Episode 895, “We’re All Trying To Find The Rat Who Did This”

Summary

The One Piece Podcast – Episode 895

Title: “We’re All Trying To Find The Rat Who Did This”
Date: December 1, 2025
Host: Zach (Maji Media)
Panelists: Ed, Steve (Voice Actor), Steven (Translator), Joey (Artist)

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Episode Overview

This episode covers the latest One Piece manga chapter, 1167, titled “Iida’s Sons.” The crew discusses the ongoing Elbaf flashback, the recent God Valley tie-ins, deep lore and plot twists involving Shanks, character moments with Loki, Eda, and Harold, and major One Piece news items. The panel is joined by regulars plus special guest, One Piece manga translator Steven Paul.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Art of Manga Exhibit & Oda’s Original Art

Timestamps: 03:00–07:05

• Joey shares his experience attending the De Young Gallery exhibit in San Francisco, seeing original Eiichiro Oda art and other legendary mangaka’s works (Rumiko Takahashi, Araki).
• He’s impressed by Oda’s hand-drawn linework, whiteout corrections, and especially Whitebeard’s solar effect created with whiteout.
• Original art reinforced the human element behind manga creation.

Quotes:

• Joey: "The greatest thing about seeing original art is it really does reinforce the concept that the person who is making this is a human being, you know, rather than it magically transported to your tablet every week." (04:35)

2. Community Updates & One Piece News

Timestamps: 07:06–16:27

• Stickers of the Month: Steve’s Sticker Club is open to Patreon supporters with monthly fan art polls.
• Anime News: Voice for Joy Boy announced as Urara Takano (also the original Luffy from the Ganzak OVA).
• Controversial News: Artist Maki Otsuki, performer of "Memories" (first anime ending) was removed from a Shanghai event due to tense China–Japan relations.
• Macy’s Parade: Luffy appeared again; jokes about character crossovers with NYPD.
• Live Action: Season 3 casting announcements for Mr. 1 and Ms. Doublefinger; Episode 1 title "Where There’s Smoke"; filming in South Africa.
• Dr. Fishbone Returns: Steve’s background character voice cameoed back in the anime.

Quotes:

• Ed: "When they end the One Piece anime, they'll play that song ('Memories') and I will cry." (11:30)
• Zach: "It's One Piece. They all come back." (17:07)

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3. Manga Recap – Chapter 1167: Iida’s Sons

Timestamps: 19:12–81:16

a. Oda’s Comment

• Obsessed with 8D audio and thinking about remodeling his room.
• Panel laughs about multi-sensory attractions at theme parks.

b. Cover Story & Reader Requests

• Gen and Nochiko scolding a cat stealing a book ("Big Book of Fish").
• Lighthearted discussion on artist commissions and specificity.

c. Opening Narration

• Chapter begins 33 years ago (five after God Valley).
• Rumors spread across the Grand Line about a “monster” attacking ships—foreshadowed to be Harold, Elbaf’s king.
• Clever visual jokes on background characters’ shirts and tattoos (“Hito” = "human"; “Horafuki” = "tall tale teller").
• Quick Panda Man cameo.

Quotes:

• Steven (re: shirt joke): “That’s the punchline: this shirt is saying, it’s a human." (28:03)

d. Rise of the Giants & The God Valley Aftermath

• Harold is revealed as the “monster” attacking pirates—a Navy ally after his “atonement” oath.
• Pirates from God Valley (Whitebeard, Big Mom, Kaido) grow in reputation.
• Roger crew successfully circles the globe; execution sparks pirate era.
• The Navy recruits giants from Elbaf to bolster its ranks (John Giant, Saul make appearances).

e. Holy Knights & Government Contracts

• Harold is formally inducted by the Five Elders into the “Shallows Covenant,” marked with a bone tattoo.
• Explanation of three-tier contract structure: Shallows, Depths, Abyssal (reserved for 13 select individuals tied closely to "God" [Imu/Elders]).
• Interesting speculation about who those 13 might be (Elders/Knights).
• Harold serves obediently for the benefit of Elbaf’s promised government membership.

Quotes:

• Steven: “The covenant has three stages...Abyssal covenant, for only 13 exclusive individuals who can enter into a contract with the true God.” (39:24)
• Zach: “It is interesting that [the tattoo] is bones—feels like a more piratey motif.” (38:04)

f. Diplomacy: Harold & King Neptune

• 20 years ago: Harold and Neptune share drinks, bond over outsider status, discuss children’s marriages (Loki to Neptune’s prophesied daughter—Shirahoshi).
• This connects to the longstanding “Shaggy” nickname for Shirahoshi, confirming deep reader theories.

g. Institution Building in Elbaf

• Harold recruits Saul to help build a school for giants, reinforcing his progressive legacy.

h. Retcon Check: Fisher Tiger’s Escape

• 15 years ago: Depiction of Fisher Tiger’s escape from slavery; shapes mythos around the ransacking of Mariejois.
• Notable: A holy knight—presumably Shanks—frees Fisher Tiger by breaking his collar (Shanks in silhouette, bandaged over his scar, hinting at secret involvement).

Quotes:

• Joey: "There's a lot of feelings...about what Shanks should or shouldn't have been included in...him freeing Fisher Tiger…But if Shanks is in Mariejois for moral reasons, it makes sense to me."

i. Holy Knights Plot: Shanks & Depths Covenant

• The government discusses finding their “rat” (the traitor who helped the slaves escape).
• Shanks and his twin brother Shamrock are introduced to Harold—in full Holy Knight regalia.
• Shanks acts the part of a blood-pure Celestial Dragon, dismissing Harold, but his internal panel betrays discomfort—signaling it's an act to preserve his secret identity.
• Fans speculate on the future impact: was Shanks’ arm given up to “lose” the Holy Knight tattoo, making his sacrifice to save Luffy double-edged?

j. Tragedy: Eda’s Death and Loki’s Revenge

• Eda (Harold’s wife, adoptive mother to Loki) falls ill; Harold seeks a cure, but is away due to government ties.
• Jealous Elbaf locals poison her—resentful of outsider influence.
• Loki, enraged by Eda’s worsening health and the revelation of the plot, massacres Milwaukee village in vengeance.
• Powerful flashback: Loki remembers being cast out as an infant, but Eda took him in (“the only mother I have”).

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4. Chapter Discussion & Thematic Analysis

Timestamps: 81:49 – 127:17

a. Flashback Structure & Elbaf’s Heart

• Return to the Harold/Loki focus is met with enthusiasm – these feel like classic, emotional One Piece flashbacks about found family and class tensions.
• Loki’s loss, rage, and retribution are moving; Eda’s kindness gives shape to Harold and Loki’s character arcs.
• The burning town artwork is praised.

b. Shanks Lore, Twin Theory, and Plot Recontextualization

• Rich discussion of how Shanks’ history as a Celestial Dragon and the introduction of his twin, Shamrock, challenge/readjust previous impressions.
• Debate: Will Oda’s reveals retroactively cheapen Luffy and Shanks’ defining moment? General consensus—big twists are possible, but Oda tends to avoid cheapening classic character sacrifices (e.g., Shanks losing his arm).
• Panel argues that fate/coincidence should drive these moments rather than dense, retroactive plotting or “fifth-dimensional chess.”

Quotes:

• Steve: “If you want to just do an interesting heel turn...it’s gonna get messy. Don’t muddle it.” (98:59)
• Steven: “We’re too savvy to get caught by that [‘Shanks is evil’] trick. The discourse is just people trying to see if there’s an even deeper twist, but… what we can tell is what we’ve got.” (108:24)

c. Retcon, Canon, and Emotional Payoff

• Most retcons—like Fisher Tiger’s rescue—are accepted as tidying up rather than damaging to canon.
• The chapter is a “lore dump” but one that’s artistically and structurally rich.
• Debate on whether God Valley content distracts from or enriches the Loki/Eda plot—generally, it’ll pay off in series-wide context, but Elbaf’s story has more emotional resonance.

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5. Piece Together (Listener Q&A)

Timestamps: 129:02 – end

• Listeners ask about Shanks’ secret influence on the world (jokingly blaming him for all past plot twists), the impact of AI translation/dubs (like Amazon’s “Banana Fish” debacle), interpretations of the various “Depth/Abyssal” government contracts, and subtler character relationships (like Loki’s care for his brother).
• Consensus: Loki & Eda’s arc = heart of the chapter; Shanks lore is a red herring (for now); mourn Eda, praise her as a shining example of Oda doing “mom tropes” at their best.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Joey (about seeing Oda’s art): “The greatest thing about seeing original art is it really does reinforce the concept that the person who is making this is a human being.” (04:35)
• Steve: “You know, it’s One Piece. They all come back!” (17:07)
• Steven: “That’s the punchline: this shirt is saying, it’s a human.” (28:03)
• Steven (on Harold’s tattoo): “The covenant has three stages... Abyssal covenant, for only 13 exclusive individuals who can enter into a contract with the true God.” (39:24)
• Joey (on Eda’s story): “It was interesting. I wanted to see all that stuff in God Valley, but I wasn’t feeling it in my guts. I was feeling this in my guts.” (81:49)
• Steve (on Shanks): “Don’t muddle it. [That’s] the core of the series.” (98:59)

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Important Timestamps

• 03:00–07:05 — Joey’s summary of the Art of Manga exhibit
• 07:06–16:27 — One Piece news: castings, anime, live action, and conventions
• 19:12 — Manga Recap for Chapter 1167 begins
• 31:44 — Harold’s rise as the feared “monster”
• 38:04–41:41 — Holy Knights, government contracts, tattoo symbolism
• 44:48 — Introduction of Shanks & Shamrock as Holy Knights
• 73:17–81:24 — Loki’s vengeful rampage and Eda’s deathbed
• 81:49–127:17 — Chapter discussion: Elbaf flashback themes, Shanks speculation, lore vs. emotion
• 129:02 ff. — Piece Together Q&A

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Tone & Language

The podcast maintains its trademark blend of deep manga/lore analysis with irreverent, affectionate banter. The panelists joke, pun, and riff with each other but always circle back to insightful discussion, particularly about the structure and emotional beats of the ongoing Elbaf flashback. Steve’s comedic voices for Elbaf villagers and Steven’s translation nerd-outs are particular highlights.

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Summary

Episode 895 is a dense and engaging installment where the crew digs deeply into the latest, lore-rich One Piece chapter. Major highlights include the emotional core of the Elbaf flashback—focusing on found family, loss, and vengeance—juxtaposed against the ever-complicating history of Shanks and the Celestial Dragons. The panel deftly balances lore speculation, reader theories, and critical discussion, providing both a rewarding listen for hardcore fans and an accessible recap for casual readers.

Transcript

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[Zach (Host)]

This is the One Piece podcast episode 895 for the week of Monday, December 1, 2025. My name is Zach.

[Ed (Co-host)]

My name is Ed.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And my name is Steve.

[Zach (Host)]

Welcome back Steve. How are all the conventions and holidays and both conventions, right?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

They were turkey tastic conventurifications.

[Zach (Host)]

More of the hidden commentary I expect from a Steve Ruko review.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And I think you know, what better way to sum it all up.

[Zach (Host)]

There are many better ways but we don't have to get into that right now. We have very special guest translator for One Piece and weekly Shonen Jump in Manga Plus Steven Paul is with us. How's it going Steven?

[Steven (Translator)]

Good. It's going very busy as well, so I'll just tell you off the top. I will probably be bouncing after the manga recap. Not to get ahead of ourselves but I I said I definitely had to join for this chapter because what a chapter it was.

[Zach (Host)]

What a chapter. We'll get into opinions on that I'm sure. I don't know what everyone's opinions are yet, so we'll get there. It sounds like they're diverse though, so we'll see. We also have Eisner Award nominated artist who's the name of their of their books. I always forget to write down ahead of time, but let me try Dragon Racer, Ghost Hog, Merman, the Littlest Fighter, which is the one I kept forgetting because it's new. I still forgot one though, right? Joey Wiser.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yes, hello. Since we last spoken I have been up close and personal to some original art by the man himself, eiicho Oda. I went to that De Young Gallery in San Francisco and saw a bunch of original one piece art and saw like The. What do you call it? Like the tubes they use to like print the comic and everything. And it was amazing and awesome.

[Ed (Co-host)]

But the rollers.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, the rollers, yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Is that the technical term?

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ed (Co-host)]

I was just thinking of like that scene in. I think it's that James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies where they put the guy.

[Zach (Host)]

They print the manga.

[Ed (Co-host)]

No, they. They throw the guy into the newspaper printing machine and he gets smushed by the rollers.

[Joey (Artist)]

Oh, nice.

[Zach (Host)]

What manga did he get smushed by? Is the question. No one. Okay.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And James, then James Bond looked at the blood soaked manga page and said, that's Pieck.

[Joey (Artist)]

I expect you to die, Mr. Monkey.

[Zach (Host)]

Joey. So I know Kirsten went to the. What was the original name of that exhibit?

[Joey (Artist)]

It's called One Piece Only, which is.

[Zach (Host)]

A weird name, but yes, it is a very. Let's just put an English word at the end of this. Yeah. And yeah, she said amazing things about it. Sounded really cool. As an artist, I have to ask if anything stood out to you in particular or like if your opinions about Oda have changed or evolved in any way.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, I mean, it was incredible. The greatest thing about seeing original art is it really does like reinforce the concept that the person who is making this is a human being, you know, rather than just it being magically transported to your tablet every week, you know, So I got to see a lot of beautiful, you know, line work as well as a lot of interesting corrections with whiteout and stuff. I got to see like, they have the like spread of Whitebeard standing with the sun behind him. And that kind of like solar effect that I got to see is done all with whiteout, which is really cool. I got to see his beautiful color work, which some of the blending on that is like really unreal. That page color spread, that's.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Isn't that done digitally these days? We see his progress videos.

[Joey (Artist)]

The color planning is done digitally, but all the actual final work is done by hand. Yeah, by hand. Yeah, it was cool. And they even had like one page from Egghead so you could see some sort of modern work. It was mostly kind of like earlier stuff, like kind of pre timeskip stuff or like some Fishman island pages. And yeah, it was amazing. That show, it's called the Art of Manga is up until about the end of January, so I definitely recommend folks check it out. And it's not just Oda, like Rumiko Takahashi and you know, the JoJo's artist, Araki. Araki Ashita no Joe. All sorts of really Beautiful.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah. I was gonna say, don't they have like, the. The drawing from Shino Joe, like the final one where he's sitting on the stool.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Wow. Isn't the joke about Araki that he's a vampire who never ages when he's seen a picture of him?

[Steven (Translator)]

Yes.

[Joey (Artist)]

He was not there, unfortunately. I mean, I think he was actually at the premiere, but not.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yes, he was.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, he was. That's when that was going around.

[Joey (Artist)]

In addition to, like original pages from each part, which was incredible to see, they had these giant paintings he did. His section was really great too, because he's like, I think, interested in fine arts, maybe a bit more than a lot of manga artists. And so there's actual paintings that he did just to display in galleries and stuff, rather than just pages, which is awesome to see. It was really cool to see a lot of Rumiko Takahashi's newer stuff I assumed was all digital, but it's not. It's just drawn incredibly cleanly on paper. So, yeah, it was awesome.

[Steven (Translator)]

Very cool.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, that's really awesome to hear. Before we get into the podcast, we have some news, but first I do want to mention our [e-mail] One Piece podcast. Steve, I know we our Sticker of the Month club. The latest voting closed, right. Just recently.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

As of. By the time you hear this episode, you cannot sign up for the November Club sticker, which was.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, it's now December.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

If you're doing jump rope with Kaido, it is now December. A new poll will be posted up. But since I feel like we've had a string of months starting at the, you know, at the beginning of the week. So I don't like to overload the Patreon with a bunch of our posts. So expect it, you know, maybe like a day or two, the poll will be up and they usually stay up open for a week. And I think at this point, I think we had 28 people. Uh, 23, I think anywhere. I think around like 23 people, I think voted in the last poll. So yeah, just stay tuned. I not fully decided on what ones are going up yet, so I can't get the word out. But just stay tuned. And for those that aren't on that tier, but this sounds intriguing, might want to give it a shot.

[Zach (Host)]

I've heard very good feedback from our patrons on Discord, at least about the stickers. And obviously Steve's art is always worth the price of admission and then some. So if you don't, if you haven't, please check it out. We also, I think we. Oh, yeah, we all. Sorry. We also have our entire force to watch. 4 kids series. If you haven't listened to that, that is evergreen. Especially now that the titles are apparently being used by the live action series. Not literally, but similarly. They're stealing our bit, really. If anything, I think the original OPP.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Japan documentary that was filmed in 2013.

[Zach (Host)]

Yes, it was. It's on YouTube now.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Not anymore.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Is no longer a Patreon exclusive. It is on YouTube.

[Zach (Host)]

It has been a Patreon exclusive for a while, to be fair. But what is a Patreon exclusive is the commentary that we recorded at ANIME Boston in 2015 or 14. Steve, I think was there. Right. And Ed, I assume.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Yeah, I was not there for that.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, you weren't. Okay. Greg was there though, and I was there.

[Ed (Co-host)]

That's when you guys were doing the Are you a cop thing.

[Zach (Host)]

Yes. Thank you for bringing us back to very, very important. We also.

[Ed (Co-host)]

I definitely heard about it after the fact.

