sahugani
April 20, 2008, 09:24 PM
Sahugani’s One Piece Review 497
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/458/gurrenpiecebyannouncergav3.png (http://announcerguy.deviantart.com/art/GURREN-PIECE-82546567)
the awesomeness is overwhelming
Yo!!! Once again I’m back to single chapter reviews (but this week there was quite a bit to say so it’s still a doozy even by my standards). As I’ve said before, I’ll try to maintain these weekly and not let them get out of hand, which should be easier without my Bleach reviews but there are still no guarantees. In general, my policy is that if I don’t get the review done by Tuesday at midnight PST (GMT -8), I hold off and make a multi review the following weekend. Anyways, lets just get down to it. The pics in this review come from the Binktopia scanlation and one frame is from Null’s scanlation of 319. The title pic is yet another stellar artwork from AnnouncerGuy (http://announcerguy.deviantart.com/) over at DeviantArt so be sure to visit her gallery.
let me warn you guys that I think this is the longest single chapter review I think I’ve ever done
KABUKI!!!
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/8510/1amp3.png
we need a Naruto omake crossover with Kumadori and Jiraya doing kabuki
Well we return to the story of the CP9 escaping their former employers and trying to save Lucci’s life. They are still hanging out in Saint Poplar since when you have a person that badly injured, moving from island to island is not smart (especially when the only method they can afford risks being hit by the sea train). As it is still raining, I think it is safe to say that the city may very well be a city of perpetual rain similar to how Enies Lobby was an island of perpetual sunlight. The entire chain of islands in the area each seem to have weather patterns that are unique even for the Grand Line since in addition to the aforementioned two islands, Water 7 has its aqua laguna. It makes me wonder what types of odd weather the other two islands connected by the sea train have. Other than the weather issue, the big focus this chapter is payment for Lucci’s medical bills. Since it would be quite difficult to find steady jobs without references, the best paying alternative is show business. Naturally, the task of performing for money is the group’s kabuki specialist, Kumadori. From the size of the crowd around him it seems he is pretty popular so I wouldn’t doubt it if he keeps up this as a profession even after Lucci recovers. I am also still hoping that we get to see Kaku get a job at a zoo later in this cover arc, but Kumadori is entertaining enough to keep me satisfied.
Staying Put
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/5083/2ayp5.png
whipped!!!
Since the Strawhats have arrived at a very interesting location, it is natural that most of them would feel a need to explore a bit. However, Sanji, Usopp, and Franky decide to forego this island adventure and stay on the ship. Franky feels the need to make a few repairs to the ship and Usopp decides to help him out. These two seem to be developing a very strong bond with each other beyond that of the standard bonds between the crew as Oda has repeatedly paired them together in both combat purposes and socializing more than any other pair of Strawhats. It is completely understandable though as they click on so many levels. First of all, they compliment each other’s skills perfectly as Franky’s expertise in creating weapons systems is enhanced by Usopp’s superior ability to use them as seem in the battle with the Flying Fish Riders. In addition to that, Usopp’s devotion to Merry gives him a deeper respect for Franky’s devotion to Sunny than the other Strawhats and he feels a need to care for the ship alongside the designated shipwright. Other than these two, Sanji was also left on the boat, but his reason is less meaningful. Basically, Nami used his love for her to manipulate him into guarding the loot from Thriller Bark. He even admits that this is the case flat out. Although him being the guard is simply because of Nami’s manipulation, she did have good reason for determining that a guard was needed. Like Jaya, the Shabondy Archipelago is a gathering place for all sorts of untrustworthy folk and it would be idiotic to leave that much treasure sitting on a ship while the only two aboard are preoccupied with repairs.
Lost Swordsman
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/9961/3aqw6.png
dude, listen to them
Though I said the only three left on the ship were Franky, Usopp, and Sanji, technically Zoro was on board too, though he decides shortly after to take a walk. Immediately after he jumps off the boat, Usopp and Sanji realize how idiotic this is for a person with such a bad sense of direction. They have had enough situations with his faulty inner compass to know that he will get lost all too easily and initially try to forbid him from leaving. However, he displays an unusual amount of common sense and points out that since the trees are numbered, as long as he remembers the number of the tree where the Sunny is docked, he’ll be able to get back easily enough. This bit of logic is enough to convince Usopp and Sanji (though they should know Zoro well enough to know that he could screw even that simple a system up). Surely enough, immediately after announcing his seemingly intelligent plan on how to keep himself oriented, he goes to read the number on the tree where he is currently at but mistakes it as Grove 1 since the 4 of 41 was hidden behind a bubble. This means that Zoro will either end up in somewhere completely random or at the actual Grove 1. Either way, Oda will use this as an opportunity to place Zoro in a position to witness some secret dealing or revealing event that was meant to be hidden from general view. In the words of Barbossa from PotC, “For sure, you have to be lost to find a place that can't be found, elseways everyone would know where it was.” I’m guessing that Grove 1 might be a location reserved for the nobles due to their high standing, which would make sense as a place for Zoro to eavesdrop and/or create a commotion that reveals a critical piece of info.
