One Piece 57
Lapsed, but not dead!
Japan is just over ONE WEEK AWAY (eek!), but I wanted to get at least a couple of these done before going. Then maybe I can use the post-Japan One Piece high to keep moving forward.
One Piece 57: Paramount War
(頂上決戦, aka "War at the Summit," "The Summit War," "War of the Best"... no one knows what to call this. Also, remember when Ace kept telling Luffy they'd meet again at the summit? ;_;)
552
Cover arc: Chopper flees to keep the people of the Birdy Kingdom from making him into tanuki nabe ("I'm not food, コノヤロー！")
Luffy and his ragtag band have escaped from Impel Down. When Ivankov makes a comment about wondering if Luffy and Ace's father ("vanata-tachi no chichioya") Dragon will show up at Marineford, Luffy is confused.
"-tachi?"
When Ivankov explains that he's sure Dragon would never allow his "real son" Ace to be executed (the stage whisper he uses to confide this is kind of hilarious) Luffy understands. He explains that he and Ace don't have the same father. Ace's father is Gold Roger.
"Oh wait, that was supposed to be a secret." (LOL)
[Never tell Luffy anything you don't want the whole world to know. Also, he calls both his father and Ace's "Tou-chan," so cute.]
Meanwhile, Whitebeard's fleet is confronting the execution platform at Marineford.
Whitebeard is gearing up to do something big, while his whole crew stands around looking stoic and imposing (or possibly just bored, it's hard to tell).
[Time to play spot-the-crew-member! I can still only name a third of Whitebeard's crew at best. Maybe these summaries will help.]
When Whitbeard punches the air, cracks appear, followed by a tsunami.
Whitebeard smirks (is it possible to smirk menacingly)?
Luffy frets because the fog ahead is still too thick to see through.
Ace looks miserable.
"Take care, Ace!"
In the flashback, fourteen year old Luffy is saying goodbye to seventeen year old Ace.
At some undetermined later point (note the different sail in the next frame), Ace acquires his fire fruit (how DID he get that fruit?) and declares himself captain of the Spade Pirates. [At least, I assume he has the fruit at this point, based on the flaming hat.]
Various people are reacting to Ace's exploits and his first wanted poster. (Garp is enraged because Ace became a pirate after all. The Marines are puzzled because they can't figure out where this rookie with "D" in his name came from - and he has a logia devil fruit power, too. Whitebeard is amused by the report that Ace actually turned down an invitation to become shichibukai.)
"Youngsters these days sure are in a hurry." (Based on こいつら何年目だ, it sounds like he's talking about Ace's whole generation.)
On some wintry island, Ace catches up with Shanks. Shanks seems to suspect him of wanting to pick a fight, but Ace says he just wanted to pay his respects. "My kid brother never shuts up about you, says he owes you his life."
[Spoiler (click to open)]*cryyyyy*
Shanks is surprised to learn Luffy has a big brother.
[Isn't everyone.]
"Let's party!"
At some later point (most compressed flashback sequence EVER), Ace confronts Jinbei, demanding to be allowed to see Whitebeard. (Jinbei: "With that knife? I don't think so.")
After 5 days, he and Jinbei are forced to call it a draw.
[He fought JINBEI to a standstill for five days. Damn.]
Whitebeard shows up at the fight, offering to fight Ace if that's what he wants.
Ace accepts, provided Whitebeard lets his own crew escape (looks like his crew and Jinbei's were both watching the fight between Ace and Jinbei).
Whitebeard: "Snot-nosed brat! Cheeky!"
When Ace is defeated (from the looks of it, it didn't take long), Whitebeard offers him a place on his crew.
"Shame if you died now. You want to run wild on this sea, take my name. You can rampage all you want. Be my son!"
Ace refuses. "Fuzakenna!"
[Now, Ace, it's not nice to tell your adopted father to go fuck himself. Ace has some serious parental authority issues.]
After he passes out, they take him on board anyway.
When he wakes up, Sacchi, the captain of the fourth division, tries to befriend him. "If we're gonna be nakama, might as well try to get along." "Shaddup!"
[サッチ. His name is usually rendered Thatch in English - I guess that must be confirmed by some official source?]
He tells Ace that his men tried to save him, and got their butts kicked, but they're fine. They're all on board Whitebeard's ship now too.
Ace spends the next several frames (pages) on an increasingly elaborate and maniacal series of failed assassination attempts. (The anime did a hilarious job with this.)
[Note to self: we can see Ace's AxSxCE tattoo in one attempted assassination frame - have we ever seen clear confirmation of when he got that tattoo? At least, at this point? He's wearing shirt sleeves in the shot where he says goodbye to Luffy, so I can't tell there.]
[I love where he gets knocked overboard after one attempt, and someone - standing around looking bored - is like "Hey, someone better fish him out."]
Twirly-mustache guy (name?) says "He's got persistence, I'll give him that."
Somewhere after the hundredth attempt, Marco tries to talk to him. When Ace asks, Marco says they all call the captain Oyaji (Dad, Old Man), because he calls them all his sons (musuko). No one else wanted them, so it makes them happy. Even though it's just a word (ただの言葉でも、嬉しいんだ).
[NOT "Whether he means it or not," Viz, are you kidding me? Of course Whitebeard means it!]
(Apparently Marco's speech quirk is to add "yoi" or similar to every sentence. Aw, I never caught that before. 決断しろい: "Give it up already, yoi.")
Finally, Ace gives in and takes Whitebeard's mark. Soon he's offered the position of second division commander.
He asks Blackbeard (going by Teech at this point) if he doesn't mind ("You've been here longer"), but Teech doesn't seem to care. "You go for it, Ace-Taichou!"
One night, Ace confesses his dark secret to Whitebeard (Ace's hunched back in this scene, sniffle).
"That so? Your personality ain't much like your dad's, though."
[Come to think of it, that's kind of an interesting comment, from one of the few characters in the series who would have been in a position to know. From what we've seen, Luffy is far more like Roger than Ace ever was.]
Ace clearly expects Whitebeard to kick him out on the spot - Roger was Whitebeard's enemy, after all. He looks stunned when Whitebeard doesn't care. ("That's all you wanted to talk about? I thought it was gonna be something important.")
"People are all children of the sea!"
After Teech murders Thatch to get the devil fruit, the others try to calm Ace down. (Marco: "Yamero yoi, Ace!") But Ace is determined - Teech was HIS subordinate.
Whitebeard tries to convince him that for once, it would be best to relax their ironclad rule and let Teech go. "I've got a bad feeling about this one." But Ace won't listen.
[Aw, Whitebeard's face when Ace keeps yelling that he won't stand for "his father's name" being smeared. (親の名をキズつけられて黙ってられるか!) As loyal as he once was rebellious, poor messed-up Ace and his daddy issues.]
