My Childhood, Day Seven: The Thrill of "Kaizokou" Life in "One Piece"

*I have decided to dedicate this week (one blog entry a day) to a revisiting of my favorite and most memorable aspects from childhood. Whether they were manifested in cartoons, films, or television shows, their memories have continued to stay with me, even long after I got older and abandoned them for other "mature" forms of entertainment. This is not to say that they have shaped or changed my life in dramatic ways, but they have served as feel-good reminders for the simple, good ol' days. It's not bad to reminisce, not at all, and I think that it is important to do so. Nostalgia, I believe, is like meditation: simplifying complicated matters in adulthood into a single breath of pure, unadulterated pleasure.

I remember getting hooked on One Piece when I was around 11 or 12 years old. I was going through this crazy manga phase where I would just consume Japanese graphic novels like soda. Day after day, night after night. I read the mangas, I watched the animes. No dubs- I made sure that it was kept as organically as possible.

Although One Piece is shonen (geared towards males), I didn't care. Personally, I felt that it appealed universally, with its themes of camaraderie, hakuna matata outlook, and adventure on the high seas. There may have been some blood and violence involved, but no gore. There might also have been swearing and bare skin shed, but not excessively. For all I cared, it was PG-13. And that was completely fine in my preteen eyes.

For those who are not familiar with the story, One Piece is about a group of pirates (known as kaizokou in Japanese) who embarks on a perpetual, timeless adventure through the Grand Line (an area considered dangerous, but adventurous all the while) to obtain the much-coveted "One Piece," a treasure unbeknownst to mankind. Along the way, the pirates encounter fellow pirates, new lands and enemies, and lots and lots of action. The group is led by Monkey D. Luffy, who as a child ate a Devil's Fruit (the Gum-Gum Fruit) which causes him to develop super-elastic powers, but as a consequence is unable to swim. Ironies aside, Luffy sets out to become the greatest pirate of them all.

Monkey D. Luffy.

I first read the manga, then watched the anime. Both were wonderful. The manga was chock-full of vivid illustrations and actions. The characters may not have looked "pretty" (compared to shojo art), but the caricature aspects made the graphic novel as a whole facetiously entertaining. It didn't matter that Sanji had a curly eyebrow and Usopp looked like an overgrown monkey; each character had their quirks, which paired perfectly with the easygoing and fun nature of the story. That, as well as Luffy's happy-go-lucky demeanor, taught me not to take life too seriously. I would marathon the anime series with my sister over the weekends and during the summer, watching the episodes back to back, even eating breakfast and lunch in front of the computer screen (the episodes were burned onto a CD. Legally or illegally, I don't know). The viewing sessions got so intense, that we once watched a total of 11 episodes in one sitting! Considering that each episode was 23 minutes, that's over four hours! Imagine what could one do with all of that time.

By far, my favorite character was Zoro. Roronoa Zoro. He was the epitome of cool, with his muscular physique, three swords, and I-don't-give-a-crap attitude towards life. Even his green hair was pretty rad. Everyone wanted to be like him, wielding his three weapons like a bamf and cutting through anything in his path, including rocks and steel. I think I sort of fell in love with him.

Zoro... <3

Sadly, my affair with One Piece eventually came to a stop. As I hit my mid-teens, I gradually lost track of the series and filled my day with other sources of entertainment, including cooking shows, world news, and other, more "adult" programs. The last arc that I recall watching from the series was the one on Skypeia, where the Going Merry, Luffy's ship, gets propelled to the sky and the crew gets acquainted with the inhabitants up there. That must have been so long ago by now. And because it has been years since I last watched One Piece, I am discouraged from returning to it. Even if I dedicated myself to watching it everyday, it would take months, maybe a year, to catch up. Additionally, with my "responsibilities" of being an adult (i.e. college, work, etc.), I simply do not have time. It's very unfortunate. Yet, the experience has left me with valuable memories and lessons. One Piece has taught me fearlessness, to push yourself amid the pain and for that goal, however unattainable it may seem. It has given me the concept of camaraderie, with friends new and old- having their backs through good and bad times and making every experience with them quality. These lessons may sound cheesy and clichéd, but their optimistic energy is infectious. We should try to strive for this mentality, in order to live a fruitful life.

That sums up my week of childhood nostalgia. I hope that the blogs have inspired you to recall your favorite memories and pick up the lessons that you may have learned. Thank you for reading!