One Piece reading log (chap 1160-1162) —where flames of love meet the fires of war
Spoilers filled. Just my raw thoughts, not a theorist 😌
It’s been a while since I wrote a reading log, but I’ve been following the chapters week by week. This was the perfect excuse to reread them and jot down some thoughts. So let’s go!
Chapter 1160 starts with a heartbreaking scene: Shakky is being sold as a prize, as are Rocks’s family, the last Davy Jones clan, and Kuma, as the last Buccaneers. Teach’s terrorised gaze is truly haunting in these panels.
The twins are handed to Dragon, who tries to save them as an act of moral rebellion amidst the inhumane chaos the government he serves is enabling. Oda excels, once again, at showing us the cruelty of these moments. A woman begging for her husband, a father trying to shield his child : all these glimpses of ordinary lives crushed by violence make the tragedy so visceral. With everything happening in Gaza right now, these scenes hit far too close to home.
Garland and Gunko are clearly two of the strongest contenders here. I’m really intrigued about Gunko’s lineage. Where does she come from?
At the sight of all this, Dragon’s moral compass breaks. He sees Iva, Kuma, Ginny and the rest — and makes a move. Maybe it’s a small act of defiance in the grand scale of the massacre, but it’s a spark that will change the future. He keeps trying to save the twins, again a small act of kindness with lasting impact.
Then the Rocks Pirates arrive and what a shift in narrative. For years, Rocks was painted as this terrifying mystery, and now, he’s the one we’re relieved to see coming. That’s top-tier writing and character work. And damn, they all look cool as hell.
Roger’s crew shows up and as expected, they’re hilarious. Roger reminds me so much of Luffy : a clear captain whose crew respects him, yet their dynamics are full of chaos and banter. He literally stumbles into the scene, classic 😂
The God Knights are in place too and they all look amazing. That character design is so good!
Meanwhile, Garp finally arrives. The Marines see him as a savior and he seems unaware of the true horror he's stepping into.
Chapter 1161 continues the chaos. Tragically, Dragon loses one of the twins. Shamrock is taken by Saint Maffey, sealing his fate. But Dragon manages to save Shanks, and in the midst of everything, he sees his father… and is visibly shaken. Will that moment spark a future rift between them? I think so.
Big Mom and Edward’s entrance? Everything. Seeing them young and fierce is such a treat. Same for Garp’s fighting scenes. They’re all so badass.
And every time Kuma or Ivankov appears, my heart swells. I love them so much 😭
Saint Sommers tries to take Shakky and seeing her defend herself is satisfying. But when Rayleigh shows up to save her?? UGH. Rooting for these two always. Him telling her “I came to get you”. Later on, Rayleigh wanted to tell her what's in his heart and her replying “You don’t need to, I already know”... God, Oda really nailed this classic yet satisfying love story.
Meanwhile, Garp finally asks Sengoku what's going on and is clearly rattled. I’m curious how this dynamic will evolve now that he knows what kind of war crimes he’s participating in.
Also, Rocks and Eris get a standout moment. When Eris says she doesn’t need saving, and she’d rather kill her child and herself than get captured… whew. What a character. She may have appeared briefly but she left a lasting impression. Rocks turns back, and his clash with Garland is peak epicness.
And then we see baby Teach again, looking traumatised. Still not a fan of present-day Teach, but this? This hurts. Especially the parallel: Teach is saved by his mother, Shanks by Dragon. Two tiny kids who’ll become two important future figures, each rescued by someone who shaped their fate.
And finally, Ivankov and Kuma find the Devil Fruits. Kuma eats one — and so does Kaido! Kuma keeps saving people, and Kaido turns into his dragon form for the first time, joining Rocks and Edward. I gasped. What a scene.
∘₊✧──✧₊∘Speculations ∘₊✧──✧₊∘
Is Gunko immortal, or just blessed with crazy genes? She looks unchanged, even though Brooks seems to know her from childhood. What’s their link?
What’s her link to Brooks?
Also, young Big Mom is SO MUCH cooler than present-day Linlin. Is it the Devil Fruit? The sugar? The trauma? I have no clue, but this version of her is way more compelling than what we’ve seen in the main timeline. Why is young Linlin such a different character? What changed?
And speaking of that… it really feels more and more likely that the final battle will be Blackbeard and Luffy vs Imu. It’s not uncommon in One Piece to team up with former enemies, but I’m not really loving this combo. Curious to see how Oda will pull it off.
So much is happening on God Valley that I definitely missed details while writing this log. I focused on the major beats. Curious to know which moments you found important or moving.
∘₊✧──✧₊∘ more on OP ∘₊✧──✧₊∘
If you’re into OP analysis, I also wrote:
Freedom isn’t always peaceful – rage and resistance in One Piece & AOT
Yes, One Piece is political and that’s what makes it great
Why I don’t like the politics of Skypiea – a decolonial read from a One Piece die-hard
Recently I started doing fresh off reading logs for the newest chapters. You can read them at : One Piece Reading log
Mini-series where I recommend a book to each member of the Straw Hat crew : Books for the Mugiwaras
