The One Piece Podcast – Episode 905 “Gokoku Sovereign-Tea”
Date: February 9, 2026
Host: Zach (Maji Media)
Guests:
- Stephen Paul (official One Piece translator)
- Sam Leach (anime recap host, “card game collector”)
- Joey Weiser (artist, author: Dragon Racer, Ghost Hog, Merman, The Littlest Fighter)
- Isaiah Colbert (reporter, Aftermath; formerly Kotaku, IGN, Rolling Stone)
Episode Overview
Main Theme:
A spirited look at One Piece chapter 1173 ("Warrior Generation") and its developments – ranging from Zoro’s “galaxy brain” tactics, the giants’ sovereignty moves, hilarious cover story moments, and a surprisingly deep dive into Brook’s mysterious past. Includes industry talk, news from One Piece tie-ins (like baseball collabs), upcoming anime announcements, and dynamic, off-the-wall panel discussions.
The episode’s tone is fun, knowledgeable, irreverent, and warm, filled with running jokes and close group chemistry.
Panel Introductions & Banter
[01:45 – 07:38]
- Zach intros the regulars and special guest Isaiah Colbert.
- Stephen Paul (the “manga sensei”) is introduced.
- Sam Leach, self-aware “non-collector” and resident French speaker.
- Joey Weiser, Eisner-nominated author and this week’s episode artist, gets teased for his library of work.
- Isaiah Colbert shares his writing background—rebranded as the “Otaku Without Borders”, covers anime/manga for Aftermath, IGN, Rolling Stone, Gizmodo’s io9, and more. He explains using his column deadlines as motivation (“putting feet to fire”) to keep up with the ever-growing manga backlog.
- Everyone confesses (except Zach) to sometimes binging One Piece chapters before the show—relatable!
Notable Quote
“I think 90% of the people that come on the show... they’re not crazy. We’ve really committed to the bit here.” – Zach (03:49)
One Piece & Podcast News
[08:12 – 13:12]
- Shout-outs to recent & upcoming anime (Steel Ball Run, Witch Hat Atelier, Demons of the Shadow Realm).
- Upcoming Podcast Interview: Congressional candidate Kat Abu Ghazali shares political implications of One Piece (available midweek; Patreon exclusive preview).
- One Piece x Sports Collabs:
- Mariners and Yankees (Seattle, March 31) “One Piece night”—solid Luffy jersey.
- Red Sox (Boston, May 12) – Luffy bomber jacket & Wally Time Skip Luffy plush.
- Mascot banter (Gritty as Luffy? Who’s the most “cursed” One Piece character?)
- Heroines: The Novel anime (Nami story) airing July 5—discussion of its gorgeous promotional art and reimagined character designs.
[13:12 – 15:43]
- The Nami Heroines anime: OVA/ONA/TV slot speculation, excitement for new animation styles, shout-out to novel adaptations.
- Transition into manga recap for Chapter 1173: “Warrior Generation”.
Manga Recap: Chapter 1173 “Warrior Generation”
[16:33 – 54:41]
Cover Story:
- Usopp lures rhinoceros beetles with nose honey; Chopper’s presence; references to Japanese bug-collecting and layered puns.
- Stephen Paul goes in-depth on the fictitious “deer rhinoceros beetle” and translation nuances.
Elbaf: Giants & Zoro
[22:37 – 31:00]
- Zoro’s “Brilliant” Tactic: Asks if it’s okay to “cut ‘em up.” The plan: literally just cut the bad guys.
- Quote: “First, you have to tell me if it’s OK to cut them into pieces.” – Zoro (23:53)
- Dory & Brogy’s doubles (giants turned evil by Emu) square off; Zoro “Mario-hops” on giants’ heads and unleashes his Crossing the Six Paths attack.
- Both evil giants simultaneously impale each other—an accidental but effective finish (“Zoro’s brilliant plan!”).
