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One Piece 3-in-1 Omnibus #8
One Piece, vol. 8
Sigue la cuenta atrás para el bombardeo de la plaza real de Alubarna. ¡¡Pero al fin Luffy logra llegar hasta donde está Crocodile!! ¡¡La lucha definitiva para detener la revuelta en Arabasta está a punto de producirse!!
640 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2014
21 people are currently reading
440 people want to read
About the author
Eiichiro Oda
1,993 books4,800 followersEiichiro Oda (尾田栄一郎, Oda Eiichirō) is a Japanese manga artist, best known as the creator of the manga and anime One Piece.
As a child, Oda was inspired by Akira Toriyama's works and aspired to become a manga artist. He recalls that his interest in pirates was probably sparked by the popular TV animation series titled Vicky the Viking. He submitted a character named Pandaman for Yudetamago's classic wrestling manga Kinnikuman. Pandaman was not only used in a chapter of the manga but would later return as a recurring cameo character in Oda's own works.
Please also see:
尾田荣一郎 (Chinese, simplified)
尾田榮一郎 (Chinese, traditional)
As a child, Oda was inspired by Akira Toriyama's works and aspired to become a manga artist. He recalls that his interest in pirates was probably sparked by the popular TV animation series titled Vicky the Viking. He submitted a character named Pandaman for Yudetamago's classic wrestling manga Kinnikuman. Pandaman was not only used in a chapter of the manga but would later return as a recurring cameo character in Oda's own works.
Please also see:
尾田荣一郎 (Chinese, simplified)
尾田榮一郎 (Chinese, traditional)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
May 18, 2022
Loved the ending of Alabasta, not really sure what’s going on now
November 2, 2018
مع نهاية هذا المجلد ينتهي آرك ألاباستا و بالتالي الساغا التي تحمل نفس الإسم، و تفتتح ساغا سكاي أيلند بآرك جايا مع انضمام نيكو روبن لطاقم قبعة القش…أعتقد أن آرك ألاباستا هو الأفضل إلى حد الآن.
2/11/2018
21:44
2/11/2018
21:44
July 27, 2020
The end of a era! No really, this is like the first major part of One Piece ending. Also Vivi is now gone and it makes me sad because she's like the hottest.
So Luffy goes against croc again and this time he's learned a little secret. So the brutal fight begins and man oh man by the end we get some epic moments. On top of that the political war ends in a great and satisfying way. I also think the start of the next arc, after get over the brief intermission of monkey man and the strawhats, starts getting good. This is where Luffy is most badass for me.
Overall, it's still great. One Piece has great writing, awesome art, and solid pacing. Now we're on to my favorite part of the series! A 4 out of 5 for this.
So Luffy goes against croc again and this time he's learned a little secret. So the brutal fight begins and man oh man by the end we get some epic moments. On top of that the political war ends in a great and satisfying way. I also think the start of the next arc, after get over the brief intermission of monkey man and the strawhats, starts getting good. This is where Luffy is most badass for me.
Overall, it's still great. One Piece has great writing, awesome art, and solid pacing. Now we're on to my favorite part of the series! A 4 out of 5 for this.
May 22, 2025
"From now on, no matter what happens, this mark on our left arm will be the mark of our friendship!"
This was the first time that One Piece made me tear up and this panel is why. At this stage One Piece has definitely grown on me and become something more than just a silly adventure. I mean, it is fun and silly but the heart and love and comradery that the characters have for one another has solidified into a hallmark of the series at this point. We know that the Straw Hat Crew is going to get themselves into some antics or another but you also know they are going to kick some serious butt for one another as well. Cheers to my first 5 star rating of a One Piece omnibus.
This was the first time that One Piece made me tear up and this panel is why. At this stage One Piece has definitely grown on me and become something more than just a silly adventure. I mean, it is fun and silly but the heart and love and comradery that the characters have for one another has solidified into a hallmark of the series at this point. We know that the Straw Hat Crew is going to get themselves into some antics or another but you also know they are going to kick some serious butt for one another as well. Cheers to my first 5 star rating of a One Piece omnibus.
October 12, 2025
la saga de Arabasta bastante buena la verdad, acaba el tomo introduciendo la siguiente saga y pinta bien, parece que va a salir por fin Shanks (sale en la portada) y el resto me esta encantando no se si empezar el siguiente o esperarme a que la saga de Skypier esté completamente publicada, aun asi Arabasta 10/10
May 8, 2020
Marathon buddy read with the siblings. The end of Croc and into Jaya. The fight was good. I liked Pell. I also liked Smoker and Tashigi. I liked how much maturity Luffy showed in town.
September 30, 2023
At the palace in Alabasta, Princess Vivi has finally met up with her childhood-friend-turned-rebel-leader Koza. But Crocodile has contingency plans layered on contingency plans. Is it too late for them (or the Straw Hats) to stop the slaughter?
The Straw Hats conclude their adventure in the Desert Kingdom of Alabasta, involuntarily gain a new shipmate, and find evidence of a legendary island in the sky. There are some great character moments here, and the art has undergone a major upgrade by this point in the saga in terms of details, shading, and sense of motion, making the whole that much more engaging.
Below, some thoughts on those elements, and the promised discussion about first indisputably-queer character, Bon Clay (plus a few probably-queer characters we’ve already met).
~(Note: A story this big and complex can’t really be “spoiled”, I don’t think – spoilery discussions were what sold me on trying it in the first place! So I just leave out the bits I think function well as a surprise. But if you’re VERY spoiler-sensitive, bear in mind that the discussion will give away some events!)~
Watching someone finally land a punch on Crocodile is so satisfying (as Nico Robin’s face illustrates, even though that’s supposedly her boss). And Oda gave us the art to match that feeling! Something about the meticulous hand-shading means that you can really sense the hits as they connect. But it’s gonna take more than one or two rounds to take out this warlord!
For all that they bicker, the cook and the swordsman really show off their cooperation in a tight spot. There’s a wonderful moment where someone is sneaking up on Vivi, and Zoro blocks his weapon while Sanji kicks him in the face like it’s one movement.
“Sanji: ten minutes* minus…How many seconds will this take?
Zoro: Don’t waste time talking.
Both (with scary faces): Two seconds!”
*Until a canon/bomb goes off
We also get the return of Sergeant Tashigi (the sword-nerd marine woman who looks like Zoro’s childhood friend Kuina), which is delightful to see. She and Captain Smoker are interesting antagonists-who-are-sometimes-temporary-allies. One Piece tends to have a rather “ACAB” attitude overall – unsurprisingly, for a story where the protagonists are outlaws! - but it does so in an accurate way. It isn’t that all cops/marines are bad as people, it’s that the institution they work for is fatally flawed, and so “good cops” still end up upholding a system that does harm – the World Government, in this case. That government is in large part responsible for the current situation, since it has put its efforts into going after people like Luffy or Nico Robin^, while totally ignoring the criminal shenanigans that people like Arlong or Crocodile have been up to.
^ It is worth noting that Luffy, despite calling himself a pirate, doesn’t actually do robbery-on-the-high-seas, and has saved a lot of civilians. Robin has had a bounty on her head since the age of 8 just for knowing how to read poneglyphs. But their attitude and skills are a threat to the government's control, so...
Crocodile has the philosophy that trusting anyone is foolish, that anyone not immediately useful is expendable, and that only the strong survive. It's fitting, then, that what really foils Crocodile’s plan is not one powerful guy – though Luffy being as unsquashable as a coked-up cockroach certainly helps – but rather a band of comrades who pool their talents to take down his whole organization. Of course…
Usopp: The rebellion is over. But until the king and the princess address the people, the celebration can’t begin.
