One Piece Vol 25
Off to Skypiea... after Oda hits us with the firehose, again. (I don't think any two chapters in all of One Piece are as dense as chs. 233 and 234. But wow, so much amazing stuff.)
( Volume 25 )
( Volume 25 )
They ate Zoro's ambiguous octopus friend. Nothing will horrify me ever again...until I see Wapol's cape in volume 26.
Sigh... Wapol, no less tedious in his cover arc.
I have to admit, I had no idea whose cover arc this was going to be based on the first image, so I kind of enjoyed the mystery here. Once it was revealed, I was bored (and disgusted...he's wearing that poor snow-hippo thing!) until the one cover with his old kingdom. I suppose I could wait 'til volume 26 to comment on that. But I have so much love for it, it just spills over here. *spilly love*
The ship flies up, headed straight for the layer of storm cloud. Nami says that if Sky Island exists, it'll be on the other side of that cloud.
TBC
Most awesome ending of a manga volume ever. I had to go straight on to volume 26, where Oda finally managed to stop me with his deadly dull dials, but right here, right now, we're SAILING TO THE SKY. (Okay, LOL as I realize that's the title of the chapter.)
And Chopper needs NEVER to pull the flesh away from his eye sockets again (first chapter). Don't creep me out, TonyTony Chopper. That's Robin's job. Also, I really love that his Chopper vision when we are confronted with the whirlpool at the end is a callback to his vision (with sparkles!) when Cricket first described the knock-up stream. Wahoo! I think I'm going to be sad if Chopper grows up.
The early seeds on the world gov't were just too much for me to process. I don't think Viz did a very good job with the translation here, because I didn't process how significant they found Shanks' outreach to Whitebeard here. I am, however, waiting for Shanks and/or Whitebeard (or an associate of theirs) to explain why they would never debase themselves by becoming one of the Shichi...seven warlords. Or for someone in the Navy to explain why Whitebeard and Shanks aren't good candidates, because they are both clearly AWESOME and could have crushed Croc with a kleenex.
What's the significance of Sanji being from the North Blue?
I just noticed that Viz completely screwed up this line.
Yes, completely. As bad as those Ze translations, since the Blackbeard pirates say THE OPPOSITE of what they're actually saying in Japanese re: Luffy's bounty and their opinion of his powers.
P.S. Blackbeard looks like a Disney pirate to me.
Reply
(Agreed, the one panel with the cover updating us on Drum Island was worth the entire Wapol cover arc tediosity. Love!)
There are moments in Skypiea when the wonder of SAILING TO THE SKY overcomes all the dullness (to me) of the worldbuilding within. Only moments... but they're good ones.
Chopper is never allowed to grow up EVER. (Fortunately, I think he's constitutionally programmed to be wide-eyed with wonder at the world. Hiluluk had that, all his life.)
The early seeds on the world gov't were just too much for me to process.
Honestly, you are not alone. Part of it might be down to translation, but mostly it's just too much to process all at once. I remember reading these chapters and just going ".... what?" (The introduction of the Gorousei, in particular, was where I just threw my hands in the air and gave up.) I don't think it is possible to appreciate them except in retrospect.
My sense is that some pirates simply would never accept the role of Shichibukai because at bottom, it requires being willing to take orders from the government (even if in practice the Shichibukai do as they please most of the time). Some pirates, both good and bad, make the calculation that what they gain from the deal (good: ability to protect the people they care for, e.g.; bad: power to rule the world, e.g.) is worth the temporary inconvenience of having to pay lip service to the world government. But can you honestly imagine Luffy ever choosing that option, even if it were offered to him? (Even before *spoiler* *spoiler* *mumble* *spoiler*.) Pirates like Luffy, Shanks and Whitebeard value their freedom above all else.
Likewise, I think some candidates are never offered the position because the government knows full well that they are uncontrollable. I don't honestly know if Shanks or Whitebeard were ever invited, but if they weren't, that's likely the reason why.
(This conversation is making me wonder why Mihawk bothered to become a Shichibukai. I honestly don't have a clue as to the answer. Because he was bored?)
What's the significance of Sanji being from the North Blue?
Oh god, I wish I knew. We still don't. But the teasy way it was introduced makes me 100% certain that it will be important... someday.
Reply
Leave a comment