OMG, the little booger-fight between Luffy and Zoro is the most childish thing ever. Zoro doesn't often stoop to that sort of thing
This made me laugh really hard. My first time through the story, I didn't realize that Zoro was as dumb as the rest of them (excluding Nami, of course), until Little Garden. (At the time, it was so surprising to me that it's still one of my favorite fights.) But on this read-through, I was sort of surprised to see how obvious it is early on (even, as you pointed out, in the first volume when he says he got lost trying to get back to his village).
Sanji is like Usopp's protector/big brother
Aww, now I'm sad that I never noticed this (since the other friendship you mention is one of my favorites). I'll have to watch for it more carefully.
I keep forgetting that it was Mihawk who wrecked Krieg's armada shortly after it arrived on the Grand Line.
I had TOTALLY forgotten about this; it makes Zoro's New World introduction make a lot more sense (and/or seem more significant).
I don't want to get spoilery, [so I won't]but is New World an arc or a...reboot isn't the right word. I'm under the impression that New World is structured narratively like the start of a *new* story, with people talking about "introductions" for the characters that you've known for 60 volumes. Is it a fresh start of sorts? Has a goal been achieved and a new goal been set, and is that even possible if Luffy hasn't achieved his overarching goal of becoming King of the Pirates?
[Let's spoiler protect this whole thing] New World: yes, exactly. I don't know how much you want to know, but it does represent a reboot of sorts that begins at volume 61. (If you don't consider pictures of future crew members spoilers, compare the cover of volume 1 with the cover of volume 61. It doesn't show on the covers, but the title of Volume 1 is "Romance Dawn"; 61 is "Romance Dawn for the New World.") Not a reboot in the sense that anything that went before is lost, but everything is stepped up a notch, so to speak.
The New World is the second half of the Grand Line (literally, the Grand Line is bisected by a land mass at opposite ends of the globe), and only the strongest pirates make it that far. Completing the first half of the Grand Line definitely marked a milestone toward Luffy achieving his goal (which is still the same).
It's also a re-introduction in the sense that the Strawhats are reuniting after a period spent apart training, so they're all much stronger. "Zoro's New World introduction" means the first time we see Zoro after the break.
I hope that wasn't more spoiler than you wanted! I'm always happy to answer questions, but I don't want to spoil the fun for you.
I have a weird bipolar reaction to spoilers. I don't seek out anything about Korra or Once Upon a Time on the internet because I don't want to spoiled, but I can't think of a single instance where someone revealing a "spoiler" has ever spoiled the text for me (s_vamp, Bleach; w_10_00, FMA...I think she's finally recovered from the horror). If all a story has going for it is surprise, it's not really worth my time.
I would reveal my biggest 1P spoiler just to let you know that you haven't exceeded it, but I think that should be saved for the chapter in which it appears. See you in....120 days? (total guessy math)
What does it mean to be King of the Pirates, anyway? Like, are there powers and authority or is it like Miss America?
Pirate King - don't read this comment in email!sara_tanaquilJune 11 2012, 00:01:01 UTC
Yay! I enjoy chattering on about One Piece things with you, but you have to warn me if I ever start to step over your spoiler limit.
(LOL, is 120 days a completely random number, or are you calculating on the basis of three days per chapter -- another forty chapters -- or two days per chapter -- maybe sixty chapters? Now I'm going to go nosing around chapters 93-113 to see what spoilery thing you might have been exposed to from there.)
Oooh, King of the Pirates speculation, fun!
Exactly what defines "King of the Pirates" is kind of vague. Maybe because the Pirate King is like porn -- you know one when you see one -- but more likely because Oda is holding out on us.
Things we know about the Pirate King that aren't spoilery at all, because they came up way early (like, volume 1):
The Pirate King is the man who has everything the world has to offer (この世の全て) ("wealth, fame, power..."). (Coby)
Roger said, at his execution, that "everything the world has to offer" is right where he left it, free for the taking. (He didn't actually use the word(s) "One Piece", though everyone seems to assume that's what he meant.)
