Designed and built by Franky as the Straw Hats' second ship after the destruction of the Going Merry inOne Piece, the Thousand Sunny is his magnum opus as a shipwright, whose size and features dwarf their earlier vessel on every front. Designed in the style of a brigantine, the two-masted ship was crafted using Adam Wood, the same type of material used to make the Oro Jackson, which was the ship ofthe former Pirate King Gol D. Roger. Much like its predecessor, the Going Merry, the Thousand Sunny — or the “Sunny” as it is affectionately referred to by the crew — features an animal as its figurehead. In this case, the ship’s frontage is decorated by a lion with a stylized mane resembling the sun, although the exaggerated proportions of the mane itself were mistaken for both a sunflower and the sun itself at the time of construction, much to Franky’s chagrin.
Behind the lion figurehead is a set of crossbones, much like a Jolly Roger. The figurehead itself can open its mouth to reveal the Gaon Cannon, which fires a compressed burst of air in the style of an energy beam. Additionally, the lion’s mane also functions like a propeller to drive the ship backwards. TheThousand Sunny has been the Straw Hats' primary homeand means of traversing the seas since the conclusion of the Enies Lobby Arc in the Water 7 Saga ofOne Piece, having accompanied them on their journey to each successive island in the Grand Line since.
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From The Ashes Of The Going Merry
The Straw Hats' beloved first ship, the Going Merry, was gifted to the crew by Usopp’s friend Kaya, and was originally designed by her butler who was also named Merry. Given as a reward for the Straw Hat crew’s role in protecting Syrup Village from the Black Cat Pirates led by the treacherous Captain Kuro, the ship was so loved by the crewduring their travels to the Grand Line, Arabasta, and Skypiea, that she developed a personality of its own. After enduring massive amounts of damage over the course of these voyages, the ship was gradually breaking apart from wear and tear, despite all of Usopp’s best efforts to repair it.
On arriving atWater 7, home to some of the world’s best shipwrights, Luffy sought out the advice of the shipwright Iceburg of the famed Galley-La Company, who assessed the situation and informed the crew that the ship was beyond repair. Hence, the crew finally decided to discard the vessel and commission a new one. This decision provoked the anger of Usopp, who was very attached to the ship by virtue of it being Kaya’s final gift to him, and he contested Luffy’s decision, even going so far as to fight him for it. As a result, he was temporarily kicked out of the crew for defying his captain.
At the conclusion of the Enies Lobby Arc, the Going Merry arrived to save the crew from the swarms of approaching Marine ships who were attempting to capture them after their retrieval of Robin, declaration ofwar against the World Governmentand defeat of CP9. Following this final voyage, the Straw Hats gave the ship a Viking funeral, and heard the ship speak to them for a final time, as she thanked the crew for loving and cherishing her throughout her lifetime. Bidding a final farewell to the ship, Usopp apologized for his mistakes and was welcomed back into the crew, as the Straw Hats' newest member Franky pledged to build them a new ship that would retain the soul of the Going Merry.
Catered To The Straw Hats' Every Need
On arriving at Water 7 prior to theirjourney to save Robin from Enies Lobby, the Straw Hats had a massive list of demands for their new ship, which Franky eventually had to accommodate within the new ship he was crafting for them. As he was in possession of some Adam Wood that he procured prior to encountering the Straw Hats, he resolved to use it to build the new ship. The list includes an aquarium bar, a crow’s nest, a survey room, and a sizable library, designed for each of the Straw Hats' unique interests. A sick bay, observation deck (housing Nami’s mikan trees and Robin’s flower garden), and specialized workrooms for Franky and Usopp have also been incorporated into the ship’s design, which is one of the most technologically advanced of its kind in the series, having been created by a master shipwright in Franky. Quarters for men and women are placed on first floor and second floor respectively, with washrooms for each.
Sanji’s culinary virtuosity finds a homewithin the combined kitchen dining room on the second floor, which has been laid out in the style of a restaurant. The sheer size of this space attests to the luxurious proportions of the ship, befitting the Straw Hats' current stature among the elites in the world ofOne Piece. Above it, the deck features a lawned area as well as a slide and swing, all laid out across a series of terraces. The ship’s helm is located at its front, like modern nautical vessels, with its own Log Pose built into a medium height metal pillar placed behind the helm. A number of hatches placed on both the deck and inside the living quarters provide the crew with direct access to the Soldier Dock System, which hosts the biggest collection of offensive firepower on the ship.
A Ship Worthy Of The Pirate King
Noship for the future Pirate Kingwould have been complete without in-built weaponry, and the Sunny’s vast arsenal begins with a total of 16 cannons. Seven cannons line either side of the ship, while two more have been placed at the front and back. The front-facing Gaon Cannon is located in the mouth of the lion figurehead, and the rear-facing one, named the Coup de Burst allows the ship to propel itself into the air for one kilometer, for quick escapes. Both cannons are powered by cola with the Coup de Burst also being fired to stabilize the ship and prevent it from rocking backward whenever the Gaon Cannon is used.
The crowning glory of Franky’s design for the ship is the Soldier Dock System, which is a turntable consisting of six compartments with a device or weapon for the crew. Represented externally by two giant numbered plates on either side of the ship, the six items include: Paddle Wheels, the Shiro Mokuba II Waver, the Mini Merry II shopping boat (built in the style of the Going Merry’s figurehead), the Shark Submerge III submarine, the Kurosai FR-U IV motorcycle, the Brachio Tank V, and an Inflatable Pool in the sixth and final compartment.
When the Kurosai FR-U IV and the Brachio Tank V combine in an act referred to as “docking,” they form a giant robot used by Franky in combat dubbed theIron Pirate “General Franky,“which is the pinnacle of offensive power hosted on the ship and the strongest weapon that Franky has up his sleeve. Considering all these incredible add-ons and features, there is no doubt that the Thousand Sunny is a ship more than worthy of the future Pirate King. Furthermore, with a skilled helmsman in the form of Jinbe at the fore, the ship is finally exhibiting its full potential, as the Straw Hats sail into the final saga onOne Piece.
