How dare you not go over to OnePieceOfficial.com and see this episode!
First Thoughts
Well, to put it bluntly, I wasn’t expecting much, but I surprised myself by really enjoying this episode. It was another collection of flashbacks like last episode, but this one had more current involvement and actually had people doing things other than flashbacks the whole time.
I was hopeful for some flashbacks on battle scenes with Strawhats, and I wanted to see the Admirals a bit more as well. Also, I was interested in what they would show for DoFlamingo and Akainu, as they are the only people there who have yet to get involved in some way with any member of Luffy’s crew.
Summary
As Luffy and his makeshift crew of convicts approach the final distance to Marineford, the 5 gathered Shichibukai are summoned outside to prepare for the execution, as well as the 3 Admirals. As each Shichibukai is called upon, their previous involvement with Luffy or his crew is revealed in a flashback, and each Admiral is shown with their previous meetings with the Strawhats.
The only two people to have not made any contact with a Strawhat so far are Shichibukai Don Quixote DoFlamingo and Admiral Akainu, as revealed by the flashbacks.
Thoughts
Oh, this is the last time that we will be seeing Opening 12 on a new episode. Honestly, it is a pretty good opening, and it was decently done as well. It sort of grew on me I suppose. Still…the time that they chose for a happy-go-lucky song is terrible. You really shouldn’t play a nice song like this for what is supposed to be an angst-filled arc. No matter though, because it is over now, and it will still live on in old episodes and YouTube.
So here is Buggy, or should I say the self-proclaimed Captain Buggy attempting to order around Jimbei. That was really entertaining. Now that Buggy has a self-importance streak going, he is a much more entertaining guy. Maybe now he can get over hating Luffy as much…it isn’t like Luffy needs any more people who dislike him anyway. Luffy is just so determined, he totally ignores Buggy’s rantings.
I think that it is funny how Buggy and the other people keep saying “the 7 Warlords of the Sea” when it is really only Mihawk, Hancock, Moria, Kuma, and DoFlamingo. They do have two Warlords on their side, even though Crocodile is more than likely to just kill anyone in his way. Blackbeard is still at Impel Down (for now), but he is undoubtedly going to try and get to Marineford as well. I doubt that he would miss a chance like this to become even more famous.
Okay, so now back to the actual images. I love how huge the sliding doors are. It must be a real pain to have super-sized humans walking through all of the time.
(Honestly, even though I have already read to chapter 571, I have forgotten a lot of each fight and scene, so I really don’t’ recall who does what anymore. So this really is possible speculation for good anime-only fans)
Bartholomew Kuma…his wants and goals are still unknown. Like, why did he save the Strawhats back on Shabondy when they were about to get killed or captured? That much was obvious; if he really wanted them dead, he would just have let Kizaru and his cyborg-clones finish the crew off. No doubt he will still be a ferocious opponent however.
Dracule “Hawk-Eye” Mihawk, dangerous as he is, is an honorable swordsman, so he will probably try and pair up with some swordsman and try and fight them. Though I would not put it past him to attack anyone...
Gecko Moria may want to get after Luffy if he spies him there, but he is really dangerous. If he stole a person’s shadow in that daylight, they would just be destroyed, so that is very alarming indeed. He will probably also not care whether the foe is a pirate or a marine.
Boa Hancock will no doubt just turn anyone to stone, pirate or marine alike due to her hatred of both. I bet that she will probably give in and save Luffy a few times too, just because she can and because she doesn’t care if the marines see her do it.
