One Piece

Tsuru's power is hilarious.

I didn't even notice it on my first reading. Oda is practically channeling George Perez in terms of how visually chaotic (and awesome) this story has been.

Akainu is a badass.

Also, any guesses what Sengoku's master plan is?

It seems to be about executing Ace early. Though what that will cause beyond royally pissing off Whitebeard Koby didn't get a chance to explain.

Sengoku's the only major fighter left who hasn't showcased anything.

I'm excited.

Whitebeard would go Ax-Crazy and forget to be a tactician probably, leading his men into certain death.

I can't believe no one here talked about Boa Hancock when she suffered from love sickness, that caused the largest OMG WTF in Arlong Park history. A good portion the fanbase was going to start a revolt, while the other side (more numerous funnily enough) was preparing to deify Oda and proclaim him their one true God.

I was just horribly indifferent to the whole thing. But then, I read it during an archive binge and was waiting to get to Impel Down.

New chapter's out.

Lol, Croc actually thinks he can beat WB.

edited 17th Sep '09 10:30:31 AM by Lazen

Here's the link.

So Luffy finally enters the battle. I find myself in agreement with White Beard: I don't think Luffy will be much help, that the enemies they face are way above his current levels. Of course, that's never stopped him before, so why start now?

I got a kick out of everyone saying, "Strawhat? Buggy? Crocodile? What the hell is going on here!?" And of course Luffy tells White Beard that he'll be King of the Pirates, not White Beard, and sends everyone who hears him into shock. I can't wait to see what happens.

They're not all that much stronger than him actually (I mean an Admiral would probably wipe the floor with him, but still there are only three of them...and given all his allies).

He is on the level of a Warlord of the Sea. I mean he DID beat Sir Crocodile, and beat Gekko Moria...when the dude had OARS of all things...remember that monster was supposed to be powerful enough to give Moria the power take out a Yonkou. And when he didn't have it, but Luffy was nearly out of gas, it was STILL a crubstomp victory for Luffy

edited 17th Sep '09 9:57:51 PM by The Man In Black

So are you ignoring Luffy's shadow pumped form that he beat Oars with that he'll probably never use again or what?

And how would Moria know if Oars could beat Kaidou or not anyway? He hasn't fought him in 10 years.

edited 17th Sep '09 10:30:50 PM by Lazen

No, but I never said Luffy was powerful enough to take on an Admiral on head to head. (and I presume they are slightly under the Yonko in strength).

And Moria isn't a punk who couldn't handle it on the Grand Line like Arlong, so unlike him when Moria says "With this weapon I could conquer the New World!" I take it seriously. I mean there IS a reason the World Government recruited him as a Warlord of the Sea, the type of Pirate to put fear into the hearts of even big time pirates.

I doubt he would have succeeded (most arrogant villains with grandiose schemes never seem to win do they?), but he definitely would have proven a threat to him.

That is saying something.

And at full power (without his secret weapon, that did not factor into his assimilation into the World Government) Luffy made a joke of him, by beating to a pulp with extraordinary ease when he was half dead, while Moria was at full strength.

While Kuma crubstomped Luffy to counter that agrument before it begins, he is an exception that proves the rule, as like Blackbeard he is hiding his true strength...though unlike him he is doing probably at the Marines or World Governments insistence.

Please note, I think it will take Luffy and most of the main allies from Impel Down to help him take down ONE Admiral, but even that will prove him able to turn the tides to Whitebeard's favor.

That or One Piece is going into Darker and Edgier territory.

edited 17th Sep '09 11:13:00 PM by The Man In Black

My thought is Luffy's impact on events will be less direct. Earlier we saw Garp was conflicted over this matter, as it was duty vs. family. He could force himself to choose duty when it was just Ace, but now both of his grandsons are on the line. Garp switching sides could be a serious blow to the Marines.

"so unlike him when Moria says "With this weapon I could conquer the New World!" I take it seriously."

He was making a army of zombies like Oars. He wasn't going to use Oars alone.