Vivi: Right. And I’m going to tell everyone what you did!
Sanji: (Lights cigarette) Sorry, Vivi, you can’t do that. (Huge grin) We’re notorious pirates, remember? We can’t get mixed up in politics!
And, at the conclusion, the way the Straw Hats find to say “goodbye for now” and “you’ll always be our nakama” to Vivi without letting the navy hear that she is in fact their friend is so beautiful!
~~~
I also said I’d talk about Bon Clay when their first arc was done. So… (Skip to next ~~~ if you don’t care)
I feel like Bon Clay is sort of a spiritual predecessor to She-ra’s Double Trouble, with very similar pluses and minuses as a non-binary/genderfluid character. On the one hand, having them be this theatrical chaotic-neutral shapeshifter is…not exactly representative. On the other hand, both are just so FUN that I kind of don’t care!
And, while Double Trouble spends most of their time as an antagonist, we actually see Bon Clay get along super well with the Straw Hats before either realize that they’re on opposite sides of a conflict, then have a respect-building honorable fight with Sanji, and then go out of their way to help the Straw Hats, even apparently sacrificing themselves with the declaration: “You can stray from a man’s path. You can stray from a woman’s path. But you can’t stray from the path of mankind.” And while this might look like a “bury your gays” moment… Don’t worry, One Piece characters are pretty hard to kill, and Bon Clay will be back later - with a really wonderful line denying that whole concept!
As mentioned earlier, the English translations muddy the waters as to what Bon Clay’s deal is by:
A) Going with “Oh come my way” instead of “Okama way” (better translated as “queer life”) for the slogan on their jacket.
B) Calling them “he” even though, so far as I could tell in the anime, they actually don’t use either of the common masculine 1st person pronouns (“ore” – the tough-guy one most of the pirates prefer – or “boku”), instead (I think) using “watashi”, which is neutral^^.
C) Also using “Mr.” even though all Japanese honorifics are gender neutral and, in fact, Bon Clay actually prefers to be called “Bon-chan”, the “-chan” being cutesy and diminutive, and therefore not often used for men.
^^See this fascinating video on how the many different version of “I” available in Japanese tell you things about how the person using them wants to present themself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNR0e...
All that is why I refer to Bon Clay as “they” throughout these reviews. With regard to character design…yes, Bon Clay’s look (ballet shoes with hairy legs, Elizabethan puffy pants, and heavy makeup) is rather over-the-top and, again, not exactly representative. But there are a LOT of exaggerated character designs in One Piece that reflect a character’s gimmick - the first antagonist was a clown pirate, a later Straw Hat addition will be a cyborg with disproportionately large arms who runs around in a speedo all the time - so it doesn’t stand out a ton. Bon Clay’s thing is ballet, and exaggerated stage makeup goes with that territory! In fact, I recently saw a performance of the drag ballet group Les Ballet Trockadero, which has been around since the 1970s and which makes ‘Swan Lake’ a regular centerpiece…and I can’t help wondering if Oda knew about that!
BTW, I called Bon Clay the first “indisputably queer” character because of the above. But they’re probably not really first we meet. That’s actually probably Luffy, who is read by many to be asexual based both on events in the text and on Oda’s comments that Luffy, say, getting a nosebleed over an attractive person would be out of character, and that the times he seems to show a reaction to a girl he’s only imitating Usopp (the two often being partners-in-goofiness, with mimicry being a large component). See “Luffy, the asexual hero we deserve”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS211....
You can make an argument for several other Straw Hats being some flavor of queer as well. I’ll get to that more later, but there is one section here that is worth mentioning. The bath-peeping incident in the Alubarna palace is the sort of joke I’d rather didn’t exist in the story, because we don’t need to be normalizing that kind of thing. But it does have several interesting character moments, some of which relate to this issue:
- We see Vivi and Nami talking, and Nami looks at the princess with this kind of softly smoldering expression that wouldn’t be out of place on a romance novel cover (I said the art got more detailed, didn’t I?). That plus her earlier declaration that she was willing to give up a limb for the princess is clearly what launched THAT popular ship! But this is also not the last time Nami has interesting reactions to beautiful women…
- It is, of course, Sanji’s idea to ask if there’s a way to look into the women’s side of the bath, and he and Usopp - the two who have been previously established to be attracted to women - are the ones with the most visible lustful reaction.
- Luffy is there, but neither he nor Chopper (the youngest, who tends to follow his “big brothers” around wherever) are being very stealthy. Luffy is just hanging halfway over the wall, with a fairly blank “What are we supposed to be doing, again?” expression.
- Zoro is not there, which might be primarily due to being more serious and honorable. But Oda’s Q&As hint that he’s probably not interested in women either. For example, in a comparison chart between him and Sanji for the category “pretty girl exists” the latter goes into heart-eye mode, while Zoro just…walks away!
- Nami’s response is to full on flash them to startle the boys into falling off the wall, and then to yell that they owe her money. Which is very much in character for her! She knows men find her attractive and (unlike her more candid responses to women) consistently uses that as part of her scoundrel’s toolkit, rather than to, say, actually get a boyfriend…
- IDK why King Cobra’s enabling any of this. That’s the weirdest and creepiest part.
~~~
On their departure from Alabasta, the Straw Hat discover Nico Robin has stowed away on the Going Merry! She says that since Luffy saved her life when she’d decided to die, that means they’re responsible for her now, and she wants to join the crew. Their reactions?
Sanji: Another gorgeous lady on board? Yahoo! Can I make you a snack, miss?
Luffy: “Don’t worry! She’s not a bad person!” (Which he does actually have evidence for)
Chopper: (Laughing uproariously w/ Luffy as Robin does tricks with her extra arms)
Nami: Well, she doesn’t have me fooled!
Robin: “By the way, I brought a few of Crocodile’s gems with me”
Nami (starry-eyed): “OH, SISTER! I love you!”
Zoro (to Usopp): “I guess it’s up to you and me to be strong.”
Usopp: (Immediately gets won over as well by Robin assisting Luffy in doing impressions)
Before Zoro can respond much to THAT, a giant shipwreck falls out of the sky, and then Nami notices the log-pose is pointing up. Robin – who is an archaeologist when not being a secret agent/assassin – casually explains that there is a legend of an island in the sky…which the log-pose is indicating as their next destination!
But before they can find it, there’s some adventures with a ship salvaging crew, a giant turtle, some spooky shadows, and a town where fantastical pirate dreams (of the kind this series runs on) are mocked unmercifully. It’s interesting to see Luffy put a lesson learned from Shanks about who is and is not worth fighting into action here…
The Straw Hats conclude their adventure in the Desert Kingdom of Alabasta, involuntarily gain a new shipmate, and find evidence of a legendary island in the sky. There are some great character moments here, and the art has undergone a major upgrade by this point in the saga in terms of details, shading, and sense of motion, making the whole that much more engaging.
Below, some thoughts on those elements, and the promised discussion about first indisputably-queer character, Bon Clay (plus a few probably-queer characters we’ve already met).
~(Note: A story this big and complex can’t really be “spoiled”, I don’t think – spoilery discussions were what sold me on trying it in the first place! So I just leave out the bits I think function well as a surprise. But if you’re VERY spoiler-sensitive, bear in mind that the discussion will give away some events!)~
Watching someone finally land a punch on Crocodile is so satisfying (as Nico Robin’s face illustrates, even though that’s supposedly her boss). And Oda gave us the art to match that feeling! Something about the meticulous hand-shading means that you can really sense the hits as they connect. But it’s gonna take more than one or two rounds to take out this warlord!
