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One Piece Chapter 1152 Review/Recap

Ever since we met Loki, we’ve been hearing about the crimes he’s committed against Elbaph. The one that led to his imprisonment, though, was apparently killing his father, the beloved King Harald. However, many fans suspected that there was more to the story than what the Giants knew. Many even went so far as to theorize that Harald was, in fact, an agent of Imu and the World Government. Not only does this chapter prove that we were right, but that there’s even more to the story than we realized. Harald was a complicated figure!

Recap

Now that they’re aware of the danger Elbaph is in, the Monster Trio and New Giant Warrior Pirates prepare to return to the Sunland. As they do, Gaban confirms that the only way to injure the God’s Knights is to use Conqueror’s Haki, even confirming that Zoro also has it. However, saying that he wants to help them, Hadrujin still refuses to let Loki go. He doesn’t trust his brother. And when Luffy asks Loki to join the Straw Hats to get around this, the giant refuses. As Hardujin reiterates Loki’s crimes, though, Gaban asks him to release his brother, saying that they may not have the whole story. Reluctantly, Hardrujin and Luffy tell the others to head out. They’re going to let Loki tell his side of the story. Loki, though, doesn’t want to remember that awful day.

Fourteen years ago, Loki and Jarul were summoned to Ouest Castle to meet with King Harald. Loki was in the middle of complaining about how his Dad’s policies had led to their children becoming soft when they felt an ominous Haki from the throne room. Elsewhere, Gaban is spending time with a visiting Shanks, saying how he wants to speak with Harald about something. Unbeknownst to them, at this moment, Loki and Jarul enter the throne room to find Harald being skewered by his guards. A horrifying massacre that we dont see unfolds before the clock gets turned back another ninety-four years, when the Giant Pirates ran wild on the seas. At this time, Harald, King at only forty-five (fifteen in human years), also ran wild, acting like a scumbag!

Review

This might be the most significant chapter of the Elbaph arc yet, and for good reason. In the span of a single chapter, Oda confirmed that several of the theories fans had come up with were right. The God’s Knights’ ultimate weakness is Conqueror’s Haki, as many suspected it was. And with three Knights, that’s one for Luffy, Zoro, and Loki. The jury is still out on Sanji, though. More importantly, this chapter not only confirmed that Loki didn’t kill his father, but that Harald was working for the World Government in some capacity. Could that be why his guards apparently killed him? Did they see it as an act of betrayal? Furthermore, the final page of the chapter revealed that Harald acted much like Loki when he was his son’s age. So how could Harald turn from a scumbag into a benevolent king, and why was he killed?

I actually have a theory that I’ve come up with based on everything we’ve learned throughout the arc. And it has to do with the power of the giants and their legendary Devil Fruit.

Did Imu steal the Gum-Gum Fruit from Harald?

We know that Shanks stole the Gum-Gum Fruit from a CP9 ship years ago, but we dont know how CP9 got their hands on it. There’s a fan theory saying that the Gum-Gum Fruit was the legendary treasure of Elbaph that Loki was accused of stealing. If that is true, then that would explain why Harald was made to do the World Government’s bidding. Not only did they want the power of the giants, they also wanted the Gum-Gum Fruit. Rather than let his people be used as weapons and to keep their treasure out of Imu’s hands altogether, Harald sought to ensure the giants would be a non-factor in the final war. It was his way of ensuring they couldn’t be used to hurt anyone else.

Furthermore, Shanks mentioned speaking to Harald at Mariejois about something. Something that they could only safely talk about in Elbaph. Is it possible Shanks planned to ask Harald for the fruit?

If all of this is true, then that would explain why Harald was killed. Imu must have used Domi Reversi on him or his guards to ensure they died. And when Loki stumbled upon the scene, he might have done the same to him to force him to steal the fruit for Imu. Loki gets framed for everything, Imu gets the fruit of their hated enemy, and Elbaph will be theirs one day.  

It’s Crazy, but it could Happen!

It sounds unbelievable, but this is One Piece. We’ve seen crazier things happen before. The fact of the matter is that there is more to the story about Harald than we thought. I’m not sure if my theory will remain accurate, but I’m looking forward to discovering the truth. The flashbacks in One Piece are some of the best parts of the story, helping to flesh out the story on a greater level.

