Episode 887, “Something Fishy About That Burger”

Summary

The One Piece Podcast

Episode 887: “Something Fishy About That Burger”

Date: October 6, 2025
Host: Zach Logan (Maji Media)
Guests: Steve Yurko, Sam Leach, Steven Paul

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Episode Overview

This week’s episode, “Something Fishy About That Burger,” reflects a rare break in the usual One Piece manga and anime recaps due to the manga’s unexpected hiatus. The hosts, joined by One Piece translator Steven Paul, discuss the circumstances around the break, recap current One Piece news, discuss the global emergence of the Straw Hat flag as a protest symbol, and provide a deep dive “double anime recap” for episodes 1144 and 1145. The episode features a lively blend of analysis, humor, and in-depth fandom conversation.

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Main Discussion Topics & Key Insights

1. Oda’s Break and the “Fish Burger” Incident (00:53 – 05:09)

• The episode opens with the surprising Oda author comment about loving fish burgers, leading to speculation—and amusement—over whether “eating too many fish burgers” led to the series’ break.

  • Steven Paul: “Boy, I just love eating these fish burgers. Nothing bad can happen when I eat so many fish burgers.” (03:03)
  • Lighthearted jokes about parasites and food poisoning are exchanged, referencing Futurama.

• Reality sets in: despite indications, there is no new manga chapter this week due to Oda feeling unwell, though he is reportedly already on the mend and a return is expected next week.

• Steven gives background on Oda’s production schedule, debunking long-held fandom notions:

  • “It’s much closer to the wire than people think… the scheduling is dramatically different now.” (04:43)

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2. Manga & Content Talk: Akane-banashi and Magazine News (05:09 – 10:33)

• With no One Piece manga, the team debates recapping Akane-banashi, but note that it usually doesn’t provide enough material for a full podcast.

  • “What am I pontificating on? Just like, 'this was really cool…’” (05:45, Zach)

• Discussion moves to the latest One Piece Magazine (just released in Japan), revealing Oda’s rare interview and the fact that the artists for Akane-banashi and Ichi the Witch were formerly Oda assistants.

  • Steven Paul: “That’s a big deal. I had not known before that the Akane artist worked with Oda.” (09:12)

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3. Anime Recap & Episode Schedule Update (06:14 – 10:11)

• Double anime recap planned for Episodes 1144 & 1145, just as the anime goes on a two-week break.
• Break includes a recap/special episode and a proper day off (cause unknown).
• Speculation over production pacing: possibly to give the team more time to finish the arc, which is “uncharacteristic, but good.” (07:51, Zach & Sam)

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4. The Straw Hat Flag as a Global Protest Symbol (10:33 – 22:14)

• In-depth discussion of the unexpected rise of the Straw Hat/Jolly Roger as a protest icon worldwide (Indonesia, Nepal, Morocco, Madagascar, Peru, France, Italy, Palestine, Philippines, more).

  • “It’s being used as a symbol of protest, particularly against kleptocratic regimes…social progression... front and center in so many countries.” (10:59, Zach)

• Steven voices concern: how will Shueisha (One Piece publisher) react to their IP in a political spotlight?

  • “I do worry… what does Shueisha think about this? They’re still a business… It would be a shame if something that arose out of love for the series actually had a negative effect on the thing that we love.” (13:35)

• Comparisons to other franchises used in protest (Star Wars, Hunger Games):

  • “When you go to a protest, you see Star Wars stuff… One Piece is kind of more unusual: it’s Japanese, not a Hollywood movie… but it’s this level of ubiquity.” (16:11, Zach)

• Sam: “It feels like the kind of thing that One Piece was meant to influence… must be interesting for the author to see your image at real world events.” (19:39)

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Anime Recap: Episodes 1144–1145 (23:00 – 68:58)

(Lead: Sam Leach & Steve Yurko, with Zach and Steven Paul)

Episode 1144 – “The Worst Nightmare: The Five Elders Come Together”

• Highlights:
  • Epic arrival of the Five Elders in their monstrous Mythical Zoan forms (sandworm, skeleton horse, boar, bird, and gyuki).
    • “The scale of these guys… this kind of otherworldliness… they’re more colorful, more cartoony than you’d imagine, which adds to their out-of-body, otherworldliness.” (32:10, Sam)
  • Emphasis on wild, “camera-flying” animation and continuous shots, especially Luffy weaving between the elders as destruction rains.
    • Steve: “Animating walking, especially… bird legs… that was [tough].” (28:39)
  • Saturn uses psychic attacks to pin Luffy; Jupiter the sandworm tries to swallow him.
  • Dorry and Brogy arrive, tag-team attack Jupiter, free Luffy in a callback to their Little Garden team-up.
  • Lucci vs Zoro dynamic fight, which includes anime-original comedic moments (e.g., Zoro’s sword flying in the air, “crayon style” sequences).
  • “This is going to be the modern Goku and Frieza Namek blowing up… Seven minutes in anime time, 40 minutes in real time.” (27:22, Steve)

Episode 1145 – “Friends Fight Together! Luffy and the Warriors of Elbaf”

• More giant action as Dorry and Brogy shield Luffy, and Warcury’s horn-attack causes wacky effects (including Luffy’s face/body parts blown off “like Mr. Potato Head”).

  • “It’s the most Looney Tunes [Gear 5] has ever been in the anime.” (57:50, Steve)

• Dynamic backgrounds, stylized comedy, and slapstick fight choreography (Luffy slingshots out of monster mouths, “baseball bat” gags).

  • “Luffy grabbing a palm tree, cartooning it into a bat…it’s just taking a long time making a show out of deflecting bullets.” (56:55, Sam)

• Five Elders recover/regenerate from damage, Jinbe carries Zoro away, Lucci’s brief “noble” moment asking Mars to rescue Kaku.

• Punk Records barrier under attack, ominous scene as the Iron Giant wakes (“Sorry, Joy Boy. Dun, dun, dun. To be continued.” (61:41))

General Reflections on the Episodes:

• Both recappers praise the animation and creative direction, particularly Vincent Chansard’s ambitious “camera” work.
  • “Just super ambitious… continuous shots… handled Gear 5 Luffy better this time, zany backgrounds, laser light show. It was a lot of fun.” (62:27, Steve)
• Noted the demanding cluster of overlapping action scenes, unique monster designs, and the promise that the series is delivering on the surreal and chaotic “Egghead” climax.
  • “A barrage of overlapping action scenes pulling your attention in different directions—exactly what I was excited for.” (67:23, Sam)

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Piece Together (Listener Q&A and Theories) (71:19 – 126:20)

Highlights:

• Who is the final villain: Blackbeard or Imu?
  • Panel: General consensus is that Imu (and the World Government power structure) is the “big bad,” with Blackbeard as the final “pirate” rival, but it could be both.
  • “Emu feels like the antithesis to pirates… Luffy and Blackbeard at least are on the same axis of freedom, Emu is the opposite.” (72:27, Steven Paul)
• The Straw Hat flag’s political legacy and its impact, continuing manga themes about freedom vs. authoritarian destiny.
  • Notable theory about Blackbeard inheriting trauma and destiny narratives from Rocks, contrasting Luffy’s self-made freedom.
  • “You are free, no matter where you come from.” (91:34, ReverseEyepatch listener theory)
• Will Garp and Dragon interact in the flashback or final war?
  • Speculation on the rift between them, with Steven: “Dragon is following the model of Garp’s actual justice so deeply that witnessing the worst… forces Dragon out.”
• Various comic and off-color questions (e.g., “Are the Straw Hats circumcised?”) reflect the off-week’s looser structure and the hosts’ irreverence.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Steven Paul: “It’s much closer to the wire than people think… his scheduling has changed dramatically since then.” (04:43)
• Zach: “The One Piece flag is front and center in protests against kleptocratic regimes… it’s been in Peru, Philippines, Morocco, Madagascar…” (10:59)
• Steven Paul: “I hope Shueisha doesn’t freak out and feel like they can’t be seen in relation to international matters that aren’t their business… It would be a shame if something that arose out of love for the series hurt the thing we love.” (13:35)
• Sam: “It feels like the kind of thing One Piece was meant to influence… although if you’re the author, you probably never expected your image in front of real-world events.” (19:39)
• Steve: “Animating walking is tough… but bird legs? Oh, that was—” (28:39)
• Sam & Steve: “It’s the most Looney Tunes [Gear 5] has ever been.” (57:50)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:53 — Show proper begins, hosts/guests introduce, Oda health break and “fish burger” comment
• 03:03 — Steven Paul parodies Oda: “Boy, I love eating these fish burgers…”
• 05:15 — “Akane-banashi” & manga backup talk
• 06:14 — Upcoming anime break/recap explained
• 10:33 — Protest symbol: Straw Hat Jolly Roger, global reports, Shueisha dilemma
• 23:00 — Double anime recap starts
• 24:44 — Dorry & Brogy, Five Elders’ forms, anime spectacle
• 39:23 — Zoro vs. Lucci fight
• 55:05 — Luffy’s Looney Tunes antics, “Mr. Potato Head” face
• 61:41 — Iron Giant awakens; ending for anime recap
• 71:19 — Piece Together: listener Q&A
• 72:27 — “Final villain: Blackbeard or Emu?” discussion
• 91:34 — ReverseEyepatch’s listener theory on Blackbeard/bloodline vs. self-made freedom
• 103:46 — Garp and Dragon parent/son dynamic

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Tone and Style

• The episode is lively, irreverent, and deeply engaged, blending thoughtful analysis with inside jokes and fandom banter.
• Hosts freely reference long-term series themes, inside gags (e.g., food poisoning, fish burgers), and meta One Piece lore, while maintaining strong accessibility for regular listeners.

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Summary

Episode 887 is a classic “off-week” episode that turns the lack of new manga content into an opportunity for wide-ranging, humor-filled, and thoughtful conversation. The team explores One Piece’s influence in the real world, the ongoing anime spectacle, and burning fandom questions, all while keeping things lighthearted and deeply knowledgeable. Whether you’re a manga/anime follower or interested in One Piece’s cultural footprint, this episode is emblematic of why the One Piece Podcast continues to be a hub for lively fandom and smart analysis.

Transcript

[Sam]

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[Zach]

Mom 60th and never miss a meme or milestone.

[Sam]

All protected with end to end encryption. It's time for WhatsApp message privately with everyone.

[Steven Paul]

Learn [e-mail] this episode is brought to you by Jack Daniels. Jack Daniels and music are made for each other. They share a rhythm in the craft of making something timeless while being a part of legendary nights. From backyard jams to sold out arenas, there's a song in every toast. Please drink responsibly. Responsibility.org, jack Daniels and Old no. 7 are registered trademarks. Tennessee whiskey, 40% alcohol by volume. Jack Daniel Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee.

[Zach]

Sam this is the One Piece podcast episode eight hundred and eighty seven for the week of Monday, October 6th, 2025. My name is Zach.

[Steve Yurko]

I forgot there was no one ahead of me. And my name is Steve.

[Zach]

And on today's episode, we have very special guest. He is the translator for One Piece and weekly Shonen, Jump and Manga. Plus we have Stephen Paul. How's it going, Stephen?

[Steven Paul]

I'm out of a job this week. No, not. No, I'm not.

[Zach]

What are you talking about? What?

[Steven Paul]

I have tons of other shit to do.

[Zach]

No, there's a chapter this week.

[Steve Yurko]

Time. Time for tough.

[Steven Paul]

There's. There's a. There's a comment from Oda. There must be a chapter.

[Zach]

Yeah. Wait. Yeah.

[Sam]

Do they keep his comment when.

[Zach]

Yeah, maybe we should read that.

[Steven Paul]

You didn't hear his comment?

[Sam]

No, no.

[Steve Yurko]

Does it say, wow, what a chapter. Can't wait for everyone.

[Steven Paul]

Oh, no, it's even better. It's even better.

[Zach]

It's much better than that.

[Sam]

Just like a preemptive like, thank you all for the congrat on the new chapter. It was a big. It was a big reveal. We build into it for. For years.

[Steve Yurko]

What does it say? Like, is it quote. Oh, shit, the chapter. Yeah. Oh, the chapter.

[Zach]

So we have Sam Leach, our anime recap host here too. Hi, Sam Ola. So there must be a chapter because unless there's something ominous about this comment that ODA sent in, let's read it here. This was sent in for this week's chapter that came out. The fish burger taste testing videos from Sakuna Kun made me feel so good that I eat fish burgers every day.

[Steven Paul]

Boy, I just love eating these fish burgers. Nothing bad can happen when I Eat so many fish burgers.

[Steve Yurko]

I'll take them rare, please.

[Zach]

Look, I don't do this too often, but Steven, you have to ask Greg to ask Oda if the fish. Yeah, because that's. I feel like that's answerable and should be answered. I don't. That should not. Well, or is it better when it's.

[Sam]

No, you need the parasite state. The bad bacteria.

[Steven Paul]

That's right. You just keep introducing larger parasites to take care of the.

[Zach]

I've seen Futurama and it probably will make him much smarter if anything. If I know anything about food poisoning.

[Steven Paul]

Okay, we're making all these jokes because, yes, as it turned out, even though they had advertised it for this week, there is no chapter. And they did say it was because. It was because. I shouldn't laugh. But they did say it was because of the author feeling unwell. But he apparently has recovered already. He's. They're slated for next week.

[Zach]

So he's back to Beef Burgers from Fish Burgers. He's learned his lesson. Yeah, I'm sure Oda's fine. I like, I mean, first of all, these, like, correct me if I'm wrong, Stephen, but he probably wrote this and also, like, this all happened probably many weeks ago, if not a month ago. I like, I might be exact.

[Steven Paul]

I have no idea.

[Zach]

Oh, yeah. Well, I mean, again, I guess we could ask Greg. On the next sgs, the full fish burger report from. From.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, like, there. There's an assumption that, like, it's a, you know, it's a multi week, like, schedule that, that he has. Has backed up because he talked about it, like, really early on in the series, but that was, you know, 25 years ago or whatever, and his scheduling has changed dramatically since then. So, yeah, I think it's much closer to the wire than, you know, than. Than people think.

[Zach]

So this week we have. What are we doing this week with Sam?

[Steve Yurko]

We're gonna do a manga recap of Akane Banashi.

[Zach]

I guess I was thinking about it. It's not April 1st.

[Steven Paul]

Not bad. Yeah. Yeah, it is.

[Zach]

It has been a good few chapters, to be fair. The reason I have never actually, besides just not having time or energy, why I'm like, oh, I don't need to do an Akane Banashi podcast ever, because each chapter doesn't have so much to really chew on. I feel like maybe a volume, but.

