One Piece 35
I was going to put off posting this a little longer, but since mangaroo might have to take books back to the library soon, I decided to go ahead.
[This will cease to be a spoiler for Volume 35 by the time you hit chapter 2]
I was SO excited to start Water 7 in the last volume. And don't get me wrong, Water 7 is awesome, no question. But I forgot one tiny detail, because I practice selective memory for the WIN: doing Water 7 meant I had to do Volume 35.
Volume 35 HURTS. Hurts like having bamboo splints stuck under your fingers and twisted. For hours.
Oda, you sick piece of work, I f&*ing hate you right now.
I'll try to keep this short, because HURTS. Need to get to the next volume, fast!
Volume 35: Captain
(Great, the title is already making me cry.)
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The cover arc is still going, but I just don't have the heart. (They beat up the Earth Guardian, the Earth Guardian digs holes for them so they can have hot springs, blah blah blah. It actually gets fun again in the next volume.)
Sanji is worried about Robin's disappearance. (Chopper wants to examine him because Sanji says his chest hurts.)
Zoro is sitting on the Merry, looking contemplative.
Luffy doesn't want to accept that the Merry can't be fixed, but the shipwrights patiently explain that when the keel becomes too badly damaged, a ship is beyond repair. You could build it again from the ground up, but then it wouldn't be the same ship.
[This is known from ancient philosophy as the Ship of Theseus paradox, though I don't know if Oda is familiar with it in that form. The ship in which Theseus was said to have sailed was preserved and used for sacred embassies down through the classical period, only it kept having to have pieces replaced, until philosophers started debating whether it was actually the same ship after every piece of wood in it had been replaced.]
If this wasn't so dreadfully serious, I would be amused by Paulie addressing Nami as Harenchi-Musume ("hussy").
Iceberg says they should just accept the inevitable and buy a new ship, but Luffy won't hear it.
[Water 7]Why, why, why couldn't Usopp be here for this part? T__T
Iceberg: 呆れたもんだ。てめー それでも 一船の船長か? Viz translates as "And you call yourself the captain?", but I read this at least partially as "Are you such a one-ship captain?" Maybe I'm over-interpreting, though. Yep, over-interpreting. Viz has it right (see comments).
Iceberg tells them to think it over, and Kalifa gives them a ship catalog.
Lulu (now with Oda-box) shows up to say that the World Government people are at the door "again." Iceberg says to tell them he's not at home.
Lulu's running gag: when Iceberg scolds him for his "bed-head," he tries to straighten the unruly lock, but it keeps popping out in different places (the other side of his head, his neck, his mustache, etc). Oda, stop making me laugh when I'm sad, you bastard.
The world government officials, apparently well acquainted with Iceberg's avoidance techniques, let themselves in. Paulie tells Luffy and his people to hide.
Iceberg reluctantly goes off to talk with the government officials.
In hiding, Luffy notices that the briefcases he's holding are a little too light.
To their utter horror, they discover that the money from two of the cases is missing.
(LOL, Paulie's immediate response is "It wasn't me!")
Lulu says that he thought he saw Kaku with the Franky Family earlier, but Nami immediately realizes that the "long-nose" was Usopp. Usopp has been kidnapped.
Luffy dashes off to goodness-knows-where. Nami gets directions to the gang's hideout, the "Franky House."
Nami: "How dare they steal from pirates!" (Oh, the irony.)
On the way back, Nami discovers Usopp's badly beaten body.
Usopp: "I can't look the others in the face." (cryyyyy)
Nami swears they'll get the money back.
(SBS - confirms that Nora was named after Norland. Seto was the one who named him. Awww.)
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Nami leaves Usopp, telling him she's going to get Chopper, and that they'll get the money back.
Back on the Merry, Zoro is breaking the bad news about the Merry to Sanji and Chopper.
Aw, Sanji is the first to worry about how Usopp will react.
Meanwhile, at Franky House, the Franky Family is rejoicing over their unforeseen good luck.
A figure who can't clearly been seen (his men call him aniki) says they can finally get that thing they've always wanted.
Just as they're getting ready to party, someone smashes the door in. It's Usopp.
The Franky family underlings mock Usopp for his weakness ("We thought since he was with the Strawhats he'd be really strong…!"), but Usopp is determined to fight them.
We can see the mystery figure now, but he's wearing one of the elaborate costume/masks that obscures his true appearance.
(Brr, I had totally forgotten about this part.)
The costumed figure mocks Usopp, saying it was Luffy's bad luck to have a useless crew member (使えねー子分) like him.
He walks out, telling his men to "take care of" Usopp. He's going shopping.
Before he goes, he tells Usopp to remember his name - it's Franky.
