Bell-mère in One Piece

Bell-mère led a troubled life and earned a reputation as a "thug" due to her mischievous behavior. Despite her rough image, her loved ones cared deeply for her. To everyone's surprise, she decided to join the Marines with a strong determination to fight against "bad" pirates, particularly the notorious pirate Shiki, who had escaped from Impel Down.

During a mission to the Oykot Kingdom to combat troublesome pirates, a fierce battle erupted, resulting in many casualties and the destruction of a village. Wounded and feeling hopeless, Bell-mère was ready to give up on her life.

However, just when she had lost hope, Nojiko appeared, carrying a young Nami. Bell-mère rescued the two girls and took them back to her home island, even though Nami was too young to understand what had happened.

When they arrived, a storm had struck, and the children fell ill. Bell-mère insisted that the girls receive treatment before her. After they all recovered, she asked the villagers not to register the girls for adoption with the World Government. Despite the protests from the villagers, she declared that she was old and mature enough to care for the girls on her own.

Bell-mère lived with Nami and Nojiko in Cocoyasi Village. Despite her limited income, she devoted everything to her daughters, even eating only the mikan fruit she grew to ensure her girls had enough to eat. Once, she scolded Nami for stealing a book, as they couldn't afford it.

Nami admitted she took the book because she wanted to study navigation. Bell-mère praised Nami for her first drawing of the island and encouraged her to pursue her dream of mapping the world. Bell-mère taught Nami and Nojiko to be strong and endure tough times.

When the price of mikans fell one year due to an oversupply, Bell-mère sacrificed her own meals to ensure Nami and Nojiko had enough to eat. She never revealed the dire situation to her daughters. During an argument, Nami expressed her desire for her own clothes instead of Nojiko's hand-me-downs and claimed that she didn't consider Nojiko a real sister since they weren't blood-related.

Bell-mère slapped Nami, and hurt by her words, Nami ran away, saying she wished she were adopted by wealthy people. The same day, Arlong and his pirate crew invaded the island and discovered Bell-mère's home. Bell-mère confronted Arlong, initially holding him at gunpoint and pretending to be a Marine.

She demanded to know why the Grand Line pirates were there. Arlong laughed at her, chewed on her rifle's barrel, and then brutally attacked her, causing her to bleed. Genzo, another villager, intervened and urged her not to risk her life for pride and that some problems could be resolved with money. Genzo supported her in this difficult situation.

When Arlong, the pirate leader, demanded a tribute of Beli100,000 per adult and Beli50,000 per child from the villagers, Genzo believed he had just over Beli100,000. He heard Hatchan, one of Arlong's crew members, reveal that the table was set for three people.

Genzo told Bell-mère to hurry and pay for an adult because he had invited them to eat, and the food would get cold. Bell-mère paid the required amount, but as the fish-men were leaving and had understood that there was no other choice but to submit, she stated that the money was for her daughters, and she was lacking her share.

She declared that she would rather die than not be a mother. In response, Arlong shot her right in front of her two adopted daughters, Nami and Nojiko.

Before her death, Bell-mère apologized to Nami for not being rich and unable to buy them everything they wanted. Nami and Nojiko insisted that they didn't need wealth and urged her to stay alive. Bell-mère expressed her love for them just before she died.

Legacy

Bell-mère was buried on a nearby cliff outside the village, with a pair of sticks forming a cross as her grave marker. At some point, she was given a proper grave with her name inscribed on the headstone.

After Bell-mère's tragic death, Nami was forced to join Arlong's crew due to her cartography skills, which they intended to use to create sea charts for their conquest of the East Blue. Bell-mère's words of encouragement, "If you can survive, then happy times... lots of them... will come your way," inspired Nami to work towards freeing Cocoyasi Village from Arlong's control.

She believed that by liberating the village, she could pursue her dream and find happiness. Nami always hid the money she earned at Bell-mère's mikan orchard, and the villagers, particularly Bell-mère's daughters, would visit her grave from time to time.

Eight years after Bell-mère's tragic death, it was revealed that Arlong had tricked Nami into bringing him the money he needed to pay off Nezumi, who had been blackmailing him to keep his criminal activities secret. This left Nami in despair, believing that her village would never be free from Arlong's control.

However, shortly after that, Arlong and his crew were defeated by Nami's newfound friends, the Straw Hat Pirates, which finally liberated the entire island. The Straw Hat Pirates also confronted Nezumi and his subordinates when they tried to interfere, forcing them to return the money they had taken. Genzo celebrated by pouring wine on Bell-mère's grave marker. Nami set sail with the Straw Hat Pirates, her view of pirates renewed.

On the night Nami prepared to leave her hometown and become a true member of the Straw Hat Pirates, she said her goodbyes to Bell-mère inside their old house, as if she were speaking to her face directly. Nami felt some regret about leaving Cocoyasi Village for an extended journey on the Grand Line, given how much the village meant to her.