The man who obtains "One Piece" will be the Pirate King. (Coby)
To be Pirate King is to "stand at the summit of the Great Pirate Age." (Coby)
Roger is the only man who ever conquered the Grand Line. (Gaimon)
Presumably, therefore, anyone who conquers the entire Grand Line has the potential to become the Pirate King.
[Laboon]According to Crocus, the culmination of the Grand Line is the island of Raftel in the New World, and all routes through the Grand Line ultimately lead there. Roger is the only man who ever made it that far (well, Roger and his crew -- some of whom are still alive).
[Shabondy]At least two crew members who, as far as we know, reached Raftel with Roger, have shown no interest in going on to succeed Roger as Pirate King, but instead are still happily pirating around the Grand Line, even though they would easily be powerful enough to make a bid for the title if they wanted it. Exactly why that is is a mystery.
As for powers... well. We have learned that Luffy does appear to have certain powers that Roger also had, but then, so do certain other people. The significance of that is far from fully understood at this point.
Oh, lord, that's right. I don't think my math is up to that challenge. (If you assume 3 days per 10 chapters... hmmm... Oh, well, if it's the spoiler I think it is, there is no greater OP spoiler. Well, we'll have to wait 120 days, then.)
if being King of the Pirates isn't enough to keep you from getting executed...
Well, there's more to that story, too. But that's another spoiler for another day!
It must be, right? I remember us telling her about it in Japan. And I agree, there is no greater spoiler. (For the record, I was spoiled on that one, too--not because someone told me directly, but because I could see that was the only thing that made sense with the reaction fandom had when it was running in the magazine--but I don't think it ruined anything for me.)
(Aww, we were watching the Mihawk episode in Japan. Let's go back!)
It's most obvious in Water 7, but once I started looking for it, it was everywhere. It's subtle, but it's there. (I will never, never get tired of the infinite permutations of relations among the Strawhat family -- the main reason I never would want to see in-crew romantic relationships in canon.)
It's hard to define the nature of their bond, since they're such different people. While Sanji and Zoro are rivals/equals and therefore always fight, I think maybe Sanji thinks of Usopp as the clumsy apprentice chef (or in this case, apprentice "brave warrior of the sea") who has tons of potential but needs an occasional nudge to realize it.
it makes Zoro's New World introduction make a lot more sense
I never made the connection between the Zoro/Mihawk battle and this chapter and Zoro's New World introduction until I was writing up the final notes for this chapter, and I was amazed to see how closely linked they actually are.
He really is, ugh.
OMG, the little booger-fight between Luffy and Zoro is the most childish thing ever. Zoro doesn't often stoop to that sort of thing
This made me laugh really hard. My first time through the story, I didn't realize that Zoro was as dumb as the rest of them (excluding Nami, of course), until Little Garden. (At the time, it was so surprising to me that it's still one of my favorite fights.) But on this read-through, I was sort of surprised to see how obvious it is early on (even, as you pointed out, in the first volume when he says he got lost trying to get back to his village).
Sanji is like Usopp's protector/big brother
Aww, now I'm sad that I never noticed this (since the other friendship you mention is one of my favorites). I'll have to watch for it more carefully.
I keep forgetting that it was Mihawk who wrecked Krieg's armada shortly after it arrived on the Grand Line.
I had TOTALLY forgotten about this; it makes Zoro's New World introduction make a lot more sense (and/or seem more significant).
Reply
[also spoiler]Does New World start at volume 61?
People who have read the entire series need not fear my spoilers. They are hidden to protect people who want no foreknowledge of broad developments.
Reply
New World: yes, exactly. I don't know how much you want to know, but it does represent a reboot of sorts that begins at volume 61. (If you don't consider pictures of future crew members spoilers, compare the cover of volume 1 with the cover of volume 61. It doesn't show on the covers, but the title of Volume 1 is "Romance Dawn"; 61 is "Romance Dawn for the New World.") Not a reboot in the sense that anything that went before is lost, but everything is stepped up a notch, so to speak.
The New World is the second half of the Grand Line (literally, the Grand Line is bisected by a land mass at opposite ends of the globe), and only the strongest pirates make it that far. Completing the first half of the Grand Line definitely marked a milestone toward Luffy achieving his goal (which is still the same).