[Steven Paul]

Like, you know, it would be a much, much shorter podcast.

[Zach]

And what am I really, like, pontificating on? Just like, this was really cool and really I don't know if I have.

[Steve Yurko]

Much else to say about that celebrity.

[Steven Paul]

Well, she made everybody hallucinate in this chapter. That's crazy. Just like every other chapter.

[Zach]

Drugs in the vents. That's how.

[Steve Yurko]

What does it mean?

[Zach]

It means she has gone to further beyond, as you recall. Sam, what do we have this week from you?

[Sam]

We have a double anime recap for episodes 1144 and 1145. So we're going to be caught up on the anime just in time for the anime to go on break.

[Zach]

As always.

[Sam]

For two weeks, I believe.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Sam]

Or I think. I think this is. I think this is.

[Zach]

I was gonna say.

[Sam]

Yeah, the first of the. The two week breaks.

[Steven Paul]

So for a particular reason or I don't.

[Sam]

One of them. One of them is a recap. So that's why it's just there. Like it's not logged as a. A numbered episode is. It's gonna be like special something.

[Steven Paul]

Right, Right.

[Sam]

And then why there's like one like proper day off? I actually do not know.

[Zach]

It could be like a marathon or something else because.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, you never.

[Zach]

Although now they're at 11:30, so probably not anymore because they air at like 11:30 at night now. Right. On Fridays or something. Or Saturdays. Yeah. So who knows what's going on then. He's back in Japan, apparently.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Toonami's been back for like 15 years.

[Steve Yurko]

The new Toonami has been around longer than the old Toonami.

[Zach]

Is that true? That sounds great. Yeah. I just didn't know for a fact.

[Sam]

So what I am reading, if what I'm reading is accurate, it's like just. They're genuinely just. Just giving themselves more time to finish the arc, I guess.

[Steven Paul]

Okay.

[Sam]

Which is uncharacteristic, but.

[Zach]

That is uncharacteristic, but good. I'm. I'm glad. But yeah, Steven, we were also thinking, oh, maybe we could do the One Piece magazine this week. When did that come out officially?

[Steven Paul]

Today, the third, I think.

[Zach]

Okay, so those did not arrive in time. Yeah, no. For those wondering it does. It also looks dense.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, that one looks really cool. Because it's like. It's. It's basically. What is it? It's like one piece in jump. So it's. It's supposed to have a bunch of stuff. There's like a full interview with Oda. He did another one of those for the first time in years with the magazine, I think. That wasn't. Was it like the first three. Three issues of the magazine were when they were like doing interviews with Oda or something, you know. To kick it off. Like they, they were like, oh yeah, we're gonna talk with Oda and you know, he hasn't done that since, so it seems like it's a big, it's a big deal. And I know at least from like the promotional stuff that they were put that they revealed since I don't think it was public information that like the artist for Akane Banashi and one of the other series in Jump, it might be Ichi the Witch, something like that. They were both assistants for Oda in the past, which I had not known before.

[Zach]

I didn't know Akane the artist.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, the artist. Right.

[Zach]

Oh wow, that's really cool. Yeah. Worlds colliding there.

[Steven Paul]

Oh yeah.

[Zach]

For. For you more than anyone. Yeah, I saw there was also. They're doing like an editor. What is it like an editor comic or something.

[Steven Paul]

Like starring all the editors or something?

[Zach]

I don't know. It looks, I think they did something similar a bunch of issues back. I posted in our chat on Discord. Yeah, I'm not sure the specifics, but it looks like it's mostly to comedic effect.

[Steven Paul]

I see, I see, I see what you, you posted here. Yeah, it's like, it's like a day in the life of the One piece editor.

[Zach]

And yeah, it looks very grueling and. Oh, I'm thinking of assistance. I'm sorry, not as grueling but yeah.

[Steven Paul]

I don't have it yet. It's going to be a little while since I'm. I'm going to be out of town soon. So I, I will. I will have to really kind of digest it before we're ready to. To cover, you know, to offer a meaningful cover coverage of this particular magazine because it seems really interesting. So I'm excited to look into it.

[Zach]

Yeah, I want to make sure we spend the proper amount of time prepping for it so we're not just like, yeah, let's get it out here and say a bunch of stuff which speaking of podcast related things that we're trying to take our time with, I have been working with Dr. Gomez and as well as many others and putting together something more thorough. We talked about this has to be over a month ago at this point what was happening in Indonesia with the, with the one piece flags. Since then and a few just added last night there were. It's happened. We talked about Nepal. It's happened in the. What it happening. Meaning that the one piece flag is being used as a symbol of protest particularly against kleptocratic regimes around the world. Is what it seems like. And it's also been used in protests supporting Palestine and supporting like general social like progression in France and Italy. For the, for those, it's been also in Peru, the Philippines pretty substantially. Morocco is the most recent as of last night and Madagascar, it's been front and center in all of those countries. So that's been kind of developing. And Dr. Gomez has been working really hard to put together something academic and she's going to come on and hopefully we're also going to have some journalists and others to come on to talk about that in an academic and informative way, which I'm very much looking forward to as someone admittedly ignorant of a lot of these particular movements around the world. So. And if you know of any others that I have not listed and you're listening, please let me know. But the, the images are striking and the, there's, it's gotten a lot of what you would call mainstream coverage in like the Guardian, the New York Times, the BBC, pbs, npr, Washington Post, NBC, so on and so forth, Al Jazeera, Time and so on. So yeah, no, it's, it's been this very surreal thing to see and I know we discussed this a little bit, but it's been like metamorphosizing over the last few weeks and months into something much, much bigger even than it was.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, it's interesting too. And I know we've kind of discussed privately like in some ways it's, it's, I don't want to say alarming, but I do worry about like what does Shueisha think about this? Because they're still a business and you know, this is one of their flagship properties. And, and I just, I, I hope that it doesn't cause them to freak out and feel like, well, we can't be seen like, you know, having some relation to international matters that really aren't our business to be, you know, commenting on or something and having that turn into some kind of a weird, you know, self, self censoring, like, oh, let's shut down one piece for a bit until this calms down. You know, something like that. That would be very drastic, I think. I don't know, maybe their, maybe their hope is to just kind of pretend they don't see it and, and let the, you know, let, let, let the business continue as it normally does and, and you know, it won't necessarily interfere with the, the series that we love. Obviously that's not as important as like, you know, real world political matters, but you know, it would be, I Think it would be a shame if you know something that arose out of a love for the series like actually had an effect on the, a negative effect on the, the thing that, you know that.

[Zach]

Yeah, I know. I.

[Sam]

Me and particularly suddenly some Revolutionary army storylines start to happen on screen or. Right, right.

[Steve Yurko]

That would be really unfortunate.

[Zach]

Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's a little bit different since one piece is like something that is so, I mean it's obviously been prescient recently, but it's, it's, you know, so ongoing and you know, it's, it's happening in real time is what I mean to say. And I have been kind of mentally comparing this to other like really major IP that have kind of just when you go to a protest, you will see Star wars stuff, for example. You know, that's just a very obvious one. I'm trying to remember the name of the movie franchise and now the one with the three finger salute thing. Do you know what I'm talking about? Do you know what if it's like.

[Steven Paul]

A very like the Hunger Games or something.

[Zach]

Hunger Games.

[Sam]

Oh, okay.

[Zach]

Freaking forgot Hunger Games in my, in my head. Sorry. That's what I've been seeing I think in Asia and a lot of protests. There was like a Hunger Games related protest in Taiwan, Thailand I think again, I don't, this is off the top of my head so I, I, I might be incorrect about the details but there have been major franchises that have adapted this adopted this one piece is, is kind of a more unusual is for first it's Japanese.

[Sam]

Right.

[Steven Paul]

It's not a Hollywood movie thing.

[Zach]

Yeah, yeah. Hollywood TV show. But yeah, but it is ubiquitous as we discussed with Chris's friend the other week in these countries. And I've, I've known in the Philippines, I know it is extremely popular there in Indonesia, I will say since we started the podcast number two and three to the United States in views and listens and sometimes number one has always been the Philippines and Indonesia. So that does not surprise me tremendously. Like it is always resonated a lot there and they are all of these countries including ours are going through some shit at the moment. So like I get, I get it. I don't know. So back to the original question. Yeah, I don't know how it's going to affect things. I think Shueisha would certainly, I think be more scared than oda. Although I don't know how ODA is seeing it because looking at these pictures are crazy because in Nepal, you know there's a, they're Burning flags with the straw hat logo over the parliament building and smoke, you know, behind. In Indonesia you just see the Jolly Roger for the straw hats painted on city streets and on murals and like just everywhere. Because it really was to the point where the parliament was discussing whether to ban it. And, you know, now we're seeing it and just protests generally. And I know in the United States we've had some of that. I know Kirsten has mentioned that to me just as like firsthand anecdotal experiences, but in Italy and France and Europe as well, it seems like it's also catching on. And in Africa, so it's gone beyond the Asian, like the sphere of influence one piece has there, which is interesting. Yeah. I'll see if I could post like a list of articles that have. Because I've been collecting them as they come across and there's many, dozens. And it always very interesting to see how the mainstream press kind of handles this when they don't really know anything about one piece.

[Steve Yurko]

Right, right.

[Zach]

That said, it's. It is, it is catching the attention of normies, as we'd say, people who are not in the one piece world. So that is both a cause for concern, I think, as Steven mentioned. But it's also very like surreal and it definitely goes to the heart of the show, I think.

[Sam]

Yeah. It feels like the kind of thing that one piece was meant to be an influence of. Although if, like, if you're the. I do wonder. Yeah. Like, if you're the author.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Sam]

And you're writing the stories like, you know, you're probably writing them without the expectation that you're ever going to see your image in front of.

[Steven Paul]

In real world events. Yeah, yeah.

[Sam]

So I don't know. That must be a very interesting emotion to feel.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Zach]

I always wonder as like an artist, how that would register.

[Steve Yurko]

And I doubt we'll. I don't think Oda is going to be.

[Sam]

Yeah, I don't think.

[Zach]

Yeah, no, I don't think it's going.

[Steve Yurko]

To be an artist comment about this anytime soon.

[Zach]

He's too busy with his fish burgers.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, his fish burgers.

[Steve Yurko]

Fish burgers. And lead him Pokemon Go and Legos.

[Zach]

I mean, Oda has, It's. He. I mean, his work is that like candy with inside. Is that like super serious? You know, really political?

[Steve Yurko]

I just, I just think if there's anyone, if anyone out there is surprised by this, I, you know, can't help but look at them, be like, are you sure you're reading the series or are you just watching YouTube shorts at 60 frames per second or something.

[Zach]

You have. I know the 60 frames per second.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got. I got the story.

[Zach]

Yeah. I'm less surprised that it is like a symbol of this kind of movement. That doesn't surprise me at all. What surprises me is that one piece has hit this level of just ubiquity. Like, that's. That's the thing that surprises me. But yeah, it's.

[Sam]

Or it's especially. It's ubiquitous with the. The younger generation that is right now feeling very motivated to.

[Zach]

Which is crazy. Since expressing around like this for. It's been around for longer than that entire generation has been alive, basically the manga. So that's a pretty cool. That says a lot about the series. At the very minimum, the fact that it. It speaks to the soul of folks that, you know, who were born after it started. Any other thoughts on that? I. We're gonna have, as I said, a more comprehensive thing hopefully in the coming weeks. I was hoping to put it together for this week with the break, but I don't want to just rush it.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Yeah. I guess if that's out of the way, we're gonna do the double anime recap with Sam and then some piece together. So you guys ready?

[Steven Paul]

All right.

[Steve Yurko]

Sure am.

[Zach]

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[Sam]

Is the definition of fire flavor. We've got the sizzling Sriracha dippers.

[Zach]

10 out of 10. Time to take it up a notch.

[Steven Paul]

With the smoking Rojo chicken sandwich.

[Sam]

Mmm, that's so hot, but it's so good.

[Steven Paul]

Now onto the daring dab ghost wings. Yep, there it is. I love the spice level attempt the.

[Sam]

Popeyes and Hot Ones menu in stores. Our hottest collaboration yet. Love that chicken from Popeyes.

[Zach]

Limited time and participating U.S. restaurants.

[Sam]

I'm Scott Hanson, host of NFL Red Zone. Lowe's knows Sundays hit different when you earn them. We've got you covered with outdoor power equipment from Cobalt and everything you need to weatherproof your deck with Trex decking. Plus with lawn care from Scotts and of course, pit boss grills and accessories, you can get a home field advantage all season long. So get to Lowe's, get it done, and earn your Sunday. Lowe's official partner of the NFL. This is the double anime recap for episodes 1144 and 1145. I'm your host, Sam, and today with me, we have the Bloodhound Gang's very own Steve Yurko.

[Steve Yurko]

Sam and I are nothing but mammals. So let's podcast what we do on the One Piece podcast.

[Zach]

Channel.

[Sam]

Yes. We are having sex. Episode 1144, the Worst Nightmare. The five elders come together and it opens with the marines are gawking at the stormy sky with black lightning going everywhere. One of the marine giants starts shooting giant arrows at the puny marine ships. I feel like that's got to be like a uniquely frightening position to be in where like arrows are being shot at you. But they're also giant arrows that are gonna.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah, they're basically missiles at this point.

[Sam]

Yeah.

[Steve Yurko]

That don't explode.

[Sam]

And Dorian Brogy have this super awesome strut forward as they're moving ahead covered in shadows. They have the cool single terminator red eye going from. And excuse me, my throat is very scratchy right now. Lots of up front. This is a great episode.

[Steve Yurko]

Oh yeah, you could. You can immediately tell, like, oh yeah, this is the one that they gave plenty of time.

[Sam]

Yep. I believe Vincent Chanzard's not. He did a lot of storyboard work on this episode. So it's. It's. Which I do more than just the. The key animation. He's planning out shot compositions and. And which I believe is a first for him.

[Zach]

I think he said.

[Sam]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Or.

[Sam]

Or it's like a. It's the closest thing to directing he's done for one piece.

[Zach]

Mm.

[Sam]

And there's a. There's, you know, there's a. There's a few noteworthy animators. I unfortunately probably have not written all their names down, but I went looking for a few of them. But yeah, the. The theme of this episode is just like lots of camera. You know, it's my. One of my favorite things of like kind of modern anime animation. Just like the. The freedom of the camera to like spin around an action scene and follow characters as they move across large spaces and. Yeah, so the camera is circling around Luffy and Saturn as the other elders are arriving. And we got this like, cool. The. The. You know, there's the black lightning, but there are also these cool like almost Marco colored blue flames. And there's like just really, really stark looking, sketchy animation every now and then. It reminds you of that. We are waiting for Vegapunk to begin his announcement as he's yapping with Shaka in the recording.

