#ivan-san

But let’s not get ahead of myself... 

At the start of episode 440, Ivankov revealed he ate the Horm Horm Fruit, which is the source of his hormone-related abilities. This enables him to “remodel someone from the inside-out” and controls “biological sex, temperature, growth and emotions”. Those are all pretty important. Ivankov would be horrible to fight against.

I wonder if the Horm Horm fruit only affects humans? Would this work on Chopper, since he’s technically a reindeer? Would it fully work on Franky, since a good portion on him is metal? What about Kuma? Could Ivankov’s Horm Horm Fruit restore his humanity? I am full of speculation.

Ivan-san also explained how New Kama Land is able to exist. It was carved out by a prisoner with a hole-digging fruit ability. There are tunnels on every level and they stole a CCTV snail that links them to the security network. They also rummage in trash for newspapers, so they are also aware of what’s going on outside Impel Down.

This is why Ivankov knows Bon-chan and Luffy were once enemies on Alabasta and that Luffy has broken in to rescue Ace. He tells Bon-chan Ace is being held on Level 6: where all the proper psychos or governments threats are kept.

Some new names cropped up: Catalina Devon (the most dangerous woman in the world),  the “Great Battleship” San Juan Wolf, “Heavy Drinker” Vasco Shot, and the former Jail Manager, Shiryu of the Rain, a lantern-jawed, cigar-smoking psycho who killed prisoners for fun and who was arrested by Magellan (knew he was a stand up kind of guy. Magellan’s justice is fair).

Since Ivan-san knows what’s going on outside, he knows Ace will be executed in a matter of hours. Luffy’s treatment will take days. It seemed all was for nothing.

Bon-chan had a sort of meltdown at that point (who wouldn’t, after going through all that effort?) He stood outside Luffy’s quarantine room and yelled: “HANG IN THERE!” for ten hours. 

(I know there’s not a current vacancy on the Thousand Sunny, but I really want Bon-chan to become a Strawhat. He’s a loyal friend with a killer Devil Fruit ability. Who wouldn’t want him on their crew?)

Some of Ivankov’s minions questioned his sanity, but Ivankov overheard them and told them to STFU, for a miracle was about to occur! 

Cue the residents of New Kama Land engaging in a mass cheer for Luffy, triggering a shounen classic trope: protagonist recovers miraculously quickly from life-threatening injuries!

I totally forgave the cliche when Luffy did this, though, ahahahaha....

It was what happened after this point that blew my mind.

Then Ivankov had that chat with Luffy about not breaking out from Impel Down until Monkey D. Dragon, the great revolutionary mastermind, made his move, and Luffy was like...

“Yeah, that’s my dad.”

That delayed reaction was golden.

I mean, this is such classic Garp to tell Luffy about Dragon, like no big deal, while picking his nose.

After a hilariously tasteless pulse joke (thanks, Ivan-san!), the plot went into hyperdrive. Ivankov mustered New Kama Land and broke into Level 6, teamed with Luffy and Inazuma (two-tone guy who seems to have a door-unlocking ability).

It’s funny because when Ivankov discovered Luffy is Dragon’s son, he assumed Ace was too. I remember being told they have different dads (or at least weren’t related in the way I thought) so I wonder why Ivan-san assumed the New World Government are plotting something against Dragon by kidnapping Ace? Maybe Ivan thinks the NWG want to lure out Dragon. Who knows?

Meanwhile, Magellan is down on Level 6 with Domino, ready to escort Ace to Marineford. The Marines have gathered outside. Ace knows Hancock is not lying and that Luffy is coming to rescue him.

Yes. Yes he does, Ace.

All the plot thread are coming together.

This is getting good now...

Holy crap, so many brilliant things happened but this takes the crown. I mean, CROCODILE. It’s been literally years since I’ve seen his arrogant face. When I heard that sinister laugh from that shadowy cell I just knew without looking. I listen to the New World Symphony and STILL think of Crocodile vs Luffy.

I need to hold off, though, because I’d bore everyone to death if I rambled on about Crocodile for the entire post. (I could totally do that, btw).

