Alright, alright, alright! Let’s talk about Mr. Ya Boi, Scopper Gaban.
It’s not like much else happened in the chapter, right? That’s fine. His official introduction was a long time coming. Even though both hold the role of the “left hand” of their captain, I’m surprised by how much Oda made Gaban’s character like Sanji. Well, a mature Sanji who found love, but still like Sanji. It’s not like Rayleigh’s a mature verison of Zoro. Or, at least I never considered the two alike in personality.
So why the Gaban/Sanji parallel? Is Oda setting up something between the two characters? Will Gaban be Sanji’s mentor like how Rayleigh mentored Luffy? Is this a way of Oda giving Sanji another power-up? Or…could this be a way for Oda to get Sanji to mature as a person? Maybe use Gaban’s influence to calm down Sanji’s girl crazed antics? Not remove it, of course—Oda loves his character gags no matter how stale they become. But, again, give Sanji some character growth and maturity. Yeah, I’m really looking forward to them meeting each other.
Hentai artists are lining up around the block to thank Oda for Gaban x Ripley.
So…uh…anyone know what The Harley is talking about?
Safe to say the Harley’s passages matches the mural. Let’s assume each area of mural under a Harley passage represents that particular message. If so, let’s try figuring out what’s going on based off of what we currently know about the One Piece world and its past.
The First World
Ok… Ah, the Mother Flame. Cities. …Maybe the world was advanced and that civilization discovered the Mother Flame. Things went downhill from there and somehow the planet was destroyed. Remember, we recently learned the One Piece world was destroyed twice. Once during the Void Century and the other, I presume, was way way WAY back in an advanced age.
If the Sun God is Nika, then the Earth God was Imu? Or, whoever had the Earth God powers during that time? And does all this earth talk symbolize the creation of the Red Line and it subsequent separation of the planet into four blues? Sure, let’s go with that.
The Second World
“The Forest God tamed demons” could mean during this low point in history, devil fruits somehow appeared in the world and were used to fight the demons? [Wait, wait, wait! Does that mean demons were unleashed because the ancient civilization dug too deep for the Mother Flame and awoke them? Like when the Dwarves in Lord of The Rings mined to deep and awoke the Balrog? Hmm…]
Those of the half-moon and moon dreamed? Hmm… Lunarians and…some other race of people, I guess. The sea god storming could mean devil fruit users gaining their water weakness. If so, it’s interesting something happened to give them that vulnerability rather than it always being there.
The World Tree also plays a role here but I’m not sure what that was. Unless… Were devil fruits born from it?! Devil fruits originated on Elbaph. A place where horned giants that could be mistaken for demons lived and has an area they call the Underworld… Fascinating!
Apocalyptic Graffiti. Usually you only see that in New Jersey.
We see flying arks in the mural similar to the one God Enel built (no doubt from ancient blueprints he found or stole somewhere). Did the Lunarians and others escape the demon infested planet in order to live peacefully on the moon? If so, are they still there? I don’t think it was ever confirmed if anyone was still alive up there except for the Space Pirates before Enel got there.
“Man killed the sun and became god” I take that as Team Imu (the united countries that founded the World Government) attacking the last remnant of the formerly vast ancient civilization (now only one island, Laugh Tale), flooding the planet, and taking over the world. Imu later moves into the Lunarians abandoned territory atop the Red Line and creates Marijoa. Basically, The Second World describes what happened during the Void Century.
Lots of telling in this chapter, huh? It’s all setting up the upcoming conflict and the big Elbaph flashback, of course. Let’s see: Ancient Giants, Loki, Hajrudin, Other Giant Nations, Linlin, Saul, King Harald, King Harald’s Baby Mommas… That’s a lot of ground to cover. Put me down for at least ten Elbaph flashback chapters.
…Oh, what the heck? Make it twelve chapters!
Hajrudin wants to be King of the Pir—erm—Giants. Can we please have a democracy somewhere in One Piece? No? Okay, then.
Also, for someone carrying foreign blood, Hajrudin had the people cheering him on after making his king declaration at the feast. What happened to all the MAGA Giants? Is there a proud giant stealthy waiting in the background to ask Hajrudin for his birth certificate? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
The twist: Shanks is a triplet! See you in 100 chapters, Shamar.
I do like confirmation Giant territories exist outside Elbaph. Where are they? Are they part of the World Government? I hope those questions are answered soon.
So, Loki was a jerk since day one, huh? Who wanna bet he did all of those “pranks” as a way to toughen up the people of Elbaph? Don’t get me wrong, Loki’s absolutely an arc antagonistic but the Celestial Dragons will always be the worst of the worst in One Piece. I bet the Holy Knights want Loki to kill Luffy AKA Nika 2.0. Why else would they offer him a place at the inbred Celestial Dragon knights table?
Start the countdown for Shank’s flashback, Y’all. It’s gotta happen this arc with his (most likely) brother appearing on the island. I wonder will Shanks himself return to Elbaph and reunite with Luffy? Hmm…
Look. She was in a hurry, okay?! Not everyone has time to put on pants you know.
It takes chapters like this to remind me just how chaotic Luffy really his, wanting Elbaph to be a warrior nation instead of peaceful. What a jerk! No wonder he’s a pirate. Next time I see him I’m snitching to the Navy.