People of Shabondy
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/307/4aux3.png
At least Nami's there to listen for Luffy
As we move on to Luffy’s group, Hachi begins to explain a few things about the residents of this archipelago. First of all, he goes a bit deeper into his explanation of the nobles and says their true title is the Tenryuubito, which means the Heavenly Dragon Folk (thanks to Carlos Net for the TL note). They are so uptight and proud that they wear their own masks with air supplies to avoid breathing the same air as commoners. As they appear later on, I’ll hold off on analysis of them for now. Besides them, Shabondy can be thought of as being similar to Jaya, but on a whole other scale. It is a gathering place for many powerful individuals. Strong pirate crews come through on their way to the New World. We don’t have much in the way of details, but it is implied that many of them might rival the Strawhats in terms of bounty or strength. In addition to them, the place also attracts bounty hunters and marines. I’m guessing that the marine presence here is not an official unit but rather some independent ranked officers who act more like rogue bounty hunters looking for marks. I say this because so many aspects of this island require the government turning a blind eye. If the marines were an official presence here, they would be required to make official statements regarding the kidnappings and the cruelty of the Tenryuubito. However, since they unofficially condone those actions but can’t allow the public to know, they do not deploy teams there like Smoker’s base on Logue Island. Any actions of the marines there are on their free time or at least by unofficial order.
Disguise
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7486/5aam7.png
i'm getting desperate to confirm if the tattoo has a deep meaning
One thing that I’m guessing a number of you guys noticed once Hachi started speaking is that he was wearing an odd coat that only allows him use of one pair of arms. Eventually he gets around to telling Luffy to treat him and Caimie as humans. On closer inspection, it is also apparent that he has applied a bandage over the tattoo on his forehead and Caimie is wearing a long skirt to hide her fish tail. While he doesn’t go too deeply into an explanation, my best guess would be to avoid kidnappers. As I mentioned, one of the reasons that the kidnapping trade does so well in this region is because the government turns a blind eye to the dealings here. Hachi only specifies that the government will not help kidnapped pirates, but I’m guessing that the same idea applies to most or all kidnappings here since deploying military for the “legitimate” cases would force them to take notice of the injustices that they would rather ignore. The other big reason as I deduced in my previous review is that the Tenryuubito provide a good market for the kidnappers to sell to. Since the nobles are the buyers, the government is willing to ignore the kidnappings in order to keep the market up for these powerful individuals. This relates to Hachi and Caimie in that it had been revealed earlier that mermaids and fishmen are prime targets for kidnappers due to the high prices they fetch. Since the nobles treat these slaves like pets, to them the fishmen and mermaids are nothing more than a rare fish collection to keep in an aquarium. In order to stay safe while in this hotbed of kidnappers, Hachi and Caimie must hide themselves. One of the pieces of disguise is quite noteworthy. This is Hachi’s bandage, which is really the only piece that is directly noticed by Luffy. The bandage hides the sun tattoo on his forehead, which is identical to ones on various other fishmen we have met. It is quite obvious that the tattoo is at least unique to fishmen and that revealing it would be an obvious sign of his race even if he hid the rest well. This could be a symbol of Jimbei’s former crew or simply a popular tattoo among fishmen, but either way, I suspect we will find some deeper meaning to it later in this arc.
Bubble Physics
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6120/6aot4.png
I want!!!
Though Hachi was just a moment before discussing quite serious matters, Luffy is quickly distracted by the bubbles and gets it into his head to try to get himself into one. Since the bubble is quite resilient, he is successful and gets first his head and then his body inside. Upon seeing Luffy’s excitement, a merchant quickly comes up to him with an attachment that he sticks on the bubble. This tool allows Luffy to pedal in order to move a fan behind him and ride in this hovering bubble. The merchant gives Luffy the option of renting it for the day at a rate of 500 beli or purchasing it for 10,000 beli. Obviously, Luffy loves it so much that he wants to purchase it so he could always have it. However, Hachi advises him to just rent it instead (though Luffy doesn’t want to listen). Upon hearing Hachi’s advice, the merchant recognizes that Hachi is a local and gives up on trying to sell it to Luffy. It is a very simple scam that earns merchants lots of cash from tourists but anyone who knows the area is able to see through it instantly. After paying to rent Luffy’s inner bubble-bike, an outer bubble-bike for Nami, and a larger transport bubble for the rest, Hachi explains to them why purchasing these things instead of renting is a scam. Though the bubbles are extremely resilient and we have not seen any pop while they have been in the archipelago, this is the only region that the bubbles can maintain this resilience. By going above the treetops or moving away over the water’s surface, the bubbles leave the atmosphere of the archipelago and pop, making these transports useless. However, these do still work in Fishman Island, so it seems directly related to proximity to the trees. Since Fishman Island is located near to where the roots of the mangrove trees anchor themselves to the seabed, the bubbles still work down there. On the other end, the leaves of the treetops act as a barrier to hold in the specific gasses that allow the bubbles to remain strong. Once the bubbles go beyond this, they reenter the standard atmosphere and pop. Although Hachi tells this to Luffy (albeit not in the detailed explanation I gave), Luffy still does not grasp the concept until Nami gives the base definition while using the only word Luffy seems to universally accept, mysteriously. Any time he cannot grasp a concept, the best way to explain it to him is give the cause, effect, and say that the process is a mystery.
