Chapter 756: The 4th level

[Robby]

I assume its just a split like it was with Nami/Zoro/Usopp back at the Baratie… that once this arc is officially over, we'll zoom onto the next island and catch up with what the other half of the crew has been doing for a couple volumes and then the other half will catch up once things have already gotten really bad. (And some possibility of it intersecting with Jinbe's coverstory)

Its a great way to trim down the number of fights and keep momentum going, its honestly surprising Oda hasn't used it more over the years.

[RobZilla]

@desa:

Could be like Whitebeard commanders. Marco having same rank as Curiel and stuff.

It could very well be, all I'm saying is what we have solid evidence of.

We saw Marco fight alongside the other commanders and we heard the Gorosei single him out as one of the few people able to stop Teach.

It was made clear that Marco was a special case and second in command of the WB pirates.

Vergo on the other hand, we just don't know enough.

[TheGreatestSwordsman]

Rebecca confirming that Pica is the highest executive. Two people quoted me but you guys can find the post yourselves. :S

!

[desa]

@RobZilla:

It could very well be, all I'm saying is what we have solid evidence of.

We saw Marco fight alongside the other commanders and we heard the Gorosei single him out as one of the few people able to stop Teach.

It was made clear that Marco was a special case and second in command of the WB pirates.

Vergo on the other hand, we just don't know enough.

Was just saying it is possible.

The Whitebeard's with Marco serving as leader could possibly top the Blackbeard's back then. But Oda did say the commanders hold the same rank. I would expect the same type of a Supernova if Luffy were to die. I think it's a matter of who seems to be the most trusted man of the captain or who seems to carry the others when he isn't around.

[RobZilla]

@TheGreatestSwordsman:

Rebecca confirming that Pica is the highest executive. Two people quoted me but you guys can find the post yourselves. :S

! http://mangajoy.com/wp-content/manga/5404/755/14.png

I think we'd better bring CCC in on this.

I seem to remember there being a fair certainty that it was more like "one of/a highest executive" ie one of the elite officers.

–- Update From New Post Merge ---

@desa:

Was just saying it is possible.

The Whitebeard's with Marco serving as leader could possibly top the Blackbeard's back then. But Oda did say the commanders hold the same rank. I would expect the same type of a Supernova if Luffy were to die. I think it's a matter of who seems to be the most trusted man of the captain or who seems to carry the others when he isn't around.

Yeah, I know, I was just explaining my reasoning for keeping to what we know so far.

Doffy's flashback will shed some light on the whole situation, most likely.

[desa]

If there was a highest excecutive, I would expect the dwarves to said so during the ranking explanation.@RobZilla:

Yeah, I know, I was just explaining my reasoning for keeping to what we know so far.
Doffy's flashback will shed some light on the whole situation, most likely.

And I just like to tame the hype Marco seems to get.

Wasn't Vergo already out back then? 15 years ago is so old in this manga. Would mean Law have always known him as a marine. Maybe will see him rising in the rank. He was captain 10 ago.

[RobZilla]

@desa:

If there was a highest excecutive, I would expect the dwarves to said so during the ranking explanation.
And I just like to tame the hype Marco seems to get.

Wasn't Vergo already out back then? 15 years ago is so old in this manga. Would mean Law have always known him as a marine. Maybe will see him rising in the rank. He was captain 10 ago.

Well we'll most likely see the incident where Vergo apparently traumatised Law, so even if he was already enlisted in the marines and periodically reporting back to Doffy then we'll probably still get more insight into Vergo's role within the crew.

[ARTEMlS]

It probably won't happen, but with Sugar back in action Sanji and the others might actually come back to Dressrosa. Let's assume Luffy and Law get toyified and they are still battling Big Mom's ship. Then it might go like that:

Sanji: What are we fighting for?
Pekoms: Hand over Caesar immediately!
Nami: Sure. What was the reason that he's here, anyway?
Tamago: Well, then… It's not we're at odds. So, thank you and Bon Voyage!
Sanji: Now let's help Robin-chwan!
Nami: You mean Captain Usopp!

Well, at least I can dream...

[desa]

@RobZilla:

Well we'll most likely see the incident where Vergo apparently traumatised Law, so even if he was already enlisted in the marines and periodically reporting back to Doffy then we'll probably still get more insight into Vergo's role within the crew.

I wonder what kind of beating convince your captain you were traumatize.

