Chapter 613:"The Mermaid Princess in Koukaku Tower" Discussion

Charzonsos

Right color or different scarred eye is one thing but Oda drew the Kabuto completely differently, not arguing just saying I think it's a safe bet he has more than one.

As for switching weapons on the fly, that has been Usopp's whole deal since day one. Rubber Bands, flash dials, egg ammo, pepper ammo, impact dials, fake hammers. It goes on and on so how does switching Kabutos not make sense?

@ Gerri, it speaks of Wapometal! Awesome forshadowing for sure!

I know its the "Black Kabuto" I just referring having multiple ones seem overkills. He developed a newer model nothing wrong with that. I also know Usopp has always switched on the fly, yet switching from Black Kabuto to 'Slightly off Pink Kabuto' to 'Lime Puke Green Kabuto' would sorta be a little overkill to me. Now switching from a 10 pound hammer to a 1000 pound hammer is a different story.

rubia_ryu

@Gerri:

Just out of curiosity, does anybody know what the titel above the picture on the right page says?

Which page? I can help translate if you point out exactly what you're talking about.

Edit: Ah, RomanceDawn got it. The "Wapometal" thing…

BTW does Shirahoshi have a pool in her prison? On one panel it looked liked it was half submerged in water…
And does her name have an english translation. If I recall correctly "Hoshi" stands for "Star", doesn't it?

Yes, she does. It's to help her move around in there. I don't see any bubble transport in there.

As for her name, I had thought of the same thing, but couldn't quite grasp what reference it has. Both "shira" and "hoshi" can refer to multiple things. Japanese is quirky like that.

Gerri

@RomanceDawn:

@ Gerri, it speaks of Wapometal! Awesome forshadowing for sure!

Thanks! Any theories as to what is foreshadowed by this?
The naming would imply a connection to Wapol but wasnt he busy with children toys?
Also, has the material the pacifistas are made of been stated before?

@ Rubia: thanks for offering help, as well!

Zik

Oh yeah I'm happy Oda introduced a fishman DF user for all those dumbasses who said it wasn't gonna happen or was unlikely way back when.

I'm probably not even gloating enough over this fact.

Maki707

@Zik:

Ignoring the marriage or death thing does anyone else still get a you're gonna get raped vibe from Decken just like Caribou?

He looks more like a pimp than anything else IMO.

Pacer

CAribou vs Decken for the Ultimate Rape Title!!! WHO WILL WIN THE CELEBRITY PANTIESSS

Zik

@Maki707:

He looks more like a pimp than anything else IMO.

Eh, he reminds me of one of those villains that kidnaps the girl and ties her on the railroad tracks.

He aint no pimp.

Sabo

Surprised how good of a chapter this was. Wasn't expecting so much.

Usopp is badass.

But the best of all is Van Der Dekens reveal, and his alliance with Hodi

WarshipArc

Read the chapter, liked it quite a bit.
Thought the princess was kinda cute at first,then I noticed that her tail was split and that meant that a 30 year old woman was acting like that.
Loved that Ussop and Nami looked badass in their first panel.
Also loved how sinister Zoro looked when he made the scene.

Charzonsos

@WarshipArc:

Read the chapter, liked it quite a bit.
Thought the princess was kinda cute at first,then I noticed that her tail was split and that meant that a 30 year old woman was acting like that.
Loved that Ussop and Nami looked badass in their first panel.
Also loved how sinister Zoro looked when he made the scene.

Her tail isn't split, its just the motion blur.

rubia_ryu

@Gerri:

Thanks! Any theories as to what is foreshadowed by this?
The naming would imply a connection to Wapol but wasnt he busy with children toys?
Also, has the material the pacifistas are made of been stated before?

@ Rubia: thanks for offering help, as well!

Wapol's toy industry became so huge because of his invention: a metal much more durable than steel and easily created. The government may have used some of it, but it's not stated whether it's in the Pacifistas.

What it's saying is that Wapol will probably show up again later in the storyline.

Glad to help.

Edit: I think Luffy had a flashback to a bad experience on Amazon Lily where all those girls were chasing him. It was really bothering his feast. That's why he started yelling at Shirahoshi.