Royalty
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6642/7azn4.png
skull jokes never get old
After that issue is settled, the topic of conversation shifts to what to expect in Fishman Island and Pappagg says to visit the mermaid princess. Although this is only briefly mentioned, I think it deserves some analysis. We know from both Caimie and Kokoro that though the underwater paradise is called Fishman Island, it is actually a place that is home to both fishmen and merpeople. This makes it interesting that though the island is named after one race, the other race bares a royal family there. Though we have not seen any mermen and most of the fishmen we have seen have been men, I’m guessing that there are both genders of merpeople as Hachi’s side arc proved there were both races of fishpeople (the octopus fishwoman he loved). Since there is a confirmed mermaid princess, I’m guessing there is an entire royal family to go with it most likely with a king based on Poseidon from Greek mythology. On the other hand, Oda could run with the Little Mermaid theme that Caimie has started (a gorgeous mermaid traveling with a talking sea creature). Though we really don’t know anything at this point, I’m guessing that this royal family is likely more ceremonial than anything and the official decisions of Fishman Island are made democratically through representatives of both races. Whatever the case, we can be assured that the princess will be involved with the plot of this arc as Pappagg supposedly has close ties with her, thus assuring an introduction for the Strawhats.
Hotel Grove
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/631/8aqz5.png
they must have "...and all i got was this lousy t-shirt" apparel
As the group continues on to Grove 35, they find that this grove is marketed strongly to tourists and travelers. One aspect Robin takes notice of is the number of hotels in the area. Though the Shabondy Archipelago is known as a meeting place for pirates and such who want to enter the New World through the unofficial route, it is also a stop for those who want to cross the Red Line legally. People waiting for government approval to cross through the holy land stay at the hotels since the ease of creating the hotels makes them relatively cheap. The rooms are created by coating a large bubble in an alloy, which both weights it down and enhances the durability so it can stay sturdy for as long as needed. In addition to the hotels, the grove also host a number of gift shops which cater to travelers who want a souvenir of their time in the first half of the Grand Line before heading to the New World. Brooke and Chopper buy the classic souvenirs while Luffy purchases a bunch of manjuu that last for three months and are imprinted with “Grand Line First Half”. The idea behind these manjuu is that you can eat this food from the first half after you are well into the New World. The grove has even perfected the method of carrying purchases by allowing customers to carry their things in bon-bags, which allows the objects to hover weightlessly like a balloon in a special bubble rather than carry the weight themselves.
Girl Time
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/3606/9acb3.png
they must have some of Pappagg's designs in there
Once again, the group splits into smaller groups. This time, Nami and Robin wander off to do some shopping of their own over on Grove 30. Since Luffy, Brooke, and Chopper are more interested in the tourist aspects of the island, they stay with Hachi and Caimie as their guides while the Strawhat women actually have some predetermined purchases that they want to make. While Grove 35 is marketed to tourists, Grove 30 bears a shopping mall where the girls likely plan to buy some clothing and possibly some furniture for the Sunny. Due to Luffy donating most of 100 million beli for the party on Water 7, Nami was unable to buy the accessories she wanted for the new ship. Now that she has the loot from Thriller Bark, she can outfit the Sunny as she pleases and thands to the use of bon-bags, carrying a large load is no problem. In a brief scene with the two girls as they make their way towards the mall, they discuss why Caimie did not join them. As she is an aspiring designer, they likely figured that she would enjoy the mall and she would even be able to help them pick what to buy. However, they were surprised that she declined their offer. They took notice of the fact that she has remained somewhat to herself ever since they arrived and Robin theorizes that she may have a bad history with this island. This idea is strengthened by the little tidbit last chapter about her dream to ride the ferris wheel but it being an impossibility for her. This is likely due to the kidnappers and the fact that she is a mermaid. I would not be surprised if there was a specific noble on the archipelago who had developed a desire for her specifically or had already owned her but she escaped and that is the reason she is targeted so fiercely by the Macro crew. After so many failures, it would be logical to find a different target and move on but if catching her carried with it a guaranteed reward from a specific individual, it would make her a valuable enough target to keep going after. Out of fear of this one noble and the bounty hunters he has at his fingertips, she clings to Hachi rather than enjoy herself while on this archipelago.
Pure Fear
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4556/10axz1.png
he looks like Foxy's angry brother
Back with Luffy’s group, our captain is having a race with Hachi on their vehicles while Chopper and Pappagg rest comfortably inside the bubbles. Luffy suddenly takes notice of a large and oddly dressed man screaming for help. He just wants someone to help him remove the color from his neck. Hachi says he seems to be a man who was sold as a slave to one of the Tenryuubito. Once entered into slavery, the captured are equipped with special collars that are set to explode if they try to escape. The collars are attached to chains held by their masters and the explosion sequence is set to start after the chain becomes broken, leaving a very short time before detonation. This means that if an escaped slave is seen, the master is very nearby. This one was apparently a former pirate captain worth 60 million beli. Even a man of that level is terrified for his life due to his current situation. Since most of the pirate crews we see in this series save the Strawhats, Red-hairs, and Whitebeards have been depicted as cruel or simply greedy, the fact that this captain is planning to give up his dream in order to be free and return to his family speaks volumes for the level of cruelty his masters dish out. He has been humbled to the point where he is no longer the fearsome pirate he once was and with his future robbed of him, he now simply wants to see a glimpse of his legacy embodied by his family. However, despite his heartfelt pleas for assistance, not a single person goes to help him. The Strawhats come close to but are stopped by Hachi and Pappagg. Moments later the collar explodes to the horror of the witnesses. The level of this pirate also gives me a theory about the bounty hunters of this area. I get the feeling that many of the bounty hunters here double as kidnappers due to the fact that a bounty hunter’s main concern is money. When capturing living marks, before going to the government to collect a reward, they first go to the Tenryuubito and see if they can get a better price. Duval’s group was thought of as a high level kidnapping group but they likely wouldn’t be able to handle pirate captains like this guy but bounty hunters could.
