Led by the scientific genius of Vinsmoke Judge, the Germa Kingdom is the only known seafaring nation in One Piece, whose origins lie in the North Blue. Famed for their advanced technology, the ruthless policy of conquest, and the strength of the members of the Vinsmoke royal family, who are all powerful combatants in their own right, the Germa Kingdom was formerly affiliated with the World Government and enjoyed a high degree of authority among the member nations despite the many underhanded moves made by both Judge and his ancestors. The kingdom was first introduced during the Whole Cake Island Arc, with the reveal of Sanji as a member of the ruling Vinsmoke royal family. At the time, the Straw Hats' cook was being forced into a marriage to Charlotte Pudding, the daughter of Big Mom, in a bid to cement an alliance between the Germa Kingdom and the Big Mom Pirates. However, this fell apart due to the intervention of Luffy and the Minks, as well as the revelation that Big Mom and her children intended to kill the Vinsmoke family and seize their technology by force.
Described by Vinsmoke Reiju, a member of the royal family, as a "kingdom without any territory," the Germa Kingdom's actual territory is composed of a series of floating platforms, built on the backs of massive snails resembling those used as transponders in One Piece. These platforms can detach, travel independently, and interlink with one another as necessary, making the kingdom's territory as adaptive and expansive as needed, defined by the number of platforms assembled together at any given time. The snails are unaffected by sea salt and are said to be quite strong, capable of even scaling the Red Line. Much of the Germa Kingdom was assembled on Whole Cake Island, employing an architectural style that heavily references castles to exude a fortified, militaristic appearance. Curved, conical spires crown most of the structures atop the snails, assembled using bricks and tile in a fashion that is reminiscent of the architecture of Medieval Europe. Despite this, there are certain sections of the kingdom with a decidedly futuristic appearance to accommodate the advanced technology harbored in its bounds. This militaristic appearance aligns with Germa's history of conquest, which began with their time ruling over the North Blue.
A Turbulent Past
Nearly three centuries prior to the start of the story, the Germa Kingdom was the capital of the former Germa Empire, which, at its peak, controlled the entirety of the North Blue for a period of 66 days. Since then, every monarch from the kingdom's royal family has strived to restore the empire to its former glory. This holds true even in the case of the current ruler, Vinsmoke Judge, who embarked on an infamous expedition called the Conquest of Four Nations, prior to the start of One Piece — although the details of this endeavor are still yet to be fully explained. A former member of MADS — an illicit research group credited with the revolutionary discovery of the Lineage Factor — Judge is responsible for much of Germa's technological advancement, as well as the creation of its massive army of clone soldiers.
Since their move from the North Blue, Judge has turned the kingdom's military much like a mercenary group, selling his services to the highest bidder to further his dream of territorial expansion. While the Germa Kingdom was once part of the World Government and had the privilege of attending the Levely, they were always running on thin ice due to Judge's dealings with many underworld figures.They even held a considerable degree of power over the Marines, being able to change Sanji's bounty requirements to "Only Alive" at the time of his engagement to Pudding. Furthermore, after the events of the Whole Cake Island, these ties have been severed completely, owing to the kingdom's attempt to ally with the Big Mom Pirates and gain more power over the North Blue. This is a recurring pattern of behavior for Judge, who, throughout his reign, has taken every action possible to increase the kingdom's military strength and move forward on its path of conquest, even going so far as to genetically modify his own children.
The Might Of Germa 66
Composed primarily of clones of great soldiers from the past, Germa 66 is the name given to the kingdom's military, said to be one of the most advanced and powerful armies in the world of One Piece. This stems both from the futuristic weapons and technology they wield as a result of Judge's scientific expertise, as well as the astute use of cloning which has produced a fighting force comprising exemplary specimens across the board. Perhaps the most crucial piece in this massive military machine is the Vinsmoke family themselves, who are also the commanders of the nation's armed forces. Genetically enhanced by Judge prior to their birth, four of the five Vinsmoke siblings — barring Sanji — are all cold-blooded super soldiers, boasting inhuman strength, durability, and ruthlessness, making them the perfect leaders for one of the strongest fighting forces in the world.
Each member of the Vinsmoke family wears a uniquely-tailored Raid Suit in combat, which allows them to hover in the air, enhance their jumps and kicks, or even make use of special abilities such as secreting poison, firing energy blasts, releasing electric bursts, extending limbs, or even becoming invisible. Judge also has an array of weapons at his disposal, mostly relying on the use of electromagnetic energy to boost his already monstrous fighting capabilities. This, combined with a host of other factors, has caught the eye of the World Government, who tolerated the kingdom's mercenary activities and illicit dealings, until their confrontation with Big Mom on Whole Cake Island.
At Odds With The World Government
Germa's military might far exceed what most other nations under the World Government are capable of. Their feats extend from defeating entire nations in a matter of hours, to making quick work of an army numbering 10,000, led by Charlotte Nusstorte of the Big Mom Pirates. In fact, the Vinsmoke royal family's strength and efficiency are the stuff of legend, with many knowing of them only as the antagonists of the World Economic Journal's propaganda comic strip titled "Sora, Warrior of the Sea." Over time, they have earned both the respect and the ire of the World Government, who view them as a necessary evil due to the advanced weapons they hold, as well as the threat they pose across the seas. The Germa Kingdom's mobility is another source of its power as it can always flee adverse situations or seek out new territories and take them over. This is evidenced when Judge threatened to destory the Baratie to Sanji on Whole Cake Island, a threat made credible by the kingdom's ability to traverse the seas.
The army's fearful reputation precedes it, even when Germa 66's actual existence is only a myth to many across the world. Beyond the image created by "Sora, Warrior of the Sea," which modeled its antagonists on the Vinsmoke family, Germa 66 is well known throughout the underworld, for their campaigns of territorial expansion and the mercenary services they provide. These services are rendered based on the lucrative returns on offer from each mission, although, the commanders of Germa 66 have been known to take on jobs from both sides of a conflict, as a means to ensure greater returns. Fearsome, cutthroat, and unforgiving in their approach to conquest and warmongering the Germa Kingdom is one of the most diabolical political entities yet seen in One Piece, and their close affiliation with the Straw Hats' cook is only a signifier of the greater role they may yet play in the narrative at the saga's conclusion.