One Piece Manga 582+: "The New Era Begins!" (Spoilers)

Neo Ultra Mike

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OP 880 is out and here are my thoughts.

Cover Page: Lest you feel too bad for Uhola for Sai breaking things off with her for Baby 5 we find out she has her own personal guy club of admirers/lackeys called "The Husband Club" and Sai would of been her 26th "member" of said club. What this says to me is that though there are a lot of very attractive and gorgeous girls in the OP world (a lot of which some people say look alike) beauty is also in the eye of the beholder and traditionally what many would say are "ugly" people can still easily find someone through sheer force of will. Big Mom and now this Uhola chick have had like multiple men just probably based on their own power and... okay both are also evil but I think this is honestly sort of progressive in "oh hey people deemed my normal society to be "ugly" can still have a harem of lovers and people who fawn over them for other reasons." Which is weird to say here but true.

Review: I admit I was annoyed Sanji was roped in at first at the whole "having to make a cake to appease Big Mom" plan but I think I'm warming up to it since it's more a chance to show off some of his apparent attack chef training he learned at Ikanvov's island. Which yeah there was that whole thing of learning 99 special reciepes so I'm sure desert was one of them so I guess it makes sense for that to get a big focus. And I do admit though part of me wonders if all the detail of getting this room is technically necessary it does show Oda is not skipping steps to make this. You have Pudding making this big speech to everyone to make sure they don't peak for their own safety and then one by one takes away all the chef's memories of the last 24 hours just so they won't freak out seeing Sanji there and you have Sanji's skills as a chef through smell and taste remembering the cake play out to be important. And though kind of standard comedy of Pudding flip flopping emotions and Sanji going gaga in her in a chef outfit it works and it does feel this whole plan is honestly really important in helping everyone escape the wrath of Big Mom.

Especially since the last chapter shows just how screwed everyone else is. Luffy's pinned to the ground by Dogtooth (and I did see someone point out why he isn't using Gear fourth now: Luffy knows it won't be enough to beat Dogtooth one on one in the allotted time so is obviously saving it since once he uses it he'll be down for like 10 minutes and easy pickings so at least that makes sense) who is still trying to get troops to go into the ship to burn it and forcing Luffy to focus on fighting him and getting the others to smash the mirrors in the ship thus trapping him more in the mirror world. And if that isn't bad enough Big Mom made another homie which is a massive tidal wave looking to blow them all over. Maybe Jinbe can like split it somewhat to reduce damage but I do like how this second part shows how hosed the crew is even escaping Big Mom. Again this is showing at this point how fruitless it is going up against a Yonko's forces even when trying just to leave and I do like showing even with every seemingly lucky break the team is getting they are still getting pinned down. I've said this before but OP is good when it keeps up a relentless pace and shows the sheer hopelessness of a situation to make the break out moments mean more. Obviously the Straw Hats will find some way to survive but this isn't a Fairy Tail kind of series where the manga ka constantly has to spoil that in the ending of the chapter for... fear of the characters or something.

So yeah solid chapter. I guess I could complain more how as this goes on there's less and less chance of getting to Zou anytime soon but I'm getting into the escape and the crew's struggles against it more and there is a pulse pounding "how are they going to get out of this one" feel now which makes for an exciting read so... solid chapter. If you've actually got me feeling nervous for our heroes and unsure how they'll make it out (especally if it's going to take 3 hours to make the cake so how will the crew stay on the ropes for that long) that's the feeling you should go for and I do appreciate that.
 

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Chapter 880 was pretty sweet, another surprising unexpected new Big Mom Pirate,

Sai's ex-girlfriend has a harem of husbands, crazy/funny, hehehe.Pudding messing with the other chef's memories and Sanji making the wedding cake was great:D.Luffy vs. Katakuri continues, but nice of Luffy telling Nami to shatter all the mirrors for the Thousand Sunny to be protected, go Luffy.Big Mom has given THE OCEAN HER OWN SOUL:eek:, the living ocean, my favorite cool new Big Mom Pirate member.The evil living ocean creates a gigantic tsunami threatening the engulf the Thousand Sunny which Luffy's friends are about to be doomed, what an evil cliffhanger.
 

zoombie

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Chapter 881

My thoughts on the latest chapter of One Piece.