Silhouette
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/5316/11aal9.png
beware of shady axe murderers
Normally I wouldn’t bother with analysis of minor little things, but the shadowy man with an axe intrigues me. From what I can tell, Oda is setting him up to be somewhat important in the upcoming storyline. First of all, the fact that his face is hidden in darkness while he looks over the scene implies that Oda wants to save the revealing of his identity for later. If I had to guess, I’d say he is a bounty hunter since he seems to be carrying a stack of bounty posters while he analyzes the scene below. He seems to like estimating the worthiness of marks to enter the New World as he deems this guy to be unfit for the task. The now blackened pirate captain seemed boring to him, so it is likely that he sets a standard on the skill level of his opponents before taking them on.
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/9831/11blt1.png
i wouldn't say its out of the question. would you?
In addition to that, I have a second theory regarding this guy though it’s a bit farfetched at this point. After seeing his silhouette, his profile definitely seemed familiar and sure enough, the hat or hairstyle he has is remarkably similar to that shown of Admiral Kizaru from chapter 319. I still think it is too early for the crew to be tackling an admiral at this point, so if this is the case, I’d say that his appearance in this arc would be likened to Dragon’s appearance in Logue Town. He will not be very directly involved in the plot of the arc but he will oversee the events and look forward to the day he meets Luffy again in the New World. In addition to this physical appearance, the way he comments on the pirate’s inability to survive the New World could be seen as him simply previewing possible future opponents. So far among the admirals we know Ao Kiji follows a sense of justice with morality and Akainu follows absolute justice, so having the third admiral be one that does not care much for justice at all but instead values power would be a good fit. He comes to the Shabondy Archipelago to view pirates who have potential and when he finds one that interests him, he waits for their power to grow in the New World before cutting them down.
Wealth and Cruelty
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/7074/12auj3.png
thats a mighty ugly creature
After the shadowy axe-man finishes, the next image we get is a dog with a portable air supply coming up to pee on the burnt ex-pirate. Closely following the dog are a father and daughter both wearing bubbles on their heads with portable air supplies and towing behind them a massive and fearsome being. When discussing this fallen pirate, they treat him like a mere pet that had to be put down. Apparently he comes from a collection of pirate captains the father has taken as slaves, giving more proof to the bounty hunters doubling as kidnappers and slave traders. Tenryuubito like this man provide a market for bounty heads that the bounty hunters are willing to oblige. While the purchasing of fishmen and mermaids may be likened to the collecting of rare species for collections, the sale of pirate captains is more similar to that of show dogs. These are specimens that though the species is not as unique for pets or servants, the nobles compete amongst themselves to collect individuals with higher bounties and how well they can break them in. Once one goes rogue though, he is seen as a failure and must be eliminated and replaced. This being the case, the pirate that escaped just now is shot by the father and left to die while the daughter happily tells her father what kind of slave she wants next. After they leave and Luffy gets to discuss what happened with Hachi, it is mentioned that the marines took him away. While this does seem to go against my previous thoughts regarding marine deployment here, I’m still pretty sure the general policy here is the blind eye approach. In this case, the case was that the man was a bounty head and so dead or alive he needed to be taken in. Since even after he was put into slavery, this man’s bounty poster was still active, the government simply ignores this capture until the nobles dispose of him. After that he becomes fair game for a resident marine to call in and have a small team take him to be imprisoned or confirmed as dead.
Dark Bloodlines
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4375/13azv3.png
its been a while since the lost century was referenced
After hearing a bit of discussion regarding the cruelty of the Tenryuubito’s actions, we finally hear the origin of their nobility and the reason why they are so feared. The reason they have such high status is due to the fact that they are descended from the twenty kings that founded the World Government 800 years ago, which is pretty much exactly what I said last week (not in the review itself but in a reply post). This means that if anyone knew the truth of the lost century, these people would. Due to this, I’m quite certain that this arc will lead Robin to more clues regarding that time through either a poneglyph hidden in Fishman Island or the interrogation of a Tenryuubito. In any case, as Professor Clover deduced that the World Government was responsible for some great evil during that time, it is clear that those evil founders have passed both their influence and their ideals onto their following generations. As such, the Tenryuubito’s political power is great enough that if one of them is injured by an individual, they can call upon an admiral from Marine Headquarters to exact retribution. This does hint at an admiral being the main opponent of the arc, but as I have said before, I’m still hesitant on the idea that the Strawhats will be fighting yet another battle with the World Government powerhouses. In addition, as there are only three admirals, I’d think that their power is too much for any time short of the second or third arc in the New World. I think this fight will be either with a noble who bears great combat ability or a bounty hunter that acts as a hired gun. Then at the end of the arc, the nobles will call for an admiral but one of two things will happen. If Ao Kiji is the one assigned, he’ll officially accept but in reality will ignore the order as he knows the nobles got what they deserved. If Akainu or Kizaru are assigned, they will either tail the Strawhats for a few arcs before initiating combat or they will come out of nowhere after a few arcs pass to fulfill their duties.
Overall
Whew! I think this might be a record breaker for the longest single chapter review I or GK has ever done. I’ve done longer ones before but I think those were at least triple chapter reviews. Oda has masterfully incorporated so much material in here that can be explored. Much of this comes from the fact that we are on the brink of not only a new and unique arc in the series but the start of a new saga once the arc ends. This being the case, Oda must provide setup not only to prepare us for the plot of the Fishman Island arc but also needs to show us beforehand that entering the New World will be very different from the Grand Line’s first half. This means both hinting that some mysteries will be revealed in this arc while simultaneously providing the base for plots of New World arcs. While I can’t say this chapter exceeds others like Merry’s funeral or Zoro’s sacrifice in terms of deep and emotional meaning, this is pure gold when it comes to the sheer amount of stuff to analyze.
