Man, it's just absolutely insane to read 1100+ chapters of this manga, then go back to the third year of its lifetime and re-read. Everything looks so different from what I'm used to! But also not really because I'm used to the OG art-style in a different way, immensely Nostalgic. But there's so much space in the panels! Spreads without reaction faces all around the border! Clean lines! More blood, even!
I forgot that VIZ makes me suffer through this "Zolo" shit. I'm not surprised, but still annoyed, that they change Bon Clay's "Okama Way" to "Oh Come My Way." Is it just to eliminate a cultural reference to keep the manga from any real-world language? Or is it so the kids reading this won't Google "Okama"? I'm actually impressed they kept the manji in the old Whitebeard symbol on Ace's back, but VIZ has actually always been good about maintaining those and explaining the difference.
****
Volume 16: The avalanche knocks Luffy, Sanji, and Nami far down the mountain. The gang are attacked by snowboarding Lapins. Luffy randomly saves a buried Lapin, leading the Lapins to come to his aid when Wapol, Chess, and Kuromarimo attack a bit later. Luffy scales Chimney Mountain, passes out from the effort, and is recovered by Chopper. Kureha and Chopper work on healing Nami, Sanji, and Luffy while Vivi, Usopp, and Zoro are down in town doing nothing important. Wapol and his men go up to Kureha to assault Luffy again, and Luffy throws a Gum Gum Bullet during which several chapters of Chopper's beautiful and heart-rending backstory take place. The volume ends back in the present, with the Bullet connecting in a two-page spread.
Volume 17: Brief bouts of Sanji vs. Marimo, Chopper vs. Chess, Wapol vs. Chopper, Luffy and Sanji vs. Wapol. Wapol turns into the Wapol House, then uses the Munch-Munch Factory to fuse Chess and Kuromarimo into Chessmarimo. Dalton wakes up, so Usopp, Zoro, and Vivi try to help him join Luffy against Wapol. Wapol starts attacking Hiriluk's flag, which Luffy defends because of his love for the freedom pirates represent. Luffy tells Chopper they're friends, so Chopper is motivated to use his Rumble Ball against Chessmarimo, showing off his seven forms, defeating them with (I think) Kung-fu Point. Dalton steels his resolve to overthrow the king, inspired by memory of Hiriluk's words. Luffy defeats Wapol with a superpowered Gum Gum Bazooka. Chopper officially joins the team, and Kureha uses Hiriluk's secret chemical to make pink snow (resembling cherry blossoms) to send Chopper off. Ace passes a message to Dalton's men to tell Luffy to meet him in Alabasta. Kureha notices Luffy's name on a Wanted poster, and mentions the "Will of D." We learn Crocodile is a Warlord of the Sea, unless we knew that already and I just forgot when it was first mentioned. The volume ends with the Straw Hats realizing the rest of the highest Baroque Works agents will be waiting to battle in Alabasta.
Volume 18: The Straw Hats encounter Bon Clay, who shows off his Clone-Clone Fruit. Vivi doesn't realize he's Mr. 2 until he leaves, so the gang tie bandanas around their left arm to prove their identities in the future (and also to set up a nice moment at the end of the arc...). Smoker, Tashigi, and Ace all end up at Alabasta in close proximity. Luffy meets Ace after a bit of a fight/chase with Smoker. Ace gives Luffy his Vivre Card (though we don't know what it is yet). All the big Baroque Works agents meet together in Alabasta. The gang get to Yuba, where they meet Toh-Toh, kicking off a bit of a flashback that sets the rebel leader, Koza, up as Vivi's childhood friend. Crocodile is aware of the connection, and tasks the Baroque Works agents with preventing Vivi from meeting Koza. Meanwhile, Luffy decides the best plan for him is to go straight after Crocodile, ignoring the rebels.