Back on the execution platform, in the present, Ace apologizes to all of them (オヤジ... みんな...) for ignoring their advice and going against Whitebeard's orders to follow Teech. He's put all their lives in danger.
"Why didn't you just turn your backs on me!?"
[見捨てる - I think this is the same word Usopp used when he accused Luffy of being willing to throw a nakama under the bus, during the Merry fight.]
Whitebeard insists that he "told" Ace to go (which Ace knows perfectly well isn't true).
"You heard me, didn't you, Marco? I told him to go." "Sure did, yoi."
Marco agrees. Everyone on this sea knows what happens to anyone who dares lay a hand on one of OUR nakama.
Everyone on board now is shouting words of encouragement. Ace looks like he's about to have a breakdown. (T__T)
The earth is starting to shake. Garp knows what it is. The sea-quake Whitebeard set in motion is bringing a tsunami down on them. That's the power of the "gura-gura no mi."
[Incidentally, if you go back to the very first scene where Captain Morgan was talking about what devil fruits can do, he mentions one that can cause tidal waves - and one that can breath fire.]
Scan of everyone's faces as they prepare for the upcoming confrontation (Marco finally looks like he might actually be waking up).
"This... is war!"
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A tidal wave crashes into Marine HQ from all directions.
Doflamingo is filled with glee ("What power!").
Jango and Fullbody are filled with terror.
Whitebeard is triumphant.
Aokiji stops the tidal waves by freezing the entire harbor.
"Ice Age."
[Someone on a fan board I was reading once described this moment as being the very definition of epic - a guy who can cause earthquakes and tidal waves is throwing down against a guy who can freeze oceans solid. I'm inclined to agree.]
(Also, LOL Whitebeard's reaction: "Aokiji. You little punk.")
Helmeppo and Coby are watching open-mouthed.
Since the entire harbor is frozen solid, the Moby Dick is stranded, a sitting duck for cannon fire - but then, it also provides a convenient means of attack. The crew of the Moby Dick launch a charge over the ice.
[Panorama of faces from Whitebeard's crew that I'm sure I should know, but I don't.]
The Marine Vice-Admirals step forward.
[Again, I'm sure I should know all these guys' names, since almost all have been introduced by name at some point, but I'm drawing a blank on everyone but Garp.]
[The weirdest part of both these panorama shots is that I recognize most of the faces, I just can't put names to them or say where I've seen them before. Oda puts the most amazing amount of attention into drawing detailed, distinctive, instantly recognizable minor characters - whose names you can't even remember because there are so many of them.]
One of them tries to get Tsuru to fall back, but she scoffs at him ("Don't talk nonsense to me, baby chick"). Anyway, there's no safe spot anywhere on the ocean to hide from this battle.
Mihawk pulls his sword and slashes the icy surface of the harbor wide open.
Jozu, his body hardened to diamond, blocks the blow from going further. (Hence "Diamond Jozu," commander of the third division.)
When Kizaru attacks Whitebeard, blue flames explode above him. First Division commander Marco has assumed his phoenix form.
"You can't take the King off the board just like that, yoi."
Kizaru: "Damn scary, that Whitebeard Pirate gang."
554
[Cover arc: Chopper is still fleeing from the people of Birdy Island, but now they're too busy trying to save themselves from the giant birds to care.]
Kizaru recognizes Marco "the Phoenix" as one of the rarest of all devil fruit types, the mythical zoan.
Marco: "That hurt, yoi."
Kizaru: "Liar."
The commentary explains that "Phoenix" Marco's ability enables him to heal any damage to his own body by regenerating it from the flame.
Kizaru: "Say, that hurts."
Marco: "Liar."
Pulling back temporarily, Kizaru calls out the "giant squad" - a row of marine officers whose bodies are many times normal human size.
[Not sure if they are actually giants, or just supersize humans.]
Jozu hurls an enormous block of ice at the advancing giant squad.
Akainu is grumpy. If all three of them leave the stand, who's going to protect the execution platform?
He summons forth a eruption of magma, melting the iceberg and most of the ice in the harbor. Whitebeard's men dive for cover.
On Shabondy, an audience is watching the scene unfold, stupefied.
"It's like we're watching the end of the world."
[Did they explain earlier that this whole thing was being televised? For the public execution, I guess. I'd forgotten about that.]
Whitebeard intercepts one of the fiery balls of lava, catching it on his spear.
"Light me a candle for my birthday cake, magma-brat."
Akainu: "What's wrong, Shirohige? Don't care for flashy funerals?"
*shiver*
As the battle continues to rage, Little Oars Jr. steps forward.
Tsuru recognizes him as a descendant of "Continent Puller Oars" (the zombie who had Luffy's shadow on Thriller Bark). Although smaller than his ancestor, he's still many times normal giant size.
"Ace-kun's a nice guy! I ain't gonna let him die!"
(Aw, Oars. He has a distinct slur in his speech.)
Moria (how are you even still alive, Moria?) is thrilled to meet the original Oars' descendant. "I want his dead body!"
Doflamingo: "Ooh, I'm just THROBBING with excitement."
(How does Doflamingo make every word that comes out of his mouth sound like he's in a bad porn flick? SO CREEPY.)
555
[Cover arc: Nami is getting a tour of Weatheria, the fabled sky island.]
The Marine giant squad is focused on taking out Little Oars Jr (who is currently lifting a naval battleship right out of the water).
Ace is frantic - Oars makes too big (too easy) a target.
Oars makes a breach in the wall surrounding the harbor.
(It's hard to pick up ANY detail in these overcrowded drawings, but I appreciate the tiny maps with labels - note the one where Momonga is ordering them to fall back and reinforce the inner line.)
Whitebeard tries to persuade Oars not to get himself killed, but Oars is determined. (Dialect note: he uses the characteristicically giant-ish "oira" to refer to himself, only with his slurred speech, it's "oida." "Oida Ace-gun tasugetee~!"
The Whitebeard pirates try to attack Boa Hancock while attention is focused on Oars, but she easily beats them off - taking out several Marines in the process, because she really doesn't give a f*@$, she just uses far more elegant imperial language to express the sentiment. (Warawa wa sonata-tachi no mikata ni naru to wa iute oranu: "I never said I was your ally.")
Bartholomew Kuma hits Oars with "Ursus Shock." Oars staggers, but doesn't fall. His hat falls to the ground.
A flashback recalls when Ace gave him that hat (he says he modeled it after one from Wa no Kuni, the country that was first mentioned in Thriller Bark).
Someone yells that it took Ace three tries to make it, because he kept burning them (the hat is made of straw).
[I love these little glimpses of Ace's life among the Whitebeard Pirates. Why aren't there more of them? Also, happy smiling past-Ace, cryyyyy]
Oars' battle is intercut with flashes of past-Oars happily sitting outdoors in all weathers, enjoying his awesome hat. T__T
Doflamingo launches himself into the air and slashes through Oars' leg with one of his strings.
