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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2019 15:09:58 GMT -5
Episode 540: "A Hero Who Freed The Slaves! An Adventurer Tiger!"
Dear lord, if Shirahoshi was already this big as a baby, how did Queen Otohime push her out of her lady parts? Her cooch must have been hanging to the f'n floor!
We get a flashback that introduces us to the more recent history of Fish-Man Island by showing us two very important figures: First, we have Queen Otohime who is a beloved ruler for dwelling among her subjects and not hiding in the Ryugu Palace all the time. Not to mention that she isn't above herself to stop a robber in his tracks and simultaneously slapping the shit out of him and crying and apologizing to him for not realizing his plight. At least for me this works perfectly in making me like Queen Otohime who is indeed a very lovable character (gotta love how a scene sets up her loving children and then immediately slapping one for having only snot hanging out from one of his nostrils instead of two. She is just lovably wacko). The most important action she does, however, is trying to get the merfolk to sign a petition to issue their wish to emigrate to the human world in order to live under the same sun as the humans. While her arguments seem pretty solid, the merfolk are pretty hesitant in going through with this since they have not really a great impression on humans (both from history and the many human pirates coming to Fish-Man Island). Lastly, the reason why she can quickly sense when there is trouble somewhere is because of her well-developed Observation Haki.
The other person is Fisher Tiger, an adventurer fishman (who kinda looks like he has a serious case of sunburn) from the toughest district on Fishman Island, the Fishman District, where he was the undisputed leader (so much so that even Arlong and Jinbei looked up to him). His report to King Neptune of having seen "the human" reminded me somehow of the description of "Man" in some films (especially Bambi) which is pretty unnerving to say the least (and Otohime even seems to sense something he hides beneath his tough exterior). While his depiction of freeing the slaves is suitably grand, somehow I am confused in that it is shown (and also from the description by Hancock some 130 episodes ago) that it was him alone that freed the slaves. Considering that he does not appear to have any devil fruit power or seems to have extraordinary strength (at least not above the strength of an average fishman), it is odd that he seemingly did this without the Celestial Dragons providing any measurable opposition or counter measure. Really strange.
Besides those two figures, we also get looks at younger Jinbei (who was a soldier in the Neptune army before becoming a member of Tiger's crew and who had a cynical view on Otohime's ideals) and Arlong (who was a big racist jerk even then with his already formed Arlong Pirates but who also looked up to Tiger and even had a relationship with Jinbei like cat & dog). Ultimately, we get to see the formation of the Sun Pirates under Tiger's flag where even lesser fishmen characters like Macro and his gang (the fishmen who tried to kidnap Camie some 160 episodes ago) joined. How does the story develop? Let's find out next!
All in all, a good start to the flashback portion of this arc.
Manga Differences: -The scene changes to the present with the Straw Hats commenting on certain parts in the story are anime filler. We do not see the present again until after the flashback portion has completely concluded. -A scene in the Mermaid Cafe where Jinbei shuts up some ruffian human pirates is another anime-only scene. -The usual scene extensions.
Mata ashita, yarodomo!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2019 13:16:17 GMT -5
Episode 541: "Kizaru Appears! A Trap To Catch Tiger!"
Well, perhaps Tiger is like Hobbes and might be caught with a tuna fish sandwich as a bait....
The flashback continues with more focus on Fisher Tiger and his newly-formed Sun Pirates this time around instead of Otohime. Have to say, I really like the anime adding some inserts of the present where Jinbei tells the story and the Straw Hats add some comments of their own. It really livens up the pace a bit (compared to flashbacks like the Kargara/Montblanc Noland way back in the Sky Island Arc) when we get reminded of the present now and again and provides for a better flow.
In the past, Fisher and his Sun Pirates wreak havoc on the seas around the entrance to the fishman island with Tiger establishing one simple rule: Nobody should kill any humans. His reasoning is simple in that he does not want to stoop to the same level as the humans. Looking at their actions, it is impressive how his fishman pirates operate as a well-oiled machine (thanks probably in large part to Arlong and Jinbei being his right-hand men) and how his order that every member of his crew should bear the brand of the sun on their body keeps the marine from distinguishing who is and who is not a former slave. We also get more insight on how Jinbei was pretty cynical in those days regarding the human-fishman relationship and how only his respect for Fisher Tiger kept Arlong from becoming even more of a human-murdering psychopath back then. All in all, it is an interesting look at this pirate crew (especially when juxtaposed with Queen Otohime's desperate attempts to look for a brighter future for the human-fishman relationship. Interesting to note that even Fisher has to admit the beauty of Otohime's idealism).
A big shift in tone comes when Koala enters the picture, a young girl who was among the freed slaves and whom her caretakers until now ask the Sun Pirates to bring her to her home city. While some might it funny, I find it creepy and disturbing how much the Celestial Dragon traumatized the young girl to the point where she has to creepily smile all the time, not crying and cleaning up out of fear of getting killed. What a poor child and what depravity it shows regarding the Celestial Dragons. Luckily through some handling by Fisher Tiger, the first step in overcoming her trauma is realized by her crying openly for the first time in probably forever. And it also seems to cause a change in the fishman pirates attitudes. I wonder what else she will cause down the line?
