#chapter 1036

[fallensnowfan]

One Piece chapter 1150 brief thoughts.

I really like how direct and on the nose this demonic transformation stuff is. Leaving nothing to the imagination about Battle Angel Gunmu's views on demons & power.

Demonic appearance, giving up part of your life for battle. This sentiment reminds of the Sunacchi phrase the samurai know. Surrender your name and be as a child. And how it applies to Kiku's story specifically.

I imagine that Queen would love this demon possession stuff. He loves using viruses to make his enemies fight each other like a game.

Plus, this is just a damn awesome two pager.

This line from the chief is good too. I like how it is highlighting the worst parts of Elbaf's warrior culture.

And remember, we have seen Usopp confront a similar mindset prior.

[everypageofnicorobin]

Did you expect to see me again so soon? It's true, Volume 103 and 104 released 4 days ago. It took me a few days to find it, but now I'm ready to show off some Nico Robin pages!

[g-art-lover]

Go baby! Go!

[chromatic-lamina]

cruxes and equivalencies: chapter 1036 spoilers

For me, great chapter!

Our newest pretty boy, as a pretty boy, burnt out so fast. But he’s been fighting for nearly all of the Onigashima chapters, and the folks who have been drawing the Zoro & King parallels have had them totally spelt out by Oda this week. And the whole page is important, so I’ll include it:

Ah, but it does seem that our fallen angel followed the wrong god, even if he helped him (angel/King) out (false god, icons, golden calves), and King remains loyal to him (false god / Kaidou) for that reason.

Very interesting. So, if Luffy were to turn out evil, would Zoro still follow him? Great question. Maybe not, but

Zoro might become evil in his pursuit of never losing a battle, which in turn strengthens his captain’s chance of securing the crown. Interesting that he views himself and his actions that way, and with no regret, but “If that’s what it takes...” (for me [Zoro] to not lose a battle, for you (Luffy) to be the Pirate King), then yeah, he’ll go to and rule over Hell. 

A pragmatic decision, but also innate, and also part raison d'être. But, King was the same. So now the lines narrow down with fate  and skill and determination, and chance always has to play a role. We’ve seen Zoro’s demon form before of course.

I don’t think that’s all that we’ll see of King in terms of past, present or future. Especially with that Joyboy reference, and it won’t be a surprise when he becomes a Luffy fanboy. (The guys on twitter and reddit must be going wild).

Really interesting to think of Bellamy who was

 so loyal to Doflamingo, who treated him like shit, and King who is very loyal too, but with good reason. The quality of subordinates gradually increases. So King’s out:

But Law and Kid are still fighting Big Mom, and she’s infused the girders with the souls of the Beast Pirates that she sucked dry, I guess—or her own soul, a bit of both. The homie is attacking Kid, but he’s deflecting it pretty quickly. What’s he standing on? Is that part of his awakening?

And Usopp is going to be such a major player and is the main motif of this series in many ways.

He’s been charged with protecting Kin and O-Kiku, and they urged him (and each other) to leave them behind and save themselves. Clumsy wording, right? Read the panels below (which came before the one above).

Does it remind you a bit of this from 974?

Earlier, Momonosuke did not want the Scabbards to head out on what either he or Shinobu called a suicide mission, and of course the Scabbards have been through a lot, but so has everyone, and there’s another guy adhering to Usopp’s words in another way:

Momonosuke (looking fine there) trying to redirect the downward spiral of Onigashima onto the Flower Capital. Yamato is also running with his Giant friends (who seem to be Caesar experiments on the Shimotsuki samurai and friends who were held captive in the cave with him when he was a child, which indicates that Kaidou definitely exploited Punk Hazard for the worse once he left it, but we already knew that with the SAD factory). Yamato’s trying to stop the basement from exploding.

And  of course someone who doesn’t know about Sea Hills (Usopp) wouldn’t know about Izou, and would also think his aim was to save him (which in part it was, but definitely not Izou’s main goal):

(Stripping himself for no good reason there to show his Kozuki clan affiliation (but I’m sure it pepped up our two grievously injured samurai very well. And plus, He Means Business. Hope Marco joins him)).

But Izou knows all about him!

 I love, love, love that Usopp is commonly known as God Usopp now, and I love the casual way that Law and others use it, and you never know if they’re being sarcastic or not or, once someone has an epithet that’s what you use anyway.

So Usopp has the day saved for him again 😁. Love his casual passing of the buck there (above). But he is awesome!

And Oda is surely trolling the readers after maybe reading forums or having fan reactions sent his way:

I think, according to Artur from Library of Ohara, and some other writers, that these guys in the picture above (Raizo and Fukurokuju) have not been referred to for over a year (or for some time. I thought it was less, but I supplement the manga with the anime, so maybe I’m not as aware as time). So it’s really fitting that he has them using Paralysis Jutsu. That’s why they’ve been off-screened for so long. Haha (but Raizo is losing).

Also, Orochi wants Fukurokuju (the guy above) to return soon so they can escape, and he’s in a room with Komurasaki. I thought that the song that she was playing with her reintroduction was the song she played for her father, considering it was able to reach Zoro’s sword, Enma,  but it seems that will be upcoming. It’s going to bring some witchery with it for sure.

Kanjuro’s empty but vindictive hate (fire feeds on air, after all) is racing to the basement, and Apoo and others are hotfooting it out of there. It looks like Drake’s out for the count now, and the extra-spooky CP0 agents are floating around the place like Mary Poppins looking for Nico Robin.

Both Apoo and Yamato seem to have a connection and fondness for the Numbers (but maybe not for Drake).

And I’m sorry to put in so many full pages, but they’re packed full of information. I am so happy that BEPO is on a page with Zoro, Sanji and Killer, directly after they mention the demise of the All Stars and that Luffy’s allies have a one in million chance of winning, but just in case they do, the World Government needs to be ready. Ben Ben! (Where’s Nami?) Also, edit in, it’s been pointed out in a number of posts that Sanji’s eyebrows have realigned themselves.

I wonder if Bepo and the Hearts will get a little more development. Maybe in the anime. They erased Bepo a few episodes back, so maybe not But wait! 

These two clowns:

are having a grand old time. In the meantime, who is not human who is calling the shots? Im? or someone who only thinks they’re not human (Celestial Dragons, Gorosei, etc.) It seemed to be the first CP0 guy calling the others. Are Cipher Pol Aeigis Zero  non-human?

That was the end of the call between CP0 and whoever... Ahh.

[aspiringtrashpanda]

God Usopp, forever.

That is all.

[fallensnowfan]

For chapter 1135, the cultural shift in Elbaf continuing to be explored has been one of the most intriguing developments each week. Seeing how the citizens of Elbaf view it and how the Straw Hats, Usopp and Luffy especially, are processing it being different from what they expected is a strong hook.

Elbaf's peace and Kaido's words here make for an interesting comparison. And I appreciate that we are seeing how Wano & Elbaf are raising their respective next generations.

Tama KICK / the Elbaf kids, with the exception of Collun, rejecting violence.

The value of pride and of titles are brought up as well, which ties nicely to scenes from 1042 again, and also 1036. The value of warrior's pride and whether or not the victor needs an epithet.

[fallensnowfan]

Short Usopp-centric post for this week's chapter and one from Wano.

I love how he continues to show such a strong sense of wanting people to choose survival, it's really good progression for him and I love how he's so kind while doing so. He can be blunt, though only because of how greatly he cares.

I can tell he's not content with Atlas deciding to go off on her own like this. Wanted to have a chance to prevent this scenario. I hope his thoughts get time in the next few chapters as well.

[algumaideia]

What will the CP0 and the marines do? When will they die