For all that they bicker, the cook and the swordsman really show off their cooperation in a tight spot. There’s a wonderful moment where someone is sneaking up on Vivi, and Zoro blocks his weapon while Sanji kicks him in the face like it’s one movement.
“Sanji: ten minutes* minus…How many seconds will this take?
Zoro: Don’t waste time talking.
Both (with scary faces): Two seconds!”
*Until a canon/bomb goes off
We also get the return of Sergeant Tashigi (the sword-nerd marine woman who looks like Zoro’s childhood friend Kuina), which is delightful to see. She and Captain Smoker are interesting antagonists-who-are-sometimes-temporary-allies. One Piece tends to have a rather “ACAB” attitude overall – unsurprisingly, for a story where the protagonists are outlaws! - but it does so in an accurate way. It isn’t that all cops/marines are bad as people, it’s that the institution they work for is fatally flawed, and so “good cops” still end up upholding a system that does harm – the World Government, in this case. That government is in large part responsible for the current situation, since it has put its efforts into going after people like Luffy or Nico Robin^, while totally ignoring the criminal shenanigans that people like Arlong or Crocodile have been up to.
^ It is worth noting that Luffy, despite calling himself a pirate, doesn’t actually do robbery-on-the-high-seas, and has saved a lot of civilians. Robin has had a bounty on her head since the age of 8 just for knowing how to read poneglyphs. But their attitude and skills are a threat to the government's control, so...
Crocodile has the philosophy that trusting anyone is foolish, that anyone not immediately useful is expendable, and that only the strong survive. It's fitting, then, that what really foils Crocodile’s plan is not one powerful guy – though Luffy being as unsquashable as a coked-up cockroach certainly helps – but rather a band of comrades who pool their talents to take down his whole organization. Of course…
Usopp: The rebellion is over. But until the king and the princess address the people, the celebration can’t begin.
Vivi: Right. And I’m going to tell everyone what you did!
Sanji: (Lights cigarette) Sorry, Vivi, you can’t do that. (Huge grin) We’re notorious pirates, remember? We can’t get mixed up in politics!
And, at the conclusion, the way the Straw Hats find to say “goodbye for now” and “you’ll always be our nakama” to Vivi without letting the navy hear that she is in fact their friend is so beautiful!
~~~
I also said I’d talk about Bon Clay when their first arc was done. So… (Skip to next ~~~ if you don’t care)
I feel like Bon Clay is sort of a spiritual predecessor to She-ra’s Double Trouble, with very similar pluses and minuses as a non-binary/genderfluid character. On the one hand, having them be this theatrical chaotic-neutral shapeshifter is…not exactly representative. On the other hand, both are just so FUN that I kind of don’t care!
And, while Double Trouble spends most of their time as an antagonist, we actually see Bon Clay get along super well with the Straw Hats before either realize that they’re on opposite sides of a conflict, then have a respect-building honorable fight with Sanji, and then go out of their way to help the Straw Hats, even apparently sacrificing themselves with the declaration: “You can stray from a man’s path. You can stray from a woman’s path. But you can’t stray from the path of mankind.” And while this might look like a “bury your gays” moment… Don’t worry, One Piece characters are pretty hard to kill, and Bon Clay will be back later - with a really wonderful line denying that whole concept!
As mentioned earlier, the English translations muddy the waters as to what Bon Clay’s deal is by:
A) Going with “Oh come my way” instead of “Okama way” (better translated as “queer life”) for the slogan on their jacket.
B) Calling them “he” even though, so far as I could tell in the anime, they actually don’t use either of the common masculine 1st person pronouns (“ore” – the tough-guy one most of the pirates prefer – or “boku”), instead (I think) using “watashi”, which is neutral^^.
C) Also using “Mr.” even though all Japanese honorifics are gender neutral and, in fact, Bon Clay actually prefers to be called “Bon-chan”, the “-chan” being cutesy and diminutive, and therefore not often used for men.
^^See this fascinating video on how the many different version of “I” available in Japanese tell you things about how the person using them wants to present themself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNR0e...
All that is why I refer to Bon Clay as “they” throughout these reviews. With regard to character design…yes, Bon Clay’s look (ballet shoes with hairy legs, Elizabethan puffy pants, and heavy makeup) is rather over-the-top and, again, not exactly representative. But there are a LOT of exaggerated character designs in One Piece that reflect a character’s gimmick - the first antagonist was a clown pirate, a later Straw Hat addition will be a cyborg with disproportionately large arms who runs around in a speedo all the time - so it doesn’t stand out a ton. Bon Clay’s thing is ballet, and exaggerated stage makeup goes with that territory! In fact, I recently saw a performance of the drag ballet group Les Ballet Trockadero, which has been around since the 1970s and which makes ‘Swan Lake’ a regular centerpiece…and I can’t help wondering if Oda knew about that!
BTW, I called Bon Clay the first “indisputably queer” character because of the above. But they’re probably not really first we meet. That’s actually probably Luffy, who is read by many to be asexual based both on events in the text and on Oda’s comments that Luffy, say, getting a nosebleed over an attractive person would be out of character, and that the times he seems to show a reaction to a girl he’s only imitating Usopp (the two often being partners-in-goofiness, with mimicry being a large component). See “Luffy, the asexual hero we deserve”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS211....
You can make an argument for several other Straw Hats being some flavor of queer as well. I’ll get to that more later, but there is one section here that is worth mentioning. The bath-peeping incident in the Alubarna palace is the sort of joke I’d rather didn’t exist in the story, because we don’t need to be normalizing that kind of thing. But it does have several interesting character moments, some of which relate to this issue:
- We see Vivi and Nami talking, and Nami looks at the princess with this kind of softly smoldering expression that wouldn’t be out of place on a romance novel cover (I said the art got more detailed, didn’t I?). That plus her earlier declaration that she was willing to give up a limb for the princess is clearly what launched THAT popular ship! But this is also not the last time Nami has interesting reactions to beautiful women…
- It is, of course, Sanji’s idea to ask if there’s a way to look into the women’s side of the bath, and he and Usopp - the two who have been previously established to be attracted to women - are the ones with the most visible lustful reaction.
- Luffy is there, but neither he nor Chopper (the youngest, who tends to follow his “big brothers” around wherever) are being very stealthy. Luffy is just hanging halfway over the wall, with a fairly blank “What are we supposed to be doing, again?” expression.
- Zoro is not there, which might be primarily due to being more serious and honorable. But Oda’s Q&As hint that he’s probably not interested in women either. For example, in a comparison chart between him and Sanji for the category “pretty girl exists” the latter goes into heart-eye mode, while Zoro just…walks away!
- Nami’s response is to full on flash them to startle the boys into falling off the wall, and then to yell that they owe her money. Which is very much in character for her! She knows men find her attractive and (unlike her more candid responses to women) consistently uses that as part of her scoundrel’s toolkit, rather than to, say, actually get a boyfriend…
- IDK why King Cobra’s enabling any of this. That’s the weirdest and creepiest part.
~~~
On their departure from Alabasta, the Straw Hat discover Nico Robin has stowed away on the Going Merry! She says that since Luffy saved her life when she’d decided to die, that means they’re responsible for her now, and she wants to join the crew. Their reactions?
Sanji: Another gorgeous lady on board? Yahoo! Can I make you a snack, miss?
Luffy: “Don’t worry! She’s not a bad person!” (Which he does actually have evidence for)
Chopper: (Laughing uproariously w/ Luffy as Robin does tricks with her extra arms)
Nami: Well, she doesn’t have me fooled!
Robin: “By the way, I brought a few of Crocodile’s gems with me”
Nami (starry-eyed): “OH, SISTER! I love you!”
Zoro (to Usopp): “I guess it’s up to you and me to be strong.”
