Episode 922, “Extra! Extra! It’s Gedatsu!"

Summary

The One Piece Podcast Episode 922, "Extra! Extra! It’s Gedatsu!"

Release Date: June 8, 2026
Host: Maji Media (Zach, Steve, Ken, Stephen, Alex)
Special Guest: Stephen Paul (Official One Piece Translator)

---

Episode Overview

This episode takes a deep dive into one of One Piece’s most quirky and beloved features: the manga’s cover stories. The team convenes—with the support of translator Stephen Paul and recurring panelists—to revisit, discuss, and rank every single One Piece cover story to date. Their aim: to assemble a tier list that will be used to seed an upcoming cover story battle bracket on their public Discord.

The discussion is lively and nostalgic, filled with breakdowns of the narrative, art, impact, and legacy of each cover story. Listeners are encouraged to join the Discord bracket, where the fandom will vote and debate the ultimate rankings. Memorable banter, inside jokes, and some infamous One Piece deep cuts abound.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Importance of Cover Stories

• Definition & History

  • "These are basically the first illustrated pages of a chapter in One Piece—a unique serialization device Oda uses to show side stories, sometimes foreshadowing future main plot elements." (Stephen, 06:10)
  • The “Doors!” collections in Japan compile all cover stories—no official English versions exist, but fan translations fill the gap.

• Worldbuilding & Foreshadowing

  • The cast notes how cover stories make the One Piece world feel big and interconnected. Cover stories often introduce characters, locations, or lore that come back in major or subtle ways years later.
  • "It really makes the world feel so big, with just these stupid little stories... You get to go to new islands, revisit old ones. It's a combo of fan service and worldbuilding." (Zach, 20:52)

2. The Ranking Process & Criteria

• The team adopts a loose SA-B-C-D(-F) tier system, emphasizing vibes, fun, narrative payoff, humor, and legacy more than strict rules.
• Cover stories with direct impact on the manga or anime, or that become significant years later, often get a bump up.
• Humor and memorable character moments are weighted heavily.

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Segment-by-Segment Highlights

[12:24] — Full Cover Story List

Stephen and Ken list all One Piece cover stories in order, including arcs like Buggy's, Koby & Helmeppo, Django, Hachi, Wapol, Ace, Gedatsu, Baroque Works, Enel, CP9, Straw Hat separations, and more—up to the latest Yamato cover story.

[16:13] Buggy’s Crew After the Battle

• Consensus: S-Tier
• "It's the trendsetter. It started this whole thing...funny and felt important, especially because Buggy parts showed up quickly after." (Steve, 17:47)
• Richie the lion is divisive—Ken isn’t a fan, others love him.
• First example of Oda using a side character to set up a later reintroduction.

[25:07] Koby and Helmeppo’s Chronicles of Toil

• Consensus: S-Tier, possibly above Buggy
• "This made an unlikable character, Helmeppo, tolerable and introduced us to Garp...a transformative arc." (Steve, 25:07)
• Deeply fondly remembered, especially for Garp’s surprise later in the series. It's the source for his reveal as Luffy’s grandfather.
• Showcases Oda's early dramatic chops and his penchant for redemption arcs.

Memorable Quote:

"It really makes us sympathetic for Helmeppo, a character that nobody liked."
—Alex [157:54]

[33:11] Django’s Dance Paradise

• Consensus: A/B-Tier
• Mainly praised for its humor, art, courtroom dance sequence, and the funny crossover with Ax-Hand Morgan.
• "This deserves to be a rock opera or something." (Steve, 37:29)
• Alex’s personal favorite, though most put it a touch below Buggy/Koby.

[38:29] Hachi’s Walk on the Seafloor

• Consensus: B-Tier
• Scores points for introducing Camie, Papagu, and the Macro Pirates, but docked for being too long and repetitive.
• "This is the first where wheel-spinning becomes an issue." (Stephen, 38:29)
• Noted Takoyaki propaganda.

[47:08] Wapol’s Omnivorous Rampage

• Consensus: S/A-Tier
• Hilarious rags-to-riches arc—Wapol gets humiliated, goes corporate, and invents 3D printing (“Funko Pops” jokes were made).
• "This is Looney Tunes. He accidentally invents Funko Pops, then marries my wife." (Alex, 51:01)
• Zany repetition is maximized for comedic payoff; admired for economy and smile factor.

[56:55] Ace’s Great Search for Blackbeard

• Consensus: B-Tier
• Praised as giving Ace more solo personality than the main manga, featuring fun navy infiltration and great visual gags.
• "If you’re writing Ace fanfic, this is required reading." (Alex, 62:07)

[65:03] Gedatsu’s Unexpected Life on the Blue Sea

• Consensus: B/C-Tier — The real “Extra! Extra!”
• Impeccably weird and “lol-so-random.” Kept Alabasta and Vivi in the reader's mind, but plot and gags meander.
• "Maybe only the elders care, but you had to be there for Gedatsu." (Alex, 163:48)
• Memorable for Steven’s public distaste at the “Kozuki Gekko” twist [153:18 ff].

[75:05] Ms. Goldenweek’s Big Plan: Baroque Reunion

• Consensus: S-Tier, at or near the top
• Reunion of classic Baroque Works villains reveals their quirky dreams. Moves briskly and is cited as emotional and funny.
• "This gives most of Baroque Works a little air of sympathy—just outcasts chasing a dream." (Stephen, 77:10)
• Notable for its “Dory and Brogy still punch each other” callback and layers of memes and crossovers.

[83:28] Enel’s Great Space Mission

• Consensus: S-Tier, iconic for its mystery and lore
• Panel is giddy over the ongoing plot relevance and worldbuilding (“ages like wine”).
• "Constantly going back and looking at this, just knowing it's on deck, in the chamber... It's coming up." (Steve, 86:09)
• "If you say cover story to a One Piece fan, this is one they’ll bring up." (Alex, 90:07)

[92:33] CP9’s Independent Report

• Consensus: C-Tier — underwhelming, lack of payoff
• Panel expected a Ms. Goldenweek-level event, but the story fizzles out and is later retconned. Good bowling gags, little impact.

[99:33 & 101:01] Straw Hat Separation Cover Stories

• Consensus: D/C-Tier
• Too short and forgettable, expanded better in the anime. “Nice at the time, but not on par with the classics.”

[110:05] Decks of the World I & II

• Consensus: A-Tier (Decks 1), C/D-Tier (Decks 2)
• The first is beloved for showing two-year time skip designs and resolving threads (Crocus & Gabon, Bon Clay alive, etc.).
• The second is harmless but redundant—a “where are they now” check-in.

[117:55] Caribou’s Kehihihi in the New World

• Consensus: B-Tier
• Funny and weird; panel loves the grandma/revolutionaries angle, critiques its excessive length.

[124:17] Jinbe’s Solitary Journey

• Consensus: C-Tier
• Cute animal gags, some story impact in retrospect, but a “blue balls” arc that lacks climax.

[131:33] Saga of the Self-Proclaimed Straw Hat Fleet

• Consensus: A-Tier
• Up and down but strong highs, especially Barto, Orlumbus, and flag-making bits.

[137:29] Gang Bege’s "Oh My Family"

• Consensus: A-Tier
• Praised for emotional payoff, family energy, and wrapping the Lola thread, with only minor quibbles about the pacing and COVID-era timing.

[144:03] Germa 66’s Emotionless Excursion

• Consensus: B/C-Tier
• Only above average by virtue of lore tie-ins (the Mads backstory, Caesar and Judge), but not memorable or fun as a standalone.

[150:00] Ogre Child Yamato’s Golden Harvest Pilgrimage

• Consensus: D/C-Tier (the lowest, along with 500 Million Man Arc)
• Most panelists consider it wasted potential. "It’s just Yamato eating food and visiting places. It’s Dex of the World: Wano." (Ken, 150:52)

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

[17:47]

"It's the trendsetter. It started this whole thing... funny and felt important, especially because Buggy parts showed up quickly after."
— Steve (Buggy’s Cover Story)

[29:11]

"There's a character arc within this. The Koby and Helmeppo that we see in Water Seven, it's not just, 'oh yeah, they're in the Marines now,' we know the journey to get there."
— Steve

[51:01]

"This is Looney Tunes. He accidentally invents Funko Pops, then marries my wife."
— Alex (On Wapol's story)

[59:21]

"With these cover stories, he's making it up as he goes along?... But with this one, it clearly had a plan for this gag."
— Zach (On Ace's gag payoff)

[84:35]

"This one has aged like wine... Just knowing this is on deck, in the chamber, it's coming up. Potential is the word I think of with this one."
— Steve (On Enel’s Space Mission)

[157:54]

"It really makes us sympathetic for Helmeppo, a character that nobody liked."
— Alex

[163:48]

"Gadatsu is the one for old people. You had to have been there."
— Alex

---

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:36–06:10: Intros, cover story context, “Doors!” books
• 12:24–16:13: Complete list of cover stories discussed
• 16:13–24:53: Buggy’s cover story breakdown
• 25:07–33:11: Koby & Helmeppo’s Cover Story
• 33:11–38:29: Django’s Dance Paradise
• 38:29–47:08: Hachi’s Walk on the Seafloor
• 47:08–56:55: Wapol’s Omnivorous Rampage
• 56:55–65:03: Ace’s Great Search for Blackbeard
• 65:03–75:05: Gedatsu’s Blue Sea Life
• 75:05–83:28: Ms. Goldenweek and Baroque Reunion
• 83:28–92:33: Enel’s Space Mission
• 92:33–99:33: CP9’s Independent Report
• 99:33–110:05: Straw Hat Separation arcs
• 110:05–117:55: Decks of the World I & II
• 117:55–124:17: Caribou’s Kehihihi
• 124:17–131:33: Jinbe’s Solitary Journey
• 131:33–137:29: Straw Hat Fleet Saga
• 137:29–144:03: Gang Bege’s Oh My Family
• 144:03–150:00: Germa 66’s Excursion
• 150:00–155:02: Yamato’s Golden Harvest Pilgrimage & final ratings
• 155:02–End: Recap, last quibbles, Discord bracket info, sign-off

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Final Tier List (as read out)

(Slightly paraphrased for length, see ~[157:54] onward)

S Tier (Cream of the Crop)

• Koby & Helmeppo
• Ms. Goldenweek/Baroque Works Reunion
• Buggy’s Crew After the Battle
• Wapol’s Omnivorous Rampage
• Enel’s Great Space Mission

A Tier

• Django’s Dance Paradise
• Gang Bege’s “Oh My Family”
• Straw Hat Grand Fleet Saga
• Ace’s Search for Blackbeard
• Decks of the World (I)

B Tier

• Hachi’s Walk on the Seafloor
• Caribou’s Kehihihi
• Germa 66’s Emotionless Excursion
• Gedatsu’s Blue Sea Life

C Tier

• Yamato's Golden Harvest Pilgrimage
• Jinbe’s Solitary Journey
• CP9's Report

D Tier

• Decks of the World 500 Million Man Arc
• Straw Hat Separation Arcs

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Community Interaction

• Join the Bracket: The tier list will be seeded into the public Discord, where fans can vote each week in the "brackets of consequence" channel.
• Engagement Encouraged: Listeners are urged to leave feedback, argue their favorites, and enjoy the ride of One Piece deep-lore nerdery.

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Tone and Style

The discussion is affectionate, thoughtful, and peppered with recurring inside jokes—especially around characters like Gedatsu, Richie, and Ace. The cast’s camaraderie and deep love for these forgotten corners of the One Piece mythos make even the dead air or disagreements feel entertaining. Their rankings are delightfully subjective and flavored by both analytic insight and nostalgia-driven humor.

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Closing Remark

"If you enjoyed this, let us know—maybe we’ll do more, maybe we’re late to the trend, but for One Piece nerds, there’s nothing better than litigating the silliest corners of Oda’s world-building."

