Usopp

Usopp
One Piece character
File:Usopp face.jpg Usopp, from the anime and manga series One Piece.
First appearance	Manga Chapter #23 Anime Episode #8
Created by	Eiichiro Oda
In-universe information
Alias	"King of Snipers" Sogeking
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Occupation	Pirate (Straw-Hat Pirates, Marksman, ships gunner)
Relatives	Yasopp (father) Banchina (mother, deceased)

Usopp (ウソップ, Usoppu) is a fictional character from the anime and manga One Piece. He is the crew's marksman and the third member joining the Straw Hat Pirates.

Character outline

Personality

Usopp's dream is to become a brave warrior of the sea, like his father Yasopp of the Red Haired Pirate Crew. After meeting the giants Dorry and Broggy, Usopp was inspired to travel to their home village, Elbaf, one day and meet the proud warriors there.

Usopp is easily scared and always makes up excuses to avoid going on dangerous outings, excuses which are simply ignored by his crew-mates. Despite his timid nature, he will do anything to help his friends,if it means standing up to a far more powerful enemy. In battle he uses various tricks to deceive his opponent, such as calling out the name of a previously used attack but doing something completely different.

Abilities

Usopp is a talented inventor, creating the Clima Tact for Nami and the dial-upgraded Perfect Clima Tact. Prior to Franky joining, he is the crew's acting carpenter and patches up the Going Merry whenever it's damaged. He also has notable artistic talent, shown in his painting the Straw Hat jolly roger and crafting of detailed snow sculptures.

Usopp has outstanding marksmanship abilities with his slingshot and his remarkable accuracy often surprises his enemies. He utilizes extremely varied ammunition, including rotten eggs, hot sauce, pepper, shuriken and powerful explosives. Using his self-developed weapon, Kabuto, a slingshot connected to the end of a long staff, Usopp is even able to out range guns.

Plot overview

Usopp's father left to become a pirate when Usopp was still very young. Some time after this, Usopp's mother became very ill, and was on the verge of dying. He began lying to keep his mother's spirit up, often saying that he and his pirate crew had returned to take them away with him. Even after she died, Usopp continued to run throughout the town every day yelling that pirates were coming. Usopp began calling himself a pirate and took in three younger children as his crew. After Luffy, Nami, and Zoro help him defeat a crew of pirates, intent on raiding his home village, Usopp is inspired by the three, and decides to go out to sea.

Usopp follows his dream of becoming a "brave warrior of the sea". Meeting the giants Dorry and Broggy of the warrior nation Elbaf, Usopp decides to one day visit Elbaf and become a warrior with bravery and pride like them.

Usopp grows very fond of the Going Merry, having been given it by one of his closest friends. Up until Franky joins the crew Usopp tended to be the one given the task of repairing the ship, and remains the only crewmember to have seen the ships "spirit."

Throughout the story Usopp continues to act cowardly and remains one of the weaker fighting powers of the Straw Hats. This leads him to feeling inferior and after an argument over the fate of the Going Merry on Water 7 he leaves the Straw Hat crew. He dons a mask in order to anonymously help save Robin however and later, after many tears, rejoins the crew.

During the Straw Hats time at Enies Lobby, Usopp follows his captain's order and burns the flag of the World Government (while under the persona of Sogeking,) effectively declaring war on the Government. He gains a wanted poster as Sogeking "King of Snipers" due to this and his impressive sharpshooting from atop the Tower of Justice.

Appearances in other media

Along with other One Piece characters, Usopp appeared in a Shonen Jump special, where Enel attacks Tokyo and Odaiba, in Cross Epoch the short story created in cooperation by Oda and Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, as well as in the video games Jump Super Stars, Jump Ultimate Stars, and Battle Stadium D.O.N.

Reception

According to a recent Japanese fan poll in the Shonen Jump magazine, Usopp is the 6th most popular character.