The Dressrosa Arc is the twenty-seventh story arc in Eiichiro Oda's famous manga and anime series One Piece. It is the second and last arc in the Dressrosa Saga but one of its most central and important within the grand scope of its narrative. This arc covers up to a brilliant 102 manga chapters, marking it as one of the longest in the series. In the anime adaptation, it is 118 episodes long, covering the whole of season 17. The time length of this arc has caused lots of controversy among fans, with some either loving the depth or really criticizing the pacing.
Setting - Alliances - Key Characters
The Dressrosa Arc is set on the island kinggom of Dressrosa, a colorful and detailed location that becomes a battlefield for its many factions. It opens up with the introduction of the Straw Hat Pirates arriving on the island in search of adventures, arising out of the alliance of Trafalgar Law and Monkey D. Luffy formed in the previous arc. The said alliance sets up the premise for the confrontation against the arc's main antagonist, Donquixote Doflamingo.
Doflamingo, a former Warlord of the Sea, rises to a formidable opponent with deep underworld connections. He makes Dressrosa a place of political intrigue and secret agendas, all of which his presence necessarily denotes for both our protagonists and the plot into which they are dragged. The most important character to be ever introduced in the arc is the Marine Admiral Fujitora, with a sense of justice so different from all others that at times it has brought another dimension altogether into the whole series of events.
Early in the arc, the Straw Hats get split up, thus resulting in their getting involved in multiple storylines that weave their way through one another. The narrative structure is actually favorable for showing character development in one of the secondary characters, the gladiator Rebecca's, whose backstory becomes a recurring element in the anime adaptation.
It also features the Revolutionary Army, another faction to add to an already complex political environment. Their mention is grounded within broader themes of justice and rule that flow through One Piece.
Plot Overview – Synopsis
On the other side of the New World, the Dressrosa Arc commences as the Straw Hat Pirates, along with their last-ally-gained member, Trafalgar Law, steered toward the island country of Dressrosa with a mission: destroy the SMILE Factory, known for producing artificial Devil Fruits, and take down the mighty Warlord, Donquixote Doflamingo.
Tensions simmer as the crew gets closer to the island, learning of a shocking development: Doflamingo has resigned from his position as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. This knowledge, quite unexpected, makes the things a little bit more complicated in their plans because the crew now will have to be prepared for an unknown political situation.
It's only after they have finally reached Dressrosa that the group has to search for some time in order to figure out that not everything is as beautiful as their paradise island had first suggested. There are dark secrets and lies that will soon be exposed in this country. The Straw Hats have their own goals and split up, leading to a few different intertwined storylines.
They participate in a gladiatorial fight at the Corrida Colosseum, with the prize being the Mera Mera no Mi, the Devil Fruit that Luffy's late brother, Ace, possessed. This is heavy with a somewhat emotional weight to their mission, as Luffy is determined to prevent anyone else from gaining his brother's power.
As the crew further proceeded, they discovered the dark secret drawn behind the mask in the country, which was flaring with struggles: the brothers pitted against each other, countrymen turned into toys with forgotten humanity, becoming as if they never existed. This revelation sets the stage for a battle far beyond the original mission of the Straw Hats as they become embroiled in a fight for the very soul of Dressrosa.
It gets tougher when the Tontatta, a race of dwarfs who are being exploited and executed within the Doflamingo regime, come into the picture. The Straw Hat crew with their allies will sail through dangerous waters as they will face greater power, discover shocking truths, and fight for the country's freedom against a tyrant.
But as the mysteries of Dressrosa unfold, the layers of complexity surrounding the mission only intensify. The crew finally arrives on the island along with Law, Kin'emon, and Momonosuke, plus a captive Caesar, to make use of their deal with Doflamingo: selling the Warlord on their offer, destroying his SMILE factory, and freeing the kingdom from his grip.
Not soon after, things take a severe turn for the worst. Just when everybody believed that the headlines of Doflamingo's resignation from the Warlord were actually true, the crew finally downs the truth: a true story of Doflamingo reigning Dressrosa, bringing with it oppression and oppression that had haunted the kingdom for years.
