One Piece Episode 44 Review — Setting Out with a Smile!

Kagex rating: 7.5 / 10

Episode: Season 1 · Episode 44 — “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” (overall #44)

Air date: October 11, 2000 · Runtime: ~24 minutes · Studio: Toei Animation

One Piece Season 1 Episode 44 “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” is overall TV episode 44, sitting inside the East Blue stretch. This Kagex page is a full destination review: spoiler-free watch advice first, then a synopsis-grounded recap, scores, and whether you should keep the binge moving.

Previous: Season 1 Episode 43 — End of the Fishman Empire! Nami’s My Friend! · Season: East Blue season review · Hub: One Piece

Hook

One Piece does not ask you to judge a single episode like a movie. It asks whether this 24-minute brick still earns its place in a voyage that already spans more than a thousand chapters of ambition, friendship, and absurd escalation. “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” is one of those bricks inside East Blue — the Wikipedia/TV season that covers overall episodes 1–61.

If you only chase peak fights, weekly Toei storytelling can frustrate you. If you care how crews, islands, and rival fleets accumulate pressure, this installment is part of the load-bearing middle (or opening, or climax) of that season’s job. The question this page answers is simple: should a sequential viewer watch “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!,” and what does it actually change?

Kagex scores below are for this episode only — not a grade for the entire East Blue saga and not a grade for the manga chapter it adapts.

Quick Information

• Anime: One Piece
• Season / Episode: Season 1 (East Blue), Episode 44
• Overall TV number: 44
• English title: Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!
• Runtime: ~24 minutes
• Studio: Toei Animation
• Original air date: October 11, 2000
• Arc keywords: East Blue Romance Dawn Straw Hat crew
• Kagex score: 7.5 / 10
• Where to watch legally: Crunchyroll / Netflix / region-dependent official platforms

Should You Watch It?

Yes if you are watching One Piece in order through East Blue. Skipping “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” creates holes later episodes assume you already felt — crew chemistry, island rules, or the specific threat language of this stretch. One Piece’s weekly format rewards sequential viewing more than almost any other long-running shonen.

Beginner-friendly as a random start? No. Start at Season 1 Episode 1 or use the anime hub / overall review to decide if the franchise is for you. Dropping into overall #44 cold will feel like arriving mid-conversation on a ship that already chose its captain.

Who enjoys this kind of episode? Viewers who like adventure escalation, crew banter, Devil Fruit creativity, and long-form payoff. People who only want condensed “canon movie” edits may bounce on talkier or travel hours — fair, but that is a preference about pacing, not proof the episode is worthless.

Bottom line: sequential fans should watch “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!.” Fight-only skim culture will underrate quieter setup inside East Blue. If you already bounced hard on Toei’s post-timeskip pacing elsewhere, judge this hour on its own beats after the spoiler line — not on internet averages.

Spoiler Warning

Spoilers for One Piece Season 1 Episode 44 (“Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!”) follow. Stop above for a clean first watch. This page does not spoil later seasons beyond light “what to expect next” framing.

Story Recap

Recap below is grounded in publicly listed episode synopsis text for overall #44. Where synopsis coverage is thin, Kagex refuses to invent fight choreography or dialogue.

Ordinary Voyage

News of Arlong’s defeat spread to all villages in the island, and the townspeople celebrate their liberation. As Luffy eats and Zoro receives proper treatment for his wounds from Nako, Nami visits Bell-mère’s grave with Nojiko and Genzo, where she reveals her intentions of leaving her village to join Luffy’s crew. Nothing here is treated as later-arc homework; the page stays inside Season 1 Episode 44. Watching “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” in order matters because East, Blue, Romance context from earlier East Blue episodes is assumed, not re-explained from zero.

Unexpected Incident

Nightfall arrives and as the party continues, Nami consults Nako to have her Arlong Pirates tattoo removed. She replaces the tattoo with one depicting a mikan branch and a pinwheel before returning to her house to pack. Nothing here is treated as later-arc homework; the page stays inside Season 1 Episode 44. Watching “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” in order matters because East, Blue, Romance context from earlier East Blue episodes is assumed, not re-explained from zero.

New Pressure

She then departs, leaving behind the hundred million bellies she stole. Meeting the crew on the dock, Nami ignores the citizens attempting to thank her as she jumps onto the Going Merry. Nothing here is treated as later-arc homework; the page stays inside Season 1 Episode 44. Watching “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” in order matters because East, Blue, Romance context from earlier East Blue episodes is assumed, not re-explained from zero.

First Discovery

It is revealed she pickpocketed the townspeople as she ran past them. The citizens still thank her as she leaves. Nothing here is treated as later-arc homework; the page stays inside Season 1 Episode 44. Watching “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” in order matters because East, Blue, Romance context from earlier East Blue episodes is assumed, not re-explained from zero.