Wow what a great chapter. Jimbei is awesome. He is a crazy man, glad he is on our side. So Nami following Luffy orders and believing in him and getting everyone out of harms ways.

I don't how much longer we can hold out, Sanji and the others better hurry up.
 

Neo Ultra Mike

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My thoughts on OP 881

Cover Page: Don Sai and Baby 5's wedding which is... cute but honestly now seeing this mini arc fully laid out I think we could of had a page less on the whole Uhola subplot even if the husband club was a funny joke and more on building up this to see the two together but it's cute enough I guess and hey I guess it's nice to see two people actually married sort of happy together. Granted Sai's doing it more out of obligation but... eh guess it's still nice to see anyway.

Review: You know I do feel kind of sorry for the editor of this series since he made that big promise of "yeah in 2017 we're going to finish Whole Cake Island's arc and move past the reverie into Wano" being exited about that but not realizing due to Oda's affinity for detail and need for constant delays and breaks (OP is on break next week as well) there's no way we're going to do that. Which is a good and bad thing and not just in a "I want to get to this arc/don't want to see that arc" way. It's good because we're getting the story the way it's meant to be told though bad because it does feel a bit drawn out at this point. I think if this chapter and the part that dealt with the Sunny and Luffy last week were the same chapter it would of worked just fine. Though honestly I guess these are suppose to be decently big moments. The whole thing of Jinbe steering the ship through the wave to break through the other side was to not only give the group the slip from big mom but show what his role in the crew is really going to be: he will be the Helsmen who is the best one to steer. Since yeah Nami's a good navigator but she's always had to give orders on who has to turn and manage steering the ship so it makes sense to have someone have that job title and Jinbe and his knowledge of the sea makes sense to have that role. Plus I like how the crew was legimatley worried about death for a second but still managed to come together to not just be in awe of Jinbe the entire chapter.

I guess this was also to give more a parting to Luffy to explain they're heading to meet with Sanji while he has to go do that through the mirror world after dealing with Katakuri even though... I still don't really see how at this point. Maybe a new Gear 4 form at this point but again this is a guy whose been built up too much at this point and again I thought Luffy at his maximum was on level with Cracker and this guy's above that though I guess we'll see. I do like Katakuri knowing Luffy's next words and sort of mocking him for it saying "you'll say I'm not dying here" but do you really want those to be your last words?" And yeah we know Luffy's not going to die here but is he going to win or simply escape? Guess that's what we'll have to see Still I do appreciate the build up of this as we'll likely get more either on the cake or the actual fight next time but Oda making this moment feel important works too.

So though nothing super great it's decent for what it's getting across and though stretched out some it's still a fine chapter. Again OP is off next week so we'll have to see all the way past mid October how this next part goes so see you there people.
 

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Chapter 881 was pretty sweet, the Strawhats' sweet escape continues,

Sai/Baby 5's wedding begins, sweet, best couple ever:anime:.Nami and company escaping Big Mom's evil living ocean's tidal wave with Jinbei taking control was pretty sweet/intense, go Jinbei:D.Nami and company breaking the ship's mirrors while talking to Luffy on how they survived thanks to Jinbei taking control was pretty sweet.Nami and company taking 10 hours to reach Pudding's island to meet Sanji/Pudding was pretty sweet.Luffy will meet them there soon while Luffy vs. Katakuri still continues, but Katakuri is wrong as much as Luffy survives and will dominate, hehehe:D.
 

Neo Ultra Mike

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OP 882 is out here's what I think.

Cover Page: Ideo's turn next as apparently that ship he got from Orlumbus is shooting down two ships or two ships on fire are in front of them or they're part of the other ships Orlumbus gave him or... okay kind of confusing start to this I admit or maybe I'm just not in the mood to deal with this story first getting up in the morning who knows?

