Origin
Hancock and her sisters Sandersonia and Marigold were members of the all-female Kuja pirates when they were young (Hancock was 12 years old) when they were suddenly abducted by slavers and later sold to the Celestial Dragons or the Tenryubito. Her life as a slave was hard, the Celestial Dragons punished her and forced to eat the Mero-Mero no Mi fruit for their entertainment.
After some time in captivity a fish-man named Fisher Tiger invaded Mariejois the home of the Tenryubito all by himself to free his captive fish-man brethren, but he did not only free fish-men he also freed humans including the three Boa sisters. After their escape, the three sisters were found by Elder Nyon, Silvers Rayleigh, and Shakky. When they were back in their homeland Hancock told the other Kuja that she got her Devil Fruit powers as a punishment for slaying a Gorgon thus also earning the names “The Gorgon Sisters” also hiding the fact that it was actually given to her by the Celestial Dragons and they also hid the fact that they also lived the lives of slaves under the Celestial Dragons hence which the three sisters never show anyone the tattoo that the Celestials gave them as to avoid being discriminated and banished from their home.
After all the experiences they’ve had under the Celestial Dragons, Hancock harbors deep anger and distrust towards any other person except her two sisters, but deep anger mostly towards men. She was so cold, uncaring and selfish even towards most of her fellow Kujas and the citizens of Amazon Lily. Afterwards when she reached the age of eighteen she became the empress of the Kuja, she was ruthless and skilled which led to them being noticed by the World Government notably the Marines. Knowing that the marines have their eyes on her pirate crew and her homeland, she opted to join the Royal Shichibukai to protect her crew and her homeland Amazon Lily and formed a treaty with the World Government from any attempts of going there.
Creation
One Piece Vol. 53 JPN (Mar 2009)Boa Hancock (ボア・ハンコック, Boa Hankokku) is a supporting character from the One Piece series by Eiichiro Oda. The series first began serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump on August 4, 1997. She first appeared during the Amazon Lily Arc that began in Volume 53.
Hancock's first story based appearances was in One Piece Volume 53, CH. 516 "Pirate Empress Boa Hancock",
Her very first published appearance was actually shown on the cover of a 1999 Weekly Shonen Jump. Just as the story had moved into the Grand Line Saga, the editing department of Shonen Jump requested images from Oda that would display several of the villain characters that would appear in future stories. He agreed, but only illustrated their backs, and an early Boa Hancock design was included among the gallery of rogues. The image would be republished Color Walk 2. The design would have some changes before her final design and first story appearance in 2008. In one of the later "data books" published for One Piece, a more detailed design sketch with notes for Hancock were revealed. She was intended to be older than her finalized version, her appearance was intended to be more intimidating and have more "evil-based themes", she had tattoos on her face, and no bangs to her hair. To date, it's never been confirmed why Oda adjusted the character's earliest vision.
Earliest Boa Hancock appearance (1999)Hancock's final design has her at 29 years-old, she was alive during the time before Gold Roger's execution. She is a character with long black hair, a voluptuous body, and a confident of arrogant personality. She is almost always seen with her red and white giant anaconda, Salome. She has the mark of the Celestial Dragons burned onto her back and she hides this from the world with an absolute shame of her time as a slave. Themes of the character and the rest of the Kuja Amazon designs shares themes from Greek mythology that include Medusa and the Gorgons, Calypso, and the Sirens, since her powers revolve around seduction. Her family names comes Boa species of snakes. Boa can also mean "good" in Portuguese when referring to an attractive woman. The given names of all the Kuja Amazons are based on the names of flowers. Hancock comes from the scientific name of the snowberry plant, Symphoricarpos x Chenaultii Hancock.
Hancock uses a very formal and antiquated style of speech more often used by those of a royal upbringing in the Japanese publication of the series. In more standard Japanese, a speaker would use the phrase 私は (watashi wa) to mean "I am". Hancock uses the more arcane 妾は "warawa wa" for "I am".
Being a character who was alive before Gold Roger's execution, she had a very brief cameo appearance in the prequel One Piece Chapter 0 that tied into the One Piece Strong World (2010) movie. This chapter was then animated and sold as a separate OVA titled, One Piece Film Strong World Episode: 0. In this special, Boa Hancock is seven years-old on Amazon Lily as she' talking with her two sisters. Boa Hancock is said to be the second most beautiful woman in the world. She is only topped by the Fish-Man Island's princess, Shirahoshi.
Character Evolution
" And why is that? No matter what I do... Whether I kick kittens, or tear off people's ears, or even commit murder... The whole world will forgive me! Because.... Yes,... because I'm beautiful! "
Boa Hancock "One Piece" Vol. 53 Ch. 516
Boa Hancock is an arrogant woman who is considered by many to be the second most beautiful woman in the world. Her looks easily win over men and women alike. Having no challengers to her childish whims contributed greatly to this personality flaw. She is often so self-righteous that she looks down on people so far that she has to lean backward.
