The official chapter will be out on Sunday at 4pm Eastern, generally on the dot. You can read it for free at:
[https://www.viz.com/shonenjump/chapters/one-piece
Lol my bad, I meant scans from jaimini's box or mangastream
I do read them on the official web site when they come out and I have an account with Viz for $2 a month
His title is being the strongest swordsman. It's fine if people that aren't considered swordsman are stronger. If they are swordsman and stronger than it makes the narration wrong and the narration should be reliable.
Absolutely agree here, Oda won't lie to his readers like that. He trolls, he misleads, but he's always playing fair. If there is an intro box claiming that Mihawk is the strongest swordsman then he is known as the strongest swordsman, end of the story. The chances that Mihawk is a fraud, in the sense that he knows that he doesn't belong to the absolute top, is 0. Zero.
However, the disconnect is that we might simply misunderstand what that strongest swordsman title really means. In the early years most understood it as an easy way for our protagonist to achieve his dream. Mihawk is a cool tool, nothing more nothing less. Beat this guy and Zoro finds his All Blue, his One Piece. The almighty and all-knowing author, the god of the world, told us who the strongest swordsman is - out of hundreds of characters introduced and yet to be introduced.
But what if Oda considers the SSW-title not a tool, but an organic part of the world? That this is simply what people say about Mihawk based on whatever he accomplished in the past? His feats with the sword were so great and well-known that the public agreed to him being at the top, he's the strongest swordsman. In the same way Kaido is considered the strongest creature, who likely beats everyone else in a 1 vs. 1.
And that's what Zoro wants the public to say about him as well. Fame and name recognition is also his goal after all.
So achieving that dream can be fulfilled by beating Mihawk, or beating the guy who defeated Mihawk. Or, and that's something I didn't really consider before, he could be known as a massively powerful swordsman based on feats not related to fighting other pure swordsman!
Like being the "top commander" of the Pirate King. As a swordsman.
Anyway, what I'm getting at is that Oda isn't lying or toying with the narrative if we misunderstand what he intended. And as the years pass, it seems more and more like the SSW title wasn't an absolute statement from the all-knowing author. The main reasons being:
1. Mihawk never fought Vista, the swordsman and top commander of a Yonkou. THE Yonkou. I don't expect Mihawk to battle every single swordsman out there, the same way I wouldn't expect Usain Bolt to run against every sprinter in the world. But it did show that you don't have to beat other absolute top guys to keep that SSW title. Two ridiculously strong swordsman clashed for the first time, and Oda left the possible outcome to our imagination.
2. Same with Shanks vs. Mihawk, which had no conclusion as Miyamoto noted.
3. There is a secret area in the world where the Government holds people that had their entire history erased. People like Shiryu.
So we have three big fat bread crumbs telling us that the SSW title is really just public perception, not a title that needs to be fought over. Beating someone like Mihawk would certainly help, but it doesn't seem like a requirement at all.
It took me way too long to even consider this alternative route to SSW, which shows just how ingrained these early impressions are. But Oda isn't chained to Mihawk or even the guy who beats Mihawk! It would be still the clean solution, of course, but it's not set in stone.
Absolutely agree here, Oda won't lie to his readers like that. He trolls, he misleads, but he's always playing fair. If there is an intro box claiming that Mihawk is the strongest swordsman then he is known as the strongest swordsman, end of the story. The chances that Mihawk is a fraud, in the sense that he knows that he doesn't belong to the absolute top, is 0. Zero.
However, the disconnect is that we might simply misunderstand what that strongest swordsman title really means. In the early years most understood it as an easy way for our protagonist to achieve his dream. Mihawk is a cool tool, nothing more nothing less. Beat this guy and Zoro finds his All Blue, his One Piece. The almighty and all-knowing author, the god of the world, told us who the strongest swordsman is - out of hundreds of characters introduced and yet to be introduced.
But what if Oda considers the SSW-title not a tool, but an organic part of the world? That this is simply what people say about Mihawk based on whatever he accomplished in the past? His feats with the sword were so great and well-known that the public agreed to him being at the top, he's the strongest swordsman. In the same way Kaido is considered the strongest creature, who likely beats everyone else in a 1 vs. 1.