[Zach (Host)]

We also. Yeah, we did do that joke a lot. We also have deleted scenes and more. That's exclusive to Patreon, so you could check that out. Anyway, that's enough about us. Let's talk about one piece news. I'm going to start with the good news or the new news at the very least, and that's that we know the voice of Joy Boy in the anime, Urara Takano, who apparently was the voice of Luffy in the Ganzak Ova. Thanks to Adil for getting that for us.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Which a lot of people saw I think for the first time when it was on the streamed stream like a year or two ago.

[Zach (Host)]

Mm, don't tell me that was a year or two ago.

[Ed (Co-host)]

That doesn't work because it was also. It was directed by the same anime director who did film Red. Is that right?

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, I think that was right.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It was kind of like a promotional.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Thing and they had like a message from the director on that stream.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, yeah. It was a production ig, Right, that did that as a different studio. Yeah. So that's a really cool casting decision, I am assuming done on purpose, but perhaps. I don't know if you all have any thoughts on that at all.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, it'll be interesting to see. You know, hopefully they carry this actor through, you know, to when we actually get to spend more time with that character in flashbacks and whatnot.

[Zach (Host)]

So we'll look forward to hearing them again in 2036. The other bit of news, Steve, I forgot how you put your reaction to it specifically, but I agree. Maki Otsuki, the artist who most recently did Dear Sunrise Memories is what they are.

[Ed (Co-host)]

It's the first One piece anime ending.

[Zach (Host)]

First one piece anime ending.

[Ed (Co-host)]

And I've said this before on the podcast, but when they end the One piece anime, they'll play that song and I will cry.

[Zach (Host)]

And many, many fans did cry for different reasons, I'm sure, as at Bandai Namco Fest 2025 in Shanghai, she was escorted off stage because of a ban on Japanese media or Japanese artists in China due to something the Prime Minister said, which I don't have the specifics in front of me, but yeah, I.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Have the article here I was looking at. The trigger was remarks this month by new Prime Minister Sanai Takaichi, who said a Chinese Taiwan threatening Japan's survival could trigger a military response from Tokyo.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, yeah. Signing off on that, I say sarcastically, God.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

God forbid. Yeah. They heard that entire song sang at a card game convention.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Steven (Translator)]

There's. There's a lot of, you know, there's been a round of saber rattling about that. You know, it's always. It's always one of those things where, you know, anything involving, like the South China Sea, for example, all the various little, you know, territorial squabbles there. There's always, you know, the potential for stuff like that to get back into the news. It's definitely been a lot more intense recently. And, you know, I don't know, it would take a lot more, you know, political savvy to. To know how it's all tied together, but for whatever reason. Yeah, it does seem like there have been more aggressive comments lately or more like hypothetical comments about, you know, sovereignty and stuff like that around Taiwan. So. Yeah, it's a very sensitive situation right now. Clearly.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Saber rattling, though. Very, very good choice of phrase there.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. You know, yeah, it is unfortunate for many reasons. Most of all, I mean, I feel like an art artist shouldn't be subject to the issues of their country's government generally, but because, you know, none of us are responsible for that.

[Ed (Co-host)]

She got screwed.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. Anyway, that's. We. We have real news every week. I don't like it, and I feel like it should be invading our. But here we are. Yeah, there's actually other little real news is that Luffy, once again, third time was in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year. No, I think the. It was the first year that the bucket hat Luffy did that. It was the year that I saw it before it happened, but always looks great. When I was watching with my son. He's like, oh, is that your favorite? Is that the one you're looking for? And then Buzz Lightyear was behind him and is like, is that a bad guy? Or, you know, whatever, but we'll. We'll teach him.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, that's a celestial dragon. You see the dome? Oh, yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

I'm glad I brought it up. I'm glad I brought it up.

[Ed (Co-host)]

And then there was someone took the opportunity to repost a picture from last year where it looks like Luffy's about to give the gum gum pistol to a NYPD officer on the street there. He's just sort of looming behind him.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

With the fist, our own monkey D. Luffy was asking, are you a cop?

[Zach (Host)]

Now that's. That's tying it together. There was one piece of live action news, and that's. And I'm probably going to pronounce his name wrong. Auto. Auto is playing Mr. One, and Daisy Head is playing Ms. Double Finger in season three. I don't know if you all have any thoughts about that.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Also, was the March 26. Was it March 26 for season two? Was that announced around the same time?

[Zach (Host)]

Yes, that was announced a few weeks ago.

[Steven (Translator)]

A month or so ago, yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, okay. But season three has also officially begun filming. I think this was announced right after our show last week. Episode one is titled Where There's Smoke. I don't know where that could go. But, yeah, that's begun filming in South Africa.

[Steven (Translator)]

And it makes sense that, yeah, they're announcing Mr. One and Ms. Doublefinger now since they don't show up until Alabasta. And we know based on the chapter on the episode, they announced Bob Clay's.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Casting, what, a week or two ago?

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Steven (Translator)]

Right, right.

[Zach (Host)]

Alex. Was Alex on for that one? Because I know he was very excited for that.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Alex, Josh and I talked about it.

[Zach (Host)]

Right. Yeah. Okay. I couldn't remember how many years ago.

[Joey (Artist)]

That little teaser video where you got to see all the logos that are kind of dressed up like the different characters and stuff. That was very fun to see.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, I like. I like that promotional tool. That's been cool. And there's one really big piece of news. I'm happy we have the star attraction here with us. Steve, your character's back. And I didn't really get to have a comment from you.

[Joey (Artist)]

I didn't.

[Zach (Host)]

Listen, I think we need a comment from the source. We need an exclusive with Dr. Fishbone and voice actor Steve Yurko now that you're back in the background. Yeah, please. Okay. Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Hey, look, at that.

[Zach (Host)]

Wow. It's like he's in the room with us chewing on a fish skeleton.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Spone.

[Zach (Host)]

Spone. A fish spoon.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah. I didn't even catch it. I think it was our friend Ken who put a screen cap of it. I was like, oh, shit. Just as I was thinking, I'm like, he's never gonna come back.

[Zach (Host)]

It's one piece. They all come back. And I think we said that at the too. I'm like, you're going to have a big role in 20 years when you're the star of the next arc or something. Okay, Totally. I think those are the big pieces of news.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I'm going to be known as like, yeah, this was the unpeak of it's more than me.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Random devil worshiper.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. Like the rest of us who will also probably have to come back.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Played a few.

[Zach (Host)]

Yes. Yeah. So played. Anyway. How dare you say that. Except maybe. Let's get into the manga recap for chapter 1167. I'm not making the joke because we did that last week on the other side of the break.

[Joey (Artist)]

Okay.

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[Zach (Host)]

This is the manga recap for chapter 1167. Iida's sons. This chapter and all chapters are available for free legally and worldwide at shonenjump, viz.com and mangaplus. Shueisha Co JP Ed do you want to go through Oda's comment first? I don't know if that's what you have.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Oh, yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

I mean, if you would rather do the COVID page.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Oh, no, it doesn't relate to cats, but I will talk about it.

[Zach (Host)]

Okay.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Oda says I'm currently obsessed with 8D audio. It feels so great to be enveloped in sound. I want to remodel my room.

[Zach (Host)]

This is two separate thoughts.

[Ed (Co-host)]

I assume this is a surround sound effect where, you know, you get the audio, you know, behind you or above you or on the side.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, I Guess so.

[Zach (Host)]

Gone at you, too.

[Steven (Translator)]

Like, does it rumbles your seat?

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah.

[Joey (Artist)]

Sprays not ate the X. Oh, that's what it is.

[Zach (Host)]

That's what the X is. Okay. He would do that, though. Like, he would. Totally. Any other comments on ET what was the.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Was it the Honey I Shrunk? The kids attraction at Disney where, like, a dog sneezes on you and it's written as you.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

More dogs sneezing on you.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Go to Universal Studios. That's, like, every ride there spits on you.

[Zach (Host)]

So Steve is our resident.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, I should know.

[Zach (Host)]

Amusement park, actually.

[Ed (Co-host)]

I remember a Bug's Life attraction at Animal Kingdom that had, like, a thing in the seat that poked you. When you get. When there's hornets, it's tough to be.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

A bug, especially when it doesn't exist anymore.

[Zach (Host)]

Anyway, Ed, what's going on in the COVID page?

[Ed (Co-host)]

Yeah, speaking of cats, we have a reader request for Gen and Nochiko scolding a cat trying to steal a book. But they're not really mad by the ideal Sanji.

[Zach (Host)]

Steve, can you tell us about your ideal sanji?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yes. Anywhere from East Blue till about, like, the beginning of Ennis Lobby, that's ideal Sanji.

[Ed (Co-host)]

The orange shirt and vest.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I mean, that was pumpkin spice. Sanji is pretty great.

[Zach (Host)]

It is the season. Well, maybe not anymore, but it was the season. Yeah.

[Ed (Co-host)]

So this is a bipedal cat carrying a big book of fish.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

The Big Book of British Fish.

[Zach (Host)]

Or just fish.

[Steven (Translator)]

Scare the kids. Yeah, yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

That's what they're doing. Yeah.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Being chased by the shopkeep. And who is shaking a. What is that? A rag on a stick?

[Steven (Translator)]

Had him. Little duster.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

What he washes himself with? I. You know. And Nami is from Cocoyashi.

[Zach (Host)]

I had no idea.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And she's called the Black Cat. This is a cat stealing a book from the start.

[Zach (Host)]

See, it's like.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It's like poetry.

[Zach (Host)]

It rhymes. Okay, Stephen, on the side it says Osaka, but I assume there's more under his hand.

[Steven (Translator)]

Osakana Zukan, which is the Big Book of Fish.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, that's not fun. I was hoping he had some fish.

[Joey (Artist)]

Added by Viz's letters.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, the. The. The color, the writing on the front was. Was Vanessa. Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, that's excellent. I did not. I just assumed that was Oda for whatever reason.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, that looks pretty.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Or like Sanji's big book talking.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, I forgot.

[Steven (Translator)]

That was Oda.

[Zach (Host)]

That was Oda.

[Steven (Translator)]

That was not ideal Sanji.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

You said Osaka. I thought I heard Oba. Oh, is Obahan Is that the. You know, the Osaka? Because that's what this lady in the. In the right, top right corner here.

[Steven (Translator)]

She'S got the perm.

[Ed (Co-host)]

The perm. And you're usually yelling and shaking a rolling pin at somebody.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

No, not her, though.

[Zach (Host)]

No, that's my ideal self. One day I'll become an Oban. I'm getting there.

[Joey (Artist)]

You know, it's reader requests like this that make me sometimes wonder, like, why don't you just draw it if you're gonna get this specific with like.

[Zach (Host)]

I think Oda enjoys.

[Joey (Artist)]

It's just odd how many details they throw in.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, because I think they need to stand out when they send it. Probably too.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, that's true.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, they want to just be like, draw nojiko scrolling them.

[Ed (Co-host)]

But they're not really mad. It's true. You can see it in the face.

[Steven (Translator)]

That's good.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, let me ask. So, Steve and Joey, if you're going to get a commission for something, would you rather it just. Well, I mean, I guess you'd rather it just be something boring.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Don't commission me.

[Zach (Host)]

And there it is.

[Joey (Artist)]

Honestly, the more specifics it gets. Well, it depends. I was going to say there's kind of like a.

[Ed (Co-host)]

It's boring but specific.

[Joey (Artist)]

It gets easier and easier and then it gets harder and harder if you get.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, I should say. Which would be more enjoyable to do, not which is easier. Which I guess is.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I think, kind of sometimes. I mean, I always am like, hey, what do you want? So that I could cover everything? Because that sure beats getting people like, eh, change this, maybe that. And I'm like, no. All of a sudden it's like we start charging for that. And that's what all artists should do.

[Zach (Host)]

Yes. I do remember sitting behind you while you were drawing all the commissions at all those cons and never again.

[Steven (Translator)]

You know, this is a great conversation, but we do have a very thick chapter to get through here.

[Zach (Host)]

Do we?

[Joey (Artist)]

Are you sure?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Is there much to talk about?

[Zach (Host)]

I want to talk more about Artist Alley.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I want. I want to talk. Yeah, and commissions.

[Zach (Host)]

And commissions.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Who's starting?

[Zach (Host)]

Support your artists, Joey, please begin.

[Joey (Artist)]

Okay, so first of all, on this page, there's an awful lot of writing on people's.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yes.

[Joey (Artist)]

Shirts and heads and whatnot. We can maybe cover that in a second. But so we start 33 years ago, five years after God Valley and some. There's our guy Morgan's talking to a real nut in the streets, saying we were all freaking out, that there were pirates off the coast when all Of a sudden, an enormous figure appears out of the mist behind him. And we all start getting exciting hearing about these mysterious figures in the mist.

[Ed (Co-host)]

I'm sure I do like seeing this guy is sort of freaking out and excitedly telling the story. And Morgan's like, huh?

[Joey (Artist)]

Just calmly.

[Zach (Host)]

It is.

[Joey (Artist)]

I love this young hip Morgans with the headphones around his neck and the ska checkerboard hat.

[Zach (Host)]

Glasses age you up.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I do a podcast.

[Zach (Host)]

Headphones age you down. That's why I do a podcast.

[Joey (Artist)]

So then we cut to the seafloor prison in Impel down, and one of the prisoners is telling a lively story with a kaboom. And the next thing I knew, the ship was in splinters. We were sunk in a matter of seconds by a Neptunian, right? No, it was like human. And the other. I love this really shocked, scared guy up front.

[Zach (Host)]

I was gonna say this is an all time.

[Joey (Artist)]

He's not even biting his fingernails. He's just biting the whole front digits of his fingers.

[Zach (Host)]

It's really good. I like that. It does not look manga even. It looks like it's out of like a completely different series. Yeah.

[Joey (Artist)]

And we cut to a village where there's like a little couple having a lovey dovey.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, that's weird.

[Joey (Artist)]

Hug session or something off to the side. I don't know what's going on there, but another reporter or something is saying, and did this event take place in the Florian triangle? Asking the question that Ken and all of us were asking. And this guy who. For a minute I was like, who is this guy? This is so specific looking. Maybe you all can tell me if it's somebody else, but I think I was just thinking of pound maybe. But he has this very specific looking face.

[Ed (Co-host)]

His underbite.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, he's a real great looking dude with a mustache and an underbite and a cigar. He's saying, not even close. You think there's any fish worth catching out there? We don't go near it. And all he can say is, it was a monster in human form. And so. Okay, so we're at the end of this page. Let's go ahead and go through the T shirts and what?

[Steven (Translator)]

Okay. Yeah. So the guy who I assume like in my. In my internal monologue, he is talking like, like Casey Kasem as Shaggy. Like, we were all freaking out, man. He is his shirt. This one actually is a little hard to see because. I don't know, it's just the way that ODA drew the. The letters, but it says Hito. So that's an H is the first thing, which. It kind of looks like an E or something.

[Ed (Co-host)]

It's a human.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yes. Yeah, so that's. That's the joke. I guess the. The punchline is that this shirt is saying, it's a human. And then this other guy with the. I'm more distracted by. Is that supposed to be his ear? Like, what is going on with the side?

[Joey (Artist)]

It's, like, creeping up the side of his head.

[Steven (Translator)]

It's really weird.

[Joey (Artist)]

At first I thought it was, like, a little wing or something, but I think it's just. I think it's an ear with a wing.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

But where's his ear?

[Joey (Artist)]

But it's just.

[Steven (Translator)]

Oh, you're right. You're right. It is an earring. Okay.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Oh, yeah.

[Joey (Artist)]

But it's very high.

[Zach (Host)]

That's, like, one of those things when you look at it closely, it, like, starts morphing into something else. But, yeah, you're right. It's just big earrings. Pig.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

He's got, like, pig ears.

[Ed (Co-host)]

I really have no idea what's going on with his shirt.

[Steven (Translator)]

So his. Well, his tattoo on his. On the back of his head says Horafuki Me. And so Horafuki is like, someone who tells tall tales. And. And May is just like, you, you damn. So. And so. So he's like. He's basically, like, calling this guy, like, the boy who cried wolf. Sort of like. He's like, yeah, you're just telling stories.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

What the. It's got to be the most unfortunate tattoo I've ever seen.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, he just come. He goes and hangs out around people telling outlandish stories.

[Zach (Host)]

You know, this is an sbs.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Like, you know what he thought, you know what? That I'm with stupid shirt. Yeah, that's amazing. But how can I make that permanent? Eternal.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah. Also, there's a panda man in this panel.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, there is.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

There is. Yeah.

[Joey (Artist)]

Look at that behind Morgan.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, yeah, Peeking out, doing, like, the photobomb kind of thing.

[Steven (Translator)]

And then at the bottom, I don't know what the Mecha meche is. I. I didn't. I didn't even look it up. I. I just assumed it was something French. And, you know, that's below me, so. But the. The guy with the. Who is taking notes here.

[Zach (Host)]

It's a Spanish. Well, I don't know if I should trust AI. I'm just realizing Google sucks. I. Well, it might be, like, a busy body.

[Steven (Translator)]

All right, come back with the. Come back with the, you know, a real source.

[Zach (Host)]

And I'm looking, I'm looking. Go ahead.

[Steven (Translator)]

But The. The guy with the. With the cap is. We've seen him before. He's. He's been more prominent in. In other scenes, but his name is Reuter and Otis spelled it kind of funny here. I wrote it as I think R E U D E R. Because it's. I think it was supposed to be like a joke on Reuters. Yeah, and. And. And Oda has him as Reuter, but we've. We've seen that guy before in the present day. I forget what familiar still works for Morgan's, presumably.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, I guess they have a good like, you know, health plan or something. It. According to sources that are an AI. It's. It's a Spanish word that does mean busy body or something like that that fits. So it's possible.