Also, leave it to Zoro not to realize he had Conqueror’s Haki!

I Give “An Awful Day” a 4/5

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One Piece Chapter 1145 Review/Recap

Can we stop and take a moment to mention how awesome Jinbei the Sea Knight is? He fought alongside the late Fisher Tiger, became a Warlord, was a friend of Ace, and helped save Luffy’s life multiple times. All of the Straw Hats have their own value, but Jinbei is something else. And in the latest chapter of One Piece, he’s the reason why the kids of the Walrus school won’t burn alive.

Also, this is a reminder that the anime has returned after being on hiatus for the last six months. Considering how that has never happened before, it was a big deal.

Recap

Because Luffy decided to help save Loki’s life, Zoro, Sanji, and Goldberg start hunting for meat. With the help of a Homie Goldberg has called Nash, the group brings down a dinosaur for Loki to eat. Sadly (for Loki), the Prince is forced to endure Luffy’s disastrous attempts to help him get better, much to the delight of the Giants.

Once Loki calms down, he claims he wasn’t lying about knowing where Shanks is, but he won’t talk until Luffy fully sets him free. He does, however, sympathize with Luffy’s desire to meet his hero, as he, too, had a pirate he looked up to but couldn’t join.

Back up above, the Giant Pirates get busy fighting the nightmares, with Gaban noting how if Elbaph isn’t safe, the world is in trouble. The firefighters are desperately trying to put out the fires, but their efforts aren’t working fast enough. As the kids get closer and closer to the flames, Gunko watches and notes how the flames would wake the kids up in time to burn alive. At the last possible second though, Jinbei uses his Fishman Karate to unleash a tsunami on the flames, extinguishing them just in time!

As the adults all celebrate, Jinbei jumps aboard Colon’s ship and joins the group, with the boy praising how cool he was. However, their joy proves short lived. Gunko saw them, noticed how Colon was the one kid who wasn’t at the school, and appears right on top of the figurehead.

Review

Jinbei, you magnificent Fishman, you! For the umpteenth time since meeting Luffy, Jinbei has come in clutch for Luffy and the other Straw Hats. Thanks to him, the Giant kids are safe from being burned to death. However, that won’t matter if they reach the harbor. Once they’re taken to Mariejois, their parents may never see them again. And I’ll be damned before I see any more kids suffer at the hands of the Celestial Dragons! For the sake of everyone, the Giants and Straw Hats need to beat the God’s Knights now.

The question is, can they?

Right now, Colon’s group is at a severe disadvantage. Nami and Usopp aren’t the strongest of the Straw Hats, and while I’d rank Jinbei as the fourth strongest in the crew, even that might not be enough to beat someone like Gunko. However, they might have a secret weapon in the form of Brook. In the last chapter, it was revealed that Gunko is a fan of Soul King Brook. Having to fight her idol might trip her up enough to give them the advantage. As for the other Knights, I think Gaban could take them if he pushed himself. However, keep in mind that he’s no longer in his prime. He might be able to fight them to a standstill, but that’s about it.

Loki Was Influenced by Xebec?!?

Now, for the big reveal of this chapter: the connection that Loki has to the Rocks Pirates. Loki’s flashback reveals that he looked up to another pirate crew and wanted to go out to sea with them. While the chapter doesn’t name which crew it is, the fact that their captain dropped the name “Newgate” makes it obvious it was Rocks D. Xebec who was talking. This explains so much about Loki and why he, on some levels, feels like a darker version of Luffy. Besides both being impossibly strong, they’re also mischievous, tricky, and could potentially destroy the world if pushed that far. The difference is that Luffy had a positive role model in Shanks, while Xebec wasn’t. Maybe it was fate that the two would end up meeting.

Regardless of that, it appears that the real fight is about to begin, and all the Straw Hats need to join in. I’m hoping that Jinbei and the others can hold off Gunko, but right now, Luffy needs to join the fight before it’s too late.

Also, by the time you’re reading this review, the One Piece anime will be back in full, and I am so looking forward to seeing it! The flashback for Kuma’s life is going to leave people in tears, and I cannot wait to see Saturn get his karma in 4K.