One of the things I liked about this episode was that Luffy is running into powerful, influential people left, right and centre. There is Crocodile, obviously. Ivankov and Inazuma (two revolutionaries) are now fighting his corner. The Fishman right there in the screenshot is the one and only Jinbei: an angry Shichibukai in the level six cells for a time out. 

Level six was kind of creepy. The sound was flat, dead. Just a moaning whistle of wind and shadowy cells. I got Silence of the Lambs vibes from the place. They only found Jinbei because Ivankov pulled another one of his forced reassignments on a guard (who was at least happy with the result this time) and asked where Ace was being held. They found Jinbei instead. No Ace.

Luffy, bless his heart, had no idea who Jinbei was. Jinbei, because he is a cool guy, told Luffy he was too late to reach Ace and was straight-up impressed by how he not only broke into Impel Down but reached Level Six. (I think I like Jinbei. He’s on my good guy list).

The only thing was, Luffy, Ivan-san and Inazuma ran off after he told them this.

The audacity. I would have at least offered to bust Jinbei out in return for the intel. Oh, well. Luffy is in a hurry, I guess, and Jinbei won’t be there forever. (Was it ever mentioned why Jinbei was thrown in the cells? I can’t remember).

When Luffy and co. tried to backtrack through the lift shaft, Hannyaball finally showed he was worthy of his pay grade. He fired a spike trap at them, but the poison gas did the damage. It put Luffy straight to sleep and if Inazuma hadn’t quickly cut up the floor and blocked the lift shaft, their break-out could have ended right then and there. (Inazuma’s Snip Snip power is cool, btw. Very versatile. A bit like Moria’s, come to think of it).

And that’s another thing I liked about this episode. Luffy was caught out. He’s not some Gary Stu, and Ivankov’s presence doesn’t guarantee him success. The staff at Impel Down aren’t numbskulls. They still hold most of the cards.

This guy, though... 

There’s nothing as motivating as the the threat of job-insecurity, eh? XD

Once Inazuma took care of the poison gas, Luffy woke up. Ivankov, rightly, scolded him for being so reckless. I mean, running into a cloud of poison gas right after Ivankov had JUST HEALED HIM FROM POISON? What was he thinking? 

Ivan tries to convince Luffy to, well, not give up on Ace, but to trust in Whitebeard to rescue him, because Whitebeard is Godly and also has Godly virtues (like not abandoning crew because they are family.  I am looking at you right now, Blackbeard, you traitor). A Royal Rumble is about to go down: Shichibukai and Admirals vs. Whitebeard Pirates. If you get between that lot, you die. No questions.

But Luffy is Luffy. Ace is family too. He turned to Ivankov, looked him straight in the eye and said: “If I give up now...”

That determination shining out his face reminded Ivankov of Dragon. I liked the morph into Dragons’ face the animators used there to hammer home the point. Maybe Dragon once said the same thing in Ivan-san’s presence? I kind of like the thought of that. :)

While they were wondering how to get out, the Crocodile Thing happened.

Oh, the delicious irony. Luffy put him in Impel Down and now he’ll be the one to break him out. Well, if Luffy does accept his help.

I really hope Luffy does. Not just because I like Crocodile and want to see him raising hell again but because this will be a HUGE dilemma for Luffy, for the following reasons:

a) morals: what Crocodile did to Vivi and Alabasta was low. If Luffy casts the past aside and does anything he can to help Ace, no matter who he has to team with, this will cement his Morally Grey Status I like so much.

b) team well-being. Can he trust Crocodile not to turn on him as soon as he’s busted out? Luffy put Crocodile in there. Nico Robin is now working with Luffy. Might Crocodile want revenge? I don’t think I’d trust him.

Meanwhile, the literal long arm of the law dragged Ace out onto the concourse and handed him over to Cigar Vice-Admiral guy.

I was briefly excited when Ace resisted the guards when he found out Luffy had reached Level 6 (Luffy is definitely Ace’s berserk button). But Magellan spoiled my hopes he’d escape. Damn it, Magellan. >:(

Looking forward to more Crocodile in the next episode. I sense much mind-fuckery ahead. Whatever you think about Crocodile, the plot always becomes much more interesting when he shows up.