Usopp: (Immediately gets won over as well by Robin assisting Luffy in doing impressions)
Before Zoro can respond much to THAT, a giant shipwreck falls out of the sky, and then Nami notices the log-pose is pointing up. Robin – who is an archaeologist when not being a secret agent/assassin – casually explains that there is a legend of an island in the sky…which the log-pose is indicating as their next destination!
But before they can find it, there’s some adventures with a ship salvaging crew, a giant turtle, some spooky shadows, and a town where fantastical pirate dreams (of the kind this series runs on) are mocked unmercifully. It’s interesting to see Luffy put a lesson learned from Shanks about who is and is not worth fighting into action here…
September 30, 2020
So there IS definitely a formula to this saga, but the same can be said of many things, including the MCU; it's all in the execution. And I'm still excited/onboard with this series. (I'll watch the Anime after finishing the manga volumes; interested to see the onscreen depictions of these characters!!)
The BaroqueWorks arc has been entertaining and interesting; many of of the anatagonists were quite memorable, and we got deeper insights into some character (like Usopp).
Oda also excels at creating interesting characters, expanding on existing stories, and dropping hints of world-building into each volume, and that is what keeps me coming back. And I personally love the endless variations on the Devil Fruits!
The BaroqueWorks arc has been entertaining and interesting; many of of the anatagonists were quite memorable, and we got deeper insights into some character (like Usopp).
Oda also excels at creating interesting characters, expanding on existing stories, and dropping hints of world-building into each volume, and that is what keeps me coming back. And I personally love the endless variations on the Devil Fruits!
July 10, 2019
The baroque works ark has come to an end I am so excited to find out what will happen in the skypiea ark as usual the quality of the graphics and the story are excellent so I shall be rating the book 5 stars
January 3, 2024
Epic epic epic epic epic
March 1, 2024
O arco de Alabasta é incrível demais, seja em desenho como em roteiro. Uma das melhores coisas que li em mangá (pode ser a emoção falando).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2024
Was waiting for Nami and Vivi to admit their love for one another…
June 3, 2025
the alabasta arc went sooo fucking hard and i'm so curious about what we're building toward next BRING IT ON
September 27, 2025
Al fin devuelta a navegaaaaaaaaaaaaaar
December 31, 2021
One Piece is my life
September 26, 2023
Crying until the next volume is available at the library
June 30, 2024
Honestly I just can't bring myself to love the Alabasta arc at all....
December 12, 2023
Sad to say goodbye to Vivi, but excited to have more adventures with Nico Robin.
December 31, 2023
Ok here it is, the first saga that truly is a masterpiece and shows the reader just what the series has to offer. It has all of the ingredients that we will come to know and love in future sagas: political intrigue/ conspiracy (that tracks EXTREMELY well onto real life), effective set-up arc(s), introduction to some truly creative/ zany places and characters and some extremely satisfying pay-off (in the form of fights but also just the general resolution of the saga). Like this saga is TRULY the blueprint. Ok I'm gonna do quick reviews of each arc and then at the end I'll get into why I think this saga works sooo well.
Reverse Mountain: So I'm including Laboon in this saga and this lil mini arc was simultaneously SO SAD and also SO FUNNY. The idea of a whale smashing its head into a mountain over and over trying to get to the other side to search for and reunite with the pirate crew that ended up leaving it behind was just ughhhhh and the way Luffy solved the problem totally counter-intuitively by fighting it and giving it that new goal to work towards was just so well done. On the other hand our introduction to Crocus is genuinely one of the most hilarious sequences in the entire series. Then finally we get introduced to our first two agents of Baroque Works and Oda does this thing again and again in OP where a character is introduced in such a way that we think they are just going to be a throwaway side character and then later on that character becomes extremely important and central to the narrative. So we are technically introduced to Vivi for the first time here but she is in disguise as a BW agent and I just thought this was so well done. You will notice I'm not talking too much about Whiskey Peak bc I simply don't have much to say about it OTHER than: i mean Zoro is a bad ass (but that his role so nothing new here) and then also we get introduced to MISS ALL SUNDAY as she blows up Vivi's accomplice/ servant (forget his name) and Miss All Sunday ofc becomes one of my favorite characters in the whole series. Another case where a character is introduced/ set up in one way only for that to be completely subverted later on.
Little Garden: Ok onto Little Garden. I will have to cut down on my wordiness or else these reviews will be sooo long. I love LG. This is the first time we are introduced to the giants of Elbaf (they ofc come up soooo many times again after this) and I just love the concept of this arc with the duel every day and the giants being perfect matches for one another until the foul play/ interference. I was rly charmed by these giants. Then Mr 3 and Ms. Goldenweek both have v compelling powers which made for a tense and engaging "fight" situation with some unusually funny Zoro moments as well. Overall just a rly solid arc.
Drum Island: ok drum island is Alabasta's syrup village imo. An arc that I think gets shat on a little in comparison to the others but which I have a soft spot for. Ok so this is the Chopper intro arc and I was just rly interested in the island as a whole. I like the old lady doctor character a lot, there are moments esp later on where the fan service in this series gets a bit much but this is one instance where I think it genuinely added to a character. I love that they made her design that she is an old lady with a v old lady wrinkly face but then she is just an absolute BADDIE w a v curvaceous body. I think the contrast is hilarious and then they make her a v compelling character as well personality wise. Speaking of contrast, I think a big reason why this arc gets shit is bc of Wapol, the big bad of the arc. Wapol has the double negatives of being both cartoonishly evil in a v simple uncomplex way and then also being kind of a pathetic weakling. So not only is he not nuanced but he also is not imposing. My hot take here is that Wapol is SUPPOSED to be a bad villain in order to play up the contrast between him and the actual big bad of the saga CROCODILE.
Alabasta: you like that segue? We are now in the finale, we are actually in the desert nation of Alabasta. First off, this saga is ultimately about a color revolution engineered by essentially a foreign intelligence organization which is backed by the World Government (more on them in future saga reviews). Not only that but its also a water war brought on by the false rumor that the kingdom is hoarding all the water and causing a basically biblical level drought, starving the whole nation (it is actually Baroque Works, the foreign organization that is doing this). TALK ABOUT BEING POLITICALLY RELEVANT TO THE REAL WORLD. Ok secondly, this arc has arguably the best villain in the series (I think there is one other much later on in the series that slightly edges it out): CROCODILE, one of the most stylish, imposing and genuinely intelligent/ strategic villains in media. This man basically leveraged his government backing to mastermind the covert takeover of an entire nation. And he would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for some meddling kids. This arc has some of the best fights and introduces us to some of the best characters in the whole series. I'm not going to talk too much about Vivi but her progression over the course of this saga, all leading up to the climax of her trying to be heard by the skirmishing combatants in the capital is so well done. Then there is of course Miss All Sunday (AKA NICO ROBIN) who goes onto become my favorite crew member (rly close between her, Luffy and Ussop). Finally though, who I really want to talk about here is Bon Clay. One of my favorite characters (maybe my fave?) in the whole series.