And that's what Zoro wants the public to say about him as well. Fame and name recognition is also his goal after all.So achieving that dream can be fulfilled by beating Mihawk, or beating the guy who defeated Mihawk. Or, and that's something I didn't really consider before, he could be known as a massively powerful swordsman based on feats not related to fighting other pure swordsman!
Like being the "top commander" of the Pirate King. As a swordsman.Anyway, what I'm getting at is that Oda isn't lying or toying with the narrative if we misunderstand what he intended. And as the years pass, it seems more and more like the SSW title wasn't an absolute statement from the all-knowing author. The main reasons being:
1. Mihawk never fought Vista, the swordsman and top commander of a Yonkou. THE Yonkou. I don't expect Mihawk to battle every single swordsman out there, the same way I wouldn't expect Usain Bolt to run against every sprinter in the world. But it did show that you don't have to beat other absolute top guys to keep that SSW title. Two ridiculously strong swordsman clashed for the first time, and Oda left the possible outcome to our imagination.
2. Same with Shanks vs. Mihawk, which had no conclusion as Miyamoto noted.
3. There is a secret area in the world where the Government holds people that had their entire history erased. People like Shiryu.
So we have three big fat bread crumbs telling us that the SSW title is really just public perception, not a title that needs to be fought over. Beating someone like Mihawk would certainly help, but it doesn't seem like a requirement at all.
It took me way too long to even consider this alternative route to SSW, which shows just how ingrained these early impressions are. But Oda isn't chained to Mihawk or even the guy who beats Mihawk! It would be still the clean solution, of course, but it's not set in stone.
Also we don't know exactly if using a sword is enough to qualify as a swordsman or if you only call yourself one if you want or there's some code to 'live by the sword' or what. Like, does Big Mom count as a swordsman? Or Kizaru? Or even Whitebeard who has one of the 12 top blades?
Anyway, what I'm getting at is that Oda isn't lying or toying with the narrative if we misunderstand what he intended. And as the years pass, it seems more and more like the SSW title wasn't an absolute statement from the all-knowing author.
So after the reveal of the real king of the world and the secret real rival of Roger we are about to discover the secret world strongest swordsman.Im and Rocks don't technically contradict anything they just lack set up. But The Strongest swordsman thing? Really?
It's been said by random thugs, informedo/important characters, the character itstelf and the freaking narration box that isn't the freaking thought bubble of an unseen character. At what point exactly is not just readers misinterpratating things but instead an author deciding that it doesn't matter what he established he can whatever the f he wants and we can eat shit if we don't like it?
He could just you know have the character be someone that trained for the last 2 years and became better than Mihawk. An easy explanation that doesn't pretend the readers were morons when they dared trusting information given by the damn manga they are reading in every way possible it could be communicated.
I know. Like I said I don't know when he got the title.
I mentioned several it's fine if he lost the title. It's the title itself being wrong that is my problem. Narration should be reliable information.
Kuina was crying about not being able to become the best and I interpretated the promise to be about that. But I guess it could just be holding a title claiming you're the best.
He did more than not correcting he confirmed it to Zoro and promised to stay the best.
Than it makes the interraction between Zoro and Mihawk fine since he is wrong instead of deceptive. Which was our discussion.It stills make narration unreliable but that's another discussion.
His title is being the strongest swordsman. It's fine if people that aren't considered swordsman are stronger. If they are swordsman and stronger than it makes the narration wrong and the narration should be reliable.
If Oda find a way to keep the narration true and do wathever that's fine. If the narration box is simply wrong that's that's my problem. The narration should be reliable.
Those supplementary materials are getting annoying. I shouldn't have to discuss stuff from outside the manga. Didn't we establish the vivre are BS because they were wrong about when Shanks became an emperor or something similar?
Zoro could get it from whoever has/earned the title after Mihawk or get it from his accomplishments.Not everyone. Only some like Nami mapping the world.
Before he fought Shanks and became Shichi. But even if it was after, it was not Yonkou Shanks, who only became ready to be called such 6 years ago.
That´s your opinion, once again nothing to do with actual likelihood of events. And even then, 1) Whitebeard´s case, 2) narration was wrong several times purposely, since it reiterates what the world thinks most of the time, and not from a perspective of all knowing narrator.