Meanwhile, on Green Bit, an island some distance away, Robin and Usopp are stumbling upon something weird. They hear a quarrel going on between Marines and some other group, unknown to them, that seems to indicate there is 'more to this than meets the eye'. This subplot thickens the already complicated plot.
Back to Dressrosa now, there is an important happening at Corrida Colosseum. The stakes, thanks to Ace's Mera Mera no Mi, are far too high for the big shots to turn down from across the Grand Line. Luffy, going under the alias "Lucy," has to make his way through the brutal challenge of the colosseum without giving his identity away. The deeper the story unfolds, the more the full extent of Doflamingo's control over Dressrosa comes into light. All scattered throughout the entire kingdom, such toys turn out to be actual people- existing to their dear ones though erased from everyone else's memory. This is the shocking revelation that makes the mission of the Straw Hats poignant.
The similarities between the two arcs, Dressrosa and the previous Alabasta Arc, are immediately clear to the reader: the takeover of a kingdom by a Warlord and Luffy intervening. At the same time, it has turned into something much different from the former, such as the complicated plot threads in this arc and the scale of the conflict itself with many factions involved and world-shaking revelations.
All of this can be thereby etched out as several important phases to the Dressrosa conflict come to a close. The initial arrival, the battles that unfold in Colosseum, and the happenings of Green Bit pave the way for the dramatic confrontations that would follow. The Tontatta and Straw Hats, spearheading Operation S.O.P. (Sugar's Operation), will assuredly turn out to be a tremendously critical turning point of the story.
The entire Dressrosa realized that the toy citizens were, in fact, its citizens. The spell is broken and chaos will ensue all over the kingdom. Desperate by being cornered by such a turn of events, Doflamingo made his last resort by activating his "Birdcage" technique, entrapping everyone on the island, setting the stage for a final and apocalyptic showdown.
Meanwhile, the Colosseum gladiatorial contest is about to conclude. The new but unexpected allies, along with powerful enemies, spring into action with Ace's Devil Fruit power at the center of the battle. This subplot crosses with the greater scheme of things, thus making things even more complicated than the already intricate plot of this story.
Another crucial moment would be the confrontation between Law and Doflamingo. In that fight, it turns out that the two have deep-set grudges and actually share some really shocking truths from their past. One is, of course, the immediate factor, while the other has more far-reaching significance for the world of One Piece.
As the arc goes on, the unlikely alliances come out in full force. The Straw Hat crew members are forced to fight side by side with former enemies and strange new allies, possibly members of the Revolutionary Army, or even some of the Marines. The kind of coalition of so many forces hints at the amount of threat that Doflamingo and his crew pose.
The climax of the Dressrosa Arc involved the epic fight between Luffy and Doflamingo. Just as much of an exhibition of power, the battle turns into a fight between ideologies and a test of will. The fate of Dressrosa, and possibly the power dynamics in the New World, rests in the balance.
The battle might have concluded, though new challenges are just coming. The grateful people of Dressrosa have something to deal with regarding the Marines, especially when dealing with Admiral Fujitora. That culminates at a crossroads and brutal consequences that would skew the alliances or positions in the world of One Piece.
Battles
Luffy vs. Chinjao
The fight between Monkey D. Luffy and Don Chinjao in Corrida Colosseum was one of the most scorching clashes of this entire arc. It was when two of the strongest warriors, with different powers and fighting styles, clashed.
One legendary pirate of old, Don Chinjao, entered the ring with his infamous head drill technique. His reputation preceded him; he once matched fists with Garp and Roger in his youth. Angered, the battle began, and with just an attack sock-away, Chinjao was easily sending people flying, while Luffy, still in his Lucy disguise, had to try and keep his cover.
The battle quickly intensified with both fighters being benchmarks for each other as Luffy's rubber powers were pitted against the immensely powerful, Haki-enhanced Chinjao. This fight culminates when Luffy finally lands a decisive blow that not only defeats Chinjao but further remodels his head into a drill-like appearance as it did when he was a child after his fight with Garp.
