Who Is Jinbe?

Jinbe, also known as the "Knight of the Sea," is a powerful whale shark fish-man, a master of Fish-Man Karate, and a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, serving as their helmsman. As a whale shark fish-man, his immense strength and combat skills are amplified underwater. He is a deeply honorable character who dreams of achieving peaceful coexistence between fish-men and humans. Jinbe officially became the ninth Straw Hat to join the crew during the Wano Country arc, though his bond with Monkey D. Luffy developed much earlier.

Appearance

Jinbe is a large, powerful whale shark fish-man with a broad, stocky build, standing at an impressive 301 cm (9' 11"). His appearance combines human and whale shark characteristics, defined by his distinct face and muscular physique. Jinbe has a wide mouth, sharp teeth, and a severe underbite, with two prominent, conical fangs. The symbol of the Sun Pirates is tattooed on the center of his chest. Additionally, like most fish-men, his hands and feet are webbed, and he has pale, pinkish gills located between his shoulders and neck.

He has black, bead-like eyes and a lightning-shaped scar that extends from his left sideburn over his left eye. His long, two-toned black hair is styled into a topknot. Two long stripes of color run from his roots over his forehead and down the back of his head, with a tuft of hair on his chin. Jinbe is often seen in kimonos with different patterns, such as square designs at his debut and later, florals, and leaf patterns. He wears simple wooden geta sandals on his webbed feet. 

Personality

Jinbe's personality is defined by his strong sense of honor, profound loyalty, and dedication to justice and equality, particularly for Fish-Man Island. He is a serious, wise, and proud warrior, tempered by a gentle and light-hearted side that emerges with the Straw Hat Pirates. As the "Knight of the Sea," he embodies humility, prioritizes the greater good, and takes full responsibility for his actions.

Background

Jinbe was born on Fish-Man Island and grew up in the impoverished Fish-Man District alongside Arlong and Fisher Tiger. He trained in Fish-Man Karate from a young age. After his friend Fisher Tiger attacked the World Government stronghold of Mary Geoise, Jinbe left the Neptune Army and joined the Sun Pirates, a crew that fought against the oppression of fish-men. After Tiger's death, Jinbe became the second captain of the crew.

Jinbe later became one of the Seven Warlords, a position he accepted in hopes of strengthening ties between fish-men and humans and protecting his people. He eventually resigned from this position during the Summit War of Marineford because he refused to condemn Portgas D. Ace to death alongside the World Government and Marines.

Jinbe and Luffy first met in Impel Down, where they were imprisoned in the same cell block. Jinbe quickly recognized Luffy as Ace's brother and helped him during the prison breakout. At the Battle of Marineford, Jinbe put his life on the line to defend Luffy from Admiral Akainu. After Ace's death, he helped a distraught Luffy regain his will to live by reminding him of his friends. After Whitebeard's death at Marineford, Jinbe temporarily allied himself with the Emperor Big Mom to continue protecting Fish-Man Island.

Following the two-year timeskip, Luffy invited Jinbe to join his crew, but Jinbe declined, stating he had unfinished business. However, he promised to join once his duties were fulfilled. Jinbe formally declared his intention to leave Big Mom's alliance and join the Straw Hats at the Whole Cake Island wedding ceremony, cementing his loyalty to Luffy. After protecting his former crew from Big Mom's forces, Jinbe rejoined the Straw Hat crew in Wano, taking his place as the official helmsman.

Powers and Abilities

Jinbe's powers include Fish-Man Karate, allowing him to manipulate water particles for powerful strikes, high physical strength and durability, exceptional endurance, and the ability to communicate with fish. He is also a master of Armament and Observation Haki, using the former to harden his limbs, and is a highly skilled helmsman adept at steering ships.  

Fish-Man Karate Techniques

Jinbe is a whale shark fish-man and a master of Fish-Man Karate. Using his martial arts, Jinbe can manipulate the water in his immediate vicinity, or the moisture in the air, as a weapon. His mastery of the martial art is so advanced that he can strike opponents without making physical contact. Jinbe can even use his strikes to send powerful shockwaves through the water inside an opponent's body, which is highly effective against enemies who are typically immune to blunt attacks.

Water Manipulation

• Uchimizu (Water Shot): Jinbe flicks a single drop of water at a target with enough force to turn it into a deadly bullet.

• Yarinami (Spear Wave): He can create a spear-shaped burst of water to pierce solid objects.