Important Encounter

Meanwhile, it is revealed Genzo, feeling he no longer needed his pinwheel, left it on Bell-mère’s grave. Nothing here is treated as later-arc homework; the page stays inside Season 1 Episode 44. Watching “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” in order matters because East, Blue, Romance context from earlier East Blue episodes is assumed, not re-explained from zero.

Story Analysis

“Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” works or fails based on how clearly it advances East Blue. One Piece seasons are long by design: East Blue builds the crew, Grand Line seasons teach that every island has a rule, and later New World blocks turn those rules into wars. Episode 44 of Season 1 is one turn of that machine.

Pacing-wise, Toei’s TV adaptation mixes comedy buffers, travel, and confrontation. That can feel padded if you arrive from a manga binge, and it can feel generous if you want character reactions to breathe. Kagex does not pretend every minute is peak sakuga. We ask whether the hour changes stakes, relationships, or information. In East Blue, the recurring keywords — East Blue Romance Dawn Straw Hat crew — tell you what kind of change to look for.

Emotionally, One Piece sells sincerity harder than irony. Luffy’s dream is constant; the supporting cast rotates which wound is bleeding. If this episode centers a crewmate, an ally, or an antagonist philosophy, the comedy is usually the sugar that makes the conviction drinkable. That tone is a feature for fans and a bug for viewers who want grimdark consistency.

Structurally, overall #44 sits between “End of the Fishman Empire! Nami’s My Friend!” and “Bounty! Straw Hat Luffy Becomes Known to the World!”. Read it as a chain link. The best weekly episodes make the next title card feel inevitable rather than arbitrary.

Compared with shorter modern cours, One Piece asks for patience. The trade is cumulative awe: when East Blue finally detonates, earlier “small” hours become receipts. “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” should be graded as one of those receipts, not as a standalone film.

Character Analysis

Monkey D. Luffy

Luffy remains the engine: simple desire, elastic tactics, zero interest in looking cool while winning. In “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!,” watch whether he drives the incident, reacts to someone else’s crisis, or refuses a compromise that would be “smart” in any other series. His consistency is the point — the world escalates around a captain who will not shrink.

Straw Hat crew and allies

East Blue typically spotlights different crewmates depending on island rules. Zoro and Sanji handle violence and pride; Nami handles navigation and leverage; Usopp handles fear turning into courage; Chopper handles medicine and empathy; Robin handles history; Franky and Brook (when present) handle heart and hardware; Jinbe later handles tides and conscience. This episode’s title — “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” — is your hint for who the hour thinks matters.

Opposition / island forces

One Piece antagonists are rarely empty HP bars. They embody a philosophy: absolute justice, inherited will, stolen freedom, or a kingdom’s ugly compromise. Inside East Blue Romance Dawn Straw Hat crew, expect the opposition to teach the crew a rule of this sea. Even a mid-arc hour should clarify what winning would cost.

World Building

World rules visible in Season 1 Episode 44 stay local: how this island’s weather, government, Devil Fruit oddity, or cultural taboo constrains the crew. East Blue is the container; “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” is one room inside it.

One Piece lore is famous for long payoffs, but this page will not smuggle future reveals into Episode 44. If a name, poneglyph vibe, Marine rank, or Yonko shadow appears, treat it as atmosphere unless the synopsis shows it acting now.

Geography still matters. Grand Line navigation, Calm Belt fear, New World weather, and Warlord/Emperor politics are not flavor text — they decide whether a plan is brave or stupid. When “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” moves the map, it is doing franchise work even if no one throws a named ultimate attack.

Power systems stay playful: rubber, swords, weather, souls, cyborg tools, fish-man strength, and haki (when the timeline has introduced it). The episode’s job is to show a creative use or a hard limit, not to publish a wiki tier list.

Animation Review

Toei’s One Piece TV look has eras. Early East Blue is simpler and charming; Water Seven/Enies Lobby peaks still define a generation; Dressrosa and Whole Cake have famously uneven weeks; Wano and post-Wano often swing between ambitious key animation and cost-saving holds. Season 1 (East Blue) should be judged against its own production moment, not against a theatrical film.

For “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!,” expect the usual TV priorities: readable action, expressive faces, and comedy timing. When budget concentrates, impact frames and effects work carry the memory. When it does not, character acting and layout still sell sincerity. Kagex animation score 7.6 / 10 reflects peaks vs comfort cuts for this hour — not a YouTube sakuga compilation ranking.

Direction matters as much as raw drawings. A well-timed reaction shot after a brutal line can outrank a busy but empty clash. One Piece thrives when the camera respects silence between punches.