Don Quixote DoFlamingo…well, no one knows what he wants yet. I think he’s sadistic, but I have no ideas as to his plans or wants…and of course there is always the subject of his powers. He is, by far, my favorite of the Shichibukai, if only for his evilness. He is one of those rare, non-crazed villains (so far). I really hope that he doesn’t go insane and break down like most villains if he gets beaten though. I don’t see how he could be defeated at this point however…
The Admirals are what Luffy and the others really should be worrying about; the Shichibukai will be busier just creating a ruckus than actually fighting who they are supposed to be fighting. Plus, each of the Warlords is a Logia-type user, and none of them will hold back on anybody (even though they are supposed to…beeping Marines…). Kizaru with his light-speed and light attacks, Aokiji with his ice, and Akainu with his lava. At least the Shichibukai can be hit, with Logia users though…
The interesting thing that I noticed is that in all of the flashbacks to either the Shichibukai or Admirals, they were all beating up Luffy and them really soundly. Those who turned out to be on good terms with them (Hancock), showed honor (Mihawk), or at least were nicer to them (Aokiji) also showed good scenes along with the scenes where they were destroying the Strawhats (or just Luffy). All of the Warlords and Admirals were shown in their peak moments though, probably to instill fear in their power in the audience.
Well…it worked. These guys (and Hancock)…are really intimidating. Also, was DoFlamingo’s first voice actor the narrator? I think that their voices are way too similar…
Aokiji’s flashback to his meeting with the crew made me remember all of the things that were hinted at or revealed when they met. We grew eager about Robin’s mysterious past, about Luffy’s family, and how powerful the World Government truly is. Also, the scene with Luffy telling Aokiji that he is going to “fight him man-to-man” made me remember what Aokiji said after he froze Luffy. He said something about how Luffy had challenged him like that so that it would be dishonorable to pursue the rest of the crew after Luffy lost, and then he wondered if Luffy had challenged him like that actually believing that he could win. I liked when he pondered that. Aokiji is one of the only Marines I like, besides Garp and Toby of course.
Well, watching the fight with Kizaru made me remember how much I hate that Beep. He is such a freak; he is lazy, unfair, slightly sadistic, uncaring, cruel, ridiculous, and ugly. Yes, he looks really old. Plus, I hate his suit. I understand now why Kizaru is a rather mixed topic of like or hate. He is so…weird. And not in the good way either.
By the way everyone keeps talking about Akainu, I’m going to assume that he is the only one of the three Admirals who actually cares about doing his job thoroughly, is not lazy, and is serious all of the time. Kizaru doesn’t really seem to be quite…there, all of the time, and the overall air he gives off is just uncaring about what happens. Aokiji seems very lazy, but from what we have seen of him in his meeting with the Strawhats and back on Ohara, it looks as though even though he is for the Marines, he believes that sometimes they are wrong as well.
He is obviously not as rebellious as Garp, but still, the seed is planted. Sometimes, it is a really good thing to have indecisive people like this higher up. Aokiji is like Garp and also like Kaku from the CP9; totally intent to do their job, but still. That feeling is there.
So then they wrap up the episode with one last look at Luffy and then one of Ace before he leaves his cell to go up on the execution platform. Now they have me really excited for next week. All-in-all, I must say that this was a way better episode than I was imagining it to be. I’m really pumped for next week now, time to see Marineford.
Yes, it will be good to see something new for a change; I haven’t watched any new material in what seems like ages. So apparently Ace-kun is being brought out onto the platform, a few glimpses of Garp when he was much younger, probably some big things on Ace’s past, and Garp is banging his fist on Sengoku’s table in rage. That could be where Sengoku threatens Garp to not interfere with the execution, because there is the huge suspicion that he is going to do something and Garp is angry that they would assume that, even though it is probably true. Then Luffy’s ship approaches the final Gate of Justice and he awaits the giant battle that is about to unfold.
It looks like the episode is going to be entirely about the events at Marineford, the Shichibukai are there as well as the Admirals, and the Marines are trying to keep spirits up so that everyone is prepared for when (not “if”, “When”) Whitebeard attacks. Oh, and we finally get to see a better view of Akainu’s face. It looks stern and serious, unlike the other two Admirals. He must take his job very seriously…
Nice Hawaiian shirt. It’s ironic that he is most serious yet the other two are wearing more formal outfits, like suits.
Look at all of those Marines…wow. That, I will admit, is rather intimidating.
Next Episode: The Time of the Decisive Battle Draws Near!
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