#chapter 662

[everyneji]

[zonaenthusiast]

I don't remember exactly what I thought the first time I read this specific part, but I’m pretty sure I was more focused on Tashigi because I know this whole exchange is a reminder of what happened with Zoro in Loguetown. Zoro didn’t subestimate her for being a woman back then and it's not what Law is doing here either but she doesn’t know that, so his words are voicing her own insecurities.

But reading this knowing where Law got that idea gives me chills (if anyone doesn't remember, it's something Doflamingo says quite a bit) and at the same time I find it interesting. The found family theme is major in One Piece and Doflamingo was his family not only in his formative years, but also during an extremely vulnerable time in his life. Law admired him and learned from him and no matter how much he hates him now for all the reasons in the world, no one is going to erase the impact that man had on him.

And at the same time, another thing I've noticed is that Doflamingo justifies killing someone with those words, but Law uses them to justify why he's not going to do it (Tashigi has told him to kill her for losing to him in the previous panel). He may have part of Doflamingo in him but they are not the same because, after all, Doflamingo has not been his only influence.

Going back to Tashigi, sometimes I wonder if we will have her backstory to know where her anger comes from at being undervalued and not being taken seriously because she is a woman, but I also think she doesn't need it. I'm sure most women can think of at least one moment in their lives, whether it was a minor thing or not, when they were underestimated for that simple fact. Sometimes there is no particular big event, sometimes it's just that the people who have surrounded you all your life since you were born are assholes. We live in a society and all that.

Having said that and knowing what we know today about the Shimotsuki family, I have theories about her and her past.

Does this fraction of a page justify the huge text I just wrote? Judge for yourselves.

[noragam]

— yoruichi shihōin, bleach. { ch.662 pg.12 }

[hashirama-of-the-forest]

Naruto Shippuden Chapter 662 & 663

Madara vs. Tobirama/ Sasuke's Death

Tobirama's thoughts after the fact.

[every-trafalgarlaw]

ba-bump ♡

[brave-symphonia]

Yeah, they’re right. Are there any Shichibukai that haven’t at some point betrayed the government? the only ones i can think of are Mihawk, Gecko Moria, and Doflamingo.

Doflamingo hasn’t been seen too much and Mihawk seems less like he’s loyal and more like he doesn’t really care.

[ginturmur]

YAASSS PACHI

[fyeahshinpachi]

I wanted to say something about shinpachi finally going a full circle about his feelings for his dad, but he's always loved him. So i guess it's a full circle for shinpachi's understanding of what it means to carry a samurai's sword and legacy. At any case, utsuro complimented shinpachi and i just DIED

Anon from utsuro complimenting Shinapchi here again! And can i also just say, my heart just stopped when utsuro was about to cut him in half? 

YES! I agree that Shinpachi went full circle - one of the first things we learn about Shinpachi is that memory, about which Shinpachi is mostly bitter about, and now, near the end, he drew strength from that. 

My interpretation of that memory was that Shinpachi took his father’s word as an empty talk. His father told them about never  casting aside their sword/samurai ways… and died. Left Otae and Shinpachi alone to fend for themsleves, to battle debt and find themselves in the world that held no place for them. Shinpachi was angry with their father for leaving them - and those last wierd words were just ramblings that chained him and Otae to the dojo (but that’s another story). 

But now we see Shinpachi grown up - and he did arrive to the same thoughts as his father. That the samurai philosophy of life, symbolized by the sword, was something HE HIMSELF believed in. And he comes back to this words, without anger, understanding what his father wanted to tell him. And that’s beautiful. Character development for Yorozuya members is wonderful in Gintama. 

Utsuro complimenting Shinpachi - YES. Just Yes. 

And that few panels were though. I was worried that Shinpachi would be out of comission for the rest of the fight (I just  refuse to believe Sorachi could kill either Shinpachi or Kagura! But I absolutely understand that you do not live in denial like me ) but now he can WRECK Utsuro in sort of ironic echo way. Actually my first thought with this panel of shinpachi sliced by the sword was more in the lines of “Well, Utsuro f**ked up royally, now we’ll have super sayan berserk Kagura on our hands, you don’t just almost kill Shinpachi in front of her.” XD 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!