Manga Plus: https://mangaplus.shueisha.co.jp/viewer/1009557
VIZ Manga: https://www.viz.com/shonenjump/one-piece-chapter-1018/chapter/22773?action=read
Author Comments 7/04/2021: https://www.viz.com/blog/posts/mangaka-musings-7-4-2021
**Eiichiro Oda
Currently doing a campaign to thank everyone. Thanks for having me in Jump and thanks for reading the manga.**
1018
Break by Oda-sensei
1019
Break by Magazine
1020
1021
Break by Magazine
1022Expect Break by Oda-sensei after 1022 or 1023.
Like the Avatar? / Like the Miis?
Dragalia Lost ID: 97617932505
Some thoughts after reading the chapter a few times:
It all but confirms that Tekkai is an application of Armament Haki, as Who's Who's body turns black when he announces Tekkai.
Like I commented last week, Who's Who did not feel like a match for Jinbe, and he wasn't. Jinbe utterly destroys him. I'm still waiting Jinbe to fight a commander in Act 4, be it Jack or Smoothie.
I don't think Who's Who role in the arc is over, but he sure isn't getting up to fight Jinbe anymore.
Last chapter, everyone was assuming Who's Who was in Impel Down level 6 and escaped during the mass breakout caused by Luffy. That was when he would have seen Jinbe. However, the prison was never named, a guard talking about slave myths seems awkward, and Who's Who revealed he escaped by himself. Was Who's Who imprisoned in Mary Geoise, since that's Cipher Pol's main headquarters?
Sun God Nika seems like a hook for the Mary Geoise arc I've been expecting to follow Wano. Hancock's capture, Slavery, the Revolutionaries and the Cipher Pols would be big in it, and maybe Nika is the reason Fisher Tiger named his crew the Sun Pirates? Man, I'm now hoping for a Hancock flashback featuring other slaves like Koala and Tiger.
I guess we will get a small Jinbe/Who's Who scene at the start of next chapter that will cap this fight off. Like when Zoro stopped to talk to Kaku after their fight. Let's see if any more talk/hints/foreshadowing comes out of it.
Wano predictions: There will be 5 acts; All Straw Hats will get fights, some in Act 4; Big Mom Pirates will arrive; Carrot will have her moment, but won't join; Yamato will be a Kouzuki samurai and Wano's Guardian; Shanks will visit Luffy in Act 5; Next arc is Mary Geoise.
The face Jinbro makes when he mentions that god makes it seem like he does in fact know about it, and that it was in part calling on the name of that god that made him snap. I reckon you could be right that he meant something to Fisher
Dont think the fight is over, didnt seem like an ending to me
@Joy:
Dont think the fight is over, didnt seem like an ending to me
I dunno, Who's Who was completely outmatched, and that big panel punch at the end felt like a finisher to me.
I don't think Who's Who is out of the arc, but I don't expect him to keep fighting Jinbe anymore.
Wano predictions: There will be 5 acts; All Straw Hats will get fights, some in Act 4; Big Mom Pirates will arrive; Carrot will have her moment, but won't join; Yamato will be a Kouzuki samurai and Wano's Guardian; Shanks will visit Luffy in Act 5; Next arc is Mary Geoise.
Some thoughts after reading the chapter a few times:
It all but confirms that Tekkai is an application of Armament Haki, as Who's Who's body turns black when he announces Tekkai.
Like I commented last week, Who's Who did not feel like a match for Jinbe, and he wasn't. Jinbe utterly destroys him. I'm still waiting Jinbe to fight a commander in Act 4, be it Jack or Smoothie.
I don't think Who's Who role in the arc is over, but he sure isn't getting up to fight Jinbe anymore.
Last chapter, everyone was assuming Who's Who was in Impel Down level 6 and escaped during the mass breakout caused by Luffy. That was when he would have seen Jinbe. However, the prison was never named, a guard talking about slave myths seems awkward, and Who's Who revealed he escaped by himself. Was Who's Who imprisoned in Mary Geoise, since that's Cipher Pol's main headquarters?
Sun God Nika seems like a hook for the Mary Geoise arc I've been expecting to follow Wano. Hancock's capture, Slavery, the Revolutionaries and the Cipher Pols would be big in it, and maybe Nika is the reason Fisher Tiger named his crew the Sun Pirates? Man, I'm now hoping for a Hancock flashback featuring other slaves like Koala and Tiger.
I guess we will get a small Jinbe/Who's Who scene at the start of next chapter that will cap this fight off. Like when Zoro stopped to talk to Kaku after their fight. Let's see if any more talk/hints/foreshadowing comes out of it.
I would guess he somehow caught a glimpse of Jinbei when he was a Warlord and they were gathered at Mariejois for whatever reason.
Ouch, Whos Who having his finger broken/bend during his Finger Pistol attack, looked painful. Pretty cool villain though, so I hope he's not out yet, especially if he's supposed to be on Lucci's level.
Nikai=Joy Boy?
….Nah.
I dunno, Who's Who was completely outmatched, and that big panel punch at the end felt like a finisher to me.
