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CHAPTER 532: DEMON GUARD MINOTAUROS
Another exciting chapter!!!! Luffy and Bon-chan continue to explore the depths of Impel Down with intense tempo whilst the progress of the story unfolds with meticulous grace. The “bull-ish guard” finally makes his debut, and as usual, pieces of laughter are inserted between the scenes of abrasive exploration – a successful vision to show that our escapees, despite their astounding strength, remain silly and funny. “How did Luffy and Bon-chan deal with the new character?” This is just one of the numerous questions that will pop in your head as you dig this action-packed chapter…. Err, enough of this silly introduction. My One Piece Review: Chapter 532 begins….
The identities of the Shichibukai members are already revealed, their ultimate goals however, are still clouded in mystery…. With the exception of Jimbei of course. He is the only member whose intentions are crystal clear and he remains staunch with his sense of justice. We can at least anticipate Hancock’s next steps to carry out her sly plans – intended to help Luffy and to assure her safety. There are hundreds of things that can happen on this impeding battle. We cannot tell when, where, or how they’d appear next. One thing’s for sure though…. The Shichibukai will have a major role for this epic event. To make that even more intense, they are gathered in this special cover, posing proudly and beautifully. What a befitting colorspread for this arc!
Partners in Crime
Since Buggy, Mr. 3 (Galdino), and Bon-chan (Bentham) are the only prisoners who manage to get out of their cells and travel the other prison levels without getting caught, they are mistaken by the gaolers as Luffy’s accomplices. Perhaps they are thinking that the escapees have planned this prior to the Strawhat’s intrusion…. That the three acted as “spies” who would then work as his correspondents. Aside from that, Buggy’s escape is very timely. He gets out of his cell before the gaolers discover about Luffy’s intrusion. So this will lead them to two theories: (1) the Strawhat Captain must have helped Buggy to escape, then proceeded in a secluded corner of Impel Down to avoid being spotted; (2) or, Buggy really planned to escape at this specific moment so he could meet/fetch Luffy somewhere in Level 1. And so, the two began their chaotic adventure, went to Levels 2 and 3 to free Mr. 3 and Bon-chan, and separated their team into two to create further confusion among the gaolers. With this notion, we can’t blame the authorities for labeling the three as Luffy’s partners. Yeah, we do know that they, too, are flabbergasted by the Strawhat’s sudden appearance in Impel Down, but the timing is just ideal. Furthermore the progression of this madness perfectly fits to whatever presumptions these gaolers have mustered.
Leader
The prisoners are quite delighted by the riot happening outside their cell. Being forcefully restrained in this gloomy gaol, these guys have been yearning for a wild stunt to liven up their spirits….. even if it’s just temporary. Yes, they may look at Luffy, Bon-chan, Buggy, and Mr. 3 as “heroes” or “idols” but they are fully aware that they will end up in vain…. That despite their gigantic attempt to disrupt “the peace and order” surrounding the interiors of the great gaol, these four brave duds will go back to where their original disposition: prisoners. The scene then shifts to Level 4, where Chief Magellan checks the situation in Levels 2 and 3, with top officers at his side, waiting for his orders. He is certainly pissed off, from their short visit to Ace’s cell and now, to the developments that the intruders have made. But this picture does not only reveal his quick temper. In fact, this scene is used as a medium to expound on the comment created by the entertained prisoner. Luffy and his accomplices successfully destroy and defeat one Impel Down beast to another and their world-breaking act continues to disrupt the system and even the reputation that these gaolers have established. However, their triumphant charges won’t last long. Chief Magellan is very determined to continue implementing his “disciplinary methods” which he started during their previous visit at Ace’s place. Back then, he showed us a manifestation of his Doku Doku no Mi, where he wielded his interpretation of Hydra, a legendary monster oozing with poisonous power. And now that he has set himself into teaching Luffy and his accomplices a lesson, I bet we are going to see more varieties of his devil fruit power. Another venomous version of a mythical creature perhaps? Anyway, he starts to give firm orders to his subordinates after verifying and evaluating the situation…. Which, much to Vice Chief Hannibal’s dismay, mirrors Chief Magellan’s strong leadership skills. First, he guided his guests to Ace’s prison cell. While it’s true that Chief Magellan chose to bring the ever-lovely Hancock and the ever-wary Vice Admiral Momonga to Impel Down’s darkest pit mainly because he’s drawn to the empress’s charm, there was still a dab of leadership that can be found from that seemingly silly act. A Shichibukai like Hancock is not allowed in the premises of Impel Down due to the reputation she holds: a pirate who sets a solid alliance with the government, but a pirate nonetheless. With that, her presence should be brief and her purpose should be clear. Furthermore, Hancock needs to verify her participation to this war. That means she should be at the Holy Land as fast as she can since everyone in the Marines is highly anticipating an attack from the Whitebeard Pirates. So Chief Magellan really needs to prioritize Hancock and Vice Admiral Momonga, especially when their “business” is linked to Ace – hailed as the most important prisoner in Impel Down. And I commend Chief Magellan for that decision. Yes, Luffy’s intrusion started to bring chaos and panic, but a Shichibukai, a Vice-Admiral, and a Whitebeard Commander are still waaaay more important than a 300,000,000-milliom belli pirate because those three hold major roles in the war. For sure, Chief Magellan is aware that this battle against the Whitebeards is regarded as the World Government’s top priority so he himself should take care of their concerns. Besides, there are still strong gaolers who may handle chaos caused by Luffy and his accomplices.
