Manga: Chapter 561 (SPOILERS!)

SPOILERS!!! SPOILERS!!! SPOILERS!!!! 

WOW! JUST WOW!

As I said and maybe everybody else on Twitter. OH S***!

Those two words were the only words that could describe this chapter all together. I am not a swearing person but really I came that close to when I got done with this chapter. Clearly no other words could be used to describe what happens in this chapter. There are some that come close as in 'Awesome' and 'Crazy' but really those are off.

And nothing against Bleach because that manga as it's moments too but I never really read the manga. The thing is that before I read the new chapter for One Piece. I decided to read the new chapter for Bleach while I wait. While reading the chapter I felt indifferent. Ichigo for a while kind of meh to be but I found myself excited on the ending of the manga because certain characters appeared. Still compare this week's One Piece to it and there was nothing between the long distance between the two chapters. I just have to saw I was blown away with this week's chapters. Blown away! I only wish this came last week so this week I would be talking about the outcome of this week's  chapter (I talk more about what I mean in this week's One Piece More post). Still we can all tell that when Oda takes a break that the guy doesn't fail to impress when he comes back. This time is no different.

So enough about me just ranting on. Time for recap and discussion!

Confuse on the cover of this week's chapter. Still is Oda doing a look back at Luffy's past with this week's chapter? Luffy seems really young here. His shirt and pants seem much smaller then what he is wearing right now. A look back at Luffy after he met Shanks and before meeting Ace? Maybe. I guess we see next week to see if this is some sort of cover story. To tell the truth I am not familiar with what Oda does for these covers when he isn't doing cover stories.

So we start off where we left off on the last piece of One Piece! haha (Sorry, couldn't help myself.) Luffy and Mihawk facing off in what we hope won't be an end all for all fight. Just the other night I was thinking about how this fight will end. I was thinking that Luffy may try to not fight Mihawk since he knows that Mihawk is Zoro's fight. I mean Luffy was there back at Baratie when Zoro was defeated by Mihawk and Zoro made the promise to defeat Mihawk. So I was thinking that Luffy was going to just avoid Mihawk but I guess this is somewhat a no-hold-back fight and everybody is fair game. Mihawk still has to work for the Marines and Luffy still has to save Ace.

Now what I am saying isn't to be an idiot because I too hate when this happens but I am going to do it. Still I say it in a quesiton. Does Mihawk has some sort of Haki? Yeah yeah. I know stupid and I shouldn't be using Haki to explain everything that makes no sense. Still it looked like he had some sort of Haki ability. His eyes had those lines things that looked like he was shooting something. Those same lines that Luffy get sometimes when he use his Haki. Still maybe not? Who knows. Just being stupid I guess. Just an idea I am throwing.

And now everybody will think Mihawk has Haki. haha

Though it is clear that Mihawk has some sort of 'flying blade' attack similar to Zoro's Caliber Phoenix or better. I mean we saw Mihawk doing this back at The Baratie. Still that attack that Mihawk did looked so cool! Where Mihawk falls from the sky with him on his sword like it was a pogo stick. haha I wanted to use that but I couldn't cut it out evenly. Still good thing it missed Luffy. Though I think if that had hit then Luffy would be no more. I guess Mihawk is that skilled where he can do heavy finishers like those and have them fail with no worry.

I guess there are some people who can help Luffy out as in Ivankov's men but even they are no match against Mihawk. I guess something like that would have happen so this makes the fight a no-run fight for Luffy. Oh well...Better for us. More fight scenes between Luffy and Mihawk. 

Here is one thing that I am not sure on though. The part where Luffy was about to do Jet Bazooka but stopped. Then we get the image of Luffy's hand being cut off. For a minute I thought Luffy actually got his hand cut off but it seems like it didn't if we look in the next few pages. So this makes me wonder about Mihawk being able to use Haki. Apparently there is different types of Haki so maybe Mihawk has some sort of Haki to allow others seem images of terror or the future? Crazy I know but I kind of hope that what I read off the One Piece Wiki isn't true where Luffy and use his Haki to predict things. For once I would like to believe that Luffy used his brain to figure out that maybe it isn't a good idea to use Jet Bazooka against somebody who is considered a master swordsman. I mean we have to give props to Luffy at least every so often. He isn't braindead...We seen him braindead before....(Skypeia).

