Tag Archives: Usopp

Book Review: One Piece, Vol 20: Showdown at Alubarna by Eiichiro Oda

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One Piece, Vol 20: Showdown at Alubarna   

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: February 3, 2009

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Action Adventure/216 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Luffy and the Crocodile are having a showdown in the desert, as everyone scrambles toward Alubarna. The Crocodile is a tough customer, but Luffy refuses to give up, no matter what. Is it possible he’s met his match? Captain Smoker announces he has other business to attend to and tells Tashigi to decide for herself what she wants to do. What is he up to?

Vivi and the rest of Luffy’s crew utilize a huge crab named Pincers to navigate the desert, but a problem arises when they reach the Sandora River. Oddly enough, this crab doesn’t like water! What are they to do? Looks like a job for Karoo and the Supersonic Duck Squad!  The Rebels are also on the move, but Baroque Works is determined that Vivi and Koza not cross paths. Wonder why?

As Usopp and Sanji race to Vivi’s aid, she encounters someone who looks like Usopp. But luckily she knows the difference.   The real Usopp and Vivi, along with Chopper, come face to face with Mr. 4 and Merry Christmas, and Usopp becomes engaged in a game of Whack a Mole! When things take a turn for the worse, though, he decides to flee…

There is a lot going on in this volume, not gonna lie. I found it confusing at times to remember who is where and doing what. Nonetheless I think we’re approaching the end of this arc, hopefully on to bigger and better things. I imagine we’ll lose Vivi after this, as she will be needed to take care of her kingdom. Perhaps things will work out with her and Koza and they will do this together. I admit I didn’t care for her at first, as a member of Baroque Works, but her real identity and personality have come out and she is much nicer than I thought. Another great volume, on to the next!

Book Review: One Piece, Vol 15: Straight Ahead!!! by Eiichiro Oda

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One Piece, Vol 15: Straight Ahead!!!       

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: August 7, 2007

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Action Adventure/216 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Pretending to be Mr 3, Sanji has a strange conversation via snail phone with someone who calls himself Zero. He must be the leader of the Baroque Works! Sanji lies and says the Straw Hats are dead, no need to send anyone else to do the job. But will Zero believe him, or will he want some kind of evidence? Both men are unaware that their conversation is being overheard via a listening device by none other than Captain Smoker of the Navy!

A joyous Sanji reunites with his friends. Usopp is rather angry, though. “He wasn’t around when we needed him, but he has the nerve to show up now?” Sanji tells them about his conversation with Zero. And also how he happened to find the Eternal Pose for Alabasta. Huzzah! Now they can leave! If not for that, they would have to stay there a year until their own Pose resets. They bid a fond farewell to Broggy and Dorry and off they go!

To their horror, they discover that Nami is burning up with fever!  Oh dear! She needs a doctor and she needs one now! Plans to head toward Alabasta have to be shelved in favor of locating the nearest island with a doctor! What’s this up ahead? Is that someone standing in the middle of the ocean… on the water! Gasp! How can that be? No, there’s a submersed ship beneath the figure, and up it pops, and with it Captain Wapol of the Tin Tyrant Pirates! Surely this can’t be good?

After the encounter with Wapol and his crew, they sail on, and everything starts to grow colder. Viv explains that they are approaching a winter island. As they near the island, they spot people on the shore, obviously waiting for them. A rather large man tells them to go away, before the people fire on them! Luffy’s first impulse is to respond with anger, but cooler heads prevail and they apologize profusely and beg for help for their friend Nami, who is terribly ill and needs a doctor.

Luffy and his crew are allowed to land. They’re taken to Big Horn Village. The big man’s name is Dalton. He’s the Protector of the island. Unfortunately, there’s only one doctor on the island, and she’s a witch who lives in the castle far away on the hill. They have no way of contacting her, so Luffy decides he’ll take Nami to the witch. Sanji volunteers to go with them, while the others remain behind and wait. Dalton warns them to watch out for the Lupins.  Dalton tells them that they were once called the Drum Kingdom and they were ruled by the worst king ever, whose name was Wapol. That name rings a bell! Wasn’t that the pirate they encountered? Dalton realizes that he is still looking to find his way back to the island, and woe betide everyone should that occur!