[Water 7/Enies Lobby]It maintains the mystery a little longer, but I wonder if Oda used the costume/mask here because I couldn't bear to look at Franky's face - his dumb, dorky, sentimental, ugly, kindhearted FACE - and watch him treat Usopp like this. No, Franky, stop! Don't walk away! T___T
The Franky Family are beating Usopp up and LAUGHING. ;_;_;_;
Nami was left to guard the money and the ship while the others went to attack the Franky Family. (LOL_cry, Nami surrounded by weapons on all sides while guarding the case.)
When the others arrive at the place where Nami left Usopp, they find only a blood trail. Luffy joins them (blind luck strikes again). (Luffy says he was trying to bounce around town like Kaku, but it wasn't working out too well.)
Outside the Franky House, they find Usopp's body. Chopper says he's still breathing (barely).
Warrior Mode ON. (I love seeing Chopper in Warrior Mode, too.)
The monster trio (foursome?) head for Franky House.
(This feels very Arlong Park callback-ish to me.)
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When the Franky flunkies see Luffy, they first mock him because they figure he must be as weak as his useless crewmate. (T___T)
The flunkies' scorn turns to fear as Luffy, Zoro Sanji and Chopper break through every defense, but it's too late.
Zoro can slice iron cannon-balls (nice call-back to Alabasta).
Luffy: お前ら骨も残らねーと思え。("Expect that not even your bones will be left.")
(I didn't think to mention it in the last volume, but this is what the shipwrights said about Franky Family in the last volume when they were explaining about them being bounty hunter/dismantlers: "If they get hold of you, they won't even leave the bones behind." Which is why one flunky says they shouldn't be afraid of their own slogan.)
Two pages later, the warriors are sitting on what's left of Franky House.
(Either the Franky Family are weaker, or the Strawhats have gotten stronger since they took down Arlong Park. Probably both.)
Chopper finishes patching up Usopp's wounds well enough to transport him on a stretcher. They decide to go back to the ship and work out their next move from there.
Unexpectedly, Luffy announces that he's made up his mind. It's time to let the Merry go.
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大喧嘩 ("Huge Fight") (cryyyy)
[There is NOTHING in this chapter that doesn't hurt.]
Back at Galley-La, Iceberg is watching the disgruntled government men walk away. They didn't get what they came for, and they don't even know if he has "it."
Nico Robin's wanted poster is on the wall of Iceberg's office.
Back on the ship, Usopp is finally awake. Usopp is hysterical with remorse and grief. Luffy seems to be doing his best to convince him that everything is A-OK. They might be able to get the money back, and even if they don't, they still have 100 million.
Luffy announces that he's made the decision to give up on the Merry and buy a new ship. He's flipping through the catalog.
[ARGH Luffy what are you doing STOP]
Usopp assumes that Luffy is trying to make him feel better because now they can't afford to fix Merry, but Luffy finally tells him the truth: the shipwrights said Merry couldn't be fixed.
[It must have killed him to have to be the one to tell Usopp that, sniff.]
Usopp, just like Luffy, reacts with fury and disbelief - but his target is Luffy.
He can't believe Luffy would throw a comrade under the bus (見殺しにする), just because some strangers told him to. (Ugh, this verb means to "pass by on the other side," to just walk away when someone is in trouble or is being beaten or killed.)
"Venerable mate" - 大事な仲間. Is this the first time someone officially refers to the Merry as their nakama?
[ETA: as pointed out in comments, Luffy did so once earlier (大切な仲間). I looked it up; it was in the beginning of Volume 25.]
Usopp says he'll just keep fixing up the Merry like he always has, but Luffy throws his usual words back at him - he's not a shipwright, is he!
Usopp says the Luffy HE knows would have believed in the Merry's strength. He mocks Luffy for acting like he's all that, like it's his right to decide.
[The general sense here is clear, but I found the Japanese really confusing. Viz: "But instead, you've gotten all old and made an idiotic decision": what in the world does そんな歯切れのいい年寄りじみた答えだ mean? "An answer like that of an old person who can speak clearly"??
船長風吹かせて何が"決断"？ "What do you mean "decided," Captain make-the-wind-blow?"
I assume this is like "blowhard captain." Googling the phrase doesn't seem to help, other than suggesting that 先輩風吹かせる is a common phrase.]
Luffy digs his heels in and says nothing is going to make him change his decision.
None of their crewmates' attempts to calm them down work.
[I feel so bad for everyone, watching this in horror and not being able to stop the train wreck in progress.]
Usopp says not everyone can just face forward and keep going straight ahead. He can't leave a wounded nakama behind.
Luffy tries to say that ships and people aren't the same, but Usopp says the Merry has the will to live. (生きたいって底力はある.)
When Usopp says Luffy was only ever pretending to care about the Merry, Luffy tackles him, asking if he thinks he's the only one in pain. They all feel the same.