Major Story Arcs
Amazon Lily Arc
Boa Hancock and the Kuja Pirates had returned to Amazon Lily to find a Navy ship waiting offshore. The World Government was ordering her to attend the public execution of Portgas D. Ace. Hancock refused, and only failed to change Vice Admiral Momonga into stone with her powers. Later that day, Monkey D. Luffy crashed into her bath and saw the mark on her back. He was captured and set to be publicly executed. When Margaret, Sweatpea, and Aphelandra tried defending Luffy, Hancock changed them to stone. Luffy managed to defeat Bacura and both her sisters. When Luffy protected the mark on Sandersonia's back, Hancock ordered the stadium evacuated. He tested Luffy to choose leaving Amazon Lily or change Margaret and the other back. To her shock, Luffy didn't hesitate to but the girls. Having been won over my Luffy's personality, Hancock took Luffy into her confidence and told him of her past.
Hancock soon became overwhelmed by emotions. It was painful, and Granny Nyon told her that she was in love. Hancock;s feelings for Luffy were stronger than her hatred for the World Government. She agreed to take Luffy to Impel Down to help save his brother. Luffy hid under Hancock's robes as she boarded the Navy ship under the condition they stop at Impel Down first.
Impel Down Arc
With a large robe wrapped around her body and Luffy clinging on to her on the inside of the robe they both go to Impel Down via the Marine ship that is commanded by Vice admiral Momonga. On the journey to Impel Down Hancock has Luffy stay with him in her quarters without the Marines knowledge and orders lots of food for herself (although it is really for Luffy) which gave the Marines the impression that she can eat a lot of food despite her figure.
After a couple of days of sailing they reach Impel Down wherein the Marines still consider her to be a pirate and is subjected to a fully body search. She is then met up with vice warden Hanyabbal and Domino who tells her the way to the room where she will be searched. But inside the room she uses her powers and turns Domino and the Snail camera also called the Den Den Mushi into stone so that Luffy can come out of her robe. Afterwards she goes to visit Luffy’s brother Ace in Level 6 of Impel Down. On her way down Luffy tells her something although it is inaudible she mistook it as him telling her “I love you” and she faints. When she meets Ace down in Level 6 he tells Ace that Luffy is also in Impel Down to save him, after that she leaves Impel Down to go to Mariejois to prepare for war.
Marineford War Arc
Hancock is later seen in Marineford along with some of her fellow Shichibukai. When the Whitebeard pirates attacked she defends herself using a variety of skills and turns most of them to stone and afterwards inadvertently attacks everyone else around her despite them being an allied marine or a pirate which led to a marine asking her where her allegiance truly lies in which she responds by saying that she only fights in the war because all the men who are before her, except Luffy, are all enemies.
When Luffy arrives in Marineford along with some of the ex-inmates of Impel Down she was relieved that he was alright. And when he was pinned down by Commodore Smoker, she kicks Smoker away and says that she has never been that angry in all her life. Afterwards she gives Luffy the keys to Ace’s handcuffs which made Luffy hug her out of gratitude and she mistakes the hug as a sign of marriage to Luffy. Luffy then runs off to save Ace but Smoker tries to pursue him when suddenly she is stopped by Hancock which leads Smoker to tell her the consequences of her actions to her people. When Luffy was close to Ace he got stabbed by Aokiji which made her angry and she screams at Aokiji for stabbing Luffy with his ice blade and tries to go after him but before she has a chance Marco comes in and kicks Aokiji away from Luffy. Hancock is next seen blocking the way of the Pacifista’s to prevent them from shooting lasers at Luffy even going so far as to destroy one Pacifista which led to Sentoumaru to asking her why she is attacking her allies only to get a reply “Love comes in a Hurricane”
Dawn Island Arc
After the battle, Luffy is saved by his rival Trafalgar Law on board his submarine to avoid being captured by the three admirals, Hancock tracks them down and turns the marines on board her ship to stone so as to avoid capture and asks Law about Luffy’s condition. Luffy wakes up a couple of weeks later on Amazon Lily which causes Hancock to be so excited that she wanted to see him immediately despite Elder Nyon’s protests telling her that she can see him after he has recovered. After Luffy recovers Hancock and her sisters along with Elder Nyon were on the way to visit him with food and Nyon tells her that the hug she received from Luffy in Marineford was not marriage. Hancock then asks her what must be done for a proper marriage.
When they got there she was so happy to see Luffy but got mad at Jimbei for taking a small portion of the food. Her sisters were shocked to see Rayleigh the instant they got her but it took Hancock some time to even notice he was there because she still enamored with Luffy. After some time Rayleigh took Luffy to Rusukaina island to train and forbade Hancock to visit him there and to give Luffy food so as to teach Luffy survival and to make him strong.