[ARGGGGGH DOFLAMINGO DIAFFFFF I HATE YOU SO MUCH]
Moria is pissed at Doflamingo for ruining his lovely zombie-to-be, but joins in the attack.
Oars staggers and falls, his huge hand reaching almost to the execution platform.
[SBS: Not fair to make me laugh during this arc, but I love the attribution of the SBS image to "ローの彼女にしてくれーさん" (Please let me be Law's girlfriend-san), accompanied by graffiti painted on poor sleeping Bepo.]
[SBS 2: How sweet is it that Oda says that part of the reason that he doesn't make Luffy and the others talk about killing their enemies was that his granny in the countryside asked him not to teach kids words like "I'll kill you!"?]
556
[Cover Arc: Nami continues to learn about "weather science" on Weatheria. Alabasta could've used that rain cloud.]
Oars collapses before the execution platform as the Shichibukai, Ace and the Whitebeard pirates look on.
One of the Vice Admirals (Ronzu?) tries to take advantage of the moment of grief and shock to attack Whitebeard, but Whitebeard beats him off easily.
Whitebeard orders his men to trample upon Oars' body and push forward. (T__T)
One of the division commanders, Water Buffalo Atmos, challenges Doflamingo ("What the hell is so funny?"), but Doflamingo takes over his body and turns him against his comrades.
Coby, watching in horror, tries to flee, but Helmeppo chases after him. They catch sight of Akainu torching another would-be deserter, but then someone calls him away, saying that "the plan" is ready.
Doflamingo (who is still manipulating Atmos) gets to deliver his big speech about how justice is determined by the winners - "those who stand upon the summit."
[Asshole speech delivered by an asshole, but I'll admit it's effective. This video (in which that speech is only one of many highlights) never fails to get to me. Highly, highly, HIGHLY recommended AMV. Moderately spoiler-y for all of Marineford, watch with caution if you haven't got through vol 59 or so.]
Ace's comrades are fighting to take advantage of the road to the plaza Oars Jr. gave them.
The "ice witch" Whitey Bay, on Whitebeard's crew, opens a second entrance into the harbor with her ship.
A message over the den-den mushi tells Tsuru to put "the plan" in motion. (What is with the people hanging on a clothesline behind her? What's her power again? She can dry people out?)
Whitebeard notices the soldiers communicating with each other, and knows something's up.
Garp, up on the platform with Ace and Sengoku, is torn. He has no sympathy for pirates, but… family's different.
(Aw, glimpse of baby Ace and baby Luffy.)
But, he's not prepared to oppose Sengoku.
Coby and Helmeppo are frantically discussing the plan they just heard over the wireless - which, apparently, is to ignore the previously announced schedule and execute Ace immediately. But Helmeppo notices something falling from the sky.
Luffy and his strange crew come crashing to earth. (Ivankov's wink was a little TOO effective.)
(LOL Luffy, Three, Ivankov and Buggy's speeches as they're falling - which are at least half funny mainly for their ridiculous speech quirks. "Somebody do something ga ne!")
557
[Cover arc: Brook is confronted by a gang of kidnappers from the long-arm tribe.]
Apparently Luffy and his gang got caught up in the side effects of the war - first they were hit by a tsunami, then the wave froze when the ship was at its peak. Crocodile comments that the reason is obvious.
Jinbei: "Oyaji-san!"
The flashback indicates that they were stuck on the crest of the frozen wave until they heard the communication over the "black den-den mushi" ordering a rush on the execution, at which point Ivankov sprang into action.
Luffy's gang (and ship) miraculously crash into a small patch of water, not ice. They're saved (after a brief interval for Jinbei to dive in and save the various drowning fruit users).
Luffy is overjoyed to see Ace at last.
The Marines come face-to-face with Luffy's strange alliance (from right to left: Jinbei, Buggy, Ivankov and Crocodile - among others).
Sengoku: "Garp! It's YOUR family again!!" (LOL)
Various reactions to Luffy from those who have known him in the past (Mihawk, Moria, Fullbody/Jango, Boa, hahaha - and Coby/Helmeppo, too).
Further reactions from assorted admirals and shichibukai, and Smoker/Tashigi (who haven't seen Luffy since Alabasta - no wonder they're baffled by the alliance with Crocodile).
Jinbei, confronting Sengoku, officially quits his position as shichibukai (haha).
Crocodile is already focused on assassinating Whitebeard (forestalling Garp's observation that he doubts this whole group can have the same ambitions).
Luffy interrupts the attack (nobody lays a hand on Ace's ossan).
Whitebeard notices Luffy's hat, and remembers what Shanks told him about leaving it in the East Blue.
Luffy confirms that he got the hat from Shanks. ("You know Shanks, ossan?") Whitebeard remembers, too, Ace proudly boasting over the wanted picture of his little brother.
Whitebeard says Luffy doesn't know who he's up against, but Luffy (predictably) doesn't care. "Shaddup! I'm gonna be king of the pirates!"
"Snot-nosed brat. You better not get in my way!"
"Whatever. I'm gonna do whatever I have to save Ace!"
[I love this - albeit brief - meeting of the minds. LOL at everyone else freaking out that Luffy has the guts to stand up to Whitebeard.]
The admirals prepare to proceed with the execution.
558
[Cover arc: the tribe Brook is with have mistaken him for Satan, whom they worship.]
Luffy warns Whitebeard about the plan to hasten the execution.
Everyone else is stunned by Luffy's self-confidence in talking to Whitebeard like an equal, but Luffy is just focused on getting to Ace.
Whitebeard, always one to think while Luffy is focused on action, suspects that the navy allowed them to overhear the plan on purpose.
Kizaru attacks Luffy, but Ivankov intervenes (and Buggy nearly gives himself away to his all-too-loyal underlings by shrieking in terror).
Luffy recognizes Kuma as the enemy that scattered his crew on Shabondy. Ivankov recognizes Kuma, too.
Black Cage Hina tries to confine the enemy (and, miraculously, Luffy recognizes her from Alabasta), but to no avail. ("Hina failure.")
Moria summons his zombies against Luffy.
Ace finally finds his voice.
"Stay away… Luffy!"
As Luffy predicted, Ace is angry with him for interfering. "I have my own adventure! I have my own comrades! This is none of your business!"
Aw, Ace, trying so desperately hard to get Luffy to just GO AWAY. T__T
Luffy: "I'm your LITTLE BROTHER!"
Flashback: Did you know? Exchanging sake cups makes you brothers!
The marines are confused by what they just heard. Does that mean Luffy is Roger's son, too?
Jinbei hits Moria's zombies with sea-water, knocking the souls out of them.