[Steven (Translator)]

Okay.

[Zach (Host)]

But not French, so.

[Steven (Translator)]

Okay. All right, My apologies.

[Joey (Artist)]

So it doesn't stand for Bar Mikyu.

[Zach (Host)]

That's nice. Nice try.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Is anybody up for a barbecue or what?

[Zach (Host)]

Barbecue.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah. Okay, so moving on to the next page, the narrator goes on to say, at this time, the countries of the Grand Line were abuzz with a frightening rumor. A tale of a lurking monster that struck its targets mostly pirate ships from the deeper mists out at sea. And we see a pirate freaking out because in that first panel up there, in fact, a mysterious shadowy figure is jumping off of a mysterious shadowy pirate ship.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Elbaf ship, it looks like, with the. With the shields on it.

[Steven (Translator)]

Mm, yeah.

[Joey (Artist)]

And here we see, in fact it is Harold busting through and totally wrecking this ship here. And a cool looking panel with his.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Scar stumps on his face.

[Joey (Artist)]

Mm, yeah, Gross in. Yeah, he's a real hellboy over here. In truth, this monster was Harold. But to the people on the sea who'd never even seen a giant before, the experience was pure terror Doom. As part of his sworn oath of the Thousand Year Atonement, Herald assisted the Navy's efforts to uphold order.

[Steven (Translator)]

And meanwhile, Mihawk is looking at him chopping a ship in half and saying, look at the size he needs to mimic a fraction of my power.

[Zach (Host)]

I was thinking that. And I gave you odor boxes. Yes.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Anyway, Oda boxes continue. Meanwhile, the pirates who scattered to the winds after God Valley would grow in power over the next decade or two until they reached their primes and became the faces of their era. So we see steering Kaido and Big Chin. Teach. Not Teach Newgate. Yes, but he's sticking his big chin out there all the while. As the pirates around them focused on claiming territory, one crew achieved the seemingly impossible and succeeded in circumnavigating the globe. And that's Gold D. Rogers ship there. And there. There is a big chair coming up from his ship.

[Zach (Host)]

You could barely see the egg. It's there but you know. Right. Wait, so Buggy is not in it?

[Ed (Co-host)]

The crew led by the king of the pirates, Gold Roger. And the crew is posing for a picture and celebrating. You see.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, it's Spencer. Steve. It's Spencer. The character Spencer.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Yeah, so we see like little like.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Hey, look at that.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Little like 11 year old shanks and Buggy and Rayleigh and Crocus and Gabon.

[Steven (Translator)]

And Roger and Spencer.

[Zach (Host)]

Spencer.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Of course. Spencer. Does he have any gifts for us?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Just lava lamps that don't work and fig dog do. Yeah, that's like 90s. Spencer. Spencer.

[Zach (Host)]

Every.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Every store now is a T shirt shop.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, that's where I get my slipknot shirts.

[Zach (Host)]

I was gonna say someone has to sell graphic tees in black bites.

[Ed (Co-host)]

So we continue. When he was captured sometime later and publicly executed, the world government assumed it would serve as a demonstration of their strength. However, the lure of his massive fortune, the One piece sent the world into an era of frenzied madness. And I'm reminded here that the government executed him by stabbing him with two swords in the chest at the same time and not beheading him. Which is weird to me.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Well, that was in the anime.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Oh, it looks like that's what they're doing. Or maybe they are being.

[Joey (Artist)]

Who knows.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Yeah.

[Steven (Translator)]

I will point out just for you, you know, detail oriented folks. I did take those sound effects specifically from chapter one, page one, since that's.

[Joey (Artist)]

Cool how he did it. Nice.

[Zach (Host)]

Good. It's a good Shunk.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Really? Really Steven Shunk and Roar.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, I was going to criticize that, but now I'm. You know.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

This is some. This is some bush league stuff.

[Zach (Host)]

They're trying to say Roar Nora Zoro. Okay.

[Ed (Co-host)]

But there's more. And they say the autoboxes say counteract the arrival of the unforeseen great era of piracy. Navy headquarters recruited over a dozen giants from various regions in the hopes of bolstering their ranks.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Very familiar faces here.

[Zach (Host)]

Is that Spencer joking?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Stop trying to make Spencers.

[Zach (Host)]

No, last week I was just.

[Steven (Translator)]

Here's a thing.

[Zach (Host)]

Okay. You could listen.

[Ed (Co-host)]

There's John Giant and. And Saul, obviously. Or two of them.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

His name is my name too.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Wait, where? Where? Which one?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

These are the guys.

[Zach (Host)]

I don't think we see.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

These guys were in Marineford.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, these are the guy. These are the big Giant guys.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Was Dalmatian a giant or just a weird looking dude with a devil fruit?

[Zach (Host)]

No, just a weird looking.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

No, he's. He's the guy who looks like a Dalmatian.

[Zach (Host)]

That's how. You know.

[Ed (Co-host)]

That's pretty weird to me.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Harold, meanwhile, who had been faithfully serving as a tool of the Navy, was finally given official access to the Holy Land this year. There we hear some, there's some background talk here. It was huge. And is it in Mary Joa? It was huge. An ancient giant, they say. I want it as a slave.

[Steven (Translator)]

Clearly the celestial dragon's talking here. Yeah, yeah, that's what Harold. Now I'm curious. How did Harold get inside this room? You know, how big, how big of a door do they have?

[Zach (Host)]

Okay, cinema.

[Joey (Artist)]

Cinema. It's like the roof opens up.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, it's like Universal Studios, they use the elephant doors. I like the dollhouse one where it just like opens up.

[Zach (Host)]

And it does look like a dollhouse too with all them sitting like right next to him like that. I mean that is pretty cool because.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Sometimes, you know, you, you just want, you know, you want he man to play with your mighty Max. Guys.

[Zach (Host)]

Okay, so which altar is he man? And which.

[Steven (Translator)]

I think the real answer is that this chamber is, is elder space. It's just, you know, you can fit anything in there.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah.

[Ed (Co-host)]

So when we turn the page and we see that it's what work you're you talking.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh wait, this is. This part's me, Ed. So yeah, work. Responding to a shallows covenant. A first time hearing that specific term. Correct me if I'm wrong, but saying indeed you are now a trusted weapon of the holy knights of God. So we gave you this badass tattoo. Not really. It's really not badass at all. I do want to note though, it is interesting that they're bones, since that feels like a more priority motif. Yeah, that did pop out.

[Joey (Artist)]

It almost looks like white beards symbol, second flag.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, yeah, right.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, yeah. We don't talk about the first one.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, no, we don't talk about the first one. Although if that, if it looked like that, it would make more sense. You are now a trusted weapon of the holy knights of God. A devoted blade. He's like, it's an honor. Oh, I love being a suck up.

[Steven (Translator)]

And by, by the way, if you, if, if that does or does not sound familiar, that was the, the label that was given to Gunko when we saw her. Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, I did not realize. So we get a little exposition finally about this. Although we still don't Completely know what it does, but we could probably piece it together given what we've heard over the last few, let's say, months. The covenant has three stages. Please take notes. Harold, get your big giant notebook out. Oh no, he's destroying everything. The Shallows covenant is a trace of a bond merely. Then there's the Depths covenant, which we do not talk about. And the, how do you pronounce? Abyssal. Abyssal. Abyssal. Okay, I don't think that's a word I've ever used out loud, but I should. And abyssal covenant, Depths. Right. No, I, I mean it comes from the word abyss, which is a great word as well. Yes.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Do not stare long into the abyss, for the abyss stares back into you.

[Zach (Host)]

And for covenants especially. So anyway, they are reserved for only 30, so that last one is reserved for only 13 exclusive individuals who can enter into a contract with the true God, which Harald rightly asks, what is this God you speak of?

[Steven (Translator)]

I, I, I, I'll point out too, I, I'm not actually sure. So when they, because the way that it's phrased, the Depths Covenant and Abyssal Covenant are reserved for only 13 exclusive individuals. So it kind of makes it sound like the two of them together combine to 13. I guess I'm not, it's not super clear with the way that Oda wrote it, but that's kind of how, what it seems to suggest, which to me I would guess that maybe the Abyssal covenant is like the five elders and the depths is maybe the other knights or something. That, that's just my, my own hypothesis.

[Zach (Host)]

But no, no, but they use, so I was going to bring this up later, but the abyss, the Abyssal covenant I think is the one that the Holy Knight, that's the one they mentioned specifically a bit.

[Steven (Translator)]

So, okay, so, so the, the, the two words are not directly related. It's, it's, I used abyssal as a translation here. Abyss was the actual name of the thing that they use, but abyss. So in Japanese these words are the shallows covenant is like shallow sea contract and the Depths covenant is deep sea contract. And then the Abyssal covenant is deep deep sea contract, which, you know, they're kind of corny when you, when you, when you say them like that. So I had to come up with names that, that worked, that also sounded cool. And so abyssal was, was sort of like, well, I don't know if there's anything else that sounds cooler, like deeper than depths of the sea. So that was kind of my, my, my thing. But the it doesn't necessarily mean that only the abyssal covenant can use the abyss itself. But I don't know. We'll find out more about this, I'm sure, in the future. So.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, I mean, it is certainly interesting to hear a little bit more about that.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yes.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. And he continues in answering, who is God? This is Jupiter. Venus. Venus, yeah. Okay. That's how I'll remember Venus. If the day should come that you were made a proper knight, then you will know the truths. The truth in the depths of the world, which. So do they use the same word there, Steven?

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, no, the. The depths is like in the deep core of the world or something like that.

[Ed (Co-host)]

This is like learning about Xenu.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, actually that's probably.

[Steven (Translator)]

You're going to reach level 9 clearance or whatever they call it.

[Zach (Host)]

That is. It does feel kind of similar to that. Yeah. And Harold immediately is like. And is that when Elbaf is going to be allowed to join the government? I just want to join. Come on guys.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Let me join.

[Zach (Host)]

Come on. And this is Saturn, right? Who says? Of course, Harold. It'll be announced to the world. You'll be welcomed. Everything will be fine.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And also make sure you sign people up for the World Government VIP program.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah. Somebody on our discord was joking that like, well, if you sign up 20 people to the shallows covenant, then you can be made the depths covenant.

[Zach (Host)]

Okay, there we go. I thought it was three things too.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Someone beat me to it, but that's just retail.

[Zach (Host)]

Because it is. And Harold doing like the happy luffy face in response to this I did think was sad slash pathetic slash funny simultaneously. I'm grateful for this honor. I'll do anything you ask of me. We see an older Saint Girling who looks slightly less stupid than younger Saint Girling, but also slightly less stupid.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Tell he's older because he has facial hair.

[Zach (Host)]

Right. The bottom of the crescent moon is starting to form. This is his least stupid looking form. Between his young and old self, I will say. But he always looks stupid. And please don't let anyone say he's peak and looks peak because they're wrong.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, but he's got that shit on. Look at him.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh my God. And we go to Shangara. Not to be confused with Shangri La or Sham or Shandora or Shambhala or conqueror of Shambhala in the Knights temple, which is the knights temple in the land of the gods. And here is Saint Gerling, commander at this point of the holy knights of God of the Figgerland family for those keeping Score of the person we've been introduced to at least three times. What is the Great One thinking? And so obviously he is one of the people who knows the true God. So he must be one of those 13. Which would make sense as Summer's asking, can the King of Elbaf actually take orders? Meanwhile, he answers that I'm standing right here, dude.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, I like that. Like that. They're asking and he's like right there.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. We have a very young looking Shamrock here, right? Yeah. At this point, it's a pretty good assumption. Of course.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Sorry, this just reminds me. Because the sound effects used for Roger's execution, Shunk should have been Shamrock's name. Shanks and Shunk.

[Steven (Translator)]

I like it.

[Zach (Host)]

Wow, that's great. I agree. Now I'm never going to be able to unsee that. Of course, your word is my command. And garland, be careful.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Don't disobey the government. You're going to get shunked.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Where's the nearest boot? Give it to me.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. That is gonna slather that bad boy. Oda's really laying it on thick. To be fair. We will call if we. He says, don't worry. The boot will be sent to you. It will be delivered to you if needed.

[Ed (Co-host)]

We'll call you.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, we will call if we need you. Keep a long distance transponder snail on your person. You are free to visit the lower worlds, but you will not speak a word of what goes on here. Understood? I love you so much, Garling. Have I mentioned that you're great? Steven, I can't. Okay, so you can.

[Steven (Translator)]

We'll go far, far away from Mary Joa now. You mean down, down into the depths? But apparently not. Apparently not the lowest depths. Twenty years ago, Fishman Island Ryugu Kingdom and we hear some laughing voices which are revealed to be Harold and King Neptune of the Ryugu Kingdom. And they are very large men. They're very large men. They're sharing some very large barrels of ale or some kind of drink. And Harold is saying, it's been too long since I had such a good laugh. Neptune. The same, my friend. The same. We have too many troubles on our minds. So, yes, they're commiserating about their. Their various kingdoms, which makes sense because they are both, you know, on the outside of the world government, trying to. To find their people acceptance from the world at large. So it's a good, good meeting of the minds here. And we zoom in on Neptune here. He says, first of all, no, I very much doubt your son is some kind of Demon child. I mean, can he possibly be worse than you were? And Harold slaps himself on the head and says, whoa, when you put it that way, like they're just really yucking it up here. And Neptune says, actually, fortune teller told me that I would receive a daughter four years from now. What do you say? We can.

[Zach (Host)]

Fortune teller is six years old at this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah. Well, I guess she's probably 12 now because didn't she say, wasn't it like.

[Zach (Host)]

10 years, like she was 6 when she gave that portion to.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yes, yeah, but she, but look at, but look at her. She colors in the lines.

[Zach (Host)]

She does.

[Steven (Translator)]

She's very talented.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah.

[Steven (Translator)]

What do you say we can betroth your Loki to my daughter? And Harald laughs it off. Forget about it. Listen, I'm not talking.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

We can't look past this great face that Harold makes here. Oh, right here.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, that's an old time Shaq tasting the hot one's face. And he's like, forget about it. And Neptune, he's trying to hard sell here. He's like, listen, I'm not talking about any ordinary mermaid. Supposedly she might be born with wild disruptive powers. And while we see Otohime with the little, little baby Ryuboshi and Mamboshi.

[Zach (Host)]

And.

[Steven (Translator)]

I don't know if I can see Ryu Boshi there, but yeah, Fukaboshi is. Yeah, he's on the top. Right? But I don't.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Before his fangs came in. Yeah, momboshi looks like just like a big egg.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, this is the most.

[Zach (Host)]

I've liked momboshi. I will say I've always been a momboshi detractor. Yeah, this, this brings me back right here. I like it.

[Ed (Co-host)]

This is momboshi number five.

[Zach (Host)]

Have we not made that joke before?

[Steven (Translator)]

Don't like that.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, I mean he was raised among all this.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, that's.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, he was raised amongst all this. Stomp chomping. That explains why he's always wiggling around.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, commenced that joke. Okay, whatever, go ahead.

[Steven (Translator)]

And Harold says, in that case, it sounds like a match made in heaven. Let's have a toast to the future of my little brat and your shaggy daughter. And Neptune says she will not be shaggy.

[Zach (Host)]

Okay, should we discuss it?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And then we all look at the camera.

[Steven (Translator)]

We all jam at the camera.

[Zach (Host)]

Can someone say we on the One Piece podcast predicted this somehow?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Did we?

[Steven (Translator)]

Okay, first of all, first of all, there are two things about this that should be familiar to you. One much more recent than the other. So I think everybody is getting activated by the use of the word shaggy. Right. Does anyone remember the other thing that this is very reminiscent of?

[Zach (Host)]

The guy at the beginning of the chapter who sounded like Casey Kasem. No, I'm joking. The transformer.

[Steven (Translator)]

This scene in particular.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, that someone called.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, someone else thought up because. Are you talking about another scene with Neptune talking about someone else about his daughter?

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, they called him like Harry or something.

[Joey (Artist)]

Roger.

[Steven (Translator)]

It was Roger. In the Odin flashback, we see Roger talking to Neptune. I think it was when he was still a knight. Right. Because I remember him being an armor.

[Zach (Host)]

Right, you're right.

[Steven (Translator)]

And yes. Yeah, yeah. So it was earlier than this, but yes, it was almost. Well, it wasn't the same because he wasn't talking about betrothal, but they had almost the same conversation otherwise. And Roger was like, we're not going to steal your hairy daughter. Right.

[Zach (Host)]

That's what. So that's what it was really, really.

[Steven (Translator)]

Interesting to note here. So I said Harry, and then this one is Shaggy. So Oda did a little sleight of hand, kind of, which is that in the old scene with Roger, he described. Roger describes Neptune's daughter as Mojamoja, which, which I translated as hairy. And that is. It's. It's sort of like, it's hairy in like a, like a sort of like chest hair, like body hair kind of way. Like, it kind of implies a certain level of volume. Like, like wiry hairs that are going everywhere. But in this case, Harold calls, says my. My little brat and your daughter. And he says mosa mosashita daughter. And, and so, you know, again, that is literally like mosako was the, the term that I translated as shaggy from, from bloki. So it was a really clever bit of work on Oda's part to like, be like, oh, yeah, I remember him saying that. But then like specifically changing the word to this other hair related adjective that is. Should be very familiar when you hear, you know, when you think about Loki and. And, and so on. So, yeah, I will say. I, I will. I will remind folks, just for the record, that me and Greg did not predict that it was shirahoshi. It was a listener request or the listener question that asked if shirahoshi made sense. And we sort of like initially laughed at it. And then we were like. And then we were like, you know what? The more that I think about it, the more this makes sense. So I don't want to, I don't want to take false credit for, for predicting that it was. Yeah, Zach. Zach will do that for us. But we were definitely very intrigued.