So this is where I get to talk about queer representation in One Piece (something that will come up more later as well). So Bon Clay is a cross dresser, an "Okama" and the way that Oda draws/ designs specifically Okama (there are other, different kinds of queer characters that come up later who are portrayed very very differently) is in a very stereotypical, extreme, "butt-of-the-joke" way. So at first you feel kind of outraged, offended, annoyed etc. But this then reveals itself to be a very interesting/ refreshing angle of representation that ultimately I have come to appreciate. So Oda draws and writes these Okama (particularly Bon Clay here) as flamboyant "men in dresses" basically with five o-clock shadow etc (they DO NOT pass). He plays up their queerness to comedic effect. But then what he does is make these characters that originally you think are just going to be there for the gag and then makes them into some of the most honorable, formidable, admirable characters. And that isn't even coming from me like the Straw Hat crew themselves are in awe and admire Bon Clay because of his actions. He is shown to be a great fighter and to have a level of integrity and honor very few other characters come close to. Despite the fact that they started out as enemies, Bon Clay ultimately puts himself in danger so that the Straw Hat crew can escape the navy. So Oda has written this over-the-top queer character that plays into all the tropes and then makes him an excellent character, however, the cherry on top, the final flourish which makes this great is that Oda then connects Bon Clay's admirable qualities BACK to the fact that he is basically a "queer freak". When explaining why Bon Clay would risk his life for the straw hat crew he doesn't say "oh bc I have a sense of honor" he specifically says "That is the OKAMA way!" (this is kind of a catch phrase of his) it is precisely BECAUSE Bon Clay is an Okama that he is able to be soooo admirable. Basically there is a reddit comment that perfectly sums up how I feel:
"Oda thinks trans people are freaks, but he also thinks being a freak is one of the coolest things a person can be"
fucking based
Ok to wrap this review up, why was the navy chasing the straw hats after they saved a nation from descending into violence and chaos???? Because the Navy and World Government instantly moved to cover up the whole affair of course (a pattern that will come up again and again). And so the conspiratorial/ political intrigue aspect of One Piece is introduced and it will only grow and grow as the series progresses. Excellent saga here, one of the few in the series that ascend beyond just "rly good". This was so fun to write just to be back in Alabasta kinda reliving those moments. Its crazy how early this feels looking back from where I am, how much is set up that will pay off in a big way later on.
Reverse Mountain: So I'm including Laboon in this saga and this lil mini arc was simultaneously SO SAD and also SO FUNNY. The idea of a whale smashing its head into a mountain over and over trying to get to the other side to search for and reunite with the pirate crew that ended up leaving it behind was just ughhhhh and the way Luffy solved the problem totally counter-intuitively by fighting it and giving it that new goal to work towards was just so well done. On the other hand our introduction to Crocus is genuinely one of the most hilarious sequences in the entire series. Then finally we get introduced to our first two agents of Baroque Works and Oda does this thing again and again in OP where a character is introduced in such a way that we think they are just going to be a throwaway side character and then later on that character becomes extremely important and central to the narrative. So we are technically introduced to Vivi for the first time here but she is in disguise as a BW agent and I just thought this was so well done. You will notice I'm not talking too much about Whiskey Peak bc I simply don't have much to say about it OTHER than: i mean Zoro is a bad ass (but that his role so nothing new here) and then also we get introduced to MISS ALL SUNDAY as she blows up Vivi's accomplice/ servant (forget his name) and Miss All Sunday ofc becomes one of my favorite characters in the whole series. Another case where a character is introduced/ set up in one way only for that to be completely subverted later on.
Little Garden: Ok onto Little Garden. I will have to cut down on my wordiness or else these reviews will be sooo long. I love LG. This is the first time we are introduced to the giants of Elbaf (they ofc come up soooo many times again after this) and I just love the concept of this arc with the duel every day and the giants being perfect matches for one another until the foul play/ interference. I was rly charmed by these giants. Then Mr 3 and Ms. Goldenweek both have v compelling powers which made for a tense and engaging "fight" situation with some unusually funny Zoro moments as well. Overall just a rly solid arc.
Drum Island: ok drum island is Alabasta's syrup village imo. An arc that I think gets shat on a little in comparison to the others but which I have a soft spot for. Ok so this is the Chopper intro arc and I was just rly interested in the island as a whole. I like the old lady doctor character a lot, there are moments esp later on where the fan service in this series gets a bit much but this is one instance where I think it genuinely added to a character. I love that they made her design that she is an old lady with a v old lady wrinkly face but then she is just an absolute BADDIE w a v curvaceous body. I think the contrast is hilarious and then they make her a v compelling character as well personality wise. Speaking of contrast, I think a big reason why this arc gets shit is bc of Wapol, the big bad of the arc. Wapol has the double negatives of being both cartoonishly evil in a v simple uncomplex way and then also being kind of a pathetic weakling. So not only is he not nuanced but he also is not imposing. My hot take here is that Wapol is SUPPOSED to be a bad villain in order to play up the contrast between him and the actual big bad of the saga CROCODILE.
Alabasta: you like that segue? We are now in the finale, we are actually in the desert nation of Alabasta. First off, this saga is ultimately about a color revolution engineered by essentially a foreign intelligence organization which is backed by the World Government (more on them in future saga reviews). Not only that but its also a water war brought on by the false rumor that the kingdom is hoarding all the water and causing a basically biblical level drought, starving the whole nation (it is actually Baroque Works, the foreign organization that is doing this). TALK ABOUT BEING POLITICALLY RELEVANT TO THE REAL WORLD. Ok secondly, this arc has arguably the best villain in the series (I think there is one other much later on in the series that slightly edges it out): CROCODILE, one of the most stylish, imposing and genuinely intelligent/ strategic villains in media. This man basically leveraged his government backing to mastermind the covert takeover of an entire nation. And he would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for some meddling kids. This arc has some of the best fights and introduces us to some of the best characters in the whole series. I'm not going to talk too much about Vivi but her progression over the course of this saga, all leading up to the climax of her trying to be heard by the skirmishing combatants in the capital is so well done. Then there is of course Miss All Sunday (AKA NICO ROBIN) who goes onto become my favorite crew member (rly close between her, Luffy and Ussop). Finally though, who I really want to talk about here is Bon Clay. One of my favorite characters (maybe my fave?) in the whole series.
So this is where I get to talk about queer representation in One Piece (something that will come up more later as well). So Bon Clay is a cross dresser, an "Okama" and the way that Oda draws/ designs specifically Okama (there are other, different kinds of queer characters that come up later who are portrayed very very differently) is in a very stereotypical, extreme, "butt-of-the-joke" way. So at first you feel kind of outraged, offended, annoyed etc. But this then reveals itself to be a very interesting/ refreshing angle of representation that ultimately I have come to appreciate. So Oda draws and writes these Okama (particularly Bon Clay here) as flamboyant "men in dresses" basically with five o-clock shadow etc (they DO NOT pass). He plays up their queerness to comedic effect. But then what he does is make these characters that originally you think are just going to be there for the gag and then makes them into some of the most honorable, formidable, admirable characters. And that isn't even coming from me like the Straw Hat crew themselves are in awe and admire Bon Clay because of his actions. He is shown to be a great fighter and to have a level of integrity and honor very few other characters come close to. Despite the fact that they started out as enemies, Bon Clay ultimately puts himself in danger so that the Straw Hat crew can escape the navy. So Oda has written this over-the-top queer character that plays into all the tropes and then makes him an excellent character, however, the cherry on top, the final flourish which makes this great is that Oda then connects Bon Clay's admirable qualities BACK to the fact that he is basically a "queer freak". When explaining why Bon Clay would risk his life for the straw hat crew he doesn't say "oh bc I have a sense of honor" he specifically says "That is the OKAMA way!" (this is kind of a catch phrase of his) it is precisely BECAUSE Bon Clay is an Okama that he is able to be soooo admirable. Basically there is a reddit comment that perfectly sums up how I feel:
"Oda thinks trans people are freaks, but he also thinks being a freak is one of the coolest things a person can be"
fucking based
Ok to wrap this review up, why was the navy chasing the straw hats after they saved a nation from descending into violence and chaos???? Because the Navy and World Government instantly moved to cover up the whole affair of course (a pattern that will come up again and again). And so the conspiratorial/ political intrigue aspect of One Piece is introduced and it will only grow and grow as the series progresses. Excellent saga here, one of the few in the series that ascend beyond just "rly good". This was so fun to write just to be back in Alabasta kinda reliving those moments. Its crazy how early this feels looking back from where I am, how much is set up that will pay off in a big way later on.