Sengoku reveals the truth to all assembled - that Luffy and Ace were foster-brothers from childhood, but Luffy's real father is the revolutionary leader Dragon.
[I love how tiny the picture of Luffy going Gear 3 in the middle of all this is.]
Coby and Helmeppo are horrified that the truth is out.
(LOL Boa: "You may be the child of the devil, but I still…")
Smoker: "NOW I understand what happened in Loguetown."
[Nice callback to vol. 11.]
Luffy takes out a giant admiral with Gear 3.
"Ace! Say whatever the &%# you like! I'm gonna save you if it kills me!"
Whitebeard: "Marco. Don't let that kid die."
Marco: "Yessir."
559
[Cover arc: Zoro finds himself on an island with a giant stone cross and a certain ghost-girl.]
Ace finally yields himself to whatever is to come. "I won't fight any more."
Buggy's men are becoming impatient - when are they going to steal the limelight away from Mugiwara, and take Whitebeard's head?
Buggy is terrified when Whitebeard finally notices him ("Yo, red-nose! Been a while! You still alive?").
Buggy's loyal-but-deluded crew is impressed that Whitebeard would deign to speak to Buggy.
Whitebeard offers Buggy an alliance (which he promptly accepts).
Whitebeard's orders go out to his crew, and they prepare to deploy as ordered.
Meanwhile, frustrated by Jinbei in the use of his zombies, Moria absorbs their shadows into his own body.
The marines watch in terror as two (former) shichibukai battle it out.
Smoker intervenes in the battle to protect Tashigi, and Luffy recognizes him at once. "Kemurin!"
Boa intervenes to ward off Smoker's attacks (which Luffy still has difficulty dealing with, due to Smoker's kairouseki-warded weapon).
[I love how no one watching can keep up with what's going on, but the reader knows exactly why Boa is jumping in to protect Luffy.]
Smoker readily recognizes her "haki" as a threat.
Luffy calls out to Hancock (who immediately collapses into blushes, just because Luffy actually remembered her name).
[So much gap moe! I really don't know why I find Hancock so adorable.]
Meanwhile, Ivankov is pleading with Kuma to remember him.
Doflamingo mocks him. "I don't know what connection the two of you had, but the Bartholomew Kuma you knew is dead."
560
[Cover arc: Zoro faces off with a sword-wielding shadow.]
Boa sneaks up close enough to Luffy to hand over the key to his brother's handcuffs.
[Yay, Hancock! Luffy gives her a big hug, which she deserves. rightly observed, recently, just how rare this sort of affection from Luffy actually is.]
… and Hancock thinks this must be "marriage," LOL oh dear.
Smoker is still trying to chase after Luffy, but Hancock stops him with her "looking so far down she's looking up" pose.
Meanwhile, Ivankov is refusing to believe that the Kuma he knew is dead.
Doflamingo explains that just the other day, Kuma voluntarily underwent Vegapunk's final procedure. He is now a pure human weapon, nothing more.
He willingly allowed the government to experiment on him, piece by piece - first his hands, then his legs, and finally his mind.
Ivankov doesn't believe it. Kuma hated the government! He would never give himself to them!
Doflamingo doesn't know, himself, what Kuma's deal with the government was, but he knows what was done to him. Kuma no longer has any memory of the person he once was. He is nothing but a human weapon - PX-O.
Luffy remembers what Kuma said to him on Shabondy.
"We will never meet again. Farewell."
Ivankov finally resolves to attack Kuma without mercy.
He offers to hold Kuma off while his followers help Luffy reach the execution platform.
Meanwhile, Buggy and his followers have entered the fray. And Crocodile is still trying to attack Whitebeard.
Diamond Jozu deals with Crocodile's attacks (and Doflamingo joins the party).
Crocodile: "You both wanna die?"
Luffy is charging the platform.
Mihawk: "Sorry, Red-Hair, but I'm not gonna hold back."
The fate of the next generation hangs on the blade of Mihawk's sword, Kokutou.
561
Luffy figures he doesn't have time to fight someone as strong as Mihawk, so he tries to dodge. It doesn't work.
Ivankov's followers offer themselves as a blockade - only to be struck aside.
Luffy almost attacks, holding back only at the moment when he senses his arm would have been cut off (mostly-latent haki, again).
He dodges a slash that literally removes the top of a mountain (of ice).
Crocodile scornfully rejects Doflamingo's offer of an alliance (unless Doflamingo is willing to be HIS henchman).
Buggy's followers get caught up in the clash between Crocodile, Jozu and Doflamingo.
Buggy himself stumbles between Luffy and Mihawk, and gets slashed in half.
Buggy aims his "buggy ball" at Mihawk, only to have it directed back on himself.
Luffy interprets this as an effort to help him. "Thanks, Buggy! I won't forget this!"
Marco orders Vista to help Luffy. "Got it!"
Luffy gratefully takes advantage of the opportunity to escape.
Mihawk: It's not a devil fruit ability, or a battle technique. One by one, he turns everyone he meets into his allies. On this sea, there is no man with a power more terrifying.
[Another great line featured in my favorite AMV.]
All over the world, people hold their breath and watch as the ultimate combatants face off.
On the platform, the execution is finally ready to proceed.
Sengoku orders the camera feed to be cut off. In a few hours, their "victory" will be proclaimed to the world.
Sentomaru and his Pacifistas have arrived.
562
No one else understands why there seem to be multiple Bartholomew Kumas.
Whitebeard's men realize that the intent was to have them surrounded in the harbor.
Whitebeard orders them to ignore the enemy in the rear (the Pacifistas) and keep attacking the plaza.
On Shabondy, the video feed shuts off - mostly.
Kizaru again attacks Luffy, and Jinbei blocks the attack.
Whitebeard's division commanders join forces to block the admiral and allow Luffy to get to Ace.
[I love how they all address Luffy as "Ace no otouto".]
Vista is still duelling with Mihawk.
One of the cameras is still broadcasting, and Sengoku doesn't want to act until it is cut off.
Buggy, the heretofore unknown figure from Roger's crew, appears on camera.
"What, me?"
Sengoku is still screaming at his men to cut the feed.
Apparently, the prisoners from Impel Down stole one of the den-den mushis.
"Take 2!"
"A member of Roger's crew… practically a blood brother of one of the four emperors, Red-Hair Shanks…"
"Will somebody PLEASE shut that camera off?!?"
The audience on Shanbondy can't figure out what is going on at all, but they don't care about this "Buggy". They want to see Ace.
Whitebeard's men are still charging the plaza.
Squardo is approaching Whitebeard. Whitebeard is glad to see that he's all right - he was just trying to get through to him, without success.
Squardo plunges his sword into Whitebeard's chest.
Shocked reactions all around (interesting use of photographic-negative imagery).
