic like section of the building, is the bath. It contains a much larger bathtub then the previous ship. As Nami commented, taking a bath there while the ship gently rocks gives it the feel of a high end spa.

On top of the foremast is the crow's nest. It is a ball shaped hut with several windows on the sides. It can be entered by climbing up the ropes surrounding the mast and then climbing a ladder up through a hole below the nest's metal carpeted floor. It contains some advanced telescopic equipment and a loud speaker microphone. The microphone is connected to a loud speaker located below the crow's nest. The crow's nest can also be used as gym and contains exercising equipment such as dumb bells.

On top of the kitchen and dinning hall of the Thousand Sunny is a little area that mimics the area on top of the Going Merry. This area can be accessed by going through a hatch that leads from the kitchen below, and gives access to the library. It also contains Nami's mikan trees, Robin's flower garden, the chimney for the kitchen below, and the office branch for Usopp's Factory.

Located below deck, to the aft of the Soldier Dock System, are the two room devoted to creating tools and other things, Usopp's Main Factory and Franky's Weapon Development Room. Both are complete with drawing boards and tools for the creation of blueprints and contraptions for the Straw Hats use in the near future. Both can be accessed by climbing down the stair leading from the Energy Room.

Features

The Thousand Sunny features many additions which the crew have long awaited for, and some nice additions Franky added himself. These additions include the Soldier Dock System and other internal contraptions which make the ship unique.

Soldier Dock System

The Soldier Dock System

The Soldier Dock system is a special system built within in the ship represented externally by the two giant plates marked with giant numbers on either side of the ship. It is a turn table of compartments of sorts that each contain a special device or vehicle that the Straw Hats can use. It is named like this because the vehicles stored within are (which are commonly released from the left-side plate), as Franky calls them, the soldiers of the Thousand Sunny.^[5]

• Channel Zero: Two compartments containing the paddle wheels to change the ship into Paddle-Wheel Sunny. It is powered by Cola. The wheels can rotate in reverse and are not connected to one another. With these wheels, the Thousand Sunny's heading can be changed easily. This was first seen being used in the manga when Franky showed use of it in order to pass a raging storm.^[6] In the anime, it was first seen being used to escape from an illusion of a fleet of Marine ships.^[7]

• Channel One: Contains Shiro Mokuba I

• Channel Two: Contains Mini Merry II

• Channel Three: Contains Submerge Shark III

• Channel Four: Currently empty except for a inflatable swimming pool that can be deployed if the Straw Hats want to swim around. Franky stated he'll probably fit the Channel properly with weapons when he gets the time.

Coup de Burst

Coup de Burst

The Coup de Burst (風来砲バースト (クー･ド･バスト)) is a maneuver used by the ship that was first seen in order to escape Vice-Admiral Garp's attack.^[8] Basically, the sunny uses three barrels of Cola to fire a giant cannon downward and rocket the ship into the air thus making a great escape or as Franky calls it, a "Water Escape". The maneuver mimics the Going Merry's escape from Enies Lobby as well as the various other situations in which the Going Merry flew across through the sky.

Chicken Voyage

Chicken Voyage is a maneuver the Sunny can do in order to escape attacks immediately. By activating a contraption found at the helm, the Thousand Sunny can rotate it's mane like a propeller to propel the entire ship backwards. This was first seen being used to escape an attack by the Flying Fish Riders.^[9]

Gaon Cannon

The Gaon Cannon is powerful cannon hidden within the lion's mouth in the prow of the ship which only Usopp can operate. The cannon is aimed in a room within the prow itself. It was first seen been used once by Usopp to take out most of the Flying Fish Riders, along with obliterating nearly half of Duval's base.^[9] The one drawback of the Gaon Cannon is the amount of cola it takes, 5 barrels in all, 2 to fire the cannon itself and three to fire a rear cannon, the same one used in the Coup de Burst, to stabilize the ship. This means that the cannon can only be used sparingly.

History

The concept of the Thousand Sunny was first thought up by Franky when he was young. Inspired by his mentor Tom's creation, the Oro Jackson, Franky dreamed of making a ship that would sail around the world. This dream however was shattered when Tom was taken away. Franky blamed himself for Tom's arrest and vowed to never build another ship ever again.

The Thousand Sunny being constructed

After the events in Enies Lobby, Franky's dream was revitalized and he decided to build the Straw Hats a new ship to replace the one that was lost. He felt he owed them for the things that had happened. With the Adam Wood his gang bought with the money they originally stole from the Straw Hats and some aid from Yokuzuna, Iceburg, Paulie, Peepley Lulu, and Tilestone, Franky toiled in making the new ship. After several nights of labor on Scrap Island, Iceburg revealed the new ship to the Straw Hats.^[1][10]

Voyage

After certain events in which the Straw Hats acquired Franky, the Thousand Sunny was immediately set a sail upon the news of Garp and his men coming back to capture Luffy and crew. As the Thousand Sunny was setting sail, Garp's ship appeared. Garp, feeling somewhat bad for going back at his word with his grandson about arresting the Straw Hats at Water 7, decided to attack the the Thousand Sunny all by himself. Using several cannonballs like baseballs, Garp laid an onslaught on the ship.^[11]

After the crew reacquired Usopp, they decided on what to call the new ship.^[12] the Straw Hats decided to finally leave Water 7 aboard the Thousand Sunny. As Franky made some preparations to escape from the pursuing Marines, Garp, angered by Luffy's comments towards him, decided to attack the Thousand Sunny with a gigantic iron ball larger than the ship. Just when Garp's iron ball was about to hit the Thousand Sunny, Franky activated the ship's special technique, "Coup de Burst", and blasted the ship out of harm's way.^[8]

With the Marines far behind and it's crew celebrating on board, the Thousand Sunny ventured forth on it's voyage.