Luffy vs. Doflamingo
The battle truly began after Trafalgar Law was defeated by Doflamingo. Feeling that an ally of his had been defeated, Luffy was angry and thus pitted himself in an all-out confrontation against Doflamingo. The fight can be described as very much similar to the classic shonen battles wherein Doflamingo, at the very beginning, had the upper hand due to his stronger base form, while Luffy relied on transformative abilities in order to even things out.
This battle was joined across episodes, starting from 721 to 728, showing just how intense and complicated the confrontation was. Luffy used all his tricks with Gears, introducing his hyper-powerful Gear Fourth, against Doflamingo's all-powerful String-String Fruit abilities.
Doflamingo was yet another powerful enemy whose awakened Devil enabled him to control the environment, making him able to unleash calamitous attacks. That epic battle would rid Dressrosa of his yoke but seal the fate of Luffy as a New World player—a Warlord of the Sea slayer.
Zoro vs. Pica
Of the entire group of subordinates that Doflamingo had, Pica, possessing powers from the Stone-Stone Fruit, could merge and control immense stone structures. The fight was marked by continuous pursuit on the part of Zoro, while Pica himself constantly evaded this direct confrontation by manipulating the landscape. This cat-and-mouse game nudged Zoro to demonstrate not just his swordsmanship but his tactical acumen as well.
Later on during the fight, Zoro showed the viewers that he was capable of coating his swords in Busoshoku Haki in preparation for Pica's Haki-based attacks. At the very end of the fight—with Zoro flying and in front of the colossally stone Pica—Zoro conducted a strong flying slash technique which defeated Pica and even bisected the amazingly large stone structure.
Franky vs. Senor Pink
The battle of Franky and Senor Pink was the most emotionally charged and at times even surprisingly poignant fight in the Dressrosa Arc. From a somewhat comical clash of two flamboyant characters, it developed into the touching story of honor and personal tragedy.
Senor Pink, in his creepy "hard-boiled" baby suit, seemed to appear as a gag, but the more it was in the fight, the more his sad backstory explained how he ends up dressing and acting the way he did. This fight was one of endurance and will—the two combatants had a "manly" contest in which they tested how much of each other's strongest attacks they could take. Franky's cybernetic enhancements were pitted against Senor Pink's Swimming abilities allowed by his Devil Fruit.
By the battle's end, Franky came out on top, but prior to that, both fighters had come to respect each other.
Kyros vs. Diamante
The fight between Kyros and Diamante was very personal, even voll of history, as Kyros—the former gladiator now a toy—faced Diamante, one of Doflamingo's highest executives and the man responsible for the death of Scarlett, Kyros's wife.
While there had never been any doubt about Diamante's reputation as a fearless fighter, Kyros' will and skills turned out to be enough to be matched with that of the executive. The battle was really high class: with the powers of Flag-Flag Fruit, Diamante creates dangerous weapons and traps, while Kyros relies on legendary swordsmanavering resolve.
The battle culminated at the grave of Scarlett, which helped make the fighting a little more emotional. In a poetic turn of events, Kyros brought down Diamante with one strong attack, knocking him back onto Scarlett's marker over her grave. Effectively, this changed the balance of the fight at Dressrosa, as it weakened Doflamingo's forces and dispensed a measure of justice to the long-suffering people of the.
Sabo vs. Fujitora
The fight between Sabo, the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, and Admiral Fujitora turned out to be the highlight of the Dressrosa Arc for the fight between two people with really contrasting ideologies in such a form. This happened during Luffy's momentous march to Doflamingo's stronghold and served to heighten the tension of what was taking place.
Having eaten Ace's Flare-Flare Fruit recently, Sabo was put into good use with his newer powers of fire. What made the fight even more emotional in weight was that he was using the same power of the Devil Fruit once wielded by Luffy's brother. Sabo combined his revolutionary techniques with the explosive power of fire to result in an overall mighty offense.
On the other side was Admiral Fujitora, with powers in gravity manipulation and masterful swordsmanship at his disposal. His Devil Fruit power gave him the ability to manipulate forces of gravity, hence quite a problem for Sabo. Fujitora was blind, a disability that was not one due to his developed Observation Haki, filling in this deficiency by providing him with a stand-in for his eyesight.