Counterdose

Neptune is under 30, Shirahoshi is over 30.

That might be wrong, though.

Gerri

@rubia_ryu:

Yes, she does. It's to help her move around in there. I don't see any bubble transport in there..

The water sure does help her move around, even though to me it seems to be more of a comfort thing. So far, even mermaids without splitt tails have been shown on land too often to make me believe that they are completely handicapped there.

As for her name, I had thought of the same thing, but couldn't quite grasp what reference it has. Both "shira" and "hoshi" can refer to multiple things. Japanese is quirky like that.

Not saying it's a good method but I did a quick google search for "shira" and I can live with "white". White Star fits with her amazing innocence..

mickgreen58

Good chapter as always.

I love the concept of a Devil Fruit that allows a user to aim at a target and be able to hit it from any distance.

I wonder if the user has to have met the target or just know exactly where it is?

Anyway, you know it is coming so I will start it off:

Princess Shirahoshi for nakama!!!

rubia_ryu

@mickgreen58:

Anyway, you know it is coming so I will start it off:

Princess Shirahoshi for nakama!!!

You're kinda late…

http://apforums.net/showthread.php?t=28386&page=629

Edit: Instead of facepalming to posts like this, I'll go with this:

batari…

@Gerri:

Not saying it's a good method but I did a quick google search for "shira" and I can live with "white". White Star fits with her amazing innocence..

It's more like "whitebait", or just calling her "Little White Star". IIRC, white stars in astrology refer to those stars that are close to dying. It's a bit foreboding, especially that the kanji for dead is pronounced "shi"…

Md-Martin

@Gerri:

The water sure does help her move around, even though to me it seems to be more of a comfort thing. So far, even mermaids without splitt tails have been shown on land too often to make me believe that they are completely handicapped there.

Not saying it's a good method but I did a quick google search for "shira" and I can live with "white". White Star fits with her amazing innocence..

Doesn't 'Shiro' mean white, as in how Shirohige means Whitebeard.

Gerri

@rubia_ryu:

Wapol's toy industry became so huge because of his invention: a metal much more durable than steel and easily created. The government may have used some of it, but it's not stated whether it's in the Pacifistas.

What it's saying is that Wapol will probably show up again later in the storyline.

Glad to help.

Edit: I think Luffy had a flashback to a bad experience on Amazon Lily where all those girls were chasing him. It was really bothering his feast. That's why he started yelling at Shirahoshi.

The way Oda has earlier characters continue to impact the story is wonderful. Nobody is left behind.

LOL at the parallel to AL! It's a good explanation for his outburst.

@rubia_ryu:

It's more like "whitebait", or just calling her "Little White Star". IIRC, white stars in astrology refer to those stars that are close to dying. It's a bit foreboding, especially that the kanji for dead is pronounced "shi"…

WHY did you have to say that. She's too cute to die! )-:

Mr. Sandman

@rubia_ryu:

You're kinda late…

http://apforums.net/showthread.php?t=28386&page=629

Edit: Instead of facepalming to posts like this, I'll go with this:

batari….

It's actually legitimate. She's been locked up for a long time, she might end up venturing with the SH crew while gaining courage. At least now people will start to wean off Caribou. Anyways the crew is due for another female member.

rubia_ryu

@mdmartin101:

Doesn't 'Shiro' mean white, as in how Shirohige means Whitebeard.

That same kanji can be pronounced in multiple ways, though the more common pronunciation is "shiro". And "hige" refers to any facial hair.

@Gerri:

WHY did you have to say that. She's too cute to die! )-:

I'm not saying that she will. Luffy (and Sanji) won't let that happen anyway. I think Oda's hinting that her life is in immediate danger, thanks to Decken.

Neomaster121

I find it odd 2 of the 3 major villians need to join forces to take on king neptune but Zoro seems to be able to handle the king himself

and the way he broke out of prison just case he wanted to a bit like silver in the auction house me thinks

Reyairia

@1000sunny:

People need to face reality. WE ARE NOT GETTING ANOTHER CREW MEMBER! Anyone after a two-year time skip would feel kind of cheap coming to the crew. It can only be someone the SHs or Luffy meet before the time-skip and as of now Luffy is getting allies and not crew-members.