For full results and participation, join The One Piece Podcast Discord!

Transcript

[A]

Foreign. This is the One Piece podcast, episode 922 for the week of Sunday, June 7, 2026. My name is Zach.

[B]

And my name is Steve.

[A]

And on today's episode, we have very special guest. You may know him as the translator for One Piece and weekly Shonen, Jump and Manga. Plus we have Stephen Paul with us. How's it going, Stephen?

[C]

Hey, good. I. I was. I did like a six mile hike yesterday and as long as I'm up and moving around, my. My muscles aren't aching and screaming. So that's why it was such a good idea for me to. To book myself for, you know, at least two hours of sitting in my desk chair talking on a podcast.

[A]

That's what we're here for. We also have Ken, who I did not prepare a lower third for, I'm just realizing. Ken o', Connor, our archivist. How's it going, Ken?

[D]

Good. Unlike Steven, who is healthy and productive today, I am full of cheese because I made a really weird grilled cheese right before we sat down to start recording. So that's how my life is.

[A]

Okay, wait, no, I do have one for you. There is. So for those, we might do some visual gags tonight because we are recording this live. If you want to watch it, it's [e-mail] One Piece Podcast. There's nothing you need to watch. I don't. I mean, I guess we'll find out today. Ken, what are we doing today? What are we doing?

[D]

We are doing. We are going through every single cover story in anticipation of the bracket that we'll be hosting on our public Discord. So tonight we plan on going through every single cover story, talking about them, discussing them, and putting them in a tier list. And that tier list will help us seed the bracket then for the next couple weeks as we put all of the COVID stories against each other in a bracket on the public Discord.

[A]

So much going on.

[D]

So much going on.

[C]

That'll be fun. Because we've never actually done something like this with the COVID stories. We've ranked so many other things, but the COVID story is never.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

So the water. The water 7 cover story will not win the CP9.

[A]

One, I guess. Should we go through the different cover stories before we start or. But you know what?

[C]

Actually, before we do, do we have. Yeah. Do we have any housekeeping to do first?

[A]

No, not really. Subscribe to [e-mail] One Piece podcast. Support us. There's a. If you're on YouTube, there's a QR code over by My hand. And we have sticker of the month. We have the sticker of the month club. Steve, I don't think we've done the. Have we done the latest months yet?

[B]

Yes. I realize a whole week has gone by and yeah, I've been busy, but that poll will go up soon. But you should sign up and vote.

[D]

I just got my. My Nami Lego one the other day in the mail, and it looks so good, fully, like, fleshed out the way you did it. So very good job, Steve.

[B]

For the month of May, the Luffy one with him holding the volume of ELBAF, volume 111. We'll start mailing those out soon.

[A]

Awesome. Yeah. And please subscribe to us. And you get that. You also get alternate images, alternate titles from our amazing artists, including Steve. Someone I know on our discord just recently discovered that Steve had not been infinitely doing the art. Since the very beginning. We've had amazing folks including Maddie and Steve and Kirby and Cy, I think is doing the image for the episode that we're recording right now and many, many more. Chris. Mike Padden, Joey Wiser, Joey Weiser, Alex, of course, Alex. And his name is Alex. So, yeah, that's the housekeeping I have, Steven. I mean, One Piece day is coming up in August, which doesn't really make

[C]

sense because I know Steve's just dying to talk about the card that Dodgers game.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yes. They announced an exclusive card for One Piece night at Dodger Stadium. And it's a Luffy Dodgers dome card.

[D]

And

[B]

ticket prices skyrocketed. So I'm probably just not gonna go.

[A]

What do we all think of that decision?

[D]

I mean, he's saving himself for the potential of more heartbreak. Like, like if he went and it happened all over again, like, that's the worst case scenario.

[B]

I don't think it's zoomed in on me at that point. Just like, trying to just like, capture.

[D]

He's having too much fun.

[B]

Zoom in on, like, Ken for like a moment.

[A]

Ken, excellent. There he is. Yeah, there's Ken.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

Cheese.

[A]

Still, that's what I got for him. If we're not doing a video format, how. Why would I not have fun with it, you know?

[D]

Oh, no. This is. This is the fun of being live on video.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

The right time. Yes, that's true.

[D]

How tired are you?

[A]

I'm so tired that I'm gonna talk about the COVID stories this week. That doesn't work, but okay. Steven, I don't know. Do you have like a good introductory, Like.

[C]

Well, I mean, I could. I Could start by talking about this here, since me, me and Zach at least have our copies of these. You ever heard of Cool One Piece Doors, which is a little spin off book collection. That shoe I should put out in Japan. Ken has them but Steve does not. And yeah, they're called One Piece Doors because door in English. Door. The English word door can be translated into the Japanese word tobira that means door and tobita e or door Art is what we would call a. I guess a frontispiece or in other words a like the first illustrated page in a book or a chapter in this case. So tobire means cover page basically for a manga, as in the One Piece cover pages. And One Piece Doors is literally just here's chat. Here's all the COVID pages from One Piece and they're just all in one place. If you own all the volumes, you already have all of these pages. But for the purposes of our discussion, these actually come in handy because they include the COVID stories such as buggies, Kobe's, etc. Etc. And one time you get to use this for. Yeah, exactly.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I'm like, oh, thank God, I can finally take these off the shelf and do something with them.

[A]

Yeah. Oh, you're back.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

The shelf is what he was saying. You could finally take them off the shelf. No, I agree. Like I. This is pretty translatable, I guess for you. This. This must be really nice for the rest of us maybe. Ken, I know you did like the deep diving into where, you know, you actually put these together for the four of us. So it was I.

[D]

Again, it was. I want to like say I did so much work. I just went through the Shonen jump apparently and track down each of the COVID pages and screenshot them and put them together so we could easily view them with the translations at the time and whatnot, just so we can go through them easier.

[A]

Yeah. And thank you for doing that, Ken.

[D]

Oh, of course.

[A]

So I'll go around Steve just generally. Did you get a chance to read through them today? Did you do your homework? No. He was muted, but I could read his lips. He's still muted.

[C]

He's still stocking.

[B]

I'm being nice because. Trying to have a snack. Nope.

[A]

Steven, what did you think about going through them today?

[C]

I'm looking forward to the discussion because I'm mostly going on memory and just flipping through them live. I did not have time to. To prepare a whole host of thoughts, but I do have some thoughts on certain cover stories which we'll definitely be talking about.

[A]

So we're gonna tier this. So we're not doing our usual like rankings. We're not doing a tournament. Yeah, we're just gonna. It's not numbered. We're just gonna go through them right now. It's just like the regular tier. SA, B, C, D. I don't think there's any Fs.

[D]

No. But these tiers, however we decide them, will help. Then seed the bracket that'll go up after the podcast recording.

[A]

And if you want to take part in that. Ken, what? What's all that about?

[D]

That is on our public Discord. Please join the one piece podcast Public Discord. We have a brackets of consequence channel. It's two different channels. One where we have discussion, one where the polls are. The polls usually run one week from Sunday, Sunday during recording to Sunday after recording. So full week of voting. And yeah, it's free to join the Discord. Hop in if you don't want to discuss. You want to discuss. We get your votes in because the more votes we get in, it makes it more dynamic and it's very fun to follow as the week goes on. So good, so good, so good.

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[A]

So should we go through these one by one? I guess that makes the most sense.

[B]

Yeah, why don't you list them all off to start and then we'll.

[A]

Okay, so we are going through and Ken, you could scroll down, make it easier on me. I guess. So the first cover story is the Buggy cover story in which buggy gets thrown around from place to place. The Kobe Helmeppo one. Those are the only two that have been adapted in the anime proper. There's the Jango and full body cover story. Mostly Janko Dance Carnival. Thank you. Oh, you know What? I should read the whole titles, shouldn't I? Do you have them handy, Steven, or. No, I could, because I could find it.

[D]

They're all in the drive that I set up. They have the full titles and the folders.

[E]

I know.

[A]

I closed it like idiot.

[C]

So we got Buggy's crew after the Battle. Koby and Helmeppo's Chronicles of Toil. These are the Viz versions, I assume.

[D]

Yes, yes.

[C]

Django's Dance Paradise. Hachi's Walk on the Seafloor. Wapol's Omnivorous Rampage. Ace's Great Search for Blackbeard. Gidatsu's Unexpected Life on the Blue Sea. Ms. Golden Week's big Plan. A Baroque Reunion. Eniru's great space mission. CP9's independent report. And then we have all of the. The Straw Hat. What did we call them?

[D]

The Separation Anxiety Arc.

[C]

Separation. Yes, the Straw Hat Separation.

[A]

That's right.

[C]

Oh boy. Yeah. So all. All of those because. So yeah, we. We decided to lump them into one because they're only two.

[A]

I think Oda regretted the decision as well.

[C]

Yeah, they're only.

[A]

Next time.

[C]

Right. There are only two images per character and so it wouldn't really be fair to rank them on the same level as these ones that have like 30 and 40 entries. So those are all together. And then there's the Decks of the World. Caribou's New World. Kihihi. The Solitary Journey of Jimbe for Son of the Sea. Decks of the world. 500 million man arc. The Saga of the self Proclaimed Straw Hat Fleet. Gangbudges. Oh my Family. Germa Sixes.

[A]

Ah.

[C]

An Emotionless Excursion. And the most recent one, Ogre Child Yamato's Golden Harvest Surrogate Pilgrimage.

[B]

Yeah, somehow that's the Ken right underneath Veg's.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I don't know.

[E]

I could probably.

[D]

It's fine.

[B]

I don't know if I could screen.

[A]

I don't know if I could do that. What was I gonna say? Yeah, so that's. Those are the COVID stories we're going to be going through. They. The titles. The titles are funny. So let's start with the Buggy cover story and thoughts on it, Ken. Oh, also wait, actually, even before we do that, two questions. First, we got one from Sam Fisher in the chat. By the way, if folks have questions in the YouTube chat, we'll read them. So just send those away. I know we did this last minute, but. Yeah, the question is, are the doors getting an English translation? You're looking at it.

[C]

Yeah. No, we. We. I just brought those up because that's an aid to help us talk about this particular topic. And you know, since we're on camera you can actually show them off.

[A]

And that's true. And to be fair, like there's not a lot that needs to be translated in these usually, but Right.

[C]

In terms of. Yeah. If you were curious to get copies for yourself. Yeah. They do have like sort of data book style pages that they insert in front of the. The character cover stories. Because it kind of sets up like, hey, what. What was this character doing before this point in the story? And then I think there might do after. Right. Yeah, there's a little bit of like here's when they showed up again in the story. And stuff. So. Yeah, like it's interesting.

[A]

Has Marineford for example.

[C]

Yeah. And the third one, the third book ends. What chapter is it? Like chapter 839. So it does not cover all of the. The COVID stories.

[A]

It ends after the Grant. The Grand. Not the Grand Fleet, the second decks of the world. It looks like.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was in the middle of whole cake.

[A]

Although it also has the like the straw hat and other fan request drawings which are fun. Okay, so yeah, let's talk about Buggy. Who wants to. Who wants to talk about Buggy?

[C]

I. I think this is, you know, I don't know how we're. How we're going to end up scoring all of these. Obviously like we didn't. We didn't come with our own like pre premade rankings that we're adding up or anything. This is all just totally vibes based. But it's hard for me to see this as anything other than like either S or A. Just because it, it's such a perfect idea. Like he just came right out of the gate. This is only chapter 35. Like that's how soon these things start in the One Piece manga. And it was just such a genius idea at the time. And I think the execution is so fantastic of like putting you know, taking Buggy in his like shrunken form without his torso because that's how Luffy like knocked him out of the sky at the end of the. The Buggy arc. And having him get into all of these shenanigans when he's just this little shrimpy, you know, kind of dwarf character is. It's so fun. It's so. It's so creative the stuff that he gets into. And. And then it is even in this very first instance of a cover story. Like he. He's already doing the like here's this character who is this strange character that, you know, you don't find out who it is until later when he comes back into the story. So he's already doing the, like, foreshadowing and, like, setting up later reveals and stuff. So, yeah, it's just a fantastic way to start this, this whole exercise.