TBC
Japan is just over ONE WEEK AWAY (eek!), but I wanted to get at least a couple of these done before going. Then maybe I can use the post-Japan One Piece high to keep moving forward.
One Piece 57: Paramount War
(頂上決戦, aka "War at the Summit," "The Summit War," "War of the Best"... no one knows what to call this. Also, remember when Ace kept telling Luffy they'd meet again at the summit? ;_;)
552
Cover arc: Chopper flees to keep the people of the Birdy Kingdom from making him into tanuki nabe ("I'm not food, コノヤロー！")
Luffy and his ragtag band have escaped from Impel Down. When Ivankov makes a comment about wondering if Luffy and Ace's father ("vanata-tachi no chichioya") Dragon will show up at Marineford, Luffy is confused.
"-tachi?"
When Ivankov explains that he's sure Dragon would never allow his "real son" Ace to be executed (the stage whisper he uses to confide this is kind of hilarious) Luffy understands. He explains that he and Ace don't have the same father. Ace's father is Gold Roger.
"Oh wait, that was supposed to be a secret." (LOL)
[Never tell Luffy anything you don't want the whole world to know. Also, he calls both his father and Ace's "Tou-chan," so cute.]
Meanwhile, Whitebeard's fleet is confronting the execution platform at Marineford.
Whitebeard is gearing up to do something big, while his whole crew stands around looking stoic and imposing (or possibly just bored, it's hard to tell).
[Time to play spot-the-crew-member! I can still only name a third of Whitebeard's crew at best. Maybe these summaries will help.]
When Whitbeard punches the air, cracks appear, followed by a tsunami.
Whitebeard smirks (is it possible to smirk menacingly)?
Luffy frets because the fog ahead is still too thick to see through.
Ace looks miserable.
"Take care, Ace!"
In the flashback, fourteen year old Luffy is saying goodbye to seventeen year old Ace.
At some undetermined later point (note the different sail in the next frame), Ace acquires his fire fruit (how DID he get that fruit?) and declares himself captain of the Spade Pirates. [At least, I assume he has the fruit at this point, based on the flaming hat.]
Various people are reacting to Ace's exploits and his first wanted poster. (Garp is enraged because Ace became a pirate after all. The Marines are puzzled because they can't figure out where this rookie with "D" in his name came from - and he has a logia devil fruit power, too. Whitebeard is amused by the report that Ace actually turned down an invitation to become shichibukai.)
"Youngsters these days sure are in a hurry." (Based on こいつら何年目だ, it sounds like he's talking about Ace's whole generation.)
On some wintry island, Ace catches up with Shanks. Shanks seems to suspect him of wanting to pick a fight, but Ace says he just wanted to pay his respects. "My kid brother never shuts up about you, says he owes you his life."
[Spoiler (click to open)]*cryyyyy*
Shanks is surprised to learn Luffy has a big brother.
[Isn't everyone.]
"Let's party!"
At some later point (most compressed flashback sequence EVER), Ace confronts Jinbei, demanding to be allowed to see Whitebeard. (Jinbei: "With that knife? I don't think so.")
After 5 days, he and Jinbei are forced to call it a draw.
[He fought JINBEI to a standstill for five days. Damn.]
Whitebeard shows up at the fight, offering to fight Ace if that's what he wants.
Ace accepts, provided Whitebeard lets his own crew escape (looks like his crew and Jinbei's were both watching the fight between Ace and Jinbei).
Whitebeard: "Snot-nosed brat! Cheeky!"
When Ace is defeated (from the looks of it, it didn't take long), Whitebeard offers him a place on his crew.
"Shame if you died now. You want to run wild on this sea, take my name. You can rampage all you want. Be my son!"
Ace refuses. "Fuzakenna!"
[Now, Ace, it's not nice to tell your adopted father to go fuck himself. Ace has some serious parental authority issues.]
After he passes out, they take him on board anyway.
When he wakes up, Sacchi, the captain of the fourth division, tries to befriend him. "If we're gonna be nakama, might as well try to get along." "Shaddup!"
[サッチ. His name is usually rendered Thatch in English - I guess that must be confirmed by some official source?]
He tells Ace that his men tried to save him, and got their butts kicked, but they're fine. They're all on board Whitebeard's ship now too.
Ace spends the next several frames (pages) on an increasingly elaborate and maniacal series of failed assassination attempts. (The anime did a hilarious job with this.)
[Note to self: we can see Ace's AxSxCE tattoo in one attempted assassination frame - have we ever seen clear confirmation of when he got that tattoo? At least, at this point? He's wearing shirt sleeves in the shot where he says goodbye to Luffy, so I can't tell there.]
[I love where he gets knocked overboard after one attempt, and someone - standing around looking bored - is like "Hey, someone better fish him out."]
Twirly-mustache guy (name?) says "He's got persistence, I'll give him that."
Somewhere after the hundredth attempt, Marco tries to talk to him. When Ace asks, Marco says they all call the captain Oyaji (Dad, Old Man), because he calls them all his sons (musuko). No one else wanted them, so it makes them happy. Even though it's just a word (ただの言葉でも、嬉しいんだ).
[NOT "Whether he means it or not," Viz, are you kidding me? Of course Whitebeard means it!]
(Apparently Marco's speech quirk is to add "yoi" or similar to every sentence. Aw, I never caught that before. 決断しろい: "Give it up already, yoi.")
Finally, Ace gives in and takes Whitebeard's mark. Soon he's offered the position of second division commander.
He asks Blackbeard (going by Teech at this point) if he doesn't mind ("You've been here longer"), but Teech doesn't seem to care. "You go for it, Ace-Taichou!"
One night, Ace confesses his dark secret to Whitebeard (Ace's hunched back in this scene, sniffle).
"That so? Your personality ain't much like your dad's, though."
[Come to think of it, that's kind of an interesting comment, from one of the few characters in the series who would have been in a position to know. From what we've seen, Luffy is far more like Roger than Ace ever was.]
Ace clearly expects Whitebeard to kick him out on the spot - Roger was Whitebeard's enemy, after all. He looks stunned when Whitebeard doesn't care. ("That's all you wanted to talk about? I thought it was gonna be something important.")
"People are all children of the sea!"
After Teech murders Thatch to get the devil fruit, the others try to calm Ace down. (Marco: "Yamero yoi, Ace!") But Ace is determined - Teech was HIS subordinate.
Whitebeard tries to convince him that for once, it would be best to relax their ironclad rule and let Teech go. "I've got a bad feeling about this one." But Ace won't listen.
[Aw, Whitebeard's face when Ace keeps yelling that he won't stand for "his father's name" being smeared. (親の名をキズつけられて黙ってられるか!) As loyal as he once was rebellious, poor messed-up Ace and his daddy issues.]
