bittman
September 08, 2009, 07:06 AM
Bittman Presents: One Piece Reviews
Chapter 556 – Justice Will Prevail!!
Introduction:
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That would be your popularity.
Hey Mangahelpers =D
So I’m just as late as ever this week. You won’t believe me but I started this on Friday…and then skipped the weekend. Maybe I’ll be motivated one weekend to actually do this, but it won’t be next week because I’ll be visiting family in the outback (there’s your aussie slang word of the day). Nevertheless, I feel I’m getting better at these review things and my ‘second review’ is coming along better because of it. That said I struggle finding time to write this, so it’s coming along slowly.
Otherwise week was pretty good for me, thanks for asking. It was Father’s day here in Australia on Sunday, my sister lost her grand final and my cousin lost her job in the UK for overhearing some racist comments, so I feel I have things pretty sweet here. That said, I don’t yet have a job in games, its shit cold here (by my insanely sweaty standards) and I haven’t had a girlfriend for years. So maybe it’s not so good.
But that won’t keep me down. Especially with 3 versions of Binktopia scans to choose from. I went with cnet’s reliable translations, since version 3 had some guy who looks like he just found the thesaurus. I used to try write like that too, but there’s only so many times you can write synonyms for sex before you wish you were getting some.
Also, new font this week and LoneLobo also did a review, I was so worried I'd scared the other reviewers off [/blatantlie]. Either way, the more you read the more you know, so do check other reviews out. Who knows, maybe you'll find someone without sarcasm somewhere. BECAUSE THAT'S NOT HERE BUSTER!
Chapter Breakdown:
Fall of a Giant
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Oars-chan has fainted. Choose next Piratemon? Y/N?
I’m beginning to regret not featuring Nami in short shorts, but next week should be Brooke so that’s ok…unless he has panties…Oh well, technically about another month and then I can compile them and make another review. Man, I plan more reviews than I write. Can’t wait until they invent a computer that downloads my brain. I’ll be able to write reviews and draw smut in the matter of moments.
We kick-off, somewhat where we did last week with Oars stubbornly clinging through horrendous wounds for his friend. Emotional, sure, but really the double is just to reinforce the last chapter. The Shichibukai, who were the ‘hidden’ focus of last chapter are shown with their reactions. Kuma and Mihawk are typically unreadable, Moria lets his masochist tendencies take hold whilst Boa makes an off comment which shows she’s still a bit ignorant, though her island is even more so (since they still believe it’s a monster’s curse, not a Devil Fruit). Ace and some randoms cry out for the lovable hairy giant (*snickers*) whilst Oars’ hand is shown again to fall just short of his friend.
Not much to say about this I haven’t already said, but given that Oda used this double page to show Oars-chan collapse will probably mean he’s alive even though Moria believes he has killed it. We really can’t take Moria’s word; he always underestimates things and overestimates his own power. That and he was under Oars when he used the shadowblade, so he’s probably just a Gecko pancake now.
Absolute Strength
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Whitebeard’s balls can take out giants!
With Oars down for the count, we cut to our beardiness’s reaction and wrath is the reaction he gives. Barely appearing to make a move, Whitebeard’s Quake devil fruit shatters the battleaxe of the mysterious masked crusader from the Giant Squad who decided a good sneak attack included a lot of shouting. Then again, since when have there been sneak attacks in One Piece? Everyone basically announces what they’re going to do in loud voices or states the obvious for our benefit, but I digress.
Whitebeard takes his pent up rage out on the face of Vice Admiral Lonz, and because it’s different I should spend time on it though most people seemed to ignore this page. Basically, Whitebeard has just shown us a new technique, and because there is a definite lack of cracking in the air and there’s some mysterious ball of energy around his fist we can basically guarantee this is not fruit related. Without trying to hard most people can probably guess that this is an attack using Whitebeard’s haki, though we can’t simply rule out some sort of other technique especially when we have people who can set their leg on fire just by spinning around a lot. For once, I’m actually in the “Whitebeard-just-used-haki” camp, and I would presume Whitebeard does not have the King’s Haki. If there’s one thing we know about Whitebeard it’s that he is both angry and arrogant, so I believe his haki typically comes out when he is enraged moreso than when he has a great will. I would hazard an early guess that he simply uses the energy of his pent up rage and forces it through his fist to create a blast of some description. Don’t want to spend a heap of time on it (oops, already wrote a wall of text) since I expect we’ll get Whitebeard’s Spirit Bomb head-slam explained within the next couple of chapters.
And to finish off this section, the next page has Whitebeard continuing the push past Oars-chan’s body and some old geezer talking about there being lots of Earthquakes. I don’t expect this is any sort of teaser for things that some of you are trying to figure out. You’re probably overestimating Oda, because all this old man is here to show is both how Whitebeard really is a man who has a strong power enough power to take out the world and also showing that this display of Whitebeard’s power is actually rare. I’m of the belief this “rare” aspect will be highlighted more and more since, though Whitebeard is the ‘Strongest man in the world’, it’s not like he just goes around making earthquakes with every battle he enters. Already Whitebeard may be tired, before now we have always seen him hooked up to ventilation (or maybe an advanced marijuana smoking machine?). Whitebeard is well past his prime, we have received hints about this before and I have given a very small mention to his grimaces when he attacks. Some ask why Whitebeard hasn’t already just destroyed the plaza and surroundings and then saved Ace, I think the reason will become evident as the strongest man in the world shows that he is well beyond the man who was once the undeniable owner of that title.
