One Piece 1064 review
Holy shit, was this fire or what!
Even looking at the past ten chapters, this was probably the best of them!
Law vs Blackbeard - or rather, the Heart Pirates vs. the Blackbeard Pirates really kicks off. I think that it’s been unmentioned that this is the first time that we’ve seen some of the Blackbeard Pirates fight (really just Doc Q) and definitely the first time we’ve seen some of the Heart Pirates get into action rather than just sound off like a nervous Law fan club.
Law is not even the slightest bit phased by what would come off as an ominous confrontation with Blackbeard literally on a flying steed, and easily puts him on the back foot by slashing Stronger in half - surprising Blackbeard long enough to shaft him with his sword. Doc Q’s apple bombs are also easily repelled by Penguin and Shaci, who turn out to be very adept swimmers, and fighters at that - Shaci being the one to knock off the bombs, as they assault the Blackbeard Pirate’s ship. The Heart Pirates seem to be really good at amphibious warfare. Law even mocks Blackbeard for having all of his top officers those with Devil Fruit powers, suggesting that Blackbeard is the one with a disdvantage here.
Of course, there are mirrors between the Blackbeard Pirates and the Straw Hats when Van Augur gripes about Blackbeard moving in unprepared, and saving him with his new teleportation ability, advising retreat - only to be rebuffed by Blackbeard’s insistence to keep fighting. Van Augur’s shooting is also easily blocked by Jean Bart covering Law as a human shield. The Blackbeard Pirates also serve as a foil to the legendary Roger Pirates - when Law mocks Blackbeard for having so many ‘anchors’, Blackbeard replies that the power gained is worth the risks - generally the opposite of how the Roger Pirates viewed Devil Fruits, preferring their ability to swim. As an aside, Kaido - who was something of a contemporary of Roger, even said to Luffy that Roger and his crew stood on top of the world without a devil fruit between them, and not to be convinced that the fruit power is enough. This gives a big indicator that Blackbeard may be rising very high right now, but he’s in for a big fall....just not by Law. Law at best, might be able to edge out a draw, but I think that this will be his loss. But Law is doing phenomenally well, and his experience with Big Mom and Kaido is definitely a huge benefit. To give an idea of the different kind of world One Piece is, one of the Blackbeard Pirates scoffed at the kidnapped Pudding’s boast that Big Mom will come for her, by pointing out Blackbeard is clashing with the guy who did her in. It really cemented the idea that everything is up for grabs now and it’s a complete free-for-all.
People might be clowning the Marines’ seeming impotence, and especially Sakazuki’s sense of resignation, but the Marines have never even back to the time of Roger, thrown their resources at containg a clash between two Yonko-class pirates. And quite a number of them have certainly happened before. They certainly can’t do jack about it.
Meanwhile, Luffy, Jinbe and Chopper and Bonney discuss the ‘police’ Pacifista they encountered in Vegapunk’s lab and how attacking the image of him must be difficult for Bonney. Luffy’s a bit unsympathetic though, saying that his crew were hunted by Pacifista before - so he’s taken to react offensively when he sees them (not to mention the real Kuma separated his crew leading to the traumas he endured just before the time skip). Speaking of no sympathy - Jinbe outright tells Bonney that her dad was a tyrant in Sorbet Kingdom, and was overthrown by his own people because of it. He also says that the World Government while taking a dim view of his connections with the Revolutionaries, accepted a deal with him to be subjected to experimentation because of his unique body, converted him into a cyborg and even made clones of him in the Pacifista project, while he serves as a member of the Royal Shichibukai. Naturally, Bonney doesn’t buy that her dad was an oppressor, but says some strange line of them being a ‘special race’. As far as she’s concerned, she’s there to confront her father’s ‘killer’ - Vegapunk. Obviously there’s a lot more to this Kuma story - but if Kuma being an oppressive ruler was bullshit, it’s weird that Jinbe would be so ready to believe it. It could be that what Jinbe said has validity to it, but encountering the Revolutionaries made him reflect on what he did, and join them. Even then, an unresolved question (going back to 2009) is why Kuma - a Revolutionary, and even a deposed king even - would join the World Government and even allow himself to be experimented on. But I guess that this is what the arc is trying to resolve.
The rest of the Straw Hats are getting sent to Vegapunk’s inner sanctum, and even they are getting a costume change - Robin’s being the most fanservicey of them all. The robot carrying them has some anti-gravity features. Apparently, Egghead has a ‘labophase’ in the sky where the main research takes place and the ‘fabriophase’ on the ground where workers and technicians operate. Vegapunk’s room seems to be in the ‘labophase’. Zoro and Brook decide to keep watch of the ship while Nami, Frank, Usopp and Robin follow Lilith. Meanwhile, Shaka!Vegapunk talks ominously about his own impending demise while in contact with Dragon, of all people. Two-week break announced.
Whoa. Too many questions! What is the connection between Vegapunk, Kuma and Dragon. In fact, Dragon even seems to know Cobra - could there even be more out of this? Are Vegapunk and Kuma playing the revolutionaries off on the WG? (unlikely) Even so, that is the basis of their collaboration? It doesn’t even entirely consensual with both, but they were both so involved to the point well beyond it being non-committal either. Also, what does ‘death’ even mean to Vegapunk anyway? He has six satellite bodies! Each representing an aspect of himself. How does CP0 intend to kill him? Will we see more Pacifista? Will even Sentomaru turn up, him being Vegapunk’s bodyguard and all? Bonney’s saying the same thing Ivankov said - that Kuma hated the World Government, and would never serve it. So what is the nature of this ‘deal’? We’ll have to find out in a fortnight.
9/10
