The One Piece Podcast – Episode 903, “The Cowboys of Imu Mesa” (SGS #28)

Date: January 25, 2026
Hosts: Stephen (A) & Greg (B)

Episode Overview

This SGS (Stephen-Greg-Simba) installment of The One Piece Podcast is packed with banter, deep manga analysis, personal stories, and wide-ranging One Piece theorizing. As per tradition, it's a relaxed but insightful episode during a week without a new manga chapter—a chance for the hosts (minus Simba the cat, present only in spirit) to catch up and critically discuss the previous three chapters of the manga (1169–1171). They also field listener questions that range from serious meta-topics to wild fan theories.

The episode’s title riffs on old-school cartoons, merging the ongoing storyline’s Norse references with ‘90s kids’ TV nostalgia.

Opening Banter & Life Updates

01:27–19:00

Hosts' Catch-up & Weather Stories

• Greg’s Winter Weather Misadventure
  Greg humorously recounts an epic Japanese snow-shoveling saga: waking at 4:30, braving relentless snow, and stepping straight into an invisible gutter in the school parking lot, badly bruising his shin.

  • “I unleashed a flurry of expletives but kind of brushed it off and made my way into the school while cursing the groundskeeper.” (10:55, Greg)
  • He finds joy in shoveling because it reminds him of snow days as a kid.

• Stephen’s More Mundane Tale
  Stephen ran a 5K that left him limping for days, emphasizing the pains of turning 40+, in contrast with Greg’s injuries incurred by winter survival.

  • “My tale of woe is simply that I ran a 5k last weekend, and because I am north of 40, that means my foot still hurts today a week later.” (16:32, Stephen)

• Weather Tangent
  Discussion of U.S. storms and supermarket bread panics, with Greg noting Japan’s identical “bread rush” during snowy spells.

Manga Recap: Chapters 1169, 1170, 1171

21:35–82:52

Chapter 1169 Recap & Insights

• Plot Summary:
  Harald, joining the Knights of God, regrets his decision and pleads for death. Shanks and Gabon debate the Covenant and Imu’s powers. Loki is urged by Harald to eat the legendary fruit before the Covenant overtakes him, leading to a surprise hammer attack in the treasure chamber.

• Cover Art and Community Reactions
  Discussion of the coolness of the Rocks Pirates color spread and how fandom obsesses over cover timing (“why didn’t he do this earlier?”).

  • “He just does a lot of things on whim, so you never know.” (23:45, Greg)

  • Comparison to “Strong World” and the 10th anniversary suits, with references to previous One Piece history and Easter eggs.

    • “Robin is breaking the fourth wall… some of them are in their boxers, some of them have super hairy legs.” (26:50, Greg)

• Storytelling Nuance:
  The emotional depth for characters like Whitebeard; Buckingham theory (has she been cloning with Whitebeard’s DNA?).

• Notable Quotes:

  • “This totally reminds me of the Strong World.” (24:02, Greg & Stephen)
  • “This was a very satisfying sequence overall… just kind of giving everyone their say.” (34:44, Stephen)

Chapter 1170 Recap & Insights

• Plot Summary:
  The hammer is revealed as Ragnar, a transforming squirrel. Shanks & Gabon use Conqueror’s Haki on Harald, hinting at a way to exploit the Covenant. Loki consumes the fruit, transforms into a beast, and has an emotional confrontation with Harald—delivering a finishing blow via Ragnar.

• Sound Effects & Mythical Themes:
  Dissecting the cries of Loki’s transformation and Oda’s use of ambiguous animal onomatopoeia, tying to Norse myth (Ratatoskr, Nidhogg).

  • “It’s kind of a bestial roar of sorts.” (38:02, Stephen)
  • “This motherfucking silhouette looks exactly like one of the Cowboys of Moo Mesa.” (44:48, Greg)

• Fandom & Pop Culture Tangents

  • Hilarious detour: the Loki-silhouette reminds Greg of “Cowboys of Moo Mesa,” a ‘90s TMNT knockoff, which morphs into the episode title.
  • “He’s the Loki of Mesa.” (44:50, Greg)

• Critical Take:
  Mild criticism of Haki as a narrative solve-all (“What could the key…be? Well, just a little bit of Haki. Wow. His surprise.” (45:39, Stephen)) but appreciation for the impactful art and pacing.

Chapter 1171 Recap & Insights

• Plot Summary:
  Gabon calls out Shanks’ self-doubt. Emu reveals the cost of the Covenant system and proclaims Elbaf is “D.” Loki conceals what transpired and chooses defiance against the World Government. In the present, Loki is freed, uses Ragnar to defeat the draugr, and we see Ragnar as a titanic, ice-unleashing beast.

• Who/What is Ragnar?