The One Pulling the Strings
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You ask what’s so funny? Well an Irishman, an Englishman and an Indian walk into a bar…
We then cut to my new favourite Shichibukai (well as far as build up goes, Hancock is my favourite because of her inherent girly parts) Doflamingo as he laughs blatantly in the face of one of the division commanders as Oars-chan falls. Oh man, did this guy pick a fight with the wrong person, even funnier when you realise that he seems to know what Doflamingo’s power can do as he freaks out for picking a fight moments before his body is turned on his own comrades with brute strength as his ally. Now we’ve seen some pretty powerful Division captains, and though I rate Marco, Ace and Joz as exceptions amongst Whitebeard’s crew, the Division commanders are all still close to the level of those three and most likely all above Luffy’s current level. Yet here we have some random guy named Atmos picking a fight with the school bully and then asking for forgiveness all in the space of two short sentences.
I doubt pretty-in-pink-feathers has an absolute power of control else he’d probably take on a bigger guy, but at the same time his personality might have something to do with that (discussed later). Again his hands seem to indicate puppetry, but then again those fingers don’t really move a lot and he does seem to do a lot of laughing and poses after gaining control. I also doubt, regardless of his power, he has complete control over the body. For example, if he had a Aokoji in his hands, he wouldn’t be able to get him to create ice spikes in the air. That said, he could probably still get a Aokoji to rip off his pants and punch himself in the little Aokoji for an instant K.O.
Absolute Justice
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You’re the second most dead guy I’ve seen today.
With Doflamingo fingers Division Commander Atmos from a distance, we have a character making Ussop look like a brave knight of the seas. In what is a very large disappointment to many, we have the obvious stars of the marines fleeing from battle. Yes, predicted future admiral Coby and predicted nobody nothing Helmeppo are putting their Soru-trained legs to great use. All I have to say at first is that I never put any stock in either of their characters to begin with. Sure, Coby was the first friend Luffy made on the seas, and sure Garp is training him, but at best I can’t see him fighting as anything more than an underling to Smoker or Garp personally. Everytime I’ve heard Admiral Coby, I kind of cringe and hope Smoker enters your dreams to bitch slap you.
Coby has always been a coward. Sure, he’s grown. Ussop has grown just as much, if not more, yet he’ll still run from a cute zombie bear in a heartbeat. I am stoically unsurprised by this and if I should be surprised that the pink haired kid who just hit puberty 100 chapters ago is a total coward when compared to the power difference between him and the Whitebeard pirates then please tell me why I should be surprised. The only surprise Coby could possibly deliver to me is actually showing that he’s not gay and at least getting stoned by Hancock.
Helmeppo was also there too…
So Akainu is in the backstreets of this place standing in the way of some other random marine. Whether that’s bad luck for the random marine, or Akainu had some time to fill and wanted to melt some human bodies, we’ll never know. What we do know is that Admiral Sakazuki is no pussy and definitely not a man that’s going to disable you, plant words of fear in your mind and engineer a scenario all to ensure that the legacy of a Giant ex-Vice-Admiral friend finds her place in the world. Heck, if Akainu met Saul and Robin he’d probably melt them down and collect their index fingers to trade in for money. Sure, Akainu is the evil admiral. But he’s basically Super-Lucchi without the unfortunate furry connotations. His absolute justice is a bit dark (like a light shade of black), but at the end of the day he’s fighting for the good of mankind and so that villains no longer exist in this world. If a few thousand babies need to be eaten in the process, he will be the first to put his hand up. For if he really is the ‘Red Dog’, he is both angry and loyal…or an evil communist…
The Nihilist Shichibukai
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Just ask Ohara…oh wait, you can’t because they LOST! Looooosers~ Can’t ask you anything because you’re all dead~
After Akainu goes all mafia on some fodder marine, we cut back to good old Captain Atmos as he cuts a swathe through his own army. Whilst Doflamingo gives us his biggest smiley yet and some words. But not just any words, interesting words. Marines are often stated as the side of justice, pirates the side of evil and though there is some mixing between the two that is generally how things appear to be. But at the end of the day, as best put in Doflamingo’s words: “Whoever prevails is Justice!!!!” Never a truer word said from a gayer person, because at the end of the day what we are looking at is nothing more than a war. If Germany had won either of the world wars, we would not remember them as the aggressors and the allies as the saviours of the world. Heck, from a more neutral view World War I is Austria’s fault and World War II is the allies fault for impoverishing a once powerful nation. “The winner writes the history books” is a common proverb, and Doflamingo is a firm believer of these shifts in the world.