As soon as I heard the OP kick in, I felt right at home again. Back on the Thousand Sunny like I’d never left.

Though I was grateful for the recap, I remembered more than I thought I would. Magellan had defeated and poisoned Luffy, and Bon-chan, who couldn’t help fight due to his crippling fear of the Warden, had dragged him across the icy wasteland of floor 5 in search of an antidote.

I had forgot what Buggy and Mr 3 were up to.

These two are hilarious, I swear. Creeping round Impel Down like Solid Snake under a box. Except if you call stealth being followed everywhere by a pack of wolves like a neon sign that says: HERE BE CRIMINALS! A pack of wolves that are smarter than them.

What is the deal here, though? I thought Buggy could fly? Why isn’t he able to at the moment? He could let Mr 3 jump on and they could leave the wolves on the ground. Have I forgot something important?

Honestly, if these doofuses survive, never mind break out, I’ll be impressed.  And they are doofuses. lovable doofuses. Accident-prone, lovable doofuses who attract trouble like the American mid-west attracts tornadoes. Thanks for the laughs, guys. It’s nice to have comic relief when the other two are dealing with more serious stuff.

Oh, I loved this moment. I don’t normally like shounen main characters but Luffy is an exception. Gon from HxH is the other. They’re similar, actually. Like most shounen characters, they’ll dredge the depths of hell for their friends, but Luffy and Gon both have a selfish, morally grey streak that I like.

Here’s another instance of Luffy fighting tooth-and-nail for a friend. He’s been beaten, poisoned (dat red eye) and can barely stand but when Bon-chan is about to be mauled by wolves, he finds strength - just enough - to fend them off. Luffy used the ability (Emperor’s Something? King’s Something?) that only certain pirates have that can make lesser beings keel over on sight (I forget what it’s called). Luffy’s intensity in these moments is pure gold. You really feel his exhaustion and fury here. Good job, animators.

Got to say, though, that some hero points must be given back to Bon-clay. I totally understand his fear of Magellan now. Really, he was being sensible. The guy beat Luffy. If Bon-clay had rushed in, they might both be dead right now, because what could he have done to help?

Bon-chan is blaming himself, though, because - even though he’s not as strong as Luffy - he’s an honourable person and fierce friend. Hence hauling Luffy across a frozen wasteland in a Left Hand of Darkness/Captain Scott-style trek in search of Ivan-san (Emporio Ivankov?) It’s a pretty brutal level, tbh. That shot of the inmates abandoned and frozen in their cell was harsh. Oda’s good at adding those little details.

Now... Ivan-san.

I took a lot of notes on Ivan-san because there were loads of obvious cultural references going on here. Even then, I’ve probably missed a lot.

The inmates kept talking about prisoners going missing, being ‘demoned away’, being taken to hell. Turns out, the missing ones aren’t dead. They’re having the time of their lives in New Kama Land: a secret paradise in the middle of Impel Down hell carved out by Ivan-san, whose design is an obvious homage to Tim Curry’s Dr Frank N. Furter from Rocky Horror.

Ivan-san had been referred to by other inmates as ‘that queer’, ‘that weirdo’, etc. so I’m guessing homosexuality and gender fluidity on the Grand Line is received in pretty much the same manner as in RL with varying degrees of acceptance (Sanji isn’t keen, now I think about, it but then he’s as flamboyantly straight as Ivan-san is gay. Is Ivan-san gay? I’m not actually sure. Bon-chan mentioned the God of Queens and the Queen of Kamabakka Kingdom, so I guess?)

Anyway, I saw New Kama Land in Impel Down as something like an underground gay club that nobody else knows about: a little slice of heaven where queer people can be themselves, hidden from the harsh eyes of society. Like in RL, the prisoners have carved a little space of their own and formed a community within it.

Interesting that Bon-chan doesn’t feel like one of them (he called them ‘perverts’ hentai(?)) I kind of like that Oda did that. Just because Bon-chan has a flamboyant personality, it doesn’t mean he’s automatically attracted to that kind of scene, or that he approves. Everyone’s different.

Can’t wait to see where Oda goes with Ivan-san. A miracle worker in hell? Sounds intriguing...