[Ed (Co-host)]

The listener didn't get all the way there, but they led the. They led the way.

[Joey (Artist)]

All listeners and all listener submissions are properties of the one Piece podcast.

[Zach (Host)]

So.

[Steven (Translator)]

That's true.

[Zach (Host)]

I've always said this. Yeah.

[Steven (Translator)]

But, yeah, I would say that.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Thanks, kid. You just saved the one piece podcast. Please sign here that you did not.

[Zach (Host)]

Save the one piece podcast. Oh, here it is. So I found the question. It's from SNP on June 11th. Wow. Saying I need to read it. Because they basically called it saying, I asked Steven this already. But to Greg, what is your impression of Shaggy Mossa? They're very polite, but they have been leaning toward feminine or masculine. Was the question, especially in this recent chapter, the translation question regarding this panel in chapter 968, which is the one we're referring to here from the Odin flashback. The birthing is at hand. Our sovereign will soon be born. And another in a distant sea. Though they were asking about whether Loki. Oh, no, actually, maybe this wasn't the person to predict this. I guess it goes further back in time. Shaggy SMP has really been promoting it, though, so.

[Steven (Translator)]

Mm.

[Zach (Host)]

I'll. I'll keep looking, but it goes further back than. Than that. Go ahead. I'll. I'll find it.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah. So I would say, you know, like, prior to this scene in particular, I would have put the odds at. At the, you know, the Shaggy character being Shirahoshi at, like. At like, 50%, with, like, all. Any other possibility, like, adding up cumulatively to the other 50%, whether it's a character that we know or it's a totally new character. But after this, I'm like, 90 to 95% sure that it's got to be Shirahoshi. And the only other answer would be, like, if Oda is doing a red herring, like, he's intentionally misleading us here. Because this is. This is, like, way too coin. This is way too much to be a mere coincidence, especially with him kind of revisiting the earlier lines that Neptune said, but also changing the adjective so that it. It matches, you know, what Loki calls this person.

[Zach (Host)]

Okay. SNP mentioned this as early as January 8th of this year. So I think that was the first time.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

The year of Shaggy.

[Zach (Host)]

I can't believe that was a year ago. I can't believe we've been in this for a full calendar year.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Because what other purpose does this scene serve other than to kind of hammer that in?

[Steven (Translator)]

Right? Exactly.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Did you know Harold's new Neptune, like, get cool, I guess.

[Zach (Host)]

Okay, so. Yeah, here. Okay. December 26th is the first mention here. Saying the. Mentioning all of what you just said. Basically, I'm a true believer.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah. So I can't take a victory lap on guessing that it was Shirahoshi by any means. You know, we. We were kind of led to that by. By our listener feedback. However, I will take a victory lap on choosing to translate Mosako into Shaggy. Because, you know, this. This joke would not work if I hadn't done that. And so that's. That's a fun. Fun.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. What was the other choice? You mentioned it on the SGS episode. I know. Like, it could have been something else.

[Steven (Translator)]

I don't remember.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, I gotta listen to that one.

[Joey (Artist)]

I think it's just that the fan translations were translating it like a.

[Steven (Translator)]

Like a name. Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, right. Yeah. But it was most. Yeah, they were translating it direct. They weren't translating it. You mean they were just saying Mosa.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Right, right.

[Steven (Translator)]

They just. Or like Lord Mosa. Because it's. It. And. And like, I was like, no, it's. It's a. It's in the form of a. Like a nickname. Like a sort of.

[Ed (Co-host)]

It's cutesy.

[Steven (Translator)]

Slight. Well, not so much cutesy. Well, slightly cutesy, but also kind of like derogatory almost in a way that, you know, fits Loki's personality. And. Yeah. And I. I was like, oh, that's definitely got to be something. Now I think my. My guess is that if Oda were to explain why he. Why Loki calls her that. I still think it's because of the transponder snail, like, being snow resistant and so it's covered in hair and looks shaggy. I don't think that this. I think this line is just like a fun coincidence. Yes, exactly. It's a giveaway to the reader. It does. It would not make any sense for, like, Harold, for like this conversation to mean that Loki was going to call her Shaggy based on a conversation they had before Shirahoshi was born. That would be really weird.

[Zach (Host)]

But I actually think it. It's more fun almost because of that. It is definitely like, hey, reader, this is your answer, even if it's not. Yeah, even if it's not, like, continuity wise. Anyway, there was Steven. We still had this whole second half of this page, right?

[Steven (Translator)]

Yes. There's still more of this page. So later that year, in the owl library of Elbaf, we see Harald is talking to Saul. He's saying, of course you can settle down here, Saul. And Saul's appreciative of that. But I wanted to ask you something. Who's that? Would you join with the educated of Elbaf and open a school here? And he's, you know, opening his arms and doing like, the hills are alive with the Sound of Music thing to show the. The majesty of this little lake thing that they have up in Elbaf where you can see the library, but apparently there is no. What was it? Walrus school.

[Zach (Host)]

The hills are alive with the sound of learning.

[Steven (Translator)]

Nice. I like that.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah.

[Ed (Co-host)]

So there is a library there, but there's no school yet.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah. And Saul's like a school.

[Zach (Host)]

Huh?

[Steven (Translator)]

Sounds nice. He has a very funny look on his face. So, yeah, this is how the. The school got started, apparently.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Which.

[Steven (Translator)]

Which makes sense since. Yeah, we know that Harold is kind of like a big sort of reform king. Yeah, yeah. He. He wanted to. To. To get the. The kids raised. Right. So.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, this. This fits with everything. Yeah, right. You're doing the.

[Steven (Translator)]

Okay, next page. Okay, here's the slightly more controversial page. Fifteen years ago, there was a shocking incident in sacred Mary Joa. And once again, we get the Celestial dragons, the faceless celestial dragons just yelling into the city at large. My slaves have escaped.

[Zach (Host)]

That one's broke light year.

[Steven (Translator)]

They've broken their cages open. Get out. Hurry. You want to spend your life in chains? That's. That's presumably one of the. One of the slaves, or maybe Fisher Tiger himself, because we see him there he is. Fisher Tiger is running, and he is huffing and puffing, and he. He runs under the full moon there. Got to note. Make note of that for you, Zach. We see a figure standing like a cool guy with his big sword in front of Fisher Tiger as he runs along. And interestingly, here. Well, I'll make note of this. Fisher Tiger looks like he pretty much just escaped. Like, he's got broken chains dangling from his wrists, and he's got his. You know, he's wearing a tattered shirt and everything, and he's all bruised and messed up looking, and he sees this figure, and he says, damn it. Are you a knight of God? And then we. We see a slightly more detailed version of the silhouette who raises a. Raises his hand with the sword, and we can see his wavy locks. Could it be Sabo? No, probably not. We assume, of course, that this is probably Shanks. And you could kind of see the.

[Zach (Host)]

Three scar thing there. Right?

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, right. There's. There's. There's dark, and then there's, like, shaded, and it kind of looks like, you know, his. You can only see his right eye shining, you know, against his Silhouette. And then there's a kind of a confusing panel here where there's an impact, there's a kaching. And what we can. Can guess is the. The neck shackle being broken for Fisher Tiger, which. Spoiler alert, go back and look at the second panel on this page. There's like 2 inches of clearance around the entirety of his head on this shackle. Just. Just. So we're just for that. For the record, he could have taken this off at any time.

[Zach (Host)]

No, no, but that's the. Oh, well, okay, that's one thing, but if you take it off.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I heard enough of this in the Kuma flashback. Okay, but if you.

[Zach (Host)]

But you. If you take it off, it explodes. Right? That's the whole thing.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Didn't we see this in the Slave a at Chabadi?

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Steven (Translator)]

Well, I don't see any bombs, so.

[Zach (Host)]

Okay.

[Joey (Artist)]

It's also under his hair. So it's stuck under there.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, that's tangled up in there.

[Steven (Translator)]

It's hard. Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

It's not their fault.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Can't cut that hair.

[Zach (Host)]

Everyone in the series has gigantic necks. It makes it difficult. The necks are bigger than the heads.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah. But there's. So it's kind of. It's kind of weird because, like, it looks like Tiger's swinging at him. Right? Like his. His arm is, like, jutting forward. He's also holding, like, a ribbon or something. I don't know what he's holding Tiger with his. With his left hand.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, that. I don't know what he was saying.

[Steven (Translator)]

That's weird.

[Joey (Artist)]

I think it's the bandage around Shanks's face because you get a little bit of something trailing off of the back of the silhouette there.

[Steven (Translator)]

It does kind of look like that. But then, I don't know, like, I mean, we'll see Shanks later. He's still got a bandage on.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, also, you get a new bandage between the night of this and. Yeah, can I get a new bandage?

[Ed (Co-host)]

Yeah, we'll get there.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah. Maybe. Maybe he's setting this up something up for later. But it just seems like a weird, like, not really drawn attention to detail to not like, have mean anything.

[Zach (Host)]

I think it's because he didn't want to give. Not give too much away. I think he didn't want to show too much.

[Steven (Translator)]

Could be. So our shadowy figure as he passes says, I've left the armor unlocked. Here's how to get there. And Tiger looks on with surprise as the shackle crumbles around his neck. And then a little time later, a couple minutes later, Suddenly, there's a bunch of explosions. As you know, people with. With weaponry are kind of being blown away by the scale of the. The destruction here. Like, whoa, whoa, is that gunpowder? And then we see the Boa sisters. Sandersonia is coming in to rescue Hancock. She's like, hurry, Sister Sandersonia, someone's come. They're fighting for us. We can escape this hell. And we also see Koala, of course, who was also rescued at this time.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Oh, yeah, A little feral koala with the hair.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, yeah. A little cute, cute little koala with her. Her bulging eyes. And she is getting out of there. And the Oda box continues. This incident caused by the future captain of the Sun Pirates, Fisher Tiger, was known as the ransacking of Sacred Mary Joa. And we get to see a sort of familiar, you know, layout here. I mean, the image of the three sisters running away, which we definitely saw in the Amazon Lily a little when she was telling Luffy this story.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, that's almost exactly.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, yeah. The picture is almost a direct double. However, people were pointing out that this might be a retcon on Oda's part because the way that he told it in the past was that Tiger was a slave in Mary Joa and then he escaped, and then he came back to Mary Joa to free the slaves. But this kind of seems like it's just being treated as one event, which, to be honest, makes more sense to me. I'm not sure why he would have separated the two initially.

[Zach (Host)]

I mean, he could discount it as a legend, you know, because it was told. Yeah.

[Steven (Translator)]

Secondhand.

[Joey (Artist)]

Also, all you really have to do is add a narration box at the top of the second page and saying like, a year later or whatever.

[Steven (Translator)]

Right, right.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's true. That's true.

[Steven (Translator)]

Or yes. Or maybe he can. Maybe he can insinuate that, like, this was. Yeah. The first page is just Tiger's escape.

[Zach (Host)]

And then.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah. There's actually however long passing between the two.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, it's hard to do that when.

[Steven (Translator)]

They'Re both night scenes and they look exactly the same. So.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, yeah, I. You could also say that. I mean, didn't Tiger hide from a lot of people the fact that he was a slave? I mean, that's one of the reasons that's the sun symbol. So it's possible that one. It could have just been twisted over time to avoid him looking. Maybe it was like the. Like the legend was like that, so it wasn't like he was a slave in the first place.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Maybe it's even More embarrassing that he was a slave who escaped and then he freed other slaves. It's doubly embarrassing for them.

[Steven (Translator)]

Well, for the. For the bad guys. Yeah.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Tiger was embarrassed.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Maybe he got out of there and he's like. Am I forgetting something?

[Zach (Host)]

Oh yeah, I forgot my keys.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

The other slaves.

[Zach (Host)]

Yes.

[Joey (Artist)]

I left the onion.

[Zach (Host)]

The oven on in the armory. Oh no.

[Steven (Translator)]

The gunpowder. Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah.

[Steven (Translator)]

To be typically. I mean I would just say like. Personally I do not care. Like there's either in mismatch. Like it does not matter to me at all. I know people will bring it up. Right.

[Zach (Host)]

But I will say. And I've said this before. ODA is very. ODA is very good at explaining those away when he needs to. Yes, Joey.

[Joey (Artist)]

Okay, so now daytime and Mary draw and Harold is talking to Summers while we see some reconstruction happening.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah.

[Joey (Artist)]

Scaffolding heralds. Mm, that. It sounds like that was quite a night. And Summers says we're thinking someone from our side might have opened up the armory to them. So we're looking for the rat now. Put him to death. Someone is suggesting a light suggestion. And so here Garling comes with his two sons, introducing them. This is Shanks to Harold. He says that he's the younger brother Shamrock. Separated after birth. He's been through the gauntlet of the lower world. But if entered into a depths covenant, he'll be an instant boost. Likely on the level of Shamrock. For the time being we'll use him as a devoted Blade of God like you. And Harold says that he thought the same. I thought the same thing was Shamrock at first. But have we met before? And we get a look at Shanks here who does have the bandages over one eye as we mentioned just a second ago. From his scar from. Or is that from his scar? Doesn't the scar go below where those bandages are too? I don't know. But anyway. This is from. Presumably from Blackbeard's attack, right?

[Ed (Co-host)]

His Vega claw.

[Joey (Artist)]

Which is interesting to know that that kind of happened in between here. But anyway. So Shanks says. I don't know you, you great lumbering peon. He's putting on his best celestial dragon voice here. How dare you speak to me as if we're equals. I've had the blood of Figarland in my veins. Mark my words, I'll be a knight before you.

[Zach (Host)]

Where's your waspy voice, Joey? Can't you do you lumber peon? I can't. I don't know why I tried.

[Ed (Co-host)]

I always had the blood of Figurland in my veins.

[Zach (Host)]

Get it out. Sorry.

[Joey (Artist)]

Go in. Yeah. Is that AB or F or what were all the different kinds of F?

[Zach (Host)]

Was one of the ones. Yeah, I remember that.

[Joey (Artist)]

I've had this. Effing Blood stands for Figgerland.

[Zach (Host)]

Maybe that's. Maybe that's how they. Maybe that's how they classify blood types in the.

[Joey (Artist)]

If he's a Figgerland. Confirmed. Okay. So Harold says, oh, my mistake. And we see a little interesting panel of Shanks kind of steadying himself, which might be interpreted a few different ways. I think it is him kind of like grappling with having to pretend to be an asshole.

[Zach (Host)]

I thought. Now that I'm reading this again, I feel like. So Harold seems to know Shanks from maybe like Roger or like a wanted poster or something. And Shanks.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Have we seen Harold meet Roger?

[Zach (Host)]

No, no, but he might have. Hmm.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

This might be alluding to something we'll see in the future.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, I think so. Maybe like a flashback that we'll.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Within the flashback that we'll see Harold.

[Zach (Host)]

Well.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Cause really the first time we see these lads as babies, which is an odd thing, would be like, have I seen you before? Oh, yeah, I saw you as an infant. You know, you look exactly the same, Harold.

[Joey (Artist)]

You had red hair.

[Zach (Host)]

Red hair. It's a one piece world. But Harold wasn't even on God Valley, so, yeah, he wasn't there.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I assume this is alluding to something that the reader's not privy to. Privy to pervy too.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, no. But also, Shanks seems to. I have a feeling that Harold knows who he is and that they, like, had a mutual understanding here that you were not gonna talk about who I actually am or something like that. But I don't know. And especially with what happens at the end of this page, that's kind of what I'm getting from that. There's like an implicit agreement or something. But. Yeah, go ahead, Joey. Sorry.

[Joey (Artist)]

Okay, so on the next page, we get a nice establishing shot of the two brothers here in full Holy Knight garb. Devoted Blade of God, Figarland family, Saint Shanks, which is weird to see written like that. Holy Knight of God, Figarland family, Saint Shamrock.

[Ed (Co-host)]

And Shamrock's got the good hair. Oh, he did.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, I disagree.

[Joey (Artist)]

He's the older of the twins, right? So he's had a little bit more time to grow it. So. Yeah, they're looking very Rosa Versailles. Very cool. So he says, let's go, Shamrock. Tell me more about the Holy Land. I want to be the hero who captures the one responsible for the Attack. Any clues? Very clever, Shanks. And Shamrock says there's still time to do once your wound is healed. Shanks, you don't know how it feels to learn what you've wasted 24 years of your life. I always knew I was different from the others. Now, I guess that was all Shanks still saying that stuff, right?

[Zach (Host)]

Okay, so, yeah, yeah, that's all Shanks.

[Joey (Artist)]

That Shamrock was saying, you can wait until you're healed. And then Shanks is saying that he's wasted 24 years of his life because as he says at the bottom, I hated everything down there. Putting on his good, good rage face. Good, you know, pretend anger here. And Harold looks on as the crowd is. Is squeeing for him. Eek, yay. And is kind of having a moment to himself here where he thinks, dot, dot, dot.

[Zach (Host)]

Steve, all. You know.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

All righty. That year in the fisherman village in Elbaf, not to be confused with Fisher Tiger, we have this really beautiful wide shot here. Also this giant sword sticking out from the tree line here. And I don't know who's talking. It's just like, nope, can't help. I don't know enough about medicine. Let's call Harold and ask him to send a good doctor with proper stuff. And we hear faintly, no, you can't. He's busy with his job. And what's a government connection good for if not this? And we see it is Eda bedridden in the hospital with illness. Disease with mother's disease. And she. I guess she was cold, so she needed more blankets.

