Tsuru, also called “the Great Tactician” (Jap. 大参謀, Dai Sanbō), is a Vice Admiral of Naval Headquarters and a member of the War Council. She, along with Monkey D. Garp and Sengoku, are members of the older generation of the Navy.
Contents
Appearance
Vice Admiral Tsuru is an older woman with many wrinkles on her face, mostly around her forehead, mouth and eyes. Her longer grey hair is tied back, she has a hooked nose and wears earrings, each consisting of two pearls and a cube. She also wears an orange shirt, the sleeves of which are always rolled up, and a purple tie. Over this she wears a white officer’s coat, which is draped around her shoulders.
For her second appearance, she wore a light purple shirt and a pink tie with a purple diamond pattern.
In her youth, her hair was still dark green.
Personality
Tsuru seems to be a very calm person, as even when Doflamingo had two naval officers fight each other, she didn’t lose her cool. She also seems to be very wise, as she is very knowledgeable about current events as well as the different types of people. According to Monkey D. Garp, being a woman, she immediately becomes compassionate and emotional in serious situations.
Skills and strength
Based on her epithet, it can be assumed that Tsuru is a very intelligent person who operates tactically at a high level. However, due to her rank as a Vice Admiral, she must also have great martial strength. At the time, she was stationed in the Northblue and, among other important missions, she and her crew hunted down the Donquixote pirate gang, which at the time was considered the most dangerous gang in those waters.
With Doflamingo’s ascension to Samurai of the Seas, he and his gang were under the protection of the world government. However, Crane is still one of the few people respected by Donquixote Doflamingo. She is also a member of the War Council, having been present at both the meeting of The Seven Warlords of the Seas in Mary Geoise and the War Conference, which was about the coming war against the Whitebeard Gang.
In the battle against the Whitebeard Gang, Vice Admiral Crane could be seen washing a number of pirates and hanging them on a clothesline, thanks to her devilish powers. She can wash anything and everything, which also washes the evil out of pirates’ hearts. In addition, they are then immobilized. As a Vice Admiral, Kranich is also proficient in the Armor and Observation Shaki.
Past
Vice Admiral Tsuru was stationed at naval headquarters over 20 years ago. She was present when Garp and Sengoku set out to put a stop to Roger and Shiki. When Garp asked Tsuru to ride on her ship, she refused, since Garp always broke all the ships. She already held an unknown officer rank at that time. However, she must have held a high rank by then, as she set out to fight Roger and Shiki herself.
Under the leadership of the then Admiral Sengoku, 13 years ago Tsuru and her fleet fought the Donquixote pirate gang in the Northblue. This crew even recruited children for their cause, which is why Sengoku recruited Doflamingo’s brother, Frigate Captain Donquixote Rosinante, into the pirates’ crew. With his help and contact with Sengoku, the navy was always able to track them down, though never achieve victory. Rosinante later pursued his own goals and could no longer provide the Navy with information. Attacks had dropped significantly over six months since then, causing Doflamingo to become suspicious and Pica to suspect a traitor in Rosinante. Diamante, on the other hand, believed it was a coincidence, and Doflamingo hoped he was right.
Tsuru’s next known mission was to take over the Operations Fruit on Minion Island. A former marine named Diez Barrels, who had turned to piracy, wanted to sell it for five billion. Thanks to Rosinante, Sengoku informed them that Doflamingo also wanted to seize the fruit. However, their crew was too late, as Tsuru’s unit was anchored off the neighboring island of Swallow.
Flames blazed at Barrel’s base and Rosinante had captured the Devil Fruit for Law. Tsuru was unaware of the latter and ordered her men to hold their position on the beach, lest the deal fall through should the armed soldiers on the island be discovered by pirates. When Donquixote Doflamingo locked the island in his birdcage, the navy could do nothing. It was learned from Baby 5 that the navy took into custody someone Doflamingo mistook for Law. Doflamingo disbanded his birdcage and got into a fight with Tsuru’s Marine unit, which suddenly appeared off Minion Island.