It's also a re-introduction in the sense that the Strawhats are reuniting after a period spent apart training, so they're all much stronger. "Zoro's New World introduction" means the first time we see Zoro after the break.
I hope that wasn't more spoiler than you wanted! I'm always happy to answer questions, but I don't want to spoil the fun for you.
Reply
I would reveal my biggest 1P spoiler just to let you know that you haven't exceeded it, but I think that should be saved for the chapter in which it appears. See you in....120 days? (total guessy math)
What does it mean to be King of the Pirates, anyway? Like, are there powers and authority or is it like Miss America?
Reply
(LOL, is 120 days a completely random number, or are you calculating on the basis of three days per chapter -- another forty chapters -- or two days per chapter -- maybe sixty chapters? Now I'm going to go nosing around chapters 93-113 to see what spoilery thing you might have been exposed to from there.)
Oooh, King of the Pirates speculation, fun!
Exactly what defines "King of the Pirates" is kind of vague. Maybe because the Pirate King is like porn -- you know one when you see one -- but more likely because Oda is holding out on us.
Things we know about the Pirate King that aren't spoilery at all, because they came up way early (like, volume 1):
The Pirate King is the man who has everything the world has to offer (この世の全て) ("wealth, fame, power..."). (Coby)
Roger said, at his execution, that "everything the world has to offer" is right where he left it, free for the taking. (He didn't actually use the word(s) "One Piece", though everyone seems to assume that's what he meant.)
The man who obtains "One Piece" will be the Pirate King. (Coby)
To be Pirate King is to "stand at the summit of the Great Pirate Age." (Coby)
Roger is the only man who ever conquered the Grand Line. (Gaimon)
Presumably, therefore, anyone who conquers the entire Grand Line has the potential to become the Pirate King.
[Laboon]According to Crocus, the culmination of the Grand Line is the island of Raftel in the New World, and all routes through the Grand Line ultimately lead there. Roger is the only man who ever made it that far (well, Roger and his crew -- some of whom are still alive).
[Shabondy]At least two crew members who, as far as we know, reached Raftel with Roger, have shown no interest in going on to succeed Roger as Pirate King, but instead are still happily pirating around the Grand Line, even though they would easily be powerful enough to make a bid for the title if they wanted it. Exactly why that is is a mystery.
As for powers... well. We have learned that Luffy does appear to have certain powers that Roger also had, but then, so do certain other people. The significance of that is far from fully understood at this point.
Reply
Three days per volume, yes?
I dunno...if being King of the Pirates isn't enough to keep you from getting executed...
Reply
Oh, lord, that's right. I don't think my math is up to that challenge. (If you assume 3 days per 10 chapters... hmmm... Oh, well, if it's the spoiler I think it is, there is no greater OP spoiler. Well, we'll have to wait 120 days, then.)
if being King of the Pirates isn't enough to keep you from getting executed...
Well, there's more to that story, too. But that's another spoiler for another day!
Reply
It must be, right? I remember us telling her about it in Japan. And I agree, there is no greater spoiler. (For the record, I was spoiled on that one, too--not because someone told me directly, but because I could see that was the only thing that made sense with the reaction fandom had when it was running in the magazine--but I don't think it ruined anything for me.)
(Aww, we were watching the Mihawk episode in Japan. Let's go back!)
Reply
It's most obvious in Water 7, but once I started looking for it, it was everywhere. It's subtle, but it's there. (I will never, never get tired of the infinite permutations of relations among the Strawhat family -- the main reason I never would want to see in-crew romantic relationships in canon.)
It's hard to define the nature of their bond, since they're such different people. While Sanji and Zoro are rivals/equals and therefore always fight, I think maybe Sanji thinks of Usopp as the clumsy apprentice chef (or in this case, apprentice "brave warrior of the sea") who has tons of potential but needs an occasional nudge to realize it.
it makes Zoro's New World introduction make a lot more sense
I never made the connection between the Zoro/Mihawk battle and this chapter and Zoro's New World introduction until I was writing up the final notes for this chapter, and I was amazed to see how closely linked they actually are.
Reply
Leave a comment