"Eaten" by Thriller Bark

After sailing across the ocean for some time, the Thousand Sunny and it's crew came across a barrel that sent out a flare when the Straw hats opened it. After the sight, the Thousand Sunny was suddenly in the middle of a raging storm. It was then that Franky showed use of the Sunny's paddle wheels. With them, the ship was able to pass through the storm and into the Florian Triangle zone.^[6]

The ship next crossed paths with a ghost ship with a walking skeleton on it. The skeleton, Brook, initially accepted Luffy's offer to join to crew and came down to dine with the crew. As the skeleton explained himself to the crew and why he couldn't truly join them in the dining hall, a ghost came into the room. It was then found out that the ship was taken by Thriller Bark and trapped within its walls.^[13][14]

The Thousand Sunny and Brook's ship get caught in a giant spider web

After Brook left the ship to deal with his business on the island and some preparations were made by the crew, the Mini Merry II was revealed and deployed from the Thousand Sunny's "Channel 2" compartment. After some time, just as the Straw hats on the ship were starting to wonder what exactly happened to the Mini Merry and the Straw hats on board it, an invisible opponent sneaked on board the ship and messed around with the Straw hats on board. This left them wondering what exactly had happened. After sometime, the Thousand Sunny drifted closer to the island and got stuck onto a giant spider web along with the Mini Merry II and Brook's ship.^[15][16]

Amidst the events that occurred on the island, a group of zombies, headed by Perona, came onto the Sunny and raided the ship in search for valuables. During the raid, the zombies left the sleeping shadow less bodies of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji in the dining hall and decorated them. The zombies, carrying most of the crew's rations, then left the ship in a mess with nothing but the three straw hats and some preserved food. After some events in the island, the rest of the crew, except for Nami, then came back aboard the ship and discovered the mess and the state their shadow less crew mates were in. After waking up their shadow less comrades and discussing some things about their current situation, the Straw hats departed from the Sunny again in order to take back what Moria, the Shichibukai who ruled Thriller Bark, and his cohorts stole.^{[17][18][19][20]}

After several events on the island, Perona and several zombie soldiers and wild zombies came back to ship. Due to her battle with Usopp and the current situation that was happening, Perona had become completely scared. She decided to use the Sunny as her means of escape and ordered some zombies to stock the ship with food and treasures from the storage. The zombies stocked the ship with so much food that there wasn't any more space in Sanji's giant refrigerator. As the zombies prepared the ship for Perona's getaway, Kuma, the Shichibukai, was noticed to be also on board the Sunny asking for Moria.^[21][22]

As a small scuffle happened between Kuma and the zombies, Nami arrived back to the Thousand Sunny and noticed Perona and her zombies stocking up the ship. Before the two women could confront each other with more than mere words, Kuma came down from the Thousand Sunny and interrupted the two. Through a mere touch of the palm of his hand, Kuma sent Perona somewhere else using his Devil Fruit powers. The Shichibukai's powers over Perona and presence scared the zombies and they thus left the Thousand Sunny. After a short talk with Kuma, Nami went into the Thousand Sunny for a change of clothes, and then went back to Thriller Bark to help the rest of her crew mates. With that the Thousand Sunny was left with its compartments stocked up full of food and treasure.^[23]

After the Straw Hats defeated Moria, survived Kuma's vicious attacks, and slept for a whole day, they decided to reap the benefits that Perona and her zombies left behind on the Thousand Sunny. With the large load of treasure onboard, they decided to claim it as their own and use it for their fund. As for the food also onboard, they decided to use it in a party with the Thriller Bark Victim's Association for finally defeating Moria. After two days of partying in which the Straw Hats finally got their long awaited musician, the Thousand Sunny was stocked up for the continuation of its voyage. With some farewells from the crew to the Thriller Bark Victim's Association, the Thousand Sunny onto its next and original destination before Thriller Bark, Fishman Island, the underwater paradise of Fishmen and Merfolk.^[24][25]

Overseas Battle with the Flying Fish Riders

As the Thousand Sunny continued on its journey to Fishman Island, the ship and its crew aboard encountered many more of the mysterious and spectacular sights of the Grand Line. Among them were a rainstorm that poured down with candy instead of normal rain, a giant sea tanuki, a circular rainbow, and some serpent currents. Eventually, the Thousand Sunny finally reached the area where its next destination was supposed to be, the second part of the Red Line intersecting the Grand Line.^[26]

Unable to go any more forward with large rock wall in its way, and with the Log Pose pointing directly below the ship, the Straw Hats decided to deploy Shark Submerge III to investigate the depths below. Due to the extreme pressure of the depths below, the Straw Hats were unable to find anything below five thousand meters under the ship. However, their search brought up an enormous seaking that threatened to destroy both the Thousand Sunny and its crew. Though the creature was defeated, it spat two things that landed abruptly onto the Sunny's deck. These were Camie, a mermaid, and Pappug, a talking starfish.

