Flying Fish Riders
Profile
Flying Fish Riders — a notorious kidnapping gang that rides flying fish which, after leaping from the sea, can stay airborne for ~5 minutes (Ch. 491 p. 18). Led by the iron-masked Duval. They stop every ship passing through the Sabaody Archipelago waters hunting a specific target and supply the area’s human-trafficking trade; they allied with the Macro Pirates to capture Hatchan (pp. 7-8, 14).
Notable events
- Ch. 491 — first appears ambushing the Thousand Sunny from the air near Grove 44 (pp. 16-18); reports Camie’s mermaid sighting to their boss Duval.
- Ch. 492 — Duval’s full on-page intro; the gang’s base — Flying Fish Riders’ Hideout, a town built out at sea east of the Sabaody Archipelago — is shown, with Hatchan caged there by their hired Macro Gang. The Riders surround the Sunny underwater at chapter’s end (pp. 17-19).
- Ch. 493 — the Riders assault the Straw Hats in waves over their “home turf” (p. 9); Brook’s sleep-music “Lullaby Parry” and Hatchan’s six-sword style help rout them. At the cliffhanger the masked, horned boss (Duval) looms over Luffy — “You know me… don’t you?” — his face and grudge still withheld (chapter title: “You Know Me”). See Iron Mask Duval Hides A Grudge Against A Straw Hat.
- Ch. 494 — at the Riders’ sea-fortress hideout the gang attacks the Straw Hats with orders to “kill everyone”; boss Duval charges in on his iron-masked bison Motobaro wielding poison Scorpion Harpoons (fatal within three minutes). Luffy tears off Duval’s mask, exposing the face behind the Riders’ vendetta — a perfect match for Sanji’s wanted-poster sketch (the source of the grudge); Sanji answers with a kick (pp. 5-19). See Sanji Wanted Poster Lens-Cap Black Photo Running Gag.
- Ch. 495 — the gang’s sea-fortress base and most of its flying fish are destroyed by the Thousand Sunny’s Gaon Cannon (pp. 12-13); the Riders mount fast flying fish and wear oxygen tanks to fight underwater for several minutes (p. 6), but the mermaid Camie still out-swims them to rescue Sanji. Boss Duval charges on Motobaro — the bull is KO’d by Luffy without a touch — and Duval is defeated by Sanji’s Parage Shot (pp. 16-19). See Sanji Parage Shot First Named Kick Technique, Thousand Sunny Gaon Cannon Main Weapon Debut.
- Ch. 496 — renamed the “Rosy Life Riders.” After Sanji restructures boss Duval’s face, a now-handsome Duval catches the departing Thousand Sunny, renames the gang the “Rosy Life Riders” (alias), gives the crew his Transponder Snail number, and parts from the Straw Hats as an ally (pp. 4-7).
- Ch. 499 — named again (not shown this chapter): when Camie is kidnapped by Peterman’s Hound Pets, Hatchan/the group move to “call in the Flying Fish Riders” for help — “there are pros for this sort of thing” (p. 19). The now-allied Riders are the crew’s go-to for a rescue on the water.
Cross-links
- Boss: Duval
- Base: Flying Fish Riders’ Hideout
- Allied gang: Macro Pirates
- Mark: Straw Hat Pirates / Thousand Sunny
- Mysteries: Iron Mask Duval Hides A Grudge Against A Straw Hat