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One Piece 606
[scanlation by Binktopia]
It’s reassuring to see that, for as intelligent as he is and for how much he’s grown, Chopper still has enough moments of overpowering naivete as to make him resemble the sheltered little reindeer-boy we met so long ago. How he finds it acceptable to attempt to interact with a deep sea creature is beyond guessing.
Unlike Nami, Brook actually functions fairly well as our science correspondent, given his tendency to use brief snippets of correct information only as passing remarks en route to talking about himself being a skeleton. It’s a silly little throwaway joke, but this type of information conveyance is much more effective than Nami’s barrage of facts.
Just when it seems Caribou has the chance to make a stand and come off as a decent (if still minor) villain, his internal monologue reveals his desire to sneak into the girls’ room. With that, any shred of credibility he had left has gone. Frankly, though, I don’t find that much of a disappointment. Even if he does turn out to have Logia abilities, his current personality isn’t suited towards making him even a mid-card villain.
Of course, Caribou himself is still under the impression that he is menacing, and while his thoughts turn to more nefarious acts, Franky’s slow approach and subsequent containment of the barrel housing Caribou is a great comedic foil to the would-be antagonist. Interestingly, while not directly addressing the issue, this series of panels serves as the best evidence to date that Caribou is a Logia. The way he has manipulated his fairly large frame into a barrel would likely be impossible without the ability to restructure his body. If this does turn out to be true, then the nonchalant attitude shown by the crew towards Caribou is a strong indication of just how far and how powerful the Straw Hats have grown. Previously, only Luffy had managed to defeat Logia users, and even then, victory in each instance required some kind of natural counter. Franky’s assessment of the situation might be correct, in that Caribou hindered his own plan by being an idiot, but the mere fact that Franky (who is by no means at the top of the Straw Hat hierarchy) was able to so calmly analyze the situation and deal with it quickly is representative of major evolution in the strength of the crew.
… and naturally, this serious analysis of battle savvy and character progression is immediately followed by Morse Code nipples.
Can't wait until he greets an approaching ship like this
Despite the apparent mastery of undersea biology and general science demonstrated by the crew in the last few chapters, they somehow manage to fall into an incredibly obvious trap set by a huge angler fish. It’s hard for anything underwater to be cliché, given that it’s not the most common of settings, but this comes pretty close, and as such is difficult to reconcile with the recent National Geographic-like dialogue.
The acorn-headed Umibouzu is a unique find that truly helps to set the tone of just how grand this adventure is. Beyond the folklore charm, an Umibouzu would seem to be a major enough creature for its existence to be accepted knowledge throughout the world. However, only Usopp (and perhaps the silent Robin) is able to identify the creature, indicating not only fear but also surprise, which reaffirms the sense that the voyage to Fishman Island is perilous and rarely attempted. These aren’t exactly “uncharted waters,” but they’re unknown enough to instill appropriate feelings of discovery and wonderment to the crew, and by proxy, the audience.
On the other hand, the Flying Dutchman isn’t particularly impressive or exciting. It’s odd to say such a thing about a ghost ship, but Brook and Thriller Bark have given One Piece all the undead flavor it needs for years to come. Any more introductions of ghouls, zombies, or the like will only lessen the major impact of Brook’s role.
Ho hum, a legendary ghost ship
I don’t have any particularly colorful language with which to describe the intervention of the Kraken. A gigantic squid-beast delivered a right straight punch to a mythical sea-person. That’s colorful enough.
Quite unsurprisingly, Luffy delivered on his intent to tame the Kraken, and he even had the decency to do it off-screen, so the audience can later learn about Luffy’s new abilities in a more serious scenario. Vows of revenge, reunion reactions, and imminent eruption round out the chapter.
Final Flash: Some truly interesting setting establishment is somewhat hindered by a lack of a real driving force behind the plot. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable adventure.
One Piece 605
[scanlation by Binktopia]
Apparently Usopp has been away from Luffy too long, because a question like “Are you nuts?!” is rather unnecessary when directed at Luffy. The answer is pretty obvious.
Caribou is pretty much cementing himself as a minor character with lines of internal monologue that convey his bewilderment at the actions of the Straw Hat crew. He’s obviously in way over his head.
Wonderful deadpan comedy
Barefoot Coating is an interesting idea, and a nice contribution from Caribou, but this scenario is highly reminiscent of the early stages of the Jaya (and subsequent Skypiea) arc, when the same Monster Trio traveled underwater in individual “suits.” The material of the protective outfit may be different, but the setup is largely the same.
