One Piece: The Best Fishmen Characters

Summary

• Fishmen in One Piece vary in beliefs and motivations, some friendly while others aim for human suffering.
• Memorable Fishmen characters like Wadatsumi, Hachi, and Hody highlight diversity and impact in the series.
• Characters like Fisher Tiger and Jinbe add depth and intriguing backstories to the Fishmen race in One Piece.

It’s not long into Luffy and the gang’s adventure to find the One Piece that they stumble into a group of Fishmen. However, while Arlong and his violent band of pirates made a pretty bad first impression, the truth is, fishmen in the world of One Piece are all different due to their personal beliefs, motivations, and outlooks on the world. While some may want nothing more than to inflict as much human suffering as possible, others are a lot more friendly and compassionate; needless to say, this is a species that is very much divided in its way of thinking.

There are several fishmen who have received a lot more focus from Oda than others though, and it’s been a lot of fun following these characters throughout their portion of the story, even if they’re a villain. For a character to be memorable and intriguing, they need to not only have some kind of impact on the story and characters, but should also have interesting designs, and it’s fair to say the individuals below tick these boxes, becoming some of the most well-known and fascinating fishmen in all of One Piece.

8

Wadatsumi

The Clumsy But Pure-Hearted Wadatsumi Eventually Becomes An Ally Of The Straw Hats

• First Appearance: Episode 525

Admittedly, Wadatsumi doesn’t receive all that much screentime over the course of the series, but while he’s not quite as memorable as many of his peers, this gigantic fishman does still embark on his own little personal character arc. During the Fishman Island arc, Wadatsumi stood up against the Straw Hats and became a real thorn in their sides due to his intimidating size and durability.

However, upon recognizing his mistake, Wadatsumi makes a return at Whole Cake Island to save the Straw Hats from being destroyed by Big Mom’s forces. Wadatsumi’s change of heart and menacing design have made him somewhat of an underrated fishman who deserves a lot more credit than he often gets.

7

Hachi

Hachi’s Whacky Appearance And Close Bond With Luffy Have Made Him A Fan Favorite

• First Appearance: Episode 31

It can be hard to believe nowadays, but there was once a time when Hacchi was more than willing to cross blades with the Straw Hats as an enemy. Considering he’s an octopus, Hachi’s multi-sword style is a real treat to watch in action, but it becomes clear pretty quickly that this guy isn’t someone who loves fighting all that much. After disbanding from Arlong’s crew, Hachi meets the Straw Hats again in Sabaody, this time, in a much calmer and more friendly manner.

Hachi would be the one to guide the Straw Hats around Sabaody, that is until he is shot by the despicable Celestial Dragon known as Charlos, who receives a rude awakening from Luffy who gives him one hell of a punch in response. Hachi may not be super relevant to the wider story of One Piece, but many fans still love him thanks to his absurdly creative design, unique fighting style, and the comic relief he provides any time he reappears.

6

Hody Jones

Hody Is An Intriguing Character Who Highlights How Deep Human Discrimination Runs Among Fishmen

• First Appearance: Episode 527

Despite loathing the existence of humans and wanting nothing more than to kill as many of them as possible, Hody Jones has never actually been discriminated against by them in his life. Instead, his hatred comes from the fact he believes humans refused to give his captain, Fisher Tiger, a blood transfusion in his final moments, despite this not being entirely true. As a result, Hody is essentially a representation of just how deep this racism has run throughout Hody’s race; ignorantly believing this is how humans are without actually seeing if this is the case with his own eyes.

Considering Hody shows up in an arc where a major focus is rekindling the relationship between humans and fishmen, Hody adds an intriguing insight into how these views have become far too widespread and ignorant. Wiping out the entire human race just because of one isolated incident makes Hody a pretty dangerous yet intriguing villain to follow, and his bulked-up fighting style is also pretty flashy to watch whenever he decides to go all-out against Luffy.

5

Kawamatsu

The Mysterious Red-Scabbard Kappa Proves What He’s Truly Made Of During The Wano Arc

• First Appearance: Episode 910

Kawamatsu isn’t a fishman of many words. In fact, the first time he appears in the series, all fans get to see is his eyes piercing through the darkness as he sits alone in a cell at Udon Prison. This already added a lot of mystery to his character, but once he’s finally freed from captivity, he’s revealed to be one of Kozuki Oden’s legendary retainers. Considering he’s a fishman, Kawamatsu had a pretty rough time after washing up in Wano and was only moments from being executed until Oden managed to save him.

