Romance Dawn Version 1

The first version of Romance Dawn came out about one year and a half before One Piece started. Luffy's origin is basically the same as in the final version but the story is a bit different. Instead of Higuma, Luffy battles a pirate named Jolly of the Crescent Moon. The art doesn't look much like One Piece yet.

Romance Dawn Version 2

Version 2 of RD is very different from the other two. Luffy is taken aboard a pirate ship where the captain uses magic. He has captured a girl named Anne and her strange pet. Luffy has to save them both and defeat the magic using pirate! It also tells how Luffy got the strawhat from his grandpa, not Shanks. Shank's was not in the story at all. Oda knew Shanks would be in the final version but he wanted to keep it secret so he made Luffy's origin different in this version.

Romance Dawn Final

This final version is the first chapter of the One Piece series. In it, Luffy gains the power of the gomu gomu fruit after accidently eating it. His hero is a pirate captain, "Red Haired" Shanks (赤髪のシャンクス). Shanks saves Luffy from a mountain bandit named Higuma but in the process looses his arm. When Shank's crew departs Luffy's village for the final time he gives Luffy his trademark strawhat and tells him to protect it until they meet again. The final version is similar to the first version of Romance Dawn.