Back on the execution platform, in the present, Ace apologizes to all of them (オヤジ... みんな...) for ignoring their advice and going against Whitebeard's orders to follow Teech. He's put all their lives in danger.
"Why didn't you just turn your backs on me!?"
[見捨てる - I think this is the same word Usopp used when he accused Luffy of being willing to throw a nakama under the bus, during the Merry fight.]
Whitebeard insists that he "told" Ace to go (which Ace knows perfectly well isn't true).
"You heard me, didn't you, Marco? I told him to go." "Sure did, yoi."
Marco agrees. Everyone on this sea knows what happens to anyone who dares lay a hand on one of OUR nakama.
Everyone on board now is shouting words of encouragement. Ace looks like he's about to have a breakdown. (T__T)
The earth is starting to shake. Garp knows what it is. The sea-quake Whitebeard set in motion is bringing a tsunami down on them. That's the power of the "gura-gura no mi."
[Incidentally, if you go back to the very first scene where Captain Morgan was talking about what devil fruits can do, he mentions one that can cause tidal waves - and one that can breath fire.]
Scan of everyone's faces as they prepare for the upcoming confrontation (Marco finally looks like he might actually be waking up).
"This... is war!"
553
A tidal wave crashes into Marine HQ from all directions.
Doflamingo is filled with glee ("What power!").
Jango and Fullbody are filled with terror.
Whitebeard is triumphant.
Aokiji stops the tidal waves by freezing the entire harbor.
"Ice Age."
[Someone on a fan board I was reading once described this moment as being the very definition of epic - a guy who can cause earthquakes and tidal waves is throwing down against a guy who can freeze oceans solid. I'm inclined to agree.]
(Also, LOL Whitebeard's reaction: "Aokiji. You little punk.")
Helmeppo and Coby are watching open-mouthed.
Since the entire harbor is frozen solid, the Moby Dick is stranded, a sitting duck for cannon fire - but then, it also provides a convenient means of attack. The crew of the Moby Dick launch a charge over the ice.
[Panorama of faces from Whitebeard's crew that I'm sure I should know, but I don't.]
The Marine Vice-Admirals step forward.
[Again, I'm sure I should know all these guys' names, since almost all have been introduced by name at some point, but I'm drawing a blank on everyone but Garp.]
[The weirdest part of both these panorama shots is that I recognize most of the faces, I just can't put names to them or say where I've seen them before. Oda puts the most amazing amount of attention into drawing detailed, distinctive, instantly recognizable minor characters - whose names you can't even remember because there are so many of them.]
One of them tries to get Tsuru to fall back, but she scoffs at him ("Don't talk nonsense to me, baby chick"). Anyway, there's no safe spot anywhere on the ocean to hide from this battle.
Mihawk pulls his sword and slashes the icy surface of the harbor wide open.
Jozu, his body hardened to diamond, blocks the blow from going further. (Hence "Diamond Jozu," commander of the third division.)
When Kizaru attacks Whitebeard, blue flames explode above him. First Division commander Marco has assumed his phoenix form.
"You can't take the King off the board just like that, yoi."
Kizaru: "Damn scary, that Whitebeard Pirate gang."
554
[Cover arc: Chopper is still fleeing from the people of Birdy Island, but now they're too busy trying to save themselves from the giant birds to care.]
Kizaru recognizes Marco "the Phoenix" as one of the rarest of all devil fruit types, the mythical zoan.
Marco: "That hurt, yoi."
Kizaru: "Liar."
The commentary explains that "Phoenix" Marco's ability enables him to heal any damage to his own body by regenerating it from the flame.
Kizaru: "Say, that hurts."
Marco: "Liar."
Pulling back temporarily, Kizaru calls out the "giant squad" - a row of marine officers whose bodies are many times normal human size.
[Not sure if they are actually giants, or just supersize humans.]
Jozu hurls an enormous block of ice at the advancing giant squad.
Akainu is grumpy. If all three of them leave the stand, who's going to protect the execution platform?
He summons forth a eruption of magma, melting the iceberg and most of the ice in the harbor. Whitebeard's men dive for cover.
On Shabondy, an audience is watching the scene unfold, stupefied.
"It's like we're watching the end of the world."
[Did they explain earlier that this whole thing was being televised? For the public execution, I guess. I'd forgotten about that.]
Whitebeard intercepts one of the fiery balls of lava, catching it on his spear.
"Light me a candle for my birthday cake, magma-brat."
Akainu: "What's wrong, Shirohige? Don't care for flashy funerals?"
*shiver*
As the battle continues to rage, Little Oars Jr. steps forward.
Tsuru recognizes him as a descendant of "Continent Puller Oars" (the zombie who had Luffy's shadow on Thriller Bark). Although smaller than his ancestor, he's still many times normal giant size.
"Ace-kun's a nice guy! I ain't gonna let him die!"
(Aw, Oars. He has a distinct slur in his speech.)
Moria (how are you even still alive, Moria?) is thrilled to meet the original Oars' descendant. "I want his dead body!"
Doflamingo: "Ooh, I'm just THROBBING with excitement."
(How does Doflamingo make every word that comes out of his mouth sound like he's in a bad porn flick? SO CREEPY.)
555
[Cover arc: Nami is getting a tour of Weatheria, the fabled sky island.]
The Marine giant squad is focused on taking out Little Oars Jr (who is currently lifting a naval battleship right out of the water).
Ace is frantic - Oars makes too big (too easy) a target.
Oars makes a breach in the wall surrounding the harbor.
(It's hard to pick up ANY detail in these overcrowded drawings, but I appreciate the tiny maps with labels - note the one where Momonga is ordering them to fall back and reinforce the inner line.)
Whitebeard tries to persuade Oars not to get himself killed, but Oars is determined. (Dialect note: he uses the characteristicically giant-ish "oira" to refer to himself, only with his slurred speech, it's "oida." "Oida Ace-gun tasugetee~!"
The Whitebeard pirates try to attack Boa Hancock while attention is focused on Oars, but she easily beats them off - taking out several Marines in the process, because she really doesn't give a f*@$, she just uses far more elegant imperial language to express the sentiment. (Warawa wa sonata-tachi no mikata ni naru to wa iute oranu: "I never said I was your ally.")
Bartholomew Kuma hits Oars with "Ursus Shock." Oars staggers, but doesn't fall. His hat falls to the ground.
A flashback recalls when Ace gave him that hat (he says he modeled it after one from Wa no Kuni, the country that was first mentioned in Thriller Bark).
Someone yells that it took Ace three tries to make it, because he kept burning them (the hat is made of straw).
[I love these little glimpses of Ace's life among the Whitebeard Pirates. Why aren't there more of them? Also, happy smiling past-Ace, cryyyyy]
Oars' battle is intercut with flashes of past-Oars happily sitting outdoors in all weathers, enjoying his awesome hat. T__T
Doflamingo launches himself into the air and slashes through Oars' leg with one of his strings.