You have absolutely no evidence to back this up. The idea that someone shouldn't join the crew is purely your opinion. That, and I can't think of anybody previously introduced that could join the crew, and we know from the databook that we will get at least one new person in the new world. So stop saying that we won't get anybody new as if it were pure fact.

@namimore:

I don't know how old Shirahoshi is (probably around her early 20s, she seems rather young) but I bet she's grown quite a bit these last 10 years. I think it would be hilarious if he never knew how big she was.

I doubt Shirahoshi is in her early 20s if Decken has been pursuing her for 10 years. I don't think Oda is going to include pedophilia as a theme in one piece by making a character send love letters to a ten year old. She is probably 26-28.

@Gerri:

BTW does Shirahoshi have a pool in her prison? On one panel it looked liked it was half submerged in water…
And does her name have an english translation. If I recall correctly "Hoshi" stands for "Star", doesn't it?

Hoshi does stand for star. I think her name means "white star."
Also she probably does have a pool in her room. Caimie's apartment also was mostly submerged in water.

PenguinHat

Just me or does Ussop look completely badass now? Diggin' his overalls and lumberjack body now. No Homo

Gerri

@rubia_ryu:

I'm not saying that she will. Luffy (and Sanji) won't let that happen anyway. I think Oda's hinting that her life is in immediate danger, thanks to Decken.

I checked wiki on white stars. Well apparently the type you mentioned is correctly referred to as white dwarf. Looking at Shirahoshi I don't see the risk anymore…

m00n

I think the glove is the key.

I'm not convinced that Dekken can have just one target at a time. He would have been unable to use his devil fruit for anything useful for the last ten years and it'd be difficult to explain why he would change his target to, say Luffy, after all this time. Maybe his glove has the devil fruit and he has just acquired another possible target in Hodi. There is some kind of dark object in the upper area of the 'just thrown the axe' frame and we can't see the right hand it in the 'about to throw axe' frame. I think he's wearing the glove as he throws the axe. Unfortunately the watermark is a bit in the way in the scanlated version

city_lights31

I love how Luffy told the Princess that he didn't like her when she was crying. Totally reminds me of chapter 2 when he did the same thing to Colby. After all these years Luffy hasn't changed all that much.

:]

great Chapter.

Reyairia

If his gloves have the devil fruit and not him, why is it that he was in a bubble? He wouldn't need one if he was a regular fishman.

rubia_ryu

@Gerri:

I checked wiki on white stars. Well apparently the type you mentioned is correctly referred to as white dwarf. Looking at Shirahoshi I don't see the risk anymore…

"Little White Star" -> "white, little star" -> "white dwarf" -> "dying but not dead" -> "in danger"

My point still stands.

! Ah, I'm just playing here. Don't take me seriously.

m00n

@Reyairia:

If his gloves have the devil fruit and not him, why is it that he was in a bubble? He wouldn't need one if he was a regular fishman.

Perhaps he's part human or something? I don't know. He does have a weird anatomy even for a fish or merman. I didn't think this though. It's just that having the glove that people think keeps his powers from working on while using these powers seemed off to me.

lizard81288

wow, Vander & Hodi are huge…i think. i though Hodi was the size of Arlong, but he looks huge.

Muah

@Miadestroystokyo:

I'm really hoping we DON'T have van der decken vs. Sanji because Sanji had to fight the "pervy villain who wants to marry a girl who doesn't want to marry him" in Thriller Bark and I'm kind of sick of it.
It kind of makes me sad that a lot of sanji's fights involve his chivalry these days. It's one of the characterists I find least attractive about his character.
I think my favorite Sanji fight was possibly Baratie arc because he wasn't fighting to protect any lady or talking about ladies at all.

i think that's the only fight he lost. Face it he's mr kishido.

@Badass:

It's not ash, it's called a shadow. And if a Black object was covered by a shadow, then it would still be black. However a white object covered by a shadow would appear grey as the Kabuto does in the colorspread for Chapter 612.