–- Update From New Post Merge ---

@Bartholemew:

It probably won't happen, but with Sugar back in action Sanji and the others might actually come back to Dressrosa. Let's assume Luffy and Law get toyified and they are still battling Big Mom's ship. Then it might go like that:Sanji: What are we fighting for?Pekoms: Hand over Caesar immediately!Nami: Sure. What was the reason that he's here, anyway?Tamago: Well, then… It's not we're at odds. So, thank you and Bon Voyage!Sanji: Now let's help Robin-chwan!Nami: You mean Captain Usopp!Well, at least I can dream...

I will be pissed as fuck if they come back. But I'm certain they won't.

[DemetriusCapone]

@Admiral:

you mean a new one or that they would appear in jinbes?

Jinbei probably wanna lay low when Big Mom's in the hood. So the first one is my guess.

[Admiral Issho]

@DemetriusCapone:

Jinbei probably wanna lay low when Big Mom's in the hood. So the first one is my guess.

well he should be now on his way to get his fellow sun pirates out of big moms control so it isn't too farfetched to asume that he will come to help the swirlystraws

[cloudrivera]

All this executive talk is interesting to me. Does anybody think this will happen, obviously on a smaller scale, with the strawhats? I can see something happening like this:

Luffy
Franky
jimbe
Last Crew Member? Kinemon, Rebecca, etc if Jimbe is not the last to join the crew

Zoro Usopp
Robin

Sanji Nami
Chopper
Brook

I think this can work. I'm not saying Zoro and Sanji will be bossing the others around all the time, but I think all these guys work well together. Like what happened with Sanji, I think at other points in the manga Luffy will make one of them in charge of a certain group. It may not be a coincidence that in Punk Hazard and Dressrosa some of these groups have been together. Robin and Usopp were together. Sanji was with Nami and Chopper, etc. Oda might be setting things up this way.

[Adam Fenix]

@Darth:

So you are saying that the crew of New World veterans, lead by Shichibukai, is evidently not good enough to give them a challenge?

Damn.

Might as well stop reading it until Oda get's to Yonkou, then.

Yeah. Atleast i think that Luffy won't go all out untill he meets a Yonkou.

[dailyfiber]

@cloudrivera:

All this executive talk is interesting to me. Does anybody think this will happen, obviously on a smaller scale, with the strawhats? I can see something happening like this:

I don't see this happening at all. Doffy's pirate crew having a structure like that makes sense, since they're also an organization with a bunch of underlings. They also have lots of different operations going on, they're almost like a gang family. The Straw Hats aren't like that, so I don't see why they'd break off into groups like this. Plus, I don't see any of the Straw Hats being the kind of people to give or take orders to each other, except obviously from Luffy. I don't even see Luffy wanting to divide his crew in this regard anyway.

[Aohige_AP]

@TheGreatestSwordsman:

Rebecca confirming that Pica is the highest executive. Two people quoted me but you guys can find the post yourselves. :S

! http://mangajoy.com/wp-content/manga/5404/755/14.png

For the last effin' time, they are all called "最高幹部", highest/executive officers.
All three of them and Vergo. That's what she freakin' says here again.

I'm tired of explaining the same thing, so next time I see this come up, I will personally sever your head from your shoulders myself. While screaming in a high pitched voice.

[KaizokuJinbei]

here I thought everyone knew that

[Hajro]

I only want to damn find out what will happen to Bellamy. Poor sod got dumped by his master, is he going to join with Barto? Or maybe somethin else?

[Monquito]

According to Law, Vergo was the sexier and most valuated Doula's subordinate. besides, if we put them into hypothetical versus 1vs1, How a glue, a flag and a stone are suposed to beat a BH master??

in terms of ranking, there was no right-hand man, but in imaginary power scale, there's a clear difference between my nigga Vergo and the other 3 losers.

[Shadowgreed]

@Monquito:

According to Law, Vergo was the sexier and most valuated Doula's subordinate. besides, if we put them into hypothetical versus 1vs1, How a glue, a flag and a stone are suposed to beat a BH master??

in terms of ranking, there was no right-hand man, but in imaginary power scale, there's a clear difference between my nigga Vergo and the other 3 losers.

I don't get your logic but OKey

[The Franky Tank]

@Shadowgreed:

I don't get your logic but OKey

Well the fact that sexier was used to describe Vergo means this poster has a crush on Vergo, therefore, he is the strongest of all of them. It really shows during the last sentence.

[springsring]

@Hajro:

I only want to damn find out what will happen to Bellamy. Poor sod got dumped by his master, is he going to join with Barto? Or maybe somethin else?

From a personal standpoint I want him to join the crew but I don't think anyone is joining this arc so I don't believe it will happen and plus I don't want to see the fan outrage that would ensue.
My best bet is that he'll either join Bartolomeo or go off on his own.