In fact, the moment I read this I was instantly reminded of Kimbley from Full Metal Alchemist. Both Doflamingo and Kimbley share a particular philosophy which can be best traced to Nihilism. Nihilists are generally those that take a rather neutral stance on the world affairs with the philosophical doctrine suggesting that values do not exist but are rather falsely invented (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism) (thanks Wikipedia). That said, Doflamingo is not your typically neutral Nihilist and takes an assertive role in shaping the world whilst realising that things are screwed in almost all the available holes. In fact, if you look at Doflamingo, everything he basically has a hand in shows off the farce the world is at the moment. A slave trade house under the nose of the marines for those the marines protect is the greatest example of the farce Doflamingo highlights with his work. The more I see this Shichibukai, the more I hope he becomes a villain closer to the final boss whose glasses get smashed by Luffy to reveal the Sharin- *snipes self*
The Counterattack
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Known to close friends as “Sengoku the Goat-lover”
We cut back to the specifics of the action outside the melee that is the war to find another entrance to the bay forged a hot chick (oh wow, they do exist in this war) who has a ship suited to crashing through Icebergs and something akin to the Union Jack on her flag. No point spending any time on her, she’ll be less memorable than the Tsumergi Guards next chapter.
Instead, we for once find a report being shouted to Sengoku with him suddenly not sweating buckets and cursing things for going wrong. With a message relayed to a few ranking marines (I assume ranking since they’re still alive and have time to look at snails), a funny display of Tsuru’s powers and an acknowledgement by Whitebeard, we see Sengoku for the first time with a calm and determined expression. In fact, since Sengoku’s introduction all he appeared good for was failing to predict Luffy and doing a pretty average job at managing the world’s largest military force against the growing threat of pirates. Yet here he stands in the midst of battle with things looking like they’ve just taken a turn for the worse without so much as a drop of sweat.
Honestly speaking, about fucking time. I’ve been waiting for hundreds of chapters to see some awesome Sengoku work. He has sat at the top of the marines for so long without an action to this manga that many of the readers within mangahelpers have made comments such as “I don’t think Sengoku can actually fight” or “Sengoku is probably weaker than the admirals and definitely Yonkou” or “Who’s Sengoku again?”. Sure, I will admit first that Sengoku may not be a better fighter than the three logia admirals we currently have (though I expect him to be), but his nickname isn’t “Destroyer of Worlds – Sengoku the Buddha”. It’s “Strategist - Sengoku the Buddha”. As I said somewhere else, a Tactician thrives off data which should mean that Whitebeard, quite possibly the longest running pirate of this era, should have enough data to make Sengoku give us a rare smile. If we go back to the last chapter, even Oars-chan’s appearance simply brought the comment of “Oh look, that’s quite the ally”. If I’d seen Oars-chan coming at me, I’d be packing shit even if I had Goku lining him up with a kamehameha. Honestly speaking, I think I just want to see Sengoku do a Light from Death Note with some red evil eyes:
“Just as planned.” ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt4329_W_s0&feature=related )
Also, Tsuru has a fruit. Washing them and hanging them out to dry is a bit of a play on the fact that she’s a bit of an old grandmother-type. Heck, if Sengoku is Papa-marine, then she would most likely be Mama-marine. I could guess some pretty amusing names for the fruit, but I doubt how it will work is not technical. Basically she has the power to treat people like they are nothing but clothes, but the Clothes Clothes fruit is lame, and would be best used for taking clothes off. Of course, she might be able to do that too…oh dear god I just got a horrible mental image of Tsuru taking her clothes –
A Hero’s Confused Heart
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Join me, and together we can rule the galaxyNew World as Grandfather and Grandson.
Speaking of wrinkles, the grandfather hero of the marines appears just in case you were wondering where he disappeared to. I knew this moment was coming when I predicted Luffy v Garp, and I’m still predicting it though I’ll explain that in a bit. Garp is quite possibly the kindest marine you are likely the meet, even if he is a little Spartan with his grandson(s) and comrades. With a heart of gold, even Garp was unable to deny the request of Roger to protect his son. It would be impossible to believe Garp had truly raised Ace without feeling parental tendencies to him, and though he never lied to Ace about his heritage he is, in all but blood, Ace’s grandfather.
Though he was angry about Luffy being a pirate, he didn’t really go out of his way to really stop Luffy. His words at first are a bit general as he talks about all the pirates that are attacking and that he feels no pity for them, but feels bad for the families they leave behind who bear no sin. But with the most manly tears shed in this entire series, Garp brings that emotion back to his enemies grandson, and his very own. Man, I’m totally choking up writing this and thinking about poor Garp who simply wanted the two young boys he raised to grow up to be strong marines he could be openly proud of. You begin to think back to Tsuru saying the sin did not rest with him, and wonder how cruel those words sounded as they believe his sin is hiding the existence of Roger’s child whilst he believes his sin is being powerless to stop the execution which must seem like fate to the son of the executed Pirate King.
We also get some of that lovely sweat from Sengoku as Garp mentions this, but it is not because of his conscience but rather that Garp may cause a hitch in his plan. With delicate words of warning by Sengoku, we get another rare Garp moment with him obeying rules, but this time only because he feels he cannot stop what is in motion. Whether this is a hint as to Sengoku’s power, the plan or Garp’s own indecision, we can’t really be sure at the moment. I would like to hope it’s a bit of all the above, but that’s too much for one man to be thinking. Especially a man of the ‘Monkey’ family where brains seem to skip generations.