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/458/gurrenpiecebyannouncergav3.png (http://announcerguy.deviantart.com/art/GURREN-PIECE-82546567)
the awesomeness is overwhelming
Yo!!! Once again I’m back to single chapter reviews (but this week there was quite a bit to say so it’s still a doozy even by my standards). As I’ve said before, I’ll try to maintain these weekly and not let them get out of hand, which should be easier without my Bleach reviews but there are still no guarantees. In general, my policy is that if I don’t get the review done by Tuesday at midnight PST (GMT -8), I hold off and make a multi review the following weekend. Anyways, lets just get down to it. The pics in this review come from the Binktopia scanlation and one frame is from Null’s scanlation of 319. The title pic is yet another stellar artwork from AnnouncerGuy (http://announcerguy.deviantart.com/) over at DeviantArt so be sure to visit her gallery.
let me warn you guys that I think this is the longest single chapter review I think I’ve ever done
KABUKI!!!
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/8510/1amp3.png
we need a Naruto omake crossover with Kumadori and Jiraya doing kabuki
Well we return to the story of the CP9 escaping their former employers and trying to save Lucci’s life. They are still hanging out in Saint Poplar since when you have a person that badly injured, moving from island to island is not smart (especially when the only method they can afford risks being hit by the sea train). As it is still raining, I think it is safe to say that the city may very well be a city of perpetual rain similar to how Enies Lobby was an island of perpetual sunlight. The entire chain of islands in the area each seem to have weather patterns that are unique even for the Grand Line since in addition to the aforementioned two islands, Water 7 has its aqua laguna. It makes me wonder what types of odd weather the other two islands connected by the sea train have. Other than the weather issue, the big focus this chapter is payment for Lucci’s medical bills. Since it would be quite difficult to find steady jobs without references, the best paying alternative is show business. Naturally, the task of performing for money is the group’s kabuki specialist, Kumadori. From the size of the crowd around him it seems he is pretty popular so I wouldn’t doubt it if he keeps up this as a profession even after Lucci recovers. I am also still hoping that we get to see Kaku get a job at a zoo later in this cover arc, but Kumadori is entertaining enough to keep me satisfied.
Staying Put
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/5083/2ayp5.png
whipped!!!
Since the Strawhats have arrived at a very interesting location, it is natural that most of them would feel a need to explore a bit. However, Sanji, Usopp, and Franky decide to forego this island adventure and stay on the ship. Franky feels the need to make a few repairs to the ship and Usopp decides to help him out. These two seem to be developing a very strong bond with each other beyond that of the standard bonds between the crew as Oda has repeatedly paired them together in both combat purposes and socializing more than any other pair of Strawhats. It is completely understandable though as they click on so many levels. First of all, they compliment each other’s skills perfectly as Franky’s expertise in creating weapons systems is enhanced by Usopp’s superior ability to use them as seem in the battle with the Flying Fish Riders. In addition to that, Usopp’s devotion to Merry gives him a deeper respect for Franky’s devotion to Sunny than the other Strawhats and he feels a need to care for the ship alongside the designated shipwright. Other than these two, Sanji was also left on the boat, but his reason is less meaningful. Basically, Nami used his love for her to manipulate him into guarding the loot from Thriller Bark. He even admits that this is the case flat out. Although him being the guard is simply because of Nami’s manipulation, she did have good reason for determining that a guard was needed. Like Jaya, the Shabondy Archipelago is a gathering place for all sorts of untrustworthy folk and it would be idiotic to leave that much treasure sitting on a ship while the only two aboard are preoccupied with repairs.
Lost Swordsman
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/9961/3aqw6.png
dude, listen to them
Though I said the only three left on the ship were Franky, Usopp, and Sanji, technically Zoro was on board too, though he decides shortly after to take a walk. Immediately after he jumps off the boat, Usopp and Sanji realize how idiotic this is for a person with such a bad sense of direction. They have had enough situations with his faulty inner compass to know that he will get lost all too easily and initially try to forbid him from leaving. However, he displays an unusual amount of common sense and points out that since the trees are numbered, as long as he remembers the number of the tree where the Sunny is docked, he’ll be able to get back easily enough. This bit of logic is enough to convince Usopp and Sanji (though they should know Zoro well enough to know that he could screw even that simple a system up). Surely enough, immediately after announcing his seemingly intelligent plan on how to keep himself oriented, he goes to read the number on the tree where he is currently at but mistakes it as Grove 1 since the 4 of 41 was hidden behind a bubble. This means that Zoro will either end up in somewhere completely random or at the actual Grove 1. Either way, Oda will use this as an opportunity to place Zoro in a position to witness some secret dealing or revealing event that was meant to be hidden from general view. In the words of Barbossa from PotC, “For sure, you have to be lost to find a place that can't be found, elseways everyone would know where it was.” I’m guessing that Grove 1 might be a location reserved for the nobles due to their high standing, which would make sense as a place for Zoro to eavesdrop and/or create a commotion that reveals a critical piece of info.
