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One Piece Chapter 1126 Review/Recap

When I first read the leaks for this week’s chapter of One Piece, I had to double-check on Reddit to make sure they were accurate. As trustworthy as people like PewPiece and Redon are, I still had difficulty believing what happened. Specifically, I couldn’t believe what the leaks said that Shanks did. Then again, I should’ve remembered that in the previous arc, we saw Shanks almost single-handedly destroy the Kid Pirates. He may be a nice guy and Luffy’s mentor/father figure, but Shanks can be ruthless when he wants!

And that’s only covering a third of what happened here!

Recap

A month ago, Bartolomeo and his pirates raided the island of Gratel in Shanks’ territory and burned his flag. However, that proved to be a massive mistake, as in the present day, the Red-Haired Pirates have the Barto Club beaten and at their mercy. Barto’s on his knees apologizing and begging for forgiveness, and the Red-Haired decide to let things slide, on one condition!

They have a month to make sure that Luffy drinks this deadly poison…so Barto drinks it himself.

It’s a good thing it was a bluff, though, and Shanks was just testing them. But they still burned his flag, so Yassop sinks their ship; it’s unknown if there are any survivors.

At Pirate Island, Blackbeard’s finally returns and is furious to learn that Koby (and Moriah) got away. However, he lightens up when Kuzan reveals he got Garp.

In addition, they also have Pudding as their prisoner, Augur and Devon are returning with Caribou, and Lafitte is keeping an eye on the Red Port. With the Revolutionaries stopping any food from getting inside, Blackbeard thinks it’s the perfect time to pull off their plan.

Meanwhile, the Straw Hat and Giant Pirates continue celebrating their escape from Egghead. However, when they wake up two days later, they have yet to arrive at Elbaf, and the Sunny is gone. And Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, and Chopper along with her!

When Nami wakes up, she’s in this place that looks like it’s made out of LEGOs and wearing this Viking outfit.

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

Review

Of all the ways we could segue into the Elbaf Arc, seeing Shanks go full gangster wasn’t on my list. Then again, neither was seeing Saturn bite the big one, but I’m not complaining about that!

It took me a few seconds to remember that the Barto club had burned Shanks’ flag, and for good reason. That happened in a cover story seven years ago, so it’s nice to see it pay off after all this time. More importantly, Shanks’ secret test of character for Barto was terrifying but also necessary. If Barto had been willing to give Luffy the poison or lie about it, Shanks likely would’ve killed him then and there. And while their survival is in doubt, the Barto Club’s stocks just increased significantly!

Speaking of survival, this chapter confirmed that Garp is alive but now a prisoner of the Blackbeard Pirates. Imagine the uproar if Blackbeard decided to execute him in a dark reversal of Roger’s own fate! Worse, him having Pudding means he could gain the means to read the Poneglyphs. Most importantly, though, the theory that Blackbeard plans to infiltrate Mariejois has some merit. And disguising Devon as Saturn to get the crew inside is a good plan, even if we know it’s doomed to fail. That said, I’m still hoping to see if Teach can pull off raiding the “Holy Land” of the Celestial Dragons.

As for what’s happening to the Straw Hats, I’m lost. There’s a fan theory that it has something to do with Vivi since the missing crew knew her from their time together, but I’m not sure. For all we know, this could be another detour, but I’m hoping it’s not; Oda has made us wait long enough as it is for Elbaf! And with Nami waking up in a house made of LEGOs, my curiosity will make it hard to wait for next week. I must have answers!

Also, is it just me, or doesn’t it feel weird that only a month has passed since in-universe since the events of the Straw Hats’ Grand Fleet story? If the events with Barto happen in the present, that means the Whole Cake, Wano Country, and Egghead Arcs took place over a very short timeframe!

I Give “Taking Responsibility” a 4/5

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One Piece Chapter 1088 Review/Recap

Last week, I said that Garp might be “that guy” for the Marines, but I was mistaken. He was “that guy” for them, but that title might have gone to someone else now: Koby. One of the first people that Luffy met while on his journey, we’ve seen Koby go from a scrawny, scared kid into a hero of the Marines. And this week, he shows everyone how he has the potential to become his generation’s Garp. However, the rise of a new generation means the old one might soon fade away, and it does so in a manner that will leave the Marines heartbroken…

Recap

In a flashback, Garp’s asking the class a question: if you had a boat that could only it two people and had to choose between saving an old man and a baby, who do you go with? Koby answers that he would sacrifice himself for both, but Garp says to save the baby. According to him, the young have more to offer than an old man. Then, at Amazon Lily, Koby traded himself for the Marines captured by Blackbeard, saving their lives. 