Then we get that epic MOUNTAIN SLICE! (Props to Tehkei from Twitter for naming and helping me pick the operning image.)

You know you are powerful if you can slice though a huge block of ice like that.

Also can anybody see the reaction of that Marine that is close to Mihawk? I think that guy is worry about the battleships that are there. If you look, the top part of the ice block is going to fall on top of the ships there. I guess that even Mihawk has his moments of 'I don't care about you Marines'.

Then back to Croc and Doflamingo. Got to say it really was awesome. To see Crocodile there talking to Doflamingo. I mean it seems like Crocodile saw that Doflamingo's offer in the last chapter was more like a ploy or a plan. If so then smart call there Crocodile. I guess it takes a schemer like Crocodile to see though a fellow schemer like Doflamingo. When you think about it, both Crocodile and Doflamingo are both schemers. They both have something hidden up their sleeves, or in Doflamingo's case feather boa, and whatever it is we know it is big or surprising at least.

It also seems like Doflamingo still has a hold on Jozu. Doflamingo's hand is in a fist which looks like is keeping Jozu frozen.

Still what Crocodile does next is even more awesome.

Sables!

"OUT OF MY SIGHT...YOU DAMN FLAMINGO!!!"
-Crocodile

Then that giant sandstorm/twister. I have no idea what happen to Doflamingo but that is one huge sandstorm. Just awesome there. Say something and then SLAP! In the sandstorm you go along with everybody else! Nice.

And Buggy gets in there too....Awesome face from Buggy though. It looks like Buggy was watching as the sandstorm attack was coming and didn't know what to do. Like a deer in the headlights.

Hmm...Oh shoot....This isn't good.

haha Aww...Awesome face. Yep. Awesome face.

Then we have that fight with Luffy and Mihawk still going on. Mihawk is swing his sword and going around and Luffy is avoiding the hits. Pretty fast too so I guess he activated Second Gear. Then what Luffy does, he uses his brain! Then makes up a new move!

Gomu Gomu No Substitute! 

AND LUFFY GRABS BUGGY! HAHA

Wow...Either that is pure dumb luck or Luffy planned this stuff out. I mean Luffy knows about Buggy's Devil Fruit so cuts from Mihawk's blade will do nothing to the guy. I was actually hoping we could get a fight between Buggy and Mihawk to tell the truth. And here it is! I am getting my fight! Yay!

And Luffy does Gomu Gomu Substitute again! Still funny. haha

And I am getting all happy to see Buggy fighting but what happens....Buggy gets blown up...Well ok. That sucks. Not much of a battle but I kind of hope that Buggy will recover. A good part of me says he didn't but still I am hoping. I mean Buggy been blown up by his own Buggy Ball before right? So he can still fight right? Right? Yeah...Lets go with that.

So Luffy runs and runs. Still it seems like Marco is finally appearing to save Luffy's butt...by sending in some guy we never seen before to fight Mihawk. Ok. That is good. I mean at least we know that Marco is watching Luffy's back. Ok. I would like to see Marco fight but this is just as good kind of. Marco is playing it smart as a First Commander should do. So ok. Cool.

Thought I just notice this. If Mihawk is some sort of Spanish dude then Vista is clearly the white version of Mihawk. haha Mihawk looks all Spanish-ish with his eyes and mustache and hat while Vista has that long looking mustache and top hat. haha

"That is no "skill" or "technique"...But the simple ability to turn those around him into his allies...I would call that the most dangerous ability in this entire ocean...!!"
-Mihawk

That there was an awesome moment of this manga chapter. I mean there is a lot of action here but the word really awed me. When you have a guy of Mihawk's level to reconize something within a small fry like Luffy (Come on, Luffy is small fry-ish compare to Mihawk) then you know it is something. What Mihawk said is true though. Look at all the people Luffy has gained on his side because of this 'ability'. And I am not talking about what he has done in this arc or in Impel Down. I am talking from the very beginning. Almost all of Luffy's crew didn't want to join Luffy but the kid did something to get them to come. Remember Zoro and Sanji? Both of them had said no at first but Luffy got them. Nami? Same thing. Nami was willing to ride with Luffy and that is after they first met. Now she is one of the top leaders in the StrawHats. Chopper and Usopp. Luffy asked and they came. Robin had no real connection to Luffy. The girl only seen Luffy a few times and she was willing to help the guy out before Luffy decided to save her from the tombs of Alabasta. Robin was helping way before then too with the Eternal Pose at Whiskey Peak. Franky? Wasn't this guy an enemy of Luffy before? He even attacked Luffy and got his men to beat the crud out of Usopp. Yet Luffy asked him to join and now he has Franky. Brook was all over the offer.

