The One Piece Podcast: Episode 890, “God Valley Babies”

Release Date: October 27, 2025
Host: Zach (Maji Media)
Featured Guests: Ed, Stephen Paul (official One Piece translator), Sam Leach, Jill Knight, and special guest Luke Herr (Domance Dawn Podcast)

Episode Overview

This episode kicks off with a fun, fast-paced roundtable welcoming back the podcast crew and introducing guest Luke Herr, co-host of the Simpsons/One Piece crossover podcast "Domance Dawn." The heart of the episode is a deep dive manga recap for Chapter 1163: "Promise"—in the midst of the groundbreaking God Valley flashback. The team breaks down the chapter’s lore bombs, character interactions, and wild action; offers fan Q&A; and wraps with signature One Piece trivia.

1. Special Guest: Luke Herr & Domance Dawn Podcast

[03:05–09:50]

• Luke’s “One Piece origin story”: Grew up in the 4Kids era; got hooked via both the anime and manga; did a rewatch during COVID, leading to his own podcast creation.
• Podcast premise: “Domance Dawn” bridges The Simpsons and One Piece — comparing their original US/Japan air dates, and re-casting One Piece characters with Simpsons equivalents, e.g. “Our Monkey D. Luffy is Stretch Dude Bart” ([05:10] Luke).
• Notable bits: Audience and guest suggestions influence future character castings; humorous Simpsons and One Piece crossovers discussed, e.g. “We’ve used J.K. Rowling as one of the Celestial Dragons so they can get punched in the face.” ([09:57] Luke)
• Favorite Straw Hat: Usopp
• Favorite Antagonist: “Sanji. …He’s his own worst enemy.” ([07:46] Luke, joking about Sanji’s post-timeskip persona)

2. Spotlight: One Piece Community News

[16:33–22:36]

• Announcement: The current One Piece editor and anime producer will make a major anime/live-action announcement soon (timed for after this episode airs).
• One Piece Magazine’s new bulky issue is sold out in Japan; possible reseller hoarding; reprint announced soon.
• Discussion of ongoing and upcoming arcs, magazine features, and merchandise.

3. Manga Recap: Chapter 1163 – “Promise”

[23:54–69:46]

Opening

• Oda’s author comment: Gushes about Netflix’s “Kiss or Die” improv game show – “the pinnacle of human achievement.”
• Cover page: Luffy doing parkour with white gibbons ("Cool monkey") — host confusion about potential puns.

Main Chapter Breakdown

Chaos at God Valley

• Saturn is being possessed/controlled by Imu, exhibiting unnatural, inky tentacle transformations and attacking both Marines and bystanders with “no loyalty.”
• Roger and Gaban are strategizing among the chaos. Garp is furious about “the kind of freak who’d sit atop those maggots”—Celestial Dragons—prompting pig-latin jokes among the hosts ([34:55]).
• Long-awaited crossover fight: Rocks faces down the possessed Saturn/Imu.
  • Exchange:
    • Rocks: “Hey, you, king of the bilge rats, you’re here to kill me, aren’t you?”
    • Imu: “So it was the Davy Jones.”
    • Rocks: “You got the wrong guy. I’ve never even met him. …However, promises are meant to be kept.”
    • Imu: “Which is exactly why thy kind must be erased from history.” ([36:56]–[38:01])
  • Hosts dive into speculative translation details about “Davy Jones” and “promises.”

Crew Dynamics and Betrayals

• Rocks’ crew is dissolving mid-battle:
  • Captain John’s “magnet-magnet fruit” powers revealed as he pulls treasure across the valley, confirming long-held theories ([43:21]).
  • Gonzu[i], probably with the “Bomb-Bomb Fruit,” blasts Captain John using snot projectiles.
  • Shiki protests as his crew turns on each other; everyone scrambles for billion-berry chests, each trying to betray the other.
  • Big Mom and Kaido argue over devil fruit and gold. “[Kaido] can’t spit out what he’s already eaten!” ([65:49])

Supernovae Team-Up: The “Legendary” Attack Spread

• [51:21–57:40] Giant Two-Page Spread:
  • Garp, Roger, Rocks, Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido all launch their signature attacks at Imu/Saturn in an instantly iconic moment.
  • Kaido’s “attack” is literally just him yelling “dragon”—hosts lose it:
    • “That’s the funniest fucking thing.” ([56:41] Zach)
  • Oda’s blend of absurd humor and hype gets high praise for this spread.

Shanks & Baby Teach—God Valley Babies

• Dragon is caring for baby Shanks, who (in true toddler fashion) crawls off unsupervised and ends up inside a treasure chest—clearly setting up his future “found in a chest” backstory.
  • “Is this how Shanks ends up in the treasure chest? …He just saw shiny things and it accidentally closed on him.” ([64:32] Zach)
• Imu explicitly targets “a woman and child striving very hard to live” — panels show Baby Blackbeard and his mother escaping.
• Rocks attempts to stop Imu, but is hit by the ominous “Domi Reversi” ability, causing him to grow demon fangs and lose control, paralleling what we’ve seen in the present day.