[Zach (Host)]

Actually, we'll find out what disease this is in this chapter, to be honest.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And this is a young mato is here, very upset.

[Ed (Co-host)]

You can tell it's her because she got the pointy nose, right?

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And then we'll also find. And the dialogue is also did give away. And also we just got this real.

[Zach (Host)]

This.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

This troll of a. Of a. I guess.

[Zach (Host)]

Are you gonna voice this guy too?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, I voice all the doctors.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, you voice all the doctors on one piece.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Play them on tv.

[Zach (Host)]

You do. I love this design, actually. I think that's a great design.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

He's real funny. He looks like a freaking Muppet.

[Zach (Host)]

I know. It's amazing. Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

She says, just watch. I'll get better on my own. As she huffs here, she having a hard time breathing. And this fellow here says, seems to me you've been getting worse by the day. Harold be heartbroken if he sees you like this. And Eda says, you run the bar for me, Mato. And Mato says, no, not when you're sick.

[Steven (Translator)]

Iida.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And this fellow continues. I'm gonna give him more of a Dunbra voice, like, you know what Harold does each time he comes home? He visits all the elders and asks you to make you his true wife. And Eda once again struggles to speak. And she says, the fool. I prefer running that little bar. Meeting all those sailors from far off lands. Makes me feel like I've been helping Harold out in my own little way. And then we hear, hey, outsider hag. And macho says, whoa. But it's a big an earth shattering kadum. We hear Mato steps outside and it's Loki with a. With an ox that he's probably either killed or concussed. And we hear some chattering in the background. He says, get some fresh meat to feed her. That bar is a nice chill place. Sorry, One piece character saying a nice chill place kinda tickled me when I read it this morning. That bar's a nice chill place for me to hang out at. I need it open again. And this guy says he's gotten bigger, but he's still the same impudent brat inside. You're the only one who could tame that little beast. Howardin's off with his comrades searching overseas for a doctor for you. So both of your sons have a lot of love for you. See Howard in here on a ship with his gang here. And he's yelling forward as he eats a big, big, big chunk of meat here.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Oh, look, it's Roto.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, yeah. Roto's doing that navigation thing that way.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, that's Gerd. And who's. Who's to the right. Do we know who that is? And as he's standing in the back, that's dancing. Oh, yeah, because he doesn't have the facial hair. Yeah, I see Goldberg, I think Goldberg.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

You could see Goldberg underneath. Sorry, I don't know my ship terminology here.

[Zach (Host)]

Ropes.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I think that's Goldberg.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Starboard stern. He's in the starboard stern of the ship.

[Ed (Co-host)]

I can't tell.

[Zach (Host)]

Damn it.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

But anyway, Eda says you're all making a big deal out of nothing. I'm just fine. I was like, I'm just fine. That's real sweet of them though. Part we go to the next page. We go to Brewer's Village, Loki's mother's home. It's Milwaukee in Elbaf.

[Ed (Co-host)]

Ew.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I think we made that for the. For the. For the wiener race or whatever. Love the architecture in this town. It's. You can Tell they brew because everything's a barrel.

[Ed (Co-host)]

This is where they make all the Marmite.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

This is where Donkey Kong lives. And I think this is Loki saying, huh, what'd you say? And this crazy old kook here says, I said, we don't want the outsider woman becoming the queen. You agree with that, right, Loki? Yeah. And this man's continuing like Estrid's the true queen, and she's from our people. They can't take away our fortune and status, so we gave that wench a little poison. Arrogant. Is that what these are called again?

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, that's when you guys. Grammy, Oscar, what's the R4? I don't know. From the inside.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, fame always brings out the razzie.

[Steven (Translator)]

You want a razzie, too?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

These air Gotch spores won't stop once they're taken root. It's certain death. And, yeah, he's holding a little vial, little glass thing here of poison. And all these other people surrounding him are just snickering. And we see a little. Little grimace on Loki's face and, yeah, this ain't gonna end well. And this doctor says, mato, get in touch with Harold at once. And she runs out saying, I will. And Eda laying down, she's looking worse. And she says, it doesn't matter if we're not related. It doesn't matter if we're not related by blood. Loki's my dear, sweet boy. My special little guy. Just like Hardin is. And we see Loki. Yeah, we see this sweet summer child, shrouded in darkness, lifting this hammer above his head.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, this is one of the coolest, greatest things, too.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

See, this old coot, his wrist is broken. It's like, look, the top half of his face and his lower jaw have been twisted in opposite directions. And he says, loki, stop. And Loki says, it ain't gonna die, is she? And we see Milwaukee is in flames here.

[Steven (Translator)]

And.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

We hear Loki continue. I remember what my real mother did. She cast me out of the tree into the underworld. You want fortune? You people make me sick. Eda ain't gonna die, is she? Because she's. And Loki has beaten the shit out of everyone in town, including this old man, picking him up by the throat because she's. And we see Eda flashback here and says, loki's just lonely, that's all. Wanna live with us? With us, with us, with us, with us.

[Zach (Host)]

A part of us all.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

A part of us all. And Loki says, the only mother I have. And that's where the chapter ends.

[Ed (Co-host)]

And we'll be back in A week with another chapter?

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. Wow.

[Steven (Translator)]

Three in a row.

[Ed (Co-host)]

That's what the app said today.

[Zach (Host)]

Is that what Steven says?

[Steven (Translator)]

That's what I say.

[Zach (Host)]

That's what Steven says.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Exciting.

[Zach (Host)]

So that is the chapter this week. Does anyone want to go first, specifically? Joey, do you want to start us off? Sure.

[Joey (Artist)]

Okay. So we have finally transitioned out of God Valley and are back to Loki and Harold. And I am locked in. I am totally on board. Like, I don't want to go too much into this. Like, every week I feel like the discussion of is the flashback good or bad has been kind of done to death. But I will just say, like, I liked what I was seeing. It was interesting. I wanted to see all that stuff in God Valley, but I wasn't feeling it in my guts. I was feeling this in my guts. Like, these last few pages especially, I was very excited to see. And while I'm looking at the last page, I just have to remark on how beautiful those burning buildings look. The assistants did an amazing job on that. It's a really cool effect. Like, we were talking about seeing the original art at the top of the show. You can totally see the whiteout effects that are being used to make the kind of like burning embers going through the sky.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Joey should know. He's seen it in person.

[Joey (Artist)]

It looks amazing. Yeah, I would love to see this page in person, but yeah, so I think this page is really, really incredible. And in general, the art was on point in this chapter. It's been really great. Um, let's see, what else do I really have to say about it? I'm sure we will talk about this. I guess I'll just touch on. There's a lot of kind of feelings I'm seeing about what Shanks should or shouldn't have be included in all these kind of like, things that feel almost like revising history where he's now, like, freeing Fisher Tiger. And there's a lot of, like, I saw some talk about, like, does he get this tattoo? And then the tattoo is, like, eaten off by the Lord of the Sea or whatever at the beginning of the series. And to all that, like, I would say that the, you know, I can kind of roll my eyes at Retconny seeming stuff, but I don't really mind him freeing Fisher Tiger here just because if it does in fact line up with this timeline in which Shanks is here in maryjoa, then it would make sense to me that he would do this if he's in fact here for kind of like, moral reasons. I Suppose the big question is like, why is he here specifically for some sort of undercover operation? Or is he just here because he wants to rediscover his roots and is ultimately not happy with what he sees or, you know, all that stuff will be interesting as it unfolds and not.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

To derail your time either. Joey. And I don't know if this will branch into a long conversation. Are we also gonna get. Is there a possibility of some sort of Prince and the Pauper kind of switcheroo here? I don't really have any evidence to back that up, but I kind. You know, we were talking about recontextualizing like old scenes that we're familiar with and all that. And like, oh, is Shanks actually the evil? Like it's the Hugo and Bart. Like, oh, actually Shanks is the evil one.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. But the difference is Bart was clearly evil the whole time. It's just. You were.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

But I think just knowing like, you know, I'm not on the level of like Greg here, but I'll always mention the Odin ghost. So it's Suzuki Foden. Greg doesn't always nail it. But I don't want to claim to know, but Greg is very. I think he's the closest to being the most familiar with oda's writing style here. But I just feel like, I don't know, ODA doesn't really go for these really mind fucky. No, sorry. These mind fucking, like plot twists like this. I think he's usually straightforward. I don't see, I can't see Shanks actually being the evil one here.

[Zach (Host)]

That's too soap opera. Yeah.

[Joey (Artist)]

Is that coming from.

[Steven (Translator)]

It would speak so badly of like everyone else who knows Shanks that like they think he's like a pure hearted guy. That either they're incredibly dense, that they don't realize that he's actually evil or that like, you know, they're, they're. They're actually cool with it or they know about that, that, about him. I don't know. It's just.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, completely. Yeah. It, it's. It's too much. But also not to metagame it too much. But with the latest volume announcement, the trailer, the YouTube video on the Japanese one piece.

[Zach (Host)]

YouTube.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah. And he has different voice and Shamrock has a different voice. God, I forgot the name of the guy. But he's like in everything. One Piece fans will know him as Yoonji. He was the voice of Yoonji.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, Yeonji.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

He's the voice of Shamrock. So I kind of think like, well, I don't think. I think if it was truly gonna be. Oh, they switch places sometimes during the story without us knowing. I think they would have kept the same voice actor. So that's me. Meta.

[Zach (Host)]

He was someone big in Jujutsu Kaisen that I should know.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Somebody big.

[Zach (Host)]

It's Kenjiro. It's Kenjiro Suda.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

He's in everything. He's in everything.

[Zach (Host)]

I haven't watched Jujutsu Kaisen at all.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Most people our age would probably know him. He's the Japanese voice.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, shit. He was an orb that I watched. Orb.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

That's such a Zach anime. I'm not surprised.

[Zach (Host)]

Such a Zach anime. And it's fantastic if Zack approves the Zach anime. But he plays.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

He plays.

[Zach (Host)]

Now who is excellent and perfect now that I. Okay, I'm excited now.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I'm taking too much away from Joey. Sorry, I just got.

[Zach (Host)]

Sorry, that's my fault too. Joey. Yeah, please.

[Joey (Artist)]

Well, I'm curious. Is all of this, like, suggestions that Shanks is really evil? Just coming from this part where he's saying, you know, calling Harold the peon and saying that he hated everything below and stuff like that? Because I don't know. As I alluded to when I was recapping those pages, Like, I don't believe those words in a second.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Like, no, there's always been. There's always been like a few kind of loose Shanks is secretly evil theories for years.

[Zach (Host)]

Sorry, I never really bought in.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I got. I kind of got slightly spoiled on this chapter because Instagram insists on Threads being a thing. I think it's the only reason why Threads is slightly more popular than Blue Sky. On the lowest point of the totem pole, social media.

[Zach (Host)]

It is. Oh, that's sad. Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Oh, it's true. We are so lame.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, that I knew.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

But I saw a Threads post talking about this, like, oh, the sword hilts are on this side and blah, blah, blah. And I'm like, is this like a spoiler? Like, that's the thing these days when I see a spoiler, it's my first thing is like, is this like a spoiler or something? I can't tell.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, I saw a YouTube suggested, like, oh, the one piece is ending. Like, first of all, yes.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, okay.

[Zach (Host)]

One day I'm sure it will end. But, like, is this something related to the chapter this week? And the answer was no, not really, as far as I can tell.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

But Joey, to throw it back too. But yes, I agree with you. Like, if. If you're not reading that interaction with Harold as Oh, Shanks is trying to shut him up by being a dick.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

You know, and just the conversation stops Cole there, and Shanks kind of trembles here. Obviously, he's like. He's acting here.

[Zach (Host)]

Don't blow my cover.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah. I mean, I think the big mystery for me that I'm always wanting to know about Shanks is now what was he crying about in the Odin flashback in the Roger part? And so I wonder if that was maybe a part where it was, like, revealed to him what his, like, history was, and maybe even Roger telling him that he should return to Mary Joa or something. I don't know.

[Zach (Host)]

He also, at the beginning of this flashback, mentions that he had been to the Holy Land, to Gabon, specifically. Like, he said something like, on my most recent trip to the Holy Land or something like that.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah. But anyway, I think just to sum up my real takeaway from this, even though there's a lot of interesting lore stuff, is I'm just very excited to kind of be inching back into Elbaf and back into. You know, it feels like the end of the flashback and present day is in sight, which is exciting. And. And I think things are playing out at, like, a decent speed where, like, some things get rushed and some things have a certain amount of, like, character weight put on them. And I think it's the last, like, several. The last month or two of chapters has been really solid, I think.

[Zach (Host)]

Anything else, Joey, since we interrupted you this time?

[Joey (Artist)]

No, that's good.

[Zach (Host)]

Okay, Steve, since I haven't heard your thoughts in a while, and then I'll do Steven, because that's the only person.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Sorry, I'm looking up some reference here. I'm sorry this annoys anyone here. I'm not doing it to be antagonistic, but, yeah, jumping back into the Herald stuff really feels like it's lighting a fire under. Under this flashback again. I don't want to dog on it too much, but with so little mention of God Valley after it happened, I'm like, yeah, they really shoehorned that in there, didn't they? Because it's like, all right, well, now that that's over, I think in hindsight, it's gonna be like, okay, there's context in there that we gotta know for later. But this put it there.

[Zach (Host)]

And.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And last time I was on the podcast, I talked about that. I did like it, and I do, but, wow, do I feel like we're kind of, like, firing on all cylinders again and, like, the themes of Elbaf and just, you know, and. And Just this shadowy organization that's the world government. I'm like, all right, you know.

[Zach (Host)]

No, you know, that's.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

You know, Rocks was talking about that bunch. But I kind of feel like, all right, we. We sidetracked a bit, and this one just, bam. Going right back to it. So I kind of. I enjoyed the. I don't know, just the flow of this chapter and the energy. It was great. What else can I contribute here? I think the biggest takeaway is just really Shanks's involvement now returning to, you know, Mary Joa. And it kind of makes sense now because when him confronting the Elders, that was before for Wano, right?

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, that was. That was like 904 or something like that.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Okay, so that's like Reverie Post.

[Zach (Host)]

It was one of the reveries. Like, there was. Every chapter had this weird, like, cliffhanger ending that had nothing to do with the rest of the chapter. And that was one of them.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

So it makes. It makes sense that, you know, Shanks could walk in there and be like, okay. You know, it's like, he can do that. It's not just, oh, it's, oh, they think it's Shamrock or something like that, or that was Shamrock all along. I feel like this kind of bunks all that. I now just. I'm very curious to find out what happened with Shanks between, you know, Roger's execution and now. Because I. This is a ruse. Because I don't think there's just anything. Yeah, I think we already kind of killed the evil Shanks series. But just Shanks crying, you know, finding out about Roger's, you know, inevitable death, him asking Buggy to start up a pirate crew after Roger was executed, like, it doesn't line up. So I think, oh, Shanks knows something. Like, because why. Because even if he found out, like, oh, yeah, oh, I'm from, you know, this family of holy knights, what. He must have uncovered some truth about the world that made him be like, okay, I gotta go back here and I gotta find out more. I don't think there's really too many hints in this, but it is. It is another fascinating twist here. I think I. I feel really uneasy about recontextualizing, like, a lot of stuff. I think the big thing here is we see this tattoo on Harold. So everyone's thinking, well, Shanks is gonna get that right. Oh, and that's why he got his arm bit off. And. And maybe it's just because it's like, it's. It's changing the way I've viewed The series for over 20 years. Cause you always thought of seeing Shank save Luffy. It's like, oh, that was just him making a sacrifice for a future generation to thrive. I feel like it does kind of cheapen it if it's like, oh, I wanted to get rid of my arm so I wouldn't have this oath anymore.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Just context.

[Joey (Artist)]

The Lord of the coast tattoo removal.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, it's Oda saying, hey, he doesn't need that arm anymore. It's free real estate. Let me just write this story beat in here.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I. I think of it more like. I would like to think of it more as a coincidence. Because he's like, oh, I especially don't.

[Zach (Host)]

Care about that arm.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

You know, I just think it's one thing for something like, say, you know, it's like. Like something like Shutter island or Memento or something like that. Like, yeah, okay. Like, the whole point of that, it's a mystery. And yeah, once you know it, you're never going to have the same viewing experience again. One Piece isn't necessarily a mystery. So I think if it were to be like, well, who knows? I could be eating crow. I like to think Luffy eating the fruit and all this was like a happy accident. Like, maybe this wasn't Shanks's plan, but it kind of worked out. If Shanks was kind of just like. And I. And I put the fruit on the bar because I know he's always hungry.

[Zach (Host)]

It would.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It would really ruin, like, going back and revisiting that material. Because then once, you know, like, oh, all this is bullshit, you know.

[Zach (Host)]

I.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Like to believe that. I think the theme of Shanks making a sacrifice for future generations, It's a better theme than an interesting plot twist.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yes.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah. And like, if there's any positive to come out of it, like, maybe if he even. He wasn't willingly giving his arm up because he wanted to get rid of the tattoo. But he says to himself, like, well, it's better that way anyway, because now I don't have that tattoo. I think that even kind of diminishes it a little bit still. Because you want it to be a major sacrifice that Shanks, like, really gave something up in order to.

[Zach (Host)]

Yes.

