Regarding the cover story, I just lol’d. I’m happy for you Gaimon, now you have a female counterpart, and a cute one at that. Good things come to those who wait eh?

A bit of an update is given in the cities, as I almost forgot that the rest of Hodi’s gang was busy doing some terrorizing. The usage of stepping on a picture of Otohime to check for human hate was clever, and the Fukaboshi bros seem to be making their way to the palace. Long time no see to Caribou, and I’m still disgusted at this guy. I just imagine the three mermaids still stuck inside him, and gross out instantly. Luffy, hurry up and own him please.

Effing Oda, who’d have guessed Sanji’s the one getting pissed at Jinbe? Of course, he’s just being the white knight that he is. The quick montage of Nami’s past was quick and gritty, and oddly felt crueler than I remember. Nami’s history is probably the worst out of all the crew members, since it’s pretty much psychological child abuse. In the real world, she’d have so many deep suppressed issues and disorders. The similarity of Sabaody Park and Arlong Park was unexpected, and though I’m eager to label it Oda’s incredible genius, the reasons aren’t that solid. Arlong hated humans, so why would he build Arlong Park in the design of Sabaody Park, a design of the human world? The admiration he once had should have disappeared by then. Maybe Hachi built it. The justifaction for Mermen’s rage against humans is a fair one, and explains Nami’s lack of hatred, even if Arlong is an extreme end of the spectrum. Jinbe’s talk brings out a lot of truths that can easily apply within our own history, such as “a person becomes cold and feared when in power,” and a common two way split of a sensible rebel and an angry radical. Meanwhile, Luffy sips tea.

The struggle inside Ryuuguu Palace didn’t make a reappearance, so Zoro’s fate will have to wait. Except SUDDENLY, FLASHBACK. I get the feeling this is going to be a long one.

42 Comments

  1. as much as I hate flashbacks as well some are pretty necessary…. however…. some of them are just… predictable : /

    haven’t seen enough to predict anything yet but I really hope this doesn’t end up becoming easy to predict >.<

    in all honesty I really just want them to fast forward to Robins part since her artifact hunting thing feels a lot more… plot effective? if that's the right word lol

    Forloko
  2. Yes…I’ve been waiting for this – finally the Fishman Island flashback.
    We’ll finally find out what happened between Arlong and Jinbei with Fisher Tiger freeing all the slaves in the mix. I will actually prefer it if indeed Jinbei turned out to be a bad guy in the past, who realized the error of his ways.

    Darklord
  3. “Luffy, hurry up and own him please.”
    I have been thinking the same too all along.

    @Darklord
    We can’t really say that Jinbei did the wrong thing. He pretty much was saving mermaid slaves and a old pirate comrade. No one would have thought that saving Arlong would have such consequence.

    banzmanga
  4. I think Arlong built his park to resemble the one at Sabaody as a slight against the Tenryuubito, not as idol-worship. It was meant to be ironic, that the auction house that sold his own kind into slavery served as the model for a new auction house that repressed humans, the original owners.

    Nick Shogun
  5. am i the only one who’s excited by this flashback?
    seriously, after 500+ chapters since arlong arc we finally get to know who the guy really is!!!! and oh man, i got a feeling it’s going to be a tragic one.

    kurahador
  6. What do you guys think of Jinbei joining the ranks of the Straw Hats?

    Generally, before a new member joins, it begins with a heart wrenching flashback! But then again, the past arc was just full of so many flashbacks, it might just be a continuation of that.

    Ryan
  7. Nico Robin had it just as hard in the past if not more, being chased by the everyone for the huge bounty on her head (thanks to to navy) for knowing too much. Also Nami’s hometown is till standing, where as there is nothing left of Robin’s hometown. So sad ;_;

    Otaku_Brawler
    1. Of course, I considered this, but I still think Nami had it the worst. Years of abuse from manly mermen > running around with devil fruit powers :/
      Is it coincidence that the female crew members have the most tragic pasts?

    2. I’d agree that Nami’s and Robin’s were probably the most emotionally hurtful, but I think Brook’s was by far the most torturous. Robin was still free to chase her dream, and Nami still had her village and sister. Reversely all of Robin’s friends and family were gone, and Nami wasn’t free to do what she wanted.

      Brook’s crew died (Brook too I guess), albeit in not such a bitter way. Brook however had to spend fifty years mostly alone with little to do. Can you imagine?

      TOP2NE1
      1. yeah… when you really look at Brooke, and the wild way he acts, you sorta realize that he really has become crazy after 50 years of isolation. Like actually insane. Of course, its a “fun” kind of crazy instead of a “murderous” kind, but its still kinda sad when you think about it. Really, unlike Robin or Nami, he wasn’t able to chase his dream and he did not have any family and friends. Id have gone crazy stuck like that for just a few years, let alone 50.

        takashid
  8. I’m looking forward to the flashback, but only for Tiger. He set Mariejois on fire by himself, after climbing the Red Line–a feat unheard of for anyone else. I wonder how is strength is relative to Whitebeard.

    Commander Shepard
  9. If you look at it with a COLD point of view, Arlong treated humans exactly as they treated him. Reminds me of the current chapters of Gantz.

    It is written on the OPwikia that Caribou has 5 mermaids: The 3 sweet ones he captured and 2 from the “south beach” but I do not remember such a thing and I can’t find the page! hurry up and own that bastard and all of the NFP… Zoro can finish them all!

    Is Hacchi officially disabled? can’t a fishman take a gunshot? 50 cent took like… 9.

    Lectro Volpi
    1. Remember how hard Decker’s axe was when he first threw it at the princess and Luffy deflected it? That was from a long distance. Hachi was hit by tons of arrows from close range using that same ability.

      Yoko_mama
      1. Hacchi came to see Hodi with a Crutch before being attacked by Decken.

        But it seems that he is not injured by the shot but from protecting the Sunny until Kuma arrived. Not an excuse, Kuma protected the ship for a year, and a year was not enough for Hacchi to recover? I find it weird because in anime (and most of it Shonen) a character just needs a week or two to recover from near-death situations. Maybe I am just overthinking it.

        Lectro Volpi
    1. At least Nami knew she had her sister to rely upon. Robin had no one, and people seem to forget how much older Robin is than most of the crew. Most of that life was spent completely alone.

      Circles
  10. I always figured he built Arlong Park to resemble Shabody because it was a place he always wanted to go to but never could because he was a fishman. Although he probably learned about the atrocities going on there and the slave trade, it was probably his childhood memories of seeing all the people having fun in the amusement park that inspired the design of Arlong park

    Yoko_mama

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