Review: Part of me wants to say that Oda thought of this whole escape part of the story AFTER he told his editor "uh yeah I can hit that Reverie Arc AND Zou by the end of the year. Yup can sure do that". But enough complaining about what we haven't had yet. What do we have here? Honestly good stuff. I am wondering exactly if or how Luffy is going to beat this guy since yeah even if the Big Mom pirates are obviously trying to crush the Straw Hats here, they aren't going to nor are we going to see go fully down so obviously something needs to be saved. And if Dogtooth really is built up as this strong would it really work for him to be beaten here if there's more with crew? But still good stuff with the fight of Dogtooth tossing away Luffy and being a bit annoyed he keeps dodging his attacks and then revealing yeah he can awaken Devil Fruits which I guess is going to be the new big deal kind of power now and him only being interested in Gear 4 so yeah curious where this is all going. Then of course you have the other stuff of Pekoms crying over Pedro's death (again he really should be dead considering the Big Mom pirates would of sweeped the area otherwise too thinking about it) and Tamago pointing out how severely they underestimated the Straw Hats and Bege heading to Cacao as well as Germa decimating a bunch of unseen forces and heading out showing how tough they really are united as a crew. So honestly a lot of good more set up and delivering on some of the fight build up. This isn't one of those chapters worth the break but it still works on it's own well really showing off more of the enemy forces and just how boxed in our team is getting if now Brulee knows and everyone is still going to set eyes on them in Cacao and how that will pan out so curious how this all is going to go down.
 

zoombie

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Chapter 882

My thoughts on the latest chapter of One Piece.

I wonder is Dogtooth to be a Warlord of the Sea if he wanted to. Well is birth is that of legend, I give him that. The more hype he gets, the more it is going to be meaningful when Luffy beats him.

The Germa 66, they are redeeming themselves after what an idiot there father was in all this, and not to mention him crying like a baby, I mean how embarrassing. Time to redeem the family name, they beat up all those guys, and showing some brains and tricking the Big Mom pirates, give them a taste of their own medicine, I like it.

So can't wait to see what happens next.
 

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Chapter 882 was pretty sweet, Germa 66 strikes back,

Cool seeing Ideo in the next mini-story.Luffy vs. Katakuri continues, but Katakuri having a trident weapon called Mogura was cool though.Brulee reporting to Perospero on hearing Luffy/Nami's conversation, the best smartest major villains.Katakuri awakening his mochi ability was cool and predicting his Gear 4 powers in the battle, sweet.Poor Pekoms to hear the sad news about Pedro's sacrifice and also even Baron Tamago is emotional/sad over his rival Pedro's sacrifice, sweet that Baron Tamago redeems after Pudding:anime:.The Big Mom Pirates are prepared at Cacao Island, but cool that Capone and his goons will return to aid the Strawhats, sweet.Nice seeing Niji, Niji tricking Mont d'Or was clever/great which the Germa 66 army crushed the Big Mom soldiers, hehehe:p, but finally Judge/Germa 66 will be there to protect the Strawhats, the best new allies as much as Judge and Yonji/Niji/Ichiji are now better people and not horrible monsters anymore:D.
 

zoombie

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Chapter 883

My thoughts on this week's chapter of One Piece.

So that is Dogtooth true form, well with a name like Dogtooth can't say I am surprised. I bit a lot of Dogtooth fan girls are losing is now.

So donuts are his weakspots, you know I was going to have some donuts today, but I think I will pass.

This is the beginning of the end for Dogtooth, now he is desperate, Luffy will turn this around. And no break next week, call me surprised. Normally chapters like this end with the break announcement.
 

Neo Ultra Mike

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Thoughts on OP 883

Cover Page: Continuing the Ideo cover arc story with him beating up both sides of those pirates who were fighting.... hmmm makes me realize how kind of jerkery most members of this alliance are. Seriously Bartlameo is a thug to most everyone but Luffy, Ideo beats seemingly everyone up, Haruhajin uh... is a giant.... okay thinking about it again maybe most of the members actually aren't like that so... don't know why I said that so... okay this is awkward moving on.