"I mean there IS a reason the World Government recruited him as a Warlord of the Sea, the type of Pirate to put fear into the hearts of even big time pirates. "

That doesn't put him on the level of the Yonkou.

"And at full power (without his secret weapon, that did not factor into his assimilation into the World Government) Luffy made a joke of him, by beating to a pulp with extraordinary ease when he was half dead, while Moria was at full strength."

I don't see how you can claim Moria was at full strength when he just got smacked by Nightmare Luffy.

Wow. So much for Croc's Magnificent Bastardry. I was expecting Whitebeard to take him out (a guy made of earth going up against the earthquake man? Really?) but Croc doesn't even get that dignity. Sweet.

I don't think WB would even need to use his DF on Croc. WB could probably just punch him.

So in one corner we have Luffy, Buggy, Ivankov, Crocodile(?), and Whitebeard & Co. In the other, we have the Three Admirals, The Vice-Admirals, the Shichibukai (with possible exception of Hancock), and the various other minor powered officers.

Well, this is gonna be a HUGE clusterfuck.

Wow. So much for Croc's Magnificent Bastardry. I was expecting Whitebeard to take him out (a guy made of earth going up against the earthquake man? Really?) but Croc doesn't even get that dignity. Sweet.

Actually, I think the opposite as to who would win (going by DF powers alone). Crocodile would just be able to re-form every time he's broken.

"He was making a army of zombies like Oars. He wasn't going to use Oars alone."

No but he stated with HIM he could accomplish his goals. The Zombie crew was replacing his old one dude.

Also, I never said a Warlord of the Sea was as powerful as a Yonko, for the second time. With Oars his power rivaled one , without it...not so much.

And I am fully aware Luffy needed to become Nightmare Luffy to beat Oars, I never disagreed with that dude. Hence why I said a Admiral would curbstomp his ass, if they ever fought one on one. He is going to need to gang up on one with the guys from Impel Down to make a difference in this battle...but he WILL make a difference because of it.

Also: Moria revealed he wasn't even harmed, when he came of Oars remember? I mean besides a pot shot from Nightmare Luffy...but still!

Luffy was half dead thanks to that form, Moria was in his OWN Nightmare form...and Luffy beat the loser so bad his ancestors felt it.

Luffy is about as strong as a Warlord of the Sea now, but that does not mean not all of them are on the same level obviously. (I'm looking at you Donny!)

edited 19th Sep '09 3:16:08 PM by The Man In Black

If Whitebeard doesn't have Haki...he could just sic another tidal wave on Croc's ass.

I think Whitebeard is strong enough to handle one or two Admirals at the same time, do a crossword puzzle while he's at it.

edited 18th Sep '09 11:18:38 PM by The Man In Black

Whitebeard smacked the crap out of Ace when Ace tried to kill him. I say it's likely he has Haki.

"In the other, we have the Three Admirals, The Vice-Admirals, the Shichibukai (with possible exception of Hancock), and the various other minor powered officers"

And Sengoku. One of the only Marines who has Whitebeard's respect ("...Roger... Garp... Sengoku...The men who knew how the seas used to be back then have certainly dropped in number.") who was also once a Admiral himself. It's pretty obvious the guy's overpowered.

edited 19th Sep '09 7:26:05 AM by Lazen

Yeah, I guessed as much.

But even without it, Whitebeard's Devil Fruit is insanely over-powered.

I like how so many of the notable fighters in this war are DF users.

And no, that was not sarcasm.

American superhero writers should be required to read One Piece, IMO. Oda is putting together better superpower fights than any other writer I can recall.

I also like the proliferation of Fruits, partly because it makes the whole conflict much more interesting and partly because it stresses that not just anybody can learn Haki and go out ass-kicking. It's reassuring to see that the series won't devolve into a Haki-fest anytime soon, and it will likely never do so.

Luffy got mangled by Crocodile twice and survived round 3 because he was given the antidote for Croc's poison.

Luffy needed all those shadows the Rolling Pirates had to beat Moria.

A weaker version of Kuma gave the SH's a workout.

Yep, Luffy still has a long way to go.

edited 23rd Sep '09 9:26:42 PM by Lazen