With these new passengers onboard, the crew of the Sunny were promised a reward of great tasting Takoyaki. However before they could be given this treat, they learned that a friend of Camie and Pappug had just been captured by the Macro Fishman Pirates and the Flying Fish Riders. Figuring that these two might know the way to Fishman Island, Nami asked that if the Straw Hats help them rescue their friend, they would show the pirates the way to the underwater paradise. The two agreed to reward the Straw Hats with such along with the promise of Takoyaki. With this, the Thousand Sunny was steered towards the Flying Fish Riders' base with help from a school fish forming an arrow called up by Camie. Just as the ship was nearing the base, the school of fish leading the Straw Hats suddenly swam away due to them sensing the Flying Fish Riders nearby. Sure enough, the riders soon ambushed the Thousand Sunny and started attacking the ship from atop their giant flying fish. Though a battle between the Straw Hats and the riders ensued, the riders, for some reason, suddenly ran away from the scene as quickly as they arrived.^[27]

After sailing awhile after the Flying Fish Rider's last attack, the Thousand Sunny soon reached their base. Though seemingly empty upon arrival except for Hatchan, a previous enemy and the captured friend of the Straw Hats' new traveling companions, the crew guessed the riders were planning an ambush. Their guess was soon verified and a battle between the Straw Hats and the Flying Fish Riders within the base. As the majority of the Straw Hats battled aboard the Thousand Sunny, several things happened. Amongst these in particular was the revelation that the Flying Fish Riders' boss, Duval, had the same face as Sanji's wanted poster and whose grudge against Sanji was the reason why he and his men were attacking the Straw Hats so vigorously. As the battle against Duval and his men continued, the Flying Fish Riders decided to sink the Thousand Sunny by dropping a large anchor on the ship. However through Franky and Usopp's efforts, the ship escaped the attack and instead blew up the Flying Fish Rider's base with an attack of its own from the Gaon Cannon.^[9] The Straw Hats eventually defeated the Flying Fish Riders with Sanji rearranging Duval's face with a barrage of kicks. With the matter settled, the Thousand Sunny was then steered towards the Sabaody Archipelago where the solution to getting to Fishman Island could be found.^[28]

Current Island

After a little reward from Hatchan and some thanks from Duval for a new face, the crew of the Thousand Sunny were told that the only way to get to Fishman Island was to coat the ship with resin from the Yarukiman Mangrove of the Sabaody Archipelago. Learning about this, the Straw Hats steered the ship to the mangrove and disembarked in order to find a coating mechanic friend of Hatchan's, Rayleigh, to coat the ship. However, through a series of unexpected events, the crew of the Thousand Sunny ended up causing a large ruckus in mangrove. Fortunately in the midst of the mess they caused, the crew found the mechanic.

Having gotten the aid of Rayleigh, the ship was ready to be coated. However due to the mess that the crew caused, the mangrove was no longer safe. Considering the number of Marine troops and a Marine Admiral that were sent to the mangrove to clean up the mess, the crew decided to temporarily leave the Thousand Sunny in Rayleigh's hands. Knowing that staying on the ship at this time would bring only trouble while the mechanic modified it, the crew thought it best to wait it out in the mangrove as the mechanic did his job. Giving the crew his biblicard since he'd be taking the Thousand Sunny somewhere else, Rayleigh promised to return the ship after three days of work. With that, the modifications on the Thousand Sunny to Fishman Island began as it's crew decided to survive till the fated schedule.^[29]

Naming Issue

The name Thousand Sunny is a name suggested by Iceburg that describes a ship sailing through a thousand seas like the sun. However before the ship was properly named as thus, a couple of names were suggested by the crew.^[12] Most of which were suggested by Luffy and involved the word lion in it. The following are those names suggested by the crew.

• Bear Polar Bear Lion: Luffy's first suggestion for the ship's name.
• Tiger Wolf Lion: Luffy's second suggestion for the ship's name.
• Squid Octopus Chimpanzee: Luffy's third suggestion for the ship's name.
• Dumpling Gorilla Lion: Luffy's fourth suggestion for the ship's name.
• Master Sleeping Lion: Zoro's suggestion for the ship's name.
• Darkness Pill: Robin's suggestion for the ship's name.
• Monsieur Sunflower: Sanji's own suggestion for the ship's name.
• Battle Franky, Lion Gang Champion: A name which Franky intended to call the ship.

This naming issue had also affected fans and readers alike before the ship was actually named. Many assumed that the ship's name was "King of Beasts" due to Iceburg's comment that the Pirate King should ride a ship with the theme of the king of all beasts, a lion.^[30]

In chapter 489 and 495, Brook called the Sunny "Lion-Chan", much to Franky's chargin.

