One Piece’s East Blue saga introduced some of the best and coolest fan-favorite characters who defined the anime’s early days.

One Piece is a shonen voyage of epic length, divided not just into story arcs, but entire sagas made up of a few arcs each. Luffy’s journey began with the East Blue saga, made up of several short story arcs that introduced many of One Piece‘s core characters, including the first five Straw Hat pirates.

The East Blue saga may lack the epic battles, drama, and worldbuilding of later storylines such as the Water 7 saga and Marineford, but at the time, the East Blue was one of shonen’s coolest sagas, complete with some stylish, cool characters to match. The coolest East Blue characters captivated fans with their stylish outfits, weapons, and cool, confident attitudes.

10Usopp The Liar Was Oddly Compelling

Usopp was a pretty silly character at first, much like protagonist Monkey D. Luffy, but he quickly endeared himself to One Piece fans in the Syrup Village story arc with his good heart and impressively stubborn will. Usopp only had tricks and lies on his side, but he still fought bravely to protect Kaya.

Usopp surprised fans many times with his clever tricks and his resourceful thinking, which made him cooler and more compelling than a goofy character like him would normally be. He also had a neat backstory concerning his desire to finally meet his father Yasopp, who’s part of Shanks’ crew.

9Nami Would Give Anything For Her Hometown

Nami made her debut in the Orange Town battle against Captain Buggy, with Nami being a skilled navigator and cartographer with a heartbreaking backstory. Nami was pretty cool as a lovable tsundere supporting character, but she also had unfinished business back home.

Nami pushed herself to amass a fortune of berries to buy back her hometown from Arlong. She did an impressive job walking on a knife’s edge, keeping Arlong happy while not fully betraying Luffy’s group. In the end, Arlong went down, and Nami fully joined Luffy’s crew as a loyal shipmate.

8Don Krieg Was Ready For War

Captain Don Krieg was fairly shallow and straightforward as a One Piece villain, but he still wowed fans with his formidable weaponry and tough armor. Don Krieg led an entire armada of pirates into the fearsome Grand Line, only to return in tatters and target the Baratie restaurant ship next.

Don Krieg was just a boss battle of a villain and had little impact beyond that. Still, Don Krieg was fairly cool and intimidating as a burly, well-armored pirate captain loaded with hard-hitting weapons and a merciless attitude during his battles with the Baratie‘s defenders.

7Chef Zeff Was A Warrior-Cook

Chef Zeff fought hard to defend the Baratie from Don Krieg’s assault, and he was also Sanji Vinsmoke’s boss and role model. Zeff and Sanji often annoyed each other as fellow tsunderes, but they respected one another greatly, with Zeff being Sanji’s foster father of sorts.

Zeff is cool because he’s a tough, caring, and highly skilled warrior-cook who is equally formidable in the kitchen and in a fight. He also nobly gave up his foot and nearly starved to death so Sanji could eat while they were stranded on a tiny rocky island years ago.

6Captain Kuro Was Despicable But Had Style

Captain Kuro was one of the East Blue saga’s evilest characters, and aside from sheer style, he had no redeeming qualities to him. He once faked his death and took on the name Klahadore, being Kaya’s loyal butler so he could scheme to seize Kaya’s family fortune one day.

Captain Kuro was a noxious villain and a bully, and fans couldn’t wait for the Straw Hats to take him down. Still, Captain Kuro was admittedly pretty cool with his stone-cold attitude, his stylish suit, his brilliant plans, and most of all, his deadly fighting style with his ten swords on his fingers.

5Captain Smoker Chased Luffy Out Of Loguetown

Smoker was introduced as Marine captain in the short Loguetown story arc, just as the East Blue saga was ending. Smoker didn’t say or do a whole lot, but he still stood out as a serious, skilled Marine with a love of cigars and justice alike.

Smoker and his subordinate, Tashigi, went after the Straw Hats in Loguetown and nearly captured them. Smoker also showcased his Logia-type Devil Fruit, which could turn his body into smoke, and his smart use of a sea prism staff to negate Luffy’s own Devil Fruit abilities.

4Sanji Vinsmoke Was Sharply Dressed For Battle

Sanji Vinsmoke made his debut alongside Chef Zeff in the Baratie story arc as a tough chef with excellent culinary skills and a mean kick. Sanji was an instant hit with his cool hairstyle, suave tsundere personality, and amazingly slick outfit.

Sanji impressed Luffy with his excellent cooking, and he fought well against Don Krieg’s pirates until it was Luffy’s turn to finish the fight. He also amused One Piece fans with his intense love for all the ladies, including his very one-sided but innocent infatuation with Nami.

3Roronoa Zoro Was A Bounty Hunter Turned Pirate

Roronoa Zoro appeared very early in the East Blue saga, and he was the first person whom Luffy recruited to his crew. Zoro has always been one of One Piece’s coolest and most popular characters thanks to his three-sword style, his confident tough-guy attitude, and his scowling expression.

In the East Blue saga, Zoro lost to Dracule Mihawk, then vowed to never lose a fight again, a defining moment in his character arc. He also helped take down Arlong’s best men in Arlong Park, and he also took on Captain Kuro’s best men two on one.

2Red-Haired Shanks Helped Launch Luffy’s Voyage

Red-haired Shanks appeared almost immediately in One Piece‘s East Blue saga as a patient and wise captain who didn’t pick unnecessary fights, even when Higuma provoked him. Shanks didn’t do much serious fighting and didn’t use Haki, but he was still way cool in those early days.

Shanks set an excellent example of what a pirate captain should aspire to be like, and he graciously gave his straw hat to Luffy as a gesture of faith in the boy. Shanks soon vanished after that, but One Piece fans didn’t forget him, and neither did Luffy.

1Dracule Mihawk Has Some Serious Style

Dracule Mihawk interrupted the Baratie battle when he sailed onto the scene aboard his tiny ship, and Roronoa Zoro took notice. Mihawk was famed as a warlord of the sea and the world’s greatest swordsman. Zoro challenged him, only to lose without Mihawk even needing his great sword Yoru.

Mihawk really stood out with his ultra-cool outfit, personality, and a fearsome, oversized sword. He didn’t even show 10% of what he’s capable of in the East Blue, but he still had an impact on One Piece viewers as a swordsman they should look forward to seeing again.