Chapter 1054 — Flame Emperor
Although I’ve been on vacation, just relaxing the last month, so no stress here. I really hope Oda got to take some well-earned time off as well!
Nearing the end-game, just jumping into the fray! Oda delivers on many, although not all fronts, so heavy spoiler if waters ahead.
First off, nice continuation of the previous fight’s theme of ‘let people have fun for once, we’ll take care of the trouble without troubling them’.
It’s so sweet that the remaining Akazaya leave both Luffy and Kin’emon out of this. It’s be nice if they beat Ryokugyu by themselves, but might also be a chance to see Luffy’s new level if he just decks a marine admiral by himself. He tried fighting Fujitora afte Dressrosa but was dragged away: will this be his time to shine? Or his time to rest and show the new level they all are on, by letting Momo and Yamato clobber him and show how high above this Luffy is? We’ll have to wait and see.
Ryokugyu is…an interesting character. If Fujitora is the ‘I’m going to change the marines by force if I have to’, is he the counterweight with his obvious Akainu-worship and blind adherence to the current status quo?
The whole world set-up is also interesting: Ryokugyu’s just going ‘this is how the world works you idiots’ while totally uniting the fact that it doesn’t work like that in Wano. There’s a reason no-one’s been able to force Wano to join the World Government — or for marauding pirates to lay waste to it by virtue of no marine protection (before Kaido, that is) as they did with Whitebeard’s home and Kaido’s and the nameless country they dumped the Donquixote family.
Don’t like the admiral, but am interested in his backstory. You get the whole page:
And his powers are crazy.
Interesting that Ryokugyu didn’t seem to know Kaido had a son. Yes, Yamato’s been locked away on an island where no news have gotten out in the last 20 years, but he was still eight when they got there — almost a decade of being alive and apparently hidden away?
Quick note: Oda’s page transitions strike again! Love how he’s building up up up just to strike you with a ‘pfah’ on the next page. Oh well, Momo, you’ll get there. Probably next chapter, the way things are going.
Shame on you Yasopp. Why wouldn’t you be?
Nice nod to the first chapter of OP during it’s 25th celebration month! One Piece started on the 22nd of July 1997!
Going after the Barto Club by the looks of it. But first…
…yes, please. Tell me more. With more ominous shading.
SO YOU KNEW ALL ALONG WHERE/WHAT IT IS? AND HOW TO GET THERE?
Also, why the creepy eye used mainly for bad guys and girls? And ominous background music filtering into my living room?
A wild card indeed, our Shanks. Might not be all he seems.
Is the time right for claiming the One Piece now, with Luffy and Sabo and…
…the prophesied death of King Cobra? And disappearance of Vivi? And eight revolutions in unnamed countries?
(On a technicality: Are there now five emperors, if Sabo’s called one too?)
Guess: Im wanted Vivi dead, Cobra got in the way, Sabo saved her but didn’t manage to save him, the whole thing was pinned on Sabo.
But why? What role is Alabasta playing in all this? Especially with the comment last chapter about Pluton being in Wano? Will Vivi sail with the Straw Hats again? Will this spark the final conflict?
Nice little pick-me-up after the break.
I give it framing, character development and foreshadowing.