I Give “The Blaze in Branch 8’s Forest No. 2” a 4/5

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One Piece Chapter 1141 Review/Recap

Anyone who’s read Norse Mythology, seen the Marvel Movies, or played the last two God of War games knows how dangerous someone named Loki can be. Loki is a name synonymous with deception, trickery, and fooling people. The fact that Oda named the disgraced Prince of Elbaph Loki speaks volumes about how dangerous he could be. Yet Luffy was seriously considering setting him free! And in this chapter, the Giants worst nightmare seems to come true: Loki is let out of (most) his chains! But is he really as bad as people say he is?

Recap

The chapter opens with Nami and Road leaving the ruins of Castle Strauss, the former disappointed at the lack of treasure while the latter is freaking out over what Luffy might do. The two go their separate ways, with Nami returning to the party and enjoying how happy Usopp is. As for Road, he takes the injured guards to Gerd for her to treat. He tries his best to keep quiet about what happened, but Gerd quickly realizes something’s up. Thus, she pounds him until he caves and tells the truth.

Back in the Underworld, Luffy and Zoro arrive at Loki’s tree and see how badly injured he is. Luffy’s first instinct is to try and set him free, but Zoro suspects it might be a trick. After confirming that his injuries are real (by kicking them), the two compromise: Zoro will free Loki, but keep seastone cuffs around one of his legs as a precaution. Luffy will go and find someone to treat the Giant’s injuries.

Before Luffy can get far, though, he’s interrupted when the New Giant Pirates come falling out of the sky. They rushed there when they heard what Luffy might do, and their boat’s clouds stopped working in the Underworld. Thankfully, Luffy manages to save them by using his powers to cushion the fall.

They wind up bouncing a little, but at least they’re alive.

After they recover, Hadrujin begs Luffy not to let Loki out, saying he’s an iredeemable trickster who can’t be trusted. That ever since they were kids, Loki would pretend to be nice, only to betray others without a second thought. However, those pleas come too little, too late. Zoro has already unlocked most of the chains. Even worse, Loki, who had faked being out cold, immediately rises to his full height, grinning madly as he reaches for his nearby weapon.

Review

Oda must know a lot about Norse mythology, because this chapter proves it. Loki managed to fool everyone, including most of the readers, into thinking Shamrock’s attack knocked him out cold. Thanks to that, he was able to convince Luffy and Zoro to set him free, if only to treat his injuries. That’s the level of deception and trickery that the mythological Loki would pull. I am not even mad about the two’s potential screw-up. Color me impressed!

As much as the other Giants fear Loki being set free, though, things might not be as bad as they look. Firstly, Luffy isn’t alone. He has Zoro with him, and since Sanji hitched a ride with Gerd, the whole Monster Trio is there. Each of them usually handles the strongest enemies in an arc alone. Fighting together, they might stand a chance against Loki. Secondly, the Giant might have tanked the hit from Shamrock, but he himself admitted it would leave a mark. Lastly, as long as that seastone cuff’s on his leg, he can’t use his Devil Fruit, so he won’t be at full strength.

Given how the arc is progressing, though, the Straw Hats may not have to fight Loki at all. They may end up fighting alongside him instead.

I Do think the Theory about Loki is Right

Throughout the One Piece fandom, there have been theories going around that Loki isn’t as bad as he’s made out to be. They all have to do with Loki’s apparent killing of his own father. The other Giants believe he did it to obtain a powerful Devil Fruit. However, some fans think there was another reason behind it, and it relates to King Harald’s efforts to get the Giants to abandon their warrior culture. Peace is usually a good thing, but with the world on the brink of armageddon, the timing couldn’t be worse. Thus, some people have theorized that Harald was secretly a puppet of the World Government ordered to weaken Elbaph from within. And as the arc goes on, this theory is becoming more and more plausible. The God’s Knights themselves mentioned possibly visiting Harald’s grave!

If this theory is right, then Loki likely killed his father for betraying Elbaph, but since no one believed him, he got locked up. Going off of that, now that he’s out, he’ll want to go after the God’s Knights before they conquer the nation. One can only help that this is what happens, as the Straw Hats will need all the help they can get in the fight to come.

This was a great chapter, mostly due to it managing to pull the wool over most of our heads with Loki. Hopefully, Luffy and the others will not fight him, as they have bigger problems to deal with. If it comes down to it, though, beating Loki will prove Luffy is now on Shanks’ level!

I Give “Older Women” a 4/5

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