@SMUDGE:
I'm not suggesting it was just for visual effect, but it was part of it. A good example of 'ooohing' and aaaahing' the audience is the perspective they draw the arms from. Again his arm is drawn in a certain perspective to draw the viewer to his muscle size, and gain recognition to his new build, This is clearly shown in the previous page I posted.
The problem is that it is clearly not just perspective. He is clearly much bigger and much stronger. Even without the comment from Hawkins, Urouge is clearly far beyond his normal strength and stature. I'm not even sure what your point is here. He is much, much bigger and stronger. You cannot stretch your bones, so Life Return should be thrown out the window. The only perspective there is designed to show his size in comparison to Hawkins, who is standing beside him. The guy is as tall as the multi-level buildings he is near. I mean, come on…
@SMUDGE:
As for the Hawkins statement, Its obvious he wasn't on the verge of death, most likely he was gauging his opponents ability. If he was so badly beaten then how did he get up again so enthusiastically after being knocked down? In fact how would Hawkins even know what he is and isn't capable of doing, or what condition he is in? You can look like death and still have plenty of fight left in you, as seen with Luffy and many other characters so far.
You are arging from a real-world logical perspective. This is One Piece. In this particular scenario, you need to be considering (and arguing) from a narrative standpoint. The sole purpose of Hawkins line was to convey what was going on to us, the readers. Oda was saying, "Hey, readers, this guy was totally beaten up just now but got back up and is even more powered up than before! He's huge! Strange, right?"
@SMUDGE:
So its basically reverse Karma from what your saying? Also do you think this replies to his everyday life or just when he wants to manipulate it?
Reverse…? No. I thought I made it clear that Oda isn't strict with the word or definition of the word, and that he makes a creative twist using the ability and the overall concept of the word. In any case, I suggested that Urouge was a karma medium, storing the "karma" and then using it against them. So Pacifista #? does something mean to Urouge, and that "mean" is then used against him. Karma. How is this "reversed"?
@SMUDGE:
But Luffy is a rubberman, Urouge doesn't have the same defense as Luffy so its not really comparable.
You are completely missing the point. Does Zoro take damage? Does Usopp? Does anyone!? A fight doesn't consist of one punch, but many. Not one attack, but many. Unless you assume all of Urouge's fights were OHKO's, then you have to assume he takes a few hits before winning a battle. As long as he takes hits, he can convert it to his own power. If he gets beaten, too bad so sad.
@SMUDGE:
Looking at all the examples so far I would say that Increasing your overall muscle/strength shouldn't be a surprise. What Urouge does could even be a compilation of a few of these techniques, Using more than one of these abilities at once isn't knew as you know. I don't see why there should be a limit between hair and entire body?
Oda gave us a pretty clear cut definition from Kumadori. I highly doubt "bones" are part of the categories listed. If they were, and it was possible to do what Urouge did without a fruit, then Giants, abilities like Luffy's, and a great many other things would be fairly obsolete. Think of Zoro's Nigori-zaki, where he basically flexes his arms to make them huge in order to add more power. That is more like stretching them to their limit and controlling them. What Urouge does goes far beyond that. And again, how does this solve the situation he was in? I remind you that Oda doesn't typically have people (Hawkins) say things like that for no reason.
@SMUDGE:
Surely you suspect a lot of top tier fighter may use this as an addition to their supernatural strength.
No, I certainly do not.
@SMUDGE:
Its a terrible twisting of logic that could allow this to happen. What your implying is basically reverse karma which is the total opposite of what should happen, I doubt Oda would make such a bad translation of it.
You'll have to explain how a basic concept of Karma is being used in "reverse". Seems more like you just don't understand it. While you are at it, why would Oda name Robin's devil fruit "Flower Flower Fruit"? Why not grow, or any other word with a closer match? Terrible Oda! Terrible!!
@SMUDGE:
Using Nightmare Luffy as an example implies that the worse Urouge is hit, the larger/more powerful he gets.
As long as he doesn't get knocked out, yeah, that is basically what I am saying. By no means am I saying he doesn't feel pain, or that he can erase pain, but the stronger he is the more resistant he is. As long as he is still concious he should be able to absorb more and more pain, converting it to more and more power.
Of course, this is all just my speculation. I just see no reason to not believe it. We have the pattern of all the captains having abilities, his theme and attack names, his clear cut growth and power, Hawkins' comment, his improved fight against the Pacifista, and no evidence to the contrary. Oda was systematically going through all of the captains too, showing each of their powers: First Kidd, then Law, then Bonney, then Capone, then Hawkins, then Urouge, then Drake, and finally Apoo.