RJ Writing Ink

One Piece Chapter 1043 Review/Recap

Screw CP0. Just when the fight between Luffy and Kaido was reaching the climax, CP0 butts in and distracts Luffy long enough for Kaido to land a decisive blow. No one is happy about this outcome. Even Kaido got flashbacks to how he unfairly won against Oden two decades ago. As a result, it looks like the only chance of defeating Kaido has gone out the window! Or has it? This arc has made repeated references to the person known as Joy Boy. That somehow, the world was waiting for him to come. And now, we might be on the verge of seeing his second coming.

Recap

Having been dealt a knock-out blow by Kaido thanks to the CP0 Agent, Kaido is beyond pissed off, and he makes it known by pummeling the meddler into the ground (thank you!) Inside the dome, chaos rages as the fire continues to spread out of control. Things only get worse when Kaido barges in and declares Luffy to be dead. Again.

Everyone’s reactions to this news are mixed. Many in the Alliance begin to lose heart while the remaining Beast Pirates get a second wind. Nami openly calls Kaido a liar, while Law and Kid decide to fight to the end rather than surrender to Kaido. Outside Onigashima, Momonosuke seriously considers surrendering. However, Yamato chastises him for wanting to throw away everything his allies have fought for. As far as Yamato’s concerned, it would be better to die fighting than to suffer a slow death as Kaido’s slaves. Just then, though, Zunesha speaks to Momo, saying he can hear it. The drums of liberation begin to beat for the first time in 800 years. As Zunesha proclaims the return of Joy Boy, we see a grin appear on Luffy’s face as some sort of transformation begins to occur.

Review

Okay, I was not expecting for Luffy to lose yet again to Kaido. Once again, though, Kaido fails to make sure that Luffy is dead, giving him the chance to make the comeback we all know will happen. It’s Luffy, people! Unless you can show me his severed head, then I won’t believe that he’s dead for a second.

Secondly, there’s the whole thing about Joy Boy. We first heard him mentioned back in the Fishman Island Arc, but he’s been brought up several times in the Wano Arc. We know that he lived during the Void Century, and that he left something at Laugh Tale that has to do with the One Piece. Furthermore, it seems like the world’s expecting him to return one day. The fact that Zunesha calls Luffy’s heartbeats the call for the return of Joy Boy means that Luffy is connected to the figure somehow. Yet we still know next to nothing about Joy Boy and what it means. One thing’s for certain, though: Oda’s got something planned. Eichiro Oda always does things for a reason, and it looks like Luffy is about to ascend to some new level of power.

Man, I love One Piece so much. Too bad we have to wait two weeks for the next chapter.

I Give “Let’s Die Together” a 4/5

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