Going Merry

Going Merry(ゴーイング・メリー号,Gōingu Merī-gō )

Ship Design and Appearance

Overall layout of the Going Merry.

The Going Merry has a jib and a central steer rudder. The ship's armament consisted of four cannons, one in the bow pointing forward, 2 near the stern pointing to either side, and one that was occasionally seen on deck at the stern - although they were rarely used, the Straw Hat Pirates usually preferring to run away or engage in hand to hand combat. After the Arlong arc, the Going Merry gained three tangerine trees from Bellemere's farm, a memento of Nami's home. As the series continued on, the ship received more and more damage and gained several metal patches to hold it together at places that could not be nailed back together, like Merry's figurehead and the Mast, which was torn off several times.

In volume 11 of the manga, Oda presented various schematics and explanation on each part of the ship. These included from Merry's figurehead to it's kitchen.^[1]

Meeting Room, Lounge, and Helm

Meeting room, Lounge, and Helm of the Going Merry.

This is the single most important room in the entire Going Merry. It serves as the meeting room, lounge and helm for the entire ship. Here the crew can do a number things. Since the kitchen is located here, they can enjoy a meal here made by Sanji. And because of it's comfortable atmosphere, it is the perfect place where the crew can also hold meetings here and discuss what to do next.

The device for steering the entire ship is also located here. However unlike regular ships that commonly have a steering wheel, the Going Merry has none. Instead it uses a "steering pole" with sheep's head like the one used for the ship's figurehead. By tilting the pole left or right, the "fin" at the stern will move in that direction.

Men's Room

Men's room of the Going Merry.

The men's room of the Going Merry is located below deck of the ship right below the mast. This is where Luffy and the other male members of the crew usually sleep. It is accessed through a hatch next the mast. There are a total of five hammocks located here to sleep on. There is an emergency exit that connects to the women's room in case something should happen.

Storage Room and Cannon Deck(aft)

Storage room and Cannon deck(aft) of the Going Merry.

A storage room and a cannon deck is located under the lounge of the Going Merry. This is where the crew keeps all their items such as beer barrels, water barrels, rations, and treasure boxes in storage. Any treasure that Nami can't keep in the women's quarters are kept here as well. The room also houses two cannons facing each side of the ship.

The bathroom and the women's quarters can be accessed from here. Some towels are can be found next to the bathroom's entrance for when one finishes taking a bath. The hatch going down to the women's quarters has a latch to keep out prying eyes.

The steering shaft that is used to steer the ship can also be seen located above in this room.

Women's Room

Women's room of the Going Merry.

The women's room of the Going Merry is located below deck and under Storage and Cannon deck. This is where Nami and any other female usually sleeps. It was originally designed by Merry for Kaya's use and thus it's design reflects for whom it was originally meant for. The room is accessed through a hatch that leads to the room above. This hatch has a lock for obvious reasons. There is an emergency exit that connects to the men's room located here in case something happens. This hatch however isn't normally used and is usually locked.

After the Arlong arc, a bar was added here by a carpenter from Cocoyashi, Teru-san, for which people can drink from.

Cannon Deck(fore) and Anchor Room

Cannon Deck(fore) and Anchor Room of the Going Merry.

A cannon deck can be found below the front deck of the Going Merry. This also serves mainly as the room where the anchor is stored. Various weapons such as swords can be stored here. Giant oars and lifesavers can also be found here and can be used in certain times.

The cannon found here was used notably to fire at Laboon after the Going Merry rammed into him and broke it's figurehead.

Bathroom

Bathroom of the Going Merry.

The bathroom of the Going Merry is located below deck next to where the steering fin of the ship is located. It is accessed through a door leading to the storage room. This same door has curtains for privacy.

A shower, a bathtub, a sink, and a toilet can be found here. The toilet is apparently not used by the men very much. When Robin was frozen by Aokiji, the bathtub was used by Chopper and Usopp to thaw her out.^[2] The water used here is drawn up by a special machine located underneath the stairs on the top deck. There used to be two of these machines but Luffy broke one.

Care must be taken here after taking shower and such. So after cleaning themselves, the crew must make sure to throughly clean the place up with a rubber wiper found here in order to prevent the ship from being weakened by moisture.

Luffy's Favorite Seat

Luffy's Favorite Seat, the figurehead of the Going Merry.

The figurehead of the Going Merry is a sheep. This is where Luffy likes to sit most of the time while sailing. Why he likes to sit there when he doesn't know how to swim is a complete mystery. When this was temporarily broken upon impact with Laboon, Luffy expressed how mad he was and attacked the whale. The figurehead is also found on top of the ship's "steering pole" in the helm. It's design is also used for the figurehead of the Mini Merry II.

Throughout the series, the figurehead would sometimes show signs of expressions like a regular person. This have ranged from the comical to the sad.^[3]

Nami's Mikan Trees

Nami's Mikan Trees on the Going Merry.

After the Arlong arc, three Mikan trees from Bellemere's plantation were added on top of the Going Merry. These are Tangello, but usually translated as Tangerine or Orange. These trees are taken very dearly by Nami. They provide the crew with Vitamin C as well as some decor on the ship.