When Usopp won't believe him, Luffy starts to say "Well then, if you hate how I do things so much, you can just -"
Sanji kicks Luffy across the room. (YAY, Sanji.) He warns him not to say something he can't take back (literally 滅多なこと, something rash).
Luffy knows he went too far and starts to apologize, but Usopp says it's fine. He knows that's what Luffy was really thinking. (お前の本心だろう.)
Usopp says that Luffy thinks it's all right to just dump a useless nakama (使えねー仲間) and get a better one. If Luffy's willing to do that to the Merry, he might as well do it to Usopp, too.
Sanji says he's being ridiculous, but Usopp says he's been thinking this for a long time. He can't keep up with the "monster strength" of the others; he'll only ever be in the way. They don't need a weak nakama like him.
Luffy wants to be pirate king. It doesn't matter to Usopp if he can't make it to that "summit."
[おれは何もそこまで"高み"へ行けなくていい…! This is the same "takami" (in quotes) that came up before in the conversation with Ace, the infamous "pirate's summit" that surely means simply the ambition to make it to the end of the Grand Line.]
Usopp walks away, saying that he's quitting the crew.
"I can't do this with you any more. All I did was cause you trouble (迷惑) to the very end."
Since Luffy is captain of the ship, Usopp challenges him to a duel for the Merry.
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Nami is trying to talk sense into Luffy, but Luffy won't listen.
[A lot of this is stubborn pigheadedness and hurt feelings, but I find it interesting that Luffy says "Usopp isn't fool enough to stake his life on a fit of temper" (カっとなった勢いで命を賭けるほどウソップはバカじゃない). 命を賭ける is the most serious phrase Luffy knows, and he takes the will of others seriously, even at times like this.]
They have agreed to duel at ten o clock that evening, on the shore by the Merry.
Poor Sanji and Zoro are taking out their wretched tempers on each other.
Chopper comes back in tears. He wanted to treat Usopp's wounds, but Usopp said they weren't nakama any more and sent him away.
T__T DON'T MAKE CHOPPER CRY!
At the promised hour, the two meet on the shore. Usopp warns Luffy not to think he's dealing with someone who doesn't know exactly what Luffy is capable of. He intends to use every bit of his knowledge to win.
Usopp's 8000 followers will never be funny to me again. ;__;
(Except when Chopper falls for it, ODA STOP MAKING ME LAUGH. Zoro keeps trying to get Chopper to go inside. Not in front of the children!)
True to his word, Usopp uses every trick he has. Usopp Spell. Usopp Ketchup Star. Flash Dial. Egg Star. Tabasco Star. Caltrop Hell.
Usopp points out that he's not going to use any attack he doesn't know will work on Luffy.
He touches off an enormous explosion by putting a spark to the gas he laid.
[Merry looks like s/he's CRYING OMG T___T]
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The fight continues (Usopp knew Luffy wouldn't be taken out by one explosion). When Luffy uses his Gum-Gum Bazooka, Usopp uses an Impact Dial to absorb the blast, and deals it back to him.
But even that isn't enough, and Luffy takes Usopp out with a final attack.
[The flashback scenes ;___;]
Luffy: "You knew there was no way you could beat me!"
As he walks away, he tells Usopp to do as he pleases with the Merry. It's his now. They're going to find a new ship.
じゃあな、ウソップ。今まで楽しかった。
Chopper wants to go to Usopp, to treat his wounds, but Sanji tells him to have some respect for Usopp's feelings in defeat. He doesn't need pity.
Luffy: 重い。(T___T) ("It's heavy.")
Characteristically, it's Zoro who tells him that's what it means to be the captain.
[Saddest character observation EVER: the wiki notes that Luffy is always serious while fighting, but is soon smiling again after the fight, with a single exception - this one.
There has been only one exception: after his fight with Usopp in Water 7, Luffy did not smile for the longest time in the entire series while non-combative; in the storyline, he did not smile for a whole day, but in terms of chapters, he did not smile for fifteen chapters.]
Sanji can't stop Chopper from leaving the ship, but Chopper only piles up the medical supplies by Usopp's side, and runs off crying.
Zoro: 船を空け渡そう。おれ達はもう この船には 戻れないから。
"Let's empty the ship out and hand it over. We can never return to this ship again."
T_____T
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Above the all-but-abandoned Merry, the wind is wailing.
[I thought at first this was just a melancholy sound effect, but it does have a further significance we'll learn soon.]
The city is abuzz with something that happened the previous night. No one is sure who to blame.
At the inn, Sanji finds everyone sitting around miserably on the roof. Robin still hasn't come back.
Nami comes in and announces that the previous night, Iceberg was shot in his own home.