The conversation between Usopp and Caribou is unusual. Usopp clearly understands Caribou’s message, but Caribou’s dialogue is inside of a thought bubble, not a speech bubble. Is this intended to indicate hushed whispers from Caribou, or does Usopp have the innate ability to understand another liar?
I’m still not sold on the character’s altered design, but Franky Rocket Launcher is a pretty useful move. The Straw Hats were fairly limited in their long-range options, with only Usopp providing consistent quality from a distance. Franky seems to have evolved into a more complete fighter.
Chopper’s use of the Rumble Ball reveals another improved version of his original forms, this time showing off his huge Guard Point self. There’s no telling whether part of Chopper’s timeskip improvements will include new forms, but I’m satisfied with tweaked versions of what he already had.
Meanwhile, Robin demonstrates a little of her improvement, with Manos Gigantes. This isn’t unimpressive, and it certainly has potential for dealing with giants or large-human opponents, but it’s not the most creative addition to her arsenal. I often wonder if Oda ever feels written into a corner with Robin’s ability, given how easily it can be overpowered; as a result, she often feels deliberately underpowered, as though Oda is actively preventing her from being too strong compared to the rest of the crew. I’m not saying I’d like to see Robin evolve too much, as some potential uses of her power would be far too strong (entire cloned bodies, a mecha-like giant version of herself, etc.), but it’s difficult to see her use her powers without thinking that Oda is treading a fine line.
Better than Manos: the Hands of Fate... which says very little
Luffy’s Gear Third is at least familiar, though the Color of Armaments Hardening is going to take time to get used to, and Zoro once again displays his propensity (and talent) for cutting things, but the real shining star of this sequence is Sanji, whose Blue Walk grants him incredible speed despite being underwater. I hope to see his newfound speed more clearly defined in his next fight.
That clothed shark will certainly carry some significance, and is another candidate to serve as guide to Fishman Island, but there simply isn’t enough evidence to properly theorize about that yet.
The large panel illustrating the Deep Sea is stunning, and it marks the first time that this young arc has felt like a true One Piece adventure. With 3,000 still left to go, I’m finally suitably excited about the environment and setting of this trip.
Speaking of excited
Final Flash: As expected, the Kraken was a good way for the crew to demonstrate some new abilities without investing serious time into establishing even a minor villain. Good chapter.
Weekly Power Rankings: 11/14 – 11/20
Rank |
Change |
Series |
Chapter |
Score |
| 1 | +5 | Psyren | 143 | 80.06% |
| 2 | +2 | Beelzebub | 85 | 78.08% |
| 3 | -2 | Enigma | 10 | 77.33% |
| 4 | -2 | One Piece | 604 | 77.33% |
| 5 | +3 | Nurarihyon no Mago | 131 | 76.35% |
| 6 | +1 | Hayate no Gotoku! | 297 | 74.85% |
| 7 | +2 | The World God Only Knows | 122 | 73.87% |
| 8 | +3 | Bakuman | 109 | 73.04% |
| 9 | +3 | Fairy Tail | 211 | 72.18% |
| 10 | +4 | Defense Devil | 74 | 68.95% |
| 11 | +2 | Kekkaishi | 329 | 66.50% |
| 12 | -9 | Code:Breaker | — | 65.30% |
| 13 | -3 | History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi | 407 | 64.35% |
| 14 | -9 | Gamaran | — | 64.09% |
| 15 | +3 | Mahou Sensei Negima! | 309 | 60.43% |
| 16 | — | Toriko | 118 | 59.80% |
| 17 | +2 | Air Gear | 295 | 56.25% |
| 18 | +4 | Bleach | 426 | 56.05% |
| 19 | -4 | GE ~ Good Ending | 60 | 55.40% |
| 20 | -3 | Kimi no Iru Machi | 113 | 53.29% |
| 21 | -1 | Naruto | 516 | 50.87% |
| 22 | +1 | Kyoukai no Rin-ne | 74 | 45.91% |
| 23 | -2 | AR∀GO | 45 | 42.24% |
| 24 | — | Zettai Karen Children | — | 27.88% |
| 25 | — | Katekyo Hitman Reborn! | 314 | 25.28% |
| 26 | — | MiXiM☆11 | 120 | 20.00% |
| 27 | — | SWOT | 19 | 15.15% |
Weekly Power Rankings: 11/7 – 11/13
Rank |
Change |
Series |
Chapter |
Score |
