#ch 20

The chapter art with Koala and koalas is rather sweet, I have to admit.

Sabo's pose almost makes it look like he was reading in a tree, fell asleep, and woke up to find himself covered in koalas.

We start off the chapter proper by learning that heat (and Sanji's flaming love) threatens the vines; good knowledge which will surely come in handy in the future.

It's interesting that the Straw hats call out haki more specifically now. I don't think they (utside of Luffy) have done it before?

And we're really getting into the thick of it now, since almost all the pages are bursting with it!

Here, have a spread.

a) Loki is gigantic. Also somewhat of an asshole re. the children, but Elbaph did chain him up for six years, so I do lean towards a slight show of understanding.

b) Nami looks so happy that the children are safe!

c) I love the utter trust Luffy and Zoro have for each other. Luffy seeing Zoro and just going 'Yup, you have it covered' and Zoro seeing a solution (Luffy and Loki) to a problem (dream monsters - that Loki is chomping up as they speak) and just delegates it away.

Also, the whole 'families sacrificing themselves for each other' is really, really touching and well done.

(And sneaky of Oda to show Zoro jumoing before he shows the Thrn Launcher projectiles so we know the children will be saved before he shows the danger)

Also, would a man who didn’t hesitate one iota to hit Don Krieg’s spiky cape hesitate to hit a thorn man?

Of course not.

Also, that is a cool name for an attack.

Summers' defeat is also in general just really well done. He's a man who hides behind his thorns, both figuratively and physically, and has no defences against someone who's just that determined (and, in Luffy's case, much stronger). The way the parents were ready to sacrifice themselves was part of this: he pivoted from "hostages" to "sentimental death" but the way the parents/loved ones chose to be impaeld diminished his power in the situation. They weren't going to just stand by and watch their children die, which he clearly expected, and by choosing to embrace their loved ones, the parents took all his power in that situation.

(I might have to think about this a bit more, but there is something in that choice that robbed him of the glory.)

But back to his defeat!

It's just such an ignoble put-down. Loki literally steps on him, as he is lambasting Nika as a scary story. Poetic justice, you still exist in the brush of Oda.

This is the first Dragon-fruit we've had, I think. Kaido (and Momo) had a model of the Fish-Fish fruit, after all.

I love Oda's dragons, they are so funky.

I also love that Luffy's having so much fun with Loki!

That is one huge squirrel.

And old, since it apparently existed 800 years ago to possess Ragnir (according to Jarul).

That sword through his head is still horrible. I feel it in my whole body every time.

Also, this is such a cool panel:

Þrúðheim is of course the part of Asgard where Thor's house lies. Oda knows his Nordic mythology.

Now that the chapter's done, there's a thing about Oda's art style I want to say.

The close-ups these last few chapters have really reminded me of Oda’s transformation as an artist. The drawings are more lively and flowy and detailed, but sometimes I do miss the crisper lines of early One Piece.

Here, for example, the crispness of Nami and Buggy make them kind of static: even though he’s threatening her, it’s still more of a dramatic pose, while the blur of Luffy accentuates his speed.

The sketchy style Oda goes for these days makes it hard to highlight speed and pause in the same way as the earlier style did, sadly enough.

(By the way, it's funny that the Buggy-chapters are the ones where Oda keeps telling the reader about Vikings. He's always loved them.)