I don't think Who's Who is out of the arc, but I don't expect him to keep fighting Jinbe anymore.
Weve seen attacks much fiercer from Jinbe than this. This was a strong attack yes, but im expecting the ancient zoan user to get back up.
Also, is there something in July-August that's like a holiday in Japan to merit WSJ having breaks so quickly inbetween?
I dunno, Who's Who was completely outmatched, and that big panel punch at the end felt like a finisher to me.
If Ulti can get up after being hit by Big Mom's attack so can Who Who. (Unless an Ancient Cat Zoan does not have the durability of an Ancient Dragon.)
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
@Johnny:
Also, is there something in July-August that's like a holiday in Japan to merit WSJ having breaks so quickly inbetween?
Olympics I guess? The four Magazine breaks I know is Golden Week, Obon, Christmas and New Year.
I wonder if WhosWho stronger than Vergo was or if actually Vergo would be a match for Jinbei strength and CoA haki.
Seems like next chapter WhosWho mask will be shown broken and within chapter or two CP0 will aim at finishing WhosWho and maybe also Jinbei.
@Joy:
Weve seen attacks much fiercer from Jinbe than this. This was a strong attack yes, but im expecting the ancient zoan user to get back up.
If Ulti can get up after being hit by Big Mom's attack so can Who Who. (Unless an Ancient Cat Zoan does not have the durability of an Ancient Dragon.)
Getting up? I think Who's Who's totally capable of that. Keep fighting Jinbe? That's what I doubt will happen.
Ulti got up, yes, but she learned that fighting Big Mom was a terrible idea and went after weaker opponents.
Wano predictions: There will be 5 acts; All Straw Hats will get fights, some in Act 4; Big Mom Pirates will arrive; Carrot will have her moment, but won't join; Yamato will be a Kouzuki samurai and Wano's Guardian; Shanks will visit Luffy in Act 5; Next arc is Mary Geoise.
No way Who's Who should be down for good given how much Ulti could take (also the CP0 stuff has to be resolved now anyhow), but it's also clear that he busts out something new that he is no match for Jinbe. Great fight chapter overall, makes me more hyped to see the other fights, particularly Robin's.
Some thoughts after reading the chapter a few times:
- It all but confirms that Tekkai is an application of Armament Haki, as Who's Who's body turns black when he announces Tekkai.
Yep, I know the Vivre Cards said this, but it was nice to get confirmation with my own eyes within the manga itself.
Getting up? I think Who's Who's totally capable of that. Keep fighting Jinbe? That's what I doubt will happen.
Ulti got up, yes, but she learned that fighting Big Mom was a terrible idea and went after weaker opponents.
If CP0 is indeed going to aim for Who's Who, then Jinbe is fighting or confronting them next.
Oda already started this Nika plotline with Jinbe being involved, so he might as well go to the end with it. CP0 is the next logical step after a disgraced CP9 agent.
Plus, who better than Jinbe to fight the World Nobles' agents?
I saw a lot of discussion about Tama's ability. While I understand how some people are uncomfortable with it, the brainwashing idea never even occurred to me. I saw her ability as instant taming not brainwashing.
The fight was great, its length was fine as well. The CP-0 guy implying that Who's Who wouldn't be a match for Jinbe did kill the tension a little but tension hasn't really been this arc's big strength (or post-timeskip OP's strength in general to be honest). Still it worked beautifully to showcase Jinbe's abilities and his personality.
Really enjoyed this one. The fight felt intense, the discrimination angle gave it some extra oomph, two interesting styles to see go head to head, and just some sorely needed real action for Jinbe.
I guess we'll cross the Gomu Gomu no Mi being important bridge when we come to it, for now all we can tell is it was being guarded and Who's Who was imprisoned for a long time. Other than that, we're just left to assume.
I can deal with the fruit being important, but I don't want it to be one of the best fruits. To me that gets rid of the whole underdog angle that this series has had for many of its arcs.
CP0 was very interesting this chapter. "His information is outdated so it doesn't matter if he leaks it?" Hmmm.
But they'll still kill him anyway. Also, "It doesn't matter to us who wins?" Vegapunk's new invention must be insanely powerful.
Croc or Enel would never.
Wanna see the "ancient civilization destroyed" thing done really well? FFXIV did a great take on it. The bar's high for One Piece to beat.
If CP0 is indeed going to aim for Who's Who, then Jinbe is fighting or confronting them next.
Oda already started this Nika plotline with Jinbe being involved, so he might as well go to the end with it. CP0 is the next logical step after a disgraced CP9 agent.
Considering it's related to slavery, I feel "Sun God Nika" will be a long-term plot and not something that's being solved this arc. I consider it a hook for a salve-centric storyline later.
Plus, who better than Jinbe to fight the World Nobles' agents?
There's Robin as well.
Considering how much CP-0 has been a factor since Dressrosa, I think that story will be carried over to next arc, which I expect to be Mary Geoise. There we can find all kinds of slavery, Revolutionary and CP-0 goodness.
