If there’s really any word to describe this chapter, it would have to be badass. Luffy demonstrates not only mastery of the Color of Observation (Kenbunshoku Haki) when dodging the bullet, but also the Color of the Conquering King (Haoshoku Haki). He also knows the Color of Armaments (Busoshoku Haki) as well, but it looks like it wasn’t needed against the Fakehat crew. Remember how all the characters who showed off their different haki looked so mysterious and badass in the past? Now Luffy actually gets to be that guy, walking away after seemingly doing pretty much nothing and you’re sitting there knowing exactly what he did and smirking. I can’t wait till it’s actually used tactfully in battle, especially against equal haki users. Perhaps Sentoumaru appearing might be a foreshadowing?

The other badass would be Zoro finally appearing, although only on the last page. Apparently he really did lose an eye, which really sucks. I’m thinking it might actually be a homage to Berserk. His missing eye also seemed to switch sides from the color cover last chapter, so the scar is now on his left eye instead of the right. It sucks because losing an eye completely kills perfect depth perception, and you’d think a swordsman would need that. I mean, Guts can get around by swinging his huge slab of a sword, but Zoro needs some precision! Although now that he can slice ships in half just like Mihawk, a second eye might just prove useless after all.

Now, what’s not so badass is Franky’s complete redesign, which looks extremely clunky. I’m secretly hoping he modifies himself back into his old design if and when the crew raises objections. Knowing Luffy though, that’s going to be highly unlikely. Franky also makes a comment about the possibility that Brooke might not return, but I highly doubt that will happen. He’s obviously doing this so he could get back to the Archipelago, and said this would be his last concert last chapter. If it did happen, that would also be interesting though. I was also worried for Chopper a moment there, thinking he might stick with the Fakehats for a lot longer, but he ran away quickly to go search for Robin. Then again, he might actually go for the fake one, making me question how a doctor can be so ignorant.

This “arc” is pretty much exactly like other arcs when they’re all separated trying to find each other. A tad frustrating since you just want all of them to meet up already. Personally, I’m hoping there’s a chapter where they’re all together and just catch up on the times. The crew should finish up for some closure about Ace with Luffy. More crying? ;_;

I just realized I can’t show any of the main characters in pictures anymore, as their new design would be spoiled… ._.

39 Comments

  1. As exciting as it is to see the Strawhats (almost) together again, I’m more interested in seeing how the various powerful forces in the world have changed (Shichibukai, Marines, Yonkou, etc).

    Now that Luffy has the highest bounty ever revealed, maybe we’ll finally start seeing bounties around the 1,000,000,000 mark?

    caramel_cod
      1. I think you misread my post. I’m saying that Luffy now has the highest bounty in the series (400,000,000) and I’m wondering if Oda will stop being so conservative about revealing other characters’ bounties.

        I’m curious how high Blackbeard, Shanks and Mihawk are.

        caramel_cod
    1. Seeing as how I have nearly zero knowledge of Japan’s famous samurai (lol, not really an uncommon trait in a non-japanese), that fact never even crossed my mind. You’re probably right though, as it would be a much better reason for the character change.

      1. Admit it!
        One Piece is one of the best ACTION PACKED/HUMOR animes out there!! I mean you can’t go wrong w/ a guy who’s Rubber… n who wants to be a freaken Pirate King! =D

        and Sanji……poor poor Sanji! But I still <3 him! hehe

        Yun_Fang
  2. oh yeah i probably got my animes mixed together but i think i remember Chopper once mentioning something along the lines of All humans kinda look alike to him..
    but either way Chopper has always been as gullible as they come… even more so than Luffy.

    royceHOLLERED
  3. The possibility of Chopper becoming a more able doctor is pretty high, unfortunately, his intelligence seems to have diminished. I mean, Chopper went to downright stupid! DX Though he keeps getting cuter. I wonder how he’ll react when he meets the real crew…
    Thank God I wasn’t the only one who noticed that weird thing with the eye. (I though I was going crazy) I wonder what Oda’s going to do about it though.

    Sissy
  4. It’s sort of Ironic that Luffy tried to stay hidden and yet someone using his name ruins that. Now the Marines are comming. Heh heh, poor Chopper, well he might find the Sunny if lucky. Though I am sort of surprised that he is still gullable after two years, you think might have gotten over that habit.

    code fanboy
  5. site is back liked cooked crack!!!! yo Kiiragi i did’nt know u were a “berserk” man, AWESOME!!!! me like’s u even more now!. as far as Depth perception and “swinging his huge slab..lol” u know it don’t matter with guts, the dude is accurate like a sniper and can stop that tonka truck he calls a sword on a dime *one handed no less”. as for ZORO, i ‘m not counting out the possibility that he’s now the possessor of a “special eye”…hmmmm? maybe even a Hawkeye…….lets see if he opens it. Franky..well yeah I’m with you ,he looks like a lego brick nightmare, or a rejected transformer “how the hell does he fit in a ships doorway?”. but with him i also suspect a future dragonball like transformation! remember in anime/shounen a lot of times when charecters go to their ultimate form they get smaller and sleeker, hair might pop up too. MAN I’m speculating alot! SANJI’s eyebrow curling in the other direction?!?!?!? does this mean deep inside he now goes “the other way”….we’ll have to wait and see

    BROOKLYN otaku
    1. Wow…That’s one sharp memory you’ve got there. I can’t believe nobody even noticed that because Choppers keen nose has come in handy several times so he should have noticed their foreign scent. Unless he’s forgotten it over the last two years…or Oda’s getting careless.

      Sekai
      1. Apparently when it’s for the sake of comedy, logic and power levels are thrown out the window. Hence why Nami can injure Luffy. It’ll be funny if Luffy uses haki to avoid Nami from now on. But if it doesn’t happen, you’ll know why.

  6. Someone mentioned to me an interesting thought – Chopper seems like the only Strawhat whose appearance hasn’t changed, but… what about his OTHER forms? Looking forward to seeing how he’d developed his fighting abilities in that case, and also holding out for a Black Jack esque doctor sequence.

    Varanus
  7. Personally I am hoping that Zoro did not lose an eye and is purposefully keeping one closed for training purposes or because none of the enemies warrant him using two eyes. It would be cool if he suddenly opens the other eye for comedy purposes or during a battle (a la Princess Bride).

    red plaid
  8. I think Franky’s gonna have a mechanical pants sometime in the future.. seeing that his arms and body looks proportionally big, leaving his lower body to look smaller (and the fact that he still doesn’t have pants).

    MrRei
  9. Remember. Even if he loses his eye as a swordsman that only becomes a plus. You don’t act on the things you see but what you feel. And remember, losing one of your senses increases the others. And to be honest I don’t think Zoro even really uses his sight when fighting. Or at least not 80% of the time.

    ROFLWAFFLELAWL
  10. I still think Zoro has both his eyes. I think his “powerup” will become apparent when he opens both eyes and unleashes a “hawk eye” type attack. I will maintain this opinion untill he opens his eye and proves me right or i see the hole in his eyesocket.

    Cradlemaker
  11. you know, oda sensei probably feeling left out how naruto keep using all sort of eye technique that he put one in zoro. Bet that in the heat of the battle he’ll open his eye and reveal ( sharigan,lol ) some sort of secret move

    lkaze
  12. I wanted them to do another ceremony, pretty much how they did it the first time when they first left loguetown. They have a barrel and everyone is around it, then they stamp they feet on it, restating their goals with their new crews, and off they go to the new world.

    foxlance

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