Pica won't stand in the way of the Straw Hats and allies from taking down Doflamingo. The only trouble is in deciding who's going to actually face him.
The Good
Watching the bickering between all these characters on who gets to face off with Doflamingo in the finals of this arc makes me think of what it's really like behind the scenes of professional wrestling. Who doesn't want to win the belt and take on all the fame that comes with it? Not just the fame. It's all the side benefits of the money you can get from appearances, movies deals, and merchandising. Those people put their well being on the line for what is basically live theater. It stands to reason they're going to advocate for themselves. Ultimately, it's always up to the writer,... or McMahon.
Some may find this arguing silly, but it's sort of what happens when you lock a bunch of big personalities into a confined area, and Oda is certainly known for creating characters with heavy personality. Each one wants to take the lead for their own reasons and in their own way. None of these people are used to taking orders from anyone, why would they start listening to Luffy and Zoro?
We all know it's going to be Luffy, and of the various motives. I like his the most. It's astoundingly simple minded, but it's exactly what I hoped it would be. Luffy wants to win this fight to pay Rebecca back for buying him lunch. That sort of logic fits right in with his character, and Trafalgar's reaction only adds to the fun.
The Bad
I hate to say it, but not a great deal happens in this chapter. It's a bit hard to be too upset by that when you're actually reading it. The dialog and art balances things out really well. If you came into this week looking for some action, you're getting a little bit, but it's all on a gigantic scale.
Verdict 3/5
The chapter is littered with several visual skeptical that I'm sure will make great animation fodder a year or so from now. Ultimately, this is a chapter of a bunch of people arguing over who gets to be top dog. That could have been astoundingly boring if it wasn't for the writing behind everyone. Oda has become a real master at balancing personalities and screen time. He's like the Joss Whedon of manga-ka.
Just so you all are aware. I tried very hard to do a "Big, Strong Hands" reference in this one. Props to anyone who understands the meaning behind that.
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About the Author
 | Kristoffer Remmell (FoxxFireArt) is a freelance graphic artist, writer, and over all mystery geek. Follow for news updates:@AnimeVicers/@FoxxFireArt / http://kristofferremmell.tumblr.com/ |
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