Greatest Anomaly
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Titanic would have been more exciting if it flipped into the air like this.
Ok, that was a bit soppy. But it’s my favourite old marine, so SHUT UP! Its ok, we get some beloved Garp broken up by some useless marines who are whispering about the moving up of Ace’s execution time. Some are like “Ok, big whoop-dee-doo-daa. They should have done that in the first place.” And though something like “Hi Whitebeard, how are you? We’ll cut off Ace’s head now, thanks for coming” would have been interesting (and have totally messed up the war), it wasn’t really practical. In fact, moving up the execution time in itself is a bit of a bold move for one major reason. The World Government and marines often make mention to justice, often with justice comes a set of laws and regulations required to follow them. If an execution is scheduled, it is because the law deemed it to be so. Moving up the execution is bold, especially as it somewhat takes away from the rules they set in place for the execution. On the other hand, now that Whitebeard is here they can at least place some blame on him showing up as to moving the execution forward and there would be no real drama. Ace was more than just bait to the marines as he is the blood inheritor of the pirate king. Being able to remove almost all traces of the Pirate’s King era is an enormous display of power by the World Government. If they can truly succeed on both these fronts, suddenly everyone who opposes them will be on the back foot.
However, all of Sengoku’s and Whitebeard’s plans are probably about to go to waste as something appears in the sky. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Super(Luffy)man!!! In an entrance as dramatic as always, Luffy had another idiot use his wink to propel the ship forward in a Thousand Sunny-esque manner, but it appears Iva-san’s powers are a little more than that of 3 barrels of cola. Launched well above the battle, the Justice League appears only to be heading towards certain doom when they land from their five hundred metre drop, except Luffy who is slow on the “I’m rubber” uptake as usual. It is interesting timing by the Jailbreak League, though honestly I expected them to appear when Whitebeard was being pressured rather than looking like they’re winning. That said, Luffy is always the greatest anomaly to plans. Anyone who makes a plan sweats bucket-loads when Luffy inevitably screws it up; even his own crew. I can’t help but think that the timing means that the Jailbreak League will cause a hitch in Sengoku’s plan against Whitebeard. That or Captain Buggy will take out Whitebeard himself and become a Yonkou. And then maybe Luffy will become an okama, and Crocodile will open a flower shop.
Main Chapter Points:
Whitebeard is now a two-trick pony
Doflamingo is a Nihilist (and probably Masochist)
Coby is a wimp, I remain unsurprised
Sengoku moves his bishop to E7
GARP! YOUR MANLY TEARS TOUCH MY HEART!
The Jailbreak League returns! Let the genderswaps begin!
Summary and Rating:
It was a pretty exciting chapter for some as we saw more of Whitebeard’s rage and more of Doflamingo’s smiley face. Chapter gave us a bit of Akainu’s version of Absolute Justice, which was as we predicted from his Ohara actions, whilst Coby disappointed people. Doflamingo is definitely getting a lot of screen time here in fact, but I’m enjoying every second of it since he’s one of the few evil guys in One Piece. With Sengoku’s plan hinted at, I’m looking forward to seeing it come about whilst Garp’s dilemma becomes more apparent to us. And finally the Jailbreak League returned, and though I thought the timing would have been different, their arrival was no less dramatic because of it.
So all in all:
8/10
I honestly felt the chapter was a good solid chapter, but really it was a bit of a setup to Sengoku’s plan where Whitebeard’s attack, Oars falling again and a guy talking about earthquakes on his farm all felt like a bit of Oda-filler so that the last double spread could be the justice league. Still, it was good for what it was, and it did return our protagonist to us so now I can return to jokes about Luffy never forgetting the rubber.
Predictions:
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A collection of Whitebeard’s grimaces.
Well, my predictions have been pretty good so far, but I haven’t been decisive enough and use “probably” a lot. So time to be decisive!
Next chapter WILL see the Jailbreak League saved, be an interesting place to use something like Gear 3 Gomu Gomu no Fuusen, else maybe Iva will make a big face and counter-wink before they hit. In the next chapter I expect there will be a bit of bandying about from the fallout of the Impel Down breakouts, but ultimately end with Sengoku’s plan taking action which most likely has something to do with the bay Whitebeard is in and the majority of the New World pirates have just broken into. I also predict Luffy v Garp, but probably not in the next chapter since it should be full enough of Luffy bashing in the heads of fodder marines. Maybe not even for a couple of chapters given Sengoku’s plan, but Garp will most likely take the chance to at least save the one grandson who has not yet been caught by beating some sense into him. Otherwise, I also predict Whitebeard will grimace again in the next chapter, Doflamingo will laugh more, Kuma will do a bland face and Coby will ask Iva to be genderswapped and then profess his homosexuality. Wait…is it gay if you want a man if you’re a girl but you were once a man?
Doesn't matter anyway since there's no chapter next week. Guess I'll have to do that second review now. I predict I'll procrastinate on it...