Wano predictions: There will be 5 acts; All Straw Hats will get fights, some in Act 4; Big Mom Pirates will arrive; Carrot will have her moment, but won't join; Yamato will be a Kouzuki samurai and Wano's Guardian; Shanks will visit Luffy in Act 5; Next arc is Mary Geoise.
Interesting wording choice between the different translations.
About the Sun God: That's just Joy Boy again, isn't it? He had given a promise to the Fishmen that he wasn't able to keep (probably that he'd free them from discrimination and bring them to the surface on Noa) and he had probably given a similar promise to other enslaved folks as well. Now it's up to his reincarnation/successor to fulfill it. I hate the chosen one premise as much as the next guy but this is very likely what we're dealing with now.
Considering it's related to slavery, I feel "Sun God Nika" will be a long-term plot and not something that's being solved this arc. I consider it a hook for a salve-centric storyline later.
There's Robin as well.
Considering how much CP-0 has been a factor since Dressrosa, I think that story will be carried over to next arc, which I expect to be Mary Geoise. There we can find all kinds of slavery, Revolutionary and CP-0 goodness.
Yet, Who's Who plot can't be delayed since CP0 outright stated that his death is their single priority.
Jinbe doesn't look like someone who would leave somebody to die.
So the VS Chapters have finally started. IMO they should have started on them earlier, and it feels like a lot of the chapters before 1000 were only there to ensure the rooftop fight happens in chapter 1000. But anyway, we get a confirmation that Shanks stole the Gum-Gum fruit directly,but nothing else about the Gum-Gum Fruit. Even the CP0 didn't comment on it when they talked about Who's-Who, and instead mentioned some classified intel he had. It could still be brought up later,but I guess we'll have to wait a while to confirm whether some legendary person had the Gomu-Gomu fruit or not.
The fight was nice, although I felt it was a but rushed. A couple of extra pages would have made it more impactful IMO. And about Nika. It's pretty interesting honestly. I think this is one of the rare times Gods are explicitly talked about in OP?Not counting the Skypiean human Gods, the only other time I can recall names of God being dropped are the ancient weapons,which are supposedly named after Gods, and the God of Elbaf, who Dorry and Broggy seemed to believe in a lot. Given that it's supposedly a taboo, there could be a significant relationship between Nika and Uranus,Poseidon and Pluton(the Gods, not the Weapons)
Jinbei shows just how awesome he is, yet again. Although I feel like this is the first time he's gotten a true VS. fight like all the Strawhats before him. Maybe that's what makes him feel like more of a part of the crew than past battles.
Also, what a way to punch America right in the gut, Oda. A chapter-ending line like that fits America's current problems (and a lot of similar race problems in the world, actually) too well. And on the 4th even.
This Sun God story came out of nowhere but now I'm wondering what it is all about and the connection it has to Jinbei, Fisher Tiger, and the Sun Pirates. Seems like Fisher didn't choose the Sun just because of the convenience of the tattoo covering the slave brand.
It seems the name Nika is written in katakana so it is ニカ. It just so happens that these two katakana characters also look exactly like some kanji ニ = 2 and カ = power, strength. So, technically his name could be read as "Strength in 2" or "Power of 2." Does this refer to Fisher and Jinbei in some way? Fisher had the strength to free the slaves but didn't have the strength needed to forgive humanity for their evils. Jinbei didn't free the slaves, but he took over the Sun pirates after Fisher, and seems to have the strength to forgive humanity and accept someone like Luffy as his captain. He also donated his blood to Luffy, whereas Fisher Tiger refused to accept blood from humans.
Maybe Nika's name has something to do with Fisher Tiger and being a fishman. Technically, he is a fish and a man, therefore he is 2 things, compared to humans just being man. Fisher also created and was the captain of the Sun pirates. It does seem reasonable to think that Nika refers to Fisher Tiger, who did free the slaves, and whose symbol was the sun, so therefore any future slaves would pray and hope for Fisher to come and free them as well. Of course the World Government and the Marines all serve at the whims of the Celestial Dragons so any talk of anti-slavery would be an affront to the Celestial Dragons, hence the guard spreading stories of Fisher as some hero being disappeared. The Celestial Dragons probably made any talk of Fisher or slaves being freed taboo.
These could just be the ravings of a mad man but I don't really have anything else to go on so this is what I came up with.
Avatar Artist: Aapo Niemi
Jinbei shows just how awesome he is, yet again. Although I feel like this is the first time he's gotten a true VS. fight like all the Strawhats before him. Maybe that's what makes him feel like more of a part of the crew than past battles.
Also, what a way to punch America right in the gut, Oda. A chapter-ending line like that fits America's current problems (and a lot of similar race problems in the world, actually) too well. And on the 4th even.
America or not, this is such a good allegory of real world racism. Not a very subtle one, granted, but the whole minority races + slavery subplot is one of the best things Oda has given us in the last 10+ years.
This Sun God story came out of nowhere but now I'm wondering what it is all about and the connection it has to Jinbei, Fisher Tiger, and the Sun Pirates. Seems like Fisher didn't choose the Sun just because of the convenience of the tattoo covering the slave brand.