A good episode to be seen here.
Manga Differences: -As mentioned above, the inserts of Jinbei telling the Straw Hats of the past are anime-only scenes. They do not appear in the manga. -The order of some scenes got changed around. Originally, the whole flashback started with the scene of Hachi alerting the others to the advance of a marine ship and in the chapter following we went to getting introduced to Queen Otohime. The Hachi scene is now chronologically inserted into the correct order. -The usual scene extensions.
See y'all 'morrow!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2019 9:34:44 GMT -5
Episode 542: "A Team Is Formed! Save Chopper!"
And now, for something completely different...
Yep, it's another Toriko x One Piece crossover episode, making me wonder why that particular anime got not one but two crossover episodes with One Piece. Was it a good sign in that Toei decided to pit their hottest animes together for ultimate ratings dominance or a bad sign in that Toriko did so poorly that they hoped to spike its ratings by doing a crossover with their most popular commodity?
Anyway, whatever the reason, it just kinda takes you out of the mood the current flashback part set when you have a stand-alone episode like that (granted, it is again the second part of a 2-part crossover but since I don't watch the Toriko anime, I have no reason to watch that). While it is not as annoying as when Bleach did it with whole arcs, it still causes one to be peeved a little.
The same stuff I said last time applies here, too: The setting of Toriko with its beasts/monsters consisting of edible stuff is interesting, the characters not so much (though one of them, Zebra, who was not in the last crossover, appears to be intriguing with his sound wave attack that he can hit objects from several kilometres and from inside a prison with). At least, the Straw Hats are there to make things interesting.
It has some funny scenes (how they manage to defeat the Banjyan Tiger, Sanji and that long-haired member of Toriko's group arguing with each other, how delicious the food looks that Chopper takes to heal his Deep Sea Fever) and the fight with the Raochutan is decent enough. It is a good time-waster but nothing I really needed at this part in the story.
I leave this episode with being decent.
Manga Differences: -Toriko's stomach would surely be full after this, since it consists of 100% filler material.
Let us meet the day following today!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2019 15:31:58 GMT -5
Episode 543: "The Death Of A Hero! A Shocking Truth Of Tiger!"
Wow, if this isn't a roller coaster of emotions...
In the heaven part, we have Koala opening up more and more towards the fishmen (although she retains her habit of cleaning when she does not know what to do). Have to say, she is an adorable, timid child (though her smiles still are kinda creepy) and she is actually successful in making the fishmen have a positive experience with a human for one. Even Jinbei and Fisher Tiger seem to take her outlook to heart that she does not know anything about fishmen which might be why humans fear them (which is also shown to be some arguments Queen Otohime uses when rallying for emigration, that the fishmen know nothing about humans). Those efforts are stung though time and again by Arlong who continues stirring the shit and just be a racist pain in the ass as it always was. This does not take away anything though from some heartwarming moments like the montage of Koala traveling with the fishmen, her walking along with Tiger to her village and holding his hand and her tearful reunion with her mother. Finally, her saying goodbye to her Uncle Tiger seems to set this episode up for a good ending...
...only to learn that Koala's village betrayed the Sun Pirates to the Marines in order for them to overlook Koala technically being a "property" of a Celestial Dragon (which the villagers try to hide from Koala). In an ambush the Sun Pirates' ship is sunk and Fisher Tiger is mortally wounded after all of them put up a valiant fight. In the pivotal scene of the episode, Tiger refuses to accept a blood transfusion with human blood that could save his life. He also admits that he was a slave during his last trip, seeing the depths of humanity with his own eyes and made his decision to free the slaves after seeing all the misery they were in. On his death bed he finally admits that his hatred of humans runs too deep that he cannot like them but he understands that there might be hope in the children of the following generation who are not born with prejudice and hatred in their hearts. That is his final plea to his crew that they do not pass on their hatred to the next generation. A very relevant final speech that would be an applicable way of life to follow in current times (when I look at the Israel-Palestine conflict for example) and certainly a very mature point of view in a shonen series to have.
All in all, a good episode again.
Manga Differences: -Besides the usual scene extensions, nothing that was that much of a major difference to the manga I noticed.
Until 'morrow!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2019 14:51:50 GMT -5
Episode 544: "The Sun Pirates Split! Jinbei vs. Arlong!"
Well, Jinbei, you could have at least given him a "Sorry You Had To Split" t-shirt...