[ARGGGGGH DOFLAMINGO DIAFFFFF I HATE YOU SO MUCH]
Moria is pissed at Doflamingo for ruining his lovely zombie-to-be, but joins in the attack.
Oars staggers and falls, his huge hand reaching almost to the execution platform.
[SBS: Not fair to make me laugh during this arc, but I love the attribution of the SBS image to "ローの彼女にしてくれーさん" (Please let me be Law's girlfriend-san), accompanied by graffiti painted on poor sleeping Bepo.]
[SBS 2: How sweet is it that Oda says that part of the reason that he doesn't make Luffy and the others talk about killing their enemies was that his granny in the countryside asked him not to teach kids words like "I'll kill you!"?]
556
[Cover Arc: Nami continues to learn about "weather science" on Weatheria. Alabasta could've used that rain cloud.]
Oars collapses before the execution platform as the Shichibukai, Ace and the Whitebeard pirates look on.
One of the Vice Admirals (Ronzu?) tries to take advantage of the moment of grief and shock to attack Whitebeard, but Whitebeard beats him off easily.
Whitebeard orders his men to trample upon Oars' body and push forward. (T__T)
One of the division commanders, Water Buffalo Atmos, challenges Doflamingo ("What the hell is so funny?"), but Doflamingo takes over his body and turns him against his comrades.
Coby, watching in horror, tries to flee, but Helmeppo chases after him. They catch sight of Akainu torching another would-be deserter, but then someone calls him away, saying that "the plan" is ready.
Doflamingo (who is still manipulating Atmos) gets to deliver his big speech about how justice is determined by the winners - "those who stand upon the summit."
[Asshole speech delivered by an asshole, but I'll admit it's effective. This video (in which that speech is only one of many highlights) never fails to get to me. Highly, highly, HIGHLY recommended AMV. Moderately spoiler-y for all of Marineford, watch with caution if you haven't got through vol 59 or so.]
Ace's comrades are fighting to take advantage of the road to the plaza Oars Jr. gave them.
The "ice witch" Whitey Bay, on Whitebeard's crew, opens a second entrance into the harbor with her ship.
A message over the den-den mushi tells Tsuru to put "the plan" in motion. (What is with the people hanging on a clothesline behind her? What's her power again? She can dry people out?)
Whitebeard notices the soldiers communicating with each other, and knows something's up.
Garp, up on the platform with Ace and Sengoku, is torn. He has no sympathy for pirates, but… family's different.
(Aw, glimpse of baby Ace and baby Luffy.)
But, he's not prepared to oppose Sengoku.
Coby and Helmeppo are frantically discussing the plan they just heard over the wireless - which, apparently, is to ignore the previously announced schedule and execute Ace immediately. But Helmeppo notices something falling from the sky.
Luffy and his strange crew come crashing to earth. (Ivankov's wink was a little TOO effective.)
(LOL Luffy, Three, Ivankov and Buggy's speeches as they're falling - which are at least half funny mainly for their ridiculous speech quirks. "Somebody do something ga ne!")
557
[Cover arc: Brook is confronted by a gang of kidnappers from the long-arm tribe.]
Apparently Luffy and his gang got caught up in the side effects of the war - first they were hit by a tsunami, then the wave froze when the ship was at its peak. Crocodile comments that the reason is obvious.
Jinbei: "Oyaji-san!"
The flashback indicates that they were stuck on the crest of the frozen wave until they heard the communication over the "black den-den mushi" ordering a rush on the execution, at which point Ivankov sprang into action.
Luffy's gang (and ship) miraculously crash into a small patch of water, not ice. They're saved (after a brief interval for Jinbei to dive in and save the various drowning fruit users).
Luffy is overjoyed to see Ace at last.
The Marines come face-to-face with Luffy's strange alliance (from right to left: Jinbei, Buggy, Ivankov and Crocodile - among others).
Sengoku: "Garp! It's YOUR family again!!" (LOL)
Various reactions to Luffy from those who have known him in the past (Mihawk, Moria, Fullbody/Jango, Boa, hahaha - and Coby/Helmeppo, too).
Further reactions from assorted admirals and shichibukai, and Smoker/Tashigi (who haven't seen Luffy since Alabasta - no wonder they're baffled by the alliance with Crocodile).
Jinbei, confronting Sengoku, officially quits his position as shichibukai (haha).
Crocodile is already focused on assassinating Whitebeard (forestalling Garp's observation that he doubts this whole group can have the same ambitions).
Luffy interrupts the attack (nobody lays a hand on Ace's ossan).
Whitebeard notices Luffy's hat, and remembers what Shanks told him about leaving it in the East Blue.
Luffy confirms that he got the hat from Shanks. ("You know Shanks, ossan?") Whitebeard remembers, too, Ace proudly boasting over the wanted picture of his little brother.
Whitebeard says Luffy doesn't know who he's up against, but Luffy (predictably) doesn't care. "Shaddup! I'm gonna be king of the pirates!"
"Snot-nosed brat. You better not get in my way!"
"Whatever. I'm gonna do whatever I have to save Ace!"
[I love this - albeit brief - meeting of the minds. LOL at everyone else freaking out that Luffy has the guts to stand up to Whitebeard.]
The admirals prepare to proceed with the execution.
558
[Cover arc: the tribe Brook is with have mistaken him for Satan, whom they worship.]
Luffy warns Whitebeard about the plan to hasten the execution.
Everyone else is stunned by Luffy's self-confidence in talking to Whitebeard like an equal, but Luffy is just focused on getting to Ace.
Whitebeard, always one to think while Luffy is focused on action, suspects that the navy allowed them to overhear the plan on purpose.
Kizaru attacks Luffy, but Ivankov intervenes (and Buggy nearly gives himself away to his all-too-loyal underlings by shrieking in terror).
Luffy recognizes Kuma as the enemy that scattered his crew on Shabondy. Ivankov recognizes Kuma, too.
Black Cage Hina tries to confine the enemy (and, miraculously, Luffy recognizes her from Alabasta), but to no avail. ("Hina failure.")
Moria summons his zombies against Luffy.
Ace finally finds his voice.
"Stay away… Luffy!"
As Luffy predicted, Ace is angry with him for interfering. "I have my own adventure! I have my own comrades! This is none of your business!"
Aw, Ace, trying so desperately hard to get Luffy to just GO AWAY. T__T
Luffy: "I'm your LITTLE BROTHER!"
Flashback: Did you know? Exchanging sake cups makes you brothers!
The marines are confused by what they just heard. Does that mean Luffy is Roger's son, too?
Jinbei hits Moria's zombies with sea-water, knocking the souls out of them.
