Neo's One piece 525 Review

[neomaster121]

Well another week has past, and after yet another great chapter, we’ve all been waiting and here it is. So with no further introduction I present my Chapter 525 one piece review, hope you guys enjoy what you read.

I think the marines should have stayed home

The marine officer with similar abilities to buggy, but with the ability to turn himself into bunches of balls, has different parts of his body in the hands of different CP9 members, how sad hehe. Well we now know the message Lucci has for spandam. So the CP9 return is happening, and I feel that they are training those children either to be their future replacements, or to have a crew ready to: battle against the straw hats, come back as pirates, or it could just plainly be preparing a crew strong enough to get revenge on spandam for having them become outlaws. These cover stories interest me so much as we’ve seen before Oda isn’t afraid of using cover stories in the main story after a while as we saw with hatchi and camie. However whatever lucci has in plan for the future I’m sure it’ll be very interesting.

Ace’s Father

So the chapter opens up nicely with Ace and his grandpa having a nice discussion on their history. Ace’s name did seem to be the only thing left a mystery when it came to him and luffy. So it was the name of his mother, and I believe it’s the name of luffy’s mother too. From the spoilers they seems to suggest that luffy and ace had different mothers, but after reading this chapter I don’t see why they have come to that conclusion. In fact, the way Ace disregards the blood of his father I doubt he would be so brotherly to luffy if the only thing that relates the two together was the blood of his father. Also I don’t see what Oda would gain from revealing they are half brothers now, especially in the story he’s portrayed so far. It would just be a bit too much added complication to a smoothly running story. The way Ace talks also gives me the feeling that the mother may have died. Whether this is due to Dragon going rogue I don’t know.

Another thing I realise in the picture above with ace being accepted into whitebeards crew is that Whitebeard is missing a scar on his chest, and all his medical equipment. I’ve always thought these scars were given from the day he fought with gold Rodger and we know that gold Rodger was long dead before ace was even born so is this really a mistake from Oda, or did the scar (http://www.onemanga.com/One_Piece/234/12-13/) received come from a Mihawk or another strong opponent with a sword.

Well with the mini flashback from Ace, he declares to his grandpa that whitebeards his only father, and now I see where all that determination came from when he told Blackbeard he would help make whitebeard pirate king, kind of touching I must say. I wonder how ace will feel when the pirate king is announced to be luffy. I love this subordinate to captain view we’ve been getting lately: Ace declaring his captain should be pirate king; Zoro sacrificing himself for who he believes should be pirate king, Silvers appearance with gold rodger's history, and now this flashback from ace. All these scenes have really caught my interest in this story from another point of view.

Not noteworthy lol

Hahaha I guess it’s true but still a pirate ship travelling so close, being completely ignored is just so funny. Thing is, if that was the straw hat crew’s flag, Momonga wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss them, especially after the ennies lobby incident and definitely after the SA incident. But his decision to leave them be was well picked, getting delayed for the destruction of a crew full of weaklings would have been a waste of time.

Not so Loyal

Well as the marines head into the triangle which would speed them towards imperial down, Buggy’s crew fret about going to save Buggy. Unlucky for buggy alvida doesn’t share your crew’s loyalty/ignorance. I say ignorance because they decide to listen to alvida especially after information on the marines greatest prison is revealed. Lol the lion is the only one who cares more about his stomach than he does about the captain, and with the last few pages of information oda has set the stage: with buggy in imperial down, luffy heading there, and ace with his grandpa discussing things. Time to see this great prison for ourselves!

Marines greatest Undersea Prison!

We've seen this place in shadow in early chapters, but from those I really didn’t get the impression on the size of the great prison. Oda placing the sea kings surrounding this prison nicely show how huge this place is. Also the huge battle ships we’ve seen close up in the buster call now looking like mini row boats from the undersea view nicely showing how deep underwater this place stretches to, just a magnificent double spread. Now we can see why ace is in his condition, being beaten and tortured terribly.

Mysterious Monster guard

Straight after the first double spread of the great prison and the prisoners being tortured we are presented with a prison fight, and as quickly as it’s started it’s ended by the guard with a deadly club, the blood coming out of the guy's head, he must be dead. No wonder the prisoners are screaming they’re not on death row, being killed for fighting is extreme, and this beast, taking the bodies away to what seems to be the dinner room. In just a few images Oda’s brilliantly showed of this prison... and why it’s so feared.

Slightly delayed

Well after 4 and a half day’s travel we hear that they were delayed due to a strong head wind, I don’t think Oda would have said such a thing without it being significant. We know where nami landed and with 3 knots a strong wind was formed, if she’s learnt a small bit of that technique, her travelling using that wind might be the reason for luffy’s delay, or maybe I’m just over thinking lol. I must say with this time jump I find it extremely unlikely that we will get a mini story for the rest of the crew, Oda seems to be speeding through and at this pace and rate i can't see him covering over mini stories. I just hope that during fights we aren’t plagued with constant flashbacks as to how they all got stronger.