Review: Oda honestly is really liking the idea of twisting conventions on the seemingly super powerful and also serious "this guy is seen as a challenge to everyone" second in command especially since we hit the new world. Hyozou is a drunk, Vergo was such a sloppy eater and forget ful about things, Pica had a super high pitch voice, Jack pretty much got stuck underwater begging for help (eh I'm sure we'll see something goofier from his later) and even the supposed incredibly cool, in control and unstoppable Dogtooth who usually takes pretty much every thing in stride is revealed to have to pretty much... engage his inner Homer Simpson with his various maws when he's eating. Honestly the build up to this did kind of ruin the joke since you have a few pages of "oh Dogtooth is so incredible and so serious he even just solemnly eats his meals in peace" that you knew once you saw him you'd see something goofy but I admit I still do like the twist. Not only because it gives this guy some character besides being stoic of having a bit of goofiness in eating food and enjoying it he doesn't want anyone else to see and he was getting so peeved because of how much time he had to spend in the whole chase he wasn't getting in his snack break but I think it's totally relatable wanting to enjoy your meal in peace to eat however you want and that feeling of rage of being interrupted. Plus though that wasn't funny on it's own, the idea of him having this house made and taking this break is still funny as is Luffy eating his way out of the Moochi and going "do I have to eat for every one of these battles with you people?" And wanting to break the house just to continue the battle. I'm going to pan out to see if Luffy actually hurting him makes sense with the explanation of apparently him realizing something about Dogtooth but I do like how it's Luffy actually being able to read his opponent and actually thinking and not just over powering the guy since it seemed like Dogtooth was so out of his league but now he's doing better when Dogtooth is seemingly a bit out of it.

Honestly this is a solid battle/comedy chapter actually doing something unique with one of the main villains build up and doing it well so good stuff there. Hope we either get an explanation or go around to other places next time but at least if we're getting a focus on one thing it's an amusing thing with good action as a part of it.
 

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Chapter 883 was pretty sweet, Katakuri's big reveal,

Ideo and his gang destroying the evil pirate ships, go Ideo.Luffy vs. Katakuri continues, Katakuri's new Awakened powers crushing Luffy were pretty cool, but Katakuri to have his little meal/tea time is pretty funny for something hardcore/really powerful among the Big Mom Pirates, hehehe.Luffy devouring the mochi house by breaking free of his trap and getting fattened up like with Cracker was sweet/funny.Katakuri's mouth is finally revealed to be oddly shaped with fangs, cool/interesting like Jack the Drought/Mileena(Mortal Kombat) and is a notorious glutton for sweets, hehehe, that's the reason he's called Dogtooth, but nice to see more on Katakuri's character.Luffy finally realizes how Katakuri's ability works getting his Kong Gun ready and round 2 of their battle begins.
 
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zoombie

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Chapter 884

My thoughts on the latest chapter of One Piece.

Well than Luffy is actually thinking and figure things out, this is not he Luffy I know, man he has grown up. It looks like Luffy has got this in the bag.

Meanwhile I think perhaps Mr. Pound is going to blow it for us, he just the type of idiot that is going to ruin the plans.

So we are headed towards the climax, let's see what happens.
 

Neo Ultra Mike

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My thoughts on OP 884

Cover Page: Ideo realizes this has just been one of the many clashes in the thousand year old conflict between the long leg tribe, and the long arm tribe. I know there was at least one of those in the Dressrosa arc... Blue Gilly? Was he a long leg member? I don't really specifically remember but honestly I get Sneetches from Doctor Suess vibes from this whole confict: as in can't we all learn to get along regardless of having long legs or... arms? Probably not in this story if it's been going on for a thousand years and... Ideo's the one caught in the middle of it.