[B]

Steve or Ken, I'm going to chime in. I think the Buggy cover story is trendsetter. It started this whole thing and it did it so well, and it was funny and it felt important, especially because the buggy parts showed up pretty quickly. Yeah. After this wrapped up, I think right off the bat, this one's an S tier.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, I think sra. I agree with Steven. Like, I'm not. My very unpopular opinion is I'm not like, as much of a Buggy devotee as I think the average One Piece fan. However, I agree with everything Steven said. This is like a perfect cover story. And it's really amazing. You're right. That it started at chapter 35. I mean, that's still his first full year of, like, authorship of one piece. That was probably in like, 1998 when he was doing this, which is crazy on so many levels. And yeah, the stuff with. The stuff with Richie is what makes it for me, like.

[C]

Yeah, for sure.

[D]

Oh, you like the Richie stuff?

[A]

Oh, you don't, Ken?

[D]

I don't. I wish you'd say, I wish I'd stayed on Buggy. I hate that it goes away from Buggy for so long.

[A]

Well, you're wrong, Ken. It's okay.

[D]

That's fine.

[A]

I mean, Steve, do you. Do you like the Richie stuff in the.

[B]

Yeah, Richie's great. I like Richie.

[A]

Okay. Just Ken. Just Ken.

[D]

That's me.

[A]

Okay. No, it's. It's extremely funny, like, how he accidentally not to spoil people. How would I. I don't. I'm assuming everyone has read these. Yeah. No, it's. It's like. Is it a perfect one? I don't think it's perfect. I think there are better ones. But this is up there. Like, considering it's the first outing. Even if I. Even if it weren't, it would still be at least an A for me, I think.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm just like, torn between A and S. But we could also change that. As we said, it's vibes up the

[C]

great says sets the tone for cover stories. I think that's absolutely true. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I think that's why I think it's an S tier.

[C]

And it really does kind of define in. In many ways. Even though he already appeared in an arc, this kind of defines, like, the future of Buggy, where, like, the. The threat is kind of removed. Right. Like, he's been a villain. Luffy beat him, so you can't really turn him into a menace again. And so this is kind of like the start of the Buggy that we've come to know and love throughout the rest of the series is like him just getting shit on in many ways.

[A]

You know, you're right.

[C]

Giant birds and things like that. Yeah.

[A]

He does get kicked in the crotch in his. That's your opening, you know, foray. But I do agree. And the thing I really realized, rereading these, that I love so much about the COVID story, like, as a narrative which gets lost when you're reading week to week because you're just like, come on, I want to read. The thing that's happening now to the straw hats is it really makes the world feel so big, like, with just these stupid little, like, stories. But you, like, as Steven said, you're introduced to new characters, they come back later, you get to go to new islands, you get to go to the same islands. It's like a combo of fan service and also just like feeling like world building almost. Ken, what were you gonna say about the Buggy cover story? Where are you putting it?

[D]

I would put it around a. Personally, I do love it a lot, and it does set the tone for the future that. The fact that we returned to Gaimon's island and all the different animal designs. Gaimon's Island. Gaimon's Island. I love all the different creature designs. And again, Buggy and his shrunken form being the same height as him too. It's like two buds hanging out together. It's very, very fun. I also, like. I don't know if it's the same crab, but the Crab on part 11 of the stories looks like the same crab from Alabasta that we see later on.

[A]

You're right. Chapter 50 for those following along. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

But Alvida also shoots that crab.

[D]

Well, she knocks out a tooth.

[A]

Two. Two teeth.

[D]

Two teeth? Yeah, two teeth.

[B]

Oh, I could have swore. I remember the anime with him getting shot in the.

[A]

No, he does get shot, but he's only missing two teeth. Yeah, he looks fine. He's just missing a couple.

[B]

I don't think he made the trip.

[D]

I don't know. Again, I doubt it's the same pragmatic.

[A]

I think it's just a design choice.

[D]

That's how.

[B]

Zach, are you, like, on our side here is Ken, the only outlier, because we have a. A nice even number of people to.

[A]

Yeah, we really.

[C]

To tie.

[A]

Well, we. We have. We have some people watching, so if worse comes to worse. But.

[C]

And Alex might be joining us later.

[A]

And Alex might join us later. Yeah. So I. I'm fine putting it at S. I wouldn't be opposed to dropping that if we, like, have a discussion.

[C]

Right.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, this is moder.

[C]

That's what people do.

[B]

This is. None of this is locked.

[D]

This will be fluid. This will be fluid.

[A]

We're not.

[D]

We're not locking things.

[C]

I do. I do. I do get the. Like, I don't want to just be like, oh, the oldest ones are the best ones. You know, I'm trying to keep an open mind. And.

[A]

And you see this.

[C]

Try to.

[A]

I. I agree. But since I was like a. Since I watched it before I read it, I don't have, like, the same nostalgia for these old cover stories, which is why they work, I think. Like, it's. It's like kind of the perfect kind of encapsulation. It's like, oh, I get to, like, experience old one piece again. But it's not. I don't have the nostalgia attached to it specifically. I mean, it was in the anime, to be fair. So maybe. Maybe with these first.

[B]

From males to squares.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Yeah, that's what I was just trying to find.

[A]

You might have to start it over again.

[B]

Scroll down. Scroll down.

[A]

Which is fine.

[D]

Oh, no.

[A]

Settings.

[B]

Work.

[A]

Setting button on the right.

[D]

No, that's all this work.

[A]

No, you can start it again and you can make it a square. Just start it again and I'm gonna. You should unshare your screen.

[E]

Yeah, I wanna watch that.

[A]

Yeah. So you can still talk.

[B]

Breakfast. Breakfast comes first.

[D]

J. Sorry.

[A]

I want to see what those old people were going to talk about anyway. Yeah, I. I'm very torn. I'm like. I feel like it's. It's like when you put something at the top right away. It's like.

[B]

I'd say let's. Let's put it S. Tier.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay. Okay. Okay. So Ken. Ken will get that right ahead. Ken will get that. Let's talk about Koby and Helmeppo. Steve, do you want to start us for that one? That one? I feel like you probably have a

[B]

better part of me is I wonder how much do these first two cover stories have so much going for them, because the anime adapted them like. Like fully. But this one's really good too, because it's, you know, it Made like this very unlikable character Helmeppo, into someone tolerable and introduce us to Garp. And Koby's such a beloved character. And this is like a huge. I mean, this is transformative for him, like, literally, because we see what he turns into when we see him later in water 7. I don't know if it's as good as Buggies, but it's still kind of on that level.

[C]

Some of it's really definitely an A.

[B]

But now I'm wondering is it S. Well, some of.

[C]

Some of it's really interesting because he. He actually does some kind of dramatic work with it. Like when they're apologizing to Garp and like, he does the. Like. Like it's showing the pan. Like the scene of them bowing from, like, multiple angles across the. The things before he walks off. And he's talking about Marineford or. Yeah, the Marine hq also.

[A]

Hero smokes. That's like. It's the first. The second one or first one.

[C]

Yeah, he's taking a smoke.

[A]

I completely missed that.

[C]

I have a soft spot for this one too, because. What was it? Volume four. That's chapter 87, the one where Kobe's up late, like, studying by candlelight while all the other recruits are, like, flopped over their bunks and stuff. That was the. That was literally the very first page of One Piece I ever saw. Because that was the issue of Jump that I picked up when I first found out what One Piece was.

[A]

That's a really. That's a very cute. Like, that's a. I like that.

[C]

It's just very evocative to, like, the use of the tone to do the darkness and stuff. And.

[A]

And I definitely notice I. I will say these early ones, Oda, like, it's pretty impressive that it seems like Oda really does spend time like he did. We know he doesn't these days for.

[B]

And there's actual. It feels like there's progression in these, you know.

[A]

Yeah, we'll talk about that later.

[B]

Save for some later ones.

[A]

But there's some good. There's some very good later ones, which I'll get to. But yes, I think it is more consistent storytelling.

[B]

I'm gonna just say I think. I think it deserves to be a nest here. I think it's iconic, you know.

[A]

Yeah. I think what's particularly great about it is. Yes, the Helmeppo development. Bogart. Come on. Everyone likes a Bogart who actually is like, really kick ass in this too, because he does that thing with the cuts up Koby's gun Into like a million pieces.

[B]

Yeah. Which we didn't see in the anime. I don't think.

[A]

I don't remember. But it's a very cool paddle. It's. It's a. It's great. The stuff with like Kobe standing up to, you know, like the Marines, you know, Garp and Bogart standing in front of the cannon. That's just great. Like, he is my friend. That's like kind of iconic one piece. And like, it really summarizes why Kobe is like, you know, the COVID story

[B]

isn't just about like now the characters went here. It's. There's a character arc within this. So the Koby and Helmeppo that we do see in Water seven, it's not just, oh yeah, they're in the Marines now and you know, they're in good shape.

[D]

The trajectory makes sense how he got there.

[B]

Yeah. But we know the journey to get there and I think that's why this one is like truly like worth going to bat for.

[A]

I'm saying I would put this personally above the buggy one.

[C]

Plus, I mean, if you need anything more the. The. Not. Not that like, I guess lore or connections are like the only thing that. That matters in these, but like, having this be the introduction of Garp makes that that reveal scene after Water 7 hit so much harder because it's a character that you actually know.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And what's great.

[D]

Yes.

[A]

That's where the reveal.

[B]

Yeah, that's totally its name. What's great is Oda didn't blow that reveal and kept corpse identity a secret. So when it was revealed, like, wow, that guy was Luffy's grandpa the whole time.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It pays off for knowing it.

[A]

And Steven, did people predict that back in the day? Like, was that a theory?

[C]

I don't think so. Because that. That's the thing. We were talking about that a few weeks ago and I think that the Alvida reveal was one that was like interesting and exciting. And then what. I forget what the other one was that we were talking about, but I do feel like it specifically was Garp being revealed as Luffy's grandpa. That really kick started the whole, like, oh, anything could be anything in one piece. Like, it wasn't quite as much of a of a thing before that.

[A]

There's a reason we called that Jack in the Box. That chapter.

[D]

How do we feel about the whole like, Garp, like, oh, I was sleeping thing? Do you think that's like.

[A]

I mean. Yeah, it's a little.

[C]

Yeah, it's in character for A cover story. It might be. It might not be a joke that Oda would do nowadays. But I don't know. I think he could. He could probably rationalize it as like this is so unserious to Garp that like he. He's like oh whatever. I can afford to take a nap because I'm in the middle of this conversation.

[A]

Well, he had like an. I mean he did this with Ace before. I think they really knew what they were doing. What he was doing with Ace. But like the narcolepsy thing was like a thing.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Family, I think is like. Cuz he did it in NES lobby too. I do remember him just randomly falling asleep. Also, he's old and I can say as someone who is becoming an old falling asleep, you know, randomly. Totally understandable because when you have children or grandchildren in his case, it's exhausting. He'll make you fall asleep.

[B]

Like we don't have to necessarily worry about how these place until maybe the end. I think we could just put him into tears for now.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

You know, for certain.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean coping Helmetpo. I think I would put above Buggy.

[A]

I would too. Should we move buggy to A or is that gonna.

[B]

No Buggy, Zach. It's the second one. Let's talk about the buggy one for

[C]

10 more minutes, guys.

[D]

I'm thinking D tier actually.

[B]

Ken, get your dirty fingers off.

[A]

All right, what's next? We have Jango's Dance Paradise.