Aside from Nami taking care of them, Sanji also protects these three trees from those who might otherwise harm them or steal the fruit, like Luffy.

After Luffy and Usopp's battle in Water 7, these trees were moved to the hotel room where the Straw Hats. They were luckily found by the Galley-La shipwrights and moved to a safer location when the Aqua Laguna hit. Their status of being saved from the storm pleased Nami very much when she thought they were lost.

They, along with the rest of the Straw Hats' stuff, now reside on the Thousand Sunny.

History

East Blue Voyage

The Going Merry began its voyage in East Blue. Where it carried the first five Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji, across the various locations in East Blue.

The Going Merry in it's original form being presented by Merry.

After the events in Syrup Village, the Going Merry was given by Kaya as a reward for saving her from Kuro.^[4] The ship was originally designed by Merry for Kaya as a luxury vessel. This marked an important event for the Strawhats as they had acquired for the first time a proper pirate ship. After a touching moment in which Usopp joined the crew, the Going Merry then sat off for the future voyages that laid ahead.

At first, the voyage was very easygoing. Many trivial tasks at the beginning, like the design of the Jolly Roger and placement of items were the all crew's biggest worries. It was not until they met Johnny and Yosaku on board the Going Merry that a more serious issue occurred. Having accidentally shot their boat while testing the ship's cannons, the two bounty hunters showed to the crew first hand the consequences of scurvy with the state that Yosaku was then in. This made the entire crew realize that they needed a cook in order to protect them from the disease as well as starvation due the way Luffy and sometimes Zoro ate. Luckily the crew was informed by the bounty hunters that the ocean going restaurant, Baratie, was nearby. This vessel would be the perfect place to aquire a cook. The crew set off on their journey to stock up on food and gain a chef. During a raid by Don Krieg, which was further complicated by the appearance of Mihawk, Nami stole the Going Merry and headed back to Arlong and his crew, bringing the ship and the crew's treasures with them.

After the battle with Arlong, the Going Merry was later reclaimed and given three Mikan trees, which were planted on top of the ship's cabin, where they remained. The Merry then continued on its voyage towards the Grand Line. While sailing towards their destination, the crew made a stop to the last island in East Blue before entering the Grand Line, Lougetown, in order to stock supplies for the journey ahead. This stop had something important for everyone. After docking the ship on a shore far from town in order to avoid drawing the attention of the Marines stationed there, the crew went into town to complete their tasks. This trip, which was already then made complicated by the reappearance of Buggy the Clown and the pursuit of Smoker's Marines, was abruptly ended with the appearance of a massive storm. This storm stopped the Going Merry from being burnt by Mohji or the Marines, as matches could not be lit, and the Marine's gunpowder supply was wet.^[5]

After escaping from Lougetown, the crew then held a small ceremony on board the Going Merry before entering the Grand Line while the storm raged on. Symbolized by placing their feet above a barrel, the entire crew vowed to accomplish all their dreams. With that done, The Going Merry was then navigated towards Reverse Mountain, the entrance of the Grand Line.

Grand Line Voyage

The Going Merry continued its voyages with the Straw Hats in the Grand Line. Taking them from island to island, it had to endure the various obstacles of that the Grand Line gave such as the unpredictable weather conditions.

In the Shadow of Baroque Works

After the Going Merry traversed the Reverse Mountain and entered the Grand Line, the ship immediately encountered by an Island Whale named Laboon. After crashing into the whale's side and knocking the figurehead off, an infuriated Luffy broke the Going Merry's mast and plunged it into an open wound located on the whale. The whale angered by this attack swallowed the entire ship and most of the crew. Luffy however was not swallowed along with the rest with of the crew and the ship, but instead found a trap door on the whale's side and went in.

While inside the whale, the crew met Crocus, as well as Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday. After they got out of the whale and learned about Log Poses, the crew then escorted Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday back to their home island, Whiskey Peak, unbeknown to them what the two were really planing. After several events on the island where the crew learned about the secret organization, Baroque Works, its doings, and the true identity of Miss Wednesday, the Going Merry was then steered away from Whiskey Peak, with two extra passengers, Vivi, who disguised herself as Miss Wednesday, and Carue, Vivi's pet spot billed duck. The Going Merry then sailed into the direction of Little Garden via Log Pose where the crew experienced more Baroque Works related endeavors.

After surviving the battle brought about by Mr. 3, the Going Merry and its crew left Little Garden and headed in the direction of Arabasta using a Eternal Pose left by the aforementioned villain. They left Little Garden to their journey to Arabasta but not before the ship was temporarily swallowed by an Island Eater, which was shortly blown to bits by Dorry and Brogy. The journey to Vivi's homeland was at first smooth sailing until it was discovered that Nami was sick. This sickness, which no one in the crew could figure out, forced the Going Merry and its crew to make a slight detour to the nearest island to find a doctor. This island was Drum.