Biblo the Owl. Is it a creature like Zunesha? Meaning, has it been around since the Void Century? Won’t be surprised if it’s true. Putting a lore pin in that until later in the arc.
Got confirmation Collun’s dad is a former human pirate. Scopper Gaban? A former pirate who’s powerful and had a reason to hide on a non World Government affiliated island like Elbaph? Yep, it’s him. Trust me. When have I ever let you down? Well, let you down this year?
“We hate vylence!! Except for Fortnite. And Marvel movies. And cats slapping dogs YouTube videos. And…”
Bonney and Lilith are looking for residency status on Elbaph. And while they’re at it, they can move into background character status. Your arc’s over. Oda will call you for the plot if he needs ya.
Everyone’s so happy. It’d be a shame if a couple baddies teleported down onto a magic pentagram circle to ruin it.
Let’s jump right into the last pages. Dark lightning/energy? A summoning circle we’ve seen only the Five Elders previously use? Someone looking like Shanks appears? It’s gotta be Saint Figarland Garling!
Makes since if the theory he’s Shank’s father is true. King Imu gives him the power to look younger and BLAM! He’s on Elbaph disguised as Shanks on the same island he knows the Straw Hat Crew escaped to. Now he can hunt down Lilith, destroy Ohara’s books (if he finds out they still exist), and geniuely be a pain in the butt to any and everyone on Elbaph. Perfect. I’m such a genius!
…Hm? What is it, fellow reader? Last page of One Piece 1121? No, I don’t reme—
Shanks’s twin brother, Spanks. He likes it rough.
Oh.
Well maybe I am over thinking things and it’s just Shanks’ brother.
Nico Robin reunites with her childhood friend, Saul. A very straightforward chapter that needed to be this way.
Oda’s got no problem jumping scene-to-scene within an One Piece chapter. A chapter can feature dozens of named characters shown in different parts of an island or even throughout the entire world in order to advance the plot. The fact that Oda focused most of this chapter exclusively on Robin shows just how important she and her reunion with Saul is to the series.
When we first saw Robin’s childhood flashback we had little information on why the Five Elders were willing to destroy an entire island just to cover up the past. Looking back at it now with what we currently know about the history of Planet…um…One Piece, I understand why the World Government is so determined to find her.
Obviously Luffy’s been tricked by Loki into helping him escape. Loki even mentions in a previous chapter that the key to his chains is located somewhere in the Elbaph village.
It makes sense Luffy got duped given Loki’s also referred to as the God of Mischief. A Trickster God, if you will. Yep, ole Luffy’s been Gum-Gum Bamboozled.
I’m interested in seeing if most or all of the giants will turn on the Straw Hat Pirates if Luffy does indeed free Loki. Either way, Loki is bringing harsh conflict, violent Sun God battles, and a world-ending Ragnarök. Yay!
Weeks ago, Eiichiro Oda—creator of the hit manga, One Piece—visited Netflix’s live-action One Piece set located in South Africa in order to “oversee production”, making sure the hit show doesn’t sway from Oda’s core vision.
And while that is indeed true, a source close to the cast and crew of the series, who wishes to remain anonymous, has come forth with the whole story.
According to this secret source, Eiichiro Oda was quite the fun guy while on set. Quote the source:
“It’s clear Mr. Oda hadn’t had a real vacation in years, so spent every available moment trying to get his party on. He really brought the energy up on set. It was wild!”
Maybe a little too wild, as the source when on to say throughout his visit, Oda reportedly took hundreds of goofy pictures of himself with the cast (for his own private collection to never be released), raced crewmembers in carts designed to drive around the showrunners and directors, and even took everyone white-water rafting on an off-day.
The snitching source also learned the very private Oda was talked into doing a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo” as a background marine officer in a Lougetown scene. Unfortunately, the scene had to be reshot without him due to Oda’s inability to stand after injuring himself at the previous night’s cast and crew after-shoot party where a rap battle contest and twerking contest were both held.
Oda received first place in one of the contests, but the source refused to answer in which.
At first I thought Prince Loki wasn’t a Sun God, just someone impersonating one. You know. Since Luffy is the Sun God. But! What if Luffy’s A sun god, not THE sun god? Luffy ate the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika. It’s possible Loki’s family passed down another Human-Human devil fruit similar to Joy Boy’s version. Well, I doubt Loki’s a rubber man, but seeing as he’s in Elbaph’s “Underworld” with no sun, I bet he feeds on its power. Think Oda’s version of an evil Superman. The more solar energy Loki absorbs, the stronger he gets. A good theory, if I say so myself.
Shanks and Loki know each other, huh? Did Shanks have a hand in stopping Loki six years ago? Probably. No doubt it’s why the Red-Haired Pirates are allies with the giants of Elbaph since Warland sure as heck doesn’t need protection on a regular basis. Gotta say, I’m liking Luffy meeting the possible Big Bad of the arc early. Yep, I’m still not 100% sold on Loki being the final villain of the arc, but he’s still up there. Like a 90% chance it’s gonna be him. Anything other than that will be Oda fooling us all, which can happen.
Mammoth Base Opera Castle 