Lulu is passing on the news to Paulie.
(This is probably not the moment to be noticing that the den-den mushi have symbols that match their owners.)
Luffy and Nami decide to go investigate the attempted assassination. Sanji and Chopper plan to go looking for Robin. Zoro decides to wait at the inn.
At Blue Station, Franky (still costumed) and his female followers arrive back in town.
Awww, the mouse is worried about Iceberg.
The crime scene is a complete mystery, with no sign of the motive, or of how the criminal got in or out.
Franky is shocked to discover the ruins that are all that is left of Franky House.
He throws off his mask, but we can't see his face yet.
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Franky is infuriated that Strawhat Luffy would beat up his かわいい子分達 (his cute underlings).
Franky's chief henchman (Zambai - someone used his name during the scene where the Strawhats are destroying Franky House, but he hasn't been officially introduced) shows up and tells his boss that the Strawhats are staying in an inn in town. Luffy just left to head for Dock One.
At Shift Station, Kokoro recognizes the rising wind and waves as the sign of the incoming Aqua Laguna. It's time to head for Water 7.
In town, the loudspeaker system is warning all citizens to take refuge, because the Aqua Laguna will be hitting Water 7 shortly after midnight. A passer-by explains to Sanji and Chopper that they have to get to high ground, because the lower parts of the city will be underwater during the annual high tide event.
(I wonder if this tide is related to the tide that drains the water around Long Ring Long Land every year?)
An enormous crowd of worried citizens is gathered around Galley-La headquarters, desperate for news of Iceberg's condition. Luffy and Nami can't even get close.
A bare-legged figure appears on a nearby rooftop, and music starts to play.
[I love the crowd's reaction: "Oh crap, it's HIM."]
Franky and his backup singer-girls reveal themselves.
"I'm the number one SUPER guy on this island!"
Oda-boxes for Franky, Kiwi (left) and Mozu (right).
[That's the reader's left and right. I have never been able to tell the difference between the Square Sisters, but after some wiki research: Kiwi has slightly curlier hair (the edges of her square are frizzy) and wears a necklace of beads. Mozu has straighter hair, and wears a white fur ruff around her neck. Both girls have a speech quirk, which is to randomly end sentences with わいな。I don't think that means anything?]
Franky challenges Strawhat Luffy to a fight. Everyone scatters for cover (except, of course, Luffy).
Luffy: "What's with that hentai?"
Nami points out that he said his name was Franky. Luffy promptly dubs him "Speedo" (海水パンツ), and calls him out.
Inside Galley-la, Kalifa says that Iceberg has just regained consciousness, and she lets the other shipwrights in to see him.
Iceberg says he remembers what happened when he was attacked. There were two people - one a tall man wearing a costume and mask, and the other was Nico Robin. He's sure of it.
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Luffy faces off with Franky outside Dock One.
(Franky calls Luffy oniichan - this is pretty much his standard form of address for everyone.)
"This week's me is UN-stoppable!" (今週のおれ, lol Franky)
Nami asks what happened to the money, but Franky says he already spent it.
Luffy says he doesn't care about the money any more. He won't be satisfied until he kicks Franky's ass. Franky feels the same.
Franky starts breathing fire.
Luffy and Nami wonder if he has a devil fruit power, but when he jumps into the water, he doesn't drown.
Franky jumps out of the water and starts attacking with what look like mechanical hands. He tells them he's a cyborg (kanji: 改造人間, "retrofitted human".)
Inside Galley-La, on learning that Nico Robin is on the island with Strawhat Luffy's crew, the shipwrights wonder if Luffy targeted Iceberg out of some sort of petty spite for not fixing his ship.
Luffy, Robin and Zoro are on the front page of the paper, wanted for attempted assassination of the town's beloved Iceberg.
The last of the five shipwrights to get an Oda-box, Tileston (sp?), rushes in, bellowing with joy at the news that Iceberg is awake. Paulie kicks him out.
[Of all the shipwrights, Tileston is the only one I find completely forgettable. I think Oda ran out of amusing quirks for him, since his only characteristic seems to be being too loud.]
Tileston tells the others that Luffy is down by the shipyard, fighting with Franky. The others can't believe that Luffy has the nerve to show his face.
Silently, Iceberg thinks that he knows this isn't about petty revenge. They must be after that THING that he's got. But in that case, is Luffy's gang somehow connected with the government? Or are they acting on their own?
Luffy and Franky are in the process of blowing the entire shipyard to smithereens with their fight. Nami is cheering for Luffy; Kiwi and Mozu are cheering for Franky.
The fight is interrupted by the shipwrights of Galley-La.
"Just what are you after, Mugiwara?"
Luffy: ?
Franky: "Galley-La! What's your business here?"