It seems the name Nika is written in katakana so it is ニカ. It just so happens that these two katakana characters also look exactly like some kanji ニ = 2 and カ = power, strength. So, technically his name could be read as "Strength in 2" or "Power of 2." Does this refer to Fisher and Jinbei in some way? Fisher had the strength to free the slaves but didn't have the strength needed to forgive humanity for their evils. Jinbei didn't free the slaves, but he took over the Sun pirates after Fisher, and seems to have the strength to forgive humanity and accept someone like Luffy as his captain. He also donated his blood to Luffy, whereas Fisher Tiger refused to accept blood from humans.
Maybe Nika's name has something to do with Fisher Tiger and being a fishman. Technically, he is a fish and a man, therefore he is 2 things, compared to humans just being man. Fisher also created and was the captain of the Sun pirates. It does seem reasonable to think that Nika refers to Fisher Tiger, who did free the slaves, and whose symbol was the sun, so therefore any future slaves would pray and hope for Fisher to come and free them as well. Of course the World Government and the Marines all serve at the whims of the Celestial Dragons so any talk of anti-slavery would be an affront to the Celestial Dragons, hence the guard spreading stories of Fisher as some hero being disappeared. The Celestial Dragons probably made any talk of Fisher or slaves being freed taboo.
These could just be the ravings of a mad man but I don't really have anything else to go on so this is what I came up with.
The story is about ancient slaves though, and Tiger died like 10 or so years ago, a bit after Who's Who imprisonment. Who's Who should've known about him since he was CP9 back then.
So do ya'll think the outdated intel was regarding the gomu fruit, Shanks or the forbidden god? I reckon that if it was about Nika it would still be hush hush since that sort of thing has void century written all over it. And both Shanks and Luffy are now wellknown pirates beyond the scope of what could reasonably be swept under the carpet. So i'm gonna hazard a guess that it was either about the existance of the fruit itself or a specific use for it that Luffy undermined by eating it, or something Shanks was planning to do or announce with it relating to Rogers will that was similarly made moot by Luffy munching it down.
So do ya'll think the outdated intel was regarding the gomu fruit, Shanks or the forbidden god? I reckon that if it was about Nika it would still be hush hush since that sort of thing has void century written all over it. And both Shanks and Luffy are now wellknown pirates beyond the scope of what could reasonably be swept under the carpet. So i'm gonna hazard a guess that it was either about the existance of the fruit itself or a specific use for it that Luffy undermined by eating it, or something Shanks was planning to do or announce with it relating to Rogers will that was similarly made moot by Luffy munching it down.
I guess something like that.
Goverment likely had a plan for the Gomu Gomu, but Shanks stole it and Luffy ate it, rendering the plan moot.
Will Oda even gonna properly address that Level 6 escapees subplot? Outside of the Blackbeard Pirates, all that is worty mentioning about was giving Sengoku motivation to step down as Fleet Admiral.
Badass.
Took a while, but there´s the brick punch I was waiting for.
Thanks.
Dude put up a solid fight though, more than I expected.
You know, with Ulti & Page One defeated, Who's Who most likely defeated, and Drake defecting, I really wish Oda had revealed the Tobi Roppo bounties in Chapter 998.
This was a tasty chapter. It's going to be a long couple of months with all of the pending breaks. I'm always all for Oda's health, but it is frustrating when the regular breaks coincide with the magazine holiday breaks the way they are about to. I hope all of these are leading to better health for all of the mangaka, since it seems like most of the major Jump series are featuring these breaks.
Great chapter and great fight. Short and to the point with a grand finisher.
I feel it's certain Nika is related to Shandora and the war that occurred there during the void century. What I'm more curious about is whether Joy Boy and Nika is the same person or not. Up until now I took it for given that Luffy will become the next Joy Boy, but it would be cool if that's a subversion and someone else takes that mantle while Luffy might have connections to Nika instead. Thankfully the whole gomu-fruit-was-stolen-from-a-government-ship plot has become a bit more palatable for me after letting the news rest for a while, I hope Shanks had some grand plans for that fruit and Luffy ruined it by eating it. I just hope he didn't give the hat to Luffy because of the fruit.
Who's who's racism was also dealt with nicely. Instead of being a stereotypical hateful jerk he felt genuinely sympathetic, but also ignorant. I understand where he comes from but I also understand why Jinbei got so angry.
This was great.
It seems like Who's Who escaped from prison on his own which would mean he wasn't in Impel Down.
I love that we are learning a bit more about Who's Who's background and that we can expect the same for King and Queen at least.
I can already tell the Animal Kingdom pirates are probably going to be my favorite villain group ahead of CP9 and Baroque Works. The Tobi Roppo have been a great addition.
Is that 2 breaks in the summer a new thing for WSJ ? From my experience it was always 1 for GW, 1 for the summer and 2 in winter.
Anyway, re-reading this chapter, all I have to say is that I hope Jinbe gets a small flashback next week to show how he learned about Nika (and if we could finally get a look at the Fishman Dojo that would be great).
Great chapter, loved the fight and Jinbe's ferocity. I can't quite decide if what made him snap at the end was the Nika allusion (and why then) or the slavery/fishmen trashtalk. I hope we get an explanation eventually, but if Nika is related to Void Century / D stuff, it might be a looooooong way down the road.