This was truly a high-order fight as both fighters gave their skill in Haki. In the process, while Sabo showed competence in both Armament and Observation Haki, it was Fujitora's mastery of Observation Haki that gave him the edge and high degree of advantage in being able to gauge and counter Sabo's movements. Thus, the outcome of this battle remained a little ambiguous since neither fighter came out with a clear victory.
Law vs. Doflamingo
The battle between Trafalgar Law and Donquixote Doflamingo was certainly the most heated and personal confrontation in the Dressrosa Arc. This fight was fueled by a deep-seated history between the two, with Law seeking revenge against his former captain and benefactor.
With the powers of Ope-Ope Fruit, Law was able to add versatility and strategy to the fight. The ability granted him the powers to form a "Room" in which everything is at his whims of desire; he is very formidable. His mind was tactical and resourceful with regard to using his powers to the very last bit since he kept catching Doflamingo off guard.
On the other side, Doflamingo proved to be feared as one of the strongest Warlords of the Sea. His powers of the String-String Fruit were executed with brutal efficiency that helped him dominate his surroundings and even repair grievous injuries. The battle showed he had combat experience and was ruthless.
There were a number of shocking moments in this fight. One of the most brutal scenes was when Doflamingo shot Law several times at point-blank range; this was more than enough proof that the Warlord would not stop at anything. In spite of that bitter setback, the will and strength to keep on fighting remained within Law. That soon changed, though, as the difference in battle strength and endurance became very clear in favor of the former. Although he lost in the end, Law's fight with Doflamingo was crucial in weakening the Warlord enough to the point that Luffy had to finish him.
Usopp vs. Sugar
Sugar was a menace in her own league with the powers of Hobby-Hobby Fruit. Having turned people into toys, making them invisible to everyone's memories, she was a big tool in Doflamingo's operations. Usopp was relied on by all for his long-range attacks and clever tactics, but now faced quite a bad character.
It was amidst such high pressure that the climax of the battle occurred. Just as Sugar was about to turn Luffy and Law into toys, Usopp did a desperate move. With his trusty slingshot, he fired a projectile but not just any projectile; it was a super-spicy grape. Since sugar did not expect such an unconventional attack, she was totally caught off guard.
The nature of Sugar as a permanent child because of the power of her Devil Fruit lay the basis for the success of Usopp's attack. This was so spicy that it made Sugar faint from shock, canceling her abilities and reverting the toy transformations around Dressrosa. This victory was very important for Usopp's character development. Although he lost in the beginning and had some questionable moments, he still had to complete his mission in a manner that showed his job as sniper and strategist of the crew perfectly.
Robin vs. Gladius
This was a part of the Dressrosa battle and Robin fighting back to protect her allies in order to push forward their mission. With powers from the Flower-Flower Fruit, she could make limbs pop out of any surface, which benefited her in very unique ways when she had to both offend and defend herself. This also proved how smart she really is during a fight.
With the powers of the Pop-Pop Fruit, Gladius had grown to be a hazardous enemy. His ability to detonate any touched, non-living object created highly dangerous conditions for Robin. Gladius's fighting style depended on this ability for surprise attacks, field control, and general fighting.
The fight had Robin ingeniously using her powers to counter Gladius's explosive attacks by creating clones and large body parts to block explosions and launch surprise attacks from behind. This was how Robin showed growth as a fighter, proving she could stand on even ground with a strong foe in battle.
The fight did, however, show a little of the limitations that Robin possessed in battle. She could successfully counter Gladius but really had problems actually hitting him with a decisive attack, possibly showing that most of her strengths are in support and for defense rather than direct offense. The result of this battle was never shown as it was interrupted by other events in the arc.
Bartolomeo vs. Gladius
Bartolomeo, a new pirate and one of the Straw Hat crew's biggest fans, ended up pitted against Gladius, one of Doflamingo's highest-ranking officers. The Barrier-Barrier Fruit would make him a tremendous defender since it allowed him to ineffectively create impenetrable barriers. He could form barriers of any shape and size; this added both offensive and defensive abilities. He showed very resourceful uses for his barriers during the fight from just blocking Gladius' explosions to providing platforms to move around on.