Crowd: "Yay, the shipwrights are here!"
TBC
[This will cease to be a spoiler for Volume 35 by the time you hit chapter 2]
I was SO excited to start Water 7 in the last volume. And don't get me wrong, Water 7 is awesome, no question. But I forgot one tiny detail, because I practice selective memory for the WIN: doing Water 7 meant I had to do Volume 35.
Volume 35 HURTS. Hurts like having bamboo splints stuck under your fingers and twisted. For hours.
Oda, you sick piece of work, I f&*ing hate you right now.
I'll try to keep this short, because HURTS. Need to get to the next volume, fast!
Volume 35: Captain
(Great, the title is already making me cry.)
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The cover arc is still going, but I just don't have the heart. (They beat up the Earth Guardian, the Earth Guardian digs holes for them so they can have hot springs, blah blah blah. It actually gets fun again in the next volume.)
Sanji is worried about Robin's disappearance. (Chopper wants to examine him because Sanji says his chest hurts.)
Zoro is sitting on the Merry, looking contemplative.
Luffy doesn't want to accept that the Merry can't be fixed, but the shipwrights patiently explain that when the keel becomes too badly damaged, a ship is beyond repair. You could build it again from the ground up, but then it wouldn't be the same ship.
[This is known from ancient philosophy as the Ship of Theseus paradox, though I don't know if Oda is familiar with it in that form. The ship in which Theseus was said to have sailed was preserved and used for sacred embassies down through the classical period, only it kept having to have pieces replaced, until philosophers started debating whether it was actually the same ship after every piece of wood in it had been replaced.]
If this wasn't so dreadfully serious, I would be amused by Paulie addressing Nami as Harenchi-Musume ("hussy").
Iceberg says they should just accept the inevitable and buy a new ship, but Luffy won't hear it.
[Water 7]Why, why, why couldn't Usopp be here for this part? T__T
Iceberg: 呆れたもんだ。てめー それでも 一船の船長か? Viz translates as "And you call yourself the captain?", but I read this at least partially as "Are you such a one-ship captain?" Maybe I'm over-interpreting, though. Yep, over-interpreting. Viz has it right (see comments).
Iceberg tells them to think it over, and Kalifa gives them a ship catalog.
Lulu (now with Oda-box) shows up to say that the World Government people are at the door "again." Iceberg says to tell them he's not at home.
Lulu's running gag: when Iceberg scolds him for his "bed-head," he tries to straighten the unruly lock, but it keeps popping out in different places (the other side of his head, his neck, his mustache, etc). Oda, stop making me laugh when I'm sad, you bastard.
The world government officials, apparently well acquainted with Iceberg's avoidance techniques, let themselves in. Paulie tells Luffy and his people to hide.
Iceberg reluctantly goes off to talk with the government officials.
In hiding, Luffy notices that the briefcases he's holding are a little too light.
To their utter horror, they discover that the money from two of the cases is missing.
(LOL, Paulie's immediate response is "It wasn't me!")
Lulu says that he thought he saw Kaku with the Franky Family earlier, but Nami immediately realizes that the "long-nose" was Usopp. Usopp has been kidnapped.
Luffy dashes off to goodness-knows-where. Nami gets directions to the gang's hideout, the "Franky House."
Nami: "How dare they steal from pirates!" (Oh, the irony.)
On the way back, Nami discovers Usopp's badly beaten body.
Usopp: "I can't look the others in the face." (cryyyyy)
Nami swears they'll get the money back.
(SBS - confirms that Nora was named after Norland. Seto was the one who named him. Awww.)
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Nami leaves Usopp, telling him she's going to get Chopper, and that they'll get the money back.
Back on the Merry, Zoro is breaking the bad news about the Merry to Sanji and Chopper.
Aw, Sanji is the first to worry about how Usopp will react.
Meanwhile, at Franky House, the Franky Family is rejoicing over their unforeseen good luck.
A figure who can't clearly been seen (his men call him aniki) says they can finally get that thing they've always wanted.
Just as they're getting ready to party, someone smashes the door in. It's Usopp.
The Franky family underlings mock Usopp for his weakness ("We thought since he was with the Strawhats he'd be really strong…!"), but Usopp is determined to fight them.
We can see the mystery figure now, but he's wearing one of the elaborate costume/masks that obscures his true appearance.
(Brr, I had totally forgotten about this part.)
The costumed figure mocks Usopp, saying it was Luffy's bad luck to have a useless crew member (使えねー子分) like him.
He walks out, telling his men to "take care of" Usopp. He's going shopping.
Before he goes, he tells Usopp to remember his name - it's Franky.