What's the general take on the final brick punch, though. Is it the fishman karate equivalent of coating your fist with Conqueror Haki (would be fitting for Jinbro to have it), or something else entirely ?
This was another really impressive chapter that did a lot to move the story forward. The end of the battle is getting closer. Which fight will be the next one to conclude?
The cover
I don't usually comment on the regular cover pages, but this one is too cute not to. The sibling dynamic! The plushes representing the rest of the crew! It really is a joy to look at.
The Gifter rampage
I'm surprised we're still spending so much time on Nami, Usopp and Tama with the Gifters turned. It makes sense that the Beasts Pirates would go for Tama, hoping her power will be disabled if she falls, but I didn't expect it to be so much onscreen. But the scene earns its keep with two things near the end. There's the confirmation of Zeus as a sidekick and friend to Nami and perhaps more interestingly, we've got Usopp's comment on her new power. Does he feel like he's falling behind again? I've been saying since Page One got downed than Usopp needs something else to do this arc. What's Oda going to throw at the group so he can show off some new tricks?
Good to see Daifugo going more stuff too. I always really liked his design.
Cipher Pol
Battle updates are always welcome, and this one shows how close to the end we're getting. It's cool that so many of the mook pirates are choosing to follow the Gifters in turning on Kaido. We've established already that the lower ranks of the crew aren't treated well, and we know that the structure is a ruthless meritocracy with loyalty only to those more powerful than yourself. And at around 30,000 men, there's no chance of the executives having one on one time with the underlings. It tracks perfectly that so many underlings would follow their Headliner squad leader over the larger crew, and that they would go with the tide of battle when it turned.
The fish catches the cat
Jinbe's first big onscreen solo fight doesn't disappoint. It's a shame he didn't get a chance to do this kind of showing off at Whole Cake Island, given how late he's joined the crew, but at least we've got it now. Jinbe's got a bulky frame and moves that rely on throws and big, slow punches made with wide, low stances. Though we see that he can move fast when he needs to, he's ultimately a tank built to absorb hits and respond in kind. He's also got a brutal kind of efficiency to him, breaking hands and stomping on tails, that's refreshing to see. I went into this fight thinking he's going to be too lead-footed to give me the kind of dynamic, zippy fights I enjoy most, but the no-sell to reply structure had good tension and payoff, and the ruthless moves near the end were extremely satisfying, so mark me down as looking forward to future Jinbe fights.
It's also cool seeing a Strawhat do the full-body haki thing. I don't know if I would have expected it to be Jinbe who did it, but good on him being the one.
Finally, the big volley of finger pistols near the end is a great counterpoint to one of the big misconceptions that comes up around haki: that it's a straight-up power dickmeasure, and the one with weaker haki is completely overwhelmed by the one with stronger haki. See how it plays out here: Jinbe defends with full-body armament while Who's Who attacks with his own armament. These atacks do real harm to Jinbe, visibly and obviously drawing blood, but eventually Who's Who's fingers are broken by Jinbe's hardness. Neither one's haki beat out or nullified the others. Jinbe's haki was at the same time not strong enough to completey stop Who's Who's attack and at the same time strong enough to wear down Who's Who's armoured fingers. Despite Jinbe coming out as the much stronger party, the haki clash was not winner takes all.
Hopefully people remember that for future fights and debates about strength.
Who's Who's heated moment
It's not like Oda's shied away from themes of prejudice in this series, but I was not expecting Who's Who to go mask-off (so to speak) at Jinbe all of a sudden. What's interesting is that Jinbe, by all accounts one of the world's most prominent fishman figures, responds like he doesn't hear this kind of thing all that much anymore. He's old enough to have heard it and look weary about it, but he talks like society is a bit past casual racism in this day and age. What can we infer from that?
Well maybe Who's Who is just a bit of a dickhead as an individual. Maybe after spending the better part of a decade in prison, he hasn't really been able to keep up with social progress. Perhaps it speaks to the kind of culture maintained in the offices of Cipher Pol and other government operatives.
The last option would be consistent with how Oda has commented on social issues in the past. Fishman Island attacks issues of prejudice from a structural angle, pointing out how attitudes towards different people are passed down between generations. 200 years ago, the lawmakers of the World Goverment considered fishmen and merfolk no different from ocean fauna. The law has edged forward, but the Celestial Dragons are insulated from society to the point they don't even want to breathe the same air as commonfolk; what kind of attitudes have been festering in the upper ranks of the government without any real contact with the world to counter them?
And while the laws have progressed over the years, the status quo has changed little. The fishman are no longer openly discriminated against, but they still lack the right to emigrate from the sea floor, a location every pirate entering the New World is funneled through, and which is right below a slavery hotspot, possibly the worst place for them to live. Consider how in the real world many minority groups are less likely to have slurs thrown at them in the street than their parents and grandparents' generations, but remain trapped by a lack of class mobility, leaving them in the same poor, opportunity-less socioeconomic area as their forebears. All the while, inherited wealth and better opportunities off the starting block keep olgarch class ahead of everyone else in the race. The structural elements outlive the overt bigotry. No wonder it's a sensitive topic for Jinbe.
