Important Characters Who Died Before The Story In One Piece

This list will contain spoilers up to the Elbaf story arc of One Piece

Summary

• Corazon saved Law’s life, giving him the Ope Ope No Mi, but was tragically killed by his brother.
• Ryuma, the legendary samurai of Wano, only reappears in reanimated form and had a significant impact on aspiring swordsmen.
• Fisher Tiger, the former Sun Pirates leader, inspired his crewmates, influencing their views on Fishmen vs. humans.

It’s fair to say that Luffy has met a plethora of characters throughout his adventure who have been highly important to the story, though not every One Piece legend is still alive and kicking. As the series has gone on, author Eiichiro Oda has provided fans with a glimpse into the lives of some extremely interesting and important characters through the use of flashbacks.

While Luffy and the Straw Hats will often hear a lot about these individuals from those who were there to witness them in their Prime, what becomes immediately apparent is that these central figures played a big part in molding the modern world of One Piece. That being said, it’s time to reflect on the most important characters in the series who, unfortunately, were long gone by the time that the main story kicked off.

8

Corazon

Corazon Saved Law’s Life By Giving Him The Ope Ope No Mi

• First Appearance: Episode 686

Law plays a pretty big role in the main story, even accompanying the Straw Hats for much of their adventure during the Yonko saga, but it’s highly unlikely that he would even be around at all if it weren’t for Corazon. Unlike his brother Doflamingo, Corazon wasn’t a violent pirate, but instead, a kind-hearted marine who not only saved Law from his Ambe Lead Disease, but also gifted him the Ope Ope No Mi fruit.

Over the course of the series, Law has relied heavily on his Devil Fruit to defeat a myriad of opponents, while also propelling him into the position of becoming a member of the Worst Generation of pirates. Sadly, though, Corazon has not been able to watch Law grow and mature throughout the story, as he was unfortunately killed by his very own brother many years ago, only moments after admitting to a young Law how much he cares about him.

7

Ryuma

Wano’s Legendary Samurai Only Appears In Reanimated Form

• First Appearance: Episode 342

When Zoro finds himself face-to-face with a reanimated Ryuma not long into the Thriller Bark story arc, he jumps at the chance to clash blades with him. The reason Zoro was so eager to test his strength against the skeletal warrior is that Ryuma is renowned as one of the most skilled samurai to ever come out of Wano, which is certainly no easy feat.

Ryuma was killed many years before the One Piece story even kicked off, but since his corpse was retrieved and resurrected by Moria, it means he’s at least able to appear for a brief few moments before disappearing again for good. Considering how often the residents of Wano talk about Ryuma, it’s clear that he’s one of the most important samurai to have ever lived, and his legacy has had a big impact on aspiring swordsmen and women across the world, including Zoro.

6

Fisher Tiger

Many Of The Fishmen Seen In The Series Are Heavily Inspired By Fisher Tiger

• First Appearance: Episode 415

As former leader of the Sun Pirates, Fisher Tiger was seen by many as the figurehead of the Fishmen, and while he was villified by the Marines, this doesn’t mean that Fisher automatically hated every human he laid eyes on. In fact, when Fisher went to Mary Geois to free the slaves who were forced to work there, one group he helped to escape was the Gorgon Sisters, which included Boa Hancock herself.

The reason Fisher Tiger is considered so important, though, is because of the massive influence he had on his fellow crewmates after his death. When trying to return a young human known as Koala back to her hometown, Fisher Tiger was brutally gunned down by a group of Marines. This is the main reason why Arlong would come to see Fishmen as ultimately superior to humans; meanwhile, Jinbe, who was also on Fisher’s crew, realized that this was not the way forward if they wanted to establish equality.

5

Otohime

Otohime Courageously Fought For Peace Between Humans And Fishmen

• First Appearance: Episode 546

When Luffy and the gang arrive in Fishman Island after the two-year timeskip, one name that they hear constantly from the locals is Otohime. Though she’s no longer around to speak with the Straw Hats directly, the crew learns all about her courageous actions from the residents, who describe her career as a political activist. Not only did Otohime aim to create peace and unity between fishmen and humans, she even had the ambitious goal of one day encouraging her people to reach the surface.

