I found this good-condition trade paperback at the Used Book Superstore. Since I'd read and enjoyed some of the later volumes in the series, I was glad to find the first volume.

This was an enjoyable introduction to the world of rubber-boy Monkey D. Luffy, whom we first meet as a kid who's tagging along after pirate captain Shanks, hoping for a chance to go to sea with him. Shanks is good-natured about all this but insists that the boy's too young.

Shanks also shows considerable self-restraint regarding conflict; he puts up with all sorts of insults from a rival without bothering to get angry, much less to fight, but when Luffy, humiliated by his hero's apparent lack of courage, goes after the rival himself and gets in trouble, Shanks is on the spot to rescue him and lay waste to anyone who menaces a friend of his. This will become Luffy's own creed in future.

Shanks eventually goes his own way without Luffy, but leaves the boy his hat, and says he hopes to meet him when he's grown up. A few years pass, Shanks has not returned, but Luffy sets out on his own, his first goal: find a crew. When he comes to a town where renowned swordsman - and pirate-hunter - Zolo is held captive, he determines to free him and have him join the crew. (Having read the later books I know how this will turn out, but it was great fun seeing their first meeting, and finding out how it all went down!)

[ I'd read about the series via its TV Tropes page (here). I watched a few episodes of the anime recently, and found it very funny - I can see why this has been such a successful series!]

I left this book propped up on a ledge in the entrance of Margarita's Restaurant at about 6:30; hope the finder enjoys it!

*** Released as part of DragonGoddess' 2010 Tick Tock release challenge for the word "dawn". ***