Fish-Man Island Arc
Hancock and the Kuja Pirates came to pick Luffy up after two years. Hancock tried asking Luffy to marry her, but he casually refused. She still took him to Sabaody Archipelago, and gave him a disguise to hide his identity. As the Straw Hats made their escape, the Kuja Pirates blocked the Navy ships from attacking under the guise of them blocking her path.
Yonko Saga - Wano Country Arc
After the Shicibukai system is abolished, Hancock becomes a wanted pirate once again. She addresses her subjects, telling them not to worry about the incoming Marine fleet, and reminded them that the reason the position of Shicibukai had been offered in the first place was because of how strong they were.
Powers & Abilities
Hancock is considered to be an extremely powerful fighter by friend and foe alike. As such, her skills are considered worthy to become one of the Shichibukai. She also rules Amazon Lily and leads the Kuja pirates. She also considers her beauty to be a weapon because she believes she can have anything or do anything she wants because she is beautiful. Her skills are incredible as seen when she destroyed a number of Pacifistas all by herself even though they are programmed not to attack her.
Physical Abilities
As the strongest warrior of the infamous Kuja Tribe, Hancock has immense physical strength. She could perform extremely powerful kicks that can break stone, and knock away Smoker, a very powerful and skilled Marine, in a single Haki-enhanced kick.
She is a tremendously skilled hand-to-hand fighter, supplemented with her Devil Fruit powers. During the Battle of Marineford, she was able to take down numerous powerful and skilled Marines, as well as powerful pirates from the New World.
Devil Fruit
Boa Hancock possessed the powers of the Paramecia-type Devil Fruit called the Love-Love Fruit (メロメロの実, Mero Mero no Mi). Many of her powers require her to first entice her victims with her charms. Any with impure thoughts will be turned to stone. So far, Monkey D. Luffy has been the only person immune.
Love-Love Fruit Techniques
- Love-Love Mellow: The Love-Love Mellow (メロメロ甘風[メロウ], Mero Mero Merrow) attack is one of Hancock's most favored attacks. By first striking an alluring pose, she plants the seed of lust in either men or women. She then forms her hands in the shape of heart and fires a beam that changes anyone it hits into stone. This can only be undone using the Mezameyo (目覚めよ, Mezameyo) technique. This is used by blowing a kiss from her hand toward the person she froze in stone.
- Pistol Kiss: The Pistol Kiss (銃[ピストル]キス Pisutoru Kisu) technique is used when Hancock kisses the tip of her finger and blows a kiss. This creates a small floating heart that she then pierces with her finger and fires as she would a gun.
- Slave Arrow: The Slave Arrow (虜の矢[スレイブ･アロー], Sureibu Arō) is similar in use to the Pistol Kiss. The Slave Arrow attack is form by blowing a kiss to form a much larger heart, it's stretch and grabbed like bow. She draws back on the rear of the heart. Once release, it created a barrage of arrows that turns all they hit into stone. It's powerful enough to even stop a cannon ball in mid-air.
- Perfume Femur: The Perfume Femur (芳香脚[パフューム･フェムル], Pafyūmu Femuru) attack requires no activation and it used with her close combat skills. With this technique, it causes anyone she kicks to turn to partially stone in the general area of the strike, but doesn't spread to the rest of the body. The infected area become brittle and prone to cracks and crumbling.
Haki
The powers of Haki (覇気, Haki) were a mystery for much of their time in the One Piece series until Rayleigh revealed they are something innate in every human. Those who have attained fame in the world are those with the most powerful Haki. There are three forms and each person tends toward the form that suits them best. Few can master all three, even with training. Hancock is one of the few people in the world who can use all three types of Haki. The powers of Haki are well known on Amazon Lily, but most citizens are unaware of the Devil Fruits.
Weapons & Equipment
Salome
Salome is the pet anaconda snake of Boa Hancock. All the Kuja Amazons of Amazon Lily have a snake that accompany them everywhere. These snakes can take the form of a bow for firing arrows. However, Salome has never been seen used as a weapon.
Character Stats
Appearance
Hancock is a tall, beautiful, and elegant woman with black hair. According to Sanji her measurements are (43.7" - W 24.02" - H 35.83"). At first she wore a red blouse that has most of her chest exposed and a loose sarong that has a Kuja emblem adorned on it which exposes her leg, with a cape. She wears a pair of golden earrings that resemble snakes and two red high heeled shoes.
Hancock is a woman of beauty so beautiful that Marguerite and Hanyabbal have declared her as the most beautiful woman in the world.
She along with her sisters Marigold and Sandersonia are hiding the Celestial tattoos burned into their backs, making up a story that she and her sisters have an eye of a Gorgon at their backs.
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