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One Piece Chapter 1174 Review/Recap

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m pretty keyed into the latest news about One Piece. Specifically, I’m keyed into the early spoilers and leaks for the next chapters. I know it takes out some of the enjoyment knowing what might happened, but it also means that when something good happens, it can brighten my mood for days. And after I read the spoilers for the next piece of One Piece on Reddit earlier this week after getting off work, let’s just say I had a massive grin on my face on my way home. If Imu, Sommers and the God’s Knights weren’t already screwed before, then they’re about to get a generational ass-kicking at the hands of N&N, AKA Luffy and Loki, AKA Nika and Nidhogg! The Drums of Liberation begin to play at last!

Recap

Thanks to Sommers epic fail in the last chapter, the Knights getaway wasn’t just destroyed. It had also destroyed the sea clouds underneath, leading to the abyss of the Underworld below. Moreover, since Gunko isn’t in control of her own body, she can’t undo the arrows, meaning the kids are headed off a cliff like lemmings. And their families can’t get rid of the thorns or save them in time. And Sommers is into it! He’s ready to watch the kids die like it’s entertainment for him since he thinks he won’t be held responsible!

All of the kids are now terrified for their lives and begging for someone to save them, with two whole pages showing them crying in fear and apologizing for everything bad they did! And then their parents, siblings (Road) and Miss Ange grab hold of them and refuse to let go even as they fall into the abyss!!!!

But they don’t die. They come to fall atop something soft and rubbery atop something…massive that was coming their way. And it’s pretty obvious who it is.

The next thing anyone in Elbaph knows, a storm of thunder and snow erupts across the island. The ground begins to sway and bounce, and a familiar beat begins to play as Jarul quotes something: “On a curious day, when thunder and snow both flurry, a giant beast shall appear to blot out the skies, the drums of liberation will boom out, and the Sun God will rise!”

Then, in the final page, we see them. Luffy in Gear Five, and Loki in his Nidhogg dragon form, fly through the sky and start wasting all of the nightmares!

Review

HOLY CRAP, YOU GUYS! You guys understand now why those spoilers had me laughing and grinning? Not only do Luffy and Loki save the kids and families by luck (or fate), but we finally got to see what Loki’s zoan form looks like. And just like how many of us were thinking, it turns him into a dragon. Not just any dragon, though; he becomes Nidhogg, AKA the dragon destined to destroy the world tree in Norse mythology and bring about Ragnarok. And he is massive! For comparison’s sake, look at the Giants and then at the Nightmares that Qillingham created. Most of the Nightmares are bigger than the adult Giants, and yet Loki in his Nidhogg form makes them look like pipsqueaks. He’s big enough to swallow them whole! Luffy is using the Giant form he gets in Gear Five that let him dwarf Kaido, and he’s still small enough to ride on Loki’s head!

It gets crazier. According to some people on Reddit, Loki in his Nidhogg form is bigger than the island of Marineford. That includes the island and the buildings on it. By default, that makes Nidhogg one of the biggest things in the entire series. And now Nidhogg and Nika have teamed up to save Elbaph from the devil that is Imu.

Thank Heavens I Read the Spoilers

I already knew how this chapter was going to end, but getting to see it take place is still mind-blowing. It’s a good thing I did know, though, because otherwise, I don’t think I could’ve handled seeing those kids almost die. They were genuinely going to die, and like most kids, they were terrified for their lives and begging for someone to save them! And the part where their loved ones were willing to die with is heartbreaking. My guess is that they were all going to use their bodies as shields to save the kids from death at the cost of their own lives, which is just as heartbreaking to think about. And Sommers was laughing at the whole thing like he’s the dang Joker! I’m not gonna lie, I think I wouldn’t mind it if Sommers dies before this arc is over. If Nika and Nidhogg or the other Giants don’t kill him, though, odds are that Imu will, since it’s his fault that their plan gets screwed up.

We have a break next week for the manga, but considering how Oda just gave us one of the best things ever, I think he’s earned a break. Nika and Nidhogg are about to royally screw over Imu!  

I Give “The Strongest Thing in the World” a 4.5/5

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One Piece Chapter 1150 Review/Recap

If anyone still had doubts about what Imu is supposed to be in One Piece, that’s been put to rest. Imu is, in no uncertain terms, the series version of the Devil. Not only have they fooled the world into thinking they don’t exist, but they’ve made most of those who do know of their existence see them as a God. And as we see in this new chapter of the manga, the Devil can bring out the worst in anyone, even those who are good!

Recap

Having used some sort of power to possess the body of Gunko, Imu proceeds to make their prescence known in Elbaph. Unleashing a massive burst of Haki to knock the Giant kids and adults out, Imu transforms Gunko into a clsssical depiction of the Devil before berating their followers for failing to handle things in Elbaph. Taking command of the situation by having Sommers take charge of the kids, the Devil turns their attention to establishing proper authority in the land of Giants.

Singling out Dorry and Brogy to be the new rulers of Elbaph, Imu proceeds to blow off Brogy’s arm before summoning a demonic book and casting a dark circle. Uttering the words “Domi Reversi,” the other Giants watch in horror as Brogy is sucked underneath. When he emerges, he’s several times bigger, more violent, and sporting a demonic look. It gets worse, though, as Dorry and several Giants have met a similar fate. Impressed with their new minions, Imu commands them to kill Jarul and proclaim themselves to be the new kings of Elbaph. And in a final double-page spread, we see the truly horrifying forces the Devil has summoned to conquer Elbaph, forcing everyone to run in terror!