[Steve Yurko]

Waiting for his Vega coffee to be ready.

[Sam]

Yeah, it says it's. It's mankind's dream, the Vegapunk's instant coffee. And they're brewing it as they wait for the announcement to start in seven minutes. And after 40 minutes of anime episodes that still will not. We will not have finished that seven minutes.

[Steve Yurko]

This is going to be the modern Goku and Frieza Namek blowing up.

[Sam]

Yep, absolutely. So Saturn and Luffy are still going at it. The camera is like kind of flying underneath Saturn, like kind of zooming. Like the camera's kind of like moving to each of the. The portals that the other Elders are emerging from. Like spinning around Luffy going underneath Saturn's legs. Luffy, you know, he has a moment where he closes his eyes, you know, a Bri. A. Our first reminder in a while that Luffy has this advanced, you know, observation skill. He closes his eyes and we get like this, this kind of sketchy impression of all the different Elders emerging through the shadows, through the darkness. And we're getting these very scattered kind of close ups of the Elders in their. In their monster forms. We get like. We see this weird like masked horse face, some warm looking thing. I love this shot of the bird kind of strutting forward towards the camera.

[Steve Yurko]

Oh you know, animating walking especially, you know, especially with feet connecting to the ground is really tough to animate. But then just like bird legs. Oh that was.

[Sam]

And the very, the very distinctive kind of perspective on the ground which it feels like the. The ground always feels like we're on a. We're on a ball. So yeah, we're getting our formal introductions to each of the Elders, their. Their names, their. You know, what kind of. What kind of a mythical zone type they have. Saint Shepherd Jew Peter is the. He's like the. The youngest looking one of the bunch with, with the.

[Steve Yurko]

You know, apparently Oda. White hair.

[Sam]

Yeah, he's got like kind of blonde hair here and just kind of a regular kind of goatee. He's the. He's the Sandworm. He's the dune worm. St. Ethan Baron V Nesturo is. Is the. The skeleton horse. The. The Bakotsu which I was really eager to look into this. But there's not like a lot of original art for the. The Bakotsu. It's. It's like there's you know, it's like a. It's a ghost of a horse. But I was hoping that there'd be more old school, you know, proper Yokai art depicting this thing. But it's pretty slim. Pickens.

[Steve Yurko]

He was not the most popular.

[Sam]

I mean like he looks awesome here. But when you look up Bakotsu on Google like you mostly get the one piece character. St. Top man Warcury is a big tusked looking boar thing called the. The Fengyi Saint Marcus Mars is the one with the long beard and he is it's an Itsumade. He looks like a big. A big bird with. With really long orange hair and obviously St. J. Garcia Saturn, who is the. The Gyuki. Another Yokai. And we get this cool kind of letterboxed profile shot of the five Elders kind of like lurching towards Luffy. And it's like like we're. We're getting like a. A pseudo widescreen that's framed by the. The rubble that's like collapsing in front of the camera. Luffy, he's jumping around trying to avoid the falling buildings because I guess just the. The Elders just kind of like walking and entering the scene is already causing like all this destruction to go around. And he's like bouncing off the. The walls, bouncing off the rubble and like kind of diving. It's a. It's a big like show. It's a big show off scene of Luffy pass like moving around the Elders and like passing through them and under their legs or like through the ribs of. Of the horse. Just kind of like dodging the destruction but also keeping us from like getting a proper full view of each of the. Of these monsters. Until the big. Until the big pull out shot of the five Elders together and we get their title card.

[Steve Yurko]

But also the scale of these guys.

[Sam]

Yeah, the scale like this kind of otherworldliness. Looking at Vincent Chanzard's thread, I know like one of the things he really wanted to emphasize was the contrast between the Elders and Luffy. Like the big to small, the. The silly and the. The much more detailed, much more serious looking Elders. Although something that like makes the Elders really distinct from how you might imagine them being portrayed is that they do seem much more. They're much more. I mean like part. The part of this is like Oda's coloring. They're much more colorful than you expect. They're much more. Yeah, like. Like they're. They're a little more cartoony than you'd imagine. But like that. That kind of adds to their. This like out of body otherworldliness to them. And yeah.

[Steve Yurko]

Was it like War. War Kira, the Boar, the Warthog thing. And it's like. Yeah, it's like. Like just have it like have giant tusks that look like his mustache and stuff. I think it's like it'd be disappointing if one piece didn't go for like exaggerated cartoony animals.

[Sam]

Yeah. And the individual title cards that they get, you know, just so. Just so that the audience can know which one's supposed to be which. Like you get this kind of Image of the Elder's human form and then their. Their new monster form kind of fades in in the middle. But they're like doing this kind of lurching motion, you know, usually at like some strange angle. The. The motion is like done in like way more frames than you usually expect in anime. So just everything has this strange like kind of floaty, weird feeling to it. And one of the. One of the animators names that I did write down specifically for the scene of like Luffy running between all the. All the elders is Hugo Lemonier. Is. Is that artist's name. And yeah. So Saturn starts blasting. He's using his like pseudo hockey whatever we're calling this. This invisible power where he's just kind of able to just blast somebody with his mind or whatever he's doing. He's like blasting Luffy into a pancake onto the ground.

[Steve Yurko]

Like spam spamming. 1A. 1A.

[Sam]

Yeah, yeah. 1A. 1A and V. Nestero, the horse, the Gandhi looking guy, he wastes no time leaping overhead. The camera has to like lift up to see him like jumping over our view. And he's out of the scene already. He's got somewhere else he needs to be. And he's running. And he switches into his hybrid form where he's like a skeleton horse, centaur man.

[Steve Yurko]

Like bust.

[Sam]

Yeah, I think it looks cool as. I think his hybrid form especially just like really, really works and leaves a really strong impression. He's. He's running to the shore to help out the marines who are currently being attacked by the Pacifistas that Bonnie gave the orders to a few episodes ago. And he's like just swiftly slashing the Pacifistas. He's leaving like ice, like, like he has like brooks like hell ice powers.

[Steve Yurko]

I guess there's that connection there because he's like a. He's a horse skeleton. So.

[Sam]

Yeah, he's like. He's a yoka. He's. He's demonic of some persuasion. And yeah, he's cutting all the pasta fistas very handily. The marines from their ships watching with binoculars and such. They can barely tell what's going on. They like one of them gets like one glimpse of Venus just kind of like stopping slicing and then he's gone again. He's moving so fast that the human eye can't keep up. And you know, the most employed animator of all time.

[Steve Yurko]

Yep, he's.

[Sam]

He's still around. I think he's got. He gets like one scene per episode so far a lot lately for months now and Marcus, Mars, the bird, the. The bearded man, he's flying and there's, you know, lightning falling. And we get a scene of Sanji, like dodging the lightning. And also a scene of Usopp, Nami and Chopper's group being startled by the sudden emergence of the Thousand Sunny, which has been sliding on ice for many episodes now. And so Luffy is in combat with Saturn, you know, being his usual like, Looney Tune self with his swirly legs and his batting off the. The attacks from Saturn and whatnot and Jupiter. The worm tries to chomp Luffy. Luffy barely dodges, but the worm starts burrowing underground. And Luffy's like. Luffy's like, whoa. What? What was that? An earthworm. And then like. And I like this kind of animation of, you know, like, as the ground is shaking, like Luffy has to like, fall back. And like he's like lands back on his feet. Made me think of. Made me wonder if like, the animators are allowed to keep like little trampolines in their office or something.

[Steve Yurko]

So I mean, this is how Luffy should be.

[Sam]

Research purposes.

[Steve Yurko]

This is how Luffy should be. I think there's. Maybe it's the next episode where there's another moment where I kind of rolled my eyes a little bit, but I'll.

[Zach]

Talk about that later.

[Sam]

Okay. And then the worm emerges again and the eruption from the ground, you know, throws Luffy into the air and he's about to get chomped by the big worm right before the eye catch for the episode. And we come back and Mars is working on attacking the. The. What's it called? The Fabio Phage of punk records that like, outer barrier. And we come back to the. The. The Weakling trio. And Usopp has successfully halted the Sunny. We get this great little like crayon style animation, like explaining how Usopp used his bamboo to block the Sunny from.

[Steve Yurko]

From anime original stuff there, which I like.

[Sam]

Yeah, I thought it looked really neat. And now. Now that they're on solid ground, Brooke is like, see, told you. I told you I had a plan to Lilith. And then Lilith, like gets mad at him and starts kicking him in his bony butt. And then Zorro versus Lucci. This whole fight looks crazy. They're clashing and they're having like these. They're picking up. They're sensing the Elder's presence as they're fighting. And it's kind of giving them pause. It's making them hesitate or it's trying to get. Lucci especially is trying to get at.

[Steve Yurko]

The Same time, you might want to. Oh, that's the whole look behind you. You'll never guess what's happening.

[Sam]

Yeah, I love how this scene, this part of the fight, there's a lot of, like, very fluidly kind of moving from the cleared area into, like, the jungled area as they're clashing. There's this one shot I thought was really wonderful where, you know, it's like. It's like Lucci's using his. His moonwalk to. It almost feels like he's bouncing off of the. The camera or not. Not quite the camera, but like. Like the way it pairs with the. The motion of the camera and like, kind of the momentum of the camera and him going, like, in the opposite direction. I thought. I thought there was some great motion and weight there. Jinbe is also flying through the forest trying to find Zorro. Is using the fact that trees are just being sliced to bits around him as evidence that he must be getting close some. At some point, Zorro just. He must just hear in his heart, Sanji calling him a deadweight. And we get a little cartoon of. Of Zorro in this almost crayon Shinchan style, like, hearing the word dead weight. Zoro's ear.

[Steve Yurko]

We don't get enough.

[Sam]

He's like, yeah. And there's. There's. At one point earlier in the fight, they clash and then Zorro, they clash so hard that, like, Enma goes flying. And they kind of spend a lot of time showing Enma kind of flying through the air in slow motion. And so you're wondering, like, okay, how's Zorro gonna get that?

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Steve Yurko]

He gets it back when running. And I don't know, as far as I could recall, it just seemed like eventually he just had it again.

[Sam]

So, okay, I'll. I'll explain where. What I think happens there. But first, Lucci, he's going, like, super demonic. He's, like, covered in flames. He looks like the. I think it's a leopard. At the end of Road to El Dorado, right?

[Steve Yurko]

There's a leopard.

[Sam]

And the big. Yeah, the big, like, monster leopard robot thing. It reminded me of that. And Lucci has an attack called Hand Pistol Spots, where it's just like he has, like, all these, like, flaming, disembodied hands coming out of this black void. It's like his version of Gum Gum Gatling, I guess. And. But. But Zorro's, you know, Zoro's cool, obviously, so he's just like, walking back and forth and swaying and dodging all the attacks. And then when he's ready to end the fight. He's like zigzagging on the. The rubble that's kind of flying up. And what I think is happening is, I guess like when you know, all these big attacks are happening and all this rubble is being like chunked out of the ground like that. Maybe that like brought Enma back into the. Into the scene. Because there's this abstract image that I thought was supposed to be like one of Lucci's attacks. I think it's Enma flying back into Zorro's hand that he catches. And then like the camera like punches in on his hand now having Enma. And so that's. That's Zoro's signal to now be like, all right, now I can do my three sword style spot hunt. And Huhuva being a type of Buddhist.

[Steve Yurko]

Hell King of Hell now.

[Sam]

And so. Yeah, so he does one of his King of Hell moves and it reminded me very much of Zoro's finishing move against the Dokiri Kamazo AKA Killer. And we come back to Luffy, who is in the process of falling into the. The worm's mouth. He's like stretching his arm outside of the mouth and like gripping the edge and trying to like sling himself back up just in time. But then like, he gets chomped slightly and then he has to like, he has to like shimmy his way out of the teeth. And then he's like, hey, I'm not delicious.

[Steve Yurko]

I never.

[Sam]

Or am I? Yes. He has to seriously consider for a second that maybe he is delicious and he can't blame the worm for trying to eat him.

[Steve Yurko]

Maybe I forgot about this, but I find it so funny with Worm Guy. I always forget their names. Jupiter.

[Zach]

I thought the little.

[Steve Yurko]

The cross shape was like a scar or a mark, but it's the mouth.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Sam]

Yeah, it looks. He looks like a hot cross on the tip of his worm. Yeah, he. But like, like, yeah, it's like. It's like this. This cross shape. But then like when. When his mouth is closed, it's like his lips are like this like cross shape. Almost like Luffy's scar or like the. The top of like a cr. A crossed bun. But then like when he opens it out, out, like you see, you see like the line kind of like spread out. And now it looks like a regular mouth. It's very interesting. Very interesting animal to make sense of here. And then this is when Doria and Brogy arrived just in time to start fighting against Saturn and War Curie. And they have a Great bit where they, they are grabbing. Because Saturn has the horns and Warcury has the tusks. The, the Dorian Brogy are each able to like grab one and then like slam them against each other. I thought that was great. Oh, there's another, there's another action bit that I, I meant to bring up earlier, which is when Saturn grabbed Luffy and forcefully headbutted him against Warcury. And so if. And so later in the episode it feels like it's almost like a comeuppance that the giants are grabbing them like these big toys and just being like. So Luffy gets free from Jupiter the worm. Then Saturn grabs Luffy with like his tentacle leg, headbutts him with the Warcury, then like flings Luffy back into. Into Jupiter's mouth. So that's why he's now inside the worm. That's when Dori and Brogy arrive, slam Saturn and Warcury together. And then they, they do this almost this team up attack where they're like flanking Jupiter on both sides. You know, camera has to do the cool spin around to get like the three. The full like three dimensional image of the of the giants taking each of Jupiter's sides and then using their axe and sword to slice him open. And then Luffy goes flying free from. From Jupiter's like neck hole which is has a strange like rainbow light color dimension or something. And then 11:45 is the next episode. Friends fight together. Luffy and the warriors of Elbaf. And so Luffy is happy to be reuniting with his giant friends. We have a bit of Jinbe watching in awe as he's watching CGI Marcus Mars still attacking the Punk Records barrier.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah, it doesn't look as bad as CGI Kaido and Momonosuke.

[Sam]

No, he does not. You can feel like after the Slam Dunk episode, right before it. And then you get to this episode and you see immediately the big CGI monster. You're like, ah, I know this one. I know this story. Oh yeah. Although this, this episode generally look looks fine, but you, you can tell this is. This is one area where they, they.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah, you want that amazing sequence from the previous episode. You know, there's compromise.