In the next part of the flashback, we deal with the aftermath of Fisher Tiger's death, featuring the titular split of the Sun Pirates. Arlong gets even more racist than before trying to get to Koala's village on his own to kill everyone there but, luckily in this case, gets intercepted by Kizaru (who was just a vice admiral back then, having no beard, no glasses but a spiffy hat) and incarcerated. What this episode shows mostly in this part is Jinbei's changed attitude in that he carries on Tiger's will as the new captain of the Sun Pirates (during that part, it was probably for the best that Arlong got captured, otherwise it might have lead to a pretty ugly battle for the captain's title). We also get to see Jinbei being called upon to become one of the Seven Warlords which he takes in order to keep the former slaves in his crew safe and also to perhaps help better the relationship between fishmen and humans. However, after he gets Arlong's release from prison granted, the two come to blows leading to the crew being divided into three parts: The Arlong Pirates (where they ended up we know), Macro and his two henchmen (strange come to think of it regarding their first appearance....since they were in the same crew, shouldn't they have been more friendly towards Hachi since they appeared to not have a deeper bond with him? Perhaps they were just pissed off that he kept Camie away from them and that is enough to not be friends anymore) and Jinbei and the rest of the crew.
Meanwhile, on the Fishman Island, Tiger's death and the lie Arlong told (that humans refused Tiger blood instead of the truth) cause a terrible blow to Queen Otohime's attempts, so much that all the people who signed take their signatures back. I like how despite her cheerful and upbeat personality, Otohime is susceptible to the same failings all humans (or merfolk in this case) have, like crying over this and getting so upset that she drinks in excess and lashes out at her folk. It really makes her more relatable and appear more 3-dimensional as if she were just a completely happy character. I really love this characterization and I wonder to see where we go next.
Another good episode.
Manga Differences: -Forgot about this last time, but since it is a recurring feature during this part, I'll mention it once more: anytime we go back to the present to see Jinbei telling his tale, it is anime-only filler. -Arlong running away and fighting the marines before getting subdued by Kizaru is also only something appearing in the anime. The manga cuts in when he is already beaten and on the ground. -Jinbei overhearing a conversation between Aladdin, the crew's doctor, and a former slave who is now a member of the Sun Pirates is anime-added contented. This scene does not appear in the manga. -The usual scene extensions.
Later days!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2019 16:16:59 GMT -5
Episode 545: "Shaking Fish-Man Island! A Celestial Dragon Drifts In!"
Sadly, he does not become a drowned body in this episode.
Let me talk first about another character that is first introduced in this arc, Aladdin, the Sun Pirates' doctor (not to be confused with a street rat of the same name). Like most of the other Sun Pirates, he was a slave who was freed during Fisher Tiger's raid on Mariejois and became a member of the pirates afterwards. While he stayed loyal to Jinbei after the split, he is honest enough to admit that he cannot follow Tiger's wish despite understanding this. This episode actually has quite a bit of a focus on him.
Things continue to stay tense on the Fish-Man Island with the former Sun Pirates being grateful to Jinbei for enabling them to return home in exchange for him to become a Warlord while others on Fishman Island see him as having become a lapdog to the human world government. While I can understand not wanting to give their hatred of humans over to the next generation, I do wonder why they did not tell the truth about why Jinbei became a warlord. It may have been clear somewhere before but currently I don't get the secrecy here.
Finally, we move into an important event when a Celestial Dragon gets stranded on Fishman Island, showing himself to be as deplorable as all the other Celestial Dragons we have seen and we might have been richer for having him lost to his former slaves shooting him in cold blood. But Otohime again shows why she is awesome, standing in front of their shots and saving the Dragon's life since children are watching and she wants them to not give their hatred to their children in an awesome display by her. She is definitely becoming my favorite character in this flashback. We also get to see the young Shirahoshi displaying an unconscious power (being able to summon sea kings when in stress) which is witnessed by Hordy (then a soldier in the Neptune Army) and Vander Decken (where we learn that this power is what his ancestor set out to find in the first place....and that Vander Decken is contemplating doing a reenactment of "Child Bride").
Ultimately, Otohime accompanies the Celestial Dragon to the surface to prove something to her folk. Will she be successful?
Another good episode.
Manga Differences: -The whole beginning part with the former Sun Pirates being reunited with their families as well as the Jinbei/Aladdin and the scenes at the Ryugu Palace is anime filler. We don't enter the manga content until the scene where the Dragon's ship starts to drift. -The flashback of how this dragon treated his slaves is also added to the anime. No flashbacks in the manga. -Aladdin coming forward to treat the dragon despite it visibly paining him is also another anime-added content. Aladdin in general plays less of a part in the manga as he does in the anime.
A break tomorrow for Manga Volume 66, so see you all on Sunday!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2019 9:50:37 GMT -5
Episode 546: "A Sudden Tragedy! A Gunshot Shuts Down The Future!" And here come the waterworks... After a long, long time this is again an episode that moved me to tears literally. All of it due to the death of Queen Otohime. Goes to show that developing a likable, relatable character helps you build a connection with them and makes you genuinely sad when something bad happens to them. The build-up to this is accompanied by a ray of hope being alighted after Otohime's return from the surface, bringing home a paper where the Celestial Dragons support the emigration of the merfolk to the surface should enough people sign Otohime's petition. This leads to an enthusiastic run to sign her petition, moving her to tears (I guess the Straw Hats were right...Shirahoshi seems to have inherited her crybaby tendencies from her mother) and things look bright for the fishmen... ...until an arsonist sets fire to the signed petitions and Otohime is shot in a very tense scene. And in the scene that moved me to tears, Otohime begs her children to not give into anger towards her shooter and asks them to keep an eye on Shirahoshi (due to her sea king summoning power that others might want to exploit). They prove to be capable in that regard when they manage to calm Shirahoshi down just before she cries fully (and we learn that Manboshi's and Ryuboshi's tendency to dance and sing the musical scales has a very tragic background). All that is set to a moving musical piece that enhances the tragedy and sadness that Otohime's death brings upon the island and, again, I genuinely cried when she died. It always seems to be the death of the mother that make for the tearjerkers in this show. In a small scene, we also get to see the sneaky moment when Vander Decken "marked" Shirahoshi as his target. All in all, a very good episode for being such a moving part in this flashback. Manga Differences: -Besides the change to the present with Jinbei's tale and the usual scene extensions, nothing much to note here. Until 'morrow!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2019 10:05:02 GMT -5
Episode 547: "Back To The Present! Hordy Makes A Move!"
Though what that move is, we won't find out until the next episode...
And so concludes our flashback. It is revealed that a human pirate shot Otohime which Jinbei tries to keep under wraps (not an honest practice by any means but he probably looked at the bigger picture in that moment) but Hordy, while he was still a soldier in the Neptune Army, reveals the truth to the populace which causes resentment against humans to grow anew. In the strongest moment of the episode, we witness King Neptune, who imprisoned himself in the Hard Shell Tower until his murderous urges have quelled, in grief over the death of his wife and talking to himself about themes such as why he as a warrior cannot avenge the death of his wife and why he did not support Otohime in her quest for the betterment of human-fishman relations. It helps to further humanize King Neptune who, up until now, has been a bit of a comic relief character with some honorable moments and give him a bit more flesh. Ultimately, at Otohime's funeral, her children decide to commit themselves to achieve their late mother's goal of starting the migration of Fish-Man Island to the surface.
In the present, after concluding his tale, another big moment for Jinbei happens when Nami relieves him of the pain he felt when she says that he is OK to her, subtly implying that she only hates Arlong and not the fishman race as a while. It is genuinely heartwarming seeing the big whale shark fishman break down in tears since we can deduce that this gives him hope that even children who were abused by fishmen are not bound to become racists. After some fun moments with Luffy (who really did sleep through the whole flashback), we learn about a key difference between Arlong and Hordy: that Hordy is such a racist that he even hates and kills fishmen that are friendly towards humans (a threshold that even Arlong did not cross: putting his hands against one of his own) which makes him an even more dangerous foe.
Finally, the episode ends with a video transmission from Hordy where he will announce his intentions. What could they be?
A good episode again.
Manga Differences: -In the anime, we actually see King Neptune rampaging in the Hard Shell Tower by punching the walls repeatedly. The manga only shows him from the moment that he's sitting at the side of the tower and starts talking. -The anime omits a moment while Nami "absolves" Jinbei of his guilt, of Sanji making a lovey-dovey remark towards Nami. Haven't had this in a long time where manga content got removed. -A short talk between Luffy and Jinbei where the latter refuses to acknowledge that he's crying. -Otherwise, the usual scene extensions.
See you all tomorrow!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2019 9:38:32 GMT -5
Episode 548: "The Kingdom In Shock! An Order To Execute Neptune Issued!"
Piccolo sr.: "Bah, this is how you rule a country, Hordy? At least make a lottery to decide which district you are gonna destroy for your jubilee every year."
So yeah, we finally do learn what Hordy wants to do: Destroy the fishman island and reshape it in his human-hating image, even getting rid of the members of his fellow species and replacing them with the guys from the Fishman District. It's become really obvious that he and his crew are real big POS...and I don't mean point of sale. They even go so far as wanting to execute Neptune right on the main plaza to set an example for the other fishmen.
Otherwise....nothing much to say about this episode since it mostly deals with Hordy's announcement to take over. Though to offset the serious nature of this episode, we get a fun moment with Zoro, Usopp and Brook in their imprisoned cell, getting on each other's nerves (with Usopp's dead-on impression of Nico Robin a definite highlight although Brook is pretty hilarious too), and a nice moment where Frankie and Chopper react to Jinbei's order to Luffy to not fight Hordy by saying "Because we're humans?" (Sanji's reaction to that is pretty much what everyone would think). We also get a mysterious moment where Robin learns a name from the poneglyph she has found: "Joy Boy". Who is that?
Another good episode again.
Manga Differences: -The flashback to Brook's capture by the fishman pirates did not exist in the manga. We only get a spoken account of that event in the manga. -The captured straw hats being risen in their cage and the mechanism to flood the room being activated is also an anime-only scene. The manga sets in when the set-up is already completed. -Otherwise, the usual scene extensions.
Let us meet again on the day that follows today!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2019 10:15:02 GMT -5
Episode 549: "A Rift Opens Up! Luffy vs. Jinbei!"
Since when did Nico Robin learn the Shadow Clone technique apparently?
So, for those hoping for an epic Luffy vs. Jinbei fight...you'll be sadly disappointed. The whole fight consists of exactly one attack by Jinbei, one attack by Luffy and a cross-counter knock-out, so to speak (gotta love how Sanji inadvertantly gets caught in the crossfire). And despite Sanji delivering a fine speech (TM John Cena), at the end of the episode, we are still left with Jinbei and Luffy facing off against each other with the same arguments as before. Well, that was a pretty pointless endeavor.
More entertaining are the scenes with the three Neptune brothers who actually manage to overcome one of the field commanders in impressive fashion (and prove that they are more than dancing and musical scale singing buffoons) and the three captured Straw Hats. The latter especially since Brook shows off an awesome new technique, separating his soul from his body and allowing himself to move around in ghost form. Of course, he has used it for endeavors that Sanji would probably beat him up for out of jealousy and poor Pappagu does his best reaction-to-Casper upon seeing the ghostly Brook. Hopefully, Brook will eventually get through to him.
All in all, a decent episode only.
Manga differences: -The whole scene with the three Neptune Brothers overcoming and capturing Dosun's group is anime filler only. When we come to this place in the manga again, Dosun is already in chains and the Neptune Brothers have left. -From the beginning of the captured Straw Hat Scene until Brook's soul leaves his body, everything is anime added content. The manga part starts from Brook's sould already being outside. -The reason for how Brook discovered this technique is explained in more detail in the anime, going into how he went through a creative slump during his soul king career. This background is not present in the manga. -Pappagu sneaking around the castle before getting spooked by Brook's soul is only featured in the anime. The manga already sets with Pappagu being "chased" by Brook's soul. -The usual scene extensions.
Until 'morrow!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2019 10:32:05 GMT -5
Episode 550: "Something Has Happened To Hordy! The True Power Of The Evil Drug!"
Superstar Billy Graham: "See Kofi, you can be strong like that fishman captain if you would take energy steroids as well."
Another rather uneventful episode focusing mostly on getting us (re-?)introduced to Hordy's field commanders. There are some fun moments with them (Ikaros Much's trauma, taken straight from the Icarus legend it seemed; Zeo no-selling getting trampled on despite looking worse for wear; Dosun's power level measured by what he ends his sentences on apparently) and going to these different locations makes the episode feel like a breeze (although one scene change to Luffy and Jinbei is...pretty pointless actually).
Meanwhile, Hordy apparently suffers from an OD (no wonder if he pops those pills like they were candy), so we get to see a big scene lingering on his suffering...until he feels better somehow and is even stronger than before, shooting quite the few hits to the Neptune army. I wonder how this will effect his fight with Luffy.
So, yeah, nothing much to say to this one. Decent episode still.
Manga Differences: -All the scenes with Hordy prior to him arriving at Ikaros's location and suffering from his OD are anime filler. -Zeo's fight scene with the citizens (actually former members of the Neptune Army) is also anime added content. Originally, his segment started when he was already invisible and gave his fine speech before getting trampled on. -The whole Luffy/Jinbei scene in this ep was not in the manga but added to the anime. -The aftermath of Hordy's transformation with him shooting the Neptune Army with his powerful Water Shots is also a non-manga event that only happens in the anime. We don't see him again until he is actually at the Conchcorde Plaza in the manga.
Let us see each other again following today!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2019 15:39:35 GMT -5
Episode 551: "The Battle Is On! At Conchcorde Plaza!"
And then Vander Decken got an idea...an awful idea...Vander Decken got a wonderful, awful idea.
We are in kinda a lull at the moment with everything feeling like a set-up for the big battle but going there at less than speedy pace. Example: this episode whose first half is mostly just Hordy arriving at the Conchcorde Plaza, taking care of a few guards with his sea beasts and biding his time with his field commanders for the big show of executing Neptune. Meanwhile, we get a fun scene with Vander Decken (remember him? Seems like a long while since he played a role in the present) lamenting over Shirahoshi's rejection of him (he even shaved his head...a bit at least) and getting an idea. What idea could that be?
Ultimately, the three Neptune brothers storm the Plaza and do take out the sea beasts in impressive fashion but soon prove to be no match for the field commanders. One small thing I like about this part is that some filler elements actually show us some interesting scenes (like the defeat of the princes), making me wonder if Oda-sensei deliberately paced his manga chapters this way to allow the anime to insert their material without making it completely pointless. One does not know.
All in all, a decent episode again. But what are Jinbei and Shirahoshi up to? And what about Luffy and the others (they seemed to have disappeared?)
Manga Differences: -Everything with Hordy and his men until everybody is at the Conchcorde plaza, asking him how he feels, is filler material. -Shirahoshi and Jinbei taking off from the Sea Forest is also anime added content. -We never see the defeat of the three Neptune brothers in the anime. In the manga, it's the field commanders powering up via energy steroid and the next time, we are at the Conchcorde Plaza (after a scene change), they are already in the same position as their father. -The usual scene extensions.
See y'all 'morrow!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2019 15:48:23 GMT -5
Episode 552: "Surprising Confession! The Truth Behind The Assassination Of Otohime!"
Hordy: "It was me, Shirahoshi! It was me, Shirahoshi! It was me all along, Shirahoshi!" King Neptune. "Oh, son of a bitch-jamon!"
Yeah, we finally get the (well, not really) surprising revelation that it was Hordy who killed the Queen with the fatal shot and only hired a human pirate to set fire to the signature baskets and use him as a scapegoat for his assassination. It is kinda a neat plan to buy some time for his ambitions which would have been thwarted if the fishmen went through with the emigration plans so early although killing such an innocent character was pretty shallow. Shame on you, Hordy!
Otherwise, again, there is not much going on in this episode. Vander Decken's new plan involves throwing the giant ship Noah at Shirahoshi (a ship that until now was just a backdrop in the Fishman District)...talk about using an atom bomb to get rid of a pesky fly. Madame Sharley provokes Hordy who in turn shoots her (where we learn in a throwaway line that she is actually Arlong's little sister) and I do find it kinda funny how Shirahoshi got fooled by that balloon imitation of her father (did Hordy order it from the same place who made the balloons for "Fun In Balloonland"). We also learn that Hordy has 100,000 men at his disposal which seems like a formidable force to be reckoned with. Ultimately, we still don't know where the Straw Hats are.
Finally, we end with the bombshell that Shirahoshi knew that Hordy was the one who killed her mother. What the...?
A decent episode again.
Manga Differences: -The scene where Shirahoshi and Jinbei get fooled by the balloon imitation of King Neptune and captured is presented in more detail compared to the manga where it was just a flashback panel, showing only them approaching the balloon. -Hordy's plan to kill Otohime including showing how he hired the human pirate, killing him etc. is also shown in much greater detail in the manga which shows only him actually shooting the pirate in a few panels. -The usual scene extensions.
Later days!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2019 14:20:48 GMT -5
Episode 553: "Shirahoshi's Tears! Luffy Finally Shows Up!"
And covered in shark saliva, no less....
At the beginning, we learn that Shirahoshi eventually was told by Megalo who actually did kill her mother, but decided to not speak up in order to fulfil her mother's last request. Have to say, this enamores her even more to me because, as Jinbei paraphrases it, it seems almost an impossible thing to do to not show hatred towards the murderer of one's kin. Of course, Hordy, being the despicable jerkass, that he is only has disdain for her. More surprising is, however, the reaction of the merfolk who, on the verge of Hordy decapitating King Neptune, calling Luffy's name, wishing rather for the destruction of the fishman island through his hands than living or fleeing from Hordy's reign of terror, showing their desperation at this point.
In a surprising twist, Luffy appears from Megalo's stomach, delivering a well-deserved jet punch towards Hordy while Nami and Robin did a very successful stealth mission, managing to free the whole Neptune family, culminating in the whole crew appearing on the Conchcorde Plaza. The whole crew? Well...yes, actually since Zoro, Usopp and Brook are also there despite being captured at the Ryugu Palace the last time we saw them. How did they escape in such a small amount of time? I hope we will find that out, but for now the battle of the Straw Hats vs. the New Fishman Pirates begins! Who will prevail? With about 10 persons against 100,000, that seems like impossible odds, doesn't it?
Another decent episode here.
Manga Differences: -The scenes showing where Megalo actually tells Shirahoshi about Hordy's murder of her mother and also where he actually watches the deed are anime-added scenes. We only hear about those events in the manga. -The usual scene extensions.
See y'all 'morrow!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2019 9:55:43 GMT -5
Episode 554: "A Great Clash! The Straw Hat Crew vs. 100,000 Enemies!"
Odds that normally only John Cena could overcome.
Well, this episode does not really feature so much the titular clash, but it is entertaining none the less. We get to see exactly how the plan came together that led to this, from Jinbei explaining that he only does not want Luffy to fight recklessly but instead to follow his plan so that Luffy will be viewed as the hero of the island. This leads to some fun moments like Luffy's definition on what he considers a hero and Megalo's disgusted reactions to again putting stuff in his mouth (I guess he still has enough from the Shirahoshi incident). Furthermore, we also get to see how Zoro, Usopp and Brook escaped their predicament though I get the feeling that Zoro has become a bit too cutting happy in the 2 previous years.
In a sweet moment, Luffy addresses Shirahoshi not as "Coward" anymore but as...Yowahoshi ("Weakhoshi"). Well, it's a start I guess. Anyhow, Luffy is not that fazed by 100,000 enemies and immediately makes his presence felt with his Conqueror's Haki, taking out half of the attackers. Impressive though it would have been more impressive if we got a larger sweep of the battlefield to show it since it appears in the anime as if he only subdued the attackers in his immediate vicinity. Oh well, their word is good enough for me.
Add to that some fun Straw Hat interactions and you have a good episode again.
Manga Differences: -Most of the Straw Hat interactions are anime-only content. Which exactly I cannot remember at the moment, but only a few were actually in the manga. -The flashback to how Zoro, Usopp and Brook escaped the cage is all filler material. We never see how they escaped in the manga at all. -The usual scene extensions.
Until 'morrow!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2019 9:59:40 GMT -5
Episode 555: "Deadly Attacks One After Another! Zoro And Sanji Join The Battle!" But...weren't they already there? So, the fight Straw Hats vs. New Fishman Pirates begins in earnest with the first half especially giving the Straw Hats some room to shine. Unfortunately, fighting grunts, as we know from having watched our Power Rangers series, are not that exciting, so these fight sequences are nothing to write home about. Well, except for Chopper showing off his new Kung Fu Point transformation and Usopp having a blast firing his Pop Green plants into the advancing pirates. Franky, meanwhile, is the only Straw Hat member who does not get involved but he seems to want to introduce a new gadget for this battle. In the second act, the titular Straw Hat characters get into the action. Zoro shows that he indeed became stronger by using an advanced version of his previous tornado attack that lasts a long while (and even slices some pretty hard-looking shells easily) and Sanji has mastered a technique previously only shown by the CP9 members, the Moon Walk (though how he learned it...is pretty hilarious actually ), making even taking out airborne enemies fairly easy. So yeah, the Straw Hats have evolved quite well. But will they be as good when they have to face the field commanders. Guess we will have to wait and see. A good episode I'd say. Manga Differences: -To be honest, almost the entire first act with the Straw Hats bantering with each other and fighting the first groups of enemies are filler. It is only when the coral unit appears to counter Zoro that we come back to actual manga content. -Zoro's flashback to the Sabaody Archipelago and fighting the giant baboon on Kuraigana who imitates Mihawk's movements is anime-only content that does not appear in the manga. -Most of Sanji's flashback save for one or two images is also not in the manga and added to the anime. Tomorrow will be another day where we shall see each other again.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2019 10:05:36 GMT -5
Episode 556: "Unveiled! The Secret Weapons Of The Sunny!"
Apparently, the one who builds the Zords also lives on Balsimoa.
The battle against the New Fishman Pirates continues unabated but at least we get some more interesting new fighting techniques from the other Straw Hats like Brook's hypnotic Festival Music or Nico Robin's giant foot stamping (though if some Fishmen had a fetish like this, I doubt they were very unhappy about that development). It is also fun seeing Jinbei's reaction to Zoro and Sanji's bickering since this is his first time actually fighting alongside the rest of the Straw Hat crew.
The highlight is however Frankie's introduction to the new weapons he created (among a brief explanation of his revamped Soldier Dock System): A rhino motorbike for his own and a brachio tank. It is hilarious seeing the boys get all excited and sparkly-eyed (well, boys and their toys, am I right?) upon seeing them while Nami and Robin are just blank-faced upon seeing them. And those vehicles do pack quite a punch, especially the brachio tank with Usopp as shooter and Chopper as commander (d'aww, he is so adorable when he does that).
Things seem to take a turn for the worse when the Kraken (remember him from earlier in the arc) appears and he seems to be on the side of Luffy and his crew. But one call-out from Luffy and the Kraken happily turns sides and becomes Shirahoshi's bodyguard on the battlefield. But will the tide turn again when Hordy's field commanders get into action?
Another good episode here.
Manga Differences: -Everything from the start the Fishmen's artillery unit appears and Brook starts his Festival Music is filler material. -In the manga, Surume was originally present and visible from the beginning of the scenes at the Conchcorde Plaza, while in the anime, this episode marks the first appearance of him during this part at all. -The usual scene extensions.
Let us meet again on the day that follows today!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2019 15:38:52 GMT -5
Episode 557: "Iron Pirate! Here Comes General Franky!"
Poor Chopper. Already Franky has outranked him in military rank.
And we continue focusing on what the Straw Hats learned in their 2 years of training with Nami showing off her Gust Sword, developed from the wind knots she encountered on Weatheria, Chopper now being able to use his seven transformations without a Rumble Ball and them also apparently looking much more advanced (if we go by his Horn Boost transformation now featuring much larger horns, usable for digging through the ground) although we hear from him that there is one more transformation that requires a rumble ball. The focus however is again on Franky fulfilling every boy's dream by creating a transforming robot, combining the Rhino motorcycle and Brachio tank into the General Franky robot like something out of an early Sentai series. I know that the reactions are pretty cliché but I cannot help laughing at the boy's childlike adoration of the robot while Nami and Nico Robin are rather blank-faced about the whole affair. Gotta love also how Franky does some of the attacks the robot is supposed to be doing himself. Finally, I do hope that Daruma has more to offer than just chomping his way through the ground like some kind of angry Pac-Man.
