RJ Writing Ink

A Fan Rant about the Drums of Liberation Moment in One Piece

Tonight, One Piece fans shall witness Monkey D. Luffy achieve his peak form, Gear Fifth, and essentially become a toon-force empowered god. Those who have read the manga know this is more than hyperbole. Luffy is about to unlock a power so ridiculous that it defies reality itself; this will be Popeye’s level of toon force! And it all starts this week with the playing of drums. The drums of liberation.

Say what you want about Episode 1070 of the One Piece anime, but it’s the final moments that make it worth watching. When Gear Fifth debuted in the manga a year ago, fans were told it came with the beating of what Zunesha called “the drums of liberation.” Fans have had to imagine what they sound, but the end to the latest episode brings them to life for the first time.

Whatever we imagined they must be like, the show makes it clear that it wasn’t enough. The drums of liberation are more amazing than almost anyone could hope to imagine. Through the simple power of music, One Piece manages to leave viewers grinning from ear to ear.

A Chaotic Maelstrom of Freedom and Joy

First, we have the beginning. It starts off with Luffy’s heartbeat. It starts off slow and distant, like hearing the beating of a drum from far away. Then, it gets closer, and a little louder. The music starts to ring out, playing something that seems primal in nature as it grows in tempo. Then…the true song begins to play. 

The drums begin to ring out like thunder as they play across the night, almost like they’re defying the gods to stop them. It’s an epic orchestra of rebellious, chaotic freedom that seeks to upturn the world, and it lights a fire in all those who hear it. It connects that inherent part of human nature that yearns for freedom, for liberation! Then the bongo drums can be heard above the noise, and the song takes a different turn. It grows beyond being this serious thing and becomes something enjoyable. It becomes something fun, and by hearing it, you can’t help but start to grin.

As the music hits its crescendo, it briefly subsides before bursting into one, final, chaotic explosion of determination and joy as Luffy begins to take on a new form and starts grinning. Then, the last thing we here is the sound of a rubber-band being played, highlighting the silliness of everything. 

More Beautiful Than I Imagined

I loved this moment in the anime. Through just the simple power of music, One Piece makes us go through so many emotions in the span of a few minutes. From curiosity and apprehension at the beginning, to feeling like the hair on our bodies crackling with anticipation. The feeling of being swept up in a maelstrom of chaotic freedom that leaves us laughing. By the end of it, I couldn’t stop grinning!

This is the moment that fans have waited for decades to witness! If music has the power to influence people’s emotions, then the people who make the anime succeeded, and then some! This was some of the funniest and silliest music I’ve ever heard. Hearing it makes me feel like all the problems in the world mean nothing in the face of joy. If this is what Oda wanted us to feel when he came up with the concept of Joyboy, then he succeeded!

I can’t wait for the new episode tonight!

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My Adventures With Superman Ep 6 Review

Last time on My Adventures With Superman, Clark Kent’s life fell apart. Lois forced him to admit that he’s secretly Superman and was livid for not telling her. Jimmy felt neglected by his friends, and that drove him to set off on his camping alone. As a result, he got captured by some kind of gorilla monster! If that wasn’t strange enough, though, it gets even stranger in this episode. A brain and a talking gorilla, a government conspiracy, and a lot of issues come into play in this episode, and it’s glorious! They’re Mallah! They’re Mallah and the Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain!

Having to Make Things Right for Jimmy

The episode starts off with Lois and Clark not on speaking terms since the former’s livid over the latter lying to her. However, they have more immediate concerns regarding Jimmy, who went off on their camping trip alone. Since he’s not answering their calls or texts, they fear the worst (and they’re right). Thus, the two put aside their issues (well, it’s mainly Lois with the issues) to help Jimmy.

Right away, the episode makes the issues that Lois and Clark have take center-stage rather than keep them on the back burner. The change in dynamic’s evident, with Clark now openly using his powers in front of Lois, which doesn’t help her ill feelings towards him. By the episode’s midpoint, Lois makes it clear why she feels so hurt by Clark’s secret-keeping. She’s fallen for him, and she thinks he fell for her; now she’s worried that his feelings were a cover to throw her off.

Put yourself in Lois’ shoes. Imagine thinking that the person you like may not feel the same way. Now imagine that they’re pretending they do to manipulate you. For someone who hates lies so much, that’s the most painful thing imaginable. In other words, cut Lois some slack, Twitter! 

Silver lining: Clark gets to show firsthand that his heroism isn’t an act. He’s the real deal. That, and Lois gets to see Clark without a shirt.

Jimmy, Mallah, and the Brain

Meanwhile, Jimmy Olsen finds himself at the mercy of the gorilla that kidnapped him. However, despite everyone expecting it to be a version of Gorilla Grodd or some other evil primate, the show subverts expectations. While his captors are known as villains, in this universe, they are not. At best, they’re paranoid about being found.

This is Monsieur Mallah and the Brain. Unlike the versions I grew up with in Teen Titans (or most versions), Mallah and the Brain aren’t evil in the show. They give off mad scientist vibes, but are more like an old, married couple, with it being explicitly stated they’re an item. They only take Jimmy prisoner because they think he’s a threat, but once he treats them with excitement rather than hostility, they start warming up to him. As previously mentioned, they’re not evil; just rightfully paranoid about being found by the Government, having once worked for them under Project Cadmus.

Surprisingly, the Project Cadmus in this show wasn’t the morally-grey organization it’s known for being. Instead, that goes to its infamous counterpart, Task Force X; AKA the ones led by Slade, Waller, and the General. They tried wiping Cadmus out when they refused to make weapons, with Mallah and the Brain being the only survivors. Jimmy sympathizes with their plight, comparing how they were ignored by others to what he’s going through with Clark and Lois.

Jimmy is Smarter than We Gave Him Credit

In addition to this, when finally reunited and Clark tries to tell Jimmy the truth, the latter drops a bombshell by revealing he’s always known the truth. He just kept quiet about it out of respect for Clark, rightfully seeing it as something he didn’t want to talk about. This is yet another great moment for not just Jimmy, but for the series as a whole. It’s taking a look at the classic tropes of the old comics, like Superman being able to hide his secret identity by excuses or everyone being oblivious and subverting that. That would seem stupid in the modern day. 

Reconciling the Trio as New Threats Emerge

Ultimately, the Daily Planet Trio manages to work out their issues, with Clark gaining Lois and Jimmy’s forgiveness by admitting he just wanted to be treated normal. As for Mallah and the Brain, they manage to build a wormhole to take them to another dimension where they can be safe from Task Force X. Here’s hoping that they turn up again in the future, albeit not evil like many of their counterparts.

There’s just one problem: Task Force X now has all of Cadmus’ tech, and they’re more determined than ever to bring down Superman. Worse, the General recruits Dr. Ivo to help them, which anyone should recognize as a being a horrible decision. So while Clark’s social life is improving, the threat against Superman’s greater than ever.

The show’s first season is now halfway over at this point. While there are a few problems with the pacing, it’s still incredibly entertaining. The sense of mystery surrounding Task Force X and Superman not knowing what he is gives a new spin on an old tale. That, and the main trio remain as fun as ever. This wasn’t the most exciting episode, but sometimes you need to go slow to help develop the characters. Here’s hoping we see more of Mallah and the Brain.

That, and I loved the references to Gurren Lagann!

I Give “My Adventures With Mad Science” a 3.5/5

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