[Water 7/Enies Lobby]It maintains the mystery a little longer, but I wonder if Oda used the costume/mask here because I couldn't bear to look at Franky's face - his dumb, dorky, sentimental, ugly, kindhearted FACE - and watch him treat Usopp like this. No, Franky, stop! Don't walk away! T___T
The Franky Family are beating Usopp up and LAUGHING. ;_;_;_;
Nami was left to guard the money and the ship while the others went to attack the Franky Family. (LOL_cry, Nami surrounded by weapons on all sides while guarding the case.)
When the others arrive at the place where Nami left Usopp, they find only a blood trail. Luffy joins them (blind luck strikes again). (Luffy says he was trying to bounce around town like Kaku, but it wasn't working out too well.)
Outside the Franky House, they find Usopp's body. Chopper says he's still breathing (barely).
Warrior Mode ON. (I love seeing Chopper in Warrior Mode, too.)
The monster trio (foursome?) head for Franky House.
(This feels very Arlong Park callback-ish to me.)
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When the Franky flunkies see Luffy, they first mock him because they figure he must be as weak as his useless crewmate. (T___T)
The flunkies' scorn turns to fear as Luffy, Zoro Sanji and Chopper break through every defense, but it's too late.
Zoro can slice iron cannon-balls (nice call-back to Alabasta).
Luffy: お前ら骨も残らねーと思え。("Expect that not even your bones will be left.")
(I didn't think to mention it in the last volume, but this is what the shipwrights said about Franky Family in the last volume when they were explaining about them being bounty hunter/dismantlers: "If they get hold of you, they won't even leave the bones behind." Which is why one flunky says they shouldn't be afraid of their own slogan.)
Two pages later, the warriors are sitting on what's left of Franky House.
(Either the Franky Family are weaker, or the Strawhats have gotten stronger since they took down Arlong Park. Probably both.)
Chopper finishes patching up Usopp's wounds well enough to transport him on a stretcher. They decide to go back to the ship and work out their next move from there.
Unexpectedly, Luffy announces that he's made up his mind. It's time to let the Merry go.
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大喧嘩 ("Huge Fight") (cryyyy)
[There is NOTHING in this chapter that doesn't hurt.]
Back at Galley-La, Iceberg is watching the disgruntled government men walk away. They didn't get what they came for, and they don't even know if he has "it."
Nico Robin's wanted poster is on the wall of Iceberg's office.
Back on the ship, Usopp is finally awake. Usopp is hysterical with remorse and grief. Luffy seems to be doing his best to convince him that everything is A-OK. They might be able to get the money back, and even if they don't, they still have 100 million.
Luffy announces that he's made the decision to give up on the Merry and buy a new ship. He's flipping through the catalog.
[ARGH Luffy what are you doing STOP]
Usopp assumes that Luffy is trying to make him feel better because now they can't afford to fix Merry, but Luffy finally tells him the truth: the shipwrights said Merry couldn't be fixed.
[It must have killed him to have to be the one to tell Usopp that, sniff.]
Usopp, just like Luffy, reacts with fury and disbelief - but his target is Luffy.
He can't believe Luffy would throw a comrade under the bus (見殺しにする), just because some strangers told him to. (Ugh, this verb means to "pass by on the other side," to just walk away when someone is in trouble or is being beaten or killed.)
"Venerable mate" - 大事な仲間. Is this the first time someone officially refers to the Merry as their nakama?
[ETA: as pointed out in comments, Luffy did so once earlier (大切な仲間). I looked it up; it was in the beginning of Volume 25.]
Usopp says he'll just keep fixing up the Merry like he always has, but Luffy throws his usual words back at him - he's not a shipwright, is he!
Usopp says the Luffy HE knows would have believed in the Merry's strength. He mocks Luffy for acting like he's all that, like it's his right to decide.
[The general sense here is clear, but I found the Japanese really confusing. Viz: "But instead, you've gotten all old and made an idiotic decision": what in the world does そんな歯切れのいい年寄りじみた答えだ mean? "An answer like that of an old person who can speak clearly"??
船長風吹かせて何が"決断"？ "What do you mean "decided," Captain make-the-wind-blow?"
I assume this is like "blowhard captain." Googling the phrase doesn't seem to help, other than suggesting that 先輩風吹かせる is a common phrase.]
Luffy digs his heels in and says nothing is going to make him change his decision.
None of their crewmates' attempts to calm them down work.
[I feel so bad for everyone, watching this in horror and not being able to stop the train wreck in progress.]
Usopp says not everyone can just face forward and keep going straight ahead. He can't leave a wounded nakama behind.
Luffy tries to say that ships and people aren't the same, but Usopp says the Merry has the will to live. (生きたいって底力はある.)
When Usopp says Luffy was only ever pretending to care about the Merry, Luffy tackles him, asking if he thinks he's the only one in pain. They all feel the same.