Yes, it's a grayish white slingshot.:getlost: J/K.

Really people the sligshot in chapter 612 is the same here. I theorize that he has one giant slingshot and the kuro kabuto.

tonyohoho

@m00n:

Maybe his glove has the devil fruit and he has just acquired another possible target in Hodi. There is some kind of dark object in the upper area of the 'just thrown the axe' frame and we can't see the right hand it in the 'about to throw axe' frame. I think he's wearing the glove as he throws the axe. Unfortunately the watermark is a bit in the way in the scanlated version

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/3236/unbenanntxb.jpg

He didnt wear a glove there
Raw
http://img215.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=37687_002_122_796lo.jpg#

Mr. Sandman

Reading the chapter again I realize that usopp took a major level in badass. I haven't seen him look this awesome since he saved robin at the bridge of hesitation.

Brook looks pretty badass too, and nami…

isrnick

@m00n:

I think the glove is the key.

I'm not convinced that Dekken can have just one target at a time. He would have been unable to use his devil fruit for anything useful for the last ten years and it'd be difficult to explain why he would change his target to, say Luffy, after all this time.

Maybe his glove has the devil fruit and he has just acquired another possible target in Hodi. There is some kind of dark object in the upper area of the 'just thrown the axe' frame and we can't see the right hand it in the 'about to throw axe' frame. I think he's wearing the glove as he throws the axe. Unfortunately the watermark is a bit in the way in the scanlated version

Actually it would be easy to explain, if the Princess fell in love with Luffy, or if he only thinks that she fell in love with Luffy (even if it isn't really the case), because it would be worth changing the target to eliminate the competition.

I'm still with the theory that he only can have one target at a time, or that he has a limited number of targets, like the N last persons he has touched.

Gizmo

QQ:

Is the Flying Dutchman coated? If it is, did VDD puncture a hole when throwing the axe? If not, how is VDD walking about when he needs a bubble to be underwater?

I survived the buster call

As someone reminded me, a lot of DF powers revolve around the hands–the most pertinent to this conversation may be our old pal Bon-chan's power, where he needed to touch a person, but ever after had them in his repertior (sp?) and could become whoever he had in there at will. I see no reason why, if Vandedekken's power works by touching someone, he couldn't target anyone he'd touched before at will in the same manner.

tonyohoho

@ultimateclima:

QQ:

Is the Flying Dutchman coated? If it is, did VDD puncture a hole when throwing the axe? If not, how is VDD walking about when he needs a bubble to be underwater?

Look closely Page 2 panel 1. there's a small bubble on that ship…

well maybe an axe didnt enough to explode that small bubble.. except for multiple holes.:blink:

Just_Gabe

Am I the only one who thinks that Vander Decken is just one of those obssessed with being "clean" and "free of any dirt"? The bubble around him reminds me of the tenryuubito who use those bubbles to "not breath the same air as the commoners", while in the real world some of such obssessed people use them because they are afraid of being contaminated or fall sick, and the guantlet was just to avoid from other people's virus, etc. I mean, to me that's pretty obvious.

Badass SnoCone

@Muah:

Yes, it's a grayish white slingshot.:getlost: J/K.

Is it any harder to believe than him having a black slingshot?

No. It isn't.

Riddler

Great chapter, Usopp, Brook and Zoro were all incredibly badass. I like the Princess, she seems like a fun character^^ I think Vander Dekken and Hodi Jones joining forces clears up the earlier confusion about who`ll be the arc villain.

Sphingx

@KiShiDo:

Mermaid princess is hot but meeeeh. A crybaby ala Vivi.

I think the princess took it to a whole new level actually. As a reminder: Vivi was the character who could get shot at Drum island and not even cry about it.

Gizmo

@tonyohoho:

Look closely Page 2 panel 1. there's a small bubble on that ship…

Thank you.

And it's been mentioned already, but Usopp's slingshot here is different from the one used to launch the green star earlier, so him having different slingshots doesn't seem far-fetched. It seems more convenient than having to switch dials on his original Kabuto.