[Joey (Artist)]

Save this boy.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Exactly.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It doesn't feel like much of a sacrifice. I just think if you're pitching one piece to someone new, I think they would be more moved by an adult pirate sacrificing losing a limb in order to save a boy who aspires to be just as good as him someday. I Think that's better than saying, oh, but this pirate. Then he jumped in way of this monster to save the boy, but he had the monster purposely eat off his left arm so then he wouldn't be tied to his family, who are a bunch of no good holy knights who are working for the world government. So now the world government is working for an even shady like that. Just. Okay, I'm like, that's too much like. No, that. Okay, like, to me that's not as appealing. It's just like, you know, like a really like pivotal moment, like the part of the emotional core of the series and just a great character moment. I really hope I, you know, I've had, you know, like Oda, I put a lot of faith in him because he's, you know, proven me wrong a lot of times when I've doubted. But you got to tread carefully with. With something that's just been the core of One Piece for so long. I mean, I've been going through some of my One Piece collection here, and I see that 25th anniversary logo for the One Piece anime and it's Shanks giving Luffy the hat. That's the core of the series. Don't muddle it. It's just. It's gonna get messy and you know, so it's kind of. I don't know. I'm trying to think of a good comparison with it. It's like, oh, no. Yeah. Like midichlorians is up now.

[Zach (Host)]

Because it's like. Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I was thinking Anakin Skywalker. We were same brain there.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. Anakin Skywalker is probably better.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I'm hoping that it's just kind of like, you know what? It's for the best, but it might cheapen a little bit. But just don't. This.

[Zach (Host)]

It's. You.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

You can't do this. Oh, every. Every. It's like. Oh, it was. Every little thing was, was. Was planned and all that.

[Steven (Translator)]

I just like turning it into like the butterfly effect thing where. Yeah, it's all related.

[Zach (Host)]

I. It's.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

That's. Well, and it's almost. I feel like that, like that stuff has only made some stories worse. The only thing I can think of right now is kind of Metal Gear Solid where it's just like the more you wade into that, the less special things felt.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

But I feel very strongly about Shanks relationship with Luffy here. I just. Joey, you were gonna say something.

[Joey (Artist)]

I just feel like it almost feels better to me if it's like fate, you know, if it's like sort of a bunch of coincidences that are being pushed by maybe some sort of overall repetitive history fate thing that Oda's been building. Rather than Shanks being like, this is my master plan.

[Zach (Host)]

You know, he's Eisen from Bleach.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, I was thinking of that too, but I didn't read enough of Bleach to really kind of get stuck by that. But it's like the. It's the panel with everyone's favorite whoopslap. You know, just saying like destiny or his fate and. No, actually it was just a carefully orchestrated plan this whole time. I.

[Zach (Host)]

All according to Kikatsu. I have to say, I'm contractually obligated.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

All I could do is kind of just put like a vibe out there, just a warning. I'm just like, just be careful messing with this stuff. It. You know, it. Because it could really harm. It could just really just harm, like what good some of these moments in the story did.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

I agree with you 100%. But I would also, from Oda's point of view, it would be like if.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Like in Sanji's flashback, if it turned out the reason why no ships showed up is because someone who hated Sanji just kept blowing them up so they wouldn't go near the deserted little island that Seth and Sanji were on. It's stuff like that. Don't do that. Don't do that. See what makes that story so compelling? It's just. Everything just happens the way it does.

[Zach (Host)]

Because that's. There doesn't need to be 10 layers to everything.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Sorry. I think this is something we haven't talked about in a while. It's the Kuina thing with like, oh, her death was faked and all that. And I'm like, if Kuina faked her death, that ruins Zoro's motivation. It just completely trashes his whole. His dream, his backstory and all that. It's. It just makes it all a lie. And I just don't. That's not the story one piece is trying to tell. But also, one piece has been going on for a really long time, so it's got to do things to keep things fresh. I just. All I could just say is just tread carefully, please.

[Zach (Host)]

Just. Since we're on the topic and I don't know if I want to continue. I mean, we could. You know, I 100% agree. I would say from Otis point of view, if, you know he's going to have to talk, tell Shanks his story at some point. And I don't really think there is any way that you could tell that story that wouldn't change your view. You know, like when you know a hole, when you get the full scope of something, it's going to change your perspective on the original event. Like, you know, once you hear my story about how I started the podcast or, you know, whatever, I don't have a good example. But that's not a. That's not a excuse as much as it's a reason if he F's it up here. But I will keep my faith in ODA to do this in a way that you have, I think, laid out that it's. I like that almost makes fatalism sound much better than the hyper detailed plan oriented. But also that part makes no sense to me. Like on its face, I think that would be almost the worst sin of that. I mean, beyond all the very bad sins you mentioned is like, that makes no sense just on its face. That fifth dimensional chess thing that Shanks is maybe doing, like, no, that doesn't really fit. But Steve, any. Anything I guess beyond it kind of.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Just feels like, like, yeah, I guess this might be this.

[Zach (Host)]

It.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It's it. Yeah. I guess it's a great moment. You know, it's something fun to react to. But then it's just in hindsight it's like, huh.

[Zach (Host)]

I guess it kind of cheapens.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Cheapens a lot of things a bit I can think of. Like, I always forget this dude's name. I was just talking about him a.

[Zach (Host)]

Week ago and I couldn't remember it.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And then I was flipping through my vivid cards as I was moving stuff around my shelf. A conjurer. Spencer, right? No, Spencer.

[Zach (Host)]

Spencer.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Of course, no. So to give you the Conjuro heel turn. Yeah, like, okay, that was a twist, but doesn't really ruin too much.

[Zach (Host)]

No, because who cares? It's Kanjuro.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, it's Kanjuro.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, character Kanjuro for us. The one who looked like a McDonald's.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

But it did recontextualize all those funny scenes of him, like, you know, drawing crappy animals.

[Joey (Artist)]

It actually was a little sad by that.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, no. But improved it, like was it made. It did add a level of humor, I think to it actually. Like the fact that he was using.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

His guns on the Conjurer is not the core of One Piece. Well, even though we've never had a character as funny as Conjurer, there is.

[Zach (Host)]

One person out there who disagrees. I don't know who that is, but there was definitely one person who disagrees.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I just think like, you know, and like you could say, like, oh, it's just, you know, it's tired. It's nothing.

[Zach (Host)]

Like, he also really at that, like, a lot.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

An old generation building up the next generation. That's what this. That's what one piece is. That's what it always is. I don't like.

[Zach (Host)]

Steve, thoughts on the chapter?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I would rather it's basically tied to the chapter. It's a great chapter, but it's tied to the root of the themes of one piece. And then if you just. If you want to just do an interesting heel turn, or not even like a heel turn, but just like, if it was like, ah, all right, now just a. Put my arm out so this, you know, this ant. Just cut it off yourself, Shanks. You know, like, God damn it.

[Steven (Translator)]

I think, I mean, they put a.

[Joey (Artist)]

Don't spell.

[Zach (Host)]

Your brother's name is Shunk. You know, you can't just put off an arm.

[Steven (Translator)]

If he tries to cut it off, the tattoo will explode and it's just like, yeah, super hockey. To. To turn it off. No, I think it will self destruct.

[Zach (Host)]

Yes.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I seriously, like, yeah, and it makes no sense. We're like, oh, if you just want his arm off, you could have just cut it off.

[Steven (Translator)]

I. I think what we're reacting to or like, the discourse that is happening is, is it's, you know, people picking up on obviously what Oda wants us to do at this point and what he's been kind of stealthily doing ever since that, you know, that scene from the Reverie is he wants us to think, like, what's the deal with Shanks? Like, is he. Is he. Could he actually be a bad guy? And that's, like, sort of laying the foundation for the reveal of Shamrock. So, like, okay, so he has a twin brother and he's part of the celestial dragon family. And he wants us to think, of course, like, on the surface that, like, Shanks, this is. This is the reveal. This is him playing his hand of like, oh, oh, my God. Shanks is evil. Like, he hated everything in his previous life. Oh, my God. What. You know, what could this be? We're too savvy to. To, you know, to get caught by that. We're obviously like, oh, well, clearly. Yeah, yeah, this is clearly like, Shanks is putting on an act to fit in it with his. His surroundings. But. But, like, okay, well, we. We can see through that. We know that this is. This is just Shanks putting on an act. And so people are now trying to say, like, okay, well, but it can't Be that simple. There has to be another layer to it. When I think they're just like, you know, like, they. They see through what. What Oda is doing, and so they're assuming that there must be even more to it. When I think, yeah, what, what we. What we can tell is what we've got and what Oda is. Is working on. And so that's where, like, a lot of this discourse is coming from, is like, people that can't. They can't. They can't stand the thought of, like, oh, I figured out what Oda is doing. So what. What if he's doing something even more than that? And, yeah, I think it's.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It's just modern media consumption, just reaction to it. It's kind of just like. It's. It's Odin ghost.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, I will say it's.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It's Odin goat.

[Steven (Translator)]

It's very funny that we have the scene where they're like, there was a rat. Somebody opened up the armory. And then, like, literally one panel later, like, hey, here's Shanks.

[Zach (Host)]

He's.

[Steven (Translator)]

He hasn't been here years. Who is this mysterious stranger?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Not now, Shanks. We're trying to find out who could have broken here.

[Joey (Artist)]

Shanks is wearing the hot dog costume.

[Zach (Host)]

He's like, who could have possibly done this?

[Steven (Translator)]

Steve?

[Zach (Host)]

There it is.

[Steven (Translator)]

Don't worry.

[Zach (Host)]

I don't know what I'm calling that, but there you go. No, that's. Yeah, I think that's really your answer right there. Steve, did you have any other thoughts? I want to let.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Steve and I, I. I really rambled on a lot.

[Zach (Host)]

No, I mean, I get it. I do that literally every week. Stephen.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, I don't have anything to add to, like, the, The Shank stuff, I think. I think we covered that. I did really enjoy this chapter. And while it does, it does have a, you know, an emotional moment at the end, you know, Loki has probably the most heartwarming act of mass murder that we've seen in the series.

[Zach (Host)]

That's a good title. Yeah, go ahead.

[Steven (Translator)]

I. I do like that even. Even though, aside from that, it's not really an emotion. It's like. It's not like a hit you in the feels type of chapter. It's one of those, like, you know, you could call it a lore dump, I guess, but it's just kind of tying together a lot of loose ends. But it's. It's the sort of chapter that, for me, is a lot of fun to. To work on. Like, there's just a lot of good writing there's all these, you know, expository sort of paragraphs that he writes and then splits into, like, 20 different speech bubbles. Like, those are always kind of fun to.

[Joey (Artist)]

They're.

[Steven (Translator)]

They're a fun little puzzle to, like, try to work into, you know, understandable sentences. It's one of. One of ODA's, you know, sort of style hallmarks. And, you know, we got some. We got some really cool stuff. A lot of, like, you know, neat hints about things and like, sort of half. Half reveals or acknowledgments. Like, the. The thing with Loki and Shirahoshi was real, real fun. It was interesting to learn about these covenants that the. That the baddies share with Emu. And even if it is, you know, obviously, like. Like Zach was.

[Joey (Artist)]

I think.

[Steven (Translator)]

I think it was Zach was saying that like. Like a loot. The luffy face that Harold makes where he's like, oh, yeah, this is great. I'll do anything you ask of me. Like, it's just so pathetic to see him acting like that, knowing what we know about the characters and. Yeah, I don't know. It's just a lot of. A lot of neat. A lot of neat stuff. Even if there is some. Some questions about, you know, sort of continuity and. And retconning and stuff like that, which ODA might have some plausible deniability on. Like we said with the. With the Fisher tiger, like, you know, changing between the pages and stuff like that. But ultimately it's not stuff that I am super hung up on, so I don't particularly care. That's a problem for the people that put together those, like, chronology of every event of one piece. That's for them to worry about. I'm not really keeping score on a lot of that stuff.

[Zach (Host)]

It's for the reverb card also.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah. But, yeah, I just. That was a very rich chapter. A lot. A lot to chew on.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. I think I could make it short because I think Steve kind of put together that argument. Like, I was gonna like that. That is a good. The whole Shanks thing is a great example of why I need to pay attention on my first read through a little bit more, because I was. I'm much more gullible the first time I read it, which is. I think, you know, people read one piece generally, and I have to remind myself of this pretty like, okay, I'm on a train. Oh, I'm on the toilet. Oh, whatever. I'm reading my manga. And they're not, you know, going panel by panel dissecting every Little thing thinking, oh, yeah, in chapter 904, this happened. I mean, yes, there's a lot of those and we are part of that community, but I think this is. Remember that Oda is trying to trick the usual reader. They're not. He's not trying to play fifth dimensional chess with you or us. Like, we are, I think, included in that. You much like, what was the Simpsons thing? Anyway, I did want to say I thought this chapter was excellent from a storytelling perspective. In particular, I'm, like, looking at this first page with the other Shaggy, the Casey Kasem Shaggy that we talked about. I love how the story is kind of told through different anecdotes of, like, different random people. It's. I don't think I've seen him do it quite like this. Like, you'll see people reacting to an event, but to see people, like, describing an event is a fun way to do it. This chapter also felt very cinematic. Like, we didn't talk about Big Mom's tremendous face on the second spread. Like, I love. Because it's like, younger Big mom doing, like, her older, like, maniacal face. It's excellent. They all look great there. Kaido, we all know, is stupid, and so this makes it even more fun to see him trying to act cool. I will say talk about God Valley negatively if you want, but if you badmouth Kaido's role in that. Beyond that. Yeah, I mean, I love. I just. I love the way this is all composed. Oh, I want to mention even just like, the going underwater thing on page eight at the top, like, literally diving down below the holy land to. To the. To Fishman Island. Excellent. I love that, too. Yeah, this. I. Look, I think we discussed how this flashback has kind of felt like a book within a book within a book. And I think, yes, I agree. I think with the folks here that, yeah, you look. The God Valley stuff, I think is important to the series as a whole. But, like, the story of Loki in particular is by far, far the most moving stuff. The. I liked Steven's way of putting it. It's the most heartwarming act of mass murder you've ever seen. Because it did like, it, like, makes you well up, almost. Like, this is really, like, beautiful in a way. I mean, first of all, these guys deserved it, despite Steve's excellent prospector voices. They all absolutely deserve.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Can't trust all prospectors.

[Zach (Host)]

What?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

This is news to me. Have you not watched Toy Story 2? Sorry not to cut you off too much. I'm like, yeah, I don't want to just insist that I was ready to just dog on God Valley again, it's not lost on me that there's been just like, oh, okay, now we're five years or so after God Valley. It's kind of like that's the only mention of it. Like we're not really.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, see it like, go ahead.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Are we feeling, are we feeling the after effects or we just like, like want to see how bad the government is?

[Zach (Host)]

Check out this. Let me, Let me back to our regular story. Yeah, no, let me say, I think I really appreciate Oda trying, especially as we seem to be wrapping this up. I really appreciate Oda trying something completely new in his flashback formula. Like this is different than his normal shtick when it comes to flashback flashbacks. And I think I will grow to appreciate it. Like, let's be honest, in the moment, in the present, the Loki stuff and the Herald stuff is what feels which brings up the most feeling for me. Yes. But I think at the end of the day, the most memorable stuff that will probably be the stuff in God Valley and with Rocks, because that stuff is going to come back. So when you're reading the story later on. So I'm going to like, I do want to stick up for the God Valley stuff. I think it. I don't even think the placements haphazard. I think it works because Rocks turns Harold into this boot licker. Like that's like accidentally like. Yeah, well, it was Rox's death that really spurred on Harold to turn into like this tragic irony sort of figure. Like, I'll avenge you by doing exactly the opposite of what you told me. Like, it is it. You know, Rox's relationship with Harold is crucial and Rox's stand on God Valley, I think, you know, really defines that character. Like the stuff that happens before that is great and all, but like, I think Rox's ultimate, like just complete defeat and his complete, like with. With without fanfare is like an excellent character piece, particularly transposed with. With Harold. And like how that just gets even worse. It like there is a narrative. There is one narrative.

[Steven (Translator)]

It's just a really big narrative.

[Zach (Host)]

It's just a very big narrative that spans literally over a century of story. Which is I think why it feels so dense.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I'll just say, while it's not confounding, is not terrible or anything like that. I just want to say.

[Zach (Host)]

No, I know, I know people listen.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I just think it was like. It felt like a monster truck show.

[Zach (Host)]

Yes.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And all my favorite trucks were there. And now we're back to a story where there's a bit more, you know, there's heart here and something like. There's more of the found family stuff. The stuff that I'm familiar with. One piece. I'm like, this is more what I like. And it's not saying that the other stuff is bad. It's like. And there is some intrigue there with Garp and all that, but it really kind of felt like.

[Steven (Translator)]

Isn'T it like WrestleMania where the show is like eight hours long?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah.

[Steven (Translator)]

And people. Oh, my God.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It's like two nights. But yeah. Yeah. There's like, there's the WrestleManias that are kind of like. Yeah, like, this is fun and spectacle and all, but, you know, this other pay per view that, like, that happens in, like. Like September was actually really good, and that was actually the best show they've done all year where people are not WrestleMania, you know, you know what? There was a pop tart there or something.

[Zach (Host)]

I don't know. Yeah, no, I. I think there's something for everyone in this flashback, because there's a lot. Like, there just has to be quantitatively. I. I did enjoy it all because I, I, you know, up to where we are at this moment, obviously we're not done. But, like, I. I feel like as we're closing the third of the three books in. In this. In this. In this flashback, I could say. I think everything. I, you know, I think the story, he. He took a detour that he felt he needed to take. And I want to read this all in a row. And I'm very excited to read this all in a row to see, like, how it really works. But, yeah, the. I stand by what I said before. I think the Loki stuff and the Herald stuff, but particularly the Loki stuff, is the most moving but the most memorable stuff. But, I mean, there'll. They'll. Be the Loki. Some of it will be extremely memorable, don't get me wrong. But I think God Valley will be the most relevant in the future, which, you know, I think is obvious. Yeah. Like, that just.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

That anime comes around.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, boy. Yeah.