- Quote: “His brilliant plan was ‘I’m just gonna jump on their heads.’” – Stephen Paul (29:25)
- Great Zoro facial expressions get highlighted.
Brooke & Gunko (“Princess Shuri”) Reveal
[32:24 – 41:19]
- Brooke, wrapped in arrow-ropes, crawls to Gunko, confronts her about their past:
- Recalls “father-killing princess” Shuri, his deep resentment, and her resemblance/connection to Gunko.
- The “aha”: Gunko’s mismatched eye color returns, hinting at her true personality resurfacing—she briefly fights Emu’s control to free Brooke.
- Quote: “Run, Brooke.” – Gunko (36:54)
- The struggle continues; Emu resumes control, Gunko attacks Brooke.
Usopp, Robin, Nami & Jimbei – Branch 8
[41:19 – 43:43]
- Usopp’s “mental powers” and comedic attempts to claim credit for being freed.
- Robin remains tied; Nami & Jimbei strategize about saving the children.
- Sanji arrives (off-screen), “making a Sanji tornado” to reach Nami.
Kidnapped Giant Children at the Port
[43:43 – 53:36]
- Summers, villain, brings kids to a Viking duck-ship for abduction.
- Kids pledge faith in Elbaf’s might, try to resist.
- Parents/grandparents appear—big reunion moment, kids cry for their families.
- Sleepdids (living childlike monster drawings) attack! A “Nika” Sleeptid tries to stab; parents fight back with the “Warrior Generation” attack; the kids are awestruck.
- Giants Gerd, Goldberg, and Rotto launch a triple “General” attack—“Gokoku Sovereignty”—to rescue the kids, wiping out the threat with an epic team move.
- Villain Summers’ escape plan is ruined when their own “giant Nika” gets blasted into their escape ship, obliterating it.
Timestamps & Memorable Moments:
- Zoro’s plan revealed: 22:53
- Giants impale each other: 28:44
- Brooke/Shuri gunko confrontation: 34:34 – 36:54
- Gunko’s struggle vs. Emu: 36:45 – 39:16
- Usopp’s “mental powers” joke: 41:19 – 42:02
- Sleepdids attack/parents team-up: 47:14 – 48:59
- Giant Pirates attack (Gokoku Sovereignty): 51:47 – 53:07
Chapter Discussion & Analysis
[54:41 – 91:56]
On Structure and Pacing
- Appreciation for “fast-paced” storytelling: “Faster, more propulsive than usual,” with scenes that balance action, comedy, and character revelations.
- “Best example of juggling three scenes in one chapter.”
On Brook’s Backstory
- Surprise and praise for the new emotional threads involving Brook and Gunko (“father-killing princess” revelation).
- Joey points out the parallel to the recent flashback—that Shuri/Gunko was likely possessed by Emu when she killed her father, much like events shown earlier.
- Others admit this blew their minds—had not connected those dots!
- Hopes for a proper, focused Brook flashback, contrasting with the recent (and very long) Loki/Elbaf flashback.
On Art, Legibility, and Giants
- Panelists celebrate Oda’s use of giants to “force the panels to breathe” and give more focused art.
- Challenges discussed in depicting small characters (Zoro, Summers) against giants—sometimes the action is hard to visually parse.
- Desire for higher-res releases for cleaner reading.
On Gunko/Princess Shuri
- Observations about the “visual cues” for Emu’s possession (switching eye colors, wings dissolving), and speculation about her real personality.
- Debate about whether Shuri/Gunko is redeemable, given the evil things she did before being shown under Emu's control (“Don’t be an apologist for Celestial Dragons.”).
Translator’s Corner: “Sovereignty” Attack Names
[75:14 – 81:11]
- Stephen Paul gives a detailed explanation of the “Gokoku Sovereignty”/“Ikoku Sovereignty” naming convention:
- “Hakoku,” “Ikoku,” “Gokoku” all play with kanji meaning “conquer,” “country,” “rumbling,” etc.