Second, he sets this demon guard named Minotauros as “Luffy’s last taste of victory and freedom.” This beast will serve as the focal point for Chief Magellan’s action. If he defeats the charging pirate, then the chief, together with his key staff, will just remain on standby. He will then leave the task of putting the escapees into incarceration to Minotauros and to other bunch of gaolers and Blugori; it is going to be an entirely different story in case the demon guard gets beaten instead. In fact, Chief Magellan already anticipates Minotauro’s defeat, not to burst his bubble, but to prepare himself and his subordinates for a violent confrontation. The guard’s failure would then serve as their “cue” to finally move their asses and deal justice to the escapees themselves because it would prove that the latter are extremely capable of destroying such a powerful gaoler like Minotauros.
Third, his choice of setting for the actual confrontation is clever. His decision to deal with the escapees in Level 4 is not entirely influenced by the vastness of Level 3, or the difficulty they may experience there; this is because Blazing Hell will serve as the most critical area for this situation. Once Luffy steps there, he will be just one step closer to his goal (or two steps in case Ace is restrained in that rumored level) and that will even drive him to push harder. And surely, bigger madness will erupt once the prisoners become aware of their intrusion. Their presence will instigate an uproar among the inmates, encouraging them to go crazy, use their hidden strength, and break-out. Or, one of them (Buggy being the most likely candidate who will free these inmates) can just give these prisoners the key to their cell/handcuff and let them loose. And Chief Magellan will never want that, especially when these guys are classified as fighters of higher caliber. For all we know, they can even fight the chief head to head ( ---- I admit this notion is debatable…. Oh well….) The point is, Chief Magellan has to make sure that he blocks all the passageway leading to Level 5 (or to that rumored floor). And the good thing about this is that Level 4 is practically his entire office. That means he knows this domain perfectly well – each corner in Blazing Hell and its characteristics, the best place to set traps, where to capture Luffy. Choosing this prison level will give bigger certainties on the chief’s part, especially when he is going to utilize full force to capture the escapees.
Stuffed Toy Material
I remember this character very well. I called him the “bull-ish guard” when he was first introduced in this arc. He was just a shadow figure then, even so, he was portrayed as a fierce character whom we should all look out for. And throughout the progression of the story, he made casual appearances - reoccurring like a zit on a poor boy’s face during puberty – until he finally (and officially) shows himself for his head-turning debut. And who would have thought that this demon guard is a cute, dense-looking, snotty Mohmoo look-alike? He really is more adorable than Saldeath, only that he looks more clueless than that little cutie. If only he wore necklace with golden bell, he would definitely be on top of my cutie-patootie list. Kidding aside, this bulky demon guard seems to rely on his weapon and his speed in order to beat his target. It doesn’t look like he has any special abilities except for his god-like speed comparable to Shojiro Seta’s (from Rurouni Kenshin). His “out-of-the-blue” attack on Bon-chan is illustrated as a response to Luffy’s question if he possesses an extraordinary skill. It’s tantamount to Minotauros answering the question for Bon-chan. The spiky club that he holds, however, is not a threat for both of them. It may give them a couple of cuts, but it is not going to be as fatal as the injuries they will receive from his surprising and speedy attack. Its impact is resulted from the incredible speed he wields: the more speed he applies to his assault, the bigger impact it creates. But that is not just the scary thing about speed. It leaves his opponent clueless and unprepared for the next attack. Wondering or analyzing about the next possible move will somehow leave the opponent vulnerable to attacks; even a fraction of second that he spends on contemplation will give the speedy Minotauros an opening. That’s what happens to Luffy. He manages to escape from the first attack. However, he is completely taken by that element of surprise, which eventually leads him to let his guard down. Thus, the second hit gets him. If it weren’t for Gear Second’s activation, he would have been struck by Minotauros, in spite of Bon-chan’s occasional assault.