However, as Nami walked out of the house, she received a push on her back, a gentle nudge from what she believed to be the spirit of Bell-mère, encouraging her to move forward. Nami smiled, knowing it was her adoptive mother's support, and left the village the next day, eager to embark on her quest to map the world.

In the Punk Hazard Arc, when Nami entrusted the care of giant children to the Marines, particularly Tashigi, it was noted that she had a special trust in Marine women, possibly due to her upbringing by Bell-mère.

In her younger days, Bell-mère was known as a troublemaker, creating chaos and challenges for her fellow villagers. Her decision to join the Marines came as a shock to everyone, as it was unexpected given her troubled past. Despite the challenges she presented to her community, the villagers genuinely cared for her well-being.

As a Marine, Bell-mère displayed confidence and determination. She took her responsibilities seriously and was ready to face formidable adversaries, as seen in her willingness to confront Shiki if he threatened the East Blue. Her fellow Marines regarded her as reliable, suggesting she was an effective and competent member of the organization.

Bell-mère's return to Cocoyasi revealed that she still retained some of her mischievous and impulsive nature. She was not afraid to use humor and innuendo when offering to compensate for Nami's thefts, a trait that seemed to influence Nami's personality.

She occasionally acted on her impulses, such as when she reprimanded Nami for suggesting that Nojiko wasn't her real sister or when she scolded a boy for criticizing her cooking. Despite her occasional impulsiveness, Bell-mère acknowledged that Nojiko was often more mature than she was.

Bell-mère had a distinctive appearance characterized by her fuchsia hair and unique Chelsea hawk hairstyle. She had long hair tied into a ponytail and a slim figure. Her features included grey eyes and she often had a cigarette in hand.

In her civilian life, Bell-mère typically wore a green checkered shirt with the word "MACE" written on it, paired with indigo trousers and brown sandals.

During her time as a Marine officer, she wore the standard Marine uniform with the officer's jacket draped over her shoulders like a cape.

Bell-mère, during her time in the Marines and as a mother in Cocoyasi Village, displayed commendable fighting skills and resourcefulness. Her ability to survive dangerous situations and protect her daughters demonstrates her determination and courage.

In a confrontation with Arlong and his crew, Bell-mère showcased her combat abilities. Despite being distracted by cooking, she was perceptive enough to notice Arlong and his crew approaching her home, indicating her awareness and readiness for threats.

During the confrontation, Bell-mère managed to swiftly pin Arlong to the ground and place a rifle in his mouth before he or any of his crew members could react, showcasing her agility and quick thinking in a high-pressure situation.

She wielded a rifle against Arlong, indicating her proficiency with firearms. While Arlong ultimately broke the rifle due to his immense Fish-Man strength, Bell-mère's ability to use the weapon in the first place highlights her combat training as a Marine.

Genzo

Bell-mère had a close relationship with Genzo, who was like family to her. She could manipulate him with seductive gestures and humorously offered to repay him with "her body," though it was meant more as teasing than anything serious.

Genzo fondly called her the "little hooligan" in response to her mischievous actions. He deeply cared for her and was horrified when Arlong killed her.

Nami and Nojiko

Bell-mère took in Nami and Nojiko when they were infants and raised them as her own. She was willing to sacrifice her own life to protect them, and she cared for them deeply. Despite the fact that they were not related by blood, Bell-mère considered them her daughters and ensured they had as much as she could provide.

She often sacrificed her own meals during difficult times to make sure her daughters were well-fed. Bell-mère's selflessness and love for Nami and Nojiko were evident in her actions, and during her final moments, she expressed her love for them before Arlong took her life.

In addition to the manga and its anime adaptation, Bell-mère also appeared in multiple video games.

She appeared as a playable character in One Piece Treasure Cruise and made a supporting appearance in One Piece: Gear Spirit.

In addition to that, she appeared as a non-playable character in the following games:

• Aim! The King of Belly

• One Piece: Ocean's Dream!

• One Piece: Dragon Dream!

• Bell-mère's grave was initially makeshift, marked by two sticks tied in a cross. At some point before or during the timeskip, she received a proper grave with her name inscribed on the headstone.

• In the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th fan polls of most popular characters, Bell-mère was ranked 37th, 32nd, 40th, 81st, 77th, and 81st, respectively.

• During her time as a Marine, Bell-mère wore the Marine's jacket commonly seen on officers ranking no lower than captain, suggesting that she held a higher-ranking officer position.

• Bell-mère is the first female Marine and female Marine officer to be shown in the series.

• The mikan part of Nami's tattoo represents Bell-mère, while the pinwheel part represents Genzo, paying homage to her adoptive mother and father figure, respectively.

• Bell-mère's birthday on December 3 is known as "Mikan Day".

• Her favorite food is mikans, and she shares this preference with her adoptive daughters, Nojiko and Nami.