Present
Gathering of the Samurai
After Crocodile was defeated by Luffy and stripped of his rank as one of The Seven Warlords of the Seas, the remaining six Samurai of the Seas were summoned to Mary Geoise. At this meeting, a successor to Crocodile was to be discussed. As expected, not all of the samurai showed up at this meeting. At first, only Bartholomew Kuma and Donquixote Doflamingo were present. There were also a few officers from the navy, aside from Tsuru, including Sengoku.
As Donquixote Doflamingo was playing with some members of the navy, he was told by Vice Admiral Kranich to be a good boy and stop doing that. To the surprise of all present, even Dracule Mihawk, whom no one would have expected, appeared a little late. A little later still, everyone was surprised again, this time by the unexpected appearance of Laffitte, who was recognized by Tsuru. The reason for Laffitte’s visit was to propose his captain, Marshall D. Teach, as the new samurai.This fact only occurs in the anime.
In the anime, Laffitte is recognized by Vice Admiral Mozambia.
The call of world government
While the Straw Hat Pirates was on the Sabaody Archipelago, it was announced that Portgas D. Ace was to be executed. However, the execution of the commander of the 2nd Division of the Whitebeard Gang was to lead to a war between the World Government and the aforementioned gang.
In order to keep Whitebeard and his pirates from rescuing their member, all Seven Warlords of the Seas were called upon to assist the Navy in the upcoming battle. To this end, a meeting was held six days before the execution, at which five of the seven samurai-Bartholomew Kuma, Donquixote Doflamingo, Dracule Mihawk, Blackbeard, and Gecko Moria-had answered the government’s call and ate their meal together at one table. At the table with the samurai were several naval officers, including Vice Admiral Tsuru.
Fight against the Whitebeard gang
Just before the battle began, Grand Admiral Sengoku revealed to the world that Portgas D. Ace was the son of Gol D. Roger. Tsuru then told Garp that it was not his fault. However, the latter just started laughing and said that women get emotional right away at these moments. When the Gate of Justice then opened and the Whitebeard alliance arrived in Marine Ford, Kranich said that the Marine had made a poor choice with their deployment.
When Whitebeard’s commanders stormed the battlefield, the Vice Admirals were the first to move against them. Vice Admiral Yamakaji advised Kranich that she would be better off staying in the rear. However, the latter only said that Yamakaji, as the greenhorn, shouldn’t be so cheeky.
After Little Oars Jr. entered the battlefield, Vice Admiral Kranich noticed that it was bigger than a normal giant. Later, when the was in full swing, Kranich could be seen washing a number of pirates and tying them to a clothesline. She then received information from Sengoku through a Den-den Mushi that the plan was now being carried out. Her task now was to send the order on to the forces.
At the end of the battle, after both Ace and Whitebeard had fallen, Sengoku, after Shanks had appeared with his gang in Marine Ford, ended the war. Tsuru did not object to this either.
Transport from Doflamingo
Three days after Luffy’s defeat of Donquixote Doflamingo, Tsuru arrived at Dress Rosa with Chief Inspector Sengoku. At the naval camp, they met with Admiral Fujitora, who still had not arrested Luffy and Trafalgar Law, even though both pirates were still on the island. Fujitora explained to Kranich and Sengoku that he had made his decision with a die for the last two days. Now, however, the admiral passed the dice to Kranich. If she rolled any number other than one, Fujitora and the marines would immediately arrest the criminals on the island. In fact, she rolled a different number, so the navy consequently began to move.
After the pirates’ successful escape, Sengoku, Fujitora, and Tsuru escorted the captured Donquixote Doflamingo to the underwater prison Impel Down with a total of four warships. During the crossing, Tsuru guarded the cell where Doflamingo lay. The former Samurai of the Seas regretted Fujitora’s decision not to work with him. However, Tsuru was of the opinion that there were no “ifs”. He had lost and only that would be reality. Doflamingo then prophesied the beginning of the greatest power struggle yet in pirate history. At the same time, Jack’s ship appeared behind the naval convoy, intent on freeing Doflamingo. However, the attack on the naval ships failed.
Miscellaneous
- Like many female characters, Tsuru’s name is a reference to a bird. Tsuru means “crane”.
- Along with Gion, she is one of the highest ranking women within the Navy.
- In TV Special 16, it is revealed that just like the former admirals, she has a personal motto related to justice. Hers is “Clean Justice”.
- Her favorite dish is tea with crumpets.