People of Shabondy
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At least Nami's there to listen for Luffy
As we move on to Luffy’s group, Hachi begins to explain a few things about the residents of this archipelago. First of all, he goes a bit deeper into his explanation of the nobles and says their true title is the Tenryuubito, which means the Heavenly Dragon Folk (thanks to Carlos Net for the TL note). They are so uptight and proud that they wear their own masks with air supplies to avoid breathing the same air as commoners. As they appear later on, I’ll hold off on analysis of them for now. Besides them, Shabondy can be thought of as being similar to Jaya, but on a whole other scale. It is a gathering place for many powerful individuals. Strong pirate crews come through on their way to the New World. We don’t have much in the way of details, but it is implied that many of them might rival the Strawhats in terms of bounty or strength. In addition to them, the place also attracts bounty hunters and marines. I’m guessing that the marine presence here is not an official unit but rather some independent ranked officers who act more like rogue bounty hunters looking for marks. I say this because so many aspects of this island require the government turning a blind eye. If the marines were an official presence here, they would be required to make official statements regarding the kidnappings and the cruelty of the Tenryuubito. However, since they unofficially condone those actions but can’t allow the public to know, they do not deploy teams there like Smoker’s base on Logue Island. Any actions of the marines there are on their free time or at least by unofficial order.
Disguise
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i'm getting desperate to confirm if the tattoo has a deep meaning
One thing that I’m guessing a number of you guys noticed once Hachi started speaking is that he was wearing an odd coat that only allows him use of one pair of arms. Eventually he gets around to telling Luffy to treat him and Caimie as humans. On closer inspection, it is also apparent that he has applied a bandage over the tattoo on his forehead and Caimie is wearing a long skirt to hide her fish tail. While he doesn’t go too deeply into an explanation, my best guess would be to avoid kidnappers. As I mentioned, one of the reasons that the kidnapping trade does so well in this region is because the government turns a blind eye to the dealings here. Hachi only specifies that the government will not help kidnapped pirates, but I’m guessing that the same idea applies to most or all kidnappings here since deploying military for the “legitimate” cases would force them to take notice of the injustices that they would rather ignore. The other big reason as I deduced in my previous review is that the Tenryuubito provide a good market for the kidnappers to sell to. Since the nobles are the buyers, the government is willing to ignore the kidnappings in order to keep the market up for these powerful individuals. This relates to Hachi and Caimie in that it had been revealed earlier that mermaids and fishmen are prime targets for kidnappers due to the high prices they fetch. Since the nobles treat these slaves like pets, to them the fishmen and mermaids are nothing more than a rare fish collection to keep in an aquarium. In order to stay safe while in this hotbed of kidnappers, Hachi and Caimie must hide themselves. One of the pieces of disguise is quite noteworthy. This is Hachi’s bandage, which is really the only piece that is directly noticed by Luffy. The bandage hides the sun tattoo on his forehead, which is identical to ones on various other fishmen we have met. It is quite obvious that the tattoo is at least unique to fishmen and that revealing it would be an obvious sign of his race even if he hid the rest well. This could be a symbol of Jimbei’s former crew or simply a popular tattoo among fishmen, but either way, I suspect we will find some deeper meaning to it later in this arc.
Bubble Physics
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I want!!!
Though Hachi was just a moment before discussing quite serious matters, Luffy is quickly distracted by the bubbles and gets it into his head to try to get himself into one. Since the bubble is quite resilient, he is successful and gets first his head and then his body inside. Upon seeing Luffy’s excitement, a merchant quickly comes up to him with an attachment that he sticks on the bubble. This tool allows Luffy to pedal in order to move a fan behind him and ride in this hovering bubble. The merchant gives Luffy the option of renting it for the day at a rate of 500 beli or purchasing it for 10,000 beli. Obviously, Luffy loves it so much that he wants to purchase it so he could always have it. However, Hachi advises him to just rent it instead (though Luffy doesn’t want to listen). Upon hearing Hachi’s advice, the merchant recognizes that Hachi is a local and gives up on trying to sell it to Luffy. It is a very simple scam that earns merchants lots of cash from tourists but anyone who knows the area is able to see through it instantly. After paying to rent Luffy’s inner bubble-bike, an outer bubble-bike for Nami, and a larger transport bubble for the rest, Hachi explains to them why purchasing these things instead of renting is a scam. Though the bubbles are extremely resilient and we have not seen any pop while they have been in the archipelago, this is the only region that the bubbles can maintain this resilience. By going above the treetops or moving away over the water’s surface, the bubbles leave the atmosphere of the archipelago and pop, making these transports useless. However, these do still work in Fishman Island, so it seems directly related to proximity to the trees. Since Fishman Island is located near to where the roots of the mangrove trees anchor themselves to the seabed, the bubbles still work down there. On the other end, the leaves of the treetops act as a barrier to hold in the specific gasses that allow the bubbles to remain strong. Once the bubbles go beyond this, they reenter the standard atmosphere and pop. Although Hachi tells this to Luffy (albeit not in the detailed explanation I gave), Luffy still does not grasp the concept until Nami gives the base definition while using the only word Luffy seems to universally accept, mysteriously. Any time he cannot grasp a concept, the best way to explain it to him is give the cause, effect, and say that the process is a mystery.
