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One Piece Chapter 974 Review/Recap

When I had heard about the rumor that there was a spy amongst the Nine Red Scabbards, I didn’t believe it. I had seen how loyal these men were to each other, and after everything they went through, the thought of one of them being a traitor never crossed my mind. After this chapter, though, I can deny it no longer: there’s a traitor in the Nine Red Scabbards. And you won’t believe who it is.

Recap

In the past, “Komurasaki” and “Kyoshiro” meet in secret to discuss how Orochi is infatuated with the young woman. In case she needs to get away from him, both agree to fake her death. A few months before the present day, Orochi gets a letter from the traitor that confirms his worst fears: the Scabbards are alive, sent into the future by Toki’s powers. Kaido finds it hard to believe that there’s a spy amongst Oden’s men, but Orochi says that without him, he never would have been able to align with Kaido.

In the present day, the remaining Scabbards choose to set out for Onigashima, even though Kine’mon is certain they have a traitor in their midst. At their moment, said traitor chooses to reveal themselves: Kanjuro, a member of the Kurozumi Clan.

Decades ago, Kanjuro was an actor who watched his parents be murdered for their last name. Orochi took him in, gave him his Devil Fruit, and had him join Oden as a spy. He had been funneling information to Orochi all this time, hiding his allegiance from everyone. The Kanjuro in the boat was a decoy, while the real one takes Momonosuke hostage to take him to Orochi. The remaining Scabbards are surrounded by the Beast Pirates, with no way out.

At that moment, hope appears in front of them. The ships of the Straw Hat, Heart, and Kidd Pirates appear and lay waste to the Beast Pirates. The three members of the Worst Generation proclaim that on the sea, they’ll deal with any pirates.

Review

Well, consider this flashback now wrapped up with a neat bow on top. I knew that Denjiro had faked Hiyori’s death, but it was nice to see that they had planned it in advance. That said, I still can’t believe that Kanjuro was the traitor amongst the Kozuki Clan. The fact that he kept to his role even in the face of death with his “comrades” is almost insane to think about. Then again, I’ve seen other people in manga who have turned out to be deep-cover spies. As a result, this isn’t new to me.

However, for all their scheming, the Kurozumi Clan made one mistake: they underestimated the strength of the Alliance. Specifically, they underestimated the Straw Hat Pirates. The fact that the Straw Hats, Heart, and Kid Pirates are now here only confirms that the Alliance hasn’t lost yet. They probably regrouped elsewhere and are ready to attack.

I enjoyed the story of Oden Kozuki, but now that it’s over, I’m fired up for the war. Next week, the war for Wano finally begins. #KAIDO’SGONNADIE #KILLOROCHI!

I Give “Onward to Onigashima” a 3.5/5

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My Hero Academia Season 4, Episode 22 Review/Recap

How many of you have had some fantastic dream as a child only for it to be crushed by reality? I’m pretty sure that everyone has, but that doesn’t make our inability to attain it hurt any less. Why bring this up? Because we get a look at Gentle and La Brava’s pasts in this episode, and it makes us realize that they’re not evil. They’re just two people who’ve had a lousy life and are trying to make something of it.

Recap

With the School Festival about to start, Deku’s trying desperately to apprehend Gentle, and La Brava before the alarm can be raised. Thanks to his new gauntlets, the young hero can keep up with the duo, finally pinning them down. In desperation, La Brava activates her Quirk, Lover. Once a day, she can power up the person she loves most beyond their normal limits, giving Gentle the strength to match Deku. However, not even this is enough, as Deku uses his power and analytical mind to subdue Gentle.

The episode then shows us two flashbacks about Gentle and La Brava. Growing up, Gentle wanted to be a Pro-Hero, but couldn’t make the grades for it; when he tried to help a hero one day, someone got hurt. This experience led him to become a villain so he could write himself into history. La Brava, a depressed middle school student, found his work online, and it inspired her to meet him and help him with his dream. Realizing he cares too much for La Brava to let her stay a villain, Gentle uses the last of his strength to throw Deku away and then turns them both in to some patrolling heroes, saving the Festival.

Review

I read the manga chapters for the School Festival months ago, so I already knew the story of Gentle and La Brava. Even so, it’s sad to see how their lives turned out. Gentle is what Deku could have ended up turning into if he hadn’t met All Might, down to interfering in a Pro-Hero’s work. Having to give up on your childhood dream is one of the hardest things a person can experience, and too many people end up doing so. The same goes for La Brava, who was barred for being considered weird.

Both of these two villains had terrible hands dealt with them in life, but that led them to find each other, and this episode shows how much they mean to each other. It helps show that they’re not bad people; they need help. Thanks to Deku interfering with their plan, they can get a chance to change for the better.

This episode didn’t come close to the Hassakai Arc, but I think it serves as an exciting look into what could have happened to Deku if no one had believed in him. In the long run, I think this will help Deku become a better person. For now, though, the School Festival and the heroes dream of assisting Eri can move forward. Go beyond, Plus Ultra!

I Give “School Festival Start” a 3/5

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