[Sam]

So yeah, Jinbe's like, all right, well time to zoom me over to Zoro and help him out of his scene for once. And Lucci is still standing. He's received the attack. He's got these huge, three huge slashes across his body. They go so far that they're like crossing over to Each of his arms as well. And he's got, like, blood pouring. And it looks like he's about to faint, but instead he stays on his feet and he roars. And then Jinbe has to, like, quickly scoop Zoro up under his arm. Be like, nuh. Don't keep fighting. Let's go. Yeah, you won. You won. Let's.

[Steven Paul]

We.

[Sam]

We all. We all agree. You won. And so Jim B. Gets out of the scene with a fishman karate 5000 brick chop. He's like, I'm sorry, Rob Lucci, but I gotta do this. And he, you know, just Fish man blast of. Of water, basically, to get him and Zoro out of. Yeah, yeah. Like, it was. It basically just like, got Lucci on his knees back into human form. And it was a distraction that got Jinbe and Zorro out. And now Lucci's like, looking up and Marcus Mars is now, like, hovering over him, staring down. Just big, giant monster bird being like, Robert Lucci.

[Steve Yurko]

Well, the thing is in the. In the. And the CP, but in the world.

[Sam]

Of 1 0, Rob is, tell me what you know. Where is York.

[Steve Yurko]

Lucci? Rob, it sounds nice. It sounds like.

[Sam]

I know. I just think it's funny to call him Robert Luchi.

[Steve Yurko]

Robert Lucci.

[Sam]

Yeah. He's asking Lucci where York is. And Lucci. Lucci over delivers, gives him way more information than he was actually asking for. He's like, oh, York is here. Two of the other satellites are here in the basement. There's 85 captive cipher pole agents. And then, like, Mars. Thank you very much, sir. Sir Robert. And he's like, flying away. And then. And then Lucci's like, but wait, I got one more request. I have an injured partner. Please make sure he is rescued as well. And he's talking about Kaku, obviously. It's oddly sweet that he cares enough to say this much. And Mars is like, I make no promises. Sometimes insects get crushed. And even if you're trying not to.

[Steven Paul]

Sound.

[Sam]

It sounds like he has. He's not even going to make the. The effort if the effort presents itself.

[Steve Yurko]

Ravalucci is just like, I'm on the right side.

[Sam]

But. And. And that, like, as. As Marcus is flying away. Yeah, Mark. As Marcus Mars is flying away, Lucci is just kind of like. There's a wide shot of Lucci on his knees, just kind of like looking in disbelief. And then a little hot turret kind of flies in and lands on his shoulder. And then. So the giants are catching up with Luffy. They're saying like, oh, yeah, we read the newspaper and they said you're a big bad villain who's holding Vegapunk hostage. And we thought that hey, this is our opportunity. We are in the neighborhood. We might as well swing on by. And Luffy is amused that that's how the. The news is presenting him. And Dory takes out a big horn and blows into it to let his crew know that they have succeeded in meeting up with.

[Zach]

With Luffy.

[Sam]

And the. The all the giants. They. They hear the horn. They're like, all right, time to get back to the ship. And you know, they're like like just burning wreckage all around them. They're. They're you know, lit very ominously like from the Marines perspective. Like they're just big scary monsters. And now they're like oh, okay, time to go home.

[Steve Yurko]

But they're the very Vicky. The Viking cartoony looking giants, which I love.

[Sam]

Yeah.

[Steve Yurko]

You know, but with.

[Sam]

But very like atmospheric lighting. Very. You know, if we did not know. If we did not think of them as the good guys, they would look like the bad guys. But they're. They're happily to pack it up and go home. And you know, Warcury, the big boar man, he's like, oh well, I have my own horn too. And he just basically belches so hard that it turns the island into jello. And yeah, everything's going wobbly. There's lightning coming out of his. Out of his big mouth. And it's. It's like such a powerful gust of wind that it blows Luffy's body parts off. Like his eyes and his scars and his clothes and his hair like all just like pop off and go flying. And he's like whoa. And the. I don't know what they're doing with the background here where it suddenly looks, you know, like they're traveling through the. The information superhighway.

[Steve Yurko]

That's a little more experimental.

[Sam]

Yeah. But like. Like even. Even when like the. The giants are like reacting to Luffy's body being blown to bits. And then. And then Dory puts up his sword to catch all the bits flying so that they're all like landing on his sword. The flat end of his sword. Like stickers. Like even then like they're still keeping like the. The background's like this weird like blue cybernetic pillar of squares and rectangles. It's very interesting. And then it's just like hard cut like like we. We haven't solved. We haven't finished fighting Warcury and. And Saturn yet. But we hard cut to Luffy now back on his feet, putting his like eyes and scars back on. You know, he has to like test his eyes to be like, oh, did I put the right ones in? It's like, do you play any of like the recent like, Mario parties where one of the briefly one of the mini games is you have to like drop like the. The eyes and nose and mouths onto the characters faces as accurately as possible.

[Steve Yurko]

That sounds awesome.

[Sam]

It's saying that's like what Luffy's doing with his own face.

[Zach]

Mm.

[Steve Yurko]

It's kind of like a. Almost like a Mr. Potato Head.

[Sam]

Yes, yes, very Mr. Potato Head. And so, yeah, the Giants are like, very concerned. Like, oh, did you get everything? Like I thought. I'm pretty sure I caught all your parts, but I just want to make sure. And Luffy's like, yep, I feel like everything's okay. And you feel like you're being set up for like some joke that he's like, still missing his penis or something. But War Curie is like, I don't want to stand around all day, so I'm just gonna like, do a big Sonic the Hedgehog spin jump and my. And my tusks are gonna turn into blades. But then the Giants step in and they. They put their shields up very perfectly. One shield per per tusk. They managed to block him and works like, do you even know who this runt is? And the Giants are like, yes, he's a friend. And then they, you know, push. Work your way off. Were you gonna say something, Steve?

[Steve Yurko]

No, no, no.

[Sam]

And then you got Saturn off to the side being like, well, if that's what you're calling him, then we must put an end to that. And he starts spitting out like these. These like poison bullets. And then. And then this is when Luffy is now, you know, getting creative again. He's like grabs a. You know, the background goes like all weird and colorful and comic booky. It's got those like. What are they called? The Ben Day dots.

[Steve Yurko]

Oh, yes.

[Zach]

God, why am I.

[Steve Yurko]

Why am I forgetting the name of the artist? Like, I did a. An episode image of Harold that resembled that.

[Sam]

Yeah, Andy Warhol, Ben Day. And yeah, so he grabs like a palm tree and he like lumps it into the shape of a bat. And then he paints it. He paints it to look like a bat and he puts a little number on it. Just like he just grabs like a baseball helmet out of thin air and puts it on and he's, you know, adjusting it and you know, winding up his swing like he's Just taking. Taking a long time making. Making a show out of deflecting the. The poison bullets back at his enemies. And yeah, so I loved it.

[Steve Yurko]

It's the most Looney Tunes I think he's ever been in the anime. And I felt like it was more captured that kind of vibe where it's like, yeah, it's like chewing through a tree. Like it's like a cartoon corn on the cob.

[Sam]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. He knocks the. Knocks the poison bullets back at Saturn and Warcury and they just explode on contact. And then Luffy's eyes bug out because he didn't know that they were going to be explosive as well as poisonous. And you know, now. Now the giants are like making their plan to. To all regroup and there's just kind of fire and smoke everywhere. And I guess the. The, you know, the elders got torn up by that, by those explosions. But. But they're. Because of. They have their unique powers. They're all regenerating as well as. As Jupiter who's, you know, just got his head cut off as a worm. But now he's returning to his regular form or he's regenerating back into a, you know, full. Full worm man. And Jinbe is. Zoro is like on Jinbei's shoulder as they're flying and he notices that they're slowing down because Jinbe's rocket boots are running out of fuel or whatever they're. They're running on. And then Jim Bay makes the decision to just get on his feet and start running.

[Steve Yurko]

I didn't. I didn't know Jim Bay was this good of a sprinter. He's super fast.

[Sam]

What it made me think. I mean, like, I figured just being strong at all, like gives you, you know, some speed advantage because there was that Oda did the. He ranked them by like how fast they would run in how fast they would be in a race.

[Zach]

Wow, I forgot about that.

[Sam]

I'm trying to remember where Jim Bay ranked. I think like, Frankie was definitely last and like Brooke was definitely first.

[Steve Yurko]

Oh yeah.

[Sam]

And then like Zorro had like this condition of like, if it's a short sprint race, he could probably do pretty well, but if it's like a long one, he's definitely going to get lost. But yeah, back to the. The. The Vegapunk broadcast. He still isn't starting yet, but we do get to see Vegapunk burning his tongue. And you got York just chained on the ground being forced to watch this in befuddlement. And this is when. And Yosi and Kaku are in this room as well. And this is when Marcus Mars is flying overhead, poking his head into the big hole that Luffy created when he was fighting Kizaru. And he's like, oh, it's like, York, where's the monitor room? And York is just in shock. She didn't expect to be seeing a big monster bird or fort to be talking to her. And we got back on one of the marine ships where Kizaru is hanging out, just laying on the deck still. One of the Marines is like, oh, sir. Mr. Kizaru, are you okay? Like, do you have any injuries? And Kizaru says, I do have one injury. It runs.

[Steve Yurko]

It's in my heart.

[Sam]

Yeah. It's like, are you okay, sir? I don't. Do you want help? He's like, just leave me be. And then the big suit of armor, the big robot from the the beginning of the arc is waking up, and it's like pulling out, like, a big bloody impalement from its. From its gut. And it's like Joy Boy. And it's like, you know, lurching through the forest, through the fire, through the smoke. The Marines are watching in shock and awe that a new type of giant has entered the world.

[Steve Yurko]

The blood is interesting. I don't know if that was supposed to be oil or something.

[Sam]

Yeah, I. It's because, like, if. If he died from impalement, like, a really long time ago, why is like, if. Like, if it's like, secretly organic under there, it's still strange that there's, like, blood. Unless this happened just now as, like, the islands getting destroyed. But yeah, so we got Marines and various characters kind of gawking at the sight of this. This iron giant walking. And the giant is talking to itself, saying, sorry, Joy Boy. Dun, dun, dun. To be continued. General thoughts on these two episodes Steve.

[Steve Yurko]

Some really great episodes that I think we knew were coming. Like, we knew they were kind of saving their energy and their time for something really bombastic and. Yeah, like the first episode, just Chanzard's storyboards and just what led to some incredible animation. It was just nuts. Really love some of these continuous shots. Super ambitious, and I think it played off. I think both these episodes just. I felt like we're handling gear 5 Luffy a little bit better. Just a lot more fun stuff. I like these zany backgrounds. Even, like, the laser light show with Lucci and Zoro was still a lot of. I can't help but say. I can't help but admit. I'm like, yeah, yeah, it was A lot of fun. I think even Jinbe scenes were great. I think one of the scenes I forgot to mention was the little. I don't think this was in the manga, but the Usopp guiding the crew into pulling the sunny.

[Sam]

Yeah.

[Steve Yurko]

One of the things I realized too was Chopper was in his heavy point. Is that, like his human form. When's the last time we've seen Chopper in that form?

[Sam]

Yeah, it's not that frequent.

[Steven Paul]

I saw it.

[Steve Yurko]

I was like, whoa. I don't think we've seen that since. Whole cake.

[Sam]

Yeah. I mean, I guess they're. Yeah. Because. Does he do it at all in wano?

[Steve Yurko]

I don't think so. I don't recall seeing that form at all. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so. I think it was mostly.

[Sam]

Yeah. Cuz like you. I feel like I would remember him in like the. The samurai armor being in heavy point.

[Steve Yurko]

Right. It's crazy. So.

[Zach]

I don't know.

[Steve Yurko]

It was just like, refreshing to see that. I miss seeing forms of Chopper. Speaking of, like, going through like my figures again. Remember the new horn was at hornpoint. It looks more like a beetle that we've just never seen again. It's crazy.

[Sam]

Yeah. Like, it's like Kung fu point or nothing a lot of the time. Right?

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah, I think you're right. It seems like that's all it is. It's a little disappointing. Oh, I think he was also. I'm pretty sure he was in his like, reindeer form during Onigashima, but neither here or there. I just thought that was like a really kind of welcome thing of just like a little bit of extra filler. But the. Yeah, the scenes with the Elders are just incredible. Just huge spectacle. Even the stuff with the giants. I like the one giant just like bouncing from warship to warship. And the one thing we're talking about, trampolines. I think when Dorian, Brogi and Luffy were gonna leave, I think this was before Warcury kind of tries to stop them. Luffy's just like floating in the air and I'm like, what's this? I'm like, Luffy can't fly. Like with Lucci. It makes sense because Lucci can moonwalk. But I thought, I don't know, maybe gear 5th Luffy is supposed to float in the air. But I just kind of. I think it's probably.

[Sam]

He's just kind of wherever he needs to be.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah. It's just cost cutting, but I would love to see him kind of just bounce up and down and dead like that's. Why he's always. Because, you know, in the manga we're seeing like, just moments in time. You know, it's not, you know, it's not animation. But I. You know, that's my one nitpick. I think these were really fun. Good gags.

[Zach]

Great.

[Steve Yurko]

Great direction, great animation, great expressions. Yeah, this was a banger.

[Sam]

Yep. The first of these episodes. Obviously, that's the. The Showstopper. Really pleased with the strange, surreal, foreboding quality of the Elders. And also the kind of the. Yeah, saying this in a positive way, the clusterfuck of the. Of the action of, you know, these like, super strange big monsters and, you know, Luffy's obviously very strange attacks just like kind of clashing and intersecting with each other's fights and stuff like that. That's the stuff I was really excited to see. See. I really like seeing the Giants in action. I thought they're like kind of tag team chopping off the. Off Jupiter's head to get Luffy out. I thought that was great. And sort of a callback to when they cut off the, like, brontosaurus neck in Little Garden.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah.

[Sam]

Yeah, Like. Like this, you know, this kind of barrage of overlapping action scenes kind of pulling your attention away, you know, in different directions. Like, that's. That's what I was excited for. That's where I felt like they delivered on very spectacularly. And I hope. I hope there's still a lot more to come. Obviously, like, we're gonna get preoccupied with Vegapunk's, you know, press release here, but, like, you know, keep keeping the. The strangeness and the intensity of all these, like, jug of all these different action scenes and subplots that we're juggling is a big part of what's interesting about the. The egghead climax. So, yeah, I am pleased. I am happy. I am looking forward to more.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah, it's really kind of hyping this up. I'm looking forward to seeing the reactions to the broadcast. The stuff with the Elder so far has been really entertaining. I think Chancer was the guy to get and he did not disappoint.