[Steven (Translator)]

There's only one living character here who still has more story to tell, and that's Loki. And, you know, this is everything we're gonna get for Rocks and Harold. So you would. You would imagine so.

[Joey (Artist)]

And also, if I could.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, please, Joey. Yeah.

[Joey (Artist)]

Oh. Just interject. This is a bit of a swerve, but talking so much about God Valley reminded me a thing I wanted to point out, which we kind of alluded to is in that first page the kind of fake out that ODA does with the talking about the Florian triangle and stuff. Yes, the God Valley is actually thriller Bark theory that I kind of like. But I know friend of the podcast Ken is a big proponent of that. I just thought it was very funny. Especially because the one piece website previews the first page before the chapter comes out. And just looking at that first page, I was definitely rubbing my hands together being like, here we go. They're talking about the Florian triangle. They're talking about somebody in the mist who's like very frightening. Oh, he's human. Like, that's interesting. What could that be? And yeah, it was not anything like that at all.

[Steven (Translator)]

By the way, page two. In truth, this monster was Harold.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, no, it says it wasn't even close.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And we all found out it was.

[Zach (Host)]

Harold, the Meki Mechi guy who ruins Ken's theory. Personally, I love that design. I know we mentioned that, but that might be one of my favorite.

[Steven (Translator)]

He looks like a Popeye character.

[Zach (Host)]

He is a Popeye character. He's got the anchor, he's got. I love it. That character. More of him. I like this chapter, I will say, and this is a high compliment. I see so many SBs is coming out of just this chapter. Like, what was this guy doing? Why were the hearts in the background here of page one? What was this? Like that. I love that. I mean that's. And no, Oda knows the things. He's doing those things on purpose. And he'll be like, okay, I'll explain that in sps because a reader shouldn't have to concern themselves with what the name of the lovey dovey person is in the background of page one. I. I will end by saying I think the thing that this flashback has done really well is give, I would say at least three to four, like, really good character studies. Like really good character stories. I think the Loki stuff I think will stick in my head the most. This page, the one of him climbing that cliff. Also, he doesn't have infant amnesia. Is interesting that he remembers being a toddler or not toddler infant climbing the. But that's like really gutting. There's a reason you forget some stuff. No, it's. His story has been great. I just wonder, okay, would his story have been better without all the stuff in the middle? Like, not to say that those are bad stories, but it's like, did it detract from it? I don't know the answer to that right now. But his story, maybe it's Me being a parent now is, like, extremely moving to me. So is Harold's for the same reason, actually. It is particularly. And we actually didn't talk about her illness, disease too much. But Eda is such an incredible character. I love Eda. And we all knew she was going to die. I do, like, think that, okay, he obviously gave in to the trope of forging women. I guess they're killing moms having mom disease. However, the way it is done here, I think is the best he's done it. If that's high praise. Okay. Or low praise, more like. She was murdered. She was. But, like, specifically, as you know, Loki's like, what a. What an adorable, beautiful way to commit mass murder.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Her story kind of runs parallels with Shanks right now where it's like, you have these people, right?

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Oh, like our. Our bloodline, where it's like, is, you know, like, we're righteous, like, weird. Like, we're like, we deserve everything. And this is Shamrock and Shanks here.

[Zach (Host)]

You know, it's.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Even though, you know, Shanks shares blood, but it's. It's something that's always been in one piece, which is this caste system and classism and all that.

[Zach (Host)]

So it's a very real life thing. So. Yeah, yeah.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah, I'll say. It's a. It's a better excuse to. To fridge a woman than like, oh, she walked down crime alley, you know, faceless goons. Yeah. Got her. Like, it's. You know, at least.

[Zach (Host)]

At least there's a story. She is. She is so front and center. She is, like, so crucial to Harold and Loki as people like, be. All the good in both of them is because of her. And that, I think, is like, a really excellent thing to say. However, her living would be great, too. But, you know. Yeah. If we're changing our. What do you call.

[Steven (Translator)]

I thought it would have solved all of Elbaf's problems, then we wouldn't have a story.

[Zach (Host)]

So I guess that's. Yeah.

[Steven (Translator)]

I mean, that's his mindset.

[Zach (Host)]

Harold dies, too, to be fair, and more importantly, Eros was living as far as we know. So Blackbeard really is the one who. Maybe that's what happens in one piece. If your mom lives, you become the villain.

[Steven (Translator)]

You turn evil. Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

You learn. You. Your mom lives long enough to be. For you to become the villain. That's the line, right?

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, I'll. I'll leave it there. Just like, I want to give my props to Eda again because. And Loki does as well, and hired and does And I love those. What is it only like two pages are just so excellent. I mean that's why the chapter was named after just. Yeah, really great to see. But the boot licking. Not a fan. But it, it creates a really interesting character study generally I do story wise. Enjoy that. Any other thoughts on the chapter we have pieced together? Stephen won't be here, but I'll still ask all the questions directed to him.

[Steven (Translator)]

Okay.

[Zach (Host)]

Any translation things you want to get off your chest?

[Steven (Translator)]

My leftovers.

[Zach (Host)]

You want to listen?

[Steven (Translator)]

I think I. Well, yeah, I don't. I don't know what the questions are. So we'll just find out and be disappointed together.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yay.

[Zach (Host)]

Okay, we'll see you after the break.

[Steven (Translator)]

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[Zach (Host)]

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[Zach (Host)]

Close your eyes, exhale, feel your body relax and let go of whatever you're carrying today.

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[Steven (Translator)]

1-800-Contacts.

[Zach (Host)]

This is the most heartwarming act of piece together we've ever done where we take your questions, comments and theories and then murder them. Let's start with Dispeace, which are questions from our Discord channel exclusively from our patrons. So become [e-mail] One Piece podcast. It's the perfect gift for the holidays to yourself. I'm so good at this. Just so great. Anyway, first one comes from the Sleigh Bell King Parenthetical slay. Hello, my fellow Big Book of Fish readers. Sorry, it's a big British Book of Fish and I believe you might Are you British? I don't know if this Person's British. They might be.

[Joey (Artist)]

I think they may be Australian.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, Commonwealth readers. What a rollercoaster of a chapter. I wasn't too happy with Fisher Tiger needing help to escape and couldn't help but get irked when Ida was shown sick in bed knowing what was going to come. But it had some cool moments too. Like Loki showing his love for Eda, even if he took it too far. I don't think he took it too far. That was. That's my commentary. And the Saul moment was sweet to get my mind off some of those. Tell me, what other moments in the One Piece? In the world of One Piece, did good old Saint Shanks play a hand in? Did he break Shiki out of Impel Down? Did he save Pel from that blast? Did he even tell Kaido to jump off that Sky Island? God, he did that. Wrong answers only or the cat. Mr. Cutiekins will be sad. Have a great week. Meow. Maybe. Meow. See, that's what you could do if you're a patron. Steve.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I love this play to hand. And so I'm guessing this is after he met Luffy.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, I do like the idea of wrong answers only. What did Shanks affect in One Piece? Which is, I guess, what the question is.

[Joey (Artist)]

He caused Zeph's shipwreck.

[Zach (Host)]

He did what Steve mentioned earlier as impossible.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah. Oh, so yeah, that is worse. What else did he do? He somehow convinced Usopp's dad to not come home. Oh, wait a second.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, no. He did.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

He did do that.

[Joey (Artist)]

He pushed Kuina down the stairs.

[Zach (Host)]

There you go. Okay, now I want all these images of him just showing up in random places. Someone just photoshopping him in the background. What about his baby conqueror? Haki is what caused God Valley to collapse. Oh, yeah. There. That's. I am positive someone had that theory. There is no way someone on the Internet did not come up with that.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Shanks was the one that poisoned all the Rumbar pirates.

[Joey (Artist)]

He told Gaimon about the island with the treasure chests.

[Zach (Host)]

No, no.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Joey's really good at. Joey's good at writing some. Like I was gonna say hack me bullshit.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, that too.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Don't take it personally.

[Zach (Host)]

Joey knows what to avoid. Yes. How could he do that to Gaimon? Or. Oh, he introduced Sarfuncle to Gaimon. That's another thing he does well.

[Joey (Artist)]

That's.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, I think it's nice. I don't think it ruins anything.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I think Shanks saved Pel. Shanks just flew in with, like, the propeller backpack and just I don't know.

[Zach (Host)]

It's the thing that Mo used in that.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yes, exactly.

[Zach (Host)]

The boxing episode. Yeah. Oh my God. That's so excellent.

[Joey (Artist)]

He also delivered devil fruits to all the characters in the series.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

So when Paguya pushed Conis out of the way of Eniru's attack. Then Shanks pushed Paguya out of the way.

[Zach (Host)]

You know what this is like. Remember me? Is it Minato? Not Mina. The guy who fixes doors. Shanks is like that of all other plot.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Major plot to make everything just worse and more contrived.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Joey (Artist)]

He trained Minatomo on carpeting.

[Zach (Host)]

So that's true. That door would have never been fixed.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Chopper. The human. Human fruit.

[Joey (Artist)]

It's true.

[Zach (Host)]

Get this. Get this. Shanks is Panda Man. Have you thought about it like that? No. Next question. And he's right. Not to. Usopp the Great says. Hey, hey, Opp. Well, that settles the not Scooby question. I would say. I say give yourselves a pat on the back for that deduction. Feels good to be right once in a while. But you have. But you have to add. You have to add that it's surprise. You have to agree. I. I think there's a. There's a typo. What are we talking about here? Not Scooby is Shaggy, I believe is what he's referring to.

[Joey (Artist)]

Oh, funny.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. There it is.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Straw Hat Pirate 9 says. Hey opp. Long time no disp. Sent. This chapter was so good. I wonder if Greg is super proud of his guests of Shirahoshi being Shaggy on the snail. We did talk about this. Because that sure seems to be the case now. I like Shanks helping Fisher save the slaves causes someone who has to keep say who. Who has to keep saying. No way is Shanks evil. Even now with the twin. This validates me. And I dig it. Love Loki with all my heart. I want that large, large boy on the boat. Get the floaty and attach it to the sunny. But. Damn it, Oda. Couldn't you have spared one? Just one?

[Ed (Co-host)]

Mom.

[Zach (Host)]

We know Eris is gonna have to die. That's true. But she's alive now and isn't. And by now I mean in the past. Anyway. Let Eda live, dammit. Lastly, I don't know if you talk about the absolutely atrocious AI dubbing Amazon did with banana fish or other stupid choices that Crunchyroll is making using. I won't name the. Doesn't matter if I name the program for their subtitles and translations. But. Oh my God. The amount of dumb that is Showing up in the dub subtitles for One Piece is so bad I've sent screen screenshots of it to the One Piece Anime Channel. You should send it to us, by the way. I don't know if I've seen those specific ones, but I assume everyone else here has to the One Piece Anime Channel to keep it to just dispiece messages here. Hope people mass message Crunchyroll and Amazon. We need to fix stop this fast. I do agree with that. I know Jeff. Mother's Basement kind of the show has been pushing that.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Are these just. Are these the regular subtitles or are these.

[Joey (Artist)]

So these are the subtitles.

[Zach (Host)]

I don't know if they mean the.

[Joey (Artist)]

YouTube closed captioning over the dub.

[Zach (Host)]

Maybe they mean the YouTube ones because they also do English versions of those. But maybe they. Maybe. Maybe she means the. The ones on Crunch.

[Joey (Artist)]

Because I hadn't seen anything specifically about AI subtitling with One Piece.

[Zach (Host)]

I know that Amazon has done a.

[Joey (Artist)]

Bunch of stuff has been happening with. Yeah, oh yeah, there's the AI dub coming out of Amazon.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Okay.

[Joey (Artist)]

It's funny now when it sounds bad, but it will sound better in a few years and it won't be so funny.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

No, The Straw Hat Pirate 9 is watching the dub on Crunchyroll.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And I was aware they already had some. Yeah, some. Definitely some AI closed captions here that suck. Like Sanji is Mr. Sanchez. Well now.

[Joey (Artist)]

Oh good, we're back to Sunkist.

[Zach (Host)]

Yes. It's funny how this goes full circle. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I'm gonna.

[Zach (Host)]

AI is the hobby.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I'm gonna go out on the One Piece anime. The way I came in, I guess.

[Zach (Host)]

With Sunkist and Mr. Or what were the other ones. There were some really crazy ones.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Crook Boo, Liar Boo.

[Zach (Host)]

You know, and you know those early.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Scandals and they switched it to Crook Boo, which is even dumber.

[Zach (Host)]

But hey, by the way, AI would definitely have called him Bisa. Romy Bear.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

100% AI subtitles would have called it the Pirate Summit.

[Zach (Host)]

They would have. They would have. So here's the question. Are very bad translations from the early aughts worse or better, not morally, just like substantively than AI subtitles? That's a question only for the listeners out there. Morally, obviously significantly worse somehow.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

But something we kind of. That's kind of escaped the discussion here is like the AI dub for banana fish that really.

[Zach (Host)]

That only that news was this week. Right. I don't think. Yeah, no, it's very bad corporate greed.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

You know, they just.

[Zach (Host)]

I. I think also having been more Quote unquote offline recently. Over the last few months at least. I think a lot of layman laypeople do not realize how shitty AI is generally.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

If you don't know, just check your Facebooks or LinkedIn.

[Zach (Host)]

I think we discussed that a few weeks ago. Being a very. That's speaking of like the lowest depths. That's the abysmal. That's the abyssal version of social media. There's a lot of those though. X is actually probably Twitter. Formerly Twitter. Okay, let's move on because this is gonna get depressing. We don't do that here. On the One Piece podcast, S&P says. Hey O. Opp. Another translation question for Steven. Perfect. Not gonna even ask it. Bring it. Bring it back next week. But seriously, resubmit it. I assume Stephen will be on next week and if he's not submitted again. But I think it was kind of answered because it was about the 13 individuals and whether it's like two tiers or one. So you heard Steven's thoughts on that?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, yeah, Steven kind of covered that.

[Zach (Host)]

I disagree with Stephen, but Steven's the one who's right more often, so you should believe him. I am aware.

[Joey (Artist)]

And he read it in Japanese.

[Zach (Host)]

And he read it in Japanese. I. I don't know. It's still. I feel like it works better as a three tier, but maybe that's just the rule of threes for me. Can just have to. A low key. Low keyring says Ahoy Shanks Peace Podcast banger chapter. As always, I'm losing my mind at the fact that Shanks joined the Holy Knights of God. Even if probably for ulterior motives and only for a short while. That theory I saw ages back about him losing the arm. Not just for Luffy's sake, but also to lose the mark is feeling more and more real every moment. Whilst I'm about raging at Oda for probably making Eda croak. Those last few pages with Loki are so emotional where he finally admits he truly loves her. Agreed. Do you think secretly Loki Loki high key loves his brother too? Or does Loki Loki love his brother or not at all? How could you do this? How could this reader do this to me and a listener? Homophones.

[Joey (Artist)]

He has the key to his brother's heart.

[Zach (Host)]

There it is. I think he does. Haven't we been saying since we first met Loki that he's a sweetheart? He's obviously just fronting. SMP has another question. This one I think we will maybe be able to answer. Hey Opp, it's me. Again, I saw someone post in the Manga Channel that seems like the original Japanese for depth and abyssal covenant, or deep sea and deep. Deep sea contract, which I think Steven did mention. It makes me wonder if there is an actual sea like that beneath the normal blue sea. Since you know, there's a white and white white sea high up on this in the sky. And like wispy. Wispy. One of our Discord members pointed out when they go down to Fishman island, there was a talk about surface current and deep current that lead to the deep sea where it's pitch black. Is that the same thing? And is there actually one level deeper than this?

[Joey (Artist)]

The abyss as depicted by James Cameron? Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Wasn't there also like a old novel called that? I don't know. Maybe I'm just thinking of the novel by the James Cameron movie. I think it might be getting to the point where it's either metaphor metaphorical or since there are actual demons and devils that seem to be showing up in the series, maybe referring to that which is deeper than the actual ocean. Like the sea that's below is hell. Because if you're living on a planet where everything is ocean, that would be the deepest of them. So it might just be a poetic way of saying that. Mm.

[Joey (Artist)]

Which kind of goes back to the Davy Jones locker thing.

[Zach (Host)]

True.

[Joey (Artist)]

Which is interesting. That's cool.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. I am interested to see how he weaves that story into the series, but that's a whole other tangent. Two more from Discord. Sailor Karna says, hey Opp, I hope you had a good holiday and got to spend some quality time with your family. Me, I'm still mad at Harold. He should be at home regulating his. Regulating his people instead of being a lap dog to the government. ITA deserves better. EDA falsely, I think, believes that he knows what he's doing. Yeah, it's really. I.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It's shown in Husbands aren't gonna listen to their wives or.

[Zach (Host)]

And Harold's also kind of like this well intentioned idiot at the end of the day. And by I use the word idiot like naive I think might be a better word. He's like well intentioned with a ton of naivete about how the world works despite being told how the world works.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Also, it seems like long distance transponder snails are a commodity in this society. So not a whole lot of cell phones, not a whole lot of texting going on here.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, I did like that they specifically mentioned what that was. Although Shaggy and Loki must be talking using something pretty long distance. I Forgot the name of that snail specifically, but I think it was something it wasn't called a long distance snail.