Gladius, by the virtue of his Pop-Pop Fruit abilities, made him a dangerous constant liability for Bartolomeo and whoever else happened to be near him. Gladius planned to break through his defenses by making explosions in multiple, unforeseen directions and higher degrees.
The battle was marked with Bartolomeo's strong will to protect his fellow allies and idols, the Straw Hat crew. This willpower allowed him to tolerate Gladius's relentless assault and look for countermeasures. Bartolomeo's style changed through the fight, finally using the "Barrier Bulls" technique—a very strong form of offense where the barriers worked as some kind of ramming device. At the height of the battle, such an invulnerable defense combined with surprisingly effective offense turned out to be too much for Gladius. That was the end of the battle, and Bartolomeo won by knocking Gladius out with Barrier Bulls.
Arc's Crucial Consequences
One of the most direct and major effects of the arc was the global panic that resulted from Doflamingo's resignation as a Warlord of the Sea. Islands around the world were thrown into chaos, now bereft of the Doffy Underworld businesses.
The arc was one of the most essential steps for Luffy to achieve his dream of becoming the Pirate King. He defeated a powerful Warlord, Doflamingo, therefore increasing his reputation even more and bringing himself closer to achieving the Emperor title. More importantly, during the fight against Doflamingo, Luffy revealed Gear Fourth.
The Straw Hat Grand Fleet was born at the end of the Dressrosa Arc, a really important move. Seven able pirate captains stepped up and vowed to follow Luffy, thereby enlarging his influence and support network. More than this, in this arc, the backstory of Law and his past with the Donquixote Pirates was shown, adding so much depth into his character and making his motives finally clear.
The key discovery in the arc would be the fact that Sabo survived and has Ace's Flame-Flame Fruit powers. The development of Admiral Fujitora truly adds another layer to what the Marines are doing in the story. Aftermath The arc saw a division in the Straw Hat crew, as some of its members set off for new adventures while others remained to deal with the fallout in Dressrosa.
Newly Added Characters
The Dressrosa Arc was filled with a number of new characters within the One Piece world, providing different abilities and personalities to help further develop the plot. Let's explore some of the most notable additions:
Donquixote Doflamingo: He is the main antagonist of this arc, a former Celestial Dragon, and also one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. He has eaten the String-String Fruit, which he uses to control strings most lethal in nature. He stands among the strongest antagonists in the series due to his intricate backstory and ruthless nature.
Fujitora: This is the new Admiral, otherwise known as Issho, who brings in a completely different element into the forces of the World Government. Although blind, Fujitora happens to be an overwhelmingly powerful character. He has powers relating to gravity from his Devil Fruit. With a sense of justice often crossing paths with his duties as an Admiral, he becomes a very interesting character.
Rebecca: A gladiateur nicknamed "The Undefeated Woman," Rebecca is a member of the former Riku Royal Family. With her talent in the use of the sword, combined with her tragedy-laden past, she becomes a sympathetic and interesting character.
Riku Doldo III: Known better as the former king of Dressrosa, Ricky plays a major role in uncovering the dark past of the country. His wisdom, as much as it is important to the people, makes a strong contrast between him and the tyrant Doflamingo.
Sabo: Although not entirely new, the return of Sabo has some meaning in this arc. As Luffy's long-lost brother and chief of staff of the Revolutionary Army, he brings both emotional depth and political intrigue. He is a powerful ally, having been given Ace's former power through consuming the Flame-Flame Fruit.
The Tontatta Tribe: These little warriors bring much flavor to the arc; their innocence and determinism offer comic relief while proving pivotal support to the main characters.
Bartolomeo: A rookie pirate, he's a self-claimed Straw Hat fanboy. Bartolom Barrier-Barrier Fruit abilities make him a very valuable ally. His fanboying on Luffy brings some humor into the serious tone of the arc.
Cavendish: The narcissistic but highly skilled swordsman captain of the Beautiful Pirates brought another dimension into the fights at the Colosseum. His split personality as Hakuba makes him the most unpredictable.
Senor Pink: Being a part of Doflamingo's crew, Senor Pink's "hard-boiled" persona is mixed with tragedy that makes him a rather sympathetic antagonist.