Episode 7: Grand Duel! Zoro the Swordsman vs Cabaji the Acrobat
Air Date: 1999-12-29
Opening: We Are! (1st Opening)
Ending: Memories (1st Ending)
Manga Chapters: 15 (11-19/19), 16 (1-17/17), 17 (1-21/21), 18 (1-19/19), 19 (1-4/19)
Short Summary
The mayor stands up to Buggy, but Luffy knocks him out and faces Buggy himself. Cabaji the acrobat attacks Zoro, and the two engage in a vicious duel with Zoro barely emerging the victor. Luffy then faces Buggy himself, and the two engage in a duel of the Devil Fruit powers.
In-Depth Summary
Zoro and Nami arrive as well as the mayor declares that he will fight Buggy, but Luffy knocks him unconscious. After Luffy calls Buggy a big nose, Buggy orders that Luffy be blown to smithereens by a Buggy Bomb, and so Luffy is fired at. Luffy uses Gomu Gomu no Balloon to bounce the bomb back at them, blowing up the building the Buggy Pirates are standing on. Buggy, however, protects himself with two of his men. Cabaji protects himself with Ritchie, making Mohji angry, and he attacks Cabaji. Cabaji sends him flying with a kick, and Luffy then knocks Mohji out of the air. Buggy orders Cabaji to attack Luffy, but as Cabaji charges on his unicycle, drawing his sword, Zoro blocks the attack, claiming that he will be Cabaji's opponent.
Cabaji and Zoro quickly get into a fight. Cabaji kicks Zoro in the side, who is still wounded, so he falls. Zoro gets up, though, refusing to lose, and the fight continues. Cabaji uses a series of Circus Specials, and he charges right at Zoro, slashing Zoro in the side. Zoro stays standing as Nami decides to leave. Cabaji uses a series of tops before riding up the side of a building and pointing his sword down at Zoro, using Single Flower Vase. Buggy then launches his hand to grab Zoro and hold him, but Luffy stomps on Buggy's hand to stop it. Zoro leaps out of the way of Cabaji's attack just in time. Meanwhile, Nami sneaks past a drunken pirate and starts stealing Buggy's treasure, knocking the drunk pirate out when he finds she is there.
Zoro gets up to face Cabaji one last time, and they charge at each other. Zoro uses Onigiri to take out Cabaji with one slash. He then collapses, and Luffy says he'll take care of the rest. He and Buggy face off, and Buggy says how Luffy's straw hat reminds him of a man he hates. Luffy realizes this is Shanks, and he will pound the answers of his questions out of Buggy. Buggy draws his knives and uses Bara Bara Japanese Cracker, but Luffy narrowly avoids it. Luffy uses Gomu Gomu no Pistol, but Buggy avoids it, leaving Luffy wide open. Luffy then uses Gomu Gomu no Sickle, and Buggy uses Bara Bara Emergency Escape to avoid it, sending Luffy smashing into a building. Luffy emerges from the rubble, and Buggy uses Bara Bara Cannon, knocking back Luffy.
Luffy becomes livid when he finds his hat was knicked. Buggy realizes the hat is precious to LUffy so he attacks again, and he manages to stab right through the hat and take it. Luffy remembers his past with Shanks, and hates Buggy more and more. Buggy then says how much he hates Shanks, and that he will curse him for the rest of his life as the episode ends.
Mumbo230's Notes
We see Zoro square off with another swordsman for the first time in the series. Also, we see the beginning of the first battle between two Devil Fruit users of the series as well. This episode aired with episode 6 and episode 8 on the same date, interestingly enough.