Sengoku reveals the truth to all assembled - that Luffy and Ace were foster-brothers from childhood, but Luffy's real father is the revolutionary leader Dragon.
[I love how tiny the picture of Luffy going Gear 3 in the middle of all this is.]
Coby and Helmeppo are horrified that the truth is out.
(LOL Boa: "You may be the child of the devil, but I still…")
Smoker: "NOW I understand what happened in Loguetown."
[Nice callback to vol. 11.]
Luffy takes out a giant admiral with Gear 3.
"Ace! Say whatever the &%# you like! I'm gonna save you if it kills me!"
Whitebeard: "Marco. Don't let that kid die."
Marco: "Yessir."
559
[Cover arc: Zoro finds himself on an island with a giant stone cross and a certain ghost-girl.]
Ace finally yields himself to whatever is to come. "I won't fight any more."
Buggy's men are becoming impatient - when are they going to steal the limelight away from Mugiwara, and take Whitebeard's head?
Buggy is terrified when Whitebeard finally notices him ("Yo, red-nose! Been a while! You still alive?").
Buggy's loyal-but-deluded crew is impressed that Whitebeard would deign to speak to Buggy.
Whitebeard offers Buggy an alliance (which he promptly accepts).
Whitebeard's orders go out to his crew, and they prepare to deploy as ordered.
Meanwhile, frustrated by Jinbei in the use of his zombies, Moria absorbs their shadows into his own body.
The marines watch in terror as two (former) shichibukai battle it out.
Smoker intervenes in the battle to protect Tashigi, and Luffy recognizes him at once. "Kemurin!"
Boa intervenes to ward off Smoker's attacks (which Luffy still has difficulty dealing with, due to Smoker's kairouseki-warded weapon).
[I love how no one watching can keep up with what's going on, but the reader knows exactly why Boa is jumping in to protect Luffy.]
Smoker readily recognizes her "haki" as a threat.
Luffy calls out to Hancock (who immediately collapses into blushes, just because Luffy actually remembered her name).
[So much gap moe! I really don't know why I find Hancock so adorable.]
Meanwhile, Ivankov is pleading with Kuma to remember him.
Doflamingo mocks him. "I don't know what connection the two of you had, but the Bartholomew Kuma you knew is dead."
560
[Cover arc: Zoro faces off with a sword-wielding shadow.]
Boa sneaks up close enough to Luffy to hand over the key to his brother's handcuffs.
[Yay, Hancock! Luffy gives her a big hug, which she deserves. rightly observed, recently, just how rare this sort of affection from Luffy actually is.]
… and Hancock thinks this must be "marriage," LOL oh dear.
Smoker is still trying to chase after Luffy, but Hancock stops him with her "looking so far down she's looking up" pose.
Meanwhile, Ivankov is refusing to believe that the Kuma he knew is dead.
Doflamingo explains that just the other day, Kuma voluntarily underwent Vegapunk's final procedure. He is now a pure human weapon, nothing more.
He willingly allowed the government to experiment on him, piece by piece - first his hands, then his legs, and finally his mind.
Ivankov doesn't believe it. Kuma hated the government! He would never give himself to them!
Doflamingo doesn't know, himself, what Kuma's deal with the government was, but he knows what was done to him. Kuma no longer has any memory of the person he once was. He is nothing but a human weapon - PX-O.
Luffy remembers what Kuma said to him on Shabondy.
"We will never meet again. Farewell."
Ivankov finally resolves to attack Kuma without mercy.
He offers to hold Kuma off while his followers help Luffy reach the execution platform.
Meanwhile, Buggy and his followers have entered the fray. And Crocodile is still trying to attack Whitebeard.
Diamond Jozu deals with Crocodile's attacks (and Doflamingo joins the party).
Crocodile: "You both wanna die?"
Luffy is charging the platform.
Mihawk: "Sorry, Red-Hair, but I'm not gonna hold back."
The fate of the next generation hangs on the blade of Mihawk's sword, Kokutou.
561
Luffy figures he doesn't have time to fight someone as strong as Mihawk, so he tries to dodge. It doesn't work.
Ivankov's followers offer themselves as a blockade - only to be struck aside.
Luffy almost attacks, holding back only at the moment when he senses his arm would have been cut off (mostly-latent haki, again).
He dodges a slash that literally removes the top of a mountain (of ice).
Crocodile scornfully rejects Doflamingo's offer of an alliance (unless Doflamingo is willing to be HIS henchman).
Buggy's followers get caught up in the clash between Crocodile, Jozu and Doflamingo.
Buggy himself stumbles between Luffy and Mihawk, and gets slashed in half.
Buggy aims his "buggy ball" at Mihawk, only to have it directed back on himself.
Luffy interprets this as an effort to help him. "Thanks, Buggy! I won't forget this!"
Marco orders Vista to help Luffy. "Got it!"
Luffy gratefully takes advantage of the opportunity to escape.
Mihawk: It's not a devil fruit ability, or a battle technique. One by one, he turns everyone he meets into his allies. On this sea, there is no man with a power more terrifying.
[Another great line featured in my favorite AMV.]
All over the world, people hold their breath and watch as the ultimate combatants face off.
On the platform, the execution is finally ready to proceed.
Sengoku orders the camera feed to be cut off. In a few hours, their "victory" will be proclaimed to the world.
Sentomaru and his Pacifistas have arrived.
562
No one else understands why there seem to be multiple Bartholomew Kumas.
Whitebeard's men realize that the intent was to have them surrounded in the harbor.
Whitebeard orders them to ignore the enemy in the rear (the Pacifistas) and keep attacking the plaza.
On Shabondy, the video feed shuts off - mostly.
Kizaru again attacks Luffy, and Jinbei blocks the attack.
Whitebeard's division commanders join forces to block the admiral and allow Luffy to get to Ace.
[I love how they all address Luffy as "Ace no otouto".]
Vista is still duelling with Mihawk.
One of the cameras is still broadcasting, and Sengoku doesn't want to act until it is cut off.
Buggy, the heretofore unknown figure from Roger's crew, appears on camera.
"What, me?"
Sengoku is still screaming at his men to cut the feed.
Apparently, the prisoners from Impel Down stole one of the den-den mushis.
"Take 2!"
"A member of Roger's crew… practically a blood brother of one of the four emperors, Red-Hair Shanks…"
"Will somebody PLEASE shut that camera off?!?"
The audience on Shanbondy can't figure out what is going on at all, but they don't care about this "Buggy". They want to see Ace.
Whitebeard's men are still charging the plaza.
Squardo is approaching Whitebeard. Whitebeard is glad to see that he's all right - he was just trying to get through to him, without success.
Squardo plunges his sword into Whitebeard's chest.
Shocked reactions all around (interesting use of photographic-negative imagery).
TBC