TV Special
Description
Bilić is an anime-exclusive character and a Marine officer holding the rank of Commodore, who serves as the main antagonist of the special. He is stationed at a Marine base on Hand Island, a location once protected by the Whitebeard Pirates but left vulnerable following the events of the Paramount War. Bilić was assigned to the island under the pretense of defending its people from increased pirate attacks. In reality, he exploited the situation for his own gain, using the island's renowned craftsmen to construct a massive base and a powerful cannon, which he then turned against the very population he was meant to protect.
In appearance, Bilić is a round, stout man with notably thin limbs. His most distinctive physical trait is his bicolored face, with the entire right half being black while the left side is pale. He has orange hair and sports a small Marine hat. His attire is similarly mismatched, consisting of a double-breasted shirt that is yellow on the left and black on the right, blue striped pants, and buckled boots that are different colors from one another. He is almost always seen carrying a puppet of an orange snake with a top hat, which he uses as a prop for his ventriloquism.
Bilić's personality is defined by selfishness, sadism, and an inflated ego driven by a deep-seated Napoleon complex. His primary motivation is to become a Marine admiral, and he idolizes Admiral Borsalino, or Kizaru, hoping to follow in his footsteps. He is extremely arrogant and cannot tolerate insubordination or the opinions of others. This is demonstrated by his cruel punishment of the artisan Regis, who was imprisoned and tortured for speaking out against Bilić's tyranny. He has a habit of using his snake puppet as a ventriloquist dummy to praise himself and insult those around him, revealing a narcissistic and duplicitous nature. While he can present a facade of politeness to superiors like Koby and Helmeppo, he quickly reveals his contempt when he believes he is not being observed, considering himself far superior to other officers. His sadistic tenacity is evident in his practice of firing cannonballs at Hand Island daily for his own entertainment, terrorizing the people he swore to protect.
Within the story of the special, Bilić holds complete authority over Hand Island, having coerced the male adults into serving as his Marine subordinates and forced the artisans to build his weapons. His key relationships are primarily antagonistic. He directly opposes the Straw Hat Pirates after they arrive on the island, seeing their high bounties as a stepping stone to further his own career. He is the oppressor of Regis and the other islanders, holding Regis captive in a water mill prison. He also interacts with Captain Koby and Helmeppo, who have been sent by Marine Headquarters to investigate a letter of inquiry concerning his conduct. Bilić initially treats them with feigned courtesy but privately seethes at their intrusion.
Throughout the special, Bilić undergoes no personal growth or redemption. His role is that of a corrupt and abusive authority figure whose misdeeds are eventually exposed and punished. His development is a negative one, as his already tyrannical behavior escalates when his plans are threatened. He orders a full-scale bombardment of the island and later burns a precious wax figure belonging to Regis in a fit of rage. His arc concludes not with a change of heart, but with his decisive defeat by Monkey D. Luffy and his subsequent arrest by Koby and Helmeppo to face a court-martial for his crimes.
Despite his lack of personal fighting skill or any known Devil Fruit powers, Bilić is a surprisingly durable individual, able to survive a direct attack from Luffy's powerful Elephant Gatling technique. He is also a skilled ventriloquist and a proficient sharpshooter. However, his true abilities come from his weaponry, which he had the craftsmen of Hand Island build for him. His first major weapon is Josephine, a gigantic, fixed cannon mounted on the base's tower. He used this cannon to terrorize the island daily. His second and more formidable weapon is Elizabeth, a dark-green, single-seater mobile cannon. This machine is equipped with a mechanism that allows it to move along steel wires, and it can fire spinning tops that track their targets. Elizabeth was specifically designed to be powerful enough to break through Luffy's rubber body, making it a significant threat. Despite these mechanical advantages, Bilić ultimately relies on these machines as a crutch and is defeated once they are destroyed.
In appearance, Bilić is a round, stout man with notably thin limbs. His most distinctive physical trait is his bicolored face, with the entire right half being black while the left side is pale. He has orange hair and sports a small Marine hat. His attire is similarly mismatched, consisting of a double-breasted shirt that is yellow on the left and black on the right, blue striped pants, and buckled boots that are different colors from one another. He is almost always seen carrying a puppet of an orange snake with a top hat, which he uses as a prop for his ventriloquism.
Bilić's personality is defined by selfishness, sadism, and an inflated ego driven by a deep-seated Napoleon complex. His primary motivation is to become a Marine admiral, and he idolizes Admiral Borsalino, or Kizaru, hoping to follow in his footsteps. He is extremely arrogant and cannot tolerate insubordination or the opinions of others. This is demonstrated by his cruel punishment of the artisan Regis, who was imprisoned and tortured for speaking out against Bilić's tyranny. He has a habit of using his snake puppet as a ventriloquist dummy to praise himself and insult those around him, revealing a narcissistic and duplicitous nature. While he can present a facade of politeness to superiors like Koby and Helmeppo, he quickly reveals his contempt when he believes he is not being observed, considering himself far superior to other officers. His sadistic tenacity is evident in his practice of firing cannonballs at Hand Island daily for his own entertainment, terrorizing the people he swore to protect.
Within the story of the special, Bilić holds complete authority over Hand Island, having coerced the male adults into serving as his Marine subordinates and forced the artisans to build his weapons. His key relationships are primarily antagonistic. He directly opposes the Straw Hat Pirates after they arrive on the island, seeing their high bounties as a stepping stone to further his own career. He is the oppressor of Regis and the other islanders, holding Regis captive in a water mill prison. He also interacts with Captain Koby and Helmeppo, who have been sent by Marine Headquarters to investigate a letter of inquiry concerning his conduct. Bilić initially treats them with feigned courtesy but privately seethes at their intrusion.
Throughout the special, Bilić undergoes no personal growth or redemption. His role is that of a corrupt and abusive authority figure whose misdeeds are eventually exposed and punished. His development is a negative one, as his already tyrannical behavior escalates when his plans are threatened. He orders a full-scale bombardment of the island and later burns a precious wax figure belonging to Regis in a fit of rage. His arc concludes not with a change of heart, but with his decisive defeat by Monkey D. Luffy and his subsequent arrest by Koby and Helmeppo to face a court-martial for his crimes.
Despite his lack of personal fighting skill or any known Devil Fruit powers, Bilić is a surprisingly durable individual, able to survive a direct attack from Luffy's powerful Elephant Gatling technique. He is also a skilled ventriloquist and a proficient sharpshooter. However, his true abilities come from his weaponry, which he had the craftsmen of Hand Island build for him. His first major weapon is Josephine, a gigantic, fixed cannon mounted on the base's tower. He used this cannon to terrorize the island daily. His second and more formidable weapon is Elizabeth, a dark-green, single-seater mobile cannon. This machine is equipped with a mechanism that allows it to move along steel wires, and it can fire spinning tops that track their targets. Elizabeth was specifically designed to be powerful enough to break through Luffy's rubber body, making it a significant threat. Despite these mechanical advantages, Bilić ultimately relies on these machines as a crutch and is defeated once they are destroyed.