A lot to unpack in this volume, a whole lot going on.  From finally being able to leave the island, Nami getting sick, the encounter with the strange pirates, and then their frosty reception on the Winter island, never a dull moment. Sanji’s conversation with Zero is hilarious. Naturally, he’ll figure out at some point that the Straw Hats are not dead and the search for them will recommence.  Will they get to the witch doctor in time to save Nami? Will they live to get to the witch doctor? Have to wait until the next volume to find out!

Book Review: One Piece, Vol 14: Instinct by Eiichiro Oda

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One Piece, Vol 14: Instinct     

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: April 3, 2007

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Action Adventure/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Princess Vivi is appalled that the giant Dorry was tricked into drinking exploding ale, but she assures him they had nothing to do with that! Luffy is forced to overpower him, for the giant’s sake as well as their own, and now he is angry that this happened to Dorry. Meanwhile, Mr. 5 and Ms. Valentine seem to be in trouble with their superiors over their failure. But they can redeem themselves by obtaining the heads of the two giants, Broggy and Dorry, which are worth 100 million berries each!

Luffy, Vivi, Zolo, and Usopp end up running into each other, only to learn that Nami has disappeared and Usopp thinks a dinosaur ate her! Turns out that the two bosses are Mr. 3 and Ms. Goldenweek – he works in wax and she is an artist of gravity. Mr. 3 interferes in the giant’s battle and helps to bring one down and capture the other. Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine capture Vivi, Zoro, and Nami and bring them to Mr. 3, who intends to make them part of his huge candelabra!

Luffy arrives with Usopp and Karoo, but it’s unclear whether his presence is more of a hindrance than a help. Can he use the powers of the wax against their owner? And will Miss Goldenweek overcome him with her Colors Trap ability? Meanwhile, back at the ship, Sanji is wondering what is taking everyone so long, and maybe the girls need him to rescue them. He decides to search for them and runs across the other wax camp, now abandoned. Naturally, he decides to have some tea.  Unexpectedly, though, he hears a phone ring. In the middle of the jungle? Of course he answers it and receives a surprising reply from the other end.

These Baroque Works people just seem to keep coming out of the woodwork! Apparently, the lower their number, the higher in the hierarchy they are. And now we meet Mr. 3 and Miss Goldenweek (It seems the number system just applies to the men, although each is partnered with a woman). The lower the number also translates to greater abilities, it seems, as well.  Zolo’s suggestions as to how they should accept the inevitable and pose as candles are hilarious, but Nami is not so quick to embrace that particular Fate – not even the suggestion they cut off their legs.

This volume contains a mix of comedy, tragedy, and mystery.  Always something in the Grand Line, am I right? Looking forward to the next volume!

Book Review: One Piece, Vol 11: The Meanest Man in the East by Eiichiro Oda

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One Piece, Vol 11: The Meanest Man in the East    

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: July 5, 2006

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Action & Adventure/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Luffy is still battling Arlong. He’s finding the Fishman hard to defeat! Breaking his teeth does no good because sharks just grow new ones! The fight carries inside his headquarters, into the chart room. And this is where Arlong makes his mistake when he talks about using Nami for her cartography skills. Incensed at the idea that Arlong has been using his friend, Luffy goes berserk and destroys Arlong park! At just that moment, the crooked Marines arrive. When they learn of Arlong’s defeat, the leader, Captain Nezumi, attempts to take all the gold for himself, but nobody is having that and they deliver to him the smackdown of his life! The disgruntled Captain Nezumi informs the navy of the existence of a dangerous pirate and his four henchmen, and a bounty is placed on Luffy’s head –higher than that of most other pirates!

Luffy and the others have celebrated their victory with the villagers, and now it’s time to go. But where is Nami?  Sanji is horrified to think she might not be coming, but she is, of course. She just has one more thing to do.  Back on the high seas once more, headed toward the Grand Line, Luffy is delighted to discover that he has a price on his head. He feels as though he’s really arrived now and been officially recognized as a pirate. The others tell him that isn’t really good, especially such a high bounty, because it puts a target on their back! People will be coming after them now, strictly for the money.

