Live-Action TV
Description
Bentham, known as Bon Clay and formerly operating under the Baroque Works code name Mr. 2, is a character introduced during the Alabasta arc. His real name is Bentham, and he holds a bounty of 32,000,000 Beli. Within the now-defunct criminal organization Baroque Works, he held the position of an Officer Agent. Uniquely, he was the only member of that rank without a female partner, as he is an okama, a term often used to describe a transvestite or a person of flamboyant gender expression, and thus filled both roles himself. This is reflected in his codename, which combines a male agent's number with a female agent's holiday name, Bon Clay, referencing the end of the Bon Festival.
In terms of personality, Bon Clay is extraordinarily flamboyant, energetic, and expressive, often breaking into song and dance and ending his sentences with exclamations. Despite his former profession as a high-ranking member of a crime syndicate, he is genuinely friendly, easygoing, and deeply values friendship above all else. He lives by a personal creed he calls the "okama way," which holds friendship as the most beautiful and important principle in the world. This loyalty is absolute; while he committed serious acts as an agent for Crocodile, his dedication to those he considers friends knows no limits, and he is willing to sacrifice his own well-being and freedom for them without hesitation.
Motivated by this powerful sense of camaraderie, Bon Clay's role in the story evolves significantly. Initially, he is an antagonist working to destabilize Alabasta, where he uses his powers to impersonate the king and sow chaos. However, after a chance encounter and a fierce battle with the Straw Hat Pirates, particularly with Sanji, he develops a genuine friendship with them. Impressed by their spirit and after being shown mercy by Sanji following his defeat, Bon Clay abandons his allegiance to Baroque Works. He proves his friendship by helping the Straw Hats escape the Marines after the battle, even disguising himself and his crew as the pirates to act as decoys, leading to his own capture. His role later expands during the Impel Down arc, where he reunites with Luffy inside the maximum-security prison and becomes one of his most crucial allies, helping him navigate the deadly levels and fighting to ensure Luffy can reach his brother, Ace.
His key relationships are central to his character. His bond with Monkey D. Luffy is the most significant, evolving from a brief, entertaining acquaintance to a profound, unshakeable friendship. Luffy's simple trust and honesty deeply affect Bon Clay, who in turn declares himself Luffy's friend and repeatedly risks his life for him. His relationship with Sanji is also notable; they begin as deadly enemies who fight a brutal, nearly equal battle, but their conflict ends with mutual respect, as Sanji refuses to kill him after his defeat. Under Crocodile, he served as a subordinate, but he ultimately rejects this relationship in favor of his friendship with the Straw Hats.
Throughout his appearances, Bon Clay demonstrates notable development. He transitions from a loyal agent of a villainous organization to a selfless hero whose primary motivation is the protection and support of his friends. His initial role as a deceiver and combatant for Baroque Works is replaced by a role as a liberator and a symbol of hope, particularly within the prison of Impel Down, where his unbreakable optimism and leadership inspire other prisoners.
His notable abilities are twofold. He ate the Mane Mane no Mi, a Paramecia-class Devil Fruit also known as the Clone-Clone Fruit. This power allows him to transform into an exact physical duplicate of any person whose face he has touched with his right hand. The transformation is so precise that it copies the person's voice, stature, and even their scent, making him a master of deception. He reverts to his original form by touching his face with his left hand. In combat, he primarily relies on a unique martial arts style he developed called Okama Kenpo, which blends powerful acrobatic kicks with ballet-inspired dance moves. This style allows for both agile evasion and devastating offensive attacks. He can enhance his kicks by attaching the ornamental iron-tipped swans from his shoulders to his shoes, turning his feet into powerful, long-range striking weapons. He has also been shown to use his false eyelashes as razor-sharp throwing projectiles.
In terms of personality, Bon Clay is extraordinarily flamboyant, energetic, and expressive, often breaking into song and dance and ending his sentences with exclamations. Despite his former profession as a high-ranking member of a crime syndicate, he is genuinely friendly, easygoing, and deeply values friendship above all else. He lives by a personal creed he calls the "okama way," which holds friendship as the most beautiful and important principle in the world. This loyalty is absolute; while he committed serious acts as an agent for Crocodile, his dedication to those he considers friends knows no limits, and he is willing to sacrifice his own well-being and freedom for them without hesitation.
Motivated by this powerful sense of camaraderie, Bon Clay's role in the story evolves significantly. Initially, he is an antagonist working to destabilize Alabasta, where he uses his powers to impersonate the king and sow chaos. However, after a chance encounter and a fierce battle with the Straw Hat Pirates, particularly with Sanji, he develops a genuine friendship with them. Impressed by their spirit and after being shown mercy by Sanji following his defeat, Bon Clay abandons his allegiance to Baroque Works. He proves his friendship by helping the Straw Hats escape the Marines after the battle, even disguising himself and his crew as the pirates to act as decoys, leading to his own capture. His role later expands during the Impel Down arc, where he reunites with Luffy inside the maximum-security prison and becomes one of his most crucial allies, helping him navigate the deadly levels and fighting to ensure Luffy can reach his brother, Ace.
His key relationships are central to his character. His bond with Monkey D. Luffy is the most significant, evolving from a brief, entertaining acquaintance to a profound, unshakeable friendship. Luffy's simple trust and honesty deeply affect Bon Clay, who in turn declares himself Luffy's friend and repeatedly risks his life for him. His relationship with Sanji is also notable; they begin as deadly enemies who fight a brutal, nearly equal battle, but their conflict ends with mutual respect, as Sanji refuses to kill him after his defeat. Under Crocodile, he served as a subordinate, but he ultimately rejects this relationship in favor of his friendship with the Straw Hats.
Throughout his appearances, Bon Clay demonstrates notable development. He transitions from a loyal agent of a villainous organization to a selfless hero whose primary motivation is the protection and support of his friends. His initial role as a deceiver and combatant for Baroque Works is replaced by a role as a liberator and a symbol of hope, particularly within the prison of Impel Down, where his unbreakable optimism and leadership inspire other prisoners.
His notable abilities are twofold. He ate the Mane Mane no Mi, a Paramecia-class Devil Fruit also known as the Clone-Clone Fruit. This power allows him to transform into an exact physical duplicate of any person whose face he has touched with his right hand. The transformation is so precise that it copies the person's voice, stature, and even their scent, making him a master of deception. He reverts to his original form by touching his face with his left hand. In combat, he primarily relies on a unique martial arts style he developed called Okama Kenpo, which blends powerful acrobatic kicks with ballet-inspired dance moves. This style allows for both agile evasion and devastating offensive attacks. He can enhance his kicks by attaching the ornamental iron-tipped swans from his shoulders to his shoes, turning his feet into powerful, long-range striking weapons. He has also been shown to use his false eyelashes as razor-sharp throwing projectiles.