[Monquito]

@King:

Pica: The one fighting Zoro, who is Luffy's own right-hand man and tends to fight the main antagonist's right-hand.

Nope, that never hapened, it's strange but is also true, Daz Bones didn't even know who his boss was, Ohm wasn't any higher or most trusted than the others, Kaku aint Lucci's right hand, they both were on the same rank in the cipher pool, I don't think Ryuma had any kind of relation with Moria and Hyozou would be killed by Hodi(if he could).

Zoro fights the second strongest man of each crew and we all(me included) took this as an unwritten rule, and thought it would never be break… until Punk Hazard, and the fact that Law usurped Zoro's job it makes us all butthurt, but then you think meeh it's fine, because Zoro is gonna have better moments to bright in the future.

[FacialTissuez1994]

I think Sugar will be an excellent opponent for Usopp, since Sugar's techniques require her to go near Usopp, and Usopp is all about running away.
Also can't wait for a proper Robin fight. Just hope they don't pull some one-hit clutch KO off. Robin needs more than that.

[Miss Saturday]

Anybody else find it jarring that we saw Robin in the colorspread (doing her painted-up duck lips face), and then we see Violet in the very next first page.. and they both look identical now? If he has some problems making women's faces look different, then why in god's name would Oda make his two leading ladies as generic as possible? I WANT BANGS ROBIN BACK! And if it's bangs-cowboy hat-Robin even better.

[RobZilla]

@Aohige_AP:

For the last effin' time, they are all called "最高幹部", highest/executive officers.
All three of them and Vergo. That's what she freakin' says here again.

I'm tired of explaining the same thing, so next time I see this come up, I will personally sever your head from your shoulders myself. While screaming in a high pitched voice.

Thank you for clarifying this again. I think your choice of using a high pitched voice clearly points to Pica being the strongest of the executives, though.:ninja:

[Darth]

@Miss:

Anybody else find it jarring that we saw Robin in the colorspread (doing her painted-up duck lips face), and then we see Violet in the very next first page.. and they both look identical now? If he has some problems making women's faces look different, then why in god's name would Oda make his two leading ladies as generic as possible? I WANT BANGS ROBIN BACK! And if it's bangs-cowboy hat-Robin even better.

Perhaps he has a problem with creating distinguishable, unique, women's faces that at the same time look pretty?

I don't know, I'm trying my hardest to not criticize him on everything, to be honest. Especially Straw Hats, and their designs. And personalities.

And if we are being wishful, I want Stoic Robin back. Seriously, the woman had more shocked faces this arc then she did the entire manga before hand.

[Dark-Abel]

@Darth:

And if we are being wishful, I want Stoic Robin back. Seriously, the woman had more shocked faces this arc then she did the entire manga before hand.

Maybe Dragon loosened her up during the timeskip

[The Franky Tank]

@Dark-Abel:

Maybe Dragon loosened her up in the timeskip

It's funny because some complain that none of the Straw Hats have developed over the years, and Robin had actually showed some. She used to keep a straight face and not show emotions, and now she's more open to express what she feels, not by saying it necessarily, but she makes a lot more facial expressions.

[Miss Saturday]

@Darth:

Perhaps he has a problem with creating distinguishable, unique, women's faces that at the same time look pretty?

He doesn't, though. Perona, Shyarley, Shakky and even this latest Factory Administrator woman all have unique but pretty faces. He CAN do it, he just doesn't. Hell, back when Robin was first introduced, people used to think SHE had a very unique and exotic look. Now every other woman looks like a Robin clone – even down to the hairstyle apparently.

I know this a stale argument to bring back up, but I feel like her timeskip change was probably one of the worst ones. If not the worst one. Pre-skip Robin was perfect.

[smurfx]

chapter was better than the last 2 but i can't say it was all that great. i'm still fearing sugar coming back and delaying things some more.

[Darth]

@Dark-Abel:

Maybe Dragon loosened her up during the timeskip

… Dragon? Sure. In between destroying honest, hard-working nobles, I suppose... :ninja:

[SunnyBlue]

@Miss:

Anybody else find it jarring that we saw Robin in the colorspread (doing her painted-up duck lips face), and then we see Violet in the very next first page.. and they both look identical now? If he has some problems making women's faces look different, then why in god's name would Oda make his two leading ladies as generic as possible? I WANT BANGS ROBIN BACK! And if it's bangs-cowboy hat-Robin even better.