As they pass by a particular island, Nami informs them that this where the infamous pirate Gold Rogers was executed, in a town called Roguetown. Would Luffy like to go there? Of course he would! Once ashore, the crew scatters to do their own thing. Nami looks for clothes she doesn’t intend to buy, and Zolo needs swords. He goes to a shop that sells them, but when the owners finds out how little he has to spend on two swords, he isn’t very enthusiastic about his presence… until he notices the sword Zolo carries and tries to cheat him out of it. Luckily, a knowledgeable young lady who happens to be in the shop gives Zolo much needed advice and helps him search for two swords in his price range. Wait, is he actually going to take the cursed sword?

Oh oh, Luffy is in trouble when a couple of unexpected blasts from his past show up on the island and he finds himself on the same execution stand where Gold Rogers met his end.  On top of everything else, Nami says that a huge storm is on the way and it’s going to hit the island!

Finally, we see the end of the evil Arlong (or at least I presume so). I love the way Luffy stands up for people, especially the ones he cares about. For one so young, he is very mature in ways, but very immature in others. I loved the scene between Mihawk and Shanks. If you watch the live anime, you’ll see that the actor playing Mihawk got him to a tee! If you haven’t watched it yet, you should, it’s great! I sure didn’t expect to see those two return and I would never have recognized one of them if she hadn’t mentioned her name.  It turns out that Zolo’s new friend works for the naval captain, Smoker. This can’t be good, can it?

Another great volume of One Piece, looking forward to the next!

Book Review: One Piece, Vol 10: Let’s Stand Up! by Eiichiro Oda

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One Piece, Vol 10: Let’s Stand Up!     

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: April 4, 2006

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Action & Adventure/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Luffy and the others reach the island where Nami has absconded to. Luffy is convinced that she is not the bad person she appears to be, that there must be a reason why she is working with Arlong the Fishman and his pirate crew. When they learn what her true motives are, and how she is working to buy back Coco Village from Arlong’s tyranny, Luffy knows what he has to do -defeat Arlong and free them all!

Luffy, Sanji, Zolo, and a reluctant Usopp head to Arlong Park, where the fishmen are dismissive of them. The fight begins, with their terrible leader nowhere in sight. Unfortunately, Luffy finds himself in quite the predicament when he ends up stuck in the cement, unable to move. To make matters worse, Arlong shows up, and manages to cut out Luffy, cement and all, and hurl him into the water! Oh dear, as everyone knows, those who eat the devil fruit cannot swim! Can they save Luffy from drowning? Matters aren’t helped when Usopp runs off, followed by one of Arlong’s men.

Sanji dives into the water to rescue Luffy but he is attacked by one of the fishmen and has to do battle. Meanwhile, Nojiko (Nami’s sister) and Mr. Genzo have come to the rescue. Nojiko holds Luffy’s head above water, having stretched his neck, while Mr. Genzo presses on his chest to help him breathe. Even so, how long can Luffy hold out like this?

Usopp, in fear for his life, manages to convince his attacker that he is dead, but his conscience gets the better of him, thinking of Luffy and the others, and he decides to stand up to him, come what may! Nami decides the same thing and heads into the fray! Once Luffy is rescued, it’s time that he and Arlong tangle!

This volume of One Piece is about standing up for yourself and for your friends and doing the right thing. Nami has been with Arlong and his nefarious crew for a long time, albeit for good reasons, but she’s also been isolated and abused, becoming mistrustful of people. She learns to let go of that thanks to Luffy, who believes the best of everyone. Usopp, despite his bravado and wild tales, has essentially considered himself to be a coward, afraid to step in, afraid to be hurt. But Luffy has shown him that friends fight for friends, and he is finding his backbone at last.

Luffy’s a good kid, and a good friend and captain. He does not allow injustice to go unpunished, especially when it concerns his friends. It’ll be interesting to see how he develops as the story goes along. Great volume, look forward to the next!