And losing the title can only happen once he is beat, pretty easy concept man. If meanwhile a swordsman stronger appeared, but does not care about the title or simply did not have the opportunity to fight Mihawk yet, Mihawk still holds the title. That neither means he is a fraud, nor purposely is tricking people, it´s the natural flow of things.
You would need to fight every swordsman to be ultimately certain. Mihawk never met Vista, and at least he was not an opponent he could face easily and halfheartedly, meaning he had to get serious (contrast to Kaidou vs Luffy for example), yet Mihawk still holds the title.
Yep, see above.
Characters promising things that turn out wrong has been a leitmotif for the entire manga…
Once again see above. This is a matter of opinion, and technically, Mihawk holds the title, and the world believes he holds teh title, that´s all that matters.
You keep repeating yourself. The same thing happened with Whitebeard, like you said, it had "factors in it", which already makes things non-absolute, once again all that matters. Similar factors will be there for Mihawk.
Unlike previous databooks, Oda actually claimed to be personally involved, and also claimed it is a passion project, hence why they received and receive more legitimacy.
If you want to disregard them because of one mistake, sure that´s your prerogative, but it does not change much about the situation at hand either way.
Yep and we still need to see that fight, whoever against it is, you are talking besides the point. Zoro vs title holder will be his biggest fight in the manga, not an afterthought of a sparring session.
Did we find out anything about the 10/4 Buster Call thing yet?
I accept Jesus Burgess as my Lord and Savior 
@Medical:
Did we find out anything about the 10/4 Buster Call thing yet?
The #BUSTERCALL project is an official One Piece project licensed by Shueisha with the intention of gathering several artists from across the world to produce art pieces about the series in several shapes and forms, with a particular edgy tone to it all. - Artur on Twitter
I don't think this has been posted on AP yet, so here it goes. The three Rocks members we don't really have a clear visual of have been forshadowed as back as Thriller Back:
Eh, fuck it.
Only captain John out of those is confirmed.
I don't think this has been posted on AP yet, so here it goes. The three Rocks members we don't really have a clear visual of have been forshadowed as back as Thriller Back:
[qimg]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EGHJyuiWoAI-GQ9?format=jpg&name=900x900[/qimg]
OH like this one
Have been those zombies named outside Captain John?
I think Silver Axe was an Elbaf Giant, personally. Wang Zhi, no clue. Maybe Chinjao's predecessor?
I think the most popular theory is that Shakky is Silver Axe.
@Johnny:
I think Silver Axe was an Elbaf Giant, personally.
Why do you think that? It doesn't match the Giant's naming scheme and we don't have any other real clue, though the picture up front is certainly appealing.
Wang Zhi, no clue. Maybe Chinjao's predecessor?
Yeah, might be cool if he's related to the Kano Country.
I think the most popular theory is that Shakky is Silver Axe.
I was looking at the Timeline thread in General, and if I read it right, she retired about 3 or so years before Rocks died.
Why do you think that? It doesn't match the Giant's naming scheme and we don't have any other real clue, though the picture up front is certainly appealing.
Vikings loved them some battle axes. And Elbaf is literally Giant Vikings. :P
@Johnny:
I was looking at the Timeline thread in General, and if I read it right, she retired about 3 or so years before Rocks died.
Vikings loved them some battle axes. And Elbaf is literally Giant Vikings. :P
I've certainly seen theories based on less.
Sorry for late reply in this thread.
I just want to share what I realized when watching the East Blue Saga and that is Rocks Pirates (including Yonko) are parallel to Buggy Pirates.
Big Mom - Alvida.
Kaido - Mohji the beast trainer.
Shiki the Golden Lion - Lion pet
Whitebeard - Mr. 3 white and his fire (ace)
Shanks - Cabaji (swordsman and left eye)
Captain John - The treasure Buggy got from Luffy
You can watch my whole theory and explanation here including BLACKBEARD! Oda is so Genius!
Thanks! When I saw Alvida's club I remembered Kaido's club and that's when it hit me so I started to dig more. And boom! Oda is really good at these kind of things.
