RJ Writing Ink

One Piece Chapter 943 Review/Recap

Just when you think that you have found the absolute worst in hate sinks in fiction, the bar is lowered yet again. In this chapter, we learn the curse of the SMILE fruit, and how it hasn’t just robbed the people of Ebisu Town of their happiness, but of their ability to show any other emotion. It’s enough to make me sick to my stomach.

Recap

A flashback reveals that Tonoyasu, rather Lord Yasuie, wasn’t just the guy who tried whipping Oden Kozuki into shape, he helped the Nine Red Scabbards become the warriors we have seen. Back when they were just Oden’s followers and tried stealing money from him, he not only gave it to him, but even paid extra so they could learn to become people Oden could rely on as Shogun.

In the present, Hiyori explains what she meant about the SMILE fruit robbing the people of the ability to do anything but smile. As artificial Devil Fruits, there was no guarantee they would work. In fact, they only have a 10% chance of even giving people powers. Anyone else gets not only the “no swimming” effect, but loses the ability to express negative emotions. Shinobu confirms the same thing.

Orochi cruelly ordered the defective SMILEs to the leftover town. It saved them from starving, but it cursed them as well.

In the present, Orochi shows his wickedness once more, laughing at Yasuie’s death and comparing Wano to heaven itself. Just then, Toko runs up to her father, tearfully, begging him to get up but unable to do anything but smile. Orochi becomes enraged at the sight of her and decides to kill her right then and there. Before that happens, though, Sanji and Zoro show up, and they do not look happy

Review

Hmm, this is a new feeling. A calm, tranquil fury and its all being directed at our new hate sink, Orochi. As for the SMILE fruits, it churns my stomach to know that something so vile was allowed to exist. Robbing people of the ability to show any emotion except a fake grin, an unwanted mask that they can’t get off.

The Joker from DC Comics would probably think this is the funniest thing in the world right now.

Orochi and Kaido are poisons, rotting Wano from the inside out. If they can’t remove them from power, Wano will be destroyed.

That said, I like how the explanation that they give for the SMILE fruits, even if it is messed up. Thank heavens the Straw Hats were able to stop the production of those abominations.

Now the main problem, though, is that Toko is in Orochi’s sights, and he’s not going to let her get away. Sanji and Zoro can hold him off, but that will just attract more attention. Orochi’s thugs may let their guards down now, but Orochi will stay as paranoid as ever.

One way or another, though, I am looking to seeing Sanji and Zoro fight Orochi next week. It’ll give us a good look at what the monster is capable of.

I Give “SMILE” a 4/5

One Piece Chapter 942 Review/Recap

If you’re wondering why I didn’t put up the latest chapter of One Piece last week, it was because I have been too busy to work on all my blogs at once. But I finally have some free time, so here is the latest chapter.

Also, there is no new chapter this week, so I think I have some leeway.

Recap

The chapter starts off with a flashback to more than twenty or so years ago, to Kozuki Oden’s youth. With the passing of his father, Oden would be the new Shogun, though his father had disowned him for his ruffian lifestyle. So he thinks that the Shogunate will pass down to Yasuie so he can fulfill his dream of leaving Wano and traveling the world.

Yasue wouldn’t hear of it, and says that his father only threw him out so he could learn how to be responsible and become the leader everyone sees him to be.

In the present, Yasuie, or Tonoyasu as we know him, tells everyone that he lied about being the Midnight Boy. He said that so that everyone would watch his execution. He then tells the people of Wano of their proud, beautiful country, and how Orochi’s merely a parasite who’s sapped it of its wealth.

To Orochi’s fury, Tonoyasu then says that he made up everything about the Kozuki Clan and the tattoos as a prank to get people’s attention.

Now, Orochi’s men suddenly think that they arrested innocent people and that Orochi’s just paranoid.

As Orochi arrives to personally kill him, Tonoyasu curses Orochi with the most badass, poetic insult I’ve ever read.

He then proceeds to laugh as he thinks about looking forward to seeing the Kozuki Clans’ vengeance from the afterlife as the guards execute him.

As the people of Ebisu Town watch, Toko can only stand there in anguish as she watches her father die. Yet all she and the people of Ebisu do is laugh, to Zoro’s confusion. Hiyori then tearfully reveals that this is all the doing of Kaido and Orochi: the SMILE fruits have robbed them of the ability to show any emotion besides laughter

Review

I will be upfront and honest: when I read this last week, I almost cried. I had a feeling that there was more to Tonoyasu than he let on, and I was right. He may have looked like a fool, but that masked how cunning he was.