The great prisons surface view

If I thought it was huge underwater, well it’s far bigger than I even thought it could be with the underwater scene. I can just imagine Zoro getting lost on this island sized prison. Well Luffy watches this island, without fear, noticing that the number of battleships is even more than with the buster call, the anticipation I have waiting for luffy to enter this great place and to mess up is a bit dampened without his crew there to support him. Though this time luffy isn’t doing the head on approach that he had on ennies lobby. Then the goal was to stop robin from entering the gates to which would have took her to HQ or prison, but now luffy’s at the entrance of the prison and luffy must know with his current strength, and without his crew breaking in was never an option, how he’s planning on breaking ace out without attracting attention to himself well I don’t know, but I'm seeing a smarter, calmer luffy for a change is very intriguing I must say.

Walking into the Lion’s Den!

Well as Boa enters, buggy has been reported to the prisons guard to have escaped. Seems like they caught him without knowing he was a devil fruit user, heh I guess buggy has his own plan to help Ace escape. I guess he thinks by doing this WB would be in his debt, and in a sense he’s right. It makes me think, did buggy get himself caught on purpose, and if buggy with a bounty of under 20mil got caught a few of the other big named strawhat members could do similar things and find themselves here in Imperial down. I also remember before they left for the grandline Luffy almost got himself executed, is the same gonna happen before they enter the new world?

Luffy’s comment after hearing that they want to do a full body check has me a bit lost for words. Unless luffy is planning on turning himself into some flat patch of tiny skin how he plans on avoiding getting caught seems somewhat impossible. Well I guess Luffy’s been thinking these past few days and thought something like this might happen, whatever he has planed I know it’s going to be completely funny.

Overall Rating

9 out of 10

A Chapter a bit shorter than the usual 18/19 pages which is a shame but I can see that adding anything in just to fill up a page or two would have been cheap especially with the way things have been laid out in this current chapter. This time jump also suggests that the other members won’t be getting mini stories which is also a shame especially with some of the others location being quite eye catching.

Prediction
Well with a few more weeks before the end of the yea I guess we are going to get a bit more build up outside the straw hat crew. I predict some Marine discussions with shichibukai, also maybe finding out if dragon and shanks are going to get themselves involved. I also picture a chapter ending with the crew members all arriving at SA looking quite different to when they first were sent away by Kuma.

Well thats it for another week hope you guys enjoyed the review.

[mr.danly]

I don't know... I didn't really like this chapter. It was a bit too insubstantial. All we really learned was Ace's mom's name, and that he doesn't like Dragon. And I really wanted for Boa to show Luffy how to use haki for the past couple of days... instead, we just skip forward to arriving at Impel Down. Hopefully she did actually teach him at least the basics, but Luffy may just discover how to use accidentally during a battle. Anyway, I kind of wanted to see more of the crew. I agree when you say that Luffy doesn't have the personality of an entire crew, though I wouldn't want a mini-arc for every character... just Zoro and Sanji (zoro because he's awesome, Sanji because being on an island of gay men is hilarious) I actually was hoping that we'd see more WB. They have to act quickly if there's only 33 hours left until the execution. He has no reason to wait until the execution, where every significant marine will be, when he can attack impel down, where many powerful marines will be, but not the bulk of their force.

[Mr.Popo]

That was really a nice review. I enjoyed reading it.

heh I guess buggy has his own plan to help Ace escape. I guess he thinks by doing this WB would be in his debt, and in a sense he’s right. It makes me think, did buggy get himself caught on purpose?

Do you really think so? My impression of Buggy (from the Anime) was that he is not a reckless man like Luffy. He has a sense of reality like Alvida.
He could have easily cought Ace and gain respect/Shichibukai status from the WG, but was too afraid of WB, so now he should be too afraid of ID to let himself get cought on purpose.

While reading the following from you i got the impression that it could be the other way around.

I must say with this time jump I find it extremely unlikely that we will get a mini story for the rest of the crew, Oda seems to be speeding through and at this pace and rate i can't see him covering over mini stories. I just hope that during fights we aren’t plagued with constant flashbacks as to how they all got stronger.

I'm fully with you, i wouldn'd like to be plagued with backstorys during fights either.

This time jump also suggests that the other members won’t be getting mini stories which is also a shame especially with some of the others location being quite eye catching.

You are also right with this one, it would be a shame and not only that. It is quite obvious what Nami and Franky could gain in their current locations, but what's with the other members? I have no idea.

And now with everything set up and Luffy in front of ID it could be a good time to slow down again (like after Shabondy) and set up the rest of his crew.

[ryusuke_]

First impressions after reading it is that a whole chapter has been wasted showing us so little things. What we got to know about Ace's parents, Buggy's sitution, Luffy and Boa entering Impel Down and the inside state of the prison... that could have been done in 1/3 of the chapter, leaving the rest of the pages for more stuff. I've been lately getting the impression that Oda is just making the current story/arc longer and longer for some reason...

