In the One Piece manga, the Fish-Men are a species that live in the depths of the Grand Line. Luffy and his Straw Hat crew encounter them for the first time during the Fish-Man Island arc. These half-human, half-fish beings possess unique abilities, such as breathing underwater and communicating with marine creatures. Unfortunately, their history is marred by discrimination and tensions with humans in the New World.
Among them, you’ll find both allies of the Straw Hats, like Jinbe, and series antagonists, like Hody Jones. Discover all the Fish-Man characters in the One Piece series.
Fish-Men in One Piece
Jinbe: The Paladin of the Seas
Jinbe is the blue-skinned whale shark fish-man of the Straw Hat crew. He grew up in the Fish-Man district alongside Fisher Tiger, Arlong, and other orphans. A prodigy of Fish-Man Karate, he joined Neptune’s Army and later the Pirates of the Sun led by Fisher Tiger, eventually becoming its captain after Tiger’s death. To strengthen the bonds between Fish-Men and humans, Jinbe even became a Warlord for a time.
He meets Luffy for the first time at Impel Down, where they try to help Ace escape from the Marine prison. During the Summit War, they fight alongside Whitebeard in an attempt to save Ace, though Ace ultimately succumbs to his injuries. Jinbe manages to escape with a devastated Luffy and later helps him overcome his grief on Amazon Lily. Thus, a strong friendship and unwavering loyalty are forged.
Two years later, he reunites with Luffy’s crew on Fish-Man Island. Together, they foil the coup by the New Fish-Man Pirates led by Hody Jones and save the Ryugu Kingdom. Luffy then offers Jinbe a place among the Straw Hats, but he declines, being bound to the Big Mom crew that protects the island. Nevertheless, the two friends promise to meet again!
The time to fulfill that promise arrives during the Whole Cake arc. At Sanji’s wedding, Jinbe announces to Big Mom that he is leaving her crew to join the Straw Hats. After bravely withstanding the Empress’s wrath, he helps the Straw Hats escape Totto Land. He later joins them in Wano as the helmsman and the tenth member of the crew. Together, they will do everything in their power to foil the plans of the World Government and crown Luffy as the next Pirate King!
Fisher Tiger
Fisher Tiger was a dorado-type Fish-Man, standing over 5 meters tall. Born a slave, he was marked with the Celestial Dragons’ seal on his chest. One day, he seized weapons and rebelled alone against the Tenryubito and the Marines at Mariejois, freeing countless slaves in the process. To hide his slave mark, he tattooed himself with the sun symbol that would become the emblem of his future crew.
After escaping from Mariejois, Fisher Tiger founded the Pirates of the Sun, a pirate crew composed solely of Fish-Men. Among its famed members were Jinbe, Arlong, Hachi, and Aladin. Their Jolly Roger bore a red sun, a symbol of freedom for Tiger.
The Pirates of the Sun raided Marine ships, plundering their valuables. Their captain was reputed to have a bounty of 230 million berrys. Fisher Tiger also took in a young human slave named Koala, whom he decided to return to her home—a decision that profoundly changed him.
After escorting Koala, Fisher Tiger fell into an ambush set by the Marines. Gravely injured, he refused a human blood transfusion, preferring to die rather than have that blood in his veins.
On his deathbed, he urged his crew to not hate humans and to keep the truth hidden from the Fish-Men. He acknowledged that there were good humans like Koala and that he would have liked to help Queen Otohime in her cause. Yet the pain of his past as a slave still prevented him from loving humans.
Arlong
Arlong is a sawshark-type Fish-Man, standing over 2.5 meters tall and boasting a muscular build. He has blue skin, red eyes, and a long saw-shaped nose—his primary weapon. He considers Fish-Men to be a superior race destined to dominate humans, whom he treats like livestock. His hatred for humans stems from the slavery and discrimination endured by his people.
As a child, he suffered under human discrimination. He joined Fisher Tiger’s Pirates of the Sun and became an influential member. After Fisher Tiger’s death, he was imprisoned by the Marines until Jinbe freed him by becoming a Warlord. Arlong then formed his own crew and set sail for East Blue. He conquered the village of Cocoyashi and enslaved its inhabitants, and it was there that he encountered Nami, exploiting her cartographic talents.