Of course, an idea this risky was not met with favor from everyone, including Hody Jones, who would take it upon himself to assassinate Otohime due to his disdain for humans. That being said, her efforts were certainly not in vain, as in the Reverie, Shirahoshi and her brothers would finally reach the surface after many years of being stuck underwater, marking the first steps towards forming a meaningful relationship with humans.

4

Rocks D. Xebec

The Former Captain Of The Most Dangerous Pirate Crew To Have Ever Lived

• First Appearance: Episode 1016

The sudden reveal that Big Mom, Kaido, and Whitebeard were once all on the same pirate crew is one of the most surprising in the entire series, but what’s even more mind-blowing is that they all served under one captain. After all, each of these named individuals is immensely strong, with each of them eventually becoming Yonko, so the fact that they all answered to a mysterious but highly dangerous pirate known only as Rocks Xebec emphasizes just how strong this guy must have been in his heyday.

Throughout his career, Rocks would mercilessly cut down anyone who looked at him and his crew the wrong way, even managing to topple the ferocious giant known as Loki. Not only that, Rocks was even able to stand up against the deadly duo of Garp and Roger, and though Sengoku confirmed that Rocks eventually fell in combat, one only needs to take a look at his subordinates to see how much of an impact he left on the world.

3

Kozuki Oden

The Hero Of Wano Who Managed To Reach The One Piece Treasure

• First Appearance: Episode 960

Many fans assumed that there was inevitably going to be a pretty lengthy flashback during the Wano arc, which would show the history of Oden, considering how frequently he’s mentioned by Kin’emon and the other Red Scabbards. However, nobody could have expected just how wild this guy’s adventure as a pirate truly was, as not only did he sail under the flag of Whitebeard, but he even joined Roger for the last leg of his journey, too.

It was Oden who was relied on to read the Poneglyphs for Roger once they were getting nearer to the One Piece treasure, so without him on board, it’s uncertain whether Roger’s crew would have even achieved their goal in the first place. Not only that, it was Oden who inspired the idea of opening up Wano’s borders, and though he never got to see this become a reality after being murdered by Kaido and Orochi, his dreams lived on through his loyal Red Scabbards.

2

Joy Boy

The Ever-Mysterious Joy Boy Continues To Keep Fans Guessing

• First Mention: Episode 548

Joy Boy is without a doubt one of, if not the most mysterious character in all of One Piece. In fact, all that has been seen of this legendary figure is a silhouette here and there, so while information is scarce, Oda has made it very clear that Joy Boy played a big part in creating the world that Luffy and the other pirates reside in. For example, it was Joy Boy who decided to leave the One Piece treasure on Laughtale, so while Roger deserves a lot of credit for kicking off the Great Pirate era, this ultimately all began with Joy Boy.

He has also been directly mentioned in the Poneglyphs and was even the previous host of the Hito Hito no Mi, which is now owned by Luffy. It’s always a real treat for fans to be able to learn more about the figure known as Joy Boy, and his impact on the world and characters certainly cannot be understated.

1

Gol D. Roger

The King Of The Pirates Inspired An Entire World Of Pirates To Set Sail

• First Appearance: Episode 1

Despite Roger turning himself in after he managed to find the One Piece treasure, before he was taken down for good, he let out what has to be one of the most important speeches in all of anime. Roger ensured that anyone brave enough to sail the Grand Line to reach Laughtale would be able to get their hands on his mysterious treasure for themselves, without spilling the beans on what the One Piece actually is, and even how to find it.

These words inspired pirates from all around the globe to get their crews together and set sail, resulting in the Great Pirate era, which has been going on throughout the entire series. If not for Roger, the Marines could still have total control over much of the world, but his actions encouraged many people to stand up against their oppressors and, if they’re courageous enough, to become fully-fledged pirates. Roger, unfortunately, would not live as long as many of his crewmates due to his incurable disease, but being one of the only people to have seen the One Piece with his own eyes still makes him a legend to many, including Luffy.