One Piece 52

[sara_tanaquil]

I had forgotten how dense this volume was. (Maybe I should say "confusing." Once again, it was a lot clearer on re-reading in retrospect.)

Also, this could be considered rather a nasty cliffhanger. I will try to get on to 53 quickly.

Comments

[wednesday_10_00]

I had forgotten how dense this volume was. (Maybe I should say "confusing." Once again, it was a lot clearer on re-reading in retrospect.)

Yeah, I remember this volume being 1/3 "I don't know what these people are talking about" and 1/3 "Why should I care about these people fighting?" And the pacifistas confused the heck out of me (knowing me and my retention of One Piece on the first time through, I'd probably forgotten about the encounter with Kuma on Thriller Bark), so even the Strawhats' fight was like...WTF is going on here??

Within the bubble, a marine's head comes off and flies into Law's hand (but he can still talk)

Not that it matters, but: I believe Law cuts the guy's head off with his sword, and then uses "shambles" to swap the head and the cannonball. Hence the guy's body getting blown up/burned.

[Punk Hazard]
It doesn't matter, except that it kinda does, as it's foreshadowing OTHER things to be swapped later.


This to me is one of the most moving - and terrifying - moments in One Piece.Yes. When Luffy is running away, you know it

[sara_tanaquil]

Not that it matters, but: I believe Law cuts the guy's head off with his sword, and then uses "shambles" to swap the head and the cannonball. Hence the guy's body getting blown up/burned.

Good point. Though I'm not sure he technically needs the sword; I think it is said somewhere later that he can manipulate anything within the sphere as he wishes, thus, e.g., being able to perform complex surgery if needed. Since he doesn't have to touch things to cut them, presumably he doesn't have to be holding the cutting instrument. (The sword might be just to make him look more badass...)

Law's fruit is insanely powerful.

[wednesday_10_00]

The sword might be just to make him look more badass...

Ha, maybe! I mean, Law's not really close enough to the marine to cut him with a sword, but there's lots of indirect cutting in shounen manga, even without devil fruit powers, so it's hard to say.

(edited because clearly this comment needs a sword icon)

[naye]

Ahh, I want to comment on this but I'm still just reading bits and pieces of 51 & 52 - I had totally forgotten that Doflamingo says "Smile" at that point! Though now that you mention it I remember everyone going "???" over that and wondering if he was talking about his crew symbol or... what? AND NOW WE KNOW. Damn, Oda's good.

And, yes, the fight with Kuma is absolutely gutwrenching and one of the most emotionally affective scenes of the whole manga. It's one of very few times we see Luffy completely undone (it was definitely the most broken we'd seen him to date, I think), and where they all fail at what they're trying to do. Even giving it their all, these strong, brave people fail to protect each other, fail to stay with their captain when he needs them... it's a breaking point in so many ways.

It's an amazing character moment, and it made me cry.

[sara_tanaquil]

The thing that stuck with me from this volume (apart from the confusingness, and I do remember being very confused by the Pacifista madness) was how quickly everything goes to hell. One minute they're joking around about going to the amusement park, then they're teaming up to fight against and just-barely-defeat one strong enemy, and then boom, they're facing total annihilation. So chillingly realistic, because I'm guessing that's what a real clusterfuck looks like in the field.

And then Zoro hanging on to life by a thread and Usopp being so brave but no one has a spare minute to appreciate it and Chopper going monster-form because that's what he does when he thinks he's as good as dead anyway and just... *sob

[naye]

I know! It's just devastating, the way defeat comes out of nowhere in the middle of what seems to be just another adventure.

Yeah, the way Luffy knows they're in deep, deep trouble and just wants everyone to get OUT is heartrending. Especially after 仲間一人も救ええない... (technically the next volume, so I'm keeping details sparse)!

Ow ow owwwww. D:

[lego_joker]

Interestingly enough, I actually don't have many strong memories of this arc. I mean, I was reading it as it came out, so it must have made an impression on me back then, but... I guess everything here just seems less striking in light of *spoiler*?

I think I should like Kizaru (and maybe Sentomaru) more than I do, but the polarized morality of this arc basically turns it into "Anyone on the World Nobles' side = Pure Evil", so...

Incidentally, did you get that e-mail I shot you a while back? The one concerning the idea for a new fanfic?

[sara_tanaquil]

I've been pondering the fanfic question! Unfortunately I'm not much good at coming up with fic ideas (hence why I don't write fic). I will let you know if I think of anything.

[mangaroo]

Where's Zoro?!?!

I would do a line-by-line, but I have to move onto the next volume, because Zoro!

They're fighting over who will get to take out the marines first.

Loved this so much.

[sara_tanaquil]

You can do line by line later! And, um, you might want to clear your evening.