Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates have traveled far and wide, visiting countless islands and locations in their attempt to claim the One Piece. While the New World and the Grand Line have featured some of the most wondrous islands, plenty of fans forget to examine the sea where Luffy and several of his companions got their starts: the East Blue.
The East Blue doesn't serve as the home base to many of One Piece's strongest characters, yet a deceiving amount of the series' most powerful pirates started their journies in the area. As such, there are numerous islands in the ocean with rich backgrounds and intriguing compositions.
10 Syrup Village Housed Two Diametrically Opposed Characters
Relative to other locations along the Grand Line, Syrup Village is a quaint, unassuming town removed from the greater conflicts of the world. However, unbeknownst to many, it is home to the family of Red-Haired Shanks' officer, Yasopp, and one of the East Blue's most dangerous criminals, Kuro.
Captain Kuro and his Black Cat Pirates eventually attempt to overthrow Syrup Village and take its citizens' belongings, only to be thwarted by the collective efforts of the Straw Hat Pirates. While there isn't much else that makes Syrup Village unique, its sinister underpinnings and vital history regarding Usopp and his father make it one of the more memorable stops in the East Blue.
9 Goat Island Connected Three Unlikely Individuals
Goat Island played a pivotal role in the lives of three major One Piece characters: Luffy, Koby, and Alvida. This location originally only appeared in the manga; after the release of the Episode of Luffy TV special, it was effectively made part of the anime's canon as well.
Koby and Alvida called Goat Island home for several years and were it not for the intervention of Luffy, they could potentially still be there. Regardless of its relatively barren landscape, this island served as the original meeting spot of a future Yonko, Yonko officer, and Marine Captain.
8 Orange Town Is The Perfect Tool To Showcase Buggy's Antics
Buggy the Clown could very well be the most colorful pirate found on the entire Grand Line, so it's only appropriate that the location he is introduced in — Orange Town — provides a backdrop worthy of his massive personality. While not very descript, Orange Town, located on the Organ Islands, features a sprawling, colonial-style cityscape that makes a perfect battleground for his first encounter against Luffy.
The self-proclaimed arch-enemy of Red-Haired Shanks relies on his signature cannon balls, referred to as Buggy Balls, to handle most enemies. The widespread layout of Orange Town is the perfect location to showcase their destructive capabilities.
7 Shimotsuki Village's Backstory Convened With Wano's Two Decades Later
Eiichiro Oda has spent the last four years exploring the lands of Wano, but long before he started writing about the samurai-themed island, a different location was introducing a distinctly Japanese influence to the series: Shimotsuki Village. Although Roronoa Zoa's exact birthplace remains unknown, at least some part of his childhood took place in this feudal Japan-inspired locale.
Shimotsuki Village's calm appearance belies its storied history — the village's namesake, Shimotsuki Kozaburo, forged two of the 21 Great Grade Swords, before leaving his home country of Wano. After illegally leaving the island 55 years prior to the events of the story, Kozaburo relocated to this village, giving it one of the best foundation stories in the entire East Blue.
6 The Conomi Islands Provided The Setting For Nami's Backstory
One Piece fans are likely familiar with the Conomi Islands; they serve as the setting for the iconic Arlong Park arc, revolving around Nami's attempts to free her village of the tyrannical fish-men. Only three locations on the islands, Arlong Park, Gosa Village, and Cocoyasi Village, were shown during the series, but each serves as the backdrop for several of the arc's more memorable moments.
Arlong's upheaval of Gosa, Nami's flashbacks in Cocoyasi Village, and Luffy's destruction of Arlong Park are all iconic One Piece moments. These moments are made possible by the excellently crafted location in which they occur: the Conomi Islands.
5 The Island Of Rare Animals Is A Memorable Fairy Tale
Perhaps more so than any other island in the East Blue, the Island of Rare Animals and the narrative of its inhabitants resemble that of a child's fairy tale — and that is not a criticism. The mismatched animals, man-stuck-in-a-box gimmick, and heartbreakingly empty treasure chests found in its jungle come across as more of a heart-warming parable than a shonen anime setting, and for that exact reason, it stands out from its peers.
Gaimon and Sarfunkel, the island's human residents, are stuck in a treasure chest and wooden barrel, respectively, and share the area with a large population of hybrid animals that include pig-lions, rabbit-snakes, and more odd combinations. The Straw Hats' visit to the Island of Rare Animals may be short, but it's a memorable excursion that provides some fun characterization to the East Blue.
4 Shells Town's Unique City Design Stands Out In The East Blue
The Marines' negative impact on the One Piece universe is made painfully evident, due in no small part to early-series visits to locations like Shells Town of Yotsuba Island. Large, power plant-shaped Marine towers decorate the island's landscape, each of which is capable of shooting large cannons at incoming pirate ships.
Shells Town's defenses seemingly insinuate that the area is (or, at least, was) frequently targeted by pirates. However, as evidenced by Luffy and Zoro, the individuals actually plaguing the island were its cowardly Marines and evil commander: Axe-Hand Morgan. This island, along with its eye-catching architecture, provides some of One Piece's most direct commentary on the state of the Marines and the World Government.
3 Loguetown Marks The Dawn Of The Golden Age Of Pirates
Loguetown, which comprises the vast majority of Polestar Island, was the Straw Hat Pirates' last stop before entering the Grand Line. As expected of such a landmark location, it generated a series of significant encounters that still bear weight on the current events of the series.
Despite Luffy's escapades on Polestar Island, which included run-ins with Marine Captain Smoker, Buggy, and Monkey D. Dragon, it is best known for its relevance to the King of the Pirates, Gol D. Roger. Roger was born and executed on the island, and thanks to his final words, this town and island were immortalized as the birthplace of the Golden Age of Pirates.
2 Mirror Ball Island's Festivities Are Unlike Anything Else
One Piece's coolest islands usually fit into one of two categories: seriously-drawn, lore-intensive storytelling environments or goofy, over-the-top novelties. Mirror Ball Island slots as an example of the latter, providing the backdrop for both the wacky featurette, Jango's Dance Carnival, and the slightly different cover story, Jango's Dance Paradise.
Despite the slight differences between the two narratives, they both center around Django, the incredibly odd hypnotist from the Black Cat Pirates, as he navigates the East Blue's trendiest location: Mirror Ball Island. Between the gorgeous city's design, the dance sequences featuring the Straw Hat Pirate/Marine/Django-filled crowd, and Mirror Ball Island's joyous overall tone, it's easily one of the best islands that Oda has ever created.
1 Dawn Island Is Home To Some Of The World's Strongest Individuals
As far as East Blue islands go, arguably none have a richer history than that of Dawn Island. Monkey D. Garp, Dragon, and Luffy all called the location home at one point or another, while characters such as Portgas D. Ace, Sabo, and the Red-Haired Pirates also spent significant amounts of time on the island.
Thanks to Oda's mastery of environmental storytelling, Dawn Island's primary political force, Goa Kingdom — which unnecessarily destroyed Sabo's home to impress the World Government — and its geography serve as a microcosm for the decaying effect of the oppressive political system. This, coupled with the variety of locales that decorate its landscape, places it among One Piece's most nuanced environments.