As a result, he serves as a reminder to fans that, though fishmen are often shown to be the ones who discriminate, many of the fishmen themselves also face violence when embarking outside their own island. The kappa design for Kawamtsu also makes him pretty memorable, alongside his quick and flashy fighting style which he puts on full display during the raid on Onigashima.

4

Jack The Drought

Jack Is A Violent Fishman Who Boasts Immense Power, Strength, And Influence

• First Appearance: Episode 746

Many fans, understandably so, assumed that Jack the Drought was simply a large human who had consumed a Devil Fruit capable of turning him into a mammoth. After he miraculously escapes being thrown into the sea, though, many began to wonder what exactly is so special about this guy that he could survive such an ordeal being a Devil Fruit user, only for it to be revealed much later down the line that Kaido’s right-hand man is a fishman.

A fishman possessing a Zoan Devil Fruit is already an incredibly unique and interesting template for a character, but the fact a fishman even managed to get into the good graces of a Yonko makes Jack even more fascinating. Of course, it’s hard to talk about the behemoth without also mentioning his massive impact on the story, and more specifically, his utter obliteration of Zou which happened only days before the Straw Hats arrived. He may have been later overshadowed by King and Queen, but Jack is still a fishman who fans continue to discuss and chat about even today.

3

Arlong

Arlong Is The Embodiment Of The Fishmen’s Hatred For Humanity

• First Appearance: Episode 31

When Arlong shows up near the beginning of the series, it’s made pretty clear he has a burning underlying hatred for humans. The fact he manages to take over an entire island, only to then kill Nami’s mother and force the young girl to work under him, presented him as a genuinely terrifying villain whose personal story would be expended much later in Fishman Island.

Witnessing the death of Fisher Tiger at the hands of humans convinced Arlong that every human is a cruel and sadistic individual who deserves to be killed, or at least, used for his selfish gain. Arlong’s deep and memorable backstory, paired with his explosive fighting style which saw him push Luffy to his absolute limit, has made the fishman a fan-favorite villain in the eyes of many, so hopefully, he manages to show up again at some point in the future.

2

Fisher Tiger

A Morally Complex Character Who Becomes A Role Model For Many Of The Other Fishmen

• First Appearance: Episode 415

After becoming a slave of the World Government, Fisher Tiger would come to have a complicated view of the human species. On the one hand, he despised them for how they treated him and his fellow slaves, but it seems as though his views begin to change once he brings a small girl named Koala aboard his ship, who was also a former slave. Upon returning her to her village though, Fisher Tiger is gunned down by a group of Marines in a surprise attack.

Tiger’s death at the hands of the Marines continues to have a lingering lasting effect on the world and the fishmen. For example, Arlong’s hatred for humans would come due to this attack, alongside Hody’s obsession with wiping out the human race entirely. If anything, he is emblematic of the harsh cycle of hatred and vengeance that the two groups just can’t seem to escape from, with his backstory being one of the most emotional, memorable, and important in the entire series.

1

Jinbe

From Disgraced Warlord To A Member Of The Straw Hats, It’s Been An Absolute Blast Watching Jinbe’s Journey Thus Far

• First Appearance: Episode 430

Jinbe makes his debut in the One Piece story shortly before the Marineford War, where he’s locked up in a cell and branded as a disgraced Shichibukai member. As a result, it initially seems as though he may turn out to be a villain, but once he joins in with the attack on Marineford, it’s Jinbei who puts his life on the line to save Luffy numerous times, such as when he protected him from being finished off by Akainu, for example.

At first, this was mainly down to Jinbe’s loyalty to Ace, Luffy’s brother, but eventually, the fishman comes to uncover just how pure-hearted and passionate Luffy truly is as a person. Jinbe’s backstory of how he was affiliated with Fisher Tiger and eventually was forced into slavery is expanded throughout the course of the story, and he gets to show off his devastating fishman karate style on many occasions, including against Big Mom herself. Jinbe has been such a fun character to learn about since he first showed up, and as a new member of the Straw Hat crew, fans can expect to see this lovable fishman for many more episodes and chapters to come.