Review: I have to say the battle part of this chapter was really good. I actually liked the explanation that Luffy was managing to assault Katakuri because he was annoyed enough to not use his observation Haki and that though the guy is really strong and tough, it's that which is his key in batttle and if not used or countered he can be hit. Which makes sense based on what we've seen before and honestly again shows Luffy is actually a rather smart fighter. I also like how Katakuri's like "yeah good job figuring that out. Guess that's how Cracker loss. However I'm done being mad" and then proceeds to wallop him around while dodging all the attacks proving yeah Luffy did a good job getting some hits in but that's not going to matter once Dogtooth calms down and goes back to fighting as he did before and then yeah wallops Luffy pretty hard in Gear Four. More so then I've seen anyone else proving even in this form Luffy's still out of his league. Really curious how this battle is going to go since I don't really see even King Kong Gun being enough to take Katakuri down especially if he's not going to let anger blind him again but maybe there's something Luffy has to take him down. I kind of hope not honestly as since this isn't the arc where we're taking Big Mom down it would make sense to leave some of the stronger members for another arc but eh if there is a way to do it that makes sense I can go for that.

The rest of the chapter was kind of eh. I admit I am kind of annoyed we're getting something more with Pound since yeah I get him wanting to see Chiffon again but didn't really care enough about the guy as a character for that to be a driving force or felt we really needed a "yeah Luffy's amazing and has got this" moment from Sanji during the cake making. And though kind of amusing and I guess it's a way for her to do something Praline using sing attack to charm all the sea slugs isn't really an... interesting or fun way to close out the chapter. The Germa showing up before worked but this really doesn't and again does kind of show how dragged out some of this feels. Part of me thinks that the editor wasn't told this all would be in the climax before confessing that this year we would see the end of this arc, another arc AND the start of Zou and is probably a bit ticked off at Oda for all this. And I admit I share some of the frustration as the other part of the chapter was pretty meh and just felt like saying stuff was going on without it really connecting but at least the fight stuff was strong enough for this to be an okay chapter plus hey seems like we aren't getting a break next week either so can continue this and hopefully see this arc off to a conclusion... some point soon again guess we'll have to see when on that one.
 

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Chapter 884 was pretty sweet, Luffy's battle/cake baking continues,

Ideo and the war between the bizarre races of the Long-Arm Tribe and Long-Leg Tribe, cool.His fanged mouth exposed was great, but Luffy vs. Katakuri continues with their powerful attacks, Powerful Mochi was a cool powerful attack.Nice seeing Pound with him wanting to see his daughter Chiffon, but is stopped by Charlotte Oven, nice to see Oven, I'll see who fights him though.Sanji/Pudding baking that wedding cake was sweet, but Sanji knows that Luffy will dominate.Cool seeing Charlotte Praline the best anti-heroine ally on using her siren song to defeat the surveillance sea slugs, awesome/funny, hehehe:p.
 

Neo Ultra Mike

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OP 885 is out and here are my thoughts

Cover Page: Ideo's crew including Abullah and Jeet along with Blue Gilly are going to another nearby island to try and make a new ship for the two pirate crews as they continue arguing. You know I totally forgot last time Ideo is also a member of the long arm tribe and Blue Gilly joined them on the crew so they would have I guess a personal investment in this. Pointed out by even bigger OP fans then me which I guess shouldn't be the most shocking to me that there are a lot of people who remember even smaller little details of this manga then I do. I do kind of hope that this act doesn't really work and they continue bickering as that'd be funny but I guess it's at least nice of them to try with these long arm and long legs.