After defeating Wapol and his men, whose ship they encountered earlier before coming to Drum, the Going Merry acquired a new member to its list of occupants, the reindeer doctor, Chopper. With that the crew continued on its journey to Arabasta. While journeying to Arabasta, the ship accidentally took on board another passenger due to Luffy and Usopp's fishing techniques and some steam created by an underwater volcano. This person, Mr. 2 Bon Kurei, entertained the crew until his ship and crew came to the Going Merry to fetch him back. Upon learning the identity and powers of this person, the crew and their companions decided to protect themselves using an X mark placed on each of their right forearms and some bandages covering it. With this they swore aboard the Going Merry as being nakama.

After reaching Arabasta and docking in Nanohana, the Going Merry briefly took onboard another passenger, Luffy's brother, Portgas D. Ace. After a short meeting with Ace about Blackbeard, the Going Merry was steered to the south western shores of Arabasta, across the great river, where it remained until some time. After Crocodile was defeated, it was learned that Mr. 2 had taken the ship. Learning about this the crew sped across the vast desert to retrieve their ship back. Upon reaching the ship, it was learned that Mr. 2 had taken the ship not as an enemy but as a friend. He had taken the ship in order to safeguard it from the various Marines that were then searching around the island for the Straw Hats. With the crew back on the Going Merry and the Straw Hats' business with Baroque Works finished, it was time to leave Arabasta.

Leaving Arabasta was real obstacle for the Going Merry. Being pursued by the various Marine ships under Captain Hina, the Going Merry suffered heavily from battle damage. The metal poles that were shot from the Marine ships pierced the ship's side thus creating large holes in the Going Merry's frame. Fortunately however, the reformed Mr. 2, along with his crew, were able draw away the Marines then by pretending to be the Straw Hats thus saving the Going Merry from further damage. After all that, the Going Merry was steered to the north eastern part of the Arabasta. Here the Straw Hats were to meet up with Vivi in case she wanted to join up with the crew. Vivi was at the meeting place however she declined the offer for the sake of her country. The crew wanted to respond to Vivi from aboard the Going Merry however couldn't due to a nearby Marine ship. Not wanting to get Vivi in trouble, the crew instead responded by showing off their X marks to Vivi. With that sign of friendship, the Going Merry and its crew sailed away from Arabasta.

The escapades with Baroque Works had left the crew of the Going Merry very tired and lonely due to the fact Vivi wasn't coming along. However one last surprise came along from all this, the former vice president of Baroque Works, Miss All Sunday, had stowed away aboard the Going Merry. Having meet her before leaving Whiskey Peak and identifying her as a past enemy, the crew didn't know what to do. The woman, whose real name was Nico Robin, surprisingly asked to join the crew due to actions done by Luffy. This Luffy accepted and the Going Merry gained another occupant from this series of events involving Baroque Works.

Adventure in Sky Island

After the events with Baroque Works, the Going Merry and its crew shortly experienced an incredibly sight. A ship fell out of the sky. This ship, later identified to be the Saint Bliss, apparently came from a sky island called Skypiea. This island seemed quite impossible however it appeared to be next destination on the Log Pose. With this new sensation, Luffy decided to steer the Going Merry to Skypiea, however there was one slight problem. The Going Merry was not capable of going into sky. Unable to do anything, the ship was instead steered into direction of Jaya where the crew hoped to find some answers.

The Going Merry in flying mode leaving Jaya.

After several events in Jaya involving Bellamy the Hyena in which the ship was temporarily broken by one of Bellamy's attacks,^[6] the Going Merry was modified by the Saruyama Alliance into a flying mode. This new design of the ship was intended so that it can easily maneuver the current of the Knock Up stream. This current was the only way the ship could reach its next destination. Guided by the South Bird and escorted by Shoujou's and Masira's ships, the Going Merry was taken to the spot where the Knock Up stream would occur. Once there the ship was catapulted into the sky by the current. The Going Merry literally flew then and there as it journeyed to the sky. After a momentous journey into the sky, the ship finally landed in the White Sea where its and the Straw Hats' adventures in the sky would begin.

After a brief encounter with a masked warrior and apparent knight errant, the Going Merry traveled across the White Sea towards Heaven's Gate. There the Going Merry was transported to the White White Sea by Speedy Shrimp. Once in the White White Sea, the Going Merry docked on the shores of Angel Island. Several events caused by the crew happened in Angel Island which ultimately led to the Going Merry to being carried off by a Super-Express speed shrimp deep into territory of Skypiea's God, Upper Yard. These series of events caused the Straw Hats left on Angel Island, Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp, to head out into Upper Yard to reclaim their ship and rescue their friends. As for the remaining Straw Hats aboard the Going Merry, as they couldn't do anything to the giant shrimp without falling victim to some pursuing Sky Sharks, they allowed the shrimp to carry the ship until it placed them upon a sacrificial altar surrounded by watery clouds. There they decided to explore the rest of Upper Yard, leaving Chopper to guard the Going Merry.^[7] While waiting for the others, Chopper encountered one of the priests of Skypiea, Shura the Sky Rider. The priest having no respect for the ship, lit the the ship's mast on fire. Desperately, Chopper broke the mast and threw it into the clouds in order to prevent the fire from spreading towards the rest of the ship. This seemed like a dangerous situation for the Going Merry however before the priest could continue his attack on it and its then sole defender, the knight errant, Gan Fall appeared to fight him off. The battle between this two however ended with Gan Fall being defeated and Chopper being thrown into the clouds surrounding the altar. Fortunately, the Going Merry wasn't further harassed by the priest as he then called at that moment to be somewhere else. The Going Merry, there and then, would remain on the altar in its damaged state until the rest of the Straw Hats returned.^[8]

A mysterious spirit fixes the ship in the middle of the night.