December 11, 2025
2025 -----------------------------
rating: {★★★★☆: 4.5/5 stars}
Favorite moment: Vivi's goodbye
sooo everything I said 3 years ago is nothing but the truth.
we are opening a wider door in this world and now that I know more of the context, I appreciate it a bit more
2022 -----------------------------
#22: Hope!! - ★★★★☆ (4.5)
#23: Vivi's Adventure - ★★★★☆
#24 People's Dreams - ★★★☆☆
Arabasta is one of the great arcs of shonen imo. It had everything that makes it memorable and we certainly needed an overarching plot for the story as it started to feel a bit scattered and repetitive. It sets a standard for the upcoming adventures. And the goodbye scene is so iconic I was already familiar with it even if I didn't have the whole context.
Also, we meet a new character and I'm pretty sure I know who he is gonna be (yeah I know, I'm 20 years late for these spoilers but I'm still excited)
rating: {★★★★☆: 4.5/5 stars}
Favorite moment: Vivi's goodbye
sooo everything I said 3 years ago is nothing but the truth.
we are opening a wider door in this world and now that I know more of the context, I appreciate it a bit more
2022 -----------------------------
#22: Hope!! - ★★★★☆ (4.5)
#23: Vivi's Adventure - ★★★★☆
#24 People's Dreams - ★★★☆☆
Arabasta is one of the great arcs of shonen imo. It had everything that makes it memorable and we certainly needed an overarching plot for the story as it started to feel a bit scattered and repetitive. It sets a standard for the upcoming adventures. And the goodbye scene is so iconic I was already familiar with it even if I didn't have the whole context.
Also, we meet a new character and I'm pretty sure I know who he is gonna be (yeah I know, I'm 20 years late for these spoilers but I'm still excited)
September 2, 2025
God, Alabasta will forever be such an amazing arc, and a total turning point. Vivi, Nico Robin, ponegliffs, sea stone, ACE… I’m honestly doubting any other manga will ever trump One Piece as being my all-time favorite.
October 24, 2024
WAAAAA buenísimos todos los capítulos
October 3, 2023
To like One Piece is to like Luffy. Eagle-eyed readers of my goodreads page (of which I know there are dozens of you) will know that my journey with the series has been a rough one, tailing off at the beginning of Arlong Park before Nami's iconic plea for help brought me back onboard. Since then I've tentatively been making progress, albeit without much enthusiasm.
That started to change around Drum Island, with it's crazy no-nuance villain and the extraordinarily go-for-broke heartbreaker backstory of Tony Tony Chopper. More than anything, though, it was the sight of Luffy clawing his way up the mountain peak, followed by his insistence that Chopper join the crew which made things click into place. As a friend of a friend has said, Luffy is "psychologically unknowable" - a rarity for Shonen protagonists. He is less a character than a force of nature which everyone else rallies around, with only two priorities ever at the front of his mind (food notwithstanding): to be come King of the Pirates, and to save his friends. If a decision can be made in the moment that will further these goals, he will take it, consequences be damned. In some ways, he's a more successful gag protagonist than Saitama, if only because the ludicrousness of his character comes from his unwavering spirit, rather than any God-like abilities.
And once Luffy and I clicked, it turns out I was off to the races. Volumes 22-24 cover the ending of the Alabasta arc: the Going Merry crew's (not the Merry Go, as my book apparently has mistranslated 😭) first huge test of wills and entry into the wider world of One Piece. Watching the series accumulate elements and broaden its scope is a thrill, even if my complaint about character deaths still remains, as it seems that Oda is hell-bent on leaving as many players on the board as possible so that he can bring them back later. But then, treating One Piece as an entirely serious piece of fiction is a little besides the point. There's an interview with Oda where he talks about swapping out the edginess of manga for something more akin to Tom and Jerry, and I felt that comparison in my bones. Ultimately, what we are bearing witness to is the longest, most epic Looney Tunes cartoon ever constructed, and when the series is balancing those ideas, it is a tremendous amount of fun.
The result was me finally giving a shit about what was happening. If for nothing else, Alabasta deserves praise from me for being one of the few manga battle arcs that I actually enjoyed. Not since Berserk's Tower of Conviction have I read an extended fight so quickly, and whilst this can't touch Miura's masterpiece of orchestrated chaos, there was a momentum to the battles here that got me to devour the whole thing in a couple of days. What can I say? I liked Vivi and her earnestness. I liked watching all of these pieces come crashing together. And I definitely liked watching Luffy finally get his ass handed to him, only to come back smarter and more determined than ever. That "Get up," line hits in an unbelievably raw way after so much of his character has been dedicated to silliness.
By the time it wrapped, I knew I was reading this series to the end. Almost all my problems with it still remain, but I'm fascinated by how much the series either succeeds in spite of them, or trades on those problems to create something compelling (I may not like the lack of character deaths, but the way Oda keeps looping these people back into the fold makes the world feel thrilling and large). When the straw hats lift their arms to the sky...boy is that a double page of panels worth remembering.
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/da2...
That started to change around Drum Island, with it's crazy no-nuance villain and the extraordinarily go-for-broke heartbreaker backstory of Tony Tony Chopper. More than anything, though, it was the sight of Luffy clawing his way up the mountain peak, followed by his insistence that Chopper join the crew which made things click into place. As a friend of a friend has said, Luffy is "psychologically unknowable" - a rarity for Shonen protagonists. He is less a character than a force of nature which everyone else rallies around, with only two priorities ever at the front of his mind (food notwithstanding): to be come King of the Pirates, and to save his friends. If a decision can be made in the moment that will further these goals, he will take it, consequences be damned. In some ways, he's a more successful gag protagonist than Saitama, if only because the ludicrousness of his character comes from his unwavering spirit, rather than any God-like abilities.
And once Luffy and I clicked, it turns out I was off to the races. Volumes 22-24 cover the ending of the Alabasta arc: the Going Merry crew's (not the Merry Go, as my book apparently has mistranslated 😭) first huge test of wills and entry into the wider world of One Piece. Watching the series accumulate elements and broaden its scope is a thrill, even if my complaint about character deaths still remains, as it seems that Oda is hell-bent on leaving as many players on the board as possible so that he can bring them back later. But then, treating One Piece as an entirely serious piece of fiction is a little besides the point. There's an interview with Oda where he talks about swapping out the edginess of manga for something more akin to Tom and Jerry, and I felt that comparison in my bones. Ultimately, what we are bearing witness to is the longest, most epic Looney Tunes cartoon ever constructed, and when the series is balancing those ideas, it is a tremendous amount of fun.
The result was me finally giving a shit about what was happening. If for nothing else, Alabasta deserves praise from me for being one of the few manga battle arcs that I actually enjoyed. Not since Berserk's Tower of Conviction have I read an extended fight so quickly, and whilst this can't touch Miura's masterpiece of orchestrated chaos, there was a momentum to the battles here that got me to devour the whole thing in a couple of days. What can I say? I liked Vivi and her earnestness. I liked watching all of these pieces come crashing together. And I definitely liked watching Luffy finally get his ass handed to him, only to come back smarter and more determined than ever. That "Get up," line hits in an unbelievably raw way after so much of his character has been dedicated to silliness.