Now getting to more recent times, all of the men that Luffy has with him right now are mostly former enemies. Mr.3, Bon Clay, Buggy and Crocodile. The latter wanted something but in the end they all joined Luffy to get Ace out of Impel Down and to get out of the great prison. Just by talking to Jinbei and Ivankov was Luffy able to get these powerful men to help him. Then with Whitebeard, this guy only exchanged a few words with Luffy and was willing to hand over his most powerful Commander to guard over Luffy. And then even crazier, these guys that Marco are commanding to help Luffy have no problem with taking over these fights from Luffy. Even Ivankov's men have no problem with this either.

That is crazy. Clearly Luffy has some sort of ability to bring people together and it is working out for him even now.

Still Mihawk is right. This ability to make 'allies' is a powerful one. Just look at what Whitebeard has. Whitebeard has that same ability and because of that he has his own little pirate army here. It may have taken Whitebeard years to get this ability yet it seems like Luffy has almost the same effect as Whitebeard's but better. Still only time will tell on what will happen to this 'ability'.

Oh...Time for the serious part. The very serious part...

We see our guys fighting hard on the field. Each one of them with their own struggles. Yet over the seeing everything is Sengoku and his plot...

Sengoku commands that all Den Den Mushi visuals are to be cut off....

"In a few hours' time...when the world learns of the outcome..the single word "Victory"...will be more than enough."
-Sengoku

And over the horizon we see an army of Pacifistas. Just in the panel that we are given there are nine Pacifistas. Each one just as powerful then the last. Each one cost just as much as a Marine battleship and have the powerful laser that can harm anything.

Does anybody realized that it looks like the Marines are doing a Buster Call? I just looked this up but it takes 10 ships to do a Buster Call. As I said just a few seconds ago, there are 9 see able Pacifistas which is one less short of a Buster Call. Then back at Sabaody Archipelago, Sentoumaru said that a Pacifistas cost just as much as a Marine battleship. The very same that are used for Buster Call.

One thing I have to say is that the Marines have been preparing for this  battle for a long time. They must have been saving their money and building these guys up just for this battle.

Next thing, this is the Marine's Master Stroke. This is literally an full-out attack from them and there may not be nothing left if this turns into a Buster Call-like attack.

This card that the Marines have just pulled out is something. I am confident that this is how the Marines had planned to execute Ace. They knew that Whitebeard was going to come and saw that something like this was going to happen. So they are going to blow up Marineford with everybody there. I have no idea of Sengoku and the top Marine people are going to avoid the attack but I am sure they have that planned already. This is literally and all or nothing attack with nothing surviving. It is a Buster Call on land.

Luffy, Whitebeard and the group are literally going have to pull a rabbit out of the hat to counter this. I really don't know how they can avoid this. It took almost all the the StrawHats to take one down. How many powerful pirates would it take to bring down one? Then the other eight. Then considering there are plenty of other powerful Marines there.

To tell the truth, I am thinking that the Marines are going for the Warlords that are there too. They don't care who gets caught in the crossfire as long as it isn't a Marine. That is at least all I am saying about who will get shot and who won't.

The only way I can think of is if Whitebeard finally gets in the brawl and get his hands dirty. To show us the full power of the Gura Gura Fruit and cause some massive damage. Maybe the Marines have thought of a way to counter this with the Pacifistas. Maybe they haven't. I just saying that some serious firepower is needed to take down these guys. Every weapon has it's flaw and the Pacifistas are no different.

Awesome chapter. Very awesome. There is nothing more that I can say that will express how awesome it is. I truly can't wait till next week and see what happens. We can only pray that Luffy and them are able to get out of this situation alive.