By sacrificing himself, Tonoyasu managed to do three very important things. First, by saying he made up everything about the tattoos and the Kozuki Clan, now Orochi and Kaido’s men will let their guards down, thinking there is no threat. Second, that means that most, if not all, of the allies that they arrested will end up being set free, bolstering the Alliance’s forces. Third and most importantly, he made himself a matyr.

Tonoyasu was beloved by everyone in Wano, and I don’t think the people will take his death lying down. If I were them, I’d go home, grab weapon, and riot. Even if Kaido and Orochi surpress the riots to come, they’ll be distracted. All this adds up: the Alliance just had the odds tipped back in its favor.

In fact, if it wasn’t for the SMILE fruits, I would say the Alliance has a good chance of winning. If what Hiyori said is true, then those accursed fruits are even more sinister than I thought.

The second act of the Wano Arc is heating up: riots may start, the Alliance has a chance to regroup, and we all know that Luffy’s going to bust out of Udon Prison with an army of prisoners that have an axe to grind with Orochi. This might be the biggest battle One Piece has seen since the Marineford Arc, and I love it!

I Give “Daimyo of Hakumai, Shimotsuki Yasuie” a 5/5. Rest in Peace, Tonoyasu.

One Piece Chapter 941 Review/Recap

Do you know why Luffy and the Alliance will eventually win and liberate Wano Country? Because a tyrant like Orochi fails to understand a simple fact: if you treat your people so deplorably for too long, then they will choose to rebel. It’s a matter of finding the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

In this week’s chapter of One Piece, the straw may meet the camel.

Recap

In the Flower Capital, Orochi is still in mourning over Komurasaki’s “death”, even if she insulted his non-existent honor (personally, I respect strong-willed women).

However, the big news on the street is that they caught the famous Midnight Boy who has been stealing food and money from the wealthy in the Flower Capital. When Orochi hears who it is, he’s shocked, but then decides to kill two birds with one stone. While Komurasaki’s funeral is underway, he decides to have Midnight Boy publicly executed.

Back in Udon Prison, Queen starts crying his eyes out when he learns of Komurasaki’s “death”. The guards don’t tell him that his supply of Oshiruko vanished. In other news, Luffy and Hyogoro are stuffed.

In Kuri, a forest fire has broken out that ends up driving Shutenmaru (AKA Ashura, one of the Nine Red Sheaths) to Bakura Town to fight that Holdem guy. He thinks Holdem is responsible, but really, it was the Alliance in order to force him to fight for them.

Near the graveyard, Brook meets up with Zoro while he’s healing, and then walks into this:

After the shock has worn off, Brook not only reveals Midnight Boy’s capture, but his true identity: it’s Tonoyasu. Worse still, Tonoyasu happens to be Toko’s father.This sends Toko running back to the Flower Capital, forgetting the fact that she’s wanted for laughing at Orochi.

The news of Tonoyasu’s capture finally prompts Shinobu and the others to remember who he is: he’s actually a former Feudal Lord known as Lord Yasuie the Hedgehog who had served the Kozuki Clan.

Despite his impending death, dozens of people crowd outside the Prison House’s walls asking for Tonoyasu to be released. Yasu, on the other hand, says that he plans to apologize for two things, insult Orochi, then die with a smile on his face.

Review

I knew that there was something important about Tonoyasu as soon as I saw him recognize Shinobu and the other retainers of the Kozuki Clan. I could never figure out what it was, though. As for him being Toko’s father, that explains a lot about Toko always smiling. If her father dies, though, I don’t know how much longer she’ll be smiling.

According to Shinobu, Tonoyasu in the past was very strict, yet most of the people love him. Either he changed, or there’s more to this story than we know right now. It is telling, though, that Orochi fears Tonoyasu enough to oversee his execution personally.

If Tonoyasu is actually killed, that may end up being the spark that sets the people of Wano into revolt against Orochi. The Alliance’s plans are falling apart by the seams, but I expected that from the start. The Straw Hats and plans don’t go well.

Speaking of the Straw Hats, Luffy just ate all the Oshiruko, didn’t he? That means that when Big Mom shows up soon, she could have one of her food crazes. While that would help them escape, that makes her just as dangerous to Luffy as it would to Queen.

No matter what, though, the Wano Arc is building to an explosive climax that I look forward to seeing.

I Give “The Talk of Ebisu Town” a 4/5