After the entire crew rejoined one another and celebrated a party with some wolves, something mysterious happened to the Going Merry. While the rest of crew were asleep, Usopp went off to relieve himself. As he finishes off doing his business, he sees someone apparently repairing the ship. Wondering who it might be, Usopp tried to get a better look at the person. Suddenly without warning, the person then looked at Usopp with nothing but a smiling featureless face. Horrified by the sight, Usopp wakes the rest of crew to alert them to what he thinks is a ghost. Seeing no one near the ship, the rest of the crew dismisses Usopp's claims as nothing more as his imagination and go back to sleep. The next morning however, the crew awake to a surprising sight. The Going Merry, though not perfectly, was apparently repaired by someone overnight. This was very surprising as most of them knew for sure no one else was up repairing the ship. What was more surprising was that the one who repaired the ship, restored it to its non-flying mode. This was a design that only the crew themselves knew since entering Skypiea. Regardless who repaired it, the crew decided to press forward on their adventure in Skypiea.^[9]

After using a Sky Shark to drag the Going Merry off the altar, it was decided that the Going Merry would be steered to the southern part of Upper Yard. The crew had decided to split up into two teams and that there they would meet up again after getting the gold. However things didn't go off as planned when the Going Merry sat off. Eneru, the self proclaimed God of Skypiea, appeared on the ship and took out Sanji and Usopp. Later the ship was turned into a battleground for Nami and Gan Fall against Satori's triplet brothers, Hotori and Kotori. The battle was won by the former. After several events, the ship was left in the protection of Conis then later her fox, Suu. Throughout the terror that Eneru that brought about with his plan to destroy Skypiea, the ship swayed uneasily against the waves of clouds that were created. It stayed there on that spot for some time, even after the final battle between Eneru and Luffy, until its crew returned to it with bags of gold they supposedly "stole" from Skypiea.

After all the excitement in Skypiea, the Going Merry was steered into the direction of Cloud End. There, the Going Merry and its crew left Skypiea with the aid of a Balloon Octopus and a horde of gold. It then safely returned to the Blue Sea down below to continue its voyages.^[10]

Water 7 Events

After the ship returned to the Blue Sea and the events the crew experienced in Longring Longland, the Going Merry and its crew had reached the fabled city of water, Water 7. This Venice-like city was renowned for its shipwrights and ship building facilities. So great were these, that not even pirates dared to attack them at risk of not having their ships repaired or worse. This city was a great opportunity for the Straw Hats in many ways. Up until now, the Going Merry had sustained several damages caused by a number of reasons. Though the crew, most notably Usopp, were able to patch up the Going Merry, the repairs done to the ship were below standard. Here, the Straw Hats could finally fully repair the ship properly. What's more, they also hoped to gain a new member for the crew from the abundance of shipwrights within the city. This they hoped would help maintain the ship fully. With these high hopes, they docked the Going Merry on a shore near the city.

Kaku evaluates the Going Merry's condition.

After renting some Yagara Bulls and depositing the gold they acquired from Skypiea for a total of 300 million belli, Luffy, Nami, and Usopp proceeded to Dock One where they met Kaku,^[11] and then later President Iceburg of the Galley-La Company and two other foremen working there. Seeing as they were customers then, Kaku decided to check on their ship, however upon returning, the shipwright brought bad news. The Going Merry was now irreparable. This, as Kaku as explained, was because the keel was broken. This was the most critical part of the Going Merry and it being broken meant the ship could never be fixed again. This meant the ship would practically sink on the way to the next island. Luffy, not wanting to accept this, insisted that the shipwrights repair the ship regardless of the cost. It was then however that Luffy and Nami realized that Usopp was missing, along with two thirds of their money intended to repair the ship. This was done by the Franky Family, a gang of bounty hunters that had earlier attempted to raid the Going Merry with Zoro on it.^[12]

After discovering that Usopp had been taken and beaten up by the Franky Family for the money, Luffy along with Zoro, Sanji, and Chopper, decided to raid the gang's hideout to reclaim the money, as well avenge their fallen comrade. However when they trashed the place, they discovered that the money that could've been used to repair the ship, had been taken far away from Water 7. With this turn of events and the facts given by the Galley La company, Luffy made the hard decision to instead buy a new ship. This decision however didn't bode well with Usopp. Having repaired the ship so many times, Usopp had come to treasure the ship to a point where he considered it as part of the crew. This he couldn't accept as it seemed to him like the crew were abandoning one of their own. This disagreement with Luffy's decision eventually led to Usopp leaving the crew and a battle between him and Luffy for ownership of the Going Merry. This battle in the night was intense one for both combatants. This was because Usopp had known Luffy more than the latter's previous opponents, and was able to come up with some strategies to battle Luffy for the ship. However, despite all the effort Usopp put into it, Luffy beats Usopp. Despite being the victor, Luffy however lets Usopp keep the ship as act of pity. The next morning, Luffy and the rest take their belongings off the ship, leaving Usopp alone with the Going Merry.