Review

There are no ifs, ands, or buts about, people: Imu is the Devil. They can possess others, transform them into demonic servants in exchange for their lifespans, and desire absolute control over all they see. Those are all the hallmarks of the Devil and they are named Imu. And they might be the most terrifying thing that Luffy and the others may ever face.

There is a heated debate throughout the fandom about the nature of Imu and whether or not they’re even human or an actual human. If the Revolutionaries’ theory holds up, then Imu is one of the original founders of the World Government, made immortal through the power of the Op-Op Fruit. This chapter seems to support that, as Imu says they must use someone’s life force to fuel their powers. Being immortal would eliminate this drawback on themselves. We still don’t know whether Imu’s powers are from a Devil Fruit or something completely alien, but if it’s the former, it’s likely one of the strongest Fruits in existence. Strong enough to turn someone into an actual Devil and defy all logic and reason to do whatever they wanted.

Imu is the Antithesis to Joy Boy

Which only makes Luffy’s role as the next Joy Boy all the more important.

The previous arc all but confirmed that Luffy has become the newest incarnation of the Sun God, Nika. Nika is the ultimate embodiment of joy, laughter, and freedom. Therefore, Imu serves as their antithesis. They can perform feats on a similar scale, but they’re about power, subjugation, and control. This last part is especially telling since Imu’s main priority this chapter is to establish order and control over Elbaph rather than destroy it outright. They are everything that Luffy naturally opposes, and thus will inevitably clash.

This is brilliant on Oda’s part. If Luffy is meant to be the second coming of Pirate Jesus, then it would make sense to have him battle the Devil themselves. And if it wasn’t Blackbeard, it would be Imu. And right now, Luffy is the only one who can save Elbaph! Hopefully, the next few chapters will see him finally recover enough to join the battle, because right now, the situation feels hopeless.

I Give “Domi Reversi” a 4.5/5

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One Piece Chapter 1149 Review/Recap

We haven’t been in Elbaph for that long, and already, the events transpiring are approaching what happened at Egghead at that arc’s peak. The God’s Knights are holding half the Straw Hats and the Giant Children hostage. The library and school are about to be burned. And just when it looks like Scopper Gaban came in clutch, one second was all it took to make things worse. And now, the ruler of the world might be about to join the fray.

Recap

As the Straw Hats watch in amazement, Scopper Gaban arrives on the scene and proceeds to tear into Sommers. Despite the knight trying to fight back, the former member of the Roger Pirates cuts him into pieces, none of which he is able to regenerate from. Before the Straw Hats can process this, Gaban rushes off to save Colon, with Chopper following behind.

Elsewhere, Ange stands before the Walrus School and Owl Library alongside Qillingham and is forced to set fire to the buildings. She can do nothing but cry as she watches the institutions of knowledge begin to burn, all while Qillingham laughs. Meanwhile, Ronja is horrified that the adults are being forced to do this, while Gaban is outraged by the sight as he comes to rescue the kids. Unfortunately, Colon lets it slip that Gaban is is father, leading to Gunko holding him at knifepoint. Despite only needing one second to deal with Gunko, Gaban’s Haki shows him the horrible truth: one second isn’t enough. Thus, Gaban surrenders and allows Gunko to wound him and throw him off the branch.

After that, though, something changes.

Suddenly, Gunko starts getting memories she doesn’t recognize of her with a man who looks an awful lot like Brook. Suddenly acting different, Gunko calls out Brook’s name…and then, something happens to her. Qillingham and Sommers hear the voice of their master in their heads, berating them for taking so long. The chapter then ends with Gunko seemingly possessed by Imu, who declares that they will show everyone the dominion of God.

Review

It’s like I’ve said for years: whenever Oda goes on break, you can bet the chapter he comes back with will be downright insane. And insane, this chapter was!

As happy as it was to see Gaban tear Sommers to pieces, what happens to him in this chapter is horrifying. If he had gotten more than one second to strike, he could’ve taken down Gunko, saved the kids, and stopped the destruction of the school and library. That one second, though, wasn’t enough, and now the strongest fighter in Elbaph is out of commission. While there’s no doubt that Gaban will survive and the Straw Hats can save the school and library, they’re fighting an uphill battle. Especially now that Imu has decided to intervene.

At this point, we still don’t know who, or even what, Imu is. They have powers that go beyond that of any Devil Fruit, including the ability to grant immortality to people like the Five Elders and God’s Knights. Now, they can seemingly possess people and use them as puppets? I’m not

sure if Imu is even human or some demonic entity anymore. What I am sure of, though, is that him intervening could kill the Straw Hats.

There is still hope, though, and it goes beyond Luffy and Loki’s inevitable appearance.

Gunko and Brook Know Each Other?

There have been several fan theories that Gunko has some sort of past connection to Brook, and that they knew each other before he became a pirate. After seeing the bits of her memories in this chapter, it seems the fans were right. Gunko was not born a Celestial Dragon but was someone from the surface world. And much like how they tried to recruit Loki, the God’s Knights must have forcibly taken Gunko from her homeland to become one of them, granting her their powers and immortality while wiping her memories. As bad as things are now with Gunko possessed by Imu, her sudden flashback might mean that she could soon turn on her “comrades” if the Straw Hats play their cards right.

This was a really good chapter that has only served to heighten the tension for this arc. One second may not have been enough for Gaban, but hopefully, all is not lost yet!

I Give “One Second” a 4/5

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