- The frustration with an inflexible “Sovereignty” translation legacy—forced to keep the pattern for consistency as more variations are introduced.
- Wish-list: Would’ve preferred to invent bespoke English terms for each move from scratch.
On Comedy
- Running gags: Zoro’s resourcefulness (or lack thereof), Usopp’s claim to “mental powers,” the “clicktastic” shilling, and “sovereign-tea” wordplay.
- The crew dreams of “Muppet One Piece” & “Thunderbolt Fantasy One Piece.”
Piece Together (Listener Q&A)
[91:56 – 115:11]
- Zoro’s plan summed up in one word: “Cut.”
- Usopp’s “mental powers” joke gets love—he tries to repeat it in the background.
- Straw Hat football positions: Luffy as QB, Zoro as right tackle, Sanji as kicker, etc.
- Which One Piece villains could Usopp out-talk? (maybe Caesar, never Crocodile, Doflamingo would kill him on the spot.)
- Brook’s panty jokes (“pervy” gags) fading out? Panelists speculate Oda is (slowly) moving away from them, perhaps for international audiences or because of changing tastes.
- Manga panel tattoo advice: Pick something personally meaningful, likely not angry/violent Luffy—maybe funny/joyful panels?
- One Piece in Japan experiences: Joey and Stephen reminisce over buying early volumes during school exchanges in Japan, encountering One Piece as it “blossomed.”
- Favorite experiences/pilgrimages: Visiting Mugiwara stores, seeing original manga art, and dreams of returning to Japan for more One Piece sightseeing.
Chapter End and Signoff
[124:52 – 135:00]
- Zach: Recommends recent episodes for new & old listeners—including congressional candidate Kat Abu Ghazali’s interview (up on Patreon now, public Thursday).
- More guest-hosts (including returning Roger) and episode art roundtable.
- Sign-off: “Our sign off should be ‘F*** ICE’, very important!” (134:32)
(Referencing anti-union busting and immigration, a recurring OP Podcast stance.)
Notable Quotes
- “First you have to tell me if it’s ok to cut them into pieces.” – Zoro (paraphrased, 23:53)
- “Run, Brook.” – Gunko/Princess Shuri (36:54)
- “His (Zoro’s) brilliant plan was just ‘jump on their heads’.” – Stephen Paul (29:25)
- “I feel like my mental powers did that.” – Usopp (comic refrain)
Key Takeaways
- Brook’s mysterious past comes to the fore—first time in nearly 20 years!
- The “father-killing princess” twist ties seamlessly into Elbaf’s larger themes and the new Emu/possession lore.
- Zoro’s “big brain” solutions are as simple as ever—sometimes, you just cut stuff.
- The podcast balances deep lore, translation nerdery, and panel-by-panel goofing for a uniquely complete fandom take.
Useful Timestamps
- Who’s on the Panel? [01:45 – 08:13]
- Sports Collab News / Mascot Banter [10:16 – 12:39]
- Heroines Nami novel adaptation [12:39 – 15:43]
- Recap starts [16:33]
- Zoro’s plan/effects [22:37 – 31:00]
- Brook confronts Gunko / Emu reveal [34:34 – 41:19]
- Usopp’s comedic moment [41:19 – 42:02]
- Attack on Summers/escape attempt fails [51:47 – 54:07]
- Translation deep dive: “Sovereignty” [75:14 – 81:11]
Final Thoughts
This episode was an engaging dive into one of the current era’s best One Piece chapters, from emotional reveals to slapstick action and intricate translation lore. The panel’s chemistry, signature off-topic segues, and expert analysis make it a must-listen for die-hard fans and even those lapsed on the manga. For listeners catching up, the Brook/Shuri revelations and the breakdown of Oda’s growing cast and attack names are especially invaluable insights.
Next time: Chapter 1174 recap, with special guests Roger and (soon) Dr. Bentley. Subscribe via your favorite podcast app or join the Patreon for early and extended content!