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Generally, again, no real surprises here. The flashback is playing out as expected, and while I don’t particularly know exactly what happens every time, there’s nothing that really comes as a shock. Jinbe and Arlong split holding their usual stances, with Jinbe taking up Tiger’s spirit and accepting the shichibukai offer for a greater good (a la FMA, and creating Hodi as an enemy), whereas Arlong simply goes on about his rage. Jinbe’s a pretty modest guy, saying that it was he who “let” Arlong go into East blue, but obviously left out a minor detail such as what was basically requiring him to kill his orphan brother. It’s okay Jinbe, I think most people can forgive you for that.
I’m a little curious as to why Hachi followed Arlong instead of Jinbe, but my bets are on simple naivete. He was young, easily persuaded by rage, and Arlong seemed right at the time, even though he was already friends with humans like Rayleigh. Perhaps this is finally a small weakness that shows that perhaps Hachi wasn’t prepared to be such an important character back in Arlong’s arc. But c’mon, Oda’s still a god for making it work as it is.
Otohime never really generated much empathy from me, due to her blind cause, but this chapter finally broke that confident demeanor. In her drunken stupor, the “children are our future” speech came pouring out, and she finally cut the crap. Like any good speech, I was inspired with every word, despite having heard renditions of the like in several other outlets. This is probably going to be the speech that made her one to remember *cough MLK Jr. *cough*, because the next step in this flashback should be her assassination. ;_;
How many more Flashback chapters till the story continues?
Considering I’m not Oda, I really don’t have the slightest idea. My best guess would be one or two more chapters.
All this background story is covering a lot of the mysteries surrounding the racial discrimination against the fishmen. It seems adding the world nobles into the story much more often is foreshadowing the new world.
These few flashbacks had been great! Finally gave us the background of fishman that appeared early on in the arlong arc… Wat did Hatchi say abt where arlong Is now?
I’m glad you like the flashbacks too! It been building up for so long… 12 years, actually.
And if you look at chapter 492, page 13 (or 14), Hachi says everyone was captured by marines.
I think Otohime will end up being killed by one of the Tenryuubito. The story just screams for that progression.
Tenryuubito NEVER do anything good. So, of course, everything will go to hell. All Oda has to do is say their name to make a great cliffhanger of impending doom.
I am shocked that Van Drecken didn’t show up. I was wondering WHEN did he TOUCHED the princess when that was suppose to be impossible. Needless to say, I’m sure Jimbei had no obligation, unlike Arlong, to not pummel Van Drecken for being a creepy maniac love sick fish.
Well, I now understand how is it that Jimbei “set loose Arlong” to the east blue. Though I am wondering how did someone like Hachi go along with Arlong without restraining him a bit like saying “Lord Arlong, your going to far.” After all, he, of all the Sun Pirates, was the most friendly to humans.
While a lot of people I’ve talked to seem to be bored to tears by the flashack arcs(and aren’t they plentiful), I feel that this one in particular is an exception for me. Oda is really fleshing out the vast world he’s created and I think it’s a good thing that he did. For the people that have been following his manga for the past decade or so, this will surely make them feel more immersed and attached to it, which is what any writer wants to do with his/her work. Also, it gives us a heck of a lot more background on the racial dynamics and relations between the various groups in the One Piece world. (Eg. The fishmen, mermen, and humans.)
I’ve also written a review about these past few flashback chapters and I develop my ideas a bit more in the article as well, going into the whole history and dynamics stuff. It’s quite an interesting read, and I’d recommend you read it and drop a few comments if you can. Thank you!
One Piece Manga Review
I think we can confirm buggy being the new Shichibukai hence the bat
http://mangastream.com/read/one_piece/50719690/13
Yup. That’s exactly what I thought when I saw the letter came from a bat here, too. Weakest Shichibukai ever
It is rare when I complain about Oda, but this “Tenryuubito is at fault for everything” is getting out of hand.
Tenryuubito at the auction house & the affair between the SH crew.
Tenryuubito enslaved the Boa sisters
Tenryuubito Shoot Sabo
Tenryuubito enslaved Fisher Tiger
Tenryuubito now with queen Otohime
Arlong lied to the marines, in what? maybe I missed something.
Buggy official Shichibukai huh? that joke is also getting out of hand.
Fisher Tiger died because he refused to have a transfusion using human blood. But Arlong told the marines that Fisher Tiger died because humans refused to give him their blood for a transfusion.
Knew it was his fault but no one bothered to correct him (Jinbe, Sunny pirates)
tenryuubito are not scapegoats. they are esentially what nowadays the billionaires and their kids are. they’re the old nobles who enslaved a whole world. I have no pity for them, and I fully expect them trying to enslave all the mermaids until someone stops them. current time in One Piece is like the fight for the freedom from the tenryuubito dictatorship
I have no pity for them, but they are spreading like a disease for this and that. We still have Shalulia and her revenge.
But the fact that they are just there for trouble at right time (I came in the story just to shoot down Sabo) got on my nerves.
Hmmmmm…. jimbei’s “Ganja” kimono was way cooler than this daisy one!
Btw- i think a few of you guys aren’t analyzing this completely, Because if you look at it, Buggy has the same frighteningly unstoppable power that Luffy has…..he’s essentially the STRONGEST Shichibukai
Here’s my guess how the next few chapters will play out:
– Tenryuubito start enslaving people at Fishman Island once they see all the mermaids.
– The Queen dies, I’m guessing murdered trying to defend her people or making peace with the Tenryuubito.
– Whitebeard sometime later arrives on the island, declaring it his own and abolishing slavery on the island.
– Jenbei gains respect for Whitebeard and his crew, and it becomes a turning point toward his attitude against humans and makes him realize the Queen’s plight.
I’m a bit confuse here. I didn’t get why people said Buggy has become a shichibukai after saw the bat? When I saw the bat, the first come to my mind was “ah, it is one of Moria’s bat”. Is there anything I missed?
Jinbe got a position in the shichibukai from a government’s black bat, the same that Buggy got chapters ago.
Urgh, I can’t recall the scene no matter what. Guess this means its time for me to re-read some chapters back. Anyway, thx for the heads up Volpi.