When Usopp won't believe him, Luffy starts to say "Well then, if you hate how I do things so much, you can just -"
Sanji kicks Luffy across the room. (YAY, Sanji.) He warns him not to say something he can't take back (literally 滅多なこと, something rash).
Luffy knows he went too far and starts to apologize, but Usopp says it's fine. He knows that's what Luffy was really thinking. (お前の本心だろう.)
Usopp says that Luffy thinks it's all right to just dump a useless nakama (使えねー仲間) and get a better one. If Luffy's willing to do that to the Merry, he might as well do it to Usopp, too.
Sanji says he's being ridiculous, but Usopp says he's been thinking this for a long time. He can't keep up with the "monster strength" of the others; he'll only ever be in the way. They don't need a weak nakama like him.
Luffy wants to be pirate king. It doesn't matter to Usopp if he can't make it to that "summit."
[おれは何もそこまで"高み"へ行けなくていい…! This is the same "takami" (in quotes) that came up before in the conversation with Ace, the infamous "pirate's summit" that surely means simply the ambition to make it to the end of the Grand Line.]
Usopp walks away, saying that he's quitting the crew.
"I can't do this with you any more. All I did was cause you trouble (迷惑) to the very end."
Since Luffy is captain of the ship, Usopp challenges him to a duel for the Merry.
332
Nami is trying to talk sense into Luffy, but Luffy won't listen.
[A lot of this is stubborn pigheadedness and hurt feelings, but I find it interesting that Luffy says "Usopp isn't fool enough to stake his life on a fit of temper" (カっとなった勢いで命を賭けるほどウソップはバカじゃない). 命を賭ける is the most serious phrase Luffy knows, and he takes the will of others seriously, even at times like this.]
They have agreed to duel at ten o clock that evening, on the shore by the Merry.
Poor Sanji and Zoro are taking out their wretched tempers on each other.
Chopper comes back in tears. He wanted to treat Usopp's wounds, but Usopp said they weren't nakama any more and sent him away.
T__T DON'T MAKE CHOPPER CRY!
At the promised hour, the two meet on the shore. Usopp warns Luffy not to think he's dealing with someone who doesn't know exactly what Luffy is capable of. He intends to use every bit of his knowledge to win.
Usopp's 8000 followers will never be funny to me again. ;__;
(Except when Chopper falls for it, ODA STOP MAKING ME LAUGH. Zoro keeps trying to get Chopper to go inside. Not in front of the children!)
True to his word, Usopp uses every trick he has. Usopp Spell. Usopp Ketchup Star. Flash Dial. Egg Star. Tabasco Star. Caltrop Hell.
Usopp points out that he's not going to use any attack he doesn't know will work on Luffy.
He touches off an enormous explosion by putting a spark to the gas he laid.
[Merry looks like s/he's CRYING OMG T___T]
333
The fight continues (Usopp knew Luffy wouldn't be taken out by one explosion). When Luffy uses his Gum-Gum Bazooka, Usopp uses an Impact Dial to absorb the blast, and deals it back to him.
But even that isn't enough, and Luffy takes Usopp out with a final attack.
[The flashback scenes ;___;]
Luffy: "You knew there was no way you could beat me!"
As he walks away, he tells Usopp to do as he pleases with the Merry. It's his now. They're going to find a new ship.
じゃあな、ウソップ。今まで楽しかった。
Chopper wants to go to Usopp, to treat his wounds, but Sanji tells him to have some respect for Usopp's feelings in defeat. He doesn't need pity.
Luffy: 重い。(T___T) ("It's heavy.")
Characteristically, it's Zoro who tells him that's what it means to be the captain.
[Saddest character observation EVER: the wiki notes that Luffy is always serious while fighting, but is soon smiling again after the fight, with a single exception - this one.
There has been only one exception: after his fight with Usopp in Water 7, Luffy did not smile for the longest time in the entire series while non-combative; in the storyline, he did not smile for a whole day, but in terms of chapters, he did not smile for fifteen chapters.]
Sanji can't stop Chopper from leaving the ship, but Chopper only piles up the medical supplies by Usopp's side, and runs off crying.
Zoro: 船を空け渡そう。おれ達はもう この船には 戻れないから。
"Let's empty the ship out and hand it over. We can never return to this ship again."
T_____T
334
Above the all-but-abandoned Merry, the wind is wailing.
[I thought at first this was just a melancholy sound effect, but it does have a further significance we'll learn soon.]
The city is abuzz with something that happened the previous night. No one is sure who to blame.
At the inn, Sanji finds everyone sitting around miserably on the roof. Robin still hasn't come back.
Nami comes in and announces that the previous night, Iceberg was shot in his own home.
Lulu is passing on the news to Paulie.