[Sam]

Yeah, just a really creative eye for, like, staging action scenes.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah, and just like weird blobby stuff too. It's just. He was like, no one else could have done that. So glad he's getting his flowers.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Steve Yurko]

Great bunch of eps. Solid viewing.

[Sam]

Anything else you'd like to say before we move on to the next segment? Uh, no.

[Steve Yurko]

Trying to think of other. I was honestly trying to think of other lyrics to the bloodhound Gangs. Is it Bad Touch? Is that the song?

[Zach]

No.

[Steve Yurko]

What's the name of the song? Is it Bad Touch?

[Sam]

I brought it up. I should know.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah, you should. I don't know why you. I don't know why that was the song.

[Sam]

Yes, it is called Bad Touch.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah. I don't know why. That must have been in the vicinity of you. So I don't know why you brought it up, but. But I just want to say don't switch to the Discovery Channel. I don't think you would keep listening to the rest of this show.

[Sam]

All right, thank you very much, Steve.

[Zach]

Thank you.

[Sam]

And we'll talk to you. I think the anime is going on break for a little bit here, so we'll get a reprieve from doing the anime.

[Steve Yurko]

But y' all we'll talk about again in the near future.

[Sam]

Yes, we will.

[Steven Paul]

All right.

[Sam]

Thank you, Steve.

[Steve Yurko]

Thank you.

[Sam]

Limu Gamu and Doug.

[Zach]

Limu and I always tell you to.

[Sam]

Customize your car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. But now we want you to feel it. Cue the emu music. Limu.

[Zach]

Save yourself money today. Increase your wealth.

[Sam]

Customize and save. We save. That may have been too much feeling.

[Steven Paul]

Only pay for what you need@liberty mutual.com.

[Sam]

Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings Ferry unwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates excludes Massachusetts. It's okay not to be perfect with finances. Experian is your big financial friend and here to help. Did you know you can get matched with credit cards on the app? Some cards are labeled no ding decline, which means if you're not approved, they won't hurt your credit scores. Download the Experian app for free today. Applying for no ding decline cards won't hurt your credit scores. If you aren't initially approved, initial approval will result in a hard inquiry which may impact your credit scores.

[Steven Paul]

Experian.

[Zach]

This is the Piece Together segment where we take your questions, comments, theories and answer them. We haven't done much of a show so far, so I don't have any funny things to say, presumably. Let's start with this piece we have. I think I described this as three questions so far at least. And they really run the gamut. We have so here. Steven, I'll give you a choice. Do you want the long one, the regular one, or the short one to.

[Steven Paul]

Read or to listen to.

[Zach]

For me to read first.

[Steven Paul]

Okay, let's go down. Let's go just right. Let's do the medium one.

[Zach]

Okay. This is from M Stranger who says hey, Opp. Longtime listener and patreon member never asked a disbease question. Simple, very generic, quick question. Will Blackbeard or Emu be the final villain? A straight shot question. Nothing, you know, no games. Just.

[Steven Paul]

I think it should be Emu.

[Sam]

Yeah. Emu feels like the. The easy Emu is like the antithesis to pirates. You know, he's the authoritarian leader. And so. So like, I think. I think Luffy and Blackbeard are at least on the same side as far as just like, you know, wanting to.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Sam]

Be free and do whatever they want and live a life of chaos.

[Steven Paul]

And Luffy and Blackbeard are on the. Like, if you do. If you do one of those, like, political affinity charts or whatever, Luffy and Blackbeard are at least on one of the accesses axes together, whereas Emu is just in the opposite corner.

[Zach]

That might be like one of those fights where you fight together and then he just stabs you in the back in the middle.

[Sam]

But I've been kind of getting the sense with Rocks now that like, maybe Blackbeard's thing is he's going to be very invested in a. In a fate narrative that Luffy isn't. And that's where a contrast could be interesting for.

[Steven Paul]

For Blackbeard, you mean?

[Sam]

Yeah, like he. He. He. He's fulfilling something that either his dad couldn't. Or that. Or that, you know, he's carrying on the will of.

[Zach]

Or.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, the. The differences are trying to map out like the. I guess the sort of foil nature of Blackbeard and Luffy is. Is much messier now. Or more interesting now in the last, you know, several chapters. Just because of the. The rocks angle. It tells us a lot more about potential motivations and things. Even though I don't know that we're. We're still kind of waiting for some shoe to drop as far as like, what. What actually happens in this. In the rest of this flashback. So.

[Sam]

But I also like Blackbeard better as a final villain because we've been building to him for so long.

[Zach]

I. I mean, I see it less as Emu and more of the government and the Marines as a construction like that we've been kind of leading to since the beginning.

[Sam]

But if it comes down to like a Luffy versus the final boss of the government.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Sam]

I mean, you're the final boss of Pirates.

[Zach]

I.

[Steven Paul]

It's. It's hard to say. Gotta be both. Like, it's hard to say that like the entirety of it would be like the true antagonist or whatever. When. When. Now that we've seen that there's like such a malignant force that is like exerting pressure continuously on everything El to be the way that it is. Like, I. I don't. I don't know. I don't even know if like Akainu say is. It would. Would be as like single minded and sort of bloodthirsty in his pursuit of justice if he didn't have, you know, that. That sort of threat from the five Elders, from, you know, who. Who they have Emu breathing down their necks, et cetera, et cetera.

[Zach]

So yeah, I was gonna say the government has like inflicted more direct harm on Luffy than Blackbeard who has, you know, inflicted the. I am taking Ace. But the per. The person who killed Ace was in front of Luffy's eyes was still Sakazuki.

[Steven Paul]

That's true.

[Zach]

And I don't think it's a coincidence that it was that person at that time. However, Sakazuki has become a desk junkie. And that makes me kind of like jockey. No, I think.

[Sam]

I think Akainu and Sabo are going to be the. The. They're going to be the one on one fight in the final arc.

[Zach]

Are we gonna get those? I. I feel like Oda's just gonna throw out the playbook when he gets to the end. Right. Because like, he's gonna watch.

[Sam]

But I'm sure. I'm sure there's going to be, you know, it's gonna be a, you know, a Russian nesting doll of.

[Zach]

Yes.

[Sam]

Arcs within. Arcs within fights.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, I figure it'll be like. It'll be like Marineford in that. Like it there. One on one fight will be like three different panels.

[Zach]

Right?

[Steven Paul]

Like five chapters or whatever.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah. And then 15 minutes of animation in the anime.

[Sam]

Okay. I think I'm getting more firm back on Blackbeard being the final boss because it's like whose freedom is stronger?

[Zach]

Steve, did you have something.

[Steve Yurko]

Sorry, I would have said that earlier, but I don't know. Just with the Harley now and just with the gum gum fruit being the Nika fruit now, it kind of feels like, oh, this is what it's building up to basically. You know, pure good versus pure evil.

[Sam]

Well, no, because I. Well, I think part one of the story's goals now is to unshackle itself from that.

[Zach]

I agree with both of you.

[Steve Yurko]

How Rian Johnson of you.

[Zach]

I do think the order of things. I agree with both of you. I think they have to wipe away the government somehow, like as the main threat. And then Blackbeard is the main threat.

[Steve Yurko]

Like what like if, you know, if we're thinking of some sort of Marine forward, like final battle against Emu. Like what? What? Who's fighting for imu? Because if I still have to see like Marines.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, yeah.

[Zach]

And the Domi Reversi thing.

[Steve Yurko]

Because there's no way the Marines. Because it's so. It's so funny watching like the anime right now where the Marines are just seeing these giant fucking demonic creatures and they're just like, yeah, that's my boss.

[Zach]

That's my boss.

[Steve Yurko]

It's like, yeah, I think they have.

[Steven Paul]

No idea what that's. Am I a baddie in 2025, Stephen?

[Steve Yurko]

I was just about to be like. But you know, kind of just paying attention to anything going on today. It's like, oh, it's not that. Yeah, it's not. It's not that. I would say, like far fetched realistic.

[Sam]

Yeah. I think one side of the conflict has to be like a convergence of all the, like the revolutionaries and the good guy Marines and everybody who has kind of a personal story with the government villains. And then on the other side, like the. The Four Emperors gathering on Laugh Tale to have like a. I want. I want to see like the, you know, like the Cage match spread in skypiea. But it's like. Like Buggy Shanks and Luffy and Blackbird all like staring each other down from. From a field somewhere.

[Zach]

That's not gonna happen.

[Steve Yurko]

But do we still think like Shanks is like a final.

[Zach]

No.

[Steve Yurko]

Final boss.

[Zach]

I personally, I think the Shamrock thing.

[Sam]

I think sort of. I think.

[Zach]

Sorry.

[Sam]

I was surprised when Shanks said we're going to go for the one piece.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Sam]

At the end of Wano. Makes me think that like he does have a genuine intention to be an obstacle to Luffy in some capacity.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah. Because if this was all. I don't. I really hope it's not just like, oh, I planned everything so you could be this great pirate.

[Sam]

Defeat. If Luffy defeats him, he's good for him to be like, I got. I have a reason to fight too. So, like, I'm fighting the killer Luffy wants. Feels personal.

[Steve Yurko]

Like. Yeah, it just feels counterproductive.

[Zach]

I think it also depends on what Luffy's other dream was like. Didn't we say?

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, that's true.

[Zach]

Didn't. So that's the thing that like kind of struck Shanks just to kind of kick off this whole thing like with the hat and. Oh, he said the thing Roger said. But we don't. We know it's something childish ish. But we don't really know what it is.

[Steve Yurko]

I think I want Blockbuster to come back.

[Zach]

What an idiot. I'm gonna give him this hat and he'll go around the world thinking Blockbuster is gonna come back. I do like long answers. Only idea of. Sorry, What I was gonna say he's.

[Steven Paul]

Just falling into a nostalgia hole on Facebook.

[Zach]

He's Steve.

[Steven Paul]

Oh, he used to be so much better.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah, I saw this image. It's a real image, by the way. It's a bedroom and movie posters for movies that came out that year. Every video console ever chips on the floor, Go Gurt. And my favorite movies on. And.

[Zach]

That'S the One piece. Is that what you're saying?

[Steve Yurko]

That's the dream.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah.

[Zach]

You know, that would be Oda's dream, too.

[Steve Yurko]

I want the world to be a room where, you know, the Jurassic park poster is on the wall. And I'm nine and I'm playing Chrono Trigger.

[Zach]

Shit. That might be so far. It feels.

[Steve Yurko]

I mean, that's why I'm in my brain. I don't know.

[Zach]

I know.

[Steve Yurko]

I think, like, I kind of realize those are kind of bullshit. Like, I remember in. I think Red Letter Media might have called this out, but in season one of Stranger Things, when one of the main characters has the poster of the thing in his room and they're like, no one had a poster of the thing because it was a bomb. It didn't become culturally relevant and beloved till years and years later.

[Zach]

Yeah. You would have an Empire Strikes Back or something poster.

[Steve Yurko]

Star wars is a little bit different, you know?

[Zach]

No, I. But back then, I feel like that's the thing. What's I gonna say for the original.

[Steve Yurko]

Luffy's dream is.

[Zach]

No, no, just take a step back. Is Shanks gonna actually be, like, an obstacle? Is the question. And what I was trying to say is that.

[Sam]

Soft. Yes.

[Zach]

That I. I think it depends on that. Like, if the whole thing that Luffy has is the ability to persuade and the ability to bring people to his side. And it might seem a little cheesy almost, but I could see that happening with Shanks, just, like, buying into Luffy. Because he already kind of bought into.

[Sam]

Luffy when he gave him the hat, though.

[Zach]

That's what I mean.

[Steve Yurko]

But there's been. But then, like, you think of Marine Ford when Shanks is like, oh, no. It's like, that would be. It'd be breaking my promise to see Luffy.

[Zach]

It's.

[Steve Yurko]

You got to think. It's still shown in. Shanks has to, like, kind of Confront Luffy. It's going to happen.

[Steven Paul]

Shanks Shakes is. Is Goku and Luffy is. What's the kid's name?

[Steve Yurko]

Boob.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah. At the very end of Dragon Ball, like, that's. That's the relationship that they have. It's like, oh, well, we got to. For the love of the game, we got to fight.

[Sam]

That's.

[Steven Paul]

That's how it's going to go.

[Zach]

Yeah, it's. We're now doing the OOB podcast, Monkey D ubiquity.

[Sam]

If you're not. If you're not trying to kill me with all your heart, I'm going to be disappointed in you, young man.

[Zach]

Yeah, I could see them having a fight, but I think at the end of the day, Shanks is probably just going to buy into Luffy and I think become part of whatever Luffy builds. That's. That's my opinion at least.

[Sam]

The. The question is, like, what is Shanks's investment in wanting to find the one piece? Like, what did Roger tell him?

[Zach]

Yeah, yeah, that's also part of it. Like, it's really like.

[Sam]

I.

[Zach]

What's interesting is its character motivations. Yeah, Sam, go ahead. Sorry.

[Sam]

No, I mean, I just. I was just gonna repeat what we've been already been saying. No, I. I think. I think he is prepared to fight seriously. But he. I think. I think he would be happy for Luffy to beat him or for something to interrupt whatever conflict would come between them because he gets killed by like Shamrock or something.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, I feel like that's just as likely is that, you know, he's gonna be the. He. He needs to get fridged for Luffy to. Yeah, to, you know, to get across the finish line.

[Zach]

That will piss him off. I'll say that he has a hair trigger when it comes to anything Shanks related, which I'm sure is on purpose. It's actually been nice to see that coming back because that is a very early one piece characteristic that we didn't see.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, they. Right, they. They kept Shanks in the character profiles, you know, for like 50 volumes when he would never showed up. So, you know, you. You want that to. To be a central pillar of like Luffy's characterization.

[Zach]

I'm sure it is. I'm sure Shanks is going to be crucial in some way. I mean, I'm not really taking such a leap of faith here. Like, obviously he's going to be, because.

[Sam]

I remember I remembered like during Marineford, one of like the things that really left an impression on me was like, I spent that whole Arc being like, so are Luffy and Whitebeard gonna have to, like, fight after this at some point for the. For the one piece? Like. Like, they seem like they're friends now. Like, why would they ever fight? And then, like, the story answers that by killing Whitebeard.

[Steven Paul]

Right?

[Zach]

Yeah. I could see the story killing Shanks, and there's lots of people who would want to do that, I think. But how, when, and why are all good questions.

