One Piece, Volume 1

July 21, 2003
"Straw Hat" Luffy, this book's boy hero, really wants to be a pirate. His fellow villagers jeer at his goal, since he can't swim, due to having eaten a magic fruit that gives him the ability to stretch his body like rubber. However, Luffy isn't going to let a little problem like this stop him. He's further motivated when pirate captain "Red-Haired" Shanks (an eccentric seadog who might give Johnny Depp a run for his money) sacrifices his arm to a sea-monster to save Luffy's life. Ten years later, Luffy is still determined to make his dream come true, and he sets out to assemble to a crew and find a fabled treasure (the "One Piece" of the title). Luffy meets Koby, a cabin boy his age, who has been shanghaied by a lady pirate, and together they attempt to rescue Roronoa Zoro, a feared bounty hunter who is being held captive by the dread Captain Morgan. Everyone in this title has a seemingly impossible goal driving them on, whether it's Luffy's dream of being a pirate, Koby's of joining the navy, or Zoro's of become the world's greatest swordsman. It's this strong-and sometimes touching--motivation which carries the story along through episodes that mix comedy and violence in an inventive, energetic brew. Luffy uses his gum gum power at climactic moments, such as taking out Iron Mace Alvida, a lady pirate whose claim to be the fairest on all the seas is anything but accurate. One Piece is one of the world's most popular manga, having been spun off into a TV show, a video game and merchandising. With Pirates of the Caribbean spearheading a full-on pirate revival, One Piece should have no trouble finding an audience in America.