Royalty
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skull jokes never get old
After that issue is settled, the topic of conversation shifts to what to expect in Fishman Island and Pappagg says to visit the mermaid princess. Although this is only briefly mentioned, I think it deserves some analysis. We know from both Caimie and Kokoro that though the underwater paradise is called Fishman Island, it is actually a place that is home to both fishmen and merpeople. This makes it interesting that though the island is named after one race, the other race bares a royal family there. Though we have not seen any mermen and most of the fishmen we have seen have been men, I’m guessing that there are both genders of merpeople as Hachi’s side arc proved there were both races of fishpeople (the octopus fishwoman he loved). Since there is a confirmed mermaid princess, I’m guessing there is an entire royal family to go with it most likely with a king based on Poseidon from Greek mythology. On the other hand, Oda could run with the Little Mermaid theme that Caimie has started (a gorgeous mermaid traveling with a talking sea creature). Though we really don’t know anything at this point, I’m guessing that this royal family is likely more ceremonial than anything and the official decisions of Fishman Island are made democratically through representatives of both races. Whatever the case, we can be assured that the princess will be involved with the plot of this arc as Pappagg supposedly has close ties with her, thus assuring an introduction for the Strawhats.
Hotel Grove
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they must have "...and all i got was this lousy t-shirt" apparel
As the group continues on to Grove 35, they find that this grove is marketed strongly to tourists and travelers. One aspect Robin takes notice of is the number of hotels in the area. Though the Shabondy Archipelago is known as a meeting place for pirates and such who want to enter the New World through the unofficial route, it is also a stop for those who want to cross the Red Line legally. People waiting for government approval to cross through the holy land stay at the hotels since the ease of creating the hotels makes them relatively cheap. The rooms are created by coating a large bubble in an alloy, which both weights it down and enhances the durability so it can stay sturdy for as long as needed. In addition to the hotels, the grove also host a number of gift shops which cater to travelers who want a souvenir of their time in the first half of the Grand Line before heading to the New World. Brooke and Chopper buy the classic souvenirs while Luffy purchases a bunch of manjuu that last for three months and are imprinted with “Grand Line First Half”. The idea behind these manjuu is that you can eat this food from the first half after you are well into the New World. The grove has even perfected the method of carrying purchases by allowing customers to carry their things in bon-bags, which allows the objects to hover weightlessly like a balloon in a special bubble rather than carry the weight themselves.
Girl Time
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they must have some of Pappagg's designs in there
Once again, the group splits into smaller groups. This time, Nami and Robin wander off to do some shopping of their own over on Grove 30. Since Luffy, Brooke, and Chopper are more interested in the tourist aspects of the island, they stay with Hachi and Caimie as their guides while the Strawhat women actually have some predetermined purchases that they want to make. While Grove 35 is marketed to tourists, Grove 30 bears a shopping mall where the girls likely plan to buy some clothing and possibly some furniture for the Sunny. Due to Luffy donating most of 100 million beli for the party on Water 7, Nami was unable to buy the accessories she wanted for the new ship. Now that she has the loot from Thriller Bark, she can outfit the Sunny as she pleases and thands to the use of bon-bags, carrying a large load is no problem. In a brief scene with the two girls as they make their way towards the mall, they discuss why Caimie did not join them. As she is an aspiring designer, they likely figured that she would enjoy the mall and she would even be able to help them pick what to buy. However, they were surprised that she declined their offer. They took notice of the fact that she has remained somewhat to herself ever since they arrived and Robin theorizes that she may have a bad history with this island. This idea is strengthened by the little tidbit last chapter about her dream to ride the ferris wheel but it being an impossibility for her. This is likely due to the kidnappers and the fact that she is a mermaid. I would not be surprised if there was a specific noble on the archipelago who had developed a desire for her specifically or had already owned her but she escaped and that is the reason she is targeted so fiercely by the Macro crew. After so many failures, it would be logical to find a different target and move on but if catching her carried with it a guaranteed reward from a specific individual, it would make her a valuable enough target to keep going after. Out of fear of this one noble and the bounty hunters he has at his fingertips, she clings to Hachi rather than enjoy herself while on this archipelago.
Pure Fear
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he looks like Foxy's angry brother
Back with Luffy’s group, our captain is having a race with Hachi on their vehicles while Chopper and Pappagg rest comfortably inside the bubbles. Luffy suddenly takes notice of a large and oddly dressed man screaming for help. He just wants someone to help him remove the color from his neck. Hachi says he seems to be a man who was sold as a slave to one of the Tenryuubito. Once entered into slavery, the captured are equipped with special collars that are set to explode if they try to escape. The collars are attached to chains held by their masters and the explosion sequence is set to start after the chain becomes broken, leaving a very short time before detonation. This means that if an escaped slave is seen, the master is very nearby. This one was apparently a former pirate captain worth 60 million beli. Even a man of that level is terrified for his life due to his current situation. Since most of the pirate crews we see in this series save the Strawhats, Red-hairs, and Whitebeards have been depicted as cruel or simply greedy, the fact that this captain is planning to give up his dream in order to be free and return to his family speaks volumes for the level of cruelty his masters dish out. He has been humbled to the point where he is no longer the fearsome pirate he once was and with his future robbed of him, he now simply wants to see a glimpse of his legacy embodied by his family. However, despite his heartfelt pleas for assistance, not a single person goes to help him. The Strawhats come close to but are stopped by Hachi and Pappagg. Moments later the collar explodes to the horror of the witnesses. The level of this pirate also gives me a theory about the bounty hunters of this area. I get the feeling that many of the bounty hunters here double as kidnappers due to the fact that a bounty hunter’s main concern is money. When capturing living marks, before going to the government to collect a reward, they first go to the Tenryuubito and see if they can get a better price. Duval’s group was thought of as a high level kidnapping group but they likely wouldn’t be able to handle pirate captains like this guy but bounty hunters could.