| 1 | +1 | Enigma | 9 | 78.45% |
| 2 | +1 | One Piece | 603 | 78.45% |
| 3 | +1 | Code:Breaker | 112 | 78.45% |
| 4 | -3 | Beelzebub | 84 | 77.82% |
| 5 | +4 | Gamaran | 72 | 77.52% |
| 6 | +4 | Psyren | 142 | 75.82% |
| 7 | +1 | Hayate no Gotoku! | 296 | 74.22% |
| 8 | -3 | Nurarihyon no Mago | 130 | 74.13% |
| 9 | +4 | The World God Only Knows | 121 | 73.04% |
| 10 | -3 | History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi | 406 | 72.76% |
| 11 | — | Bakuman | 108 | 68.94% |
| 12 | — | Fairy Tail | 210 | 68.03% |
| 13 | +3 | Kekkaishi | 328 | 64.95% |
| 14 | +1 | Defense Devil | 73 | 64.09% |
| 15 | +3 | GE ~ Good Ending | 59 | 59.42% |
| 16 | -10 | Toriko | — | 59.23% |
| 17 | — | Kimi no Iru Machi | 112 | 58.76% |
| 18 | +2 | Mahou Sensei Negima! | 308 | 57.90% |
| 19 | +2 | Air Gear | 294 | 56.83% |
| 20 | +2 | Naruto | 515 | 50.07% |
| 21 | -2 | AR∀GO | 44 | 46.79% |
| 22 | +3 | Bleach | 425 | 45.97% |
| 23 | — | Kyoukai no Rin-ne | 73 | 45.15% |
| 24 | — | Zettai Karen Children | 238 | 36.70% |
| 25 | +1 | Katekyo Hitman Reborn! | 313 | 22.63% |
| 26 | +1 | MiXiM☆11 | 119 | 21.55% |
| 27 | +1 | SWOT | 18 | 14.24% |
Removed: Gintama
One Piece 604
[scanlation by Binktopia]
Lackluster Jump cover, but the chapter cover page more than makes up for it.
Brook mistaking a whale for Laboon is funny enough, but Luffy correcting him by claiming it’s Whitebeard is even funnier.
Any worries over Caribou attacking pretty quickly are being assuaged by the appearance and reaction of Mohmoo. These circumstances are funny, and I appreciate that we aren’t diving into a serious battle right away, but reintroducing Hatchan might have been enough of a nod back to Arlong Park. That said, this the precursor to Fishman Island, after all, so I can’t criticize it for simply being a forced attempt at nostalgia.
It would be uncharacteristic of the Straw Hats to simply throw Caribou into the ocean, but I’m a bit disappointed they didn’t. Caribou isn’t a particularly interesting character so far.
Usopp serving as the crew’s lie-detector would be an amusing touch.
Trust him, he's a professional
Sanji kicking Caribou for ogling Nami leads to a comedy scene, but the kick itself should not be ignored. The fact that Sanji was able to make contact with a character who has claimed to be a Logia user means either that Sanji has developed Haki more than was perhaps expected of him at this point, or that Caribou was being deliberately vague, and he isn’t a Logia at all.
What is this, Bill Nye the Science Guy? I’m supposed to be reading about a glorious adventure into an amazing undersea world. Stop scientifically explaining away every last detail of the mysticism.
Magic everywhere in this bitch
At least all of Nami’s intelligent dialogue led to a great group punchline. Luffy judging things as “mysterious” truly never gets old, and he finally has company.
Caribou giving a warning to the Straw Hats to turn back makes me think that he may end up serving as a “guide” type of character instead of an antagonist. I could easily see him being frightened by a display of strength from Luffy, realizing he has no chance, and instead offering some guidance and advice to help push the Straw Hats forward into new territory, both figuratively and literally.
Ignoring unfunny catchphrases and jokes, the use of a Kraken here is actually a positive choice. It’s too early for the crew to get involved in a major battle against a particular antagonist, but a limited demonstration of their newfound strength against a neutral creature is a perfectly acceptable way to show a little action without requiring a major investment of time or future consequences. This also lends some credence to my thoughts regarding Caribou, as taming the Kraken would seem to be more than sufficient proof that he is outmatched.
Final Flash: The Caribou stuff is acceptable but not hugely engaging, and the explanation of climate and currents was too lengthy, but the Kraken seems like it will provide the first genuinely interesting plot element since the timeskip.
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