[D]

He's unchained, folks.

[C]

Yes, Dance Paradise.

[A]

Alex isn't here. Where is.

[C]

We can put it as low.

[B]

He's not gonna be able to go to bat for this one.

[A]

D for Alex or Django perhaps. Don't do it.

[B]

Django with a D. He'll kill us now.

[D]

It's right. It's Django.

[C]

Oh, just make it Django. Yeah, people gonna get confused.

[B]

Take it down. Get it down from there. I think this is the first one where it's not terrible, but I don't think it hits as hard as the previous two.

[D]

This one's funnier though. I think this. Out of the three we've gotten so far, this is the funniest one. The fact that it does the bit with the heart shaped eyes. And then there's even the small crossover with Axe Hand and Morgan to the previous cover story, which is that one serves no purpose. But like.

[B]

Yeah, because we're never gonna see him again.

[D]

Exactly.

[A]

That's true. That I was gonna mention. Where the hell is Ax and Morgan?

[B]

And why is no one mentioning him who cares?

[A]

That's true. The courtroom boogie is both a highlight and a what the hell? It's like such. It is like, this is Oda comedy. Like, I'm just gonna do comedy for this one. I mean, with. I mean, I guess there are a few serious ish moments, but I will say the art in this one is just some of the best. I think here.

[C]

It looks great.

[A]

I mean, it's also that time period for Oda, which is like the baroque works.

[C]

Yeah, this was coming up. Right, right, right.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

I love that courtroom scene with the judges on the podium dancing and everyone's just into it. This is funny to me. Like, again, like, yeah, it doesn't move the. The needle in terms of, like, story along. It shows you why the two of them are together later on. But just it's so funny. Like, I think every page is hilarious.

[A]

I get why this is like Alex's like, highlight of the series. Like, because this feels so Alex. Like, it is. The humor is really excellent. It's these, like, very wacky characters. And the Hina. This is before Hina shows up, right? I think it is.

[B]

Hina shows up at the end.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

No, no, but Hina shows up here before she shows up in the main story, right? In alabaster.

[D]

Yes, correct.

[A]

So that's so once again, Oda doing that kind of thing where we're going to introduce character X before you see character X in the series. It's like, oh, that's Hina from later, which to us is probably lost, you know, because we all know who he is.

[C]

Right, right, right.

[D]

How did you guys feel about the. The Tulip Pirates?

[C]

It's a good, good introduction. It's a good trivia character for sure.

[A]

It is a very good trivia character.

[D]

Well, as we go forward, I found it funny how Ode introduces these one off pirate groups in a lot of the stories. Like, we'll talk about the German pirates later. There's all these little one off pirates or captains and they're just in the COVID stories and they're always so interesting to me.

[B]

The live action uses them like, oh, sick reference, bro.

[A]

Whoa. The Tulip Pirates. You won't believe how you're like, what was it? You won't get. You won't look at one piece same way after you read the COVID story about the Tulip Pirates.

[B]

I just. I don't think this one just hits as hard. I think also because I just, I don't know, full body I couldn't sympathize with because he was.

[C]

Yeah, he's not as interesting character.

[A]

Yeah, they're both kind of pricks, but it's. It kind of makes. It works. I mean, like, most of these cover stories are about shitty people for the most part.

[C]

True.

[A]

They're usually villains and usually shitty things happen to them. But I think that's why I enjoy them is because it is like, oh, we're following this character. And that's why it like expands the world like this. This one in particular makes the One Piece world feel very lived in. I don't think there's a lot of, like, we don't go back to a place really in this. Except, you know, when he leaves. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think for the most part this is like taking place on that mirrorball island and the courtroom. And you know, this is not just fancy one.

[B]

It's such a damn shame this one missed the, like, this was the first one they cut off from being animated because this one deserves to be like a musical. Like I look at the movies and I think, or movie, yeah, but that's like not the same.

[A]

It's not the same.

[B]

And like this deserves to be like a rock opera or something, you know.

[A]

My God. Yeah. This would be a fun, like 30 minute special. I like, it's.

[B]

It's good. I don't know, there's something about it just doesn't resonate strongly with me. I'm just gonna throw out my vote for B tier. I think it.

[A]

I was gonna say, I'd say a. I would say, yeah, that's fine.

[B]

I'm outranked here.

[A]

You're outranked all right. You're out, Django. I, Yeah, I, I agree.

[E]

I.

[A]

You know what, we talk about like fun One piece projects they could do, I feel like, have like giving different animators or studios like doing like the anthology, but with just the COVID stories like that format, like Star Wars Visions or something. But with the COVID stories from One Piece would be really fun. Let's go to the next one since that has been ranked Hachi's Walk on the Sea Floor. Steven.

[C]

I think that this is probably one where we can start looking at lower tier rankings because it's super long. It's 40 entries, which is quite long for one of these. And I just feel like this is kind of. This is where one that you can point to and be like, there's a lot of like sort of spinning the wheels on it. Like there, there's, there are several where like there's not really a lot going on from one panel to the next.

[A]

Or.

[C]

Or it ends up being sort of like. It feels very repetitive, probably by design, but, you know, it doesn't necessarily. It still. It still looks great. Like, it's still in that. That, you know, sort of golden.

[A]

Fantastic.

[C]

Yeah. That gold golden period. And it does, to be fair, like, you know, it introduces K Me, which is obvious for later on. Yeah. Gaming Kimmy and Papagu, the macro pirates

[A]

that we all love. Octopaco.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

That's a trivia. That's a trivia.

[C]

Yes. That's a trivia character for sure. But I do feel like it's just not. It doesn't support the length that it takes to tell is. Is my cannibalism conclusion.

[A]

It's about cannibalism.

[B]

It's not cannibalism. Zach, stop it.

[A]

I'm joking.

[C]

It's cannibalistic cuisine.

[A]

Mmm.

[B]

Cannibalistic that you get at the store.

[A]

Cannibalish. Cannibalish.

[C]

Cannibal. Ish. Yeah.

[B]

Zach, I don't judge you when you eat a delicious gorilla.

[A]

Who told you what I had for dinner?

[C]

Can't wait to eat that monkey.

[A]

Thank you, Steven.

[B]

Yeah, this is one. I think this resonates less with me than Jongo, but I think, like, a lot of the gags and face faults are really funny, but I think. Yeah, what's working against it is the length. It's very. It's very long.

[A]

Oh, Alex is here. Let me, uh. Oh, he said let me in.

[B]

But, like, looking through it again, I think some of my favorite bits are the repetitiveness. Like, I love when you see, like. Oh, it's like. It's like, here's the macro's awesome chip. And then next chapter, it's basically the same panel, but it's Hachi just destroying it. Yeah, that is really good stuff like that. And it's. I know it's very sweet. And Hachi is a very endearing and funny character, so. And I do like the dynamic with. With Hachi and Kimi. It's really fun to see me.

[A]

There he is.

[B]

See their kind of their dynamic form here. But it's just. Yeah, it's just not as the memorable ones, like, I think it does. You know, it comes back into the story in a big way, which I won't undervalue for, but I just don't remember it as well as I do the other three so far. Like, my vote would be putting this in. I would vote for B on this one. I don't think it's terrible, but it's

[E]

It's a B tier. Yeah, definitely.

[B]

It's very right in the middle.

[A]

Alex. I mean, I agree. I don't know if I have much else to add other than it really made me into Taka. Like, it got me into takoyaki, this cover story.

[D]

I love takoyaki. That's what wins me over with this one.

[A]

Yeah. And it's the. The drawing's great, the gags are great. Like, it's good, but it's not as good as the other three, in my opinion. So. Yeah, I don't know if I have much else to say about it.

[D]

Doesn't have, like.

[A]

Okay.

[D]

It doesn't have, like, the payoff either. Like, like, yes, these characters come back in Fishman island and like, it feels like Oda's like, oh, let me get some creature design here and there. But like, this doesn't enter the main story for such a long time. And all it really does is just. It introduces the characters. It didn't move their story forward. It just explains why they exist when we see them finally.

[C]

I mean, yeah, it does a good job of repainting Hachi as a sympathetic character when we do see him again, which is positive.

[E]

I think that's the important part. I'm going to have to unfortunately listen to this episode to get what you guys were talking about for the first three, but I'm just gonna throw in my two cents for the ones that you just talked about. I'm surprised Kobe Helmeppa is so high. I would put that at an A buggy. Buggy is S tier, though. That is. That is Buggy is. That's the one Django has been rubbed. No, I actually agree that. I think, Jay, that Jango is. Is an A tier one.

[C]

Wow.

[A]

Wow.

[E]

I. I agree. I. I think that it's. I mean, it's my favorite. It's. I think it's my favorite one, obviously, but. But I don't think, like, the, the buggy one is amazing because it, like, it's paced super well. It moves. It really moves. And it brings you up to speed with Buggy almost like, almost to where we see him again. Right. Um, so it's. I don't know. There is at that point too, Buggy is like, oh, wow, this is the first villain that we've. We've. We fought and he's coming back. Like, he's like. You see his, His. His meteoric rise to. To mediocrity. And I really do. I really do appreciate that. Maybe the Helmeppo one, maybe the Kobe Helmeppo one is. Is S Tier. It does move really well as well. And I guess given how important those characters are now in the story. Okay, I can see your point. Okay. In S Tier it stays. Then why not move Django up to S Tier?

[D]

No,

[E]

no, the problem. The problem with the Django. The problem with the Django one being being that high is that since then, Django and Full Body have. Are now like their panel buds. You basically see them like, oh, like they're like, oh, it's the Leo Dot gift for me.

[A]

Yes, yes.

[E]

Hina is a much bigger character than they are. I guess that Hina is the big character to come out of that one. But even so, she's not like a big, big character. She's still. She's like, oh, I'm Smoker's. Smoker is lady. Lady Pal.

[D]

She's just pretty. Everyone likes because she's pretty and she

[E]

has a cool power, Ken.

[A]

Yeah. And she talks in the third person.

[C]

She's the Jan. The Jan from the Office.

[E]

She talks like a baby from the Office.

[B]

Very Jan from the Office.

[D]

I'm blanking. What's her power again? Is it the. The Cage?

[E]

The Cage Cage. True.

[B]

That's kinky, man.

[D]

Yeah. No, it is.

[E]

Her power is dope as hell. Her power is really dope. Jungler Full Body. Love it actually, that it goes to S tier for me. I love it that that is a personal S Tier because Jong and Full Body, I think, like, as a unit, are my favorite two, like, schmucks. They're these two fuckos that, like, they're like, if they. If you could put them in like a Doronbo Gang with. With Hina, they're Boyaki and tons of like, they're. It's very much like, yeah, they're. They're great. I kind of wish that their status quo sort of remains steady. But Oda likes to introduce way too many characters over the last, what, 20 or so years? So it makes sense.

[A]

Did anyone.

[E]

It being.

[A]

Did anyone need to give their two cents here? Okay, Alex, on Hachi,

[E]

I'm just going to just go really quick with Hachi. Not my favorite cover story, but I think it's fun. It's cute. It is long, but not the longest and definitely not the most meandering and definitely not the most pointless. So I think it's. I think it's a firm B tier and it's. And the art is good. I think up to a certain point. Up to a certain point, I would say that, like, all of these are at Least B tier. And I'll tell you what point that that's at.

[A]

Yeah, I generally. The one thing I forgot to mention with Django, since you brought it up, is the five seconds before the reveal of Gag is excellent. And it keeps coming back in the COVID stories at least once or twice more. I think, like, five seconds until the reveal of his. What's behind his glasses is excellent.

[E]

I really. I really hated that when I first saw it. It's such a cursed image.

[A]

Oh, I love it.

[D]

I love it.

[A]

It's great because it's cursed.

[E]

I mean, obviously. Obviously, I love it. In that same vein, when I saw Disco for the first time, I thought to myself, oh, man, I bet he has star shape.