In the present day, the rescue force is about to be crushed by Pizarro’s massive hands. As everyone begins to panic, Garp gives them marching orders: Koby will destroy the hand! The Marines don’t have time to second-guess anything, and they spring into action! Koby and Grus head straight for the hand while Helmeppo holds off any attacking pirates. Meanwhile, Garp keeps Kuzan and the rest busy before using his strength to deal a massive blow to Pizarro’s head!

With the way now clear, Koby manages to close in on the massive hand. Remembering how he trained hundreds of times harder than anyone to get as strong as he is, Koby unleashes his full power. The resulting Honesty Impact shatters Pizarro’s deadly hand, saving everyone! However, as they wait for Garp to return, they get a final message from him, telling them to retreat. They’re the future of the Marines, and they can’t afford to die to help one old man like him.

The next day, Garp would be reported MIA at Hachinsou Island.

Review

I thought that Garp was strong, but Koby might end up becoming stronger than him! He’s only Luffy’s age, and he’s already able to pull off the same kind of feat that Garp could! The fact that he had to train hundreds of times harder than anyone to get to that level because he had no combat skill makes that even more impressive! Koby truly earned his strength. He’s going to be the next generation of Marines’ Garp. 

Alas, the rise of a new hero of the Marines may mean the sunset on the old one. My worries about Garp’s safety proved to be well-founded, but I don’t believe he’s dead. The hero of the Marines that fought Gold Roger is too valuable a hostage to kill. Blackbeard will use him as a bargaining chip in the future. Ironically, it’s a reversal of what happened to Ace two years ago.

With the Reverie flashback over, and the business on Hachinsou done, there’s nothing to stop us from focusing on Egghead Island again. Sadly, we have to wait another two weeks, which is fine. So long as Oda gets it out, I’m fine with waiting. Also, we have this to look forward to around the same time.

It’s a good time to be a fan of One Piece!

I Give “The Final Lesson” a 4/5

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One Piece Chapter 1087 Review/Recap

Eichiro Oda’s returned after a month-long vacation recovering from eye surgery, so One Piece is back! Whenever Oda goes on these extra long breaks for his well-being, he makes up for it by giving us a fantastic chapter to set fans hearts ablaze! While the returning chapter might not be as epic as others, it does one thing for fans. We glimpse how Luffy’s grandpa Garp is ‘that guy’ for the Marines, and it’s incredible! The man used battleships as punching bags!

Recap

At the scrapyard at Navy Branch G1, Jango and Fullbody gawk at a pair of battleships with massive dents. Brannew explains that they’re the work of Garp and Kuzan: the former punches at one every day since his youth, while the latter was the result of the former Admiral when he became Garp’s student. They punched at them without using Devil Fruits or Haki to gain their monstrous strength, and it shows!

Meanwhile, on Hachinosu, Garp, Koby, Helmeppo, and Prince Grus are still going at it with the Blackbeard Pirates. Everyone else has evacuated and ready to leave, prompting Garp to declare its time to do the same. Unfortunately for them, Kuzan’s blocking the way. Worse, when Koby rushes to help a woman he thinks was a captive, it’s revealed to be a trap! Shiryu almost runs Koby through with his blade, only for Garp to take the hit!

The pirates start to swarm on the Marines, only for Kuzan to order them back while he deals with Garp. The clash between the former student and teacher is so powerful, it leaves both lying on the ground. However, that’s not the worst part. Using his Island-Island Fruit, Avalo Pizarro makes the island sprout hands, ready to crush the Marines ship, much to Koby’s utter horror. Garp, on the other hand, remains calm, saying that justice will prevail.

Review

Just when I thought that Luffy had finally reached the level of strength that his Grandpa Garp has, or even surpassed, the bar’s raised yet again. Garp might be one of the most vital members the Marines have, even in his old age! 

