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"Romance Dawn" represents the slow progression of the author's ideas in his desire to create a manga about pirates, whose inspiration was drawn largely from his own childhood interests. While still an assistant to '' Rurouni Kenshin '' author Nobuhiro Watsuki , Oda began sketching ideas for such a manga in a notebook that he would eventually fill completely. From these drawings, he started refining the story into what would become "Romance Dawn," and later, ''One Piece''. All 3 versions were published in '' Weekly Shonen Jump '' magazine, with the final incarnation published exactly one year after the first. The author made significant alterations to the premise and plot over the course of the three chapters, which will be examined in-depth below. "ROMANCE DAWN," VERSION 1 This, the initial telling of "Romance Dawn," is 48 pages in length, and was first published as a 4-08-872311-1), where it is reprinted in its entirety along with a page of commentary by the author. Plot synopsis The story opens with young pirate Monkey D. Luffy spotting a pirate ship in the distance, and setting his Skiff , the ''Märchen'' (adorned with 4 different pirate flags), after it. Meanwhile, the residents of a town on the shore are panicking as they realize that the pirate ship of "Crescent-Moon Galley" (三日月のギャリー ''Mikazuki no Gyarī'') is approaching. The mayor advocates paying off the pirates to save their town without a fight, but the townspeople argue that money won't be enough. Still, armed resistance would be too reckless to try. A young, sword-carrying woman named Silk (シルク ''Shiruku'') speaks up, saying that they should fight, but the townspeople dismiss her, telling her that it would only make the problem a large one. She resists this argument, but the mayor tells them that he'll attempt to speak to the pirates while the rest of the town stays safe. As the pirate ship arrives, the townspeople panic at the figure, whom they believe to be Galley. Luffy, however, has subdued Galley and his crew, and is now looking for somewhere to eat. Galley claims that he was only caught off-guard, and demands to know what Luffy thinks he's doing, but the young man replies that he didn't want to fight, but Galley's men gave him no choice. Galley responds by saying that Luffy's made an enemy of one of the 3 most fearsome pirates there are, but realizes mid-sentence that Luffy is no longer there. Luffy walks through the streets of the village, commenting on the lack of people. The mayor approaches him, asking for what he can do for the pirate, and Luffy asks where a restaurant is. The mayor hurriedly directs him to one, but panics after Luffy goes in when he realizes that Silk is also inside. Silk attacks him immediately, but Luffy hurriedly explains that he is not a pirate, but a candidate for one. As Luffy begins to eat, Silk comments on how weak he looked, and asks about Galley's ship. Luffy's attention, however, is solely on his food. Between bites, he begins to tell her how he's going to become a "Peace Main." He explains that there are different kinds of pirates in the world: the ones that go around indiscriminately plundering are called "Morgania," while those who go on lots of adventures are called "Peace Main." He wants to recruit Peace Main crewmembers, but the world is full of Morgania types, who just want to loot and plunder. He then asks Silk if she has any treasures. When she questions what he means, he tells her that his hat is his treasure, but it's not really his. A long time ago, a Peace Main pirate made the town where he lived his home port... Luffy, as a child, is being made fun of by Red-Haired Shanks and his crew, who tell him that to be a pirate would be fatal for a Hammer like him. Luffy shouts that he'll be okay as long as he doesn't fall overboard, so they should take him on their next voyage. Shanks tells him sure, in 10 years. Shanks admits that Luffy has guts, going out day after day in a boat, but... just then, Luffy eats a fruit he found, and Shanks & crew react with horror. It turns out that the fruit is none other than the "Gum-Gum Fruit," the fruit of a mysterious tree that grows (or doesn't) once every 50 years, and which they stole from an enemy ship. Luffy is indifferent until Shanks reveals that because he ate it, he'll never be able to swim. Luffy is shocked, but later (after regaining his composure), he rows out into the sea, telling himself that he'll be all right as long as he doesn't fall into the water. Unfortunately, his ship is attacked by a shark, and Luffy calls out for help. He seems just about to be eaten, when shanks steps in, and tells the shark to get lost. Luffy looks on in horror as he realizes that Shanks also lost his left arm in the process. When it comes time for Shanks and his crew to move on, Luffy begs them to let him come too, but Shanks tells him no. Instead, he leaves his straw hat with Luffy, and tells him to give it back, after he becomes a pirate. Back in the present, Silk reveals that she's heard of "Red-Haired Shanks," one of the most famous pirates in existence, but that she hasn't heard any negative rumors about him. She also tells Luffy that she, herself, is the child of a pirate, albeit an abandoned child. "ROMANCE DAWN," VERSION 2 The second version of "Romance Dawn" is 44 pages long, and was originally published in ''Weekly Jump'' 1996 issue #41. It has since been reprinted, along with a page of author commentary, in the Eiichiro Oda early-works compilation ''WANTED!'' (1998; ISBN 4-08-872631-6). Plot summary |
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