#op chapter evaluation

[darkfalcon-z]

One Piece Chapter 756

I'm kinda late for this, but here comes newest chapter evaluation.

Keeping Mansherry's imprisonment in the palace from Viola must mean it's for some reason she is very important for Doflamingo AND that Doflamingo didn't trust Viola all that much.

Kanjuro, out of kindness, placed a net so that people of Dressrosa can climb the Plateau. Nice job screwing up. Also it seems he has Harakiri gag going on (I'm not to crazy about that, although it's kinda nostalgic as I remember such a gag from an anime I used to watch with my baby brother when we were much younger).

Using her powers Viola manages to find Mansherry and inform Rebecca's group. Viola and Leo have some fond memories of Scarlet and apparently Viola used to be mischievous child). Scarlet appearance is emotional buildup for later in this chapter.

It's confirmed that Sugar awaken (and she is pissed) - this likely be important later, especially since Luffy and others don't know about her.

Farul got seriously injured Luffy and especially Cavendish are very emotional about that. 

Those new toys are hard to destroy, I don't know maybe we should think about them as Pacifistas equivalents.

Robin and Bartolomeo vs Gladius and nutcrackers is about to start and I really hope we will see Robin fighting. She is too underused by the author from perspective of storytelling quality that is a serious problem (from feminist perspective sidelining female characters, when they are already hugely outnumbered is another issue).

Rebecca and dwarfs get safely to flower fields and they split, as Leo and others go to rescue Mansherry.

Now, as we were reminded about emotional stakes earlier in this chapter Diamante appears. Now is really the time for Rebecca to get some good action. She somehow survived many obstacles, she has emotional stakes in this situation now she should succeed in something.  I'm not sure how it will go though, as Oda already screw up at Punk Hazard, sidelining characters with high emotional stakes in favor of making Zoro "look cool".

[darkfalcon-z]

One Piece Chapter 750

Some of my (late) reflections for this chapter (I'm not covering everything, just stuff I find interesting, for commentary on Bart's fangirling and such you need to go to a different, presumably more popular blog).

First of, let me mentioned Kyros being awesome (hopping around on one leg and still somehow managing to badass). Group of people he encounters is most concerned with survival, to the point when they go against their sympathies, morals and most likely future.

Then there is cool scene with Robin and her net of hands. Nicely done. Viola and Rebecca have their reunion and it's really cute, but kinda rushed with other things going on at the same time.

Than there is talk on politics. Turns out Straw Hats are the only ones capable of destroying illusion of peace and welfare in Dressrosa. That may actually be foreshadowing to events towards end of the story, when Luffy and the crew will shutter the world's façade of peace, justice or whatever World Government calls it. Viola gives us (and her father) some interesting commentary on WG and Marines and the fact that they sanction what Shichibukai are doing. Curiously some of her talk mirrors what Fujitora told Maynard. Than she tell her father she is fine with helping Straw Hats , even though they are criminals. Needles to say I find her character more and more interesting.

Then Rebecca decided to do the opposite of what Luffy told her and I'm really hoping she will do well and won't become damsel in distress. She still calls Lyffy "Lucy", that's adorable.

Franky is pretty much staged to fight with Señor Pink.

Interesting fact, Fujitora don't wish to fight revolutionaries, or a revolutionary in this case. He tries to negotiate. It seems that he has formed quite positive opinion on revolutionaries morals and maybe cause, even though they are technically enemies. Given what we know on his character that does not surprise me.

Sabo is Gandalf now (all the more appropriate since Olorin was entrusted with Ring of Fire). Plus this situation kinda reminds me of Ace stopping Smoker from chasing (and likely capturing) the Straw Hats in Nanohana <insert Ace feels here>. That's another parallel with early stages of Straw Hats voyage through Paradise.

So we have Straw Hats matches:

Zoro versus Pika

Luffy versus Doflaming

Franky versus Señor Pink

plus Sabo versus Fujitora and the Marines.

Now we have two Straw Hats, who are still in Dressrosa) remaining. Ussop already got character development this ark and lets not forget he is now waisted, so it's unlikely to get a duel. He don't need to, he had a duel during Fishman Island, he had time to shine during Punk Hazard. Robin on the other hand just need more exposition to be developed as a character. I certainly won't like it if she gets nothing special to do. That's not even feminist issue (though it is), that's character writing issue. She need some time devoted to her for the sake of balance.