[Joey (Artist)]

It has to do with. It's cold.

[Zach (Host)]

I think maybe. I mean, that's what it looked like. Last question comes from reverse iscar. I get it, Opp. Why wasn't Saul one of the giants recruited in this flashback? Do you think he joined earlier or later? Earlier. Because he was a vice Admiral a long time ago. Mm. I don't know.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, I was gonna say later, maybe.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, he wasn't one of the Mother Carmel, like orphans. Like he wasn't of that generation.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Sorry. Let me. Let me go back.

[Joey (Artist)]

Interesting. See more of him in this flashback.

[Steven (Translator)]

Or not.

[Joey (Artist)]

Like, if he witnesses what Harold does at the end and stuff.

[Zach (Host)]

I don't think. I don't think. Hmm. Well, no, that's the other thing that saw the owl library stuff is obviously after O'. Hara. I need to remember. But O' Hara was how long ago?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Robin was eight.

[Zach (Host)]

Let me look it up.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

So it was 22 years ago.

[Zach (Host)]

It was 22 years ago. And that's when Gold Roger was executed. Was 22. Right. Because it was 20 years. And then the time skip. Is that right? Steve? I trust you. You read the manga? Not sure about that. Okay. Gold Roger execution was not. Why does this not immediately show up?

[Joey (Artist)]

We need one of those darn timelines.

[Zach (Host)]

We were making fun of you. I know. I wasn't making fun of them. I just don't have that kind of patience. Okay. I think it was. I think it was 22 years ago. That's, like. Should be the most obvious thing. And I hear everyone.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Ace is like two years older than Luffy, right? He was 20.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

He's no three years. He was 20, I think, when he was introduced in the series.

[Zach (Host)]

And Luffy is today 19. He was 17. So he was 20. Yeah, there you go. He was born the same time he was executed because of the long labor that Rouge had as well. Remember? So using this math, the thing people listen to us for. I forgot what we were talking about.

[Joey (Artist)]

It's determined that Saul did something at some point.

[Zach (Host)]

No, no. So the stuff that happens when they're showing. So Saul had already left the marines when we see. Yeah, we already. That's what I was trying to determine. So I was trying to say a smart thing in a very dumb way.

[Joey (Artist)]

I guess it depends on how long he'd been in service. Before that he had been.

[Zach (Host)]

Well, he was a vice admiral, so you would think he had been through it. John Giant is still like what, a captain or something? He's nothing. I don't know.

[Joey (Artist)]

They brought. What's his name, the blind.

[Zach (Host)]

Oh, he's a vice admiral. You know what?

[Joey (Artist)]

I know. But they brought him in immediately.

[Zach (Host)]

That's true.

[Joey (Artist)]

Made him an admiral.

[Zach (Host)]

Anyway, more John Giant talk another time. I know we're all champing at the bit for that one. Let's see if we got anything on Reddit.

[Joey (Artist)]

Fujitora. Jesus. Yes, sorry.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I realize you're struggling. Yeah, Esho Fujitora.

[Zach (Host)]

Okay, we got Reddit. We're going to head to the subreddit archipelago and someone made. So first one comes from Ice Fisher, who I know also is on our blue sky, who actually made a chart using the different. I don't know if he did this or someone else did it, but the different zones of, like, how deep the ocean goes. But I like my metaphorical abyss better versus, like the trenches under, you know. Anyway, everyone could have their own theory and I'm often wrong, so it's fine. Human comfort 3945. Immediately suspicious when someone has the word human in there. Anyway. Oh, this is actually apt. I went to the Art of Manga exhibit last week that highlighted a few mangakas, including Oda and one piece. There was an entire room of one piece highlights. My question is, if you wanted one scene from one piece hung in an art gallery. I was gonna. I thought they were gonna say in my room to show that one piece is a piece of art.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It belongs in a museum.

[Zach (Host)]

Zack, it wasn't a museum. Isn't the Art of manga, is it? Not in your room.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I'm saying not in your room.

[Zach (Host)]

It belongs in a museum.

[Joey (Artist)]

It is in a museum.

[Zach (Host)]

No, I. I don't care. I want it. Steve, what would you choose?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

You know, if the Enaru face wasn't in this exhibit, I would have been like, there you go.

[Zach (Host)]

But it is.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

I mean, it's a contender, I think, because, like, what would be a great page out of context, Like, I would not do something like.

[Zach (Host)]

Are we talking about color spreads too? Color spreads are too easy.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

So take them out.

[Zach (Host)]

That is too easy because a lot of them.

[Joey (Artist)]

I would be picking another skypiea page that they had is the Breaking of the bell, which is a really beautiful page to see in person. So, yeah, maybe kind of a skypiea highlights.

[Zach (Host)]

I think it would. Yeah, go ahead. Shelley.

[Joey (Artist)]

No, Fishman island, all that stuff. The descent down into Fishman Island. They had a.

[Zach (Host)]

Those are amazing.

[Joey (Artist)]

Has some really beautiful.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Sorry, Joey.

[Joey (Artist)]

Like Screentone work in it. And I think if you. But it was only one spread that they had. And if you had had that whole sequence, I think it would have been really beautiful.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Like the Anglerfish two page spread.

[Zach (Host)]

That's what I was gonna say. That is probably one of my favorite two page spreads period art wise. Like I remember in that Fishman island ascent you could, if you wanted to talk about the word hype, which I would not use. But that is like, the art was just so gorgeous in that early Fishman, like before they got to Fishman island stuff like.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Yeah, how do you feel about that arc? Storyline wise is irrelevant. But like, oh, that is some of my favorite artwork from oda.

[Zach (Host)]

Some great stuff, I'll say. Specifically Thriller, Burke and that part of Fishman island are worth opening a volume for if you've only watched the anime. Of those, like his art, I'd say that whole period, obviously. But like those are like real standout moments for him that in the anime are not reflected quite as well. I'm trying to think of an answer. I'm like, for me it would have to be something that filled up the whole page, I think. Although it doesn't need to be. But I feel like there's just so few of those. Like even just the Blackbeard, Luffy and Jaya would be a great one. Yeah, that was there. Oh, okay. That's the thing. Most of those moments would be there because those are like the big impact moments. I mean the Five Elder crazy thing. Was that one there, I'm assuming.

[Joey (Artist)]

I don't think so. Yeah. That would have been cool to see all those.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. Of a recent one. That's, that's a good one. I, I, you know, anything with Kizaru or the Pacifistas, particularly during Marineford because he's so good at that shading thing with lasers. Like I've always been a huge fan of that personally.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Maybe maybe a spread with Zunisha.

[Zach (Host)]

You just want an elephant. Yeah. Which I agree. But I know what you want. Color it purple. Next one comes from upstairs. Jackfruit1. These are all the most suspicious names. I'm very suspicious. Anyway. Hey Opp. Greg coming in once again with his future site. I did find it a bit weird.

[Joey (Artist)]

Greg's so powerful. People just ascribed.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It's like this, man. Well, I did the same thing.

[Steven (Translator)]

Yeah.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It's this weird Mandela effect.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah. I forgot that it was a. It was a piece together question that.

[Joey (Artist)]

Turned into the thing that's so fun about that episode as a listener is just that like Greg is totally like knocked off his feet by that theory and is like being like, oh, my God. Oh, my God. And so it's actually buys into it. I felt like it was very memorable that it wasn't his idea that it was somebody else.

[Zach (Host)]

You're right, but that assumes that I have any memory. But you're absolutely right. It is. It is good because he goes through these like. Like, I would give Greg some percent of credit in that he does, like, kind of evidence why it has to be Shirahoshi. Like, not just that it's a theory, but like, he really. He really added a lot of weight to the idea that you would generally just push aside.

[Joey (Artist)]

I think. I think Greg is the one who kind of like ended up putting two and two together that, like, this could lead to them actually being a kind of married couple that unites these two nations, you know, which I think is very cool.

[Zach (Host)]

And if that does indeed happen, we should give him at least 30 to 40% of the credit for this, which. Please send your credit to Greg. I don't have his address on me, but, you know, I'm not going to dox him here. The question here, I did find it a bit. Or the comment, I did find it a bit weird that Neptune ignored Harald's symbol on his arm. Surely he would have questions about that, considering the Fishman's history. Love the podcast. Keep up the great work. Good work. Sorry I upped that a little. Cheers. Thank you.

[Joey (Artist)]

Neptune.

[Zach (Host)]

He was saying, why didn't Neptune mention the.

[Joey (Artist)]

Oh, because that was earlier, right?

[Zach (Host)]

No, that was later years prior. Oh, when did he get the tattoo?

[Joey (Artist)]

Doesn't it, like, zoom back in time to show.

[Zach (Host)]

No, he got the tattoo first and then he sees Neptune and his tattoo is. Tattoo is on his arm.

[Joey (Artist)]

Oh, you know what I was not thinking? It says 20 years ago. Meaning 20 years from now when it. When I was thinking it was like now 20 years ago in the flashback from another time. Yeah, okay, I see what you mean.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, that's why. That's why Oda five years after God Valley at the beginning, so you could like, adjust your. It does get confusing.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah.

[Zach (Host)]

Two more on here. Does the tattoo work like this? From the Sea Kings who are asking us a question. Does the tattoo work like devil fruits? Just like how big mom got her powers by eating the person. Can the Lord of the coast teleport around the world? Now that's a great question.

[Joey (Artist)]

At least I hope until it digests.

[Zach (Host)]

Yeah, like, we didn't. We talked about him being a tattoo removal artist potentially, but we didn't talk about him having the ability to teleport. Maybe he never actually was killed. Maybe he just teleported away at the last second. He was punched by Luffy. He wasn't actually killed.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

No, he was not killed.

[Zach (Host)]

Next time, Taffy Lackey has the last one here. Yo ho ho. Opp. I think it'd be rather funny if Loki is Shirahoshi's type, but he's disappointed that she isn't shaggy like her dad. Maybe I'd mistake. He'd mistake Neptune for her. Well, we do know that Loki proposed to Lola. We haven't seen that yet. Right. Wasn't that.

[Joey (Artist)]

No, I'm. Yeah, I'm very curious to see how that fits in. I think that's like machinations by the parents rather than actually Loki. Maybe. I don't know.

[Zach (Host)]

But also. But he's wouldn't want to. He wouldn't want to be part of a pirate crew. You know, the Harold. Like, he's so anti. He's just destroying random pirate crews out there. You know, Morals be damned. You know. Anyway, we also are going to head to Blue skypiea. We have a couple here. Not a ton. Which, if you give me one second. The first Blue skypiea is. These are all about other things. One second. Here we go. First one comes from. Oh, the only one. Also from Ice Fisher Tenacity says. What does Comm. Stand for? I am genuinely devastated. Eda. Oh, community. I am genuinely devastated. Eda is on the chopping block. She doesn't deserve this. I'm begging Oda to subvert the trope this time. Question. I am a little confused why Loki would refer to Estrid as his real mother. In my mind, real mom is closer to true mom than birth mom. That might just be a. That sounds like just like semantic. Like, I don't mean that as an insult. Like, it is a semantic choice. Estrid's the. Where does he say I remember what my real mother did. But the way. The way he says it is like the difference between my friends and my crew and one of us. Like the nakama kind of distinctions that we used to talk about back in the day. Like, that's what my real mother did. But she's the only mother I have. Like, I think you need to. My birth mother. I guess he could have said.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah, I think it's just a choice.

[Zach (Host)]

Of words from Steven.

[Joey (Artist)]

I don't think it's.

[Zach (Host)]

Maybe it's.

[Joey (Artist)]

Yeah. And I don't know. I. I understood what it meant immediately when I read.

[Zach (Host)]

Yes, me too.

[Joey (Artist)]

Tripped me up.

[Zach (Host)]

I get. I get the semantic, you know, argument there. And again, I'm using semantic in a non pejorative sense. Yeah, but I get it. That's it for piece together though. We'll talk about how Estrid sucks on another episode. But for now, let's round off.

[Steven (Translator)]

This episode is brought to you by White Claw Surge. Nice choice hitting up this podcast.

[Zach (Host)]

No surprises.

[Steven (Translator)]

You're all about diving into tastes everyone in the room can enjoy. Just like White Claw Surge.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

It's for celebrating those moments when connections.

[Zach (Host)]

Have been made and the night's just begun.

[Steven (Translator)]

With bold flavors and 8% alcohol by volume.

[Zach (Host)]

Unleash the night.

[Steven (Translator)]

Unleash White Claw Surge.

[Zach (Host)]

Please drink responsibly.

[Steven (Translator)]

Hard seltzer with flavors, 8% alcohol by volume.

[Zach (Host)]

White Cloth Seltzer Works, Chicago, Illinois. This has been the One Piece Podcast episode 895 for December 1, 2025. Steve, great to have you back. Joey. Great to be back. Thanks to Ed who had to take off. Thanks to Steven who had to take off. And thanks to. And we were sorry Alex was supposed to be on. But you'll either you could either hear his thoughts on this chapter in this episode or as a Patreon exclusive, one or the other. If you heard it already, then you know the answer to that. And if you haven't, you also know the answer to that. But you could subscribe to us on Patreon either way. At patreon.com One Piece podcast we have a sticker of the month club crew club, whatever you want to call it. Every month just you get a new sticker, you get to vote on it. It's $12 a month. Steve does the art. And by that I mean Steve has done the art because they're based. You get to vote between two old older episode art selections and you get a sticker in the mail. Steve did that. Was that a really clumsy way to describe?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Sure, but yeah, but makes sense.

[Zach (Host)]

So thank you. My brain departed. But yes, please do depart. Steve.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Are you a cop?

[Zach (Host)]

Bringing it all back. I see you're, you know, referencing the same thing again. Doesn't mean it came full circle. That one doesn't work as well. Steve. Where could people find you?

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

SteveDerko.com on socials. Steve Yerko is the username most places. Listen to me on Pursey plays games over on YouTube. Listen to me on 4Kids Flashback. That's it.

[Zach (Host)]

And this is my first exposure to both the game you're playing now on Prozd plays games and the one before. So Yakuza 0 and Majora's mouth.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

What do you think of the Yakuza series?

[Zach (Host)]

I was enjoying watching you guys. I think that's a really fun way to experience it and not lose all of my time. As someone who has taken Sungwon's recommendations for games and then lost black holes of time to things where I thought I had no time and then the time just seeps into the abyss. See, that's full circle. That's how it's done. Joey, where could people find you?

[Joey (Artist)]

I'm Joey Weiser on Blue sky and Joey Wiser comics on Instagram. BlueSky is just sort of me talking about comics. I'm reading shows I'm watching. I'll usually check in with talk about one piece every week or two. And Instagram is more professional where I'm posting art and stuff about upcoming live events and things like that. Because I am a cartoonist. I'm the author of several graphic novels including Ghost Hog, Dragon Racer and the newest book, the Littlest Fighter. Now is a great time to pick up especially the Littlest Fighter or any of those books if they sound interesting to you as gifts. This is great gift giving time. This is also a great time to make maybe your lists of favorite books of the year and things like that. And yeah, Littlest Fighter came out earlier this year. So I hope you all check it out and enjoy.

[Zach (Host)]

You know, I might. This might be the moment that I finally get all of the Joey Wiser collection because I think my son is like just hitting that perfect. Comics. Yes. Because he comes into my room. Are these about superheroes? I'm like kind of. Anyway, you can find [e-mail] on Blue sky, which is apparently the worst of the platforms and by that I mean the least popular. You can also find [e-mail] We've been doing this every week for 16 and a half years. We're heading toward our 900th episode on January 4th. We will be doing something special then, which I hope to announce kind of soon, within the next few weeks. But I'm waiting to hammer out specifics a little more before I over promise or under deliver. So I want to make sure that I actually know what we're doing. Our podcast might not be Urgot nominated or recipients, but you could check us out anywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple podcasts. I oh, so I did get a message on an email I want to mention about someone getting ads for a thing that we denounce basically at the end of the last few episodes, which is to fuck ice, which is, as we would often say here. If you do get those ads on our show, please let us know. I think we mentioned last week that these ads are like, we don't choose them or know which ones happen. You know, it's a dynamic placement for those who want to know, inside baseball kind of stuff. We choose categories to exclude and those should be in those categories. And if they're slipping through, you know, please tell us, because that's the only way we could do anything about it. And even then we gotta do our best. But I don't know what specifically. Sometimes, you know, you can only tell the people who make those decisions. But yeah, please support us generally. And please let us know not to support evil people generally. If that's happening on your feed. You could listen to us ad free, though, and that's really the best way to do it on Patreon. And then you avoid any of that happening. We will be back next week for a New Manga, chapter 1168. Nothing else specifically happening as far as I can know. But thank you all for listening. We'll see you next week, everyone. My name is Zach.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

And my name is Steve.

[Zach (Host)]

Goodbye, everyone.

[Joey (Artist)]

Bye.

[Steven (Translator)]

Monster Energy.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Everybody knows White Monster Zero Ultra, that's the og. It kicked off this whole Zero Sugar energy drink thing. But Ultra is a whole lineup now. You've got Strawberry Dreams, Blue Hawaiian Sunrise, and Vice Guava. And they all bring the Monster Energy punch. So if you've been living in the.

[Steven (Translator)]

White can branch out.

[Steve (Voice Actor)]

Ultra's got a flavor for every vibe, and every single one is Zero Sugar Tap. The banner to learn more.