Anime: Post Marineford Arc- Episode 497

This is the Boss (Mikey)’s face when my Post is late again…and also when he’s just fallen down a pit I dug. See why the Boss of the mountain bandits is like this at OnePieceOfficial.com today!

First Thoughts

So, I am thinking, “Hey, when am I going to be able to see this episode? Another one is already out, and I want to see the end of this Flashback Arc!” I start watching, and BAMP: it makes me excited once more. The beginning of the episode is much too fun and cute for its own good, cute little kids acting silly, and annoying the bandits to hysterics. This episode is WAY to adorable and funny for its own good!

Seriously though, too much happiness is always making up for some horrific event happening later, or soon…which is really, really bad in this Past Arc…aw…

*Warning: Authoress apologizes for shamelessly abusing old people by using a reference, even when said people (Dadan) aren’t all that old and said apologizer is totally not apologetic. Yes, I am terrible, you can yell at me now. *grins*

Summary

Overcome by the trio of young boys creating chaos in her hideout, Dadan decides to chase the boys off, only to have Makino and the Mayor show up to see how Luffy is doing after 6 months away. After Makino some motherly love into the home for the night, Garp makes a surprise visit right as Luffy and Ace reinstate their dreams to become pirates, determined to show all 3 boys the “true” path: to be a Marine!

After pounding them for a while with his Fists of Love, the boys run away to live on their own in order to continue their dream of being pirates. Garp leaves the next day, saying that his “vacation is over”, while Dadan still attempts (and fails) to deny any feelings for the three boys, even while 2 weeks go by and still there is no sign of them. Meanwhile, the boys build their own pirate fort, and get to act like real kids for a while. Dadan finds them soon after, stopping by only to make sure they are okay, and springing a trap they placed for intruders on her way in.

Thoughts

So, when starting this episode, I remembered that on Thursday I had been talking this guy I know who is up-to-date on the Big Three of all manga; obviously something I am not, seeing as I do not follow the manga ahead of the anime. Point being, he told me that this flashback Arc was canon (I already knew that), but that it was like, 15-20 chapters long. WOW. Jeez, and here I am waiting for the Interesting ending of the Arc, and now I find out there is gonna be tons of more chapters? Dang…ah! But, oh well. It is really sweet…aw!

I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up!*

Ha! That old hag fell into a hole! I am sorry, I really am laughing too much at this. Hm…I don’t know why I didn’t notice before, but that short guy looks like a pig, and the big guy like a rooster…huh. Weird. I just love how Dadan is spazzing while in the hole, then a random bandit dude falls into a different pit just as she is talking. It is great comedy.

Dang, every time I hear Sabo’s voice, I just think ‘man, Naruto is so awesome as Ace’s best friend!’ Most epic. Friendship. Ever. I suppose this is as close to a character meet & greet that One Piece and Naruto will ever have: having Ace and Luffy being friends with a kid who sounds like Naruto. Awesome!

Haha, it looks like Luffy is really starting to become “one of the boys”, haha! Awesome. That is so sweet! It is really fun seeing young Luffy try out and experiment with his powers. Haha, I about died when his face was punched in and he was walking around all funny! This whole first section of the episode with the boy’s shenanigans was amazing, and utterly adorable.

The development between Luffy, Ace, and Sabo is quite evident in their fighting skills and teamwork. Seeing Luffy say “Oh, it’s back!” when his face popped back out was really similar to what he says now when he turns into a chibi and then pops back to normal size. Luffy’s habits and his talent with his powers are obviously growing, and it is really cool to see this development as he progresses.

Haha, Luffy’s attitude of shoveling in his food is obviously a habit of this time, by this part here! I laughed so hard when Ace totally spun that old guy out of the way to get at more meat. More elder abuse!

Still, Dadan looks totally peeved after the boys continue their…rampage? Yup, 10 year olds and 7 year olds are just as energetic as they were at 5, but three times as dangerous because they can think a ton more and plan and so on. *shudders at prospect of cousins rapidly approaching this age* Still, I cannot help but to say that Dadan is such a fun person to see take care of these boys. In an odd sense, it is ridiculously sweet.

HOLY 0_o …is that Dadan…young? Gods. Yikes; what has aging Done to her!? hahahahahaha! Oh, oh Luffy…only he could totally ruin a dream like that, so randomly. Ah, the joys of raising young boys…sigh…*laughing at the poor suckers*

Ah, so the older two just leave poor chibi Luffy to his fate at the hands of an enraged Dadan? Nice…hahaha!