But before I proceed to another analysis, let me share some pieces of information about Minotauros. The most obvious allusion to this demon guard is the infamous Minotaur in Greek mythology. He is a half-man, half-bull – the result of Pasiphae and the Cretan Bull’s mating. Minotaur grew vicious, urging his foster father Minos (Pasipahe’s real husband) to place him in the midst of a labyrinth as his prison.
Blazing Interior
So all that Luffy and Bon-chan have to do is to climb a wall and jump to reach Level 4. As soon as they manage to send Minotaur flying, they climb up this gigantic wall and there, they spot the scorching torture that awaits them in Blazing Hell. Well, they only see a gigantic mass of smoke, but the heat that it brings is extremely excruciating – “it’s like touching a boiling kettle” as how Luffy puts it. This mad blaze they see is brought by the colossal lake of blood and sea of flames which lie underneath the floors of Blazing Hell. It’s as if the architect/engineer of Impel Down decided to construct Chief Magellan’s office on top of this scorching lake. And again, I commend the designer of this gaol for building such a clever construction. I already explained at my previous review of how wisely they established their system of security and torture (the location of Basilisk….) And once again, the architect (whoever he is) impresses me with this cunning structure. Building the Blazing Hell on top of that scorching lake is tantamount to cornering an escapee who plans to kill the Chief, or plunge to Level 5 in order to get more serious back-up from the inmates, or simply look for a good spot to for hiding. A guy who wants to punish Chief Magellan for locking him up in this hellish prison will certainly go to his office and obliterate him. If this guy is lucky enough to get passed the demon guards, the watchful gaolers, and the vigilant snails, he will then look for the Chief in his office. However, he has to deal with the blistering pit which, ironically serves as the “security blanket” for the gaolers who are assigned to guard there. And just like what Bon-chan says, landing a wrong spot means a huge reduction of one’s life span. So that bastard might as well stop dreaming of finding a safer place in Level 4 or punishing Chief Magellan who can instantly annihilate him just by his breathing.
Level 4’s structure also separates the bad-ass prisoners from the small-time pirates. Those notorious Level 5 residents are restrained in a place just beneath the Blazing Hell. That means they cannot go “upstairs” to find Impel Down’s exit because they have to deal with that scorching lake first, which by the way, offers a zero rate of survival.
Okama Queen
The person whom Bon-chan wants to save is finally revealed. Err, I was wrong for speculating that it was Crocodile who he wanted to see. Anyway, this person is named “Iwa-san” and I am having trouble as to which pronoun to replace her, er, his name (pun intended). I doubt that Iwa-san is an actual “she” given that her credentials show the kind of reputation she has established in Kamabakka Kingdom (again, pun intended). But since Bon-chan addresses her with a “she” then I will adapt his manner of recognition. Aside from being praised as the Queen of Kamabakka Kingdom, she is also regarded as the “Miracle Person.” This title can either refer to her skills (devil fruit perhaps?) or her personality. Just like the previous characters who were initially portrayed as a shadow figure to denote that their debut was yet to come, Iwa-san is illustrated with big curls and big mouth. And I have a feeling that she will like a bad mash-up of Elle Woods/Dolores Umbridge (because of the pink) and Chalros (that snotty Tenryuubito).
Reunited
Just when I thought that Buggy and Mr. 3 were entirely out of the picture, the leaders of the Jailbreak Team were back. And they entered the spotlight like how Buggy made an exciting appearance after so many chapters have passed. They were running away from Minotauros who, apparently landed in their hiding place and the four met like the way the old foes (Luffy and Buggy) came across each other. But the greater thing about this is that Buggy shows off his secret weapon…. Proves that this red-nosed captain has something gigantic up his sleeve. While it’s not actually gigantic in shape, the impact of the Muggy Ball is comparable to his infamous “Buggy Ball.” That is very clever of him; he hides a secret weapon somewhere in his body, intended for a “life-and-death” encounter like this. He revolutionizes his ultimate weapon from its stupendous shape into a miniscule ball. Though it isn’t as effective as to actually beating Minotauros, its impact is enough to at least stun the monster for few seconds.
So, Luffy, Bon-chan, Buggy, and Mr. 3 are on the same boat again (much to the latter’s dismay…. That means they have to go on another series of misfortune and chaos, then look for an opportunity to separate from the two). It is plausible that this is just temporary, considering that the leaders of the Jailbreak League have different goals. However we can certainly look forward to funny bickering, unlucky encounters with Impel Down monster, silly antics, insane fights, and hopefully, more teamwork from the craziest group One Piece has ever had.