• Buraikan (Vagabond Drill): His strongest technique involves throwing a "pack" of water at an enemy, creating a powerful shockwave that pierces their body.

Physical Strikes

• Arabesque Tile True Punch: This move sends an invisible shockwave through the air to hit a target from a distance.

• Shark Tile True Fist: A devastating straight punch that transmits a shockwave through an opponent's body.

Fishman Abilities

Many of Jinbe's abilities stem from his Fish-Man heritage, granting him superior strength and durability, especially underwater. Additionally, he can communicate with and command sea life.

• Marine Life Communication: As a fish-man, Jinbe has the unique ability to communicate with marine life over long distances. He calls this his "Shark Network" and has used it to summon whale sharks for assistance.

• Enhanced Underwater Performance: Being a fish-man, his strength, speed, and maneuverability are significantly enhanced while he is in water.

• Enhanced Strength and Durability: As a Fish-Man, Jinbe has immense physical strength, making him a formidable close-combatant.

Haki

Jinbe uses two of the three types of Haki known throughout the world of One Piece, though he is most skilled in the use of Armament Haki, which he uses to harden his arms and body for both offense and defence. Similar to Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, Jinbe can also use an advanced form of Armament Haki, allowing him to bypass the physical defenses of a target.

• Armament Haki: Creates an armor-like force that strengthens attacks and defenses, allowing armament haki users to harm Devil Fruit users and ignore their powers.

• Observation Haki: Gives individuals a sixth sense that allows them to perceive and predict their opponent's movements. In its advanced form, they can see moments into the future.

• Conqueror's Haki: A rare form of Haki that allows individuals to knock out those with weak wills. With advanced control, conqueror’s Haki users can coat their body with this Haki to further enhance their attacks. 

Helmsman Skills

Jinbe's helmsman abilities are a combination of his mastery of Fish-Man Karate, his deep understanding of the sea, and his physical prowess as a whale shark fish-man. Unlike ordinary helmsmen, Jinbe can use the power of the water itself to control a ship.

• Reading Sea Currents: As a fish-man who grew up on the Grand Line, Jinbe possesses an inherent, vast knowledge of the ocean's currents and topography. He uses this knowledge to navigate through even the most treacherous waters. He was able to keep the Thousand Sunny out of range of a Big Mom Pirate fleet by utilizing this understanding.

• Surfing Waves: Jinbe can skillfully steer a ship to "surf" a massive wave, maneuvering the vessel with precise control. During the escape from Whole Cake Island, he safely guided the Thousand Sunny through the "green room" of a giant wave homie created by Big Mom, avoiding being crushed.

• Water Manipulation (Water Heart): Jinbe can physically grab and redirect ocean currents, manipulating them as if they were a tangible piece of cloth.

• Kairyu Ipponzeoi (Sea Current Lifter): After using Water Heart to grab the current, Jinbe can heave it upwards, creating a towering, powerful stream of water.

• Improvised Steering: He is capable of effectively steering unfamiliar ships with ease, having no prior experience with them. This skill was proven when he commandeered a Marine battleship during the escape from Impel Down and navigated it to Marineford.

• Dodging and Evasion: His experience and quick reflexes allow him to pilot a ship with great speed and maneuverability to evade incoming projectiles like cannonballs and flying slashes.

• Unlocking a Ship's Potential: According to Franky, Jinbe is the best helmsman to fully realize the capabilities and performance of the Thousand Sunny.

Goals and Reputation

Jinbe's main goal is to achieve peaceful coexistence and equality between fish-men and humans. This dream was passed on to him by his former captain, Fisher Tiger, and later reinforced by Queen Otohime. After Portgas D. Ace's death at Marineford, Jinbe promised to protect Luffy. This promise solidified his resolve to join the Straw Hat Pirates and assist Luffy in achieving his dream of becoming the Pirate King. By joining Luffy's crew as the helmsman, Jinbe recognized that a future Pirate King would be instrumental in creating a new world where his people can live freely and on equal terms with humans.

Jinbe has a long and complex history as a formidable pirate captain, a former Warlord of the Sea, and the current helmsman of the Straw Hat Pirates. His reputation is one of immense strength, deep honor, and steadfast loyalty, which has earned him the title "Knight of the Sea". His current bounty, 1,100,000,000 Berries, issued after the raid on Onigashima, recognizes his new status as a key member of the Straw Hat Pirates. It is also slightly higher than Sanji's, causing the Straw Hat cook to have a one-sided rivalry of sorts with Jinbe, to which Jinbe seems to be oblivious.