Chapter 556 – Justice Will Prevail!!
Introduction:
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That would be your popularity.
Hey Mangahelpers =D
So I’m just as late as ever this week. You won’t believe me but I started this on Friday…and then skipped the weekend. Maybe I’ll be motivated one weekend to actually do this, but it won’t be next week because I’ll be visiting family in the outback (there’s your aussie slang word of the day). Nevertheless, I feel I’m getting better at these review things and my ‘second review’ is coming along better because of it. That said I struggle finding time to write this, so it’s coming along slowly.
Otherwise week was pretty good for me, thanks for asking. It was Father’s day here in Australia on Sunday, my sister lost her grand final and my cousin lost her job in the UK for overhearing some racist comments, so I feel I have things pretty sweet here. That said, I don’t yet have a job in games, its shit cold here (by my insanely sweaty standards) and I haven’t had a girlfriend for years. So maybe it’s not so good.
But that won’t keep me down. Especially with 3 versions of Binktopia scans to choose from. I went with cnet’s reliable translations, since version 3 had some guy who looks like he just found the thesaurus. I used to try write like that too, but there’s only so many times you can write synonyms for sex before you wish you were getting some.
Also, new font this week and LoneLobo also did a review, I was so worried I'd scared the other reviewers off [/blatantlie]. Either way, the more you read the more you know, so do check other reviews out. Who knows, maybe you'll find someone without sarcasm somewhere. BECAUSE THAT'S NOT HERE BUSTER!
Chapter Breakdown:
Fall of a Giant
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Oars-chan has fainted. Choose next Piratemon? Y/N?
I’m beginning to regret not featuring Nami in short shorts, but next week should be Brooke so that’s ok…unless he has panties…Oh well, technically about another month and then I can compile them and make another review. Man, I plan more reviews than I write. Can’t wait until they invent a computer that downloads my brain. I’ll be able to write reviews and draw smut in the matter of moments.
We kick-off, somewhat where we did last week with Oars stubbornly clinging through horrendous wounds for his friend. Emotional, sure, but really the double is just to reinforce the last chapter. The Shichibukai, who were the ‘hidden’ focus of last chapter are shown with their reactions. Kuma and Mihawk are typically unreadable, Moria lets his masochist tendencies take hold whilst Boa makes an off comment which shows she’s still a bit ignorant, though her island is even more so (since they still believe it’s a monster’s curse, not a Devil Fruit). Ace and some randoms cry out for the lovable hairy giant (*snickers*) whilst Oars’ hand is shown again to fall just short of his friend.
Not much to say about this I haven’t already said, but given that Oda used this double page to show Oars-chan collapse will probably mean he’s alive even though Moria believes he has killed it. We really can’t take Moria’s word; he always underestimates things and overestimates his own power. That and he was under Oars when he used the shadowblade, so he’s probably just a Gecko pancake now.
Absolute Strength
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Whitebeard’s balls can take out giants!
With Oars down for the count, we cut to our beardiness’s reaction and wrath is the reaction he gives. Barely appearing to make a move, Whitebeard’s Quake devil fruit shatters the battleaxe of the mysterious masked crusader from the Giant Squad who decided a good sneak attack included a lot of shouting. Then again, since when have there been sneak attacks in One Piece? Everyone basically announces what they’re going to do in loud voices or states the obvious for our benefit, but I digress.
Whitebeard takes his pent up rage out on the face of Vice Admiral Lonz, and because it’s different I should spend time on it though most people seemed to ignore this page. Basically, Whitebeard has just shown us a new technique, and because there is a definite lack of cracking in the air and there’s some mysterious ball of energy around his fist we can basically guarantee this is not fruit related. Without trying to hard most people can probably guess that this is an attack using Whitebeard’s haki, though we can’t simply rule out some sort of other technique especially when we have people who can set their leg on fire just by spinning around a lot. For once, I’m actually in the “Whitebeard-just-used-haki” camp, and I would presume Whitebeard does not have the King’s Haki. If there’s one thing we know about Whitebeard it’s that he is both angry and arrogant, so I believe his haki typically comes out when he is enraged moreso than when he has a great will. I would hazard an early guess that he simply uses the energy of his pent up rage and forces it through his fist to create a blast of some description. Don’t want to spend a heap of time on it (oops, already wrote a wall of text) since I expect we’ll get Whitebeard’s Spirit Bomb head-slam explained within the next couple of chapters.
And to finish off this section, the next page has Whitebeard continuing the push past Oars-chan’s body and some old geezer talking about there being lots of Earthquakes. I don’t expect this is any sort of teaser for things that some of you are trying to figure out. You’re probably overestimating Oda, because all this old man is here to show is both how Whitebeard really is a man who has a strong power enough power to take out the world and also showing that this display of Whitebeard’s power is actually rare. I’m of the belief this “rare” aspect will be highlighted more and more since, though Whitebeard is the ‘Strongest man in the world’, it’s not like he just goes around making earthquakes with every battle he enters. Already Whitebeard may be tired, before now we have always seen him hooked up to ventilation (or maybe an advanced marijuana smoking machine?). Whitebeard is well past his prime, we have received hints about this before and I have given a very small mention to his grimaces when he attacks. Some ask why Whitebeard hasn’t already just destroyed the plaza and surroundings and then saved Ace, I think the reason will become evident as the strongest man in the world shows that he is well beyond the man who was once the undeniable owner of that title.
