Nami (One Piece)

Nami is a fictional character from the anime and manga series One Piece. She is the second member of the Straw Hat Pirates to appear in the series, but the third to align herself with the crew, and the fifth to actually join. Possibly one of the best (or even the best) navigators currently sailing the Grand Line, Nami is more-or-less in charge when the crew is sailing on the Going Merry, somewhat fulfilling the roles of treasurer and quartermaster as well (mirroring real-life, where the quartermaster was more or less in charge on pirate ships and the captain being more of a strong fighter whom the crew could put their trust in).

History

Nami was formerly a renowned female thief who would steal only from pirates. She is quite greedy and hot-tempered, but can also be very intelligent and kind. She is anything but interested in joining Luffy's crew at first. But after an incident with Buggy the Clown, Nami forms a temporary alliance with Luffy.

Nami is an orphan found by Belle-Mère, a female Marine, on a battlefield as an infant. The marine adopted her along with Nojiko, another child, and the three became as close as a real family. However, this ended when the infamous Merman Pirate Arlong took over Cocoyashi Village (or Coco Village in the English language manga and anime), their adopted hometown.

Because Belle-Mère could not pay for her entire family's monthly fee for living, Belle-Mère resisted Arlong and was killed. In the original Japanese versions and the American manga she was murdered in front of Nami and Nojiko. In the English anime, she was taken to Arlong's dungeon and presumed to be killed off-screen, but is never stated as such. Then Nami was kidnapped and forced to become a cartographer for Arlong. However, Arlong struck a deal with Nami: if she brought him one hundred million beli (the form of currency in One Piece, known as berries in the English version), he would free her village. She spent eight years making maps and stealing treasure from Pirates in order to buy back her village. It was during this time that she met Luffy during the situation with Buggy in Orange Town (as seen in the Buggy the Clown Arc) and temporaily joined up him with the reasoning that she will get most of the treasure that is found.

After helping defeat Captain Kuro in Syrup Village (i.e: Captain Kuro arc), and reaching the Baratie restaurant with Luffy, Nami took off with the crew's loot and ship and headed for Arlong Park. Nami was only 7 million beli short of fulfilling her end of the deal, but Arlong shamelessly used a corrupt Marine captain to steal all of the money, thus ensuring that Nami would forever be in his crew, without breaking his promise.

Later, Luffy arrives and seeing how distraught Nami is, goes and defeats with Arlong, yelling out "Nami! You are my nakama (approximately meaning crewmate)!" Nami's village is freed, and she rejoins Luffy's crew as a permanent member. In her way out of the village, Nami wished to say goodbye to no one. She left the money back in Nojiko's house, and runs onto the Going Merry after stealing all of the villagers' wallets at the same time.

Recent Chapters

Nami was fighting Kalifa, in order to avenge Sanji's loss (which was caused by his inabilty to hit a woman). Kalifa used the same tatics to defeat her, by 'cleaning' her strength away. She was completely "cleansed" and was using the Mirage Tenpo to dodge her attacks. The fight was fortunately interrupted by Chopper in his "Monster Point", which gave enough time for Nami to think. She came up with a variation of Mirage tenpo which she has created variations of herself and struck Kalifa with multiple bolts of lightning. With the interruption of Monster Chopper, she also created a rainstorm that washed away the soap off herself and Sanji and struck the drenched (thus powerless) Kalifa. Kalifa was finally defeated by Nami's Thunder Tenpo Lance. Nami found the No. 2 key and freed Usopp and Zoro.

File:Nami new clothing1.jpg

Nami, with the Perfect Clima-Tact.

Powers and abilities

Nami is a highly skilled navigator and cartographer. Nami is not as skilled a combatant as some of the Straw Hats, although she is skilled in wielding a staff to protect herself. She is able to unleash quick and moderately powerful strikes, and during the Alabasta arc and beyond, uses a weather manipulating staff Usopp created for her, the Clima Tact, to fight. The weapon is actually partly used for party tricks, but using certain combinations, Nami turns the tomfoolery of Usopp into a deadly force to be reckoned with, and is able to defeat one of the strongest members of the Baroque Works, Miss Doublefinger (Mr. 1's partner agent, and Baroque Works' strongest female agent), and later, two of Skypiea's Priests, Hotori and Kotori with the help of Gan Fall, securing her place as one of the crew's most valuable members. Currently, Nami has been given a Dial enhanced Clima-Tact, the "Perfect Clima-Tact", by Usopp. The new weapon was powerful enough to wipe out an entire group of soldiers. However, it has a weakness; the inability to differentiate between friend and foe. Being a skilled thief, she has amazing speed and dexterity as well as a sleight of hand, able to pickpocket passers by without fear of getting caught. Her navigational skills are remarkable, and she also has a strange ability to sense when storms or weather changes are approaching, even on the Grand Line's unexpected climate.

Some common techniques include Thunderbolt Tenpo/Tempest (using Heat and Cool Balls, a cloud is formed, and by sending a Thunder Ball in, a huge bolt of lightning is summoned) and Mirage Tenpo/Tempest (by manipulating the heat of the surrounding, Nami can create illusory copies of herself, which is further augmented by the Perfect Clima Tact's Mirage Tenpo Fata Morgana).

Attack List.

Trivia

• According to the author (in response to a fan's question), Nami's dress size was 34-22-34.
• Nami means "Wave" in Japanese.
• She is 18 years old and is 5’6 1/2”.
• In the pilot version of the chapter Romance Dawn there was a character named "Annie" who looked very similar to Nami.
• Nami's two favorite things are money and mikan (mandarin oranges) often translated to tangerines.
• Nami has a tattoo on her left shoulder which represents mikan and pinwheels (a homage to her past), where she used to have a tattoo for being the chief mapmaker for Arlong's Crew.
• According to Oda, Nami resembles a cat.
• The first map Nami plotted was the island Cocoyashi village is on.
• Although he loves all women, Nami appears to be Sanji's #1 affection.
• Nami's birthday is July 3rd, which is a pun of her name. "Na" is short for the Japanese word "nana", meaning seven, and "mi" is one of the Japanese words meaning three. So, 7-3, or July 3rd and is therefore, a Cancer
• She often holds Luffy's hat during a battle where it may be damaged, this trend started at the Arlong arc. She's also the one to repair Luffy's hat whenever it does get damaged in a fight, this trend started in the Buggy the Clown Arc.
• The author has also replied to a fan's question to saying that right now Nami's measurements are as follows: Height 169 B 95 W 55 H 85, though her breasts seem to grow and then "reset" throughout the arcs (this is much more obvious in the manga).
• Nami's dream is to draw a map of the entire world.
• Nami is a playable character in Jump Superstars.