Manga: Chapter 635 (SPOILERS)

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

Why you want to run? Read some One Piece from Viz or online at JManga.com!

Summary
Wapol is recognized as a World Noble and forms the Evil Black Drum Kingdom. (Cover story)

The Straw Hats continue their attack on the New Fishman Pirates forces.

Thoughts 
Let’s start with the cover story before getting into the jam pack awesome chapter that is called Chapter 635. I never had a problem with Wapol before. He was an interesting villain with an interesting power. The cover page featuring him and his new 'friends,' kind of creeps me out. Only time can tell what and where the heck is going on in this cover page.

Also makes me wish that we did see Wapol's cover story animated. In retrospect, it would have been interesting to see Wapol's rise then fall then rise to power.

Now to the chapter! What an amazing piece we got this week! It seems like Shirahoshi is the target that everybody wants to hit but that won't happen if the Straw Hats and Jimbei have anything to say about that. Then we are getting more looks at some of the new things that each Straw Hat is able to do after training for two years.
 

My personal favorite is Brook's new attack combination. I was not enthusiastic about his spirit thing even though I could see how it might be useful. Instead, in combat, Brook made use of Party Music and Kintothisa Fantasia (Any clue on what this translate to or based on?) which really got me excited. It was always suspected that Brook could influence people with his music but never did I imagine that he could create illusions with it! Those were some wicked illusions that Brook created for the fishmen. Then we follow up by cutting those fools up like some sort of East Side gangster. Just those two attacks alone got me all revved up for what this chapter had in store for us.

Also I like the fact that the attack name includes the phrases 'Party Music' and 'Fantasia'. Just because the word 'Fantasia' appears, it sounds awesome in my mind. haha

Also what I think helped to make this chapter exciting was the fact that we saw Brook display his new abilities first. Prior to the time skip, we have actually seen very little of Brook's fighting style. All we knew was that he had a super fast slice attack, used a fencing style of swordplay and that he could influence people with his music. Brook had evidenced a pretty limited repertoire of named techniques and superhuman abilities compared to the rest of the Straw Hats who had about three hundred chapters to build up their own. This event makes me wonder how many of these moves Brook had before the time skip and which ones he improved on during.

Zoro has clearly obtained greater superhuman power as we saw him create a cutting twister that doesn't seem to want to stop anytime soon. It is not anything impressive compare to what Brook did but because Zoro is who he is and everything he says is cool, this makes the whole spectacle....cool.

There is really nothing we can say about Zoro except that he has gotten stronger. He fought no differently from how he usually has, but hopefully that will change when Zoro gets a one-on-one fight.

Sanji’s portion of this chapter was just beautifully done! The inner monologue about some of his time at the Kamabakka Kingdom was a perfect set up for Sanji's new Sky Walk technique. I can already imagine how Sanji would act during this scene once it gets animated. He will sound calm and reflective as we see him run away from the okamas. He will display subtle trauma. Then in an instant we will see Sanji disappear as he proceeds to attack.

If it wasn't obvious or in case you didn't remember, Robin even reminded us that the CP9 had a technique similar to this called Moonwalk. Another move that has been leaked out to the Straw Hats by a CP9 member as it was Jabra who used it during his fight against Sanji. I am not sure if Sanji was subliminally inspired to develop the technique after his fight against Jabra, as it looks like he performed the move instinctively out of fear of the okamas. Either way it was very cool to see him using it. I hope we see Sanji conduct some more impressive aerial attacks in the future.

Also, Sanji's Frying Pan attack was pretty sweet. Maybe it was the word 'Spectrum' that reminded me of Ivankov's Galaxy Wink. Some people I know have compared the technique to Finger Pistol: Yellow Lotus. I am just not sure if anybody Sanji faced in CP9 used that technique against him. Then again, I could be wrong.

Surely this will lead to some inappropriate fanart....I just know it will.

I do not know why I did not see Robin ever using her powers to form giant legs to stomp on people. It should have been clear that something like this was within the realm of Robin's powers. Just a few panels ago we see her using a Clutch attack, and then here we see her going crazy but literally stepping on people. haha

Still...we got huge, naked legs of Robin. Legs that are normally covered in pants and skirts....How come I feel like a pervy old man right now? My goodness......Are little kids thinking like this too? What are the older fans thinking about the scene that I am showing above? Enough!

I am wondering if it is possible for Robin to make certain parts of her body bigger. Maybe she can one day become a giant by blooming huge body parts.

So it turns out that Sunny will not be transforming into a mecha anytime soon. I kind of figured that it would be too predictable. A man can dream can't he?

These are interesting new features the Sunny has in her Solider Dock System. Surely they will be useful when the crew attempts a ground assault. The question is when would that be? Will Channel Four and Channel Five be one time plot devices or will we see them make a return later on in a future battle? The other question that I thought of was how the heck will the tank and motorcycle be useful if the Sunny is mostly in the water? Will they be fired out of Sunny in order to be deployed? Then somehow land on the ground and not sink in the ocean? Hmm....now that I think about it. Franky would employ something like that in order to make use of the two weapons.

The only thing I am disappointed about is that we did not get to see Chopper, Franky, Nami and Usopp fight. I guess we have to wait until the one-on-one fights.

 A boy and his kraken.

Then the chapter ends in an epic fashion. Luffy riding a kraken as it destroys the surrounding fishmen. It is somewhat touching in a psychotic sort of way. Either way, Luffy has his kraken’s back and things are looking bad for Hody and his men.

I do admit that it made me smile a bit to see Surume tearing up and being reunited with Luffy. It is going to suck in the next few chapters when Hody beats up  Surume in order to start the serious fight with Luffy.

We are coming ever so close to individualized fights. Slowly but surely the fodder will be taken out and then we will see the Straw Hats shine. Currently we are only getting pieces of what they can do but nothing that would 'flow' in more difficult battles. We just see the Straw Hats kicking butt and taking names. I would like to see them in fights that are less one sided and more exciting. Those are the times when characters like Zoro, Chopper, Franky and Usopp can really shine. Either both Luffy and crew with Jimbei and Surume get rid of the fishmen pirate cannon fodder or Hody finishes them himself. Once that occurs it will be time for the real battle. haha. Can't wait for that.

Till next time true believers!

Getting ready to kraken open a can of kick butt

Written by: Mikey
Edited by: Dsaftler