The One Pulling the Strings
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You ask what’s so funny? Well an Irishman, an Englishman and an Indian walk into a bar…
We then cut to my new favourite Shichibukai (well as far as build up goes, Hancock is my favourite because of her inherent girly parts) Doflamingo as he laughs blatantly in the face of one of the division commanders as Oars-chan falls. Oh man, did this guy pick a fight with the wrong person, even funnier when you realise that he seems to know what Doflamingo’s power can do as he freaks out for picking a fight moments before his body is turned on his own comrades with brute strength as his ally. Now we’ve seen some pretty powerful Division captains, and though I rate Marco, Ace and Joz as exceptions amongst Whitebeard’s crew, the Division commanders are all still close to the level of those three and most likely all above Luffy’s current level. Yet here we have some random guy named Atmos picking a fight with the school bully and then asking for forgiveness all in the space of two short sentences.
I doubt pretty-in-pink-feathers has an absolute power of control else he’d probably take on a bigger guy, but at the same time his personality might have something to do with that (discussed later). Again his hands seem to indicate puppetry, but then again those fingers don’t really move a lot and he does seem to do a lot of laughing and poses after gaining control. I also doubt, regardless of his power, he has complete control over the body. For example, if he had a Aokoji in his hands, he wouldn’t be able to get him to create ice spikes in the air. That said, he could probably still get a Aokoji to rip off his pants and punch himself in the little Aokoji for an instant K.O.
Absolute Justice
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You’re the second most dead guy I’ve seen today.
With Doflamingo fingers Division Commander Atmos from a distance, we have a character making Ussop look like a brave knight of the seas. In what is a very large disappointment to many, we have the obvious stars of the marines fleeing from battle. Yes, predicted future admiral Coby and predicted nobody nothing Helmeppo are putting their Soru-trained legs to great use. All I have to say at first is that I never put any stock in either of their characters to begin with. Sure, Coby was the first friend Luffy made on the seas, and sure Garp is training him, but at best I can’t see him fighting as anything more than an underling to Smoker or Garp personally. Everytime I’ve heard Admiral Coby, I kind of cringe and hope Smoker enters your dreams to bitch slap you.
Coby has always been a coward. Sure, he’s grown. Ussop has grown just as much, if not more, yet he’ll still run from a cute zombie bear in a heartbeat. I am stoically unsurprised by this and if I should be surprised that the pink haired kid who just hit puberty 100 chapters ago is a total coward when compared to the power difference between him and the Whitebeard pirates then please tell me why I should be surprised. The only surprise Coby could possibly deliver to me is actually showing that he’s not gay and at least getting stoned by Hancock.
Helmeppo was also there too…
So Akainu is in the backstreets of this place standing in the way of some other random marine. Whether that’s bad luck for the random marine, or Akainu had some time to fill and wanted to melt some human bodies, we’ll never know. What we do know is that Admiral Sakazuki is no pussy and definitely not a man that’s going to disable you, plant words of fear in your mind and engineer a scenario all to ensure that the legacy of a Giant ex-Vice-Admiral friend finds her place in the world. Heck, if Akainu met Saul and Robin he’d probably melt them down and collect their index fingers to trade in for money. Sure, Akainu is the evil admiral. But he’s basically Super-Lucchi without the unfortunate furry connotations. His absolute justice is a bit dark (like a light shade of black), but at the end of the day he’s fighting for the good of mankind and so that villains no longer exist in this world. If a few thousand babies need to be eaten in the process, he will be the first to put his hand up. For if he really is the ‘Red Dog’, he is both angry and loyal…or an evil communist…
The Nihilist Shichibukai
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Just ask Ohara…oh wait, you can’t because they LOST! Looooosers~ Can’t ask you anything because you’re all dead~
After Akainu goes all mafia on some fodder marine, we cut back to good old Captain Atmos as he cuts a swathe through his own army. Whilst Doflamingo gives us his biggest smiley yet and some words. But not just any words, interesting words. Marines are often stated as the side of justice, pirates the side of evil and though there is some mixing between the two that is generally how things appear to be. But at the end of the day, as best put in Doflamingo’s words: “Whoever prevails is Justice!!!!” Never a truer word said from a gayer person, because at the end of the day what we are looking at is nothing more than a war. If Germany had won either of the world wars, we would not remember them as the aggressors and the allies as the saviours of the world. Heck, from a more neutral view World War I is Austria’s fault and World War II is the allies fault for impoverishing a once powerful nation. “The winner writes the history books” is a common proverb, and Doflamingo is a firm believer of these shifts in the world.
