Chapters · Fish-Man Island › Fish-Man Island

Chapter 613: Mermaid Princess of Shell Tower

Arc: Fish-Man Island · Saga: Fish-Man Island · Released: 2011

Summary

The cursed pirate Vander Decken IX, captain of the Flying Pirates, hurls another homing “Rose Axe” at Princess Shirahoshi from the deck of his crew (with the giant monk Wadatsumi), renewing his decade-long “marry me or die” ultimatum. The axe streaks into Shell Tower — where Luffy, who arrived in her locked room via Megalo while foraging for food, knocks it out of the air. Shirahoshi covers for Luffy when the guards burst in, claiming she only had a bad dream. The soldiers report that the kingdom has decided to imprison the Straw Hats: Zoro has been captured, the others are being hunted, and the crew is suspected of the prophecied “ruin” foretold by Madam Sharley. Alone with Luffy, the giant, weepy mermaid princess explains her ten-year confinement and Vander Decken’s “Mark-Mark curse,” while Luffy bombards her with questions about flowers, the sun, and adventure, pokes her cheek, and resolves to take her outside. At Ryugu Castle’s front entrance, Usopp (debuting his new weapon, Black Kabuto), Nami, Brook and Camie resist arrest until Zoro breaks out of his cell to join them; King Neptune, meanwhile, balks at jailing people over a prophecy. Out in the Fish-Man District, beneath the colossal ancient ship Noah, Vander Decken arrives to forge a “deadly alliance” with Hody Jones of the New Fish-Man Pirates — together they vow to crush Neptune’s army, take the Sea God’s head, and bring total ruin to the kingdom of Ryugu.

New reveals

• Vander Decken IX appears in person — captioned Flying Pirates Captain (Bullhead Shark Fish-Man). He has waited ~ten years for Shirahoshi’s answer and sends her a thrown weapon (“another Rose Axe”) every week. His ultimatum: “You will never live with any man but me! If you do, you’ll die!”

• Wadatsumi, the Giant Monk — captioned Flying Pirates Crew (Tiger Puffer Fish-Man); an enormous, blubbery fish-man on Decken’s deck.

• The “Mark-Mark curse” — Decken “can hit any target he aims at,” which is why Shirahoshi cannot leave Shell Tower; the axe that misses curves back and keeps homing (p. 3, “It’s coming back the other way!”).

• Princess Shirahoshi — the mermaid princess, youngest child and only daughter of King Neptune; a huge, timid, perpetually crying mermaid imprisoned in Shell Tower for ten years, allowed visitors only five minutes at a time, with the shark Megalo as her only friend.

• Vander Decken IX forges a “deadly alliance” with Hody Jones of the New Fish-Man Pirates to overthrow King Neptune — the chapter’s genuinely new villain beat.

• Their shared goal: “We will crush Neptune’s army… take the head of the sea god Neptune… and bring total ruin to the kingdom of Ryugu!”

• Black Kabuto — Usopp’s new weapon, debuted at Ryugu Castle’s front entrance.

• The kingdom moves to imprison the Straw Hats preemptively, on suspicion they will fulfill the ruin-prophecy and that they kidnapped the missing mermaids; Zoro is captured, Luffy is missing, the others are cornered.

• Shirahoshi’s three elder brothers are named: Fukaboshi, Ryuboshi, Manboshi (called out, not shown).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Notable panels

• Page 1 (title page): Opens a new cover series — “Limited Cover Series, No.19: Decks of the World, Vol. 1: ‘News Coo Across the Seas.’” A News Coo flies over the open sea carrying a newspaper headlined “THE RETURN OF THE STRAW HATS.”
• Page 2: Caption box — “Wadatsumi, the Giant Monk — Flying Pirates Crew (Tiger Puffer Fish-Man).”
• Page 3: Caption box — “Vander Decken IX — Flying Pirates Captain (Bullhead Shark Fish-Man).” His marriage-or-death ultimatum splash.
• Page 4: Location splash — “Ryugu Castle, The Kingdom of Ryugu.” Shirahoshi’s scream from Shell Tower.
• Page 13: Location signage — “Front entrance, Ryugu Castle.” Usopp, Nami, Brook and Camie cornered.
• Page 14: Usopp debuts Black Kabuto (“Now behold my new weapon!”); King Neptune deliberates against imprisoning the crew over a prophecy.
• Page 15: Zoro (VIZ: “Zolo”) breaks out of his cell and cuts down the soldiers.
• Page 16: Splash — “Noah, the Fish-Man District.” The colossal ancient ship looms over the district as Decken meets Hody Jones.
• Page 18: Closing gag — Luffy pokes Shirahoshi’s cheek again (“POKE!! PLURT!!”). Volume page 194.

Open questions raised

• Why is one mermaid princess hidden in a sealed tower for ten years and guarded so obsessively — what makes Shirahoshi so important?
• What exactly is the nature of Vander Decken’s “Mark-Mark curse” — must he touch a target to mark it, and can a mark be removed?
• What is the colossal ship Noah, and why is it in the Fish-Man District?
• Can Hody Jones and Vander Decken actually topple the Sea God Neptune, and how does this collide with Sharley’s prophecy that Luffy brings the island’s ruin?
• Will King Neptune’s reluctance protect the Straw Hats, or will the kingdom jail them anyway?

Mentions / first appearances

• Characters: Luffy, Zoro (VIZ “Zolo”; breaks out of jail), Usopp (debuts Black Kabuto), Nami, Brook, Camie, Shirahoshi (first sustained on-page appearance; named p. 10), Vander Decken IX (first on-page appearance; named p. 3), Wadatsumi (recurring — debut Ch. 606; first species/crew caption, named p. 2), Hody Jones (recurring — on-page debut Ch. 611; named p. 16), King Neptune (deliberates p. 14), Megalo (Shirahoshi’s shark), Fukaboshi, Ryuboshi, Manboshi (named p. 4, not shown)
• Crews / groups: Flying Pirates (first appearance), New Fish-Man Pirates, Fish-Men
• Devil Fruits: Mato Mato no Mi (on-page “Mark-Mark curse”)
• Ships: Noah (recurring landmark — first appeared Ch. 608, again Ch. 611)
• Locations: Fish-Man Island, Ryugu Kingdom, Ryugu Castle, Shell Tower, Fish-Man District; the Bowin Islands referenced (Usopp’s training ground)