Review: You know though I was against the whole "Sanji has to help be the one to make a cake to save the others" I think the idea is warming up on me more especially since... well yeah seems like there's no other way for them to get out as heck Luffy isn't even able to get Katakuri. I mean yeah he's still trying and is just running away to build up Haki (I guess like the weaknesses of gear 2 and 3, he's at least used Gear 4 enough to train to avoid being totally drained and just out of it like we saw with Doflamingo since otherwise Luffy would of been done the minute Gear 4 ended) but even then in Gear 4 Dogtooth still outmatches him and seems like Luffy's only big plan is "I'm just going to have to wait till this guy gets angry/get him angry to weaken him" which really isn't much of a plan to the guy who can see the immediate future. So honestly he's bone as really the only reason he's alive right now is thanks to Brulee being around. Which makes sense and honestly though she is annoying she is just one of those people who constantly just keeps getting used and abused by the Straw Hats and crew and if she wasn't so annoying and obviously evil you would feel something for her. But since she is I just find it funny especially even Dogtooth's annoyance and that Brulee just happened to send them to the island that Big Mom is attacking so even when Luffy escapes Dogtooth he now just has to escape Big Mom herself. And then yeah just clearing up the others are awaiting the renedezous as Sanji and co have finished their part of the cake and are now going to finish the rest on the ship so... guess the crew still only has to hold off things for a few more hours which I guess is the rising tension here.

Still honestly good stuff from ending part of the fight to the chase to the end seeing how incredible Sanji's super delicious cake is. Next week OP is off (the editor must be sooooooooooooo POed at himself/Oda for saying this year this arc would end and we'd be on like two totally different arcs by now) so we'll have to see more about the cake and the chase in two weeks and probably beyond but as long as the action is solid or at least amusing like we got here I'm down for that.
 

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Chapter 885

My thoughts on the latest chapter of One Piece.

So Luffy just escape from the frying pan into the fire. Anyway I hope the fight has a a conclusion, I want Luffy to win, he needs this win.

For a chapter tiled Burlee, Burlee did not play much of a role here, so I guess she is a hostage or is she dead? Whatever who cares.

Now is Sanji planning on poisoning Big Ma, that the implication I am getting by the end of this chapter.

We will find out in two weeks.
 

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Chapter 885 was pretty sweet, Sanji completed the wedding cake, sweet,

Ideo and his gang building a new ship was sweet.Luffy vs. Katakuri/Dogtooth continues, Katakuri still has the advantage over Gear 4 Luffy, Luffy wanting to find the weakness on his powerful opponent until when he Gear 4 powers wears off, rats, which he has to evade Katakuri for a full 10 minutes for it to come back, but Katakuri the best powerful opponent next to Jiren, more stronger than Donquixote Doflamingo, Rob Lucci, and Charlotte Cracker.Luffy using Brulee to escape towards Nuts Island and escaping from the combined assault of Big Mom, Perospero, and piece of crap Amande, but Brulee being the hostage as usual like Caesar is still funny, hahahahaha:p.Luffy's crew on the Thousand Sunny along with Capone and gang/the Sun Pirates are almost about to be doomed with Big Mom's forces starting their all-out attack.Sanji finally finished the wedding cake looking delicious which he'll set out to go where Luffy and crew is:D, he gotta hurry.
 

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Chapter 886

My thoughts on the latest chapter of One Piece.

I thought for sure Sanji was going to fight Oven, the more he beat on Chiffon, the more Sanji wanted to step in because of his code of men beating women not being cool.

But Pound shows up for a bit, and Chiffon doesn't know who he is, hmm this sounds familiar, we just did this a couple of arcs ago. Granted Pound lost, and looks like Bege is going to be the main opponent here.

You know what if Bege is back in, I really think when this is over Pudding is going to go with them. I think that is where she belongs. But her and Sanji is so cute together, and Pudding was so adorable in this chapter, you kind of forget what a psychopath she was or maybe still is. Still has the split personality problem, but we haven't seen the other side in a while, maybe she has got it under control.

So is Luffy finally going to finish off Dogtooth, I am ready for this fight to end already.
 

Neo Ultra Mike

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My thoughts on OP 886

Cover Page: A two page color spread of the Straw Hats playing with giant armadillos... apparently part of the special 20th anniversary color page collection or something I don't know but I guess an amusing enough image for the "occassion."