[D]

100%.

[A]

100%.

[D]

And Doflamingo has the same.

[C]

The five. The five seconds before is such a. Like. Like a YouTube poop sort of a thing to, like, flash up on the screen right before something stupid is gonna

[E]

happen, like, five seconds later, like a spongebob.

[A]

You're right. That's great. Okay.

[E]

Were you looking through Doors? I'm gonna do that.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

I was looking through doors too,

[B]

trying

[A]

to find which of these is least intrusive.

[C]

Yes. We gave. We gave the audience the. The rundown of what the Doors books are.

[A]

The Doors. We talked about the Doors.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I still think the tier should be the most dominant.

[A]

I agree, but we're so tiny. I feel like when it's.

[B]

Why are you. Why are you treating it like it's Alice from the Brady Punch?

[A]

I know.

[E]

I mean, Alice, as we will find

[D]

out later, should we move on to the next one or.

[A]

Yeah, I definitely want to move on to the next one because I really

[D]

want to make a bold prediction right from the start.

[A]

Do you want to give a prediction, Ken?

[D]

Yep.

[A]

Yeah, that fits S tier.

[D]

This is definitely S tier for me.

[A]

I agree. I would put it right there. By the way, for those who are listening can put Waffle at the very top. Top of the S tier.

[B]

I do like this one a lot, man. It's got some great visual gags.

[E]

It does.

[B]

It's really funny. But I was gonna put it. I was gonna say it's a tier above Django.

[E]

Yeah, I'll agree.

[D]

Really. Okay.

[E]

And. And I think it's because at this point, Oda has sort of, like, gotten. He's fell into a little bit of a groove with how to do these. And the wapol one for a while is just sort of like falling. It's another falling upwards. Right. It's sort of like the buggy one, but. But it's very like. I love how incremental it is. It's. It's a really great exercise in heightening.

[D]

Yes.

[E]

And it's Looney Tunes.

[A]

Yes.

[E]

It's total fucking Looney Tunes. It's like, hey, here's what. Hey, Wapol has a really crazy power, right? Like, let's. Let's play with that. And that's sort of what we're dealing with here. And where he ends up fantastic, like, cataclysmic. I feel like he ends up, like, where. The fact that he's such a big proponent in the story now, too, is testament to that. But, like, it's so funny that you see him literally, like, just homeless. The dog keeps pissing on him.

[A]

Oh, I forgot. That happens several times. Okay. That happens many times.

[B]

Until he eventually eats the dog.

[E]

No, he's this. He's this, like.

[A]

Oh, he does it.

[D]

Combines it with a robot.

[A]

Combines it with a robot, sad giant

[E]

hippo man who just smells of piss and smells of dog piss. And then he accidentally. He actually. 3D invents 3D printing in the world of One Piece. And then he marries my wife. So I

[A]

also makes, what, Emmett Toy, kind of. I'm stretching things there.

[E]

And Dr. Emmett Brown. That's right. He.

[C]

He.

[E]

He invents Funko Pops.

[A]

That's true.

[B]

He does.

[A]

He invents. If anyone would have invented Funko Pops, it would be Waffle. No offense, Ken, but also.

[E]

No, I think. I think. I think it's. I wouldn't put an S tier. I would also put it in a tier maybe above Django. I got to think about that, because personal bias is really going to dictate that for me.

[A]

But these things.

[E]

But I, But I. But I do think that. I do think that's a. I think that Steve's kind of right on with that placement.

[A]

Steven, what. What are your thoughts?

[C]

Yeah, I think it's. I think it's very funny the fact that, like, we were talking about Hachis is 40 entries and Waffles is 23. So, like, it's just so much more economical.

[B]

And.

[C]

Yeah, just the, The. The use of repetition, I think, is to great effect and I love it. I would. For me, it's an S tier, but I, I do think, you know that there's a good argument for A. As well. So just since it. Since it is kind of. I wouldn't. I don't want to say formulaic, but it is a relatively simple sort of ordering of events.

[E]

I would say that I do. I Think I put this one over Kobe Helmutpo personally, like in my. My personal book. Just because it's so funny and one of the only ones who get animated. Crazy, right?

[A]

This one got. Oh yeah. Kind of had to. Yeah, you're right.

[E]

Yeah. And it's real funny. Like they. They really just kind of zoom past it. But it's. It's. They. They. The use of comedic timing is. Is.

[B]

But it was a slide show.

[D]

Yeah, it was like.

[E]

It was like images.

[D]

They just kind of colored them and put them on. Him doing the Little Match Girl bit is so funny to me.

[B]

I love that, hearing that in his voice.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Which one? That's the.

[D]

The Little Match Girl.

[B]

Wait, now.

[A]

I don't know what you're talking about.

[B]

I think I kind of like what

[D]

Alex was saying, chapter 247,

[A]

where it

[B]

feels like it hits the same beats that Buggy and Jango and Hachi were doing. So kind of like the novelty is a little off here, so I think it kind of loses that. But it's.

[A]

I.

[B]

It is really. It is really funny. Me, I'm still sticking with top of a.

[A]

So these are the reasons I agree with Ken and I would put it toward the top, if not at the top. And I would not have said this. I mean, having reread all of them, this one is I think probably the funniest, which says a lot because I think many of them are very funny, as I've mentioned. But like the him in the same pose and different things is really hilarious. The fact that he goes corporate, I think as like the kind of rise of an evil tyrant is also very funny. Just like, I don't know, the. The. Just the series of things that happen. I feel like are. Are better executed than the Buggy one. More unique and expand the world in the way that I had mentioned at the beginning. And it's also just fun to see him get humiliated for the first half. Yes, it ends up in a cataclysmic kind of him getting back in power sort of way, but it is fun to see karma happen here for a little bit.

[B]

In a pre egghead world. I didn't want to see Waffle succeed. That's the one thing too. Oh, but it ends with him being successful, so.

[A]

Yeah, but I mean, not all stories have happy endings like that. I get,

[E]

oh no, he saw the devil. He doesn't have a happy ending.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

No. Yeah, not anymore. No. He's.

[C]

Yes. It's questionable how much happiness this has brought him.

[B]

So I forget, Alex, where do you have this

[E]

probably where you do, but I would say it's like S. Cusp. It's like a S Cusp. Like, it's very, very close of Django, I feel like.

[B]

Did we get Steven's, like, definitive.

[A]

Oh, yeah, Steven.

[C]

What did Stephen says S. I had said S.

[E]

I could see an argument for either S or A personally, but it's. I think it is above John.

[B]

I'm cool with it being at the bottom of S. Okay, okay. Because Alex and I are kind of outvoted here anyway, so.

[A]

So I have to be okay with. So that's waffle.

[E]

No, I mean, I have no problem with it either. Like, that's. I think it's a fine place for it. It's a really great one.

[D]

It's really funny. I think every page is some of oda's best facial expressions. Not even just waffle, but like, even, like the characters in the crying people exclaiming. It's really, really funny. And it sets him up later to like, okay, he's in power again now. We can come back to him later on. Which he comes back later on as the Black Drum Kingdom, whatever they call it. It's all set up perfectly here. It's a good. Again, when the COVID stories come back into the full later on, I think it elevates the story itself, which I think this one does very well.

[A]

It's also during skypiea and the end of Alabaster. Right. So it's like some of the. This is Oda, like, really on fire with art. And the next one as well. Like, we're in, like, some of the just golden age ODA stuff, in my opinion, just art wise. So let's. Let's move on to the next one, which is Ace's great search for Blackbeard. Alex, you want to start?

[E]

Yeah, sure. I. I just skimmed it and I'm always of the opinion this one's an underrated gem. I think that this gives us more fun with Ace than the entire actual regular series does, 100%. Like, if there's any argument for Ace to not be a poochie, I think it's this cover story. It's cute and it's. I think one of the only times we see, like, a pirate, like, infiltrate the Navy like that. It's kind of fun. Like, it's a real fun, like, little. It's a oner. It's. It's a oner. It's a romp. It also kind of gives us insight into what kind of person Ace is outside of all the flashbacks. Post death that we've seen at this point. I like the Navy character. The Navy captain, Mr. I hate. I hate this coffee. It sucks ass. What's his name?

[A]

That is. Do they say it's a character?

[C]

Because it's coffee handles the money.

[A]

Oh, coffee mill.

[E]

Oh, that's funny.

[A]

I knew it was gonna be a pun. It's like, this is a pun.

[E]

It's got the Dr. Blackbeard joke.

[B]

Very funny.

[E]

I think. I think about that a lot.

[A]

Very good joke.

[E]

I think about that one a lot.

[B]

Why shouldn't I change my name? Because that topless asshole.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

He's the one who.

[E]

Yeah, again, like this one, I call it a oner because it really doesn't. It doesn't further Ace's story, but it just sort of gives us a little bit of an insight as to, like, you know, how he. How he handles things, what his whole sort of vibe is. And I guess he gets intel that Blackbeard's on Bonaro Island.

[A]

Oh, maybe.

[E]

Who. Who's to say? Like, no, no. He gets the letter, but then he's

[A]

got, like, a pamphlet about Blackbeard. Yeah.

[E]

Yeah. So I think it's. Who knows what kind of information that was. I'm guessing it was his whereabouts, but at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter because, you know, it's. It's just kind of a fun one. And done. I would probably put it above Hachi just because of the length. I. I think it's pretty.

[A]

The one thing I want to know that I just forgot is that the whole bitter coffee thing is like, the milk is the answer. The whole time to that gag is really just, like, expertly set up. It's like.

[E]

It's really good.

[A]

You think with these cover stories, he's making it up as he goes along? Because he could, and sometimes I think he does. But with this one, it clearly had a plan for this gag, which is great, at least for half of it.

[E]

And Moda, the milkmaid Moda, who shows up again in Lulusia, I guess we find out that's, you know, where this is. That has no bearing on where I put this at all. Moto showing up later. I'm like, okay, that's cool. I don't like that. Has no bearing as to where. I'm, like, ranking this, like, where this is in the story. I think this is a fine one. And done. I like it a lot.

[B]

I like to cover this story. We have a G8 arc, and it's canon, correct? Correct, very much. You know, the Infiltrating the Navy base.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I like what Alex said. Like, Ace was shaken, you know, shook off the. The poochie allegations. If we got to see this kind of, you know, become more of, like, mainstream, I would say it's really funny, but it's one I kind of forget about. So I can't give it the highest rating, but I think B above Hachi.

[A]

I like that, Ken.

[D]

Yeah, I agree with all that. I like the fact that Moder comes back to the story. It doesn't make this more amazing for me, but I do like that attention to D Le to bring back the characters from the COVID story. I really like the design of Mota's. I think that's her dad with the chef's hat on. And the shot of Ace on top of the admiral's head with the bullets going through, I think is a really just cool visual and showing off his power more.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

But, yeah, it's a good one. I wanna say it's forgettable, but it's a lot of just Ace doing some cool action things here and there. And again, it's cool seeing it infiltrate the marines, but I don't know. It's fine. I like where it is on the arm.

[A]

He gets to be a character more than any other point in the series by a long shot. He is a. Even. Even his flat. Even the flashback where he's a kid.

[B]

Yeah. What's Marineford?

[E]

No, no, I. Marineford is him going,

[A]

yeah, that's the end of his life. Like, that's like him. You're right. He does do a lot of that in the anime.

[E]

But it's him.

[B]

And when I use a picture from the COVID story for my obituary.

[A]

Exactly. No, but this is like him living, like, his life a little bit more like him just being.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

A person.

[E]

I would also say that. And I'm not one who. I'm not one to write fanfic, but I'm saying I would. I would say that if you're going to write Ace fanfic, then it's required reading to cover story.

[C]

Yeah, Yeah.

[A]

I haven't. To be fair, I haven't read the Ace novels, but the image.