  • Greg theorizes that Ragnar’s abilities could stem from “past tech,” a Devil Fruit, or a synergistic union with Loki, possibly involving environmental powers.
    • “Are you still in the realm of, like, the fuck?” (49:47, Greg)
    • “My belief is…there could be a couple origins... maybe it’s past tech… that actually is similar to when somebody brought up Sukiyaki to me being Hitetsu…and it’s exactly what happened.” (49:55–50:30, Greg)

• The “Elbaf is D” Bombshell

  • The hosts analyze the chilling declaration that “Elbaf is D” and all the implications regarding the will of D.
  • Greg’s theory: D is not just an inherited name but a label meaning “enemy” (perhaps “Devil”), with Oda purposefully playing with ambiguity and language over centuries.
  • “I do believe that when…Corazon’s famous line… D is always the enemy of God… what is the enemy of God? It’s the devil.” (70:22–70:57, Greg)
  • The existential struggle between “God” (i.e., Imu/World Government) and “Devil” (the D) is placed center-stage.
  • “It’ll turn out that both devil and dawn are the correct terms on both sides.” (75:51, Greg)

• Linguistic/Translation Challenges

  • Stephen discusses the difficulty of Englishifying subtle quotation marks and brackets that Oda uses in Japanese to distinguish between the land of Elbaf versus the being/ideal of Elbaf.

Listener Mailbag: Theories, Speculation & Cultural Meta

82:52–123:20

Notable Listener Questions

Space in One Piece (84:12)

• Will the story go to (literal) space?
  • Both believe space will play a role in the world’s backstory (Enel, moon lore), but an actual Straw Hat trip to the stars is unlikely.

Is Imu Davy Jones? (89:28)

• “Could imu be Davy D. Jones?”
  • The answer is an amused “no,” with Greg exasperated by how many “immortal villain” types are in the story.

Live Action and Race/Ethnicity (92:34)

• Casting Controversy over Vivi & Cobra
  • Greg shares that Oda doesn’t care much for matching “image countries” or ethnicities for the live action; these are fandom priorities.
  • Alabasta intentionally blends multiple influences (Middle East, India, Egypt).
  • “Everyone who uses oda’s answers as canon—the people who place the most importance on that are…not Oda… it’s the fans …” (94:34, Greg)

Deep Theory Crafting and Running Gags

• “Is Captain John’s armband a lodestone to the treasure?” – Dismissed as a possible red herring or the butt of a future joke.

• “Will Big Mom return in a cover story or on Elbaf?” – Theorized she could crash the arc at a climactic moment, altering the stakes.

  • “She must… Like, when we're like, oh my God, like, the Straw Hats can’t possibly get through this… if Mom’s showing up… that’s perfect because it creates even more dire straits.” (117:18, Greg)

• Meta-jokes about One Piece endgame:
  Hilarious moment imagining Captain John’s treasure as a note: “The real treasure are the friends we found along the way.”

Standout Quotes & Moments

• Greg on Chapter Titles:
  “At this particular point in the chapter, it shows me that Oda is attempting to tell us that what is occurring here… is related to Ragnar because a lot of people …could be totally right. I don’t disagree with that… but… the chapter title is such, it’s telling us that this is part of what Ragnir can do.” (47:37–48:30)

• Stephen on Translation Choices:
  “It's sort of hard to see on the same level as all the English readers…But it is curious. And I'm not sure…I don't know if that's intended or not, that Oda is differentiating which characters are saying Elbaf with quotes and which aren't.” (80:28–81:03)

• Greg, theorizing about the rabbit hole that is “D”:
  “I do believe that when…Corazon’s famous line… D is always the enemy of God. Literally. What is the enemy of God? It's the devil.” (70:57)

Closing & Plugs

123:20–end

Where to Find the Hosts

• Greg:
  Self-effacing as ever: “If you want to find me, you can find me. I’m out there.” (125:21)
• Stephen:
  On bluesky (@StephenPaul), working on both One Piece and Akane Banashi.

Podcast Info & Farewell

• Follow The One Piece Podcast at onepiecepodcast.com, on Bluesky, or wherever you get your podcasts.
• Closed with the hosts lamenting the absence of Simba (the cat) on mic, and a wish for more meows in future shows.

Summary Takeaways

This episode is a classic, wide-ranging deep dive into everything One Piece—the text of the manga, mythological theory, translation nuance, live-action controversies, and the ever-uncharted waters of the One Piece endgame. Brimming with charm, in-jokes, and the wisdom of two long-time authorities, it’s a must-listen (or read!) for anyone wanting to keep up with both the weekly manga and larger fandom discourse.

Key Timestamps

• 01:27 – Opening remarks, winter tales
• 21:35 – Manga recap (starts with Ch. 1169)
• 44:46 – “Cowboys of Moo Mesa” gag
• 47:03 – Ch. 1171 and the “Elbaf is D” discussion
• 84:12 – Mailbag: Will One Piece go to space?
• 92:34 – Casting and ethnicity meta for live-action
• 103:16 – Gear 5 “Dawn” attacks translation
• 117:18 – Big Mom’s prospective Elbaf return

For new listeners:

You’ll come away entertained, better informed about both the One Piece world and the fandom's pulse, and possibly convinced that everything—including the true nature of “D”—is, as this episode lovingly proves, up for grabs.