There were also some panels where Oda forgot to draw Viola's lip correctly and she ended up looking like Robin.
The thing is Oda actually came up with some interesting hairstyles for Robin but he went with the most generic hairstyle. And he also smooth out her distinctive nose and eyes.
So, Robin used to have a fairly unique face but now it's watered down.=.=

[Darth]

@Miss:

He doesn't, though. Perona, Shyarley, Shakky and even this latest Factory Administrator woman all have unique but pretty faces. He CAN do it, he just doesn't. Hell, back when Robin was first introduced, people used to think SHE had a very unique and exotic look. Now every other woman looks like a Robin clone – even down to the hairstyle apparently.

Hmm… you are right, actually. I don't know what to say to that, no other reason springs immediatly to mind as for why he isn't doing it.

Except maybe that he has established cannon of beauty that he wants to keep.

@Miss:

I know this a stale argument to bring back up, but I feel like her timeskip change was probably one of the worst ones. If not the worst one. Pre-skip Robin was perfect.

On that, we agree. Altough I think most of the changes done to Straw Hats were done for worse, and not for better.

–- Update From New Post Merge ---

@The:

It's funny because some complain that none of the Straw Hats have developed over the years, and Robin had actually showed some. She used to keep a straight face and not show emotions, and now she's more open to express what she feels, not by saying it necessarily, but she makes a lot more facial expressions.

A) That change seems to be exclusive to this arc, since it had not appeared in two arcs beforehand.

B) Getting rid-off one of the defining characteristics of the character makes her more generic, rather then more developed.

[The Franky Tank]

@Darth:

Hmm… you are right, actually. I don't know what to say to that, no other reason springs immediatly to mind as for why he isn't doing it.

Except maybe that he has established cannon of beauty that he wants to keep.

On that, we agree. Altough I think most of the changes done to Straw Hats were done for worse, and not for better.

--- Update From New Post Merge ---

A) That change seems to be exclusive to this arc, since it had not appeared in two arcs beforehand.

B) Getting rid-off one of the defining characteristics of the character makes her more generic, rather then more developed.

If you mean having a few face faults, then yes, this is the only arc that she's done it, and I can think of 2 tops of face faults she did this arc. In Punk Hazard Robin showed a range of expressions that weren't face faults, as well as this arc. She is overall the same character. She isn't a loud mouth, she has a calm demeanor, and she's not aggressive. Maybe I've just missed it, but the characters seem the same for the most part to me, and that there hasn't been enough arcs for us to see all they have to offer for fights.

[Ouroboros]

@The:

If you mean having a few face faults, then yes, this is the only arc that she's done it, and I can think of 2 tops of face faults she did this arc. In Punk Hazard Robin showed a range of expressions that weren't face faults, as well as this arc. She is overall the same character. She isn't a loud mouth, she has a calm demeanor, and she's not aggressive. Maybe I've just missed it, but the characters seem the same for the most part to me, and that there hasn't been enough arcs for us to see all they have to offer for fights.

That's the thing though. Robin is meant to be a stoic character. Her face usually never changes. So if she's smiling, she's probably feeling pretty happy inside. If she's frowning, she's pissed. Less is more with Robin. Just a subtle shift in expression is more than enough. There's no real need to go with the face fault for the sake of comedy. I'd say a wide eyed, deer-in-the-headlights looks is more than enough to convey that she's thinking "oh crap" on the inside.

[Aohige_AP]

@Miss:

I know this a stale argument to bring back up, but I feel like her timeskip change was probably one of the worst ones. If not the worst one. Pre-skip Robin was perfect.

I can't agree to that, simply because I have a biased, entirely subjective, weakspot for ponytails.

Ponytails!

[The Franky Tank]

@Ouroboros:

That's the thing though. Robin is meant to be a stoic character. Her face usually never changes. So if she's smiling, she's probably feeling pretty happy inside. If she's frowning, she's pissed. Less is more with Robin. Just a subtle shift in expression is more than enough. There's no real need to go with the face fault for the sake of comedy. I'd say a wide eyed, deer-in-the-headlights looks is more than enough to convey that she's thinking "oh crap" on the inside.

You can feel that way, but I feel that people are taking the few face faults way to seriously. I guess you guys just didn't like the idea of Robin having a few wacky faces, and I guess I can kinda sorta see that in a way. At least she didn't get a full page dedicated to just her face, a la Enel.

@Aohige_AP:

I can't agree to that, simply because I have a biased, entirely subjective, weakspot for ponytails.

Ponytails!

So what will happen when Franky makes a hair change and has ponytails?