[Sam]

And then. And then Buggy's going to avenge Shanks.

[Zach]

I said this my hot take a few weeks ago, but come on. Buggy can't do anything cool. Or like, he has to.

[Sam]

But that's why it would be really impressive if he did.

[Zach]

No, but that ruins the character.

[Sam]

Like a moment where you're like, wow, that was surprisingly kind of noble and cool. And then they can follow it up with a joke to deflate it a little bit.

[Steve Yurko]

I still wonder exactly where Buggy's gonna play into all this stuff.

[Zach]

He's probably gonna get the one piece and not want it or something. Could see.

[Steve Yurko]

No, no. Luffy would do that. Oh, okay.

[Zach]

You take it.

[Steve Yurko]

Oh, he's like, all right, I did it. Here, you could have it.

[Sam]

Yep. Buggy's gonna do something cool. Well, that's what happened in Mihawk. Are gonna do something sincerely on his behalf because they admire something that he does.

[Zach]

Mm.

[Sam]

Yeah, probably something like that.

[Zach]

I don't want people to admire Buggy, though. I really am enjoying people still thinking he's.

[Sam]

I mean, they'll still be talking shit on him. They'll be like, you're. You're an idiot and you're a loser and all this happened on accident, but.

[Steve Yurko]

And you're an ugly, hate filled.

[Sam]

We'll let you have this moment because this is. This is a moment. We're feeling it.

[Zach]

Yeah. I'm not anti Buggy. I just prefer him to be the joke.

[Sam]

Yeah, he can be all things.

[Steven Paul]

I agree with you. I agree with you, Zach.

[Zach]

Yeah. I don't want him to be in such a serious position unless it is thrust upon him and he really does not want it, which is kind of where he is right now.

[Sam]

So when he gave that. He gave that speech.

[Zach]

Yeah, no, that was.

[Sam]

Yeah, that was like the moment of like, oh, he's. He. He found like an ounce of sincerity in his heart. He's found something that he's. He's gonna at least kind of sort of try to fight for.

[Zach]

Yeah. But what's good about that is, you know, he doesn't have, like, he personally can't do anything to. To get there, which is like, kind of that, Like.

[Sam]

Well, what if he doesn't need to do. Doesn't need to become, like, the new strongest dude ever, but he. He could do one impressive thing.

[Zach]

Yeah, or he could stumble his way onto the top. I don't like. How would you guys feel if Buggy really does, you know, somehow find his way at the top of the world at the end of the series?

[Sam]

Okay, well, that's the other path. He could. He could continue to be a joke and successfully fail upwards into being Pirate King.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, that's. That's because that's what it. Like, the pattern is already established.

[Zach]

Yeah, I mean, he's as high as you could go without being Pirate King right now. Right.

[Steven Paul]

But it would have to be like the Department of Ironic Punishments sort of thing.

[Zach]

Oh, absolutely. He'd have to be like the Sakazuki of the new world, you know, like doing paperwork and crap.

[Sam]

He gets to be Pirate King, but then Luffy gets whatever his secret dream is.

[Zach]

Yeah, I could see that.

[Sam]

It turns out that that was the cooler, better dream anyway.

[Zach]

Yeah. Thank you, Sam. You sound like. You sound like an older sibling or something. Or younger sibling. Okay, so anyways, Blackbeard is gonna be a fun.

[Steven Paul]

That was. That was one question.

[Zach]

That was so. Yeah, Blackbeard or Emu. Final villain. Steve, do you want the short one or the long one? And I will say the long one comes from Reverse Eyepatch, who is currently typing another one. So keep that in mind.

[Steven Paul]

Let's see how long we draw it out.

[Steve Yurko]

We'll do another long one.

[Zach]

Well, no, that was a short question. It was a long answer.

[Sam]

I thought it was the middle one.

[Zach]

Oh, that was the middle one. I'm sorry. You're right. So we'll. Okay, I'll do the long one from Reverse Eyepatch. Who says opposite. By the way, they also mentioned that they discovered that Discord does have a character limit. So let me begin. Reverse Eye patch said. Opp. It's an off week. Looks like it's time for me to share my thoughts on Blackbeard. Everyone's in Blackbeard this week. Fate and how Luffy is the ultimate embodiment of freedom in rejecting hierarchies and destinies. Here we go. Like, he just submitted his other question, which is ridiculous. So Blackbeard seems to be following in Rox's footsteps, and Rocks was in some way following Davey D. Jones. And that guy probably had some big old secret plan, but Rocks died when Blackbeard was a little baby. I think that when little Teach was a kid, whether before or after joining Whitebeard, he learned all about the hazy, poorly preserved legend of rocks and Davey and the Harley and all that sh. What with his archaeology hobby. But Blackbeard probably couldn't read poneglyphs and had a huge chip on his shoulder from being an orphan. Interesting take there. He didn't have a saw, Clover, Don, or anyone else to look after him until he joined his first pirate crew. And he apparently doesn't sleep, so he never got to keep the sad thoughts out of his head. Whether Rox is a shitty dude or this is. This is brutal. Whether Rox is a shitty dude or not, Blackbeard inherited a warped dream about his ultimate heritage and destiny. To take out IMU or become the new king of the world or eat the Red line or whatever. He leaves. That would be fun. He leaves everything to fate because he thinks everything is about where you come from. And he came from the big secret pirate with big secret plans. A lot of the more toxic side of the fandom agrees with this bloodline crap. They think he is a. They think he is strong because his dad was strong. And Shanks is strong because his dad was strong. This comes from the same eugenis. Eugenicy bullshit. I don't know if that's the adjective version of that eugenicist eugenicsy bullshit that got the whole world government wanting to kill Ace for who his dad was. But that's not what Luffy is about. Luffy was a weak ass kid and he only recently learned he had any parents at all. He isn't strong by birth. Just like Koby. Both of them were trained by a guy who just believes in training by punching a battleship a bunch. Not hockey. Not devil fruits. Not genetics. The future best doctor in the world's biological parents were regular ass reindeer. You are free no matter where you come from. I have a feeling that list was going to get longer. But he ran out of characters. Yeah. So I. I mean I think that's. I agree with his sentiment. I don't know. I hope that his sentiment about bloodline stuff is correct, but I don't know if it'll actually turn out that way.

[Sam]

Yeah, we're waiting for Blackbeard to have like a model like. Like the. The guy he's trying to be like and. And learned his sort of worldview from.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Sam]

Yeah, go ahead.

[Steven Paul]

Maybe this is like. You know, this. This is where we find that out. Like if he. If he's aware of you Know where he came from and. Yeah, what. What Rocks was doing or if he thinks he's aware of it.

[Sam]

I still, you know, I can imagine him getting like a, Like, Like a. A journal from like, Davy Jones's time and like, like Yamato and Odin.

[Steven Paul]

Right.

[Sam]

He's been sort of following that.

[Zach]

I still think Rocks wants to put his soul or like, consciousness into Blackbeard. I'm still a subscriber of that ridiculous theory.

[Steven Paul]

Okay. Yeah, we don't.

[Zach]

We don't know his devil fruit power or if he has one. I don't believe the sincerity he has. Generally. Like, the one thing we know about Blackbeard is he's really good at making plans.

[Steve Yurko]

I. I don't know. He kind of wings it sometimes, though. Like, he definitely has some good plans, but then, like, he hasn't. Then he gets, like, cut up and shot sometimes.

[Zach]

True.

[Sam]

I think there's some respectability, something respectable about his commitment to. To chaos.

[Steven Paul]

It's an ethos. Right.

[Sam]

Like.

[Zach]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sam]

I'm honest about it.

[Zach]

I could see Blackbeard just not having anyone to look up to also. And that being an interesting character study, which is, I think would make him.

[Sam]

Kind of what they're talking, unique among One piece characters.

[Zach]

He's also such an interesting character because he does have this very. What do you call it? He, like, he does care about dreams and he does care about, like, he does care about, like, vision of, like, that a person has, but he is also very like, I'm gonna do what I have to do to get what I need done, even if, and particularly if it throws my enemies out of the way.

[Sam]

He is a romantic. He is romance dawning.

[Steven Paul]

It is the. The intersection of romanticism and pragmatism that he practices.

[Zach]

Yeah. And he is very much. And you reflect this in your writing, Stephen. He's very much a pirate's pirate, like that. He is.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Now that he has the beard particularly, like, he really embodies that spirit of both freedom and brutality that pirates are known for historically. So, like, that makes him a very interesting villain. I think that's what has made him very unnerving is because you just don't know what he's going to do or what he has planned or not planned.

[Steven Paul]

Right.

[Zach]

But, like, I'm hoping this flashback doesn't destroy that image too much or that genetics don't play such a huge role. I have to look up more about the historic Blackbeard because I don't know a lot about him. And I wonder how much of that Mythos is going into the actual character.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Zach]

It was Edward D. Teach. Right? Not D. Edward Teach.

[Sam]

Just.

[Steven Paul]

Just Edward Teach. Yeah.

[Zach]

Any other thoughts or.

[Steven Paul]

I thought. I think it was like. It's either Edward Teach or Edward Thatcher. Right. I think that's like another version of his came from. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Zach]

Everyone's favorite. Everyone's favorite dead pirate.

[Sam]

What if Thatch was the real son of rocks?

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Okay.

[Sam]

And that's. And that's why Blackbeard killed him. The devil fruit was a cover up.

[Steven Paul]

It's like monster.

[Zach]

It is like monster.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Yeah. Spoiler alert. Doesn't that happen in the first chapter? Right. Anyway, we have two much more obscene questions. First comes from Roger and Ray are couple goals, slash slay. Who says, where do babies come from? That's the whole question. They paid for me to say that. So specifically.

[Sam]

So the person's name is Roger and Rayleigh. Our couple goals.

[Zach]

Yes. And then asks separately.

[Sam]

And the question is, where do babies come from?

[Zach]

Yes. Sam, can you take that one for me?

[Sam]

I feel like they're not gonna like the answer to the question.

[Steve Yurko]

Well, when a Roger and a Rayleigh love each other very much.

[Zach]

There it is.

[Steve Yurko]

They decide to circumvent the entire world. Not once.

[Sam]

Eggs. They come from eggs from the back of a ship.

[Steve Yurko]

Yes.

[Zach]

Ooh. That's the right answer. Good choice.

[Steven Paul]

You decide and then you perform the blood sacrifice because the mother has to die before the baby can grow.

[Zach]

Whoa.

[Sam]

Where's the mother coming from?

[Zach]

Chicken and the egg.

[Steve Yurko]

You need.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, you need.

[Steve Yurko]

You need an egg. You need a surrogate.

[Sam]

I thought Rayleigh was gonna be the mother.

[Steve Yurko]

I mean, motherly. Yeah, like, it's the mother, but like, you need like a surrogate. Then Rose is like, I'll do it. But like, like, oh, it's only a nine month gig. And they're like, yeah, about that. It's like you kind of have to. We might need you to stick around.

[Steven Paul]

A little bit, do time and a half.

[Sam]

Yeah, it's.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah, we. It's too hot. You know, the, you know, we gotta. We gotta make sure that, you know, they're, you know, not. Not looking into you. So you gotta hang tight. You gotta. You gotta. You gotta sit on this big egg.

[Zach]

I spaced out for a good minute or two. I have no idea what the fuck.

[Steve Yurko]

You gotta sit on this giant egg and you gotta make sure when it cracks open, you gotta be the first thing this baby sees or else it will not think of you as its mother. And then the story, if anybody else.

[Sam]

Touches the baby you can't take it back.

[Zach]

Why did I let you talk this long about this? But this gets serious and Delaney. Feel free to cut this. So now she has to keep it. No, she doesn't. Are any of the straw hats circumcised? Like, obviously, Brook lost all of his skin when he died, but did he lose any at an earlier date? Like, say, some? Moyle did a super fast run past baby Brooke, and then three seconds later, bam.

[Sam]

No, this is a zero circumcision world, I think.

[Zach]

Thank you, Sam. That's.

[Sam]

That thought had not entered the cabinet yet.

[Steven Paul]

Okay, let's ask Oda. How many times a week do the guys wash?

[Zach]

Wow. I officially say, how many times.

[Sam]

How many times a week do the guys get circumcised?

[Zach]

That's what I thought you were gonna say, too.

[Steve Yurko]

Is Jinbei's like shark teeth where it just always grows back? Yeah.

[Sam]

Well, he's got two, right?

[Zach]

Do sharks have two?

[Steven Paul]

That's right. Yeah.

[Zach]

I think that was an sbs. Yeah, you're right. I think that was an sbs.

[Steven Paul]

It was either it was about Arlong or about Hody. And they said, like, does that mean he has two? And Oda was like, oh, I guess he does.

[Sam]

I'm just imagining that Little Mermaid comment comic. Two foreskins.

[Steve Yurko]

There's an image.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Do not draw that, Steve.

[Steven Paul]

Imagine.

[Zach]

Oh, we already drew that.

[Steve Yurko]

Well, then we got to consult the SBS questions. Like, how often do these guys wash?

[Steven Paul]

That's what I'm saying.

[Zach]

I don't like this. Yeah, I'm uncomfortable.

[Steven Paul]

I'm not going to get any more graphic than that.

[Steve Yurko]

Maybe this is already pretty graphic. I don't know.

[Sam]

Something. Silent Hill Wiki.

[Steve Yurko]

I was going to say if Zoro was. That's what inspired him to become a swordsman.

[Zach]

Yeah. What swordsman casts a moment that he.

[Steve Yurko]

Would obviously not remember.

[Zach]

Wow, that moyo was really good. I'm gonna. I'm gonna be. Or maybe he just went to a prison. Yeah. Three knives and then that's what happened.

[Steve Yurko]

When did circumcision become popularized? I'm curious.

[Zach]

In the one piece world.

[Sam]

Yeah.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah. Where's that on the fan wiki? Where's that on the timeline?

[Zach]

I think it is a more modern. I think it is.

[Steve Yurko]

And this year, Rocks and Herald meant. And then five years later, circumcision was popularized.

[Zach]

Not discussing this any further.

[Steve Yurko]

It's an off week. It's an off week.

[Zach]

It is an off week. That time we get your circumcision questions in.

[Sam]

It's weird that it caught on when you think about it, Circumcision. Yeah.

[Zach]

I think it's weird.

[Sam]

Even.

[Zach]

Even.

[Sam]

Even non. Really? Even for non religious reasons. People do it.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Steve Yurko]

Scary.

[Zach]

Well, it's scary, but you don't. It's. When you're okay.

[Steven Paul]

You're a baby.

[Zach]

Yeah, you're a baby.