[E]

The image of him with the fishbone in his mouth is one of my. I love the. I love that. I love it. It's my favorite. My favorite Ace mode. I've just eaten a fish and the bones hanging out of my mouth. That's my favorite.

[A]

Like, rabid. Like, it's very good. It's a very good face.

[B]

Kind of the last time Ace gets to be a weirdo.

[A]

Yeah, it's One Piece. Everyone should be a weirdo. It's real life. Everyone is a weirdo. So, like, the thing that we like about One Piece is that he leans into that with characters. And I think that's where we get to be fair though. He has a 2, 4, 6, 8. He has a 10 pack here in that same picture. But. But no, we lean into it because like One Piece accentuates the weirdness. And that's what we like about it, I think. And our characters we like weird. That's why Waffle is in the S tier right now. And Poggy and Kobe and Helmeppo and Django. But yeah, go ahead, Ken. Sorry.

[D]

I love his face on chapter 288. He's like freaking out and his mouth is full of food. He has a little pencil drawn mustache on as he's sweating behind the wall. I don't know why, but that's such a funny image to me. Funny expression.

[A]

He also promotes himself, I think several times here because he becomes a commander. And I'm almost positive he's not starting as one.

[D]

He keeps stealing more clothes as the story goes on.

[A]

Oh, yeah. And then, yeah, he's definitely like a vice admiral or something at the end of it. Yeah. Because he's wearing. Not the cape where the coat, the cloak.

[D]

And he burns it all off as he runs away.

[A]

Very funny. Yeah, I, I agree with you guys generally though, like A to B. Yeah,

[C]

yeah, I was gonna say that my. I, I would lean a little closer to B just because I don't think it's quite as memorable. Although there's nothing really wrong with it. But I do, I think Alex put it really well that this is kind of like the best place to actually see him fleshed out as a character because his, his appearances are so brief prior to Marineford and everything. And that's obviously him at his worst, not at his best. So it is valuable in that, in that sense, for getting a sense of like, who Ace is as a character.

[A]

And it's him on an adventure. It builds the world and the characters a little bit. I mean, it is very good, particularly in a vacuum. Like, I don't have any issues with it. I do agree though. I forget that it's something that happened. So, I mean, you could say that with a lot of these, to be fair. But let's go to the next one.

[D]

All right.

[A]

An angel comes down from the sky and who is it?

[D]

It's good that Suh. This is goodatsu's. Unexpected life. The Blue sea, I think it is.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

I mean, also in contention for one of the funniest ones. I think personally. Yeah, I'm a big fan of.

[A]

It is very funny and it is. This is the one people forget. I feel like this is the one that.

[E]

This is. This. Well, this is the one that I. The first one that I did week to week. This is the first one I read. I was. I remember. I remember weekly. Like that first chapter, like, who's that flying from the sky? Oh, my God. Who is it? Who is it?

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

It's a bird, it's a plane, and

[A]

it's a good outside.

[E]

Yeah. Boy. Let me tell you. The Arlong park forums were ablaze with. With. Oh, who could this be?

[A]

What were the predictions?

[E]

And so curious.

[A]

I'm like.

[B]

Then later they found out it was Kidatsu

[C]

pretty much.

[E]

I don't think anybody had a problem with it.

[A]

No, it's a cover story.

[E]

It's. It's. It's a curious. It's a curious one. It's sort of. I guess the point of it ultimately is to say, hey, Alabasta is still kicking. Just keeping your. Keep in your head that Alabasta is relevant. And honestly, at that point, for me as someone who had been into the series for a couple years and I really loved Alabasta. And then week to week, I get to see some of my old friends again. It was fun for me.

[A]

You're talking about Pal, I think.

[E]

Yeah. Pel's. That was. That was monumental. I remember being a. I don't. I don't care about Pel. Just generally. But I do think that him showing back up in the manga was like, oh, my God, he's alive. And I remember. I remember the din. The Internet din at the time.

[B]

I think the. I don't know.

[E]

Not sure where to rank it yet.

[B]

Yeah, I think with Pel. Let me just talk about this as a whole. Yeah, I think it's very funny. I like the birds that have Gadatsu's hair. Godatsu, I think, is a very underrated character.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

He's definitely. He's the best skypiea underling by far.

[A]

Agreed. Yes.

[B]

No contest.

[E]

There's not even a contest. He's the only one who has a Kia.

[D]

It's not very high bar to hit, honestly.

[B]

Great arc, but not the best. Then again, that arc is bigger than. It's like. It's some of his parts.

[C]

There's a lot of different characters in it.

[E]

Yeah.

[B]

See, the. The true Villain is gentrification. To be fair, that is kind of

[A]

what that it was. It was more colonialism. Yeah, yeah, colonialism. That's it.

[B]

But it's, it's. It works so well for this character. It's perfect. But it has no impact on anything. Despite it kind of being an Alabasta, like a post Alabasta cover story too. This feels like a filler episode for those characters. And I think maybe if this was written today, it would have sidebarred to kind of show Pel's reunion with the Neffeltaris and all that. Instead, he's just like, yeah. And yeah, Pell eventually found his way home.

[E]

I do think

[D]

he never changed.

[A]

He never changed. That's the. That's the meme. Yeah.

[E]

I think this one might have been, you know, concocted during a point where Oda thought that, you know, one piece would still end relatively quickly after this because, you know, water. Yeah, yeah, this is Skypiea into water. Like Long Ring, Long Land into water 7. And the inclusion of Vivi, basically making, you know, the viewer, Viewers, the readers think, oh, hey, yeah, Vivi, that's a character that, that exists, you know, like, we want to keep Vivi at the back of our heads at all time because obviously she's so important to what appears to be the end game of the story. Now, I wonder personally if like, the Ucari hot spring is maybe where, like, oh, after the world is saved, that's where everybody's gonna go hang out.

[B]

And that doesn't have a huge impact on the story, you know?

[E]

No, but it, it like, you know, it's, hey, a famous hot spring. Let's all go and hang out there to celebrate. Blah, blah, blah. This is just.

[B]

I love that Frosty chocolate hot springs.

[A]

What?

[D]

Frosty chocolate hot springs.

[A]

Okay, I'll write it down, but I

[B]

don't know what it means.

[D]

It's like a mud bath.

[B]

But how could something be frosty and hot at the same time?

[E]

Frothy.

[B]

I don't.

[D]

Well, steak.

[B]

Like, I don't hate this one, but I don't think it deserves to be up there with some of the all time greats.

[E]

I think it's a B.

[B]

D feels mean.

[D]

D feels wrong.

[C]

No, no, no, no, no.

[B]

C feels appropriate.

[E]

I think, I think it's. I think it's a low B. I don't think it should be.

[C]

I mean, I'm going to be an apologist for this one because I am the skypiea guy, so I do love it. It's definitely true that it has no bearing on the story at all. And in fact, like, this is the first one, I think, where you look at this and you're like, oh, that's why Oda invented this character. Like he was going cover story guy later on because he was always like the wacky. One of the. Of the. The priests under Ener's leadership had that

[A]

in mind first, maybe.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

That's funny.

[C]

I think so. Yeah. I think.

[D]

I think the opposite. I think I was like, oh, this is the only one people liked. Let me reuse him then.

[C]

Yeah, it could be either way.

[A]

I think he learns to cross his arms at the end of this, though, right? Like, that's his big lesson at the end of the day.

[E]

No, I think it's still. Oh, I didn't cross, like, the.

[A]

Was it second?

[D]

346.

[A]

346. He's crossing his arms. Are his buttons supposed to look like cat eyes? I'm just noticing, like, now, today in the year 2026. Is that just me?

[B]

No. Nice.

[E]

I think it's just coincidence.

[B]

And I said there wasn't character development in this one.

[A]

Yeah, no, there was. He learns how to.

[E]

It is.

[A]

It is really funny how he doesn't know two things. Like eating a sandwich with his.

[B]

Anything.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Do things.

[A]

Pickaxe. Picking an axe while standing on the

[B]

side of a wall.

[A]

For some reason, I live. It's. It's. It's. It's very funny. I. I think I agree with Steve. Like, B to C. Like, I want to say this is the most. It's both underrated and also I don't think the forgettableness of it or the detachment is a bad thing. That's. That's my difference.

[E]

It meanders a little, though.

[A]

Yeah. It's not really.

[E]

It's a little meandering.

[A]

It doesn't really have as much punchiness with the humor and it doesn't have as much punchiness with the story.

[D]

The earth boss and the forest boss just kind of like digging and building and like.

[A]

I mean, those are gags. Yeah. I mean, they're there for gags. I'm gonna punch you now.

[E]

I do wanna. I do wanna point out in the. Was this volume nine, which is what? Chapter 323. When him and the. The hot springs boss are. You know, they're. They're stoking the fire where Gadatsu's head towel is. It's just on his hairdo. It's very funny.

[A]

Just sort of draped. Wait, which one?

[D]

It's chapter 323.

[A]

I love when he's facing the wrong way in the photo. I think is phenomenal. Oh yeah, you're right. I didn't notice that. 3. What is it? 343 22. 320. No, I'm talking about 339. So volume 23 of the Gadatsu one where he's just facing the wrong way in the photo is very funny. Yeah.

[C]

I mean you could. You could give it a little credit for being kind of. It's kind of like the most lol. So random of the. Of the COVID stories. I don't know if there's another one that is like an more of an odd duck, so to speak, than this one.

[A]

Oh yeah. He has not done once. They're all. Since. I think. I think all the ones after this are like much more.

[E]

Oh, do you know what? So there's a. There's a tunnel that goes from Alabasta to Ukari, right? I mean, if something happens to the country of Alabasta, they got someplace to go, right? If a mother flame were to destroy the country, they just go to the tunnel and they've.

[B]

Doesn't that flood the tunnel?

[C]

It's like the library in Elbaf. Oh, everyone took the tunnel. They're all safe. All 2 million of them.

[E]

I think that's what it is. I think that's what it is.

[A]

I wouldn't set up for that.

[E]

Theory crafting. I'm theory crafting.

[C]

I wouldn't put it past him.

[E]

That's the hot springs.

[B]

Or it could just be like every other time some weapon is used, like, oh, they missed. You know, it's usually what happens. Anyway.

[D]

Did the hot springs show up in Film Red at all? I forget.

[E]

No, no, no, no, no. Red is this place Kazan Onsen.

[D]

Gotcha. Thank you.

[E]

Because it's almost my last name.

[B]

You know what?

[C]

That.

[B]

For now we should move on. Because I think now we've. We've talked about.

[E]

That was Film's ad.

[B]

We've talked about Gadatsu's cover story longer than it takes to read it.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

No, no, I think we've done that with these, to be honest.

[E]

Plus we've got a really good one coming up next.

[D]

This one's great.

[A]

What's the next one, ken?

[D]

This is Ms. Golden Week's big plan. A baroque reunion.

[E]

Oh, man. This one was.

[A]

This one.

[E]

This one was pandemonium week to week.

[A]

Let me tell you, this one I like. I think this is just before I started catching up week to week. So I like. I didn't this one didn't really hit me as much at the time, but damn, it's great.

[E]

This is S tier.

[A]

Yeah. Like, I. For whatever reason, it wasn't like memorable at the. Maybe when I read it originally because there's a lot of other stuff happening. It's during Ohara and all of that stuff. And Ennis lobby. Yeah, true. Yeah, it's very good.

[E]

It's got the. It's got my panel boys. They're here. Like, that's. I think that was my big. The Return of Jungle and Full Body and Hinata actually Lasso is in it. Yeah. All of my. All of my glove shoes are here.

[A]

This is just for Alex.

[E]

This one's. This one. This one is S tier for me. I would put it. I would probably put it just below Buggy, between Buggy and Walpole, I think. I. I really like.

[A]

Even the unluckies are here.

