#ch 1030

The chapter title apparently references the Tale of the Heike, which, according to Wikipedia “is an account of martial heroism – of courage, cruelty, power, glory, sacrifice and sorrow. Those who emphasise this aspect of the story point to its glorification of the heroic spirit, its avoidance of the realistic brutality and squalor of war, and its aestheticisation of death: a classic instance of the latter is the comparison of the drowned samurai in the final battle to a maple-leaf brocade upon the waves. Others, while still accepting the importance of the military episodes and of heroic figures like Yoshitsune, would emphasise instead the Tale’s immersion in Buddhist thought, and its themes of duty, Dharma, and fate.”

A fitting title, since fate, duty and courage, cruelty and power have all been very prominent themes in this arc.

I’m not even going to comment on Apoo. He’ll get his ass handed to him, we all know it.

And this is the tactical insight that gets Nami invited to those pub crawls with Sanji and Killer mentioned last week.

Previously, Oda has said that the Straw hats will learn the true meaning of war and sacrifice. I thought it’d be the death of the Akazaya Nine, but now I wonder what it will be, since Oda hasn’t killed off them yet. Again.

I can buy this more than Pell or Pound, to be honest. Although I really wish Oda would keep his characters dead.

Doesn’t look good for Robin, already tired from her fight against Black Maria, going toe-to-toe with well-rested and -fed CP0…

And thus we get confirmation that Luffy will awaken his powers in this fight. I’d wager that’ll be Gear Five.

No way Oda gives Law and Kid awakened powers but not Luffy.

Kroom, baby, kroom.

Minus one (1) translation point, just ‘cause of the ridiculousness that is ‘kroom’.

But really cool adaptation of his powers! Waiting for smarter people than me to make a real analysis of how it works. And I like that he looks tired — using awakening really takes it out of you,huh?

..and now I wonder about Doflamingo and Katakuri’s stamina. What are those people, robots?

And look at widdle Law, standing on her shoulder like that. Big Mom is massive if 1,91m Law doesn’t even reach the top of her head.

And how long is Kikoku, or is it just dramatic art-license in play?

Kid’s awakening is a little easier to follow; so he can make other things magnetic as well, not just himself. For the moment it seems to be based on what he can touch, but he’ll probably expand those boundaries soon enough.

I wonder if she’ll stay down? Or if it’ll be a pseudo-defeat, Law and Kid going all ‘oh man, happy she’s down, I am pooped’ and then the mountain of rubble begins to move…

*clears throat* *raises conductor’s baton*