[Sam]

But it also does nothing.

[Zach]

Okay.

[Sam]

Like, there's no medical benefit to it.

[Zach]

Then we do it. We just not really. Sounds like there is. Okay.

[Sam]

Oh, yeah. One more place you gotta wash. Don't brag to your brother about your circumcision.

[Zach]

Okay. Stephen, please help us. Take us anywhere. Even if.

[Steven Paul]

Oh, that's right. Yes, we do have one old question. We had a leftover. It's. It's still good. It's not past the expiration date. From last week. From Brad Wonder over on the [e-mail] r one piece podcast. Hi, opp. We almost got an interaction with Dragon and Garp in this chapter. I've been waiting anxiously. Do you think we'll finally get them interacting in this flashback in the final war or. Tragically, never at all. I like this question because it's always about, like, well, when is Luffy gonna. Gonna interact with Dragon? Or when is Leafy going to interact with Garp again? But no one ever asks about these two.

[Zach]

Dragon and Garp. It was. Yes, I was surprised this happened at all.

[Sam]

He's not Dragon on the head for.

[Steven Paul]

Something trivial, to be honest. Like, I'll be perfectly honest, because, you know, Dragons, if you're used to seeing Dragon in the Revolutionaries, like, the way that he's drawn in this flashback is a little odd. Like, he looks a little weird. And the first time, you know, because I. When I work on this, the manga, it's so dense that, like, you know, each page takes a long time and, you know, I gotta take little breaks here and there and. And sometimes, you know, like, your. Your mind just isn't quite in the swing of things. And I remember, like, there's the, like, the one part where they almost interact where, like, Dragon sees Garp show up and then he's like, dad. And I was just like, what the is this. Why is this rando guy saying dad? Like, just out of nowhere, like he's Bobby Hill or something in. And he's like, what? What is it? That was. Oh, my God, that's Dragon. Oh, okay. That makes much more sense. So, yeah, like, it was an odd.

[Zach]

Scene to me, but I. I genuinely kind of sometimes still wonder if they're blood related. I guess they have to be at this point because it doesn't really make sense if they're not. But they've always just looked nothing alike and acted nothing alike. From the little we've seen of Dragon, like, Garp is like a carbon copy of Luffy.

[Steve Yurko]

But the genetics pull is a wild card and sometimes it skips a generation.

[Zach]

It does. You're right. You're right. And I do know that from children.

[Steve Yurko]

And nieces, recessive genesis. That's actually not a thing liquid. No, it is.

[Sam]

It just doesn't work.

[Steve Yurko]

They gave me all the bad genes. I have a big ugly nose.

[Zach]

Are you talking about Dragon?

[Sam]

Yeah, blonde hair that he. That he dyes.

[Zach]

No, he has a penis face.

[Sam]

No, they both have blonde. Because Snakehead also is blonde. Technically.

[Steve Yurko]

Apparently Solid Snake is blonde too, but liquid. Like, I don't know. He grew up in like the Middle east, so it's just all that sun. That's why he's got a different skin color and blonde hair.

[Steven Paul]

It's okay, Zach. Just. It's like wrestling.

[Steve Yurko]

Just, just, just not.

[Zach]

I'm just in a different. I'm still thinking about that other question. I don't know.

[Steve Yurko]

No, I actually think. I think Dragon being Garp son is one of the more, you know, relatable things. Because, you know, in.

[Sam]

In.

[Steve Yurko]

I. Maybe it's just in general, in a fandom where someone has the same hair color and everyone's immediately like, it's the daughter.

[Zach]

You're right, Joey.

[Steve Yurko]

Bonnie is.

[Sam]

Is.

[Steve Yurko]

Is Big Mom's daughter. You know, it's like, why.

[Sam]

Why do they have the same lipstick then, Steve?

[Zach]

They don't have the same lipstick. We had a whole argument about that a few weeks ago. They actually don't. Or I think actually they may have once and it was a mistake or something like that, but they usually don't. But also lipstick doesn't mean anything about genetics, Sam. No, I agree with Steve, actually. You've convinced me. That's a good reason. Like why should they look exactly alike? They're different people. Like Steve, do you look identical to your dad?

[Steve Yurko]

No. Similar aesthetics.

[Zach]

But like, I'm trying to remember last time I saw your dad, but I don't think he looked like a carbon copy of you.

[Steve Yurko]

Your brother sound. I'm starting to sound more like him.

[Zach]

That, that you get that thing in your head where you think you're saying like something and it sounds like your parents voice coming out. I hate that. Since all the time. Sorry, mom and dad, who I know are listening to this episode of the One Piece podcast. I'm Laughing. Because they're not. What else? Yeah, no, I, I think, I think that's true, though. Like, I think siblings are more likely to look closer to each other than parent and kid personally. And I'm not just using Steve's family as an example. I'm using mine as well. Yeah.

[Steven Paul]

As far as far as the actual question of do you think they will. Yes. Dragon and Garp, will they interact in the flashback or in the final war, etc. Etc. I would like to see that happen in this flashback. Just because we know that this is more or less like the tipping point that, that turns Dragon into, you know, the, the freedom fighter and then later, you know, Revolutionary army leader. And you know, I, I would like to see, even if it, even if it isn't necessarily on God Valley, there might be like, you know, when ODA does his like, little montage of like, catch up over the years before we leave the flashback. I could see, I could see him having some like, you know, oh, Dragon, what do you think you're doing? You know. Yeah, this isn't the way I raised you, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, once he's already left. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. I don't think ODA necessarily needs a lot of, you know, real estate to, to show something meaningful and poignant between them.

[Zach]

I think already this flashback is certainly like, undoubtedly going to show where the schism forms because he obviously joined the Marines per Garp's like, recommendation. Like, he grew up, probably indoctrinated in it, and then he sees the shit going on and he's like, what? No.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, it's interesting.

[Sam]

He already looks like, uncomfortable in his own skin from off the bat.

[Steven Paul]

Yes, yes, yes, yes. I, I was thinking about this too, and I don't know if I'm, you know, reading into things, but I was, I was trying to think about, like, how would you answer the question of why, why is Garp still in the Marines when Dragon is not? And like, what, what is the difference between them? And like, my, I guess my headcanon version of that is that I feel that, like, because we, we know that Garp has a good streak in him. Like, you know, he, he, we, we trust Garp to do things for the right reasons, generally speaking. And I feel like, like it's his model that Dragon is following. It's basically like Dragon is like, I, I learned it from watching you, dad, sort of a thing where like, he, whatever, whatever kind of latent streak of, of actual justice that, that Garp follows is so deeply ingrained in Dragon that by witnessing the worst that the world has to offer in God Valley. Like, Dragon is like, no, I can't. I can't be a part of this. And. And has no choice. Right? Right. He has no choice but to do it. But. But Garp is too. He's too dedicated to like, what he started, I guess. Like, it's almost like. It's almost like Bellamy. Well, yeah, it's. It's like, you know, he. He's too far down the road of like, well, this is. This is the battle that I chose for myself in terms of like, I'm gonna do what I can from my position that I have.

[Zach]

And I mean, I think he. Sorry to interrupt. I think he genuinely thinks. And like, kind of almost like Magellan, like, I am doing the right thing. I am fighting the bad guys. The pirates. Like, to be fair, for the most part in this world, you know, the Celestial Dragons are of course the most evil of evil, but there are plenty of like, normie pirates out there being just wreaking havoc and there's a lot of that.

[Sam]

Yeah, the Luffy's of the world are kind of weird among pirates.

[Zach]

Right? So like, he. Even. Even in a system that's like, really corrupt and totalitarian, if someone is just doing crimes for the sake of doing crimes, like not against the government, but against other citizens and people to wreak havoc, I could understand the mentality that he would have in this situation being like, wrong as it may be to be. Like, okay, I'm gonna still stick up for the little guy in this system and try. And I mean, we see this as like an archetype in real life and in fiction a lot. Like, I'm gonna stand up for the little guy despite the corruption and the awful stuff in. In it so that I could help protect the people I care about. Like, the. The moment that really defines Garp for me in is just being like. One of the most interesting characters of the series is his. Those like two panels in Marineford where he decides not to punch Luffy back. Like when. When he's coming off of the thing that is just. I think I just shows who.

[Sam]

I think it's. It's a big part of what Stephen was saying. Like. Like he's. He's indoctrinated into the idea of Marines and being, you know, an authority figure and that. That it should be. It should be the Marines. You know, the Marines should be the good guys fighting the bad guys.

[Zach]

It's. I think.

[Sam]

But there are moments where like, like he. He must concede that part of like, why he does what he does is because he is an old man who's been living his life the way he has for such a long time. And that. And that, like, there's going to be moments where the right thing is going to necessitate people doing things that he grew up finding kind of like, obscene or offensive or.

[Zach]

Yeah, that mirrors.

[Sam]

Which is why he holds back when. When he. When Luffy punches him or. That's why he, you know, despite. Despite how. How kind of big and tough he is on his own men. You know, like, he sees like, the. You know, a soft young man like Kobe as, like the. The future that the Marines should. Should place their hopes on, or it's.

[Zach]

Like a tragic hero sort of, you know?

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, I. Yeah. And I don't know what Oda has planned for him because obviously he's kind of stuck in a. In a bad situation in the present day, so.

[Zach]

And also in the past.

[Steven Paul]

Right. Yeah. This is all just, like, theoretical, but you could definitely see, like, a version of Garp's story where, like, he. He has to be like, the final test for Kobe, for example, of, like. Well, if you want to reform, like, if you. If you want your way to be the right way, like, you have to defeat me or something, you know, like, in other words, the thing we mentioned before. Right, exactly. Exactly. Like. Like show that you are. That you have what it takes to, you know, to change the system by beating me. And then, you know, he sends him off with a smile, basically, that. That sort of thing. Like, there's definitely, you know, a story. Yeah.

[Sam]

He'll. He'll fight for the thing he's chosen to fight for, but he'll accept if. If somebody who. He. Who he loves defeats him.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Sam]

But you, Bill, you'll. You'll be a hard ass the whole way.

[Steven Paul]

Oh, yeah.

[Zach]

Yeah. Smiling. A smiling hard ass. Yeah.

[Steve Yurko]

I think what's not a father or grandfather's dream is to get defeated by their own son.

[Sam]

Yeah.

[Steve Yurko]

Unless you're like, an egomaniac.

[Zach]

Well, to be surpassed by. Yes. Yeah. It's not fun.

[Steven Paul]

It depends how Greek you want to get with it.

[Zach]

Yeah. Yeah. Alex isn't even here to defend himself.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Zach]

I actually think we did get some emails, speaking of. And I think one of them was in Greek, which is how this reminded me of it. So. Yeah, we did. The name is Psyche. It's written in. I believe this is Greek. So I have. I mispronounce, apologize. Hey, Opp. Long time no pod. Been keeping up with the manga and anime But I have no earthly idea where I fell off of your episode releases. Such is the life of an ephemeral butterfly. But it still stuns me to look back on my vanishing acts in despair. After catching Love Shack 2Ks and a few other recent ones, I just picked a point. In wano I was curious to hear episode 575 Queen's Queso and have just that brings back memories and just have just started listening forward from there. If you have any recommendations for my from my own personal quote unquote void century of podcast episodes that I ought to catch. The last piece together I submitted to was 5:13. I have to look what that is back in April 2018. That sounds like the end of whole cake if I had a guess. Fire away. We could start with that. And there's another part of that question I could get to after.

[Steve Yurko]

300 podcast episodes. Between that I don't know. I don't get too self indulgent. It's like oh this was a really good podcast. You gotta listen to this episode. I'll do that anymore.

[Zach]

I just.

[Steve Yurko]

I mean I can't remember anything anymore. Like I said, I can't remember recordings from like last week. You know.

[Steven Paul]

Wow, I'm looking at 5:13. Yeah. That's the start of a new era. Our very first Maddie cover.

[Zach]

Yeah that was our first. So it's really anything where we've had our own cover. That's a lot. Well here. What about this Steve, can you recall your favorite episode either to record or draw an image for like each of the arcs. But there's only been three that we've done. That's fair. That's fair.

[Steve Yurko]

I just said no before.

[Zach]

That's true. Obviously the Odin, the Foden Kazuki Foden is if you really want to waste your time. Yeah.

[Steve Yurko]

You want to listen to a 40 minute.

[Zach]

Picking the worst ones to listen to.

[Steve Yurko]

40 minute prediction that led to nothing.

[Zach]

I'm like trying to think of the most standout. Oh the. Okay, so in. In a non tooting our own horn sort of way. Battle of the Bass is a good one. That's the one with the. With King, Queen and Jax voice actor actors.

[Steven Paul]

Oh yeah, those guys.

[Zach]

That's a very good one that I highly recommend. I'm like trying listen to every sgs. I'll say that I'm not on those.

[Steve Yurko]

I'm going. The vibes I'm going off of are just on images.

[Zach]

Yeah. That's always what I.

[Steve Yurko]

That's how I can't remember sometimes it.

[Zach]

Triggers the memories back. Like. Yeah, like the most dangerous dude one with like I love. That's still one of my favorite you've drawn of Emmett. That's a great one.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah. It's hard because you just remember the like the joke that caused the COVID but I have no idea. Like the rest of the episode could be really crappy, but there could be.

[Steve Yurko]

Some episode where we asked Jammer to name like every character on the page.

[Zach]

Oh, that's fun.

[Steven Paul]

That's good.

[Zach]

Don't even. Don't, don't. Oh, I. I think the Kuma flashback overall I was happy with our podcast discussions on. I think they range the gamut. I don't know how they age today. Like.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, well, yeah, because that was interesting too because like I remember that it started or it didn't start off but you know, like we had there. There's a legitimate dialogue in there about the role. You know, essentially fridging Ginny, you know, turning her into a symbol for. For Kuma's pain basically and. And how much that gets used and you know, essentially the reveal of what Bonnie's power is. And there were some legitimate criticisms that were voiced on the show about that. And yet also it's such an amazingly profound and emotional story as well that I think. Yeah, we had a lot to say about it.

[Zach]

Yeah, I really am looking forward to revisiting that in like a read through because I'm curious how I would. 2023 we had some really good ones. We also had like 782 was our interviews with Kofi Fiigome and Vincent Chansard who is like the One Piece anime. Yeah, I've been seeing his name and rightfully so. He does great work. We had Cherry. I would say that's the. Yeah, go ahead.

[Steve Yurko]

The. The stretch when wano was winding up, I think. Yeah.

[Zach]

In the anime or the manga?

[Steve Yurko]

No, the manga.