By the time it wrapped, I knew I was reading this series to the end. Almost all my problems with it still remain, but I'm fascinated by how much the series either succeeds in spite of them, or trades on those problems to create something compelling (I may not like the lack of character deaths, but the way Oda keeps looping these people back into the fold makes the world feel thrilling and large). When the straw hats lift their arms to the sky...boy is that a double page of panels worth remembering.
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/da2...
October 20, 2022
Oh I just love this conclusion to the Alabasta arc. I loved the final battle even if it was a bit long but the characters... Oh man, the characters. I love them. With my whole heart. Anyway, the first volume of Skypeia arc wasn't as stellar but it doesn't bring down the overall rating so that's fine.
The following part of this review will contain SPOILERS.
Volume 22; 5/5
We're back to some amazing volumes guys. I am just obsessed with this one. I mean... so many things happened. Koza and Vivi finally met which was great and Koza died I guess. I hope that's not true, but that's how it seems right now. Then we have Luffy, who actually had a smart moment here. Two moments to be exact. That's kinda rare to be honest. I still can't believe that he guessed the water thing and especially that he used his blood as a source of it in a fight. Zoro also has a bunch of great moments in here. Him and Sanji cooperating is great and I just can't with him randomly ending up on the clock tower because he went up instead of north. Oh, I also wanted to say that Crocodile's design is amazing. I just love it.
Volume 23; 5/5
What an amazing conclusion to the Alabasta arc. I'll just start gushing about things as usual. There have never been any complaints about so I guess everyone likes that. I love Luffy here as he keeps on fighting not for himself but for his friends and the innocent civilians. And then he wins and that's even better. Pell dies which is terrible but also kinda wholesome since he saves an entire city while doing it. Koza is still alive so that's great and damn, Bon Clay is actually kinda cool, not gonna lie. He just wants to have some friends now that his whole team lost. Vivi's goodbye speech is really beautiful especially with everyone being confused. Although I would appreciate a better conclusion with her and Koza but we can't get everything. Finally, the bounties are amazing and we literally saw Usopp and Luffy's butts. Pure gold.
Volume 24; 4/5
To be perfectly honest, this volume was not exactly the best. Sure, it was good (as were practically all the volumes so far) but it just wasn't great. I really like the comedic expressions here. I mean, there's quite a lot of them in this volume so it's pretty noticeable. I am not a fan of the monkeys yet... I don't really see their purpose. Although, we do have a monkey version of Rapunzel so that's something at least. Luffy was kinda cool here though. I love how he asked the crew where they were going despite him being the captain. And I really liked the scene where he didn't fight the bad guys and let himself get beaten. Overall, the volume was good but it wasn't as interesting as the previous ones.
The following part of this review will contain SPOILERS.
Volume 22; 5/5
We're back to some amazing volumes guys. I am just obsessed with this one. I mean... so many things happened. Koza and Vivi finally met which was great and Koza died I guess. I hope that's not true, but that's how it seems right now. Then we have Luffy, who actually had a smart moment here. Two moments to be exact. That's kinda rare to be honest. I still can't believe that he guessed the water thing and especially that he used his blood as a source of it in a fight. Zoro also has a bunch of great moments in here. Him and Sanji cooperating is great and I just can't with him randomly ending up on the clock tower because he went up instead of north. Oh, I also wanted to say that Crocodile's design is amazing. I just love it.
Volume 23; 5/5
What an amazing conclusion to the Alabasta arc. I'll just start gushing about things as usual. There have never been any complaints about so I guess everyone likes that. I love Luffy here as he keeps on fighting not for himself but for his friends and the innocent civilians. And then he wins and that's even better. Pell dies which is terrible but also kinda wholesome since he saves an entire city while doing it. Koza is still alive so that's great and damn, Bon Clay is actually kinda cool, not gonna lie. He just wants to have some friends now that his whole team lost. Vivi's goodbye speech is really beautiful especially with everyone being confused. Although I would appreciate a better conclusion with her and Koza but we can't get everything. Finally, the bounties are amazing and we literally saw Usopp and Luffy's butts. Pure gold.
Volume 24; 4/5
To be perfectly honest, this volume was not exactly the best. Sure, it was good (as were practically all the volumes so far) but it just wasn't great. I really like the comedic expressions here. I mean, there's quite a lot of them in this volume so it's pretty noticeable. I am not a fan of the monkeys yet... I don't really see their purpose. Although, we do have a monkey version of Rapunzel so that's something at least. Luffy was kinda cool here though. I love how he asked the crew where they were going despite him being the captain. And I really liked the scene where he didn't fight the bad guys and let himself get beaten. Overall, the volume was good but it wasn't as interesting as the previous ones.
November 2, 2025
Man, the spread of Luffy punching Crocodile to start their second fight is so good. How did Oda change so much from this? His art was so clean! There isn't a single reaction-face panel cluttering the spread!
The two-page spread with the Straw Hats showing the X on their arms still makes me cry like a bitch.
****
Volume 22: Crocodile defeats Chaka. Koza meets Vivi and tries to stop the civil war, but Crocodile has men on both sides preventing surrender. Luffy returns, atop Pell's falcon form. Luffy vs. Crocodile: Round 2 begins. Luffy transforms into Water Luffy. Luffy loses Round 2. Robin reaches the Ponegliff. The Ponegliff doesn't mention Pluton, so Crocodile severs his ties with Robin. Vivi figures out where the bomb will launch. Tashigi and the Marines help clear the BW goons out of the Straw Hats' path. Luffy vs. Crocodile: Round 3 begins. Pell "dies" again. The Straw Hats and Vivi encounter Ms. Father's Day and Mr. 7 at the clock tower. Volume end.
Volume 23: With teamwork from the Straw Hats, Vivi stops the bombers, but it turns out the bomb is set to explode regardless of whether it is launched. Pell shows up to grab the bomb, and "dies" again (seriously, the amount of times he's gotten KO'd, I cannot understand why people are mad at him tanking the bomb...). Luffy defeats Crocodile. It starts raining. The civil war stops. Igaram comes back alive. Crocodile is stripped of his rank. The World Government tries to give Smoker and Tashigi credit for Crocodile's defeat. Luffy and Zoro's bounties increase. Bon Clay takes the Going Merry in order to protect it from the Marines. Black Cage Hina tries to stop the Straw Hats from leaving, but Bon-chan acts as a decoy. Vivi decides to stay in Alabasta. Volume end.
Volume 24: Robin turns out to have stowed away on the Going Merry, and asks to join Luffy's crew. A brief flashback shows the Alabasta Ponegliff really did show Pluton's location, and Robin lied to Crocodile. Robin wins over most of the Straw Hats. Ships fall from the sky, leading Robin to mention Sky Islands. Luffy and the gang meet Masira, a salvager. Everyone is spooked by giant winged shadows. The Straw Hats cross paths with the Bellamy Pirates. Luffy meets Teech for the first time. Luffy and the gang meet Shoujou, another salvager. Robin finds out about Cricket, who might have info on Skypeia. Bellamy wants to learn more about Cricket. Volume end.
The two-page spread with the Straw Hats showing the X on their arms still makes me cry like a bitch.
****
Volume 22: Crocodile defeats Chaka. Koza meets Vivi and tries to stop the civil war, but Crocodile has men on both sides preventing surrender. Luffy returns, atop Pell's falcon form. Luffy vs. Crocodile: Round 2 begins. Luffy transforms into Water Luffy. Luffy loses Round 2. Robin reaches the Ponegliff. The Ponegliff doesn't mention Pluton, so Crocodile severs his ties with Robin. Vivi figures out where the bomb will launch. Tashigi and the Marines help clear the BW goons out of the Straw Hats' path. Luffy vs. Crocodile: Round 3 begins. Pell "dies" again. The Straw Hats and Vivi encounter Ms. Father's Day and Mr. 7 at the clock tower. Volume end.