Arlong meets Luffy when the latter comes to free Nami from his clutches. After a fierce battle that obliterates Arlong Park, Luffy emerges victorious, liberating Cocoyashi village and allowing Nami to pursue her dreams. Arlong is subsequently arrested by the Marines and imprisoned at Impel Down. His fate after the massive breakout orchestrated by Luffy and Blackbeard remains unknown...
Hody Jones
Hody Jones is a great white shark-type Fish-Man from Fish-Man Island. In his youth, he served as a soldier in Neptune’s Army, the island’s ruling force. He held deep admiration for Arlong and his crew, the Pirates of the Sun, and dreamed of joining them, though he was too young at the time.
Frustrated by his inability to join his idol Arlong, Hody decides to form his own crew: the New Fish-Man Pirates. His main lieutenants are Dosun, Zeo, Daruma, and Ikaros Much. He settles with his crew in the Fish-Man district, and their reputation grows, making them the worst generation of criminals the island has ever known.
After several skirmishes, Hody confronts Luffy, determined to stop him. Despite his strength being amplified by a drug, he is defeated by the Straw Hats. His crew is vanquished and his men arrested by the royal guard. Hody is subsequently imprisoned by the Marines along with Vander Decken IX, and his failed coup marks the end of the New Fish-Man Pirates.
Dellinger
Dellinger is a 16-year-old hybrid Fish-Man with long blond hair and an androgynous appearance. He joined the Don Quixote crew at the age of 3 and was raised by Jora, which explains his effeminate demeanor. As a member of Diamante’s team, Dellinger is a formidable warrior specializing in close combat. His strength and speed are greatly enhanced by his Fish-Man genes.
He possesses abilities akin to a Devil Fruit that allow him to sprout a razor-sharp dorsal fin and alter his dentition. In this form, his personality becomes markedly more aggressive and violent.
During the Dressrosa arc, Dellinger is tasked by Doflamingo to ensure that Bellamy successfully completes his mission to eliminate Luffy. Confronted with Luffy’s failure, he launches a savage attack until Bartolomeo intervenes. Later, summoned to the SMILE factory by Diamante, Dellinger confronts Franky alongside Señor Pink and Machvise. After Sugar is defeated by Usopp, he joins the rest of the Don Quixote Family to defend Doflamingo.
Ultimately, Dellinger is defeated by Hakuba, the second personality of Cavendish. Despite his young age, he proved to be a powerful and ruthless adversary, a worthy member of Doflamingo’s crew.
Queen Otohime
Queen Otohime was a red fish mermaid, wife of King Neptune and mother to Fukaboshi, Ryuboshi, Manboshi, and Shirahoshi. She was the queen of the Ryugu Kingdom on Fish-Man Island and devoted her life to improving relations between Fish-Men and humans. For years, she campaigned for her people to participate in the World Government and live on the surface.
Her greatest achievement was managing to change the heart of the Celestial Dragon Mjosgard, transforming him into a better person. She also secured his support to allow the Fish-Men to migrate to the surface.
Alas, Otohime was assassinated by Hody Jones 10 years ago. Her death was a profound shock, but her children continued her fight. Despite Hody’s attempts to incite hatred, Otohime’s dream eventually came to fruition years later with Luffy’s help. Through her courageous struggle and steadfast faith in humanity, she paved the way for the long-awaited reconciliation between the two peoples.
Since then, her children have taken up her mantle. The migration of her people to the surface and the destruction of the bubble symbolize the fulfillment of her dream. Otohime embodies the noblest values of One Piece: tolerance, forgiveness, the courage to stand by one’s convictions, and the will to create a better world by overcoming prejudice. Her example will continue to inspire future generations.
Truly Unique Characters
In the world of One Piece, the Fish-Men hold a special place. They have suffered discrimination on a global scale at the hands of humans for many centuries. Forced to live underwater to escape the hateful humans, they were constantly targeted by pirates who invaded the Ryugu Kingdom, killing and kidnapping Fish-Men.
From the Fish-Man Island arc to the Battle of Marineford, their destinies become intertwined with that of Luffy and his crew. Whether as invaluable allies like Jinbe or as formidable foes like Arlong, the Fish-Men are truly unique characters in the manga created by Eiichiro Oda. Will they play an even more significant role in the upcoming episodes of the anime?
Learn more about the characters of One Piece: