This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Gear
Series: One Piece #40
Arc: Water Seven #9
Author: Eiichiro Oda
Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 225
Words: 10K

From Wikipedia:

“Casualties”

“Power Level”

“Enies Lobby Main Island Express”

“Fired”

“Demon Lair”

“Luffy vs. Blueno”

“Signal the Counterattack”

“There Is a Way”

“Unprecedented”

“Gear”

“Gear Two”

The Straw Hats lay waste to Enies Lobby, defeating anyone who tries to keep them from Robin. As the rest of the crew deals with the less formidable guardians of the island, Luffy goes ahead and calls out to CP9. Only one member of CP9, Blueno, agrees to fight him, remembering how quickly Luffy was defeated in their last encounter. As the battle progresses Luffy demonstrates his ability to use one of CP9’s abilities. After using his “Gear Two” and before demonstrating his “Gear Three”, Luffy defeats Blueno and calls out to Robin that he is there to rescue her.

---

This could have been a fantastic volume. It was one massive battle as the Straw Hat Pirates and Frankie’s “family” came to rescue Robin and Frankie from the stronghold of the World Government. I could actually follow most of the action, which isn’t a given with how swirly the manga-ka usually does his battles. I also thought how the various crew members getting stronger was well done. Even Usopp, excuse me, I mean “Sniper King” is getting better at surviving extinction level events. And Luffy’s battle with one of the CP9? It went fantastically.

But.

There were simply too many double paged spreads. That might work in a paper magazine or even in a tankouban (the manga you see in a bookstore) just fine. But I’m reading this digitally, on my computer. And my options are to either shrink to a 2 page spread (and lose a ton of details and possible what the characters are saying) or to stick to 1 page at a time and have to flip back and forth to get the full picture of the action as it is spread across 2 pages and goes from top to bottom. It was incredibly frustrating.

In the manga-ka’s defense, digital wasn’t nearly as big when this was originally published. But I’m reading it now, not 13 years ago. And even then, trying to open a tankouban fully usually meant breaking the spine or having details on the inner edge being lost to view. SO NOT GOOD. THEN OR NOW!!!!!!!!!!!! HERE ME RAWWWWWWR!

Therefore I am going to be inventing time travel so I can send Oda-sensei this review, so that he flipping knocks it off. There’s no need for double page spreads. Period. And if he continues them, well, then you’ll know the REAL reason why Kyle Reese and the T800 went back in time.

★★✬☆☆

• All My “One Piece” Reviews

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Scramble
Series: One Piece #39
Arc: Water Seven #8
Author: Eiichiro Oda
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 207
Words: 10K

From Wikipedia:

“Sea Train Battle Game”

“Ramen Kung Fu”

“You’re Not Alone”

“The Honorable Captain T-Bone”

“Plastic Surgery”

“Necessary Evil”

“Scramble”

“The Supermen of Enies Lobby”

“I Got It!!”

“The Big Showdown on the Judiciary Island”

As they move through the train looking for Robin, Sanji, Usopp, and Franky deal with the lesser members of Cipher Pol. Although they find her, Robin does not allow herself to be saved. CP9 captures Franky again, kicks Sanji and Usopp from the train, and continues on to Enies Lobby. Sanji and Usopp wait along the tracks, and reunite with Luffy and the others when they go by. They arrive at the judiciary island soon after CP9 does and engage the forces of the world government in order to get Robin back.

---

This was an absolute action packed volume. To the point where there were pages where I didn’t even bother trying to figure out the details of what was happening because all that mattered was that several characters were fighting. I have to admit, I am not a big fan of how Oda-san draws his action scenes. He might know exactly what he’s trying to convey and can see it himself, but for me, it is just a big swirly mess.

The crew keep increasing in power and I have to say, I really like Usopp becoming the Sniper King. And Luffy’s reaction to him is hilarious. Luffy thinks he’s a super hero because he wears a cape, hahahahaa. Good stuff.

With more info about the World Government, this world is really starting to remind me of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe, ie, there is no good side and power is all that matters. The CP9, the supposed arbiters of Justice, are as corrupt, ruthless and unprincipled as any pirate villain we’ve seen so far. At this point, I’d throw my hat into the pirate ring just to oppose them, they’re that bad. It doesn’t speak well of the WG that they employ and condone such characters.

This volume ends with the Straw Hats and Franky’s gang having broken into the Island where Robin is going to be judged. All of the CP9 are there as well as 10,000 WG marines. So I expect the fights will be continuous and non-stop in the next volume as well.

★★★✬☆

• All My “One Piece” Reviews

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Rocketman!!
Series: One Piece #38
Arc: Water Seven #7
Author: Eiichiro Oda
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 207
Words: 10K

From Wikipedia:

“Reactivation”

“Bingo”

“Departing Soon”

“P.S.”

“Ebb Tide”

“Aqua Laguna”

“Kokoro”

“Rocketman!!”

“Sortie!”

“Sniper King”

After the Straw Hats recover from their injuries they discover that Robin has sided with the government in order to save the rest of the crew from destruction. CP9 captures Franky and Usopp and takes them and Robin to Enies Lobby, the government’s judiciary island, using a sea train. Sanji sneaks on board in an effort to save them, freeing Usopp and Franky before continuing on to Robin. The rest of the Straw Hats, the loyal members of Galleyla, and Franky’s friends, follow on a sea train of their own, unimpeded by the Aqua Laguna.

---

Man, this was a great entry. The flashback finished up pretty good and we got right back in the action of Luffy and the Strawhats.

Turns out Robin was doing everything she did, not only to satisfy her curiosity about True History, but also to protect the Strawhats from a big confrontation with the World Navy, one which they could not have survived. While it gave me that “rabbit out of a hat” vibe, it did fit in with everything that has gone on before. Plus, it makes Robin much more sympathetic.

We find out that the CP9 is run by a character that had a run-in with Franky and Mr Iceburg years ago and that he has a personal grudge in this whole matter. And the members of the CP9 sink the Merry-Go and take Robin, Usopp and Frankie prisoner for sentencing at a scary World Navy place. So everybody else mounts a rescue mission.

Considering how the CP9 put the total beatdown on the Strawhats previously, it is going to be interesting to see what strategies they come up with to counter the difference in power. Or if they will just power up (make the Mario noise when he gets the star power). We do get a taste of that right at the end. And I think it deserves it’s own paragraph.

Sanji, the karate cook, has jumped on the train carrying the prisoners. He rescues Usopp and Franky and they end up on the top of the train. Sanji tells them what Robin has done and his plans to rescue her. Usopp, who had quit the crew and fought a very one sided dual with Luffy earlier, declines to participate as he’s no longer part of the Strawhats. So he starts to go away. Immediately, a World Government soldier finds Sanji and Franky on the top of the train and is about to shoot them when the soldier is knocked off the train by a “metal star” and a masked hero calling himself Sniper King tells Sanji and Franky that he’ll help them. Of course, it’s Usopp with a mask and cape on, and it’s silly and ridiculous and yet I totally understood it. Usopp is remaking his identity as a pirate and is starting to create The Man, The Myth, The Legend. Now, how long this will go on is questionable and will Usopp truly change or just become plain old Usopp again once he reconciles with the Strawhats, I don’t know. But I really like that the manga-ka is willing to go down this route. Usopp was never my favorite character from the get-go, but so far, he is the character that the manga-ka has used the most in a wide variety of ways. He is the Everyman of the crew, with no powered up abilities and as such his portrayal, in all of the various ways, seems the most genuine. I kind of hope that Sniper King sticks around but I’m not expecting it.

Finally, there are sometimes individual pictures, whether as part of the story or as just little one offs included, that encapsulate the spirit of One Piece. The following is one such picture. It is from the inside cover and it shows the whole gamut of emotions that make up the Strawhats. This is One Piece in a snapshot.

★★★★☆

• All My “One Piece” Reviews

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Tom
Series: One Piece #37
Arc: Water Seven #6
Author: Eiichiro Oda
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 229
Words: 11K

From Wikipedia:

“Six Powers”

“Fighting Power”

“Ordinary Citizens”

“The Warehouse Under the Bridge”

“Klabautermann”

“Tom’s Workers”

“The Legendary Shipwright”

“Sea Train”

“Spandam”

“Mr. Tom”

“Cutty Flam”

The Straw Hats arrive on the scene and find Robin with CP9. Although she claims to want nothing more to do with them, Luffy and company attack CP9 so that they can talk to her. They are quickly defeated, and CP9 departs to look for Franky. As the Aqua Laguna approaches, Franky has given Usopp and the Merry shelter. Soon enough CP9 arrives looking for Franky and his blueprints. Because his teacher, entrusted him with the blueprints years earlier, and forfeited his own life to insure Pluton never fell into the government’s hands, Franky refuses to reveal their location.

---

The World Government wants the strongest ship and is willing do anything to get it. The showdown between CP9 and Luffy is so one sided that it’s not even funny. He gets tossed around like a broken rag doll. It was getting rather interesting when suddenly the last half of the volume is an extended flashback about 2 of the side characters who are linked to this power ship.

That was rather dull. It was the usual “wah, wah, we wanna be powerful and argue like kids” story about 2 boys growing up. I’m sure it gave world building fans an orgasm, but I want to read about Luffy and the Straw Hats and everyone else is incidental. I don’t need to know about side characters. The focus shouldn’t BE on side characters. As such, this little (big really, because it was close to 120 pages) flashback not only didn’t work for me, but it actively annoyed me. The flashback hadn’t finished up by the time this volume ended, so I already know I have to deal with it in the next volume. And I’m sure I’ll be finding out how Franky became a cyborg. Not that I care one bit.

I really did enjoy the parts with the Straw Hats. Usopp has an extended showing here where he talks to Franky about he knows the Merry Go (the ship) is doomed but that he can’t accept it and that’s why he keeps trying to repair her. I think Franky finally gets through to him but I obviously won’t know because of that flipping flashback! And Luffy and Zoro are totally beaten down but not dead, so how will that resolve? WE DON’T KNOW BECAUSE OF THAT FLIPPING FLASHBACK!!!

Yeah, not real happy with that half of the volume.

★★★☆☆

• All My “One Piece” Reviews

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: The Ninth Justice
Series: One Piece #36
Arc: Water Seven #5
Author: Eiichiro Oda
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 209
Words: 10K

From Wikipedia:

“Protectors of the City of Water”

“Coup de Vent”

“Rumors”

“The Woman Who Brings Darkness”

“Demon”

“The Messengers of Darkness”

“Cipher Pol No. 9”

“Opposing Force”

“Sleepers”

“The Ninth Justice”

The Straw Hats are on the run and Robin is nowhere to be found. In order to determine where her allegiances lie, the Straw Hats decide to break into Galley-La’s headquarters to find her. To their surprise, they are not the only ones laying siege to Galley-La; a masked group has already infiltrated the headquarters looking for the blueprints to the ancient weapon Pluton. After finding the blueprints and discovering that they are fake, the masked individuals approach the recovering Iceburg. They remove their disguises, revealing themselves as Robin and some of the workers of Galley-La. Members of the secret government organization, Cipher Pol #9, they joined Galley-La to gain Pluton for the government’s use. After speaking with Iceberg, they learn that the real blueprints are with Franky, a shipwright and friend of Iceberg.

---

HOLY TOLEDO AND HOLD THE BBQ SAUCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Oh my goodness. I am astounded and amazed. After what I experienced in the previous volume, I didn’t know what to expect. Misaki was talking to me in the comments and assured me that most of the points I brought up were answered at some point and it made me laugh because this volume answered a lot of them.

This had all the twists. This had all the turns. And I didn’t see a single one coming. Now, to be fair, most of the time I’m so straight forward that even a simple misdirection is enough, like fake throwing a tennis ball for a dog to go chasing. But this was Pure Awesomesauce. One a scale of 1-25 on Awesomesauce’ness, I’m giving this a 23.

I was REALLY annoyed that all the shipwrights started hammering on the Straw Hat pirates without giving them a chance to state their case, but once the big reveal happened, it totally made sense. Of course, finding out that some of who I thought were fine, upstanding and powerful citizens turned out to be stooges of the world government was like a kick in the nuts. Governments are inherently corrupt and attempt to draw power to themselves and those who buy wholeheartedly into them become corrupt as well. Doesn’t mean there aren’t good people, but if they stay there they will be corrupted, much like the One Ring corrupted Gollum, Bilbo, Frodo and even Samwise.

Luffy gets beat all over the place here. He gets beaten by the Shipwrights. He gets beaten by Frankie. He gets beaten by the CP9 (the super secret world government black beyond black covert ops team). And he’s still kicking and hollering to beat the band at the end. I love this guy!

★★★★★

• All My “One Piece” Reviews

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Captain
Series: One Piece #35
Arc: Water Seven #4
Author: Eiichiro Oda
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 187
Words: 9K

From Wikipedia:

“The Pirate Abduction Incident”

“My Name Is Franky”

“It’s Decided”

“The Big Argument”

“Luffy vs. Usopp”

“Captain”

“Big Trouble in the Secret Room”

“Warning”

“Luffy vs. Franky”

Luffy reluctantly decides to abandon the ship. Usopp, having grown attached to the Merry, is unwilling to take this course of action and challenges Luffy’s captaincy. Once defeated, Usopp decides to leave the Straw Hats, and the others go searching for a new ship. Meanwhile, the Aqua Laguna, an annual storm that strikes Water Seven, is about to return. To coincide with this Iceburg, the owner of Galley-La, is attacked, and Nico Robin is labeled as the prime suspect. Knowing Robin is a member of the Straw Hats, all of Water Seven turns against them.

---

I was reading along and things were ok. Unfortunately, it quickly went out of control.

Everyone getting all emotional about the ship needing to be trashed and getting a new one made me roll my eyes a bit and then the “fight” between Luffy and Usopp really made me roll my eyes. Usopp, while never the sharpest tool in the shed, acts downright stupid here. It felt very forced to me.

Then you have the Mayor getting attacked. He claims it was somebody and Robin Nico (one of Luffy’s crew) and so before you can say “boo”, the entire town is convinced that the Straw Hat Gang tried to assassinate their beloved mayor. And the mayor doesn’t do anything about it. Throw in the Frankie Gang for fun too. They stole 2/3rds of the crews money and when the Straw Hats took retribution and destroyed their hideout, Franky gets all butthurt and goes after Luffy. And he’s a cyborg. And there’s some sort of superstorm coming in.

This was only 187 pages but man, does Oda pack in everything that he possibly can. It felt overfull and not well thought out. If Franky is so powerful and so out of control, why haven’t the Shipwrights controlled him before? This is what happens when you think logically and rationally instead of “what sells” like a manga-ka does. I cannot imagine reading this a chapter at a time, it would have driven me nuts. As it is, even reading one tankubon at a time (the book form) is pushing things. Part of me wants to just read about 5 volumes at a go and review them all in one post. If the pacing and storytelling goes on like this volume, that will be something I seriously consider in the upcoming months.

There are certain things I can suspend my disbelief for, but don’t shove 5 improbable things at me all at once and expect me to deal with it. Especially if the improbables center around the established characters. I am not the Red Queen and I do not believe 10 impossible things before breakfast every day.

Now, with all that complaining and whining and hand wringing out of the way, I do think that Oda showed the weight of command here. Luffy had to make a decision about the ship and when one of his crew acted like a baby about it, he had to Captain Up and put the beatdown on Usopp. No good being a pirate captain if you’re going to just let your crew rule by committee. In the future Luffy is going to have to make some really hard decisions and this book showed he was capable of that. He is growing up and becoming the Captain (hence the volume’s title) he is going to need to be. I like that “growing up” aspect of a story and it appeals to me a lot.

★★★☆☆

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