The Klabautermann of Going Merry.

After the intense battle from the night before, Usopp continued to desperately repair the Going Merry despite his lack in carpentry skills and equipment. Eventually, Usopp is "kidnapped" by the boss of the Franky Family, Franky, in order to draw out Luffy whom the latter had a brief battle with. Usopp and the ship are then taken to Franky's secret hideout under the bridge. Despite being enemies, the two however bond together and Franky allows to Usopp to continue repairing the ship. However after hearing Usopp plans to use the Going Merry to go back home, Franky began to dismantle the ship with Usopp in protest. The underworld boss explained to Usopp the same reason why the ship couldn't be repaired anymore. Usopp knowing this all too well, replied that he knew already that ship could no longer be repaired but didn't have the heart to accept it. It is then that Usopp revealed to Franky about the mysterious spirit that he saw. Realizing what Usopp was talking about, Franky explained to Usopp that the spirit he saw was a Klabautermann, a manifestation of a ship's soul brought about when it has been loved and cared enough. Franky explained to Usopp that the Going Merry is a ship who's final job now is to carry its crew to one last island before it could sink. Should it not be able to do so, the ship would have failed it's duty. It, he explained, would be happier to simply be dismantled at an island than to sink with its crew onboard. This explanation made Usopp realize how much more of a nakama the ship was, however it also led to a heated debate between him and Franky on whether or not the ship should be dismantled. Before the debate could get anymore heated, Franky's hideout was breached. The intruders who barged in were Lucchi, Kaku, Kalifa, and Blueno, four people who were then revealed to be secret undercover agents of Cipher Pol 9.

After a brief struggle wherein the agents took down Franky in order to get the blueprints of the ancient weapon, Pluton, the Going Merry was sent into a dire situation. One of the agents, Kaku, explained that even though he was undercover, his evaluation of the ship's damage was not false. As one last act of him being a shipwright, Kaku casts off the Going Merry out into the sea where the fury of the Aqua Laguna was currently besieging Water 7. With a mighty fall from the hideout, the Going Merry plunged into the raging sea. Its fate then would be unknown until much later.

Escape from Enies Lobby/ Funeral

The Going Merry saving everyone in Enies Lobby

After the discovery of CP9 and its intentions, the Straw Hats and their allies leave Water 7 and are drawn to the judiciary island, Enies Lobby, to battle against the World Government agency and the numerous forces stationed there. This invasion ultimately lead to a massive battle on the Bridge of Hesitation between the pirates and a horde of Marines deployed by the Buster Call ships. The battle was very intense due to the fact that most of the Marines weren't the run of the mill kind plus there was also the impending danger of the Buster Call cannons. Just when it all seemed hopeless, the Going Merry suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Without hesitation, the Straw Hats and the allies they had with them boarded the ship and made a desperate escape. With a little thrust from Franky's Coup de Vent and a little gate closing thanks to Sanji, the Going Merry and its crew escaped from Enies Lobby leaving the Buster Call ships to deal with the whirlpools. With this, the battle in Enies lobby was won.

Having escaped Enies Lobby on the Going Merry, everything seemed alright in the world to Straw Hats, however the joy was cut short. The Going Merry suddenly broke apart in the middle of the ocean. Fortunately, a Galley-La ship carrying Iceburg and other workers appeared to rescue the passengers on board the Going Merry in time. Upon reuniting with the president since they left Water 7, Iceburg revealed the Going Merry's sudden appearance at Enies Lobby. After they had left Water 7 for Enies Lobby, Iceburg found the ship beached on one of Water 7's shores. The ship then apparently asked Iceburg to fix itself up. After Iceburg complied and had fixed it up, the ship suddenly set off by itself into the raging seas, braving the storm that was then going on. This he told the Straw Hats. However, he also told them that the ship was now in a state completely beyond repair and needed to finally rest in peace.

With heavy hearts, the Going Merry was set on fire and given a viking funeral. Just as it was burning, snow appeared and the ship spoke to its former crew. Despite the crew feeling like they really didn't take care of the ship to the fullest during its time with them, the Going Merry didn't hold any hard feelings towards the crew. This was, as it explained, because the crew actually did take care of it and for that it was grateful. With its last words and a tearful goodbye from its former crew, the Going Merry finally died.^[13]

The Going Merry was a ship; however, it became alive as any other member in the the Straw Hat Pirates. When it died, an invaluable member was forever lost.

Legacy

On the board of Thousand Sunny, Franky announced that the Thousand Sunny will carry the spirit of Going Merry. However, Franky later introduced the Straw Hat Pirates the dock system and it was revealed that channel 2 houses the Mini Merry II almost identical to the original Merry but only that it's smaller and has a steam engine and paddle wheels instead.