Okay, I’m super busy, so not much to say this week except it made me tear up.
But first, the cover!
I love this! Law’s nickname being the Japanese word for tiger (tora), the o part just means man. And it just kind adds to that itch to write that Law-wandering-monk thing. I think that Oda has allusions to religion all over One Piece, cos’ it’s pretty everyday in Japanese life too, even though Japanese will tell you that they are not religious.
But Law is the guy who has so far had the vague Christian background, and who adopted the wandering monk disguise while in Wano. (written about here).
[More below the cut]
The scans had this really neat bit of information too (below). I got this from mangasee. I usually go to ... I can’t remember, I went down a bit of a rabbit hole today, the site seemed dodgy, but I think they’re (forgotten name) the original scanners. But, anyway, thanks very much to them. They often colour panels as well.
I think the LawZo, ZoLaw shippers can run with this one too! (Zoro’s animal being a tiger, I think).
Okay, the chapter. I won’t cover it in depth, just things that struck me. It doesn’t mean the rest wasn’t important, but you know that someone will cover it all.
Flashbacks can be lazy writing, and maybe it is lazy writing—Oda trying to figure out how he can boost Chopper’s power cos it’s needed now, but the flashback with Caesar is not out of the realm of imagination (panel above).
It’s also why I think it’s a good idea not to take announcements and pronouncements as (G)oda’s word. Cos, especially those coming from World Government sources, or that are hearsay, have a likelihood of being a different story in flashback. Like, Oda never fully shows his hand.
Regarding the panels, Caesar’s ego would let him design something for Chopper, even though Chopper is his enemy. Maybe Chopper designed his own enhanced rumble balls using Caesar’s knowhow.
The Marys are super cool (and Perospero is still in the game).
And look!! Law and Kid are sharing a panel! Or a strip (and so are Sanji and Zoro, and a speech bubble! I guess Zoro must have woken up).
These guys won’t be so easily fooled by Kaidou’s words of Luffy’s demise, but the idea of the Polar Tang popping up from somewhere to rescue Luffy maybe has more credence this week.
Law’s got his, I’m so upset with this news I must grit my teeth face on. His captain’s coat is still stylishly draped. He did have that second to rest on blackleg’s shoulder in 1012, was it? He must have fixed himself up then. Ooh, and tatt. Did we see his tatt when he landed on the shoulder? I must do some serious research.
We only get a blob of Kid, unfortunately.
Robin’s looking kick-ass while she kicks some ass. And Brook’s in the background doing his own version of Zigfield follies. (Panels above).
So, Kanjuro sure plays dirty (above). I do like the scans’ translation of “Even the sharpest of swords becomes dull when pointed at a friend”. Ashura’s line to Kiku when she hadn’t done such a good job of eliminating Kanjuro the first time around.
And man, if she couldn’t finish of a traitorous friend, she sure can’t eliminate a father figure. But fake-Oden/Kanjuro has no hesitation in finishing her.
Of course the words that Oden-Kanjuro says, “How could you raise a sword against me?!” can be read on so many levels and applied to so many characters. And of course are also what Kiku should be saying, and the scabbards as a whole to Kanjuro.
Ah. Not Kiku. She and Izou have had like five minutes of reunion. Oh, man. That exchange a few chapters back. Ahhh. And that’s a very poetic translation. I wonder what the official will be? But Kanjuro was a friend. Is a friend. And that’s what cuts the deepest.
Yes, he was damaged. Orochi too. But was it that mindset where the pain was just too deeply embedded to ever trust the good, or feel it? But I think he felt it. Just couldn’t trust it. Such a complex character.
And Kaidou and Kanjuro, the only two characters that I remember (there are probably more) who have an expressed death wish. That being a main aim of their lives.
What a betrayal, huh? Oof. And Kin’emon’s tears are evident. Is Kanjuro’s crying? Seems he was never able to feel or see that emptiness and form were the same thing. Ah.
Shinobu too. Big chapter for her. She did not suspect Kanjuro at all in Ebisu town where she accused Law’s crewmates of betrayal.
Both she and Kanjuro didn’t recognise Tonoyasu (Yasuie) and shared a moment of camaraderie in their embarrassment at not knowing his name. I know her role was to deflect reader suspicion from Kanjuro, but putting that aside. Oof.
And Momonosuke? Thinking he saw his father again? (And what did he read in the log book?). Man, once that kid is shogun I hope he hires a good psychologist / healer.
And what does he want Kin’emon to tell everyone? And whose voice did he hear?
And Shinobu, I reckon you could have taken out the frog.
Bonus:
Although he’s looking worse for wear. C’mon Chopper. You and Marco can do it!
Today, for the first time since Whole Cake Island, I cried reading the chapter. I'm speechless. What a journey Wano is...Oda keeps delivering and we OP fans keep winning.
Nice to see him just going around taking out Kaido’s forces.
This is interesting though. Something in the logbook is telling Momo that he cannot die. Maybe he has some role to play that’s being mentioned in the logbook?