(This is probably not the moment to be noticing that the den-den mushi have symbols that match their owners.)
Luffy and Nami decide to go investigate the attempted assassination. Sanji and Chopper plan to go looking for Robin. Zoro decides to wait at the inn.
At Blue Station, Franky (still costumed) and his female followers arrive back in town.
Awww, the mouse is worried about Iceberg.
The crime scene is a complete mystery, with no sign of the motive, or of how the criminal got in or out.
Franky is shocked to discover the ruins that are all that is left of Franky House.
He throws off his mask, but we can't see his face yet.
335
Franky is infuriated that Strawhat Luffy would beat up his かわいい子分達 (his cute underlings).
Franky's chief henchman (Zambai - someone used his name during the scene where the Strawhats are destroying Franky House, but he hasn't been officially introduced) shows up and tells his boss that the Strawhats are staying in an inn in town. Luffy just left to head for Dock One.
At Shift Station, Kokoro recognizes the rising wind and waves as the sign of the incoming Aqua Laguna. It's time to head for Water 7.
In town, the loudspeaker system is warning all citizens to take refuge, because the Aqua Laguna will be hitting Water 7 shortly after midnight. A passer-by explains to Sanji and Chopper that they have to get to high ground, because the lower parts of the city will be underwater during the annual high tide event.
(I wonder if this tide is related to the tide that drains the water around Long Ring Long Land every year?)
An enormous crowd of worried citizens is gathered around Galley-La headquarters, desperate for news of Iceberg's condition. Luffy and Nami can't even get close.
A bare-legged figure appears on a nearby rooftop, and music starts to play.
[I love the crowd's reaction: "Oh crap, it's HIM."]
Franky and his backup singer-girls reveal themselves.
"I'm the number one SUPER guy on this island!"
Oda-boxes for Franky, Kiwi (left) and Mozu (right).
[That's the reader's left and right. I have never been able to tell the difference between the Square Sisters, but after some wiki research: Kiwi has slightly curlier hair (the edges of her square are frizzy) and wears a necklace of beads. Mozu has straighter hair, and wears a white fur ruff around her neck. Both girls have a speech quirk, which is to randomly end sentences with わいな。I don't think that means anything?]
Franky challenges Strawhat Luffy to a fight. Everyone scatters for cover (except, of course, Luffy).
Luffy: "What's with that hentai?"
Nami points out that he said his name was Franky. Luffy promptly dubs him "Speedo" (海水パンツ), and calls him out.
Inside Galley-la, Kalifa says that Iceberg has just regained consciousness, and she lets the other shipwrights in to see him.
Iceberg says he remembers what happened when he was attacked. There were two people - one a tall man wearing a costume and mask, and the other was Nico Robin. He's sure of it.
336
Luffy faces off with Franky outside Dock One.
(Franky calls Luffy oniichan - this is pretty much his standard form of address for everyone.)
"This week's me is UN-stoppable!" (今週のおれ, lol Franky)
Nami asks what happened to the money, but Franky says he already spent it.
Luffy says he doesn't care about the money any more. He won't be satisfied until he kicks Franky's ass. Franky feels the same.
Franky starts breathing fire.
Luffy and Nami wonder if he has a devil fruit power, but when he jumps into the water, he doesn't drown.
Franky jumps out of the water and starts attacking with what look like mechanical hands. He tells them he's a cyborg (kanji: 改造人間, "retrofitted human".)
Inside Galley-La, on learning that Nico Robin is on the island with Strawhat Luffy's crew, the shipwrights wonder if Luffy targeted Iceberg out of some sort of petty spite for not fixing his ship.
Luffy, Robin and Zoro are on the front page of the paper, wanted for attempted assassination of the town's beloved Iceberg.
The last of the five shipwrights to get an Oda-box, Tileston (sp?), rushes in, bellowing with joy at the news that Iceberg is awake. Paulie kicks him out.
[Of all the shipwrights, Tileston is the only one I find completely forgettable. I think Oda ran out of amusing quirks for him, since his only characteristic seems to be being too loud.]
Tileston tells the others that Luffy is down by the shipyard, fighting with Franky. The others can't believe that Luffy has the nerve to show his face.
Silently, Iceberg thinks that he knows this isn't about petty revenge. They must be after that THING that he's got. But in that case, is Luffy's gang somehow connected with the government? Or are they acting on their own?
Luffy and Franky are in the process of blowing the entire shipyard to smithereens with their fight. Nami is cheering for Luffy; Kiwi and Mozu are cheering for Franky.
The fight is interrupted by the shipwrights of Galley-La.
"Just what are you after, Mugiwara?"
Luffy: ?
Franky: "Galley-La! What's your business here?"
Crowd: "Yay, the shipwrights are here!"
TBC