[neomaster121]

I don't know... I didn't really like this chapter. It was a bit too insubstantial. All we really learned was Ace's mom's name, and that he doesn't like Dragon. And I really wanted for Boa to show Luffy how to use haki for the past couple of days... instead, we just skip forward to arriving at Impel Down. Hopefully she did actually teach him at least the basics, but Luffy may just discover how to use accidentally during a battle. Anyway, I kind of wanted to see more of the crew. I agree when you say that Luffy doesn't have the personality of an entire crew, though I wouldn't want a mini-arc for every character... just Zoro and Sanji (zoro because he's awesome, Sanji because being on an island of gay men is hilarious) I actually was hoping that we'd see more WB. They have to act quickly if there's only 33 hours left until the execution. He has no reason to wait until the execution, where every significant marine will be, when he can attack impel down, where many powerful marines will be, but not the bulk of their force.

The thing with ace was only bout 2 pages long and for that length revealed quite a bit
the thing is when luffy left the isand without learning haki i lost all hope that he would be taught anytime soon, so as you said the best you can hope for is that he starts using it more without actually realising it

well thats why i believe the next chapter will have the more infor on the events away from the strawhats because theres now just over a day wb should be having a plan of attack soon maybe spliting his forces already with one attack ID with himself attack marine HQ

That was really a nice review. I enjoyed reading it.


Do you really think so? My impression of Buggy (from the Anime) was that he is not a reckless man like Luffy. He has a sense of reality like Alvida.
He could have easily cought Ace and gain respect/Shichibukai status from the WG, but was too afraid of WB, so now he should be too afraid of ID to let himself get cought on purpose.

While reading the following from you i got the impression that it could be the other way around.

You are also right with this one, it would be a shame and not only that. It is quite obvious what Nami and Franky could gain in their current locations, but what's with the other members? I have no idea.

And now with everything set up and Luffy in front of ID it could be a good time to slow down again (like after Shabondy) and set up the rest of his crew.

Yes i do think Buggy is planning on that, buggy couldn't capture ace even if he tried lol even if ace was sleeping what could buggy have done to ace, but now if he got himself purposly caught like i think especially with his escape having wb as a friend is like having complete squad of protection as well as boosting his world reputation

yea well ussop i think could gain a bit of bravery on his island but the others were quite mysterious as too how it would help/change them for the better

Yea he could slow down cause at the moment things have been quite fast again with everyone in their rightful positions only ones left were the crew members and wb and other forces trying to help ace, (dragon and shanks maybe)

First impressions after reading it is that a whole chapter has been wasted showing us so little things. What we got to know about Ace's parents, Buggy's sitution, Luffy and Boa entering Impel Down and the inside state of the prison... that could have been done in 1/3 of the chapter, leaving the rest of the pages for more stuff. I've been lately getting the impression that Oda is just making the current story/arc longer and longer for some reason...

i saw the the chapter wrapping up loose ends before we got hit by the main parts of this arc, infact the chapter sped up the arc when it skipped 4 days

if Oda wanted to lengthen out the arc then all he would have to do is start another mini story

but yea your intitlted to opinion though

[death13a]

This time jump also suggests that the other members won’t be getting mini stories which is also a shame especially with some of the others location being quite eye catching.

i don't think so as Oda has no problem with stopping at current events at this moment and direct his attention to other Strawhats. through it like deciding turn left or right in front of obstacle when it don't matter which way. As for Luffy he had 4.5 days to think up new moves apart from storing up energy.

[paradoxe]

He could have easily cought Ace

LOL

You think BUGGY could've easily caught ACE?

Tell me what you've been smoking pls.

[neomaster121]

i don't think so as Oda has no problem with stopping at current events at this moment and direct his attention to other Strawhats. through it like deciding turn left or right in front of obstacle when it don't matter which way. As for Luffy he had 4.5 days to think up new moves apart from storing up energy.

I suppose he could go back if he liked but do you realise how bad that would be in the way he's taken the story, i'm just saying don't hold your breathe for more mini stories and yea 4.5 days is enough time for luffy to get stronger maybe boa taught luffy haki

LOL

You think BUGGY could've easily caught ACE?

Tell me what you've been smoking pls.

lol couldn't agree more

well seems like theres no chapter next week
but supposedly week after is going to be a very good release with a colourspread and maybe something completly specially new

[JC123]

Ya know I just thought about this...

Regarding CP9, they probably haven't heard about WB. Judging from what's happening, the odds are they may be needed. I know the times don't match up but perhaps they could be used as a second or third wave?

[neomaster121]

Ya know I just thought about this...

Regarding CP9, they probably haven't heard about WB. Judging from what's happening, the odds are they may be needed. I know the times don't match up but perhaps they could be used as a second or third wave?

maybe but i doubt it they should know if they read news papers

well i don't think i'll be reviewing this week
just not in the mood for this chapter, it was nice but i just don't feel like reviewing it this week i might do the next one or maybe if we don't get a chapter next week post this ones review but for now i don't think i'll be reviewing the chapter

sorry guys