4. Chapter Wrap-Up & Analysis

Major Themes/Takeaways:

• The episode’s hosts are in awe of Oda’s ability to juggle so many plotlines, deliver lore, and make the flashback arc both tense and comical.
• High praise for the characterization of Young Kaido as a “shitty little brother” — described as the surprise star of the arc.
• Speculation on how Rocks’ “Domi Reversi” possession will lead to his downfall and the God Valley Incident’s infamy.
• Extended fan theories: How Blackbeard’s ambitions may tie in (possibly seizing Imu’s power), the logistics of Devil Fruits, and whether Garp’s actions will demand repercussions.
• Running skepticism and humor over the continual reveals of parental lineage ("Is Captain John Kid’s real dad?") and One Piece’s recurring “baby in a treasure chest” motif.
• Everyone expects this flashback to last well into 2026, paralleling the length of the Oden flashback.

5. Piece Together: Fan Q&A & Theories

[95:56–122:45]

• Pig Latin puns dominate—inside joke sparked by this week’s pig-latin gag in the manga ("Ixnay on the Anderslay").
• The crew addresses questions about the future role of Law, Kid, and other Worst Generation characters, and the possible familial tie-ins (who is Kid’s father, really?).
• Several solid bits:
  • “I’m enjoying Captain John more than Captain Kid.” ([97:50] Zach)
  • “Maybe the promise [Imu refers to] is the original Davy Jones’s promise?” ([85:56] Sam)
  • Oda’s typical world-building quirks, the technicalities of Devil Fruits, and fan speculation about Imu’s “amorphous shadow” form ([107:00]).
  • “What would your special technique versus Imu be?” Crew jokingly invent their signature attacks (the “Corny Stunner,” “The Recliner,” “Slut for the Slut”).

6. Lightning Round: One Piece Trivia

[130:07–156:01]

• The crew finishes with a classic, competitive round of “random chapter number” trivia, where they must recall specific events, cover stories, and obscure characters from randomly selected chapters in the manga.
• Jill ekes out a surprise victory in the last round—everyone riffs on their memories (or lack thereof) of dressrosa arc, Punk Hazard’s “lettered SAD laboratories,” and more.
• Hilarious, fast-paced, and closing on the note that no one remembers every One Piece character, no matter how much of an expert they are.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [05:07] Luke Herr:
  “Dawn is a Simpsons and One Piece podcast where we look at them as contemporary animated series... and we cast any new One Piece characters with Simpsons characters.”
• [07:46] Luke Herr (on Sanji as an antagonist):
  “He’s his own worst enemy, so I guess that could work.”
• [36:56]–[38:01] Rocks & Imu’s Standoff:
  “So it was the Davy Jones.” — Imu
  “You got the wrong guy. I've never even met him. ... However, promises are meant to be kept.” — Rocks
• [56:41] Zach (on Kaido’s “attack”):
  “That’s the funniest fucking thing.”
• [64:32] Zach (on Baby Shanks):
  “Is this how Shanks ends up in the treasure chest? …He just saw shiny things and it accidentally closed on him.”
• [80:44] Jill Knight (on Blackbeard’s childhood):
  “How does he end up on Whitebeard's crew? ...He looks just like him.”

Time-Stamped Highlights

• [03:05–09:50] — Luke Herr’s One Piece journey & origins of Domance Dawn Podcast.
• [23:54–51:12] — Manga Recap: Chapter 1163 ("Promise"), featuring Saturn’s possession, all-star attacks, Captain John’s powers revealed, and the chaotic collapse of the Rocks Pirates.
• [56:41–57:40] — Kaido “Dragon” attack panel: hosts’ comedic highlight.
• [62:54–64:43] — Shanks, the “God Valley Baby,” climbs into the treasure chest.
• [69:46–78:53] — Analytical wrap-up: implications of the Domi Reversi, Rocks’ fate, and Blackbeard’s origins.
• [95:56–122:45] — Piece Together: Q&A, pig-latin puns, fan theories, devil fruit dialogues, and recurring lineage questions.
• [130:07–156:01] — Lightning Round: Random chapter trivia, deep cuts, and podcast in-jokes.

Episode Vibe & Final Thoughts

Lively, welcoming, and chaotic in the best way—the podcast strikes a balance between rigorous manga analysis, wild fan theories, and goofy banter. The hosts’ infectious enthusiasm highlights why the God Valley flashback is already a new all-time favorite. Luke Herr’s Simpsons/One Piece crossover brings extra color, and the trivia round showcases the deep (and sometimes random) knowledge needed for One Piece fandom.

If you love deep lore, jokes about Kaido yelling “dragon”, and speculation on the fate of One Piece’s lost babies, this episode is a must-listen.