Fear
The last panel is extremely body-trembling. The four escapees manage to beat Minotauros. The good thing about it is that this team can separate again into groups of two and proceed to their original plan: Luffy and Bon-chan can go and find a more convenient way to reach Level 4; Buggy and Mr. 3 can carry out their plan to escape…. Unless another bad luck strikes their path again and eventually lead them into joining the former two. However, their victory might even bring them into their own defeat, as the cue gets triggered and Chief Magellan is finally taking action to capture the escapees himself. And this does not only mean mad fights. Luffy and the rest (in case Buggy and Mr. 3 get caught up with the situation) have to deal with not just the biggest boss of Impel Down, they have to deal with three demon guards, who perhaps, belong to the same tier as Minotauros. And that means more Gear Two and Gear Three for Luffy. Furthermore, Vice-Chief Hannibal is also taking action. All the big guns are proceeding to Level 4, eager to capture the one who aims to free the most important prisoner in Impel Down. And this leads us to Ace. Jimbei is getting more worried and Ace is growing more anxious and more scared. The single line he creates in this panel depicts anxiety and fear, but it is the latter emotion that makes it even more disturbing. There is something about Ace’s fear that triggers my utmost curiosity. Is he afraid that Luffy might get caught? Yes, he already showed that kind of fear last chapter. But like I said, the fear that Ace currently shows is more disturbing. Waaaay more disturbing – like there is someone who waits for Luffy in Level 5…. Someone who is even waaaay scarier than Chief Magellan. This “someone” can be an actual person (or a hybrid monster), a new character who will be introduced once Luffy reaches Ace’s cell. Or this “someone” can take into a form of “torture” or “obstacle” which awaits the Strawhat. It can be Level 5’s very challenging environment or clever traps. But whoever or whatever it is, it’s making Ace really afraid. And if there is indeed someone who is scarier than Chief Magellan or way more blistering than Blazing Hell, then Luffy has to prepare his full strength if he really wants to save Ace.
The Spectacle:
The introduction of Minotauros, that demon guard who keeps on reoccurring, gives more invigorating flavor to this chapter. Buggy’s revelation of his secret weapon is also cool but I guess, its succeeding panels are what makes this chapter extremely kick-ass. Their teamwork, though they are unaware of it, is the core factor of their victory. Luffy’s personality is in the polar opposite of Buggy and Mr. 3’s. Bon-chan whimsical characteristics on the other hand (somehow) disturb the two, but he establishes a short, but solid friendship with Luffy and their lucky encounter here in Impel Down drives them to nurture their bond. These three, who are currently regarded as Luffy’s accomplices, used to be his enemies. Some of them still have that antipathy towards each other (Buggy and Luffy) which brings me into thinking that their teamwork, though will prove utterly effective is something that can only happen in our imagination. However, it is really surprising and amazing that the four actually work together in order to defeat Minotauros. It’s not something I pictured in my previous review, but the bottom line is, they establish such a great teamwork. And that’s the best thing in this chapter.
Another spectacle that I find in this chapter is (again) Ace’s character development. The progression of his emotional response to the things he learns from the outside world is extremely excellent. From a man whose resolve is getting thin to a sibling who is scared for his aiding younger brother, Ace has shown us many sides of his character that leave us surprised. He first appeared in this series as a mysterious pirate who was looking for Luffy. Then we learned his true purpose for searching for the Strawhat Captain, who is in fact, his younger brother and for traveling the seas. Then we saw him fight against his old subordinate and left us wondering about the result of that fight. Who would have thought that Ace would play such a major role in this series – a character who is perceived as the trigger for the biggest event that would happen in One Piece. And I do hope we’ll see more of Ace and his character development during this arc.
The Downside:
Luffy and Bon-chan will set off to Level 4. It’s easy to go there, alright. However, the problem lies on how they’ll actually reach the Blazing Hell. Bon-chan already states that jumping to the lake of hell should not be an option; landing in the wrong spot would not only cause them injuries, but would also lead them to their instant end. Surely, there is another way – a convenient one – that will lead to Level 4. But the real trouble is what awaits them in that floor. Chief Magellan and the rest of his top-tier gaolers are proceeding and preparing to entrap and fight the escapees in Level 4. Luffy is starting to get worn-out, plus the environment there is going to increase the level of his stress. So how is he going to fight these big-time gaolers? If the demon guards are as capable as Minotauros, then Luffy will need stronger back-ups…. and a miracle for that matter.
Final Notes:
Perhaps next chapter will comprise of Level 4 tour, Demon Guards’ debut, power face-off between the forces of Impel Down and the crazy team of Luffy, and (hopefully) another illustration of Ace’s character development and somber expression. I hope someone will join the team of escapees because it really lacks manpower. Will Mr.1 be featured in the succeeding chapters? Will he join Luffy? And hopefully Buggy and Mr. 3 will stick to the Strawhat’s team despite their blatant dislike and unwillingness to go to the depths of Impel Down; they are in a tighter pinch and they will need powerful assistance if they want to carry on.