In another part of the battle, we learn why Surume, the Kraken, obeys Hordy (basically, Hordy threatens him with killing his brothers if he doesn't follow his orders) which of course triggers Luffy for obvious reasons. After a short moment of tension where it appears like Surume might follow Hordy's orders, Luffy calms him down and attacks Hordy again with all his built-up wrath. Um, Hordy, don't you wanna do something? You are kinda getting your ass kicked there.
Things get intense again when the giant ship Noah suddenly appears in the sky. How will this affect the battle?
Another good episode.
Manga Differences: -Everything until we see Daruma gnawing through the ground to lay a trap for the two Franky vehicles is filler material. -The flashback inserts of Chopper and Nami remembering how they learned certain things from their respective training grounds is again anime-added content. -The comments by the islanders on the outsides of the Conchcorde Plaza are also not in the manga. -The usual scene extensions.
Tomorrow will be a break to read Manga Volume 67 so see you on Saturday!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2019 7:29:02 GMT -5
Episode 558: "The Noah Closing In! The Fish-Man Island Facing Destruction!"
If the Noah could speak, I bet she would apologize to the Fishman Island for bursting their bubble...*cricket cricket cricket*
An episode where really nothing much happens, mostly because most of the focus seems to be on showing shots that show how enormous the Noah is as a ship (half as big as the whole Fish-Man Island). It is impressive, no question, but it becomes fairly obvious that most shots are just there for padding the episode's run time and nothing more. The appearance of the Noah leads to another awesome moment by Shirahoshi though, sacrificing herself by leading the Noah away from the island since it targets her (leaving her open though for a knife throw by Vander Decken...what a poopyhead).
Otherwise, the fight Luffy vs. Hordy continues...and I have to say that it is a fairly one-sided fight. Until this point you never get the feeling that Luffy is in a serious pickle: blocking Hordy's attacks with the Armament Haki, evading his Water Shots with Observation Haki etc.. I admit it is an impressive show of how well Luffy has gotten at the various forms of Haki, but it makes the fight a pretty boring affair (although Luffy admits that Hordy is tough due to standing up after his Armament Haki-powered attacks). This might be something that seems to permeate this arc but more on that when we are a few more episodes in.
So yeah, Wadatsumi falls down and gets abandoned by Vander Decken and everybody looks up at the awesome Noah and finally, Hordy and Luffy make their way to the Noah with different goals in mind. We'll see who will succeed.
A decent episode this time.
Manga Differences: -Nothing that stood that out compared to the manga this time, so just the usual scene extensions.
See y'all morrow!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2019 15:05:59 GMT -5
Episode 559: "Hurry Up, Luffy! Shirahoshi's Life In Jeopardy!"
What is the title of this episode, Alex?
The fight between Luffy and Hordy is now set in the deep sea water due to Shirahoshi using the negligence of the Straw Hat crew (since they did not close the communication channel between the island and the Ryugu Palace) to get out to the deep sea and, thus, better lead the Noah away from the island. It came with a price, however, as several citizens of the island, trying to hold unto the chains of the Noah to slow its advancement at least a little bit, get shot by Hordy's water gun who cruelly mocks them, enraging Luffy even further.
Alas, the change in setting proves to be to Hordy's advantage, offering Luffy more of a challenge since Luffy in his bubble is limited in his movement while Hordy moves freely around in the sea water. It is only due to the three Neptune Brothers appearing that Shirahoshi is safe for now and Luffy being able to evade Hordy better. This was really in the nick of time since Hordy's Shark Slicer technique proves to be a formidable mode of attack, similar to Arlong's Shark-On-Darts attack and it is impressive in its destruction of underwater mountains. Can Luffy find a way against it?
Ultimately, Hordy gets an idea regarding the Noah and confronts Vander Decken...only to stab him with his trident? What does Hordy hope to accomplish with that?
A good episode, I'd say.
Manga Differences: -While in the manga, the fishmen on the ground tried to hold the chain to slow the Noah down, in the anime, the fishmen using bubbles to float up to the chain tried to hold it back. -After Hordy's first taunt when appearing behind Luffy, everything until we see Luffy again riding on Fukaboshi's back is anime filler (i.e. Luffy trying to fight Hordy, Hordy popping Luffy's bubble and trying to stab him with his trident while Fukaboshi saves him etc.). -The chase scene of Hordy trying to hit Fukaboshi with his Shark Slicer is much longer in the anime compared to the manga. -The usual scene extensions.
Let us meet the day after today!
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