The beginning of the Celestial Dragon Hit-and-Run Incident .
Future major players Eustass Kid and Trafalgar Law witness the punch from the audience, signaling the start of their dynamic with Luffy.
This report covers , titled "The Fist Explodes! Destroy the Auction," which originally aired on June 14, 2009. It is widely considered one of the most iconic and satisfying episodes in the series' history. Episode Overview Arc: Sabaody Archipelago Arc One Piece Episode 396
Reviewers and fans frequently cite this as the " most satisfying punch " in anime due to the build-up of Charlos's cruelty.
The episode centers on the Human Auctioning House on Grove 1 of the Sabaody Archipelago. The Straw Hat Pirates' plan to peacefully buy back their mermaid friend, Camie, is ruined when the World Noble Saint Charlos arrives and places an unbeatable bid of 500,000,000 Berries. The beginning of the Celestial Dragon Hit-and-Run Incident
Despite Hatchan's dying plea for Luffy not to retaliate against a Celestial Dragon (which would summon a Navy Admiral), Luffy reaches his breaking point. In a sequence praised for its dramatic shift to black-and-white animation to emphasize impact, Luffy delivers a powerful punch to Charlos's face, literally knocking the color back into the scene and shattering the Noble's protective bubble.
The tension peaks when Luffy and his team crash into the building. During the chaos, Hatchan (a fish-man and former enemy turned friend) is accidentally revealed to the audience. The nobility reacts with extreme racism and disgust. Saint Charlos, viewing fish-men only as slaves, shoots Hatchan and gloats about his new "prize". Destroy the Auction," which originally aired on June
Monkey D. Luffy, Saint Charlos , Hatchan, Eustass Kid, Trafalgar Law, and Camie. Plot Summary