Urouge

What a great chapter. There's so much I want to say that I suppose I'll just write a summary and hope I remember most of it.

New cover story trumps already awesome chapter. I'm hoping for a Blackbeard cameo at some point during it. I want to see just what two years did to that beard of his. Also Buggy-sama.
It's cool to see the new pictures, though they're too small to really see.
Vander Decken Centauros IX, lady-killer extraordinaire, works his lady killing magic.
People actually think this psychopath has a chance of joining the crew?
Luffy plays the role of super babysitter.
Princess Shirahoshi announces her candidacy for the position of arc fangirl.
She has a pet shark with teeth made for salad. No wonder he needed saving.
Usopp and Nami use an army of fodder to demonstrate just how bad Neptune's decision making skills are. I like their new weapons. I like the new them.
Brook was already this strong. He's the only person who hasn't really done anything yet.
Neptune trashes his chance at decision making redemption by continuing to try and piss off those he's worried may destroy the island.
Zoro makes an awesome entrance and seems Rayleigh-esque in the way he willingly got captured because he knew he could get back out whenever he wanted.
Nami is going to be pissed that Zoro didn't bring her any booze.
The two antagonists team up to try and convince the readers that they're the biggest danger in this arc. I don't buy it, but they'll get plenty of revenue without me.

…I can't wait for next week.

isrnick

@I:

As someone reminded me, a lot of DF powers revolve around the hands–the most pertinent to this conversation may be our old pal Bon-chan's power, where he needed to touch a person, but ever after had them in his repertior (sp?) and could become whoever he had in there at will. I see no reason why, if Vandedekken's power works by touching someone, he couldn't target anyone he'd touched before at will in the same manner.

Our reason to suspect that there is a limit, or that he can only target one at a time, is because he put a glove before touching Hodi Jones, if he can target any number of people as long as he touches them, he should use every chance he has to touch every person meets, even if he doesn't intend to target them at that moment he could want/need to do it latter… Specially when dealing with pirates.

Then why wouldn't he touch Hodi? After all they are pirates, he shouldn't completely trust in Hodi, and it would be advantageous to him to have touched Hodi once just in case.

Johnny B. Decent

@Urouge:

People think this psychopath has a chance of joining the crew?

At this stage, any character who is shown on-screen is a candidate according to someone.

FrankyCentaur

It might not be a limit, but it might be that whatever he throws goes to a random person he's touched within a certain distance (or even the closest, for instance.)

Though, I still think its just 1 person at a time.

Skadi

@sanji499:

Worst case scenario the okamas leave a photo of Sanji in his most feminine moment as the new wanted poster.

Like this?

I really liked the chapter, VDD is fun

I made this :3

!

Just_Gabe

@S.C.:

At this stage, any character who is shown on-screen is a candidate according to someone.

And they are 120% right! just as every baby born in this world is a candidate for being a blood-thirsty murderer and thus we should lock them all away until we find who are real murderers and waste a lot of precious resources and time like those quasi-theorist do!

Cyclone_Baroness

Yay reappearance of Zoro. Also, he got there pretty quick. Is he able to not get lost if he hears battles now? Or was that already possible?

God the mermaid princess is suuuupa annoying.

Skadi…that poster is amazing.

Bubblegum

Zoro bounty picture changed! And it went up again! I can't spot Sanji's usual bounty so i think the picture probably change. Though I can't spot Brook's bounty too. Everyone else seem to have the same picture so no change?

Zoro is so kewl XD But i hate how Luffy always get girl… It's not fair! And, I would have thought Keime to fight alongside the strawhat instead of asking them to surrender peacefully. I'm kinda dissapointed.

Czechmate

@Just_Gabe:

Am I the only one who thinks that Vander Decken is just one of those obssessed with being "clean" and "free of any dirt"? The bubble around him reminds me of the tenryuubito who use those bubbles to "not breath the same air as the commoners", while in the real world some of such obssessed people use them because they are afraid of being contaminated or fall sick, and the guantlet was just to avoid from other people's virus, etc. I mean, to me that's pretty obvious.

The guy lives on a decrepit old ship underwater.

Does the term Devil Fruit ring any bells?