In fact, the moment I read this I was instantly reminded of Kimbley from Full Metal Alchemist. Both Doflamingo and Kimbley share a particular philosophy which can be best traced to Nihilism. Nihilists are generally those that take a rather neutral stance on the world affairs with the philosophical doctrine suggesting that values do not exist but are rather falsely invented (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism) (thanks Wikipedia). That said, Doflamingo is not your typically neutral Nihilist and takes an assertive role in shaping the world whilst realising that things are screwed in almost all the available holes. In fact, if you look at Doflamingo, everything he basically has a hand in shows off the farce the world is at the moment. A slave trade house under the nose of the marines for those the marines protect is the greatest example of the farce Doflamingo highlights with his work. The more I see this Shichibukai, the more I hope he becomes a villain closer to the final boss whose glasses get smashed by Luffy to reveal the Sharin- *snipes self*
The Counterattack
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Known to close friends as “Sengoku the Goat-lover”
We cut back to the specifics of the action outside the melee that is the war to find another entrance to the bay forged a hot chick (oh wow, they do exist in this war) who has a ship suited to crashing through Icebergs and something akin to the Union Jack on her flag. No point spending any time on her, she’ll be less memorable than the Tsumergi Guards next chapter.
Instead, we for once find a report being shouted to Sengoku with him suddenly not sweating buckets and cursing things for going wrong. With a message relayed to a few ranking marines (I assume ranking since they’re still alive and have time to look at snails), a funny display of Tsuru’s powers and an acknowledgement by Whitebeard, we see Sengoku for the first time with a calm and determined expression. In fact, since Sengoku’s introduction all he appeared good for was failing to predict Luffy and doing a pretty average job at managing the world’s largest military force against the growing threat of pirates. Yet here he stands in the midst of battle with things looking like they’ve just taken a turn for the worse without so much as a drop of sweat.
Honestly speaking, about fucking time. I’ve been waiting for hundreds of chapters to see some awesome Sengoku work. He has sat at the top of the marines for so long without an action to this manga that many of the readers within mangahelpers have made comments such as “I don’t think Sengoku can actually fight” or “Sengoku is probably weaker than the admirals and definitely Yonkou” or “Who’s Sengoku again?”. Sure, I will admit first that Sengoku may not be a better fighter than the three logia admirals we currently have (though I expect him to be), but his nickname isn’t “Destroyer of Worlds – Sengoku the Buddha”. It’s “Strategist - Sengoku the Buddha”. As I said somewhere else, a Tactician thrives off data which should mean that Whitebeard, quite possibly the longest running pirate of this era, should have enough data to make Sengoku give us a rare smile. If we go back to the last chapter, even Oars-chan’s appearance simply brought the comment of “Oh look, that’s quite the ally”. If I’d seen Oars-chan coming at me, I’d be packing shit even if I had Goku lining him up with a kamehameha. Honestly speaking, I think I just want to see Sengoku do a Light from Death Note with some red evil eyes:
“Just as planned.” ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt4329_W_s0&feature=related )
Also, Tsuru has a fruit. Washing them and hanging them out to dry is a bit of a play on the fact that she’s a bit of an old grandmother-type. Heck, if Sengoku is Papa-marine, then she would most likely be Mama-marine. I could guess some pretty amusing names for the fruit, but I doubt how it will work is not technical. Basically she has the power to treat people like they are nothing but clothes, but the Clothes Clothes fruit is lame, and would be best used for taking clothes off. Of course, she might be able to do that too…oh dear god I just got a horrible mental image of Tsuru taking her clothes –
A Hero’s Confused Heart
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Join me, and together we can rule the galaxyNew World as Grandfather and Grandson.
Speaking of wrinkles, the grandfather hero of the marines appears just in case you were wondering where he disappeared to. I knew this moment was coming when I predicted Luffy v Garp, and I’m still predicting it though I’ll explain that in a bit. Garp is quite possibly the kindest marine you are likely the meet, even if he is a little Spartan with his grandson(s) and comrades. With a heart of gold, even Garp was unable to deny the request of Roger to protect his son. It would be impossible to believe Garp had truly raised Ace without feeling parental tendencies to him, and though he never lied to Ace about his heritage he is, in all but blood, Ace’s grandfather.
Though he was angry about Luffy being a pirate, he didn’t really go out of his way to really stop Luffy. His words at first are a bit general as he talks about all the pirates that are attacking and that he feels no pity for them, but feels bad for the families they leave behind who bear no sin. But with the most manly tears shed in this entire series, Garp brings that emotion back to his enemies grandson, and his very own. Man, I’m totally choking up writing this and thinking about poor Garp who simply wanted the two young boys he raised to grow up to be strong marines he could be openly proud of. You begin to think back to Tsuru saying the sin did not rest with him, and wonder how cruel those words sounded as they believe his sin is hiding the existence of Roger’s child whilst he believes his sin is being powerless to stop the execution which must seem like fate to the son of the executed Pirate King.
We also get some of that lovely sweat from Sengoku as Garp mentions this, but it is not because of his conscience but rather that Garp may cause a hitch in his plan. With delicate words of warning by Sengoku, we get another rare Garp moment with him obeying rules, but this time only because he feels he cannot stop what is in motion. Whether this is a hint as to Sengoku’s power, the plan or Garp’s own indecision, we can’t really be sure at the moment. I would like to hope it’s a bit of all the above, but that’s too much for one man to be thinking. Especially a man of the ‘Monkey’ family where brains seem to skip generations.