Review: As pointed out before the editor of this series made a point to say "2017 will end the Whole Cake Island arc, we'll get to the reverie and into Zou before 2018 rolls around" as he was either told or figured the ending with the wedding was the big climax of this story and the Straw Hats would just leave after that. Since afterall we're not going to see Big Mom fall here and we'll get another arc with her down the line so this would be a good place for the Straw Hats to escape and fight on another day. Oda obviously felt different and wanted to have this be a bigger arc and a lot of it I do think works. Some of it doesn't though but I'll list off what I like about this one first.

Though sort of annoying I do have to admit I like Pound here for getting easily punched away and Chiffon having no idea who he is (guess he wasn't either in her life a lot or she's as thick headed as Lola is on certain things) and then later thinking he landed a hit when he clearly didn't. And honestly I do like Sanji wanting to think strategically about this and not get they're cover blown thus why the super quick kick to Oven but not really being able to do much else when he does recapture Chiffon. And honestly I actually quite like how the "hostage negotiation" plays out of Chiffon refusing to be a hostage and telling Capone and his crew to run calling them much more a family then her own, and Bege showing up and getting a shot off on Chiffon and telling his son "this is the way daddy works." Honestly stuff like this makes me like Bege more and more since though he may be a hard boiled mobster he obviously does have his own sense of ethics about things and relationships he does care about which is cool. I do have a feeling we are going to eventually get more of an actual Oven vs Sanji battle with the forces of Oven taking on Bege's ship but at least liked how this iniital encounter played out. Kind of wish we saw less of love struck pudding and more of her flip flopping emotions but eh guess they don't have time for it here and I do like the other bits we got such as Carrot pointing out to Chopper a full moon is coming indicating I guess she's going to be more at her peak strength so will do something more in the future which is cool.

Honestly the only part I had an issue with really is the last page with Luffy pointing out to Brulee he does want to take on and defeat Katakuri at his full power which.... IMHO he really shouldn't of in this arc as that should of been saved for down the line since again we are going to get more with Big Mom in another arc so why not save Katakuri for an opponent there? Granted maybe he is sort of talking about then considering he's still in the phase of having to run around and rebuild up haki and knowing Katakuri's is draining so honestly they wouldn't ever both be at their fulls right now. Though I also don't like the whole "the stronger opponents fight the stronger you're haki will get." I get the whole haki can only be awakened in true life or death battles (though wasn't Luffy's first taste of conqueror's haki awakened against those fish riders with Duval of all people that none of the straw hats had any issue taking out? That wasn't really a strong battle at all) that push the opponent but this shouldn't be like Sayians in DBZ and get stronger and stronger just by fighting more. Especially since though that is a very shonen thing OP in it's second half has been building more about stories and about politics and about relationships in a sense more then even the first half so this does feel at odds to say with the story now. Not to mention I really don't think Luffy should ever get the see the future power ever. That works for a villain or hero you see every so often but... that would not work with your main character. I mean if Luffy constantly saw the future what surprise and interest would there be for him which is something he wants to have in an adventure and also how would he really be sneaked up on by anyone supposedly weaker then him again. Haki was fine used as an excuse to easily clown mooks instantly who wouldn't of stood a chance but having future sight IMHO would kind of limit the series more with it's hero not expand but eh guess we'll see how this fight goes.

Chapters like this though do show this arc does still have quite a bit left in it and hey most of it's good so even the stuff I do have issues with don't effect it for me too much. I do hope we get more from the rest of the cast though if this is suppose to go on for another year and they didn't play the trump cards for most of the Straw Hats already but again guess we'll see.
 

PapaGreg

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You know I surprised people aren't talking about how Bege saved his wife like a boss, its a huge shift from the jerk who stabbed his subordinate in the eye with a fork just because he could't wire Bonney's jaw shut.
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@Neo Ultra Mike I don't see why we need to go on a different arc just so Luffy can beat Katakuri, sure Katakuri is stronger but its not like the gap is similar to pre-timeskip luffy and Kizaru we did see Luffy make Katakuri bleed so there is a chance of him winning
 

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