And then there's the big reveal, the Sun God Nika. A messianic figure for slaves that the World Government is apparently trying to keep the stories of from spreading. A man who would bring freedom and laughter to the oppressed peoples of the world. The implications to the developing lore of Joyboy and the Dawn are immediate and obvious. It also gets me thinking about the battle of God Valley, in which Roger allegedly defended the Celestial Dragons' slaves from Rocks. Even if it was before Laugh Tale, did Roger know about Nika the same way he knows about Joyboy? Then what's his motive, and what is that of Rocks? Different interpretations of the Nika story, or was Rocks perhaps planning to slaughter the slaves to remove the conditions for Nika's appearance?
Whatever the case, this was another extremely satisfying chapter. With the amount of breaks we're due the next few weeks, hopefully all of the next lot give us this much to think about. I'd tip the Black Maria fight to be the next one put in-focus and wrapped up, given that it's a floor below Jinbe and we've already seen the effects of the battle being felt on the lower floor. It'd be an easy transition, if Oda chooses to take it. And there seems to finally be the WT100 colour spread to look forward to! I was one chapter short in my guess for it last week.
@Zar:
Great chapter and great fight. Short and to the point with a grand finisher.
I feel it's certain Nika is related to Shandora and the war that occurred there during the void century. What I'm more curious about is whether Joy Boy and Nika is the same person or not. Up until now I took it for given that Luffy will become the next Joy Boy, but it would be cool if that's a subversion and someone else takes that mantle while Luffy might have connections to Nika instead. Thankfully the whole gomu-fruit-was-stolen-from-a-government-ship plot has become a bit more palatable for me after letting the news rest for a while, I hope Shanks had some grand plans for that fruit and Luffy ruined it by eating it. I just hope he didn't give the hat to Luffy because of the fruit.
Who's who's racism was also dealt with nicely. Instead of being a stereotypical hateful jerk he felt genuinely sympathetic, but also ignorant. I understand where he comes from but I also understand why Jinbei got so angry.
Yeah, one sees the word “racism” and it might draw assumptions of Who’s-Who being on a mission to prove the human race is superior to every fishmen in the world, but him asking questions like this basically shows how much he has failed to learn and how much of a product he is of that, combined with his villain role in downtalking on fishmen only to then acknowledge their slave history as if that’s all their is to it, as if to put salt in the wound.
I need to see Who's Who bend his finger in the anime.
Most likely irrelevant, but is this supposed to be a bandaged up Beast Pirate or something.
It won't surprise me if who who is down for good.
Some talk about ulti getting back up but jinbe was savage this fight .
Broken finger and then wrist and then full power move to the face in a short time could mean KO.
Who's Who's heated moment
It's not like Oda's shied away from themes of prejudice in this series, but I was not expecting Who's Who to go mask-off (so to speak) at Jinbe all of a sudden. What's interesting is that Jinbe, by all accounts one of the world's most prominent fishman figures, responds like he doesn't hear this kind of thing all that much anymore. He's old enough to have heard it and look weary about it, but he talks like society is a bit past casual racism in this day and age. What can we infer from that?Well maybe Who's Who is just a bit of a dickhead as an individual. Maybe after spending the better part of a decade in prison, he hasn't really been able to keep up with social progress. Perhaps it speaks to the kind of culture maintained in the offices of Cipher Pol and other government operatives.
The last option would be consistent with how Oda has commented on social issues in the past. Fishman Island attacks issues of prejudice from a structural angle, pointing out how attitudes towards different people are passed down between generations. 200 years ago, the lawmakers of the World Goverment considered fishmen and merfolk no different from ocean fauna. The law has edged forward, but the Celestial Dragons are insulated from society to the point they don't even want to breathe the same air as commonfolk; what kind of attitudes have been festering in the upper ranks of the government without any real contact with the world to counter them?
And while the laws have progressed over the years, the status quo has changed little. The fishman are no longer openly discriminated against, but they still lack the right to emigrate from the sea floor, a location every pirate entering the New World is funneled through, and which is right below a slavery hotspot, possibly the worst place for them to live. Consider how in the real world many minority groups are less likely to have slurs thrown at them in the street than their parents and grandparents' generations, but remain trapped by a lack of class mobility, leaving them in the same poor, opportunity-less socioeconomic area as their forebears. All the while, inherited wealth and better opportunities off the starting block keep olgarch class ahead of everyone else in the race. The structural elements outlive the overt bigotry. No wonder it's a sensitive topic for Jinbe.
And then there's the big reveal, the Sun God Nika. A messianic figure for slaves that the World Government is apparently trying to keep the stories of from spreading. A man who would bring freedom and laughter to the oppressed peoples of the world. The implications to the developing lore of Joyboy and the Dawn are immediate and obvious. It also gets me thinking about the battle of God Valley, in which Roger allegedly defended the Celestial Dragons' slaves from Rocks. Even if it was before Laugh Tale, did Roger know about Nika the same way he knows about Joyboy? Then what's his motive, and what is that of Rocks? Different interpretations of the Nika story, or was Rocks perhaps planning to slaughter the slaves to remove the conditions for Nika's appearance?