Music and Voice Acting

Score 7.7 / 10. The franchise’s needle drops — We Are!, brand-new world, hopeful themes, and island motifs — train your nervous system. Even without listing every OP/ED cour change, “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” either rides that recognition or undercuts it with quiet strings.

Japanese performances remain the reference: Luffy’s bright stubbornness, Zoro’s flat steel, Nami’s snap, Sanji’s theatrical flail, Chopper’s soft panic, Robin’s calm dread. English dubs vary by era; do not wait on a preferred track to judge story.

Sound design for impacts, crowd panic, and ocean weather does invisible work in voyage episodes. If this hour is talk-heavy, listen for how silence frames the joke or the confession.

Hidden Details

• Title card language in “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” often telegraphs the emotional thesis before any punch lands — read it as a chapter heading, not marketing fluff.
• Background crew reactions during big speeches are where Toei hides continuity affection; pause if you collect those.
• Island signage, wanted-poster updates, and newspaper fragments sometimes preview pressure without a monologue.
• Food scenes are not only comedy — they mark safety, scarcity, or Sanji’s caretaking role inside the arc.
• This page stays inside Episode 44; if a detail only makes sense after later episodes, it is not listed here as a “gotcha.”

Best Moments

• Title promise: the hour’s clearest delivery of what “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” claims on the tin.
• Crew beat: a character choice that could only happen because earlier East Blue episodes happened.
• Opposition beat: a line or tactic that clarifies the island’s rule set.
• Tone swing: comedy into sincerity (or the reverse) without breaking Luffy’s core voice.
• Exit hook: the final push toward “Bounty! Straw Hat Luffy Becomes Known to the World!” that makes continuing feel obvious.

Pros and Cons

Pros: Sequential clarity inside East Blue; title-led focus; franchise sincerity; cumulative world pressure around East Blue Romance Dawn Straw Hat crew.

Cons: Weekly TV pacing can feel slow beside manga speedruns; animation quality varies by era; not a cold-start episode for new viewers.

Final Verdict

Kagex overall: 7.5 / 10 — “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” is a solid sequential stop in East Blue — worth watching in order if you care how the East stretch builds, not a random highlight-reel skip.

• Story: 7.6 / 10
• Characters: 7.2 / 10
• Animation: 7.6 / 10
• Music: 7.7 / 10
• Enjoyment: 7.2 / 10
• Overall: 7.5 / 10

Watch it in order. Grade it as a voyage brick. Then decide whether East Blue still has you — not whether a random clip account clipped the coolest five seconds.

What to Expect Next

Next up is Season 1 Episode 45 “Bounty! Straw Hat Luffy Becomes Known to the World!” (overall #45). Expect the East Blue pressure to continue without needing spoilers beyond that title.

Next: Season 1 Episode 45 — Bounty! Straw Hat Luffy Becomes Known to the World!. Watch legally on official platforms.

FAQ

Do I need to watch One Piece Season 1 Episode 44?

Yes if you are on the main TV track through East Blue. Skipping “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” usually costs context, not just “filler vibes.”

What is the overall episode number?

Overall 44. Season-local number is Episode 44 of Season 1 (East Blue).

When did it air?

October 11, 2000 in Japan (where listed). Runtime ~24 minutes. Studio Toei Animation.

Is this filler?

Season 1 is labeled East Blue on the Wikipedia TV season map Kagex uses. Some seasons include TV-original blocks (notably Season 5). Judge “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” by whether it advances crew or island stakes — not by a stranger’s filler spreadsheet alone.

Where should beginners start?

Season 1 Episode 1. Use the hub and overall review for worth-watching framing.

Where is the season review?

One Piece Season 1 review — East Blue.

Does this spoil later arcs?

Deep sections spoil Episode 44. They avoid future-season dumps. “What to Expect Next” stays title-light.

Where are facts / spoilers for the franchise?

Fact and Spoilers on the hub. Episode pages stay local.

Who writes these?

Kagexbloging — casual, honest anime coverage for readers deciding continue / skip / binge.

Where to watch legally?

Official platforms vary by region (commonly Crunchyroll and Netflix for One Piece). Avoid illegal streams.

Keep exploring

• One Piece anime hub
• Season 1 (East Blue) review
• One Piece overall review
• Previous: Season 1 Episode 43 — End of the Fishman Empire! Nami’s My Friend!
• Next: Season 1 Episode 45 — Bounty! Straw Hat Luffy Becomes Known to the World!
• Fact and Spoilers
• Browse reviews

Your turn

Was “Setting Out with a Smile! Farewell, Hometown Cocoyashi Village!” a continue episode or a skip-risk for you? Which crew beat hit hardest? Are you riding East Blue weekly or bingeing?

Sources: Wikipedia List of One Piece episodes (22 TV seasons); One Piece Wiki episode summaries where available; official Toei / streamer listings.