Volume 23: With teamwork from the Straw Hats, Vivi stops the bombers, but it turns out the bomb is set to explode regardless of whether it is launched. Pell shows up to grab the bomb, and "dies" again (seriously, the amount of times he's gotten KO'd, I cannot understand why people are mad at him tanking the bomb...). Luffy defeats Crocodile. It starts raining. The civil war stops. Igaram comes back alive. Crocodile is stripped of his rank. The World Government tries to give Smoker and Tashigi credit for Crocodile's defeat. Luffy and Zoro's bounties increase. Bon Clay takes the Going Merry in order to protect it from the Marines. Black Cage Hina tries to stop the Straw Hats from leaving, but Bon-chan acts as a decoy. Vivi decides to stay in Alabasta. Volume end.
Volume 24: Robin turns out to have stowed away on the Going Merry, and asks to join Luffy's crew. A brief flashback shows the Alabasta Ponegliff really did show Pluton's location, and Robin lied to Crocodile. Robin wins over most of the Straw Hats. Ships fall from the sky, leading Robin to mention Sky Islands. Luffy and the gang meet Masira, a salvager. Everyone is spooked by giant winged shadows. The Straw Hats cross paths with the Bellamy Pirates. Luffy meets Teech for the first time. Luffy and the gang meet Shoujou, another salvager. Robin finds out about Cricket, who might have info on Skypeia. Bellamy wants to learn more about Cricket. Volume end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2024
Can’t lie…I cried a lil` bit. The story really has its gears going and this is the first conclusion with a lot of turn out. By that I mean the crew is expanding, their strength and knowledge is growing and in the eyes of countries, pirates and the Navy they are being recognized. Straw hat pirates won’t be a descriptor anymore - it’s turning into a name.
A picture is worth more than a thousand words. The highlight after Alabasta was how Oda was able to illustrate just how far Luffy and his crew have really come. It’s not how much any bounty poster says your worth, it comes in the form of the slogan that really kicked off the series with Shanks, “pick yer own fights,” Luffy and Zolo are beyond fighting people who are out for show. Both of them get clobbered. Their much more honorable and showing, via different means, that they are a different breed of pirate. Someone there recognizes and it’s quite the touching scene.
Oda’s way of constructing ‘the dream’ falls in line with a lot of other Shonen, but it has his own unique signature to propel the message forward. I’ll say it again; One Piece is quickly becoming a manga that I want to catch up on. I said I was going to take a break after Alabasta yet I’m thirsting for more…
Clumsy, charming and cheerful!
On a super side note – in the anime I never actually got this far, if I did, I don’t remember. I was watching it on Toonami/CN and when they changed the voice actors for Luffy somewhere during the Alabasta arc I pretty much stopped watching. It felt very odd for me.
Anyways, I went back and watched the fight between Crocodile and Luffy. They use THE NEW WORLD SYMPHONY BY ANONIN DVORAK!!! Of all things I would never have guessed and because its opening is iconic and an excellent piece of music it makes it all the greater, haha! Just had to share that because it’s crazy. NUTS!
A picture is worth more than a thousand words. The highlight after Alabasta was how Oda was able to illustrate just how far Luffy and his crew have really come. It’s not how much any bounty poster says your worth, it comes in the form of the slogan that really kicked off the series with Shanks, “pick yer own fights,” Luffy and Zolo are beyond fighting people who are out for show. Both of them get clobbered. Their much more honorable and showing, via different means, that they are a different breed of pirate. Someone there recognizes and it’s quite the touching scene.
Oda’s way of constructing ‘the dream’ falls in line with a lot of other Shonen, but it has his own unique signature to propel the message forward. I’ll say it again; One Piece is quickly becoming a manga that I want to catch up on. I said I was going to take a break after Alabasta yet I’m thirsting for more…
Clumsy, charming and cheerful!
On a super side note – in the anime I never actually got this far, if I did, I don’t remember. I was watching it on Toonami/CN and when they changed the voice actors for Luffy somewhere during the Alabasta arc I pretty much stopped watching. It felt very odd for me.
Anyways, I went back and watched the fight between Crocodile and Luffy. They use THE NEW WORLD SYMPHONY BY ANONIN DVORAK!!! Of all things I would never have guessed and because its opening is iconic and an excellent piece of music it makes it all the greater, haha! Just had to share that because it’s crazy. NUTS!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2025
Vol 22- 4 stars. The set up into the finale of the saga was fantastic, the complete scramble between the characters after already having their individual fights was such a fun decision.
Vol 23- 5 stars.
Vol 24- 4.5 stars. -0.5 points because the salvagers weren't my favorite but it still made for a good time. Jaya still gives me a weird feeling, yet, its still one of my favorite mini arcs.
Overall the omnibus is 5 stars just cause i had a fun (emotional) time.
Vol 23- 5 stars.
Vol 24- 4.5 stars. -0.5 points because the salvagers weren't my favorite but it still made for a good time. Jaya still gives me a weird feeling, yet, its still one of my favorite mini arcs.
Overall the omnibus is 5 stars just cause i had a fun (emotional) time.
January 10, 2023
Series: One Piece #22-24
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good
This volume ends the Alabasta arc with Luffy defeating Crocodile and stopping the civil war in the country. The crew return to sea to continue their journey and head to the island of Jaya to gather information on the floating island of Skypia. Also they have a new member of the crew: Nico Robin. I enjoyed the Alabasta arc a lot. It was great to see how much stronger everyone has become since they joined the crew. I am really interested in seeing how the crew deals with the island of Jaya and the Bellamy Pirates. I don’t remember this part from the anime so its like it's all new for me. Now we start the Skypia arc.
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good
This volume ends the Alabasta arc with Luffy defeating Crocodile and stopping the civil war in the country. The crew return to sea to continue their journey and head to the island of Jaya to gather information on the floating island of Skypia. Also they have a new member of the crew: Nico Robin. I enjoyed the Alabasta arc a lot. It was great to see how much stronger everyone has become since they joined the crew. I am really interested in seeing how the crew deals with the island of Jaya and the Bellamy Pirates. I don’t remember this part from the anime so its like it's all new for me. Now we start the Skypia arc.
January 19, 2024
This omnibus features the final climax of the Alabasta arc. It was intense and had me on the edge of my seat whilst reading the volumes 22 & 23. Having previously watched the anime did not affect my reading experience. I love how this arc ends, the satisfaction of defeating the antagonist, the set up for the crews sailing off, and even the unexpected twist.
Volume 24 contains the start of the Jaya arc. This was an impactful start to a new story arc, a new island. Immediately you are introduced to the new antagonist for the straw hat crew and it didn't matter how many times I saw his character design, the character gave me the creeps.
I am always eager to continue on with this manga series.
Volume 24 contains the start of the Jaya arc. This was an impactful start to a new story arc, a new island. Immediately you are introduced to the new antagonist for the straw hat crew and it didn't matter how many times I saw his character design, the character gave me the creeps.
I am always eager to continue on with this manga series.
January 7, 2026
Peak early One Piece! We get the conclusion to the best early story arc (Alabasta), many amazing action scenes (Luffy vs. Crocodile) and emotional moments (the farewell scene, Pell's sacrifice, Luffy's return), and my favorite character also joins the crew (Robin). There are also a lot of moments where we start to see that many characters are more complex than simply being on the side of the "good guys" or "bad guys" (Smoker, Bon Clay, Rebels vs Royal Guard). The end of this volume includes the beginning of the Sky Island saga, which is a bit slower after the amazing conclusion to Alabasta. I still really enjoy this part of the story because there are lots of little moments that help us get to know Robin better as a character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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