Whatever the case, this was another extremely satisfying chapter. With the amount of breaks we're due the next few weeks, hopefully all of the next lot give us this much to think about. I'd tip the Black Maria fight to be the next one put in-focus and wrapped up, given that it's a floor below Jinbe and we've already seen the effects of the battle being felt on the lower floor. It'd be an easy transition, if Oda chooses to take it. And there seems to finally be the WT100 colour spread to look forward to! I was one chapter short in my guess for it last week.
I suppose Jinbe describing his casual racism being out of style these days could imply that he modern society in One Piece has moved past that to a partial extent in spite of what’s going on the Celestial Dragons and the nobles accusing Hatchan being a disgusting fishmen monster. I suooose it could be do to Jinbe’s own efforts when he was a warlord and Whitebeard protecting Fishmen Island which could send the message that the fishmen are worth defending even if a pirate is defending them. With Who’s-Who presumably only growing up fighting as a Cypher Pol trainee, it’s possible this might also be saying that he never really got to learn about the world as he should have and is a product of that by talking about fishmen moving less fast on land as if to insult them and asking things about Nika, which can show how lacking he is in knowledge not just as a villain either.
And in regards to the topic of class mobility for minorities, while people of a certain background inherent more money and the like because of supposedly being “born great,” leaving a disproportionate structure, would that then mean to say that there’s a structure waiting that just waiting to be torn down, going back to Luffy burning down the government flag, Dragon going against the government in the name of freedom, and Im being responsible for the class and wealth imbalance with him being the king of the world and responsible for any atrocities that he plays a role in? Because it’s understood that any institution can have the guilty no matter how clean it looks on the outside, right? That’s definitely a reason the sun would be there for.
This is how you organically upgrade a Straw Hat through multiple arcs.
Nami stole the weapon of a Yonkou, powers it through the skills she trained two years for and finally befriended this living tool not through threats of death, but her own personality.
No one but Nami could have done that, only her unique set of skills made it possible (thievery, weather knowledge & her seductive techniques).
Can you see how carefully Oda handled it? How he made sure that it doesn't look like Nami is just getting carried by her upgrade? She grew into it, and Oda wasted a ton of seemingly unnecessary panels to hammer that home. I wish her commander fight would have been done differently, but at least I have no issues with how she got her endgame upgrade.
Those of you who read the spoiler section might remember my lengthy rants about how Sanji's Raid Suit is treated in the complete opposite fashion - it's simply slapped on his character without much love and effort, with the minimum amount of creativity involved. The Raid Suit makes Sanji faster and fixes his most severe weak spot (defense), and it grants him a skill that used to be the unique selling point of another crewmember (invisibility) - but in his own words: "I don't need it because I have my own fighting style". The suit doesn't organically build on what Sanji worked hard for (see Nami) -it's the opposite: the Suit makes his TS efforts partially obsolete.
Being the only reliable flyer of the crew thanks to the timeskip training? Wasted effort, the Raid Suit allows flight baseline.
Being one of the fastest Straw Hats thanks to those prized legs he forged in hell? Wasted effort, the Raid Suit comes with accelerators, an in-built Soru.
And don't get me wrong, this isn't about whether one likes the Raid Suit upgrade or whether it thematically fits Sanji - I'm strictly talking about how this upgrade is drastically different when it comes to portrayal. Sanji is not growing into the Suit the same way Nami grew into Zeus or Zoro into Enma - it's just there, mocking his own timeskip efforts.
At least that's what I thought up until recently. Specifically until Sanji screamed for Robin's help, when he lured her into a deathtrap because he had full trust in her. I know people didn't seem to like that, but I thought it was an amazing moment and I honestly regret that I experienced it through spoilers. So I was thinking, what if this is similiar? What if Sanji's growth is throwing his own style and dignity over board? Admitting that he hit a ceiling and that he needs to rely on technology to keep up? Technology that allows him what he did before - just better and without effort?
I still believe that the destruction of the Raid Suit is a real possiblity, and that Sanji will defeat Queen in base mode (the strongest spear is guts!), but at this point I could see it being here to stay. Because, and that brings me back to the current chapter - Jinbe now had the "Martial Arts" battle of the arc. Under normal circumstances, ignoring power levels, Who's Who would be Sanji's opponent no question.
Sanji vs. Fishman Karate Dude
Sanji vs. Okama Kenpo Dude
Sanji vs. Tekkai Kenpo Dude
Sanji vs. Mad Monk Fishdude
Sanji vs. Vice Admiral CoA Dude
Sanji vs. Lucci on crack Dude
…you get the idea.
So does this mean Jinbe took the "Martial Arts" theme fights from Sanji, who in turn is now moving to technology themed fights? Because if he does then Sanji vs. Burgess is suddenly really unlikely, despite the numerous things they have in common...
Either way, the next couple chapters will be interesting. Jinbe being allowed one full chapter worth of combat means Sanji will have at least that, and I'm super looking forward to it. I'm not getting my hopes up for Robin yet, but... well maybe a little.
