Manga: Chapter 596 (SPOILERS!)

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

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This was an interesting chapter. We got a lot of information about where each crew member is going to go though we didn't go anywhere. The real surprise was how many crew members did we went over in this chapter. Now every crew member has been cover except for Zoro. This next chapter will be interesting because either Zoro is going  to take up a whole chapter or we going to visit Zoro for a small period of time then off to another place in the world. The easy answer would be that we will be hopping between different characters like we have been getting for the last few episodes. This isn't something I want but enough talk about what could not happen in the future.


The cover page for this chapter looked pretty awesome. Oda can be such a troll sometimes and this time by showing us Ace, Luffy and Sabo at their current ages. Though Sabo's face is cleverly masked by his top hat. Got to say that Sabo looked great and I can't wait till he is shown in the manga later on. Still now I have to guess that the next few cover pages will have three people on them and for now it will be one member of the crew with two people that are close to that crew member. An example would be Nami with Bellemere and Nojiko or Usopp with Kaya and possibility Yasopp. Something similar to that manner.

One thing that I have to admit is that a lot of this chapter was predictable after seeing the events of what happen last chapter. All the crew members had to find ways to get stronger and for Nami that meant staying on Weatheria to discover the ways of their weather controlling abilities. Though some of the things here were really funny and was done in Nami fashion. Using sly words and abusing the old people to get her way. Still she deserves her own house after all. So far all the people on this island seem to be really old men. No girl would want to share a house with these old men. Well at least I wouldn't if I was a girl.

"If I let him go, he'll die, and he's stupid. So I have to take care of him."
-Nami

What is great about Nami is that she can say all these mean things about Luffy but deep down she really cares for the stupid kid. The only reason she maybe willing to stay with all these old people is because she want to make her skills as a navigator better. These guys have knowledge about the weather in the New World which is where Luffy clearly wants to go. Nami is also thinking about how to up her battle style by trying to find a way to use the Weather Balls as a weapon. Haredas may not be up for the idea of making them into a weapon but Nami already has her Cool, Heat and Thunder Balls already so an all purpose ball would up the power of the Perfect Clima-tact. Still the most important part is that Nami improves her skills at a navigator which seems to be her number one concern.

Though one interesting thing that came out from this part was the mentioning of an island that rains lightning. Sounds pretty familiar to an island seen when Urouge's current location was shown. This could be a hint to a place where the StrawHats may travel to in the future. Something dropped like this can't be left alone to fall into the wayside while we are on this adventure. So this may lead to Luffy crossing paths with Urouge later in the future or at least unravel the mystery of this island that rains lightning.

"Please, listen! To my new single! "Bone to be Wild!""
-Brook

SKULL JOKE!

BAD JOKE!

Not much to comment here. This part maybe shouldn't be mention except that no direction is being shown on where Brook is going to go or do. If anything it just be expanding on what Brook did to help the people of Hungeria since he has a guitar out.

If Brook is going to improve on anything then clearly it would be in his fighting style. Though what we know about his fighting style is very little. He has some sort of fencing swordplay but is able to incorporate this with his music to create different effects upon the people who listen to it. As in what these effects could be are shrouded in mystery. They could either make people fall asleep or empower them. So how Brook will get out of this spot and what will become of him afterwords will be interesting to see since nothing much of anything is seen right now.

Click to enlarge

Now look at the second floor of the ship. You will notice something that looks like a pair of wings. Not sure if that is just decoration or something important. I am siding with that it is something important because the panel below we see that the mass is covering up whatever is attached to those wings. Then again this could be something I am over analyzing.

One note that was interesting (I am using the word 'interesting' too many times) was what Robin said about the Revolutionaries and pirates. She could have been joking but it seems like Revolutionaries and pirates don't get along too well. She made it seems like they would attack her if she went inside the cabin they had prepared for her. Though Robin does have a morbid sense of humor but this could be something that would matter a bit more in the future.

Still Robin is off to see the magical Dragon. As to what will happen is anybody guess but this must be her way in getting stronger. Robin is Luffy's 'internet' and the more knowledge about the world is better for her. What will result in this meeting is anybody guess.

Franky looks awesome here

One thing that this chapter did have was some awesome scenes with Franky. The  guy looks freakin scary but got to say the guy does look a bit cool. It seems like Vegapunk has a thing for self destructs but has more labs all over the place.

Though one thing that I like is the detail of Franky's body that was under the skin. You can see the pistols that fire the bullets for his Weapons Left and the pipes that look like they supply the fire for his Fresh Fire. Who knew that Franky was cover with that much in metal? Wonder where his bones are.

Franky seems like he has a plan to help improve Sunny and himself. The technology that Vegapunk may not have the chance to be created may go to good use with Franky since it seems like he will have a lot of time to develop when he isn't being chased by Marines and fixing himself up (as soon as he finds a mirror). Though this seems to make Franky epic because once again he did his epic thumbs up before leaving. haha

"Even Luffy loses sometimes! He's overdoing it! He's screaming! That's why...HE NEEDS MY ALMIGHTY POWER!"
-Usopp

Something that has been brought up by Usopp before after the defeat of Moria at the end of Thriller Bark. Now the need has risen and this time Usopp and the crew really know that they have to get stronger in order to support Luffy if the kid even has a chance to make it to become the Pirate King. This could be one of the few moments that Usopp is confident and he does it in his own way. That has and will take him far. He has always said he will become much more powerful and this will be his chance to show the power he has. Bits of it has been shown before with his matches against Mr. 4 and Ms. Merry Christmas and with Perona. So this shall be interesting.

Still I like what Usopp said at the end of this chapter. That is really deep there. He made up the alias of "Sniper King" to be with Luffy as they save Robin and it kind of became a joke. Maybe a lie one can say. Now it seems like Usopp is going to do what he is famous for and make this lie into a truth.  

This chapter was kind of bland and maybe a bit boring. All that was seen was how the crew will get stronger. It is interesting to see how each member will do it but they are in their own way. Though it seems like Kuma did took them to where they wanted to go. Each member went somewhere that has something that will help strengthen them and prepare them before they move on into the New World. it may not have seen like it at first but slowly we are seeing what they could have wanted. Usopp seems like he will gain something that will help him as in weaponry and thus help him become the 'True King of Sniping". So it should be interesting to see how the rest of the crew will be when they meet up.

So all that is left is Zoro. What can we except with next week's chapter is a mystery. Then the bigger mystery is what will happen between now and the very highly anticipated Chapter 600. If anything I am going to try to not get hyped up about Chapter 600. It seems highly possible that the crew will reunited on that chapter but I don't want to build myself up and then disappointed once we reach Chapter 600. Got hyped up for a few chapters back in Marineford and don't want that to happen again.

Still things seem to be taking an interesting turn for our favorite crew. Now we just have to see what other interesting turns we will get next week.