[Ouroboros]

@The:

You can feel that way, but I feel that people are taking the few face faults way to seriously. I guess you guys just didn't like the idea of Robin having a few wacky faces, and I guess I can kinda sorta see that in a way. At least she didn't get a full page dedicated to just her face, a la Enel.

So what will happen when Franky makes a hair change and has ponytails?

Personally, I don't mind her face faults that much. I just find it a little bit disconcerting since I'm not used to it. I guess what Oda is going for is that she's finally opening up her emotions after all those years on the run, unable to trust anyone. It just took awhile before we saw her new expressions, which led me to believe that she was one of the SHs who didn't change too much over the TS.

[Dohs]

@Miss:

I know this a stale argument to bring back up, but I feel like her timeskip change was probably one of the worst ones. If not the worst one. Pre-skip Robin was perfect.

I wonder if Im the only one whos most annoyed by Franky's change. His whole body structure….. his hair changing all the time..... I loved his hairstyle! Now its only sometimes :/

[Myu]

@Darth:

Perhaps he has a problem with creating distinguishable, unique, women's faces that at the same time look pretty?

I don't know, I'm trying my hardest to not criticize him on everything, to be honest. Especially Straw Hats, and their designs. And personalities.

And if we are being wishful, I want Stoic Robin back. Seriously, the woman had more shocked faces this arc then she did the entire manga before hand.

I disagree… Surprised faces shouldn't be a way to judge a character. I find it character growth to be honest. She is on a sub-conscious level at such a joy that she is able to leave that deep-freeze mode with his nakamas. I like that very much indeed.

I do need to hear about her character though... I mean I would love it if Oda would tell us, through Aokiiji maybe, how Robin is full of joy now which she never had as a teen while at the same time growing a mother's attitude.

@RobZilla:

Thank you for clarifying this again. I think your choice of using a high pitched voice clearly points to Pica being the strongest of the executives, though.:ninja:

It's not like it has needed some kind of clarification anyway…

[RobZilla]

@Myu:

It's not like it has needed some kind of clarification anyway…

Some folks obviously missed the clarification the first time, now we're all on the same page.

Hopefully.

[Razh]

Lol, this was same as that argument that Aokiji was the strongest admiral, way back.

[RobZilla]

@Razh:

Lol, this was same as that argument that Aokiji was the strongest admiral, way back.

Now when it comes to strongest pre-timeskip Admiral, Kuzan doesn't have a leg to stand on.

…Zilalalalalala!

[Tyrano]

Probably mentioned before, but I'm actually thinking Manshelly might be another ancient weapon.

She wasn't chained with sea-stone. Viola didn't really know about her power (no need to actually use ancient weapon when there's Sugar).

Similarities with other arcs could be Crocodile looking for ancient weapon in Alabasta.
Shirahoshi being a princess and ancient weapon.

I dunno… I just think Manshelly might not be fruit user.

[RobZilla]

@Tyrano:

Probably mentioned before, but I'm actually thinking Manshelly might be another ancient weapon.

She wasn't chained with sea-stone. Viola didn't really know about her power (no need to actually use ancient weapon when there's Sugar).

Similarities with other arcs could be Crocodile looking for ancient weapon in Alabasta.
Shirahoshi being a princess and ancient weapon.

I dunno… I just think Manshelly might not be fruit user.

I think that would be way too similar to Shirahoshi/Poseidon to be honest.

Pluton and Posiedon have already been shown to be so different in nature that I'm expecting something waaaay different again for Uranus.

[Tyrano]

@RobZilla:

I think that would be way too similar to Shirahoshi/Poseidon to be honest.

Pluton and Posiedon have already been shown to be so different in nature that I'm expecting something waaaay different again for Uranus.

Yeah I think so too.
But if Manshelly was fruit user, Leo etc would know straight away..?

[Admiral Issho]

@Tyrano:

Yeah I think so too.
But if Manshelly was fruit user, Leo etc would know straight away..?

maybe it is a secret only the royal families know

[Tyrano]

And the reason why Doflamingo came back to Dressrosa when his Donquixote family left several hundred years ago is still a mystery.

Recently Doflamingo told Bellamy that he wants to destroy the world. Manshelly might be his key.

[RobZilla]

@Tyrano:

Yeah I think so too.
But if Manshelly was fruit user, Leo etc would know straight away..?

Very true.

The way that Manshelly's been presented, with a lot of waiting and seemingly some contradictory takes on her, I really don't know what to expect from her.

[Tyrano]

Perhaps Doflmaingo told Manshelly that if she does anything everyone she knows will die.
And her being a Tontatta, y'know, kinda helps.