Silhouette
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beware of shady axe murderers
Normally I wouldn’t bother with analysis of minor little things, but the shadowy man with an axe intrigues me. From what I can tell, Oda is setting him up to be somewhat important in the upcoming storyline. First of all, the fact that his face is hidden in darkness while he looks over the scene implies that Oda wants to save the revealing of his identity for later. If I had to guess, I’d say he is a bounty hunter since he seems to be carrying a stack of bounty posters while he analyzes the scene below. He seems to like estimating the worthiness of marks to enter the New World as he deems this guy to be unfit for the task. The now blackened pirate captain seemed boring to him, so it is likely that he sets a standard on the skill level of his opponents before taking them on.
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i wouldn't say its out of the question. would you?
In addition to that, I have a second theory regarding this guy though it’s a bit farfetched at this point. After seeing his silhouette, his profile definitely seemed familiar and sure enough, the hat or hairstyle he has is remarkably similar to that shown of Admiral Kizaru from chapter 319. I still think it is too early for the crew to be tackling an admiral at this point, so if this is the case, I’d say that his appearance in this arc would be likened to Dragon’s appearance in Logue Town. He will not be very directly involved in the plot of the arc but he will oversee the events and look forward to the day he meets Luffy again in the New World. In addition to this physical appearance, the way he comments on the pirate’s inability to survive the New World could be seen as him simply previewing possible future opponents. So far among the admirals we know Ao Kiji follows a sense of justice with morality and Akainu follows absolute justice, so having the third admiral be one that does not care much for justice at all but instead values power would be a good fit. He comes to the Shabondy Archipelago to view pirates who have potential and when he finds one that interests him, he waits for their power to grow in the New World before cutting them down.
Wealth and Cruelty
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thats a mighty ugly creature
After the shadowy axe-man finishes, the next image we get is a dog with a portable air supply coming up to pee on the burnt ex-pirate. Closely following the dog are a father and daughter both wearing bubbles on their heads with portable air supplies and towing behind them a massive and fearsome being. When discussing this fallen pirate, they treat him like a mere pet that had to be put down. Apparently he comes from a collection of pirate captains the father has taken as slaves, giving more proof to the bounty hunters doubling as kidnappers and slave traders. Tenryuubito like this man provide a market for bounty heads that the bounty hunters are willing to oblige. While the purchasing of fishmen and mermaids may be likened to the collecting of rare species for collections, the sale of pirate captains is more similar to that of show dogs. These are specimens that though the species is not as unique for pets or servants, the nobles compete amongst themselves to collect individuals with higher bounties and how well they can break them in. Once one goes rogue though, he is seen as a failure and must be eliminated and replaced. This being the case, the pirate that escaped just now is shot by the father and left to die while the daughter happily tells her father what kind of slave she wants next. After they leave and Luffy gets to discuss what happened with Hachi, it is mentioned that the marines took him away. While this does seem to go against my previous thoughts regarding marine deployment here, I’m still pretty sure the general policy here is the blind eye approach. In this case, the case was that the man was a bounty head and so dead or alive he needed to be taken in. Since even after he was put into slavery, this man’s bounty poster was still active, the government simply ignores this capture until the nobles dispose of him. After that he becomes fair game for a resident marine to call in and have a small team take him to be imprisoned or confirmed as dead.
Dark Bloodlines
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its been a while since the lost century was referenced
After hearing a bit of discussion regarding the cruelty of the Tenryuubito’s actions, we finally hear the origin of their nobility and the reason why they are so feared. The reason they have such high status is due to the fact that they are descended from the twenty kings that founded the World Government 800 years ago, which is pretty much exactly what I said last week (not in the review itself but in a reply post). This means that if anyone knew the truth of the lost century, these people would. Due to this, I’m quite certain that this arc will lead Robin to more clues regarding that time through either a poneglyph hidden in Fishman Island or the interrogation of a Tenryuubito. In any case, as Professor Clover deduced that the World Government was responsible for some great evil during that time, it is clear that those evil founders have passed both their influence and their ideals onto their following generations. As such, the Tenryuubito’s political power is great enough that if one of them is injured by an individual, they can call upon an admiral from Marine Headquarters to exact retribution. This does hint at an admiral being the main opponent of the arc, but as I have said before, I’m still hesitant on the idea that the Strawhats will be fighting yet another battle with the World Government powerhouses. In addition, as there are only three admirals, I’d think that their power is too much for any time short of the second or third arc in the New World. I think this fight will be either with a noble who bears great combat ability or a bounty hunter that acts as a hired gun. Then at the end of the arc, the nobles will call for an admiral but one of two things will happen. If Ao Kiji is the one assigned, he’ll officially accept but in reality will ignore the order as he knows the nobles got what they deserved. If Akainu or Kizaru are assigned, they will either tail the Strawhats for a few arcs before initiating combat or they will come out of nowhere after a few arcs pass to fulfill their duties.
Overall
Whew! I think this might be a record breaker for the longest single chapter review I or GK has ever done. I’ve done longer ones before but I think those were at least triple chapter reviews. Oda has masterfully incorporated so much material in here that can be explored. Much of this comes from the fact that we are on the brink of not only a new and unique arc in the series but the start of a new saga once the arc ends. This being the case, Oda must provide setup not only to prepare us for the plot of the Fishman Island arc but also needs to show us beforehand that entering the New World will be very different from the Grand Line’s first half. This means both hinting that some mysteries will be revealed in this arc while simultaneously providing the base for plots of New World arcs. While I can’t say this chapter exceeds others like Merry’s funeral or Zoro’s sacrifice in terms of deep and emotional meaning, this is pure gold when it comes to the sheer amount of stuff to analyze.