This is how you organically upgrade a Straw Hat through multiple arcs.
Nami stole the weapon of a Yonkou, powers it through the skills she trained two years for and finally befriended this living tool not through threats of death, but her own personality.
No one but Nami could have done that, only her unique set of skills made it possible (thievery, weather knowledge & her seductive techniques).
Can you see how carefully Oda handled it? How he made sure that it doesn't look like Nami is just getting carried by her upgrade? She grew into it, and Oda wasted a ton of seemingly unnecessary panels to hammer that home. I wish her commander fight would have been done differently, but at least I have no issues with how she got her endgame upgrade.
Those of you who read the spoiler section might remember my lengthy rants about how Sanji's Raid Suit is treated in the complete opposite fashion - it's simply slapped on his character without much love and effort, with the minimum amount of creativity involved. The Raid Suit makes Sanji faster and fixes his most severe weak spot (defense), and it grants him a skill that used to be the unique selling point of another crewmember (invisibility) - but in his own words: "I don't need it because I have my own fighting style". The suit doesn't organically build on what Sanji worked hard for (see Nami) -it's the opposite: the Suit makes his TS efforts partially obsolete.
Being the only reliable flyer of the crew thanks to the timeskip training? Wasted effort, the Raid Suit allows flight baseline.
Being one of the fastest Straw Hats thanks to those prized legs he forged in hell? Wasted effort, the Raid Suit comes with accelerators, an in-built Soru.And don't get me wrong, this isn't about whether one likes the Raid Suit upgrade or whether it thematically fits Sanji - I'm strictly talking about how this upgrade is drastically different when it comes to portrayal. Sanji is not growing into the Suit the same way Nami grew into Zeus or Zoro into Enma - it's just there, mocking his own timeskip efforts.
At least that's what I thought up until recently. Specifically until Sanji screamed for Robin's help, when he lured her into a deathtrap because he had full trust in her. I know people didn't seem to like that, but I thought it was an amazing moment and I honestly regret that I experienced it through spoilers. So I was thinking, what if this is similiar? What if Sanji's growth is throwing his own style and dignity over board? Admitting that he hit a ceiling and that he needs to rely on technology to keep up? Technology that allows him what he did before - just better and without effort?
I still believe that the destruction of the Raid Suit is a real possiblity, and that Sanji will defeat Queen in base mode (the strongest spear is guts!), but at this point I could see it being here to stay. Because, and that brings me back to the current chapter - Jinbe now had the "Martial Arts" battle of the arc. Under normal circumstances, ignoring power levels, Who's Who would be Sanji's opponent no question.
Sanji vs. Fishman Karate Dude
Sanji vs. Okama Kenpo Dude
Sanji vs. Tekkai Kenpo Dude
Sanji vs. Mad Monk Fishdude
Sanji vs. Vice Admiral CoA Dude
Sanji vs. Lucci on crack Dude…you get the idea.
So does this mean Jinbe took the "Martial Arts" theme fights from Sanji, who in turn is now moving to technology themed fights? Because if he does then Sanji vs. Burgess is suddenly really unlikely, despite the numerous things they have in common...
Either way, the next couple chapters will be interesting. Jinbe being allowed one full chapter worth of combat means Sanji will have at least that, and I'm super looking forward to it. I'm not getting my hope for for Robin yet, but... well maybe a little.
I don't see the Raid Suit as a direct upgrade. It comes off more figurative and metaphorical. Sanji has denied the Vinsmoke name and family, just like he denied his Maiden heart. I see accepting the Raid Suit, the same as him coming to accept his Maiden nature. We've already seen him use the suit multiple times. It comes off too obvious that it will not be what gets him the win against Queen. He most likely will use the Suit again, then when it shows to be not enough for Queen, he may pull out his Maiden like utilities.
I believe Sanji's CoC will show for the 1st time as well once he resorts to his Maiden nature. He has called on Robin to show he can rely on friends and he used the suit he detest to keep his identity a secret while attempting to stop Pagey. All that to make take the largest step.
!
So does this mean there could be multiple sun gods that go by different names?
Currently doing a campaign to thank everyone. Thanks for having me in Jump and thanks for reading the manga
Why would he say this all of a sudden?
@All:
Why would he say this all of a sudden?
Probably speaking about that 50-character spread he promised to make.
Seems to me that who’s who was talking about ivanko. Iva’s people were the ones disappearing guards and prisoners.
Awesome chapter. Very focused on 1 scene. Jinbe is awesome, his moveset is quite versatile with karate punch, jujitsu and even water manipulation. Now no one can say that his fighting style is boring! Which is as far as I remember, is one of his main objection as crewmate back then.
Also apparently everything in Japan is on break for 2 weeks to celebrate Olympics, despite the pandemic. Which is fine, very optimistic and all… also more time for Oda to rest his weary bones.
I need to see Who's Who bend his finger in the anime.
Most likely irrelevant, but is this supposed to be a bandaged up Beast Pirate or something.
I saw that guy too.
Maybe Hawkin's or Kid's crew? Those guys are weird.