Greatest Anomaly
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Titanic would have been more exciting if it flipped into the air like this.
Ok, that was a bit soppy. But it’s my favourite old marine, so SHUT UP! Its ok, we get some beloved Garp broken up by some useless marines who are whispering about the moving up of Ace’s execution time. Some are like “Ok, big whoop-dee-doo-daa. They should have done that in the first place.” And though something like “Hi Whitebeard, how are you? We’ll cut off Ace’s head now, thanks for coming” would have been interesting (and have totally messed up the war), it wasn’t really practical. In fact, moving up the execution time in itself is a bit of a bold move for one major reason. The World Government and marines often make mention to justice, often with justice comes a set of laws and regulations required to follow them. If an execution is scheduled, it is because the law deemed it to be so. Moving up the execution is bold, especially as it somewhat takes away from the rules they set in place for the execution. On the other hand, now that Whitebeard is here they can at least place some blame on him showing up as to moving the execution forward and there would be no real drama. Ace was more than just bait to the marines as he is the blood inheritor of the pirate king. Being able to remove almost all traces of the Pirate’s King era is an enormous display of power by the World Government. If they can truly succeed on both these fronts, suddenly everyone who opposes them will be on the back foot.
However, all of Sengoku’s and Whitebeard’s plans are probably about to go to waste as something appears in the sky. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Super(Luffy)man!!! In an entrance as dramatic as always, Luffy had another idiot use his wink to propel the ship forward in a Thousand Sunny-esque manner, but it appears Iva-san’s powers are a little more than that of 3 barrels of cola. Launched well above the battle, the Justice League appears only to be heading towards certain doom when they land from their five hundred metre drop, except Luffy who is slow on the “I’m rubber” uptake as usual. It is interesting timing by the Jailbreak League, though honestly I expected them to appear when Whitebeard was being pressured rather than looking like they’re winning. That said, Luffy is always the greatest anomaly to plans. Anyone who makes a plan sweats bucket-loads when Luffy inevitably screws it up; even his own crew. I can’t help but think that the timing means that the Jailbreak League will cause a hitch in Sengoku’s plan against Whitebeard. That or Captain Buggy will take out Whitebeard himself and become a Yonkou. And then maybe Luffy will become an okama, and Crocodile will open a flower shop.
Main Chapter Points:
Whitebeard is now a two-trick pony
Doflamingo is a Nihilist (and probably Masochist)
Coby is a wimp, I remain unsurprised
Sengoku moves his bishop to E7
GARP! YOUR MANLY TEARS TOUCH MY HEART!
The Jailbreak League returns! Let the genderswaps begin!
Summary and Rating:
It was a pretty exciting chapter for some as we saw more of Whitebeard’s rage and more of Doflamingo’s smiley face. Chapter gave us a bit of Akainu’s version of Absolute Justice, which was as we predicted from his Ohara actions, whilst Coby disappointed people. Doflamingo is definitely getting a lot of screen time here in fact, but I’m enjoying every second of it since he’s one of the few evil guys in One Piece. With Sengoku’s plan hinted at, I’m looking forward to seeing it come about whilst Garp’s dilemma becomes more apparent to us. And finally the Jailbreak League returned, and though I thought the timing would have been different, their arrival was no less dramatic because of it.
So all in all:
8/10
I honestly felt the chapter was a good solid chapter, but really it was a bit of a setup to Sengoku’s plan where Whitebeard’s attack, Oars falling again and a guy talking about earthquakes on his farm all felt like a bit of Oda-filler so that the last double spread could be the justice league. Still, it was good for what it was, and it did return our protagonist to us so now I can return to jokes about Luffy never forgetting the rubber.
Predictions:
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A collection of Whitebeard’s grimaces.
Well, my predictions have been pretty good so far, but I haven’t been decisive enough and use “probably” a lot. So time to be decisive!
Next chapter WILL see the Jailbreak League saved, be an interesting place to use something like Gear 3 Gomu Gomu no Fuusen, else maybe Iva will make a big face and counter-wink before they hit. In the next chapter I expect there will be a bit of bandying about from the fallout of the Impel Down breakouts, but ultimately end with Sengoku’s plan taking action which most likely has something to do with the bay Whitebeard is in and the majority of the New World pirates have just broken into. I also predict Luffy v Garp, but probably not in the next chapter since it should be full enough of Luffy bashing in the heads of fodder marines. Maybe not even for a couple of chapters given Sengoku’s plan, but Garp will most likely take the chance to at least save the one grandson who has not yet been caught by beating some sense into him. Otherwise, I also predict Whitebeard will grimace again in the next chapter, Doflamingo will laugh more, Kuma will do a bland face and Coby will ask Iva to be genderswapped and then profess his homosexuality. Wait…is it gay if you want a man if you’re a girl but you were once a man?
Doesn't matter anyway since there's no chapter next week. Guess I'll have to do that second review now. I predict I'll procrastinate on it...