[Zach]

Yeah. Oh, you could rhyme or you could rhyme. Orange with Henry Thurlow is like one of my favorite of the Henry Thurlow editions. Yeah, I agree with Steve. I think like, I just remember that like streak of like the having a lot of gear 5 images too. Like. But I think that was. That was a really good period Big wheel down at the Clown Factory. 732 Friendship ended with Buggy 7:35. These are all good ones like that.

[Steve Yurko]

Maybe the pet, maybe the Pandemic era is just really good because we had nothing, nothing to do except podcasts.

[Zach]

So this was 22.

[Steve Yurko]

So much energy back then.

[Zach]

Yeah, this was pre me having kids. So. Yeah, nothing has changed in my life since 2018. I only got married.

[Steve Yurko]

Yeah. You want to get in before that, like Bob's burgers image there. That's when. What then after that.

[Zach]

That's. I do remember that. I just don't remember what episode that was. Oh, the Flintstones Pebbles. That one was great for. For chapter 1000. Oops, I dropped my big boy sword.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, I was looking at what was. How did we come up with Walt Disney's enchanted Tashigi Room?

[Steve Yurko]

I think that's an sbs.

[Zach]

Yeah, that's definitely.

[Steve Yurko]

I mean, that's a volume episode.

[Steven Paul]

Oh, okay.

[Zach]

Odin. Juan Kenobi is also a great image from you, Steve. That's you, right? Steve. That was.

[Steve Yurko]

Is that the Force Ghost?

[Zach]

Yeah. I don't remember the context of that at all.

[Steve Yurko]

I think that was probably afterwards when it's. That might have. That might be the. The Odin's ghosts.

[Zach]

No, that was. That was the Kazuki Foden is the other one. Which was like right after that. The Opp. Spank down fear is Nami and like those images. But those episodes were good too, from what I recall. There's a lot of good. Wano had a lot of good podcasting, which makes me think that Wano was probably a pretty good arc at the end of the day because that's the only fun. We did have a lot of fun. I'm just looking.

[Steve Yurko]

I just don't ever want to draw Kaido again.

[Zach]

No. And sick of that dude. Except that I'm going to now. You have to draw Kaido for this.

[Steve Yurko]

I don't know. It's going to be the shittiest drawing.

[Zach]

Oh, I would. Also the Odin flashback.

[Steve Yurko]

I'm tired of his scales and his stupid tattoos and I think the flashback mustache that I always forget to draw.

[Zach]

The flashback episodes are usually also pretty good. I was just looking at them and I think there's the Eiichiro Oda's reflections of the loss of cultural identity and the rise of fascism in Wano country. And you know, that whole period that's. That's just before the pandemic. Anyway, that's enough talking about ourselves. Oh, there was more to this question. Unrelated inquiry that for all I know has been long thought of. But in the blur of my day to day and catching up reacting to alabaster, I suddenly thought it'd be really cool if Pell awakened his devil fruit when he survived Crocodile's bomb. Which would make a proper re entry into the story significantly more spectacular. Spectacular. At some point after we get Vivi Back in here post flashback. I know, I know. Pulling way too many cards before that Loki sized horse. But still. Glad the show's still going. I'm looking forward to this new little archaeology project with you as I retrace all the missing years of contact. Viva La Dragons revolution. P.S. i may have to buy a bunch of your Jim Bay T shirts. It's not koala merch. Oh, was that the uncle one that David made? I think that's what they're referring to. Oh, yeah, we have shirts. I forget about that all the time.

[Steve Yurko]

Keep dropping like wise.

[Zach]

They do. I mean, whatever it is what they do.

[Steve Yurko]

Instead of Teepublic kind of doing the. Would you like to combat it? Teepublic's like, oops.

[Zach]

Well, I have. It's a. We'll figure something out at some point. I don't know if people really still want those. So what was this?

[Steven Paul]

Yeah, that was a very nice comment. Yeah, that's interesting that. What if Pell survived because he awakened his powers? Have you ever thought about being a one piece YouTuber to.

[Zach]

Hey, we don't need more competition here. And that's some pretty strong competition there. Yeah, that is a very.

[Sam]

That's a.

[Steven Paul]

That's a very. Yeah, that's a very fan. Fan theory.

[Zach]

I guess the better way to put that is how would you feel if that was the explanation?

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Is it better that. Is it better to have no explanation? I guess is the question.

[Steven Paul]

I. I think so. I think so.

[Zach]

It's. So.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Sam]

I just. I just accept it as part of the. The way that the series works.

[Zach]

All right. I think with that out of the way, now that Pell is most certainly still alive, let's round off into a little bit of trivia that I hope Steve likes.

[Sam]

My marathon isn't about time. It's about my 26 friends with intellectual disabilities I'm dedicating each mile to. I'm Joseph. I'm running my first bank of America Chicago Marathon for Special Olympics Illinois to help give my friends a place to shine. Join bank of America in supporting Joseph's cause.

[Zach]

Give if you [e-mail] supportjoseph.

[Sam]

What would you like the power to do? Bank of America references to charitable organizations.

[Zach]

Is not endorsement by bank of America Corporation.

[Sam]

Eczema isn't always obvious, but it's real.

[Zach]

And so is the relief from Ebgliss.

[Sam]

After an initial dosing phase, about 4 in 10 people taking EGBs achieved itch relief and clear or almost clear skin. At 16 weeks and most of those people maintain skin that's still more clear at one year with monthly dosing. EBGLIS Librekizumab LBKZ, a 250mg 2ml injection, is a prescription medicine used to treat adults and children 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 88 pounds or 40 kilograms with moderate to severe eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, that is not well controlled with prescription therapies used on the skin or topicals, or who cannot use topical therapy. EBGLIS can be used with or without topical corticosteroids. Don't use if you're allergic to Eglis. Allergic reactions can occur that can be severe eye problems can occur. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening eye problems. You should not receive a live vaccine when treated with Epglis. Before starting Epglis, tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection searching for real relief? Ask your doctor about ebglis and visit ebgliss.lilly.com or call 1-800-LilyRx or 1-800-545-5979.

[Zach]

This has been the One Piece podcast episode 887 for October 6th. Thank you all for joining us on a very interesting off week that we didn't expect. But here we are next week, I believe. Oh, also thank you to Joey Weiser who created this. That's the reason why this happened, I assume. He delivered the fish burgers to Oda and yeah, Joey.

[Steve Yurko]

I call them Merman Burgers.

[Zach]

Trying to remember where in Georgia he is. Anyway, we should. I think we'll have Emily Fajardo on next week's episode, which is for chapter 1162, right? And a lot more fun stuff coming up ahead that has not been solidified in any way, shape or form, so I can't really talk about it. But before we go and do a little bit of trivia, Steve, where could people find you?

[Steve Yurko]

Steve yerko.com Social media all of them suck.

[Zach]

Now I don't even know what I saw. Something was going on with Blue sky, but I don't know what it is. But you could explain to me later. You don't have to tell me now.

[Steve Yurko]

The CEOs are bad.

[Zach]

Wow.

[Steve Yurko]

But I'm on Blue Sky. I'm on Instagram. Steve Yerko is the username. Listen to me on Proz Plays Games on YouTube. Listen to 4Kids flashback through Majimedia and yeah, that's it.

[Zach]

Yeah, Please listen to 4Kids flashback if you haven't Steven where Can people find you?

[Steven Paul]

I'm over on Blue sky at StevenPaul BSky Social and I'm still working fish burgers or not. I'm working on Akane Banashi and Kurumizawa's Folly. You could check those out as well on the Shonen Jump app. And yeah, that's been. That's been fun.

[Sam]

Sam, you can find me on [e-mail] social.

[Zach]

You can find me zachlogan.com on Blue Sky. You can find us at One Piece Podcast anywhere you get your social media or podcasts on the. On most of the platforms. Twitter. We don't really post anything significant for many important reasons. Instagram and Facebook were there for all the people who are in those demographics. And you can find us wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and the rest. I did say I was going to do the voicemails this week and then I completely forgot about it. So we're not doing that this week. We'll do it next time. But before we go, I want to do a little trivia. Steve owned this trivia last time we did it, and that was color spread trivia.

[Steve Yurko]

I owned it.

[Zach]

What is this, 1998?

[Steve Yurko]

He said owned.

[Zach]

Well, is that a thing people say? Is that not a people? I think not a people thing say. So, Steven, you help translate the compendiums that are legitimate weights on my shoulder right now.

[Steven Paul]

Yes, I see them.

[Zach]

Which of the three would you like to delve into? I don't remember what's in these, even though it says on the side. Yeah, I'll let you decide, though.

[Steven Paul]

I don't know. Let's do the middle one, I guess.

[Zach]

Okay. So that is Water seven through the Paramount War. Nothing interesting happened then. Not at all. Okay, so Steve is gonna play against Sam and Steven. I feel like that's fair. First team to three wins. It doesn't have to be that long. I'm going to pick a color spread. I'll describe what Luffy is wearing in it and then ask you what is what this color spread is. I think that's how we played this game last time. So let's see. This will always be good. It's gonna be good because I'm gonna have to describe something very poorly. Everyone remembers color spreads, though. People remember these. Okay, here we. This is a hard one to start with, but I'll give it Steven. Sam, you could. You could take first dibs at this. So Luffy is riding atop something in a black shirt and jeans with a black Shirt with two white stripes going down the center, with jeans that have Jolly Rogers on each of the knees and a weird monkey keychain that I've never noticed. Can you, either of you, describe the color spread? He is riding on something. Can you describe the setting of this? Anything else about. This is an animal.

[Sam]

Can I ask that?

[Zach]

Yes, it is an animal. He is riding an animal in a color spread. This is. This is a legitimate hard one. I randomly did that. I didn't really recall even that much, but Steve might.

[Sam]

And these are Paramount War.

[Zach]

At the latest, I will give the hint that this is, I think, think thriller. Barkish era. It's 2007.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Sam]

Yeah. This is not an era I'm going to be as familiar with.

[Zach]

And if neither of you could get it, I'll describe another character.

[Sam]

Yeah, just he's riding something and he's wearing jeans with straw hat. Jolly Rogers on the knees.

[Zach]

He is holding on to the creature like, long jeans.

[Sam]

And I like his shorts.

[Zach]

Yep. No, long jeans. Long jeans. Belt, belt.

[Sam]

Not a sash.

[Zach]

And he is smiling straight into camera.

[Steve Yurko]

When can I steal.

[Sam]

Yeah, I don't know.

[Zach]

Okay. If Steven. It's up to Steven and Sam if they want to give up the.

[Steven Paul]

I have no idea.

[Zach]

Steve, can you describe anything else going on in here?

[Steve Yurko]

You said he's writing something.

[Zach]

He is riding atop a creature. Yes.

[Steve Yurko]

Okay. Is this a thrower Bark era color spread and it's Vikings because Frankie's in the back. He's kind of shirtless, wearing, like a helmet.

[Zach]

No, no. Although that does also describe that. But he was not wearing just. He has. His hat's not on. He has a backpack with a monkey keychain.

[Steve Yurko]

Oh, I forgot about the.

[Zach]

Yeah, he's not like the.

[Sam]

The like safari looking one with, like, Robin in the foreground.

[Zach]

No, that's a good one. That's one of my favorites. This is a very forgettable one. Apparently. It's a nice one. I think it's a gorgeous one, but. Okay, I will tell you. I'll give you some more hints and if you guys don't get it, this is. This is one that I would never get in a million years. If that makes you feel better. Frankie and Chopper are also riding on a similar creature. They're both on the same one and.

[Sam]

Like the, like sea serpents or whatever.

[Zach]

You're getting closer. Yeah. If no one gets it, I will show and describe it. Is the whale one.

[Sam]

That's a.

[Zach]

Riding atop the rays. It's a good one that I. He's done better underwater. One. Since I think. Right. Like, maybe my favorites. I think it's a good one.

[Sam]

If we're talking it's one of your favorites. I mean, like. No, I mean, like, I. I feel I definitely have not looked at it in a long time without that. Just, like, the one glance really brought it.

[Zach]

Okay.

[Sam]

Can you at least, like, get. Did you give the number so that people can, like, look it up?

[Zach]

Oh, yeah. Does it must say.

[Sam]

Luffy's riding like, a big manta ray?

[Zach]

Yeah, it's the one who's writing a manta ray.

[Steven Paul]

I don't think it says the chapter number, but it will say the. Like the issue that it came from.

[Zach]

I'm pretty sure it's in volume. What is that, 47? Is that the one with, like, the monster Luffy one? That volume? I know this is not helping, but. Yeah, it's them riding a manta rays. It is a very good one. I'm trying to see if I could find where that actually. But I'll look after. Okay. Randomly choosing. Okay. Once again, I'm gonna give it to Sam and Steven first, and then Steve, you could steal if they're not able to get it. Okay. Luffy is stuffing his face unusual. I know. This time with, like, a seafood, like, smorgasbord. It doesn't look like Odin. It's like, way more than that. Like, he has at least a lobster claw hanging out of his mouth. I'm describing what he's eating because you could barely see what he's.

[Steve Yurko]

For dinner.

[Zach]

They're steam really bad. There. There's an oct. There are octopus tentacles coming out of the pot. I'm getting hungry if you can tell. Yeah. So Luffy is. It looks like it must be spicy because he has a little bit of snot coming from his nose. He's wearing.

[Steven Paul]

Wait, is this. Is this a color spread or is this one of his illustrations on the COVID of Jump?

[Zach]

No, this is a color spread because.

[Steven Paul]

The way you're describing it sounds like.

[Zach]

Well, I'm only describing Luffy.

[Steven Paul]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Steven Paul]

Okay.

[Zach]

But he's enjoying it with some chopsticks, eyes closed, wearing, like, a pink T shirt, it looks like. And he is riding upon the same thing as everyone. Of all the other straw hats.

[Sam]

This does not sound at all familiar.

[Zach]

This is during, by the way, Impel Down.

[Sam]

Oh, is this like the. This the Impel down breakout group?

[Zach]

Nope, nope. I said he's in the same.

[Sam]

Like, samurai.

[Zach]

He's in the same thing. He's in the.

[Sam]

It's like, the only one, I think of. When I think of Impel down, he's.

[Zach]

With the other straw hats, though. So it's not that one. Steve, do you want to steal.

[Steven Paul]

You muted?

[Sam]

Is it the boxing one? No. Luffy and Frankie are boxing in that one, right?

[Zach]

Yeah. And he's not eating while he's boxing.

[Sam]

Maybe somebody. Somebody was boxing in the foreground. Luffy's, like, eating in the background or something.

[Zach]

I will say everyone is eating the same.