To recap, Garp has spent every day punching away at a derelict battleship. No haki or devil fruit allowed, just raw strength. And he managed to make a massive dent in it. No wonder he was Roger’s rival; he earned his power through a training regimen that would make Goku proud.

Be that as it may, it was still concerning to see Garp take that stab wound from Shiryu. We know from Luffy that it wouldn’t kill him, but this mirrored what happened to Whitebeard at Marineford. Then he just kept taking more and more damage until he died. As a result, fans might fear that Garp will face a similar fate. While that would be badass, it wouldn’t change the fact that it would be heartbreaking, especially if Luffy found out. 

Beyond that, the main draw was how this chapter demonstrated how close Garp and Kuzan were during the latter’s time as a Marine. While Garp didn’t want him at first, he warmed up to him enough to vent about how his son and grandson turned out. That shows genuine camaraderie there. At the same time, it also makes Kuzan’s decision to join Blackbeard even more surprising. I’m expecting a big twist to come out of this, but until then, I hope Garp makes it out alive. I want him to see Luffy become King of the Pirates. 

This wasn’t quite the welcome back I thought we’d get, but I still enjoyed it. Here’s hoping we return to Egghead Island soon, though.

I Give “Battleship Bags” a 3.5/5

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One Piece Chapter 1081 Review/Recap

I’ve been saying for years now: the Blackbeard Pirates will be Luffy’s greatest obstacle. Two powerful crews that started around the same time and have turned the world upside down? Oda doesn’t write coincidences like that. We’ve gotten glimpses into the Blackbeard Pirates power post time-skip before, but these last two chapters give us our best look yet. More importantly, they show us how Kuzan, a former Marine Admiral, decided to join his former enemies. 

Recap

Just as it looks like Koby’s about to reach the safety of Garp and the Marines, those plans get derailed by the arrival of Kuzan, the former Navy Admiral Aokiji. Then things transition to a flashback to a year ago, with Aokiji roaming the New World in a slump. That’s when the Blackbeard Pirates try picking a fight with him, so he freezes them all solid, save for Blackbeard himself. Blackbeard’s not willing to risk his crew, and Kuzan doesn’t want to fight, so the two sides end up standing down. Then, they start getting drunk together. 

Kuzan starts venting his regrets about losing to Akainu, what happened at Ohara, and more. Blackbeard explains that they’re hunting for the Road Poneglyphs, including the one held by the “Man marked by flames.” Then, Blackbeard gets the idea to invite Kuzan to join his crew, saying that he can live life by his own rules with them.

In the present day, Garp demands Kuzan let Koby and Hibaru (who he froze) go, with Kuzan refusing to back down against his mentor. As a result, the Hero of the Marines and the former Admiral begin to clash!

Meanwhile, on Winner Island, the battle between Blackbeard and the Heart Pirates ends. Law’s defeated, his submarine’s sinking, and the Heart Pirates are at their mercy. However, Bepo somehow manages to go Sulong in the day, distracting the Blackbeard Pirates long enough for him and Law to escape. Despite wanting to go back for his crew, Bepo refuses, putting his faith in them. Thus, the Heart Pirates suffer a humiliating defeat.

Review

Like I said, the Blackbeard Pirates are going to be Luffy’s greatest challenge. Not only do the majority of them now have Devil Fruits, but they now have a former Admiral among their ranks. And with the Heart Pirates defeat, they have two of the four Road Poneglyphs. 

As bad as things look for Law and the Heart Pirates, though, I do not think this is the end for them. Oda’s spent so much time focusing on Law up to this point, so I doubt he would kill him off so suddenly. My best guess, Law will have to regroup with his crew and restart their efforts, or just go to Luffy. As for how Bepo pulled that off, I think he used one of Chopper’s Rumble Balls. They might let the Minks go Sulong for a brief time.

What most concerns me, though, is Kuzan. I understand he left the Marines behind, but joining the Blackbeard Pirates seems like a sudden shift. Did he really lose that much faith in the Marines, or is he working an angle? That will be something to keep an eye on.

Overall, another banger of a chapter, and an important one, at that. The Blackbeard Pirates are also hunting for the “Man marked by Flames.” We don’t know who they are yet, but I have some ideas. I won’t share them yet, though! 

I Give “Kuzan, Tenth Captain of the Blackbeard Pirates,” a 4/5

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