HOLY ‘o’ It is…Garp!? Hahahaha (x100). Gods. Oh Dadan…such Atrocious timing…hahahahahaha! Oh no, it is only the Mayor and Makino, haha. Hey, it is Makino! Cool! Gods, Luffy’s been there for 6 months already? Wow. Haha, I think that Dadan is so awesome, yet I don’t know why…hahaha! I don’t know, maybe it is just one of those things in life that you just Know. Haha.

Awwww! The little boys making fun of Ace and his shyness is Adorable! Awww!

Ooh, so Now Garp decides to show, just as all the boys profess to become pirates even More, and Makino and the Mayor are there when they are not supposed to be. Dang…I hope this doesn’t end badly…

…and He’s Standing Right Behind Us, Isn’t He? *Everyone nods*

I think I love Garp a lot because he is so serious all the time, but he is much too humorous to be so. Much more than Dadan, but still. Haha, Luffy grew up in such great comic environments, no wonder he is great at being funny and also serious! Hahaha, they all get hit on the head! Aww! Haha, their faces, their faces! Dang, their faces are too much, too much! Bwa hahaha hahaha! I am about keeling over with laughter!

Awww! It is a bat and baby bats! Yay! It looks like they represent Garp, and him trying to model Ace, Sabo, and Luffy like him. Cool metaphor, but still, Awwww!

Oh jeez, these kids are way too young and reckless to go out and leave home yet! Jeez, the two oldest are only 10, and everyone knows that no kid can govern themselves when they are 10! Especially with a young Luffy in tow…oh gee…

Nice; she looks at it, waits 5 seconds…then freaks. Awesome. So very awesome. And then…AWWWWW! Haha, she Totally does care about them. Here she was going on about kicking them out, and as soon as they leave, she freaks out about them being killed by any of the thugs in the Wastlands or the City. Hmph, Garp…bah, he probably did this on purpose, the lazy Beep. Ha.

Aww…Dadan totally cares so much, that she even is gonna go look for them! Unfortunately, Ace has the wrong impression in mind about Dadan and disliking him…if he doesn’t get that idea out of his head soon, well…I am worried something adverse will come because of it to their group, namely the one whom we do not see any longer in the series, for unknown reasons…Sabo?

I like the little details of the water droplet on the leaf. Good use of animation, and attention to detail. It puts a nice affect on the episode. For a while, as you watch the ‘building of their fort’ montage, I can imagine their lives if they weren’t He**-raisers, and went around beating dudes up in the wastelands. If they just tried to be subtle and lived more like normal little kids…this would be so cool to see. I just wish that they could be normal little kids, not huge wanted criminals, even more than some of them know…it is kinda sad, and melancholy, how they can’t really be kids like everyone else gets to be. This episode, however, makes that idea a reality, if only for a short time. That is why I am liking this episode.

3 Musketeers…aw

Ooh! Rooster-man and Pig-man have found them! Awww, she So cares for them! Well, at least Dadan won’t freak out now, but…oh wow, it has been 2 whole weeks? That is rather impressive, to say the least. Well, I have two bucks sitting on the idea of Dadan marching up to their fort in the trees and falling into All of the boys’ traps. This should be good, hehe…

Aww…how I wish it were true, Dadan…it is her duty to keep them safe. I really hope she can protect them, but I fear for Ace’s temper, and probably Sabo’s past, to catch up with their group in time…

She would make such a great mother…but…Ha! The first of the traps is to be sprung! Hehe…oh, this is good! Aww, Dadan is awesome. This makes me so happy, the whole episode was just full of such warmth and happiness! Yes, it worries me for the future; this much happiness and funny cannot last forever, but still. It is nice.

Overall, a rather filler-feeling, nice episode. Not much gets accomplished in my eyes, but the theme of family is certainly there, which is probably in real need of development in order for anything climatic or dramatic to occur later.

Preview

No real need for one this week, as the episode is already out, haha, sorry!

A great episode, and hopefully a great audience to respond to this nice episode by going to support OnePieceOfficial.com for long into the future! Don't forget to stop by here again to read up on more funny things we say (and the occasional serious idea) here at OnePieceAtATime. Thanks again!