[E]

And it has a. It has a Dorian brogy here. Like it's got. And it has bearing on the story big time. Oh, yeah. I. I feel like. I feel like the anime did this or did this. A real. A real disservice by just like. Oh, yeah. Baroque Works are also here at Impel down, but they didn't go to the links to show this because it's so fun and it really makes Ms. Golden Week a sympathetic character.

[D]

You mean?

[A]

Not like a psychopath like in the.

[E]

Yeah, like in the live action. Jesus Christ. I mean, it actually gives most of Brookworks a little air of sympathy here because they all just are trying to chase their. Their crazy dream, which is. Which is to. To have jobs.

[C]

Yeah, it is fun. It is. It is funny that, like. Yeah, it just reveals that they. They all had these kind of kooky dreams. And it just makes me wonder, like, is that. Is that like a requirement? Like that all the people who join, like conspiracy theory, like criminal mastermind groups are they all just. They're all just like misfits and outcasts who are looking to make their dreams come true and on some level. And this is what it would look like if they actually succeeded.

[A]

I forgot that Mr. Four, the joke that he becomes a pizza Delivery man within 30 hours.

[C]

30 hours. Yeah.

[A]

He wrote that in English too, right? That's very good.

[C]

Yeah, that's.

[A]

Good job, Oda.

[E]

My favorite thing about Lasso wanting to become a tank is that Lasso's actually a gun. Like, what would a gun dream of? Like, to become a bigger gun?

[A]

He's the. He's a gun who has a dog. Fruit Right. Not the other way around. Yeah. So. No, that is perfect. It's the gun is dreaming of being a tank.

[E]

And poor, poor Miss Double Finger just. She just goes back to being a bartender. Like.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Well, no, she was living that. Pornographic. She was living her.

[E]

She was living her. Yeah. She was living her best life.

[A]

Ms. Merry Christmas is the princess. Princess, excellent. The firefighter, Mr. Five and the hero, Mr. Funny that like immediately add like, he's a sentai hero. Like.

[D]

Yeah, it feels like you play a video game and you buy like costume packs for characters and it's like, weird. Yeah,

[A]

yeah, yeah.

[D]

I like this more than. I like this more than Buggy and Coby Helmeppo. I think. Like, this is really good.

[B]

I always wonder why crocodile and Mr. White.

[A]

Yeah, that part made no sense. I'm not saying it's bad. I just nodded.

[B]

Not like Crocodile. A plan like Blackbeard did with Impel Down.

[E]

It's because they're lovers, Steve.

[A]

Oh, right.

[E]

Somebody had to say it.

[B]

I mean, they could be lovers out of prison.

[E]

Well, I don't know. You've seen Oz, right? I mean, me either. You've seen wizard of Oz.

[B]

I called your bluff there. I've seen the wizard of. Yeah, just not.

[A]

I didn't notice Mr. Two's dressed as Mr. Three. He has the three. I did not realize that Mr. Three was dressed as Mr. Two because he is like the shirt with the under duress. Fair.

[E]

Under duress. He's a decoy. Like, it's very funny.

[A]

This is such. There's so many little things. It's very funny.

[E]

Oh, fun fact. When Jongo and for full body first show up here, I one of the. One of the first oticons that I ever went to or I guess the third time I ever cosplayed. I did a summer fun, Django. And it's basically this little outfit. He's just got the inner tube and the. The whistle and the little swim trunks.

[A]

No, that's from the beginning of it. Yeah. This is a long one, right? This.

[E]

It's. It's. It. It's a long one, but it just. It keeps moving and there's nothing is left on the floor here. I think that's. I think that's a testament to it, the fact that it's so long. But it's just really fun to read

[A]

and Mr. 5 and Ms. Golden Week and they're like. At the beginning, like, I'm sorry, Mr. Five. And they're really all.

[E]

Yeah, they're.

[A]

They're all great. Yeah, they all. It's a lot of fun. Why is Dory waving goodbye to them? That's the one question I had out of this.

[B]

Like, Dory would prefer they stay.

[E]

Look, he's not waving. He's not waving. Bye bye. He's waving. Ga. Bye bye. Bye bye.

[A]

Okay. All right. That one.

[B]

It's not his laugh, though.

[E]

I don't care. I don't fucking care, man.

[A]

It's a good joke because when he's

[D]

saying goodbye, that's volume. That's volume six of the story. And then it spins off to just Golden Week. Big plan. A baroque reunion side story, Giant island. Afterwards, it's just them punching. Like it's just a one page departure from the story.

[A]

No, it's just because they're supposed to. You have to know they're still punching each other. Yeah, yeah,

[B]

yeah. This is like the current cover story. I remember when I was going all in on the. Like on One piece in general, despite not being caught up. So this one, there's a lot of nostalgia here and like a little air mystery still too, with Crocodile. Him wanting to be King of the Pirates.

[A]

I think I would put this above Buggy, but below Kobe Helmetpo. Personally, I think it goes all the.

[D]

I think. I think it goes all the way to the top person.

[B]

I think it's. I would say below Kobe and Helmeppo.

[D]

Below Kobe.

[E]

Okay, that's probably a good place for it. But then again.

[A]

Then again, what?

[E]

Like I said, Cobain Helmeppo is. It's a good one. Not my favorite.

[A]

I get it.

[E]

No.

[A]

Okay, let's go to the next one. Unless there's a big. Anyone has a to do about this. This one I have to introduce because I'm forced to enter his great space mission. Cataloging Eniru's travels through the moon, on the Moon and some other side stories. Also, everyone knows I adore this one. Not just because I think it's a fun story with a fun character, but because of like the. The implications, the lore, the. Like the. The real world building in this one. Like this one legitimately is like there to world build. And there's still so many questions in this one. Plus it's adorable. And it's like a good. There's funny. There's good character stuff. Like the Enaru shoot first, ask questions later joke I think is very funny. What was it? Attack the city first, ask questions later.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Makes no sense at all. And the fact that he gets exactly what he wants. And also he's like, get off of my damn moon. Whoever the hell you are. It's. It's all excellent.

[E]

The tsukimi get off my mood.

[A]

Yeah. The Dr. Sukimi stuff is adorable. The fact that they float up with balloons is very funny. It's that. And the designs are crazy. And it's just so out of left field. It's excellent. In my opinion. Like, this is. This is. I think I have good reason to like this one.

[D]

I agree with you, Zach. But the problem is that of all the COVID stories, this is the one that has not come back into the fold or been.

[A]

Just wait for it, Ken. Wait for it.

[D]

That's the thing. Once it does, if it does come back to the fold, it will. I will love this one to the nth degree. But as of right now, where it stands, it's like, okay, it's cool, it's interesting. He does nothing with it. Then it's.

[E]

Oh, come on.

[B]

Oh, Ken.

[A]

Throw something at him.

[E]

So little. Ken. Ken. Yeah, this one. This one is one that was. That definitely has aged like wine.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yes.

[E]

One. I. Week to week, this flummoxed me. Yeah, absolutely. Totally.

[D]

I remember that.

[E]

I was like, what the fuck is going on? I didn't care about the spaces. I was like, what the fuck are these space pirates? Like, what's entered doing up there? I guess he. I guess he thought that the verth was the moon along. Haha. But why is this happening?

[A]

Well, no, we knew about the moon, obviously. At the end of skypiea, he literally is going to the moon.

[E]

Yeah, yeah. He's going towards the moon. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I do feel like, yeah, that's a proper place for it. I think. I do think that, like, yeah, this will somehow end up being the most important of all the COVID stories. By virtue of the hieroglyphs at the end.

[D]

It totally could. I totally expect it to be a thing, but.

[E]

And I mean, like, let's. Let's just get this out of the way. Enery was great. We love him. It's great to see more. More of this guy, you know, screwing around and amassing an army. But yeah, I think that. I think that this is definitely the. The one that it's just like, oh, yeah, put in the ground, ferment it, and you got some grade A kimchi right there.

[A]

This is good Kimchi. Don't have it as mochi, though.

[D]

Anaroo's kimchi.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Potential is the word I think of with this one.

[D]

Yes.

[B]

With a hard P. I don't have a probably good enough filter for that. No, we. We have heard not A peep of this since, you know, this was in the manga like 18 years ago. But everyone knows as soon you know, it's like it's like an elephant in the room kind of like we just know, like it's going to play a huge part in this. It's just a matter of when. Because I think that's what it's just all hell's going to break loose. So just constantly going back and looking at this and just knowing like this is just, you know, this is on deck. Like this is in the chamber. It's coming up. I can't help but look back at it and be excited for what this all means. Especially now with Elbaf with the Harley and how much it resembles the, you know, the hieroglyphics, you know, the paintings

[E]

that Eniru found and the underground or the city in the moon. Like, it's very similar to the fact of the first age and the fact

[A]

that the past is the future. You know, like the future tech of the past like really fits into this.

[D]

Particularly the arc Maxim or something that looks like the arc Maxim is on the big mural too.

[E]

Like.

[A]

Yeah, the fact that Oda and he's, you know, he has done this with characters and cover stories before, so it's not unfounded. But the fact he put this into the chamber so long ago. 18 in the year 2007 and 8. He put this into 1865. He, during the Civil War, he put this into the chamber at John Wilkes Booth. No was Otis fault is what I'm trying to say. But it's really incredible. Like it's because it ages like wine. Because the longer it takes for this to like, for this trigger to be pulled, like it almost becomes more like critical. It becomes more, you know, fascinating. I will say if it never gets resolved, the amount of disappointment I will have will be immense. So there to Ken. I will give that one one.

[B]

I also note that like, we've never seen a post time skip enteru design. Like, and now there's been plenty of chances to just show what that is.

[D]

We've kind of seen it. He's drawn Enaru once Post time skip in a cover story request.

[A]

We don't know if that's post time skip.

[E]

I wouldn't know how he would call that anything.

[B]

He's never really.

[E]

We know what his hair looks like.

[B]

Yes. It'd be funny if he has a big afro or I would. I would laugh my ass off if he had cornrows,

[E]

you know. Steven, what's your. What's your take.

[C]

I love this one. This one for me is. It's S tier all the way. I. I think that in addition to the obvious like the. The lore implications and that stuff, like. And the. The fascination with like the totally different sort of design language that Oda used in this setting, I love that it like it's so kind of unapologetic for Enaru. Like he is not reformed in any way. Like his conscience is completely untroubled by everything that's going on. He is just in his. In his element up here doing Enaru things and I. I love that for him. I think that's. That's great.

[B]

It's very consistent with his character because even when he comes across more ruins of an ancient city, he's like, I'm gonna destroy it.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Of course that's not exactly what happens is it winds up like powering it on.

[A]

Powering it up. Excellent.

[B]

But it's.

[A]

I love his. I really like to the tilted head. Excellent.

[E]

I'm really looking forward to. To seeing perhaps Emu's face fault when he realizes, oh, the ancient kingdom is actually populated and filled with electricity and there's a God here. I don't know. I want. I want. I want there to be like enter to have like a weird win here because there's something going on off planet and Yeah, I think this isn't. This is probably US tier 2. I. It's just. It's just a real all timer and I think if you say cover story to a one piece fan, this is one of the ones that they're gonna

[A]

like bring up as they should. And I'm glad, I'm glad we've been. We've been singing its praise for quite some time. So I'm glad everyone else agrees.

[E]

I think. I think when we. When we finish this up, by the way, we might have to relitigate some of the S years because maybe we shouldn't have so many.

[C]

Yeah, we're not.

[D]

That's not bad. These are fluid. These are fluid.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I would put. I would put Eneru at the top of the S tier personally. But that's just me. I don't get the ultimate say if everyone else disagrees.

[E]

But I mean I love it. I just. I like other ones better. Fun. Fun wise. But this is like. This has like. This has the fucking juice.

[D]

Do you think we ever get a straw hats go to the moon arc? Or is it more of Enryu comes back down from the moon to help out kind of thing?

[A]

Probably the Second. But I hope the first. Like if that makes sense.

[D]

I was.

[E]

We've wanted. We've wanted the moon for a long time. We've been very vocal about it. But at this point. Yeah, at this point it might be the moon comes to them. Yeah.

[D]

I was so convinced that the early parts of Egghead that when they had to escape the island like all right, they're gonna escape in a rocket and go to the moon. Like that's what it was gonna like. It's the perfect send off. But that's not what happened.

[A]

419Bungo in the chat also mentioned that the automatons came from the Same island as Dr. Vegapunk. So Dr. Tsukimi's. I think we mentioned that. Right.

[D]

They can't forget it.

[A]

Not today. I think at the time like I kind of remember talking.

[C]

I forget if they name dropped Dr. Tsukimi.

[A]

They had. No, not. They didn't name drop Dr. Tsukimi. But it was the island that it happens on which I closed the window for some reason. But yeah, let's move to the next one. We still have a bunch.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

CP9. Or as it's also called CP9's independent report.

[B]

I think right off the bat this was one that I so desperately thought was gonna be another Miss Golden Week. And it's not. Doesn't hit the same.

[E]

Yeah, no, yeah. I totally, totally, totally agree. This was the one by the way, that I think starts dipping.

[D]

This is.

[E]

This is a. This is a solid C for me.

[A]

And I agree with that.

[E]

I as much as. As much as I love CP9, nothing. They come back into the phrase CP0 not having changed. There's nothing about this to me that does anything for CPU night except for the two really great ones where they're bowling.

[A]

The one with the. The giraffe slide and sure.

[E]

But giraffe slide. Like it's basically the, the. The synopsis of this one is CP9 is bruised and beaten. They're homeless and they need jobs because Spandam fired them I guess. And then they. They basically make money so they can what, pay for Lucci's hospital bills. And then they go bowling and then they defeat some pirates. And then what? They. They go back to where they used to train and. And what like Lucci says. What does Lucci say to Spandom at the end here?

[C]

Just says yeah, we'll. We'll be back.

[E]

Yeah. This doesn't like. There's nothing about this really that it's just kind of fun. It's. But it's very Derivative.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

There's nothing about it. Which sucks.

[A]

I was just gonna say I like seeing Spandam beat up that much. That's great. Go ahead.

[B]

I think I was just completely misinterpreting what was going on because Lucci's like, oh, we'll be back. And I remember way back because this was like. This is early podcast days, these chapters.

[A]

No, this is before the podcast. We'll get to the first podcast.

[B]

We talked about this a bunch.

[A]

We did, we did.

[B]

As I was saying, and I thought, like, oh, are they just gonna become pirates or something? And it just turns out they all got emotions. I think if the last two chapters of this didn't just end with, like, Spondom and Spondyne, like, coins, you know, co. Spiring. Sorry.

[D]

I'm plotting.

[C]

Conspiring.

[B]

Conspiring. Sorry. Conspiring to, like, get rid of them. I thought, oh, yeah, so they're out of the government, these guys.

[A]

They also are very good or whatever.

[B]

And then just. They just. They got a promotion. It's almost. I kind of wish there was something like a bigger thing that they, you know, stopped. Like, these just. The candy pirates don't feel like that much of a. Hey, you know what? Sorry about that. But it was kind of more like. I think knowing what we know now, I wish we saw something. The story that saw. Actually, it was. Spawned them. It's like, oh, you're in trouble, buddy, and you're getting demoted. These guys are getting promoted. I think that would have been better. So, yeah, when it just. We find out that CP9 is in. CP0 was like, Yep.

[A]

Oh, okay. This one is like.

[B]

It's like George Costanza quitting and then showing up for work on Monday.

[E]

That's exactly right. I think, honestly, my favorite parts about this are the water 7. Where are they now? At the beginning. I like seeing Saints Paulie getting chased by St. Poplar. Is that where they end up?

[A]

That's one of the. The ones on the train, too, the places.

[E]

And, yeah, it's another. It's cool. We get to see more of the world.

[C]

Another thing about this series is this is the first time, I think, where, like, there are several instances in it where you can tell that the assistants were not able to do background art because the backgrounds just honestly just look like. Because, like, Oda was just kind of freehand sketching them sort of

[D]

squares or clothes.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

Volume six. The one. The one where Khalifa is, like, doing like.

[E]

Like.

[C]

Like looking up, feeling the rain with the suds all around. It's just It. Oh, yeah, super scratchy. And, you know, there's. There's obviously a point where you can start to identify that sort of thing happening more often in the art of one piece. And. And this, to me was like. I think some early instances of it where you can kind of point it to it and say, like, yeah, this. It didn't used to look like this.

[A]

The COVID stories will always be the first indication.

[C]

Right?

[A]

They're the lowest priority.

[C]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

Yeah, Yeah. I think. I think this is kind of an example of, like, when Ken's fears come to pass where, like, this cover story wasn't great at the time, but I think it was made worse by the CP0 stuff and tricera, if we.

[E]

If we see them. If we saw them again as pirates, that would. That would have been really cool. That would have been a pop. Yeah.

[B]

Egghead. When. I don't think Egghead would have worked

[E]

as well, you know.

[A]

Well, it could have been something completely different.

[B]

I said, I don't. I don't.

[E]

I don't think you need. You don't need Lucci and Kaku in Egghead.

[B]

Actually. No, I think it's. I think. I think it all worked out because the rematches and Egghead feel earned. But I just think this cover story just.

[C]

This cover story, it just wasn't.

[A]

Yeah, it's probably Retconned is what it was. Yeah.

[D]

It would have been cool to see if this cover story was them as pirates. At the end, the government's like, hey, we want you back on our force. Kind of like when they give the. The warlords, like, a free pass. Come back, work for us. CP0, you're in charge. That guy. Your old boss is gone.

[A]

Like, Spandine is alive. And isn't that great?

[E]

Yeah, who gives a shit?

[B]

Like, when Kalifa wears Jabra's jacket, all of a sudden it becomes snatched.

[E]

Oh, yeah,

[C]

see?

[E]

Oh, I don't know if they fixed this for the volume, but I remember this being week to week. The bowling chapter, they. That Oda didn't put Jabra's Fu Manchu in, and he doesn't have it indoors either, so I.

[B]

He's. He's gonna forget a lot more mustaches where he's going,

[A]

he's going. Okay, so we're going.

[E]

We don't need.

[B]

C is for CP9 and that's good enough for me.

[A]

Yeah, agreed. Agreed. Perfect.

[E]

Yeah.

[D]

Pirates.

[A]

Okay, so now we're doing all of the straw hat ones.

[E]

These are pretty short, so which.

[C]

Which technically Oda counts them each separately as. As one on their own. But there's. There's no point to doing that for these.

[A]

No, I agree.

[E]

There's two of these.

[A]

There's the Sanji one. I want to say first the image, Steve, that you chose. That is the very first panel we did for the one piece manga.

[D]

Study and play come together on a Windows 11 PC. And for a limited time, college students

[A]

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[D]

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[E]

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[D]

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[D]

This summer, serve up the cookout classics craft mayo and dressing. Toss green salads with delicious ranch dressing or zesty Italian. Serve smooth, craveably creamy potato salads with mayo.

[A]

We all know it's not a cookout without craft. Chapter 544 is that image of Sanji in. In Kamabaka as one of the girls.

[B]

Ken, Ken, you're jumping a gun there.

[C]

Yeah,

[A]

I was just.

[D]

Okay, put it back there. Fine.

[E]

Yeah. Put it back.

[D]

Don't touch.

[A]

OG1 was awful. I think we said it at the time. How just awful. That one. Especially since it comes right before. Right after the level 5.5 stuff, I think, which does do a better job with that kind of stuff. Then comes the Robin one.

[E]

I guess if we. If we go by and grade them all, then we can like eventually get to a consensus vote, I think. Because that one's D. That one's D.

[A]

That one is the bottom.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

So. Yeah. Why don't you do this? You'll move it. It'll go up as we like it. The next one is Robin's. They do such terrible things. And that is when she is on the. We don't even know if it's a bridge yet. But she's.

[E]

We have no idea where the fuck they.

[A]

Yeah, no, it's just the. The rebel army. The. The revolutionaries come in.

[D]

Number 12 Robin Robins. They do such terrible things.

[A]

The Frankie one. The first one's great. I'm no good this week. Free roaming cyborg.

[B]

The second one's a bombshell.

[A]

Vega Punk. You're right.

[B]

You're a bit spoiled, but sorry.

[A]

You're right.

[B]

This was a huge deal at the time.

[E]

Moving that one up guy from Egghead. It's a little better.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[D]

Sorry.

[A]

I know.

[B]

I know what you're doing.

[A]

You could move it up

[E]

next. Usops. Usops is fun. The Boeing Archipelago's got all sorts of sweet treats.

[C]

Yeah, it's a very good one too. Ramen where it's like, check out all this awesome food. And then Usopp got fat. Like, that's just a really good one too.

[D]

These are all animated, right? These were all adapted to the anime.

[A]

Yes. It makes sense because the main character, I think.

[E]

What's his name?

[A]

So.

[E]

Heracles. Heracles is a fat enabler.

[A]

I think we made that joke or something. So you could move it up to B now and this will like. Move it up. Yeah. The chopper one is whatever. It's the. I'm not food, you jerks. I mean, it's cute.

[E]

That's fine.

[A]

I wouldn't move it anymore.

[B]

Chopper's like, you know, relocation is probably like, on the most forgettable side, I would say.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

Yeah.

[E]

Yeah.

[D]

I don't like the design of like, the villagers either. They seem like a little too simplistic and a little.

[C]

They're a little too close to stereotype, sort of.

[E]

Yeah, it's very. Tintin goes to.

[C]

Exactly, Exactly.

[A]

Funny has that too. Let's not forget Chopra goes the Congo. Yeah.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

The Nami one is like. I do love Wytharia and the. We just never see this stuff, like, come back with her. It annoys the hell out of me.

[D]

She learns how.

[B]

She learns how to spam. Lightning.

[D]

Lightning bolt.

[A]

It's really annoying. Like the scope her powers could have. And yet.

[C]

Yeah, I love.

[D]

She got Zeus. She's been being carried by Zeus. That's the problem. Zeus is just very old.

[C]

Yeah. I. I love Nami with the Weatheria guys, but like, every time I look at these, it's like the first time I've ever seen them because I just don't. It's like there's nothing memorable.

[D]

I love the weapon.

[B]

The old guy.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Haridas.

[D]

We saw him.

[A]

I have memories of things.

[D]

We saw him at the end of Egghead too. The Vegapunk amalgamate called Vera. Yes. This one would leave.

[A]

I would leave it at C. The brook one is excellent because.

[C]

Oh, now we're in S Tier.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Let's just move it over.

[C]

Satan worshippers.

[A]

No, no, put it.

[E]

The brook one's fun. I like that the Satanists are showing their underwear.

[A]

It's all.

[B]

We need to offer him more.

[A]

That's what they're saying. We need to offer more.

[E]

That is what they're saying. That's what the man said.

[B]

There's a big Gravestone for Zoro.

[E]

We never find that Zoro's implicates nothing, but Zoro's implicates nothing in particular. Oh, he's with Perona.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Mantral. Mantral. Mantral.

[D]

Didn't everyone freak out seeing Perona again, though? Because that's clearly her.

[A]

Yes, that is.

[B]

Well, no, no.

[C]

Will you.

[B]

You gotta remember that there was chapters that showed why these characters landed before we saw more.

[D]

Oh, this is before. Gotcha.

[B]

No, we already knew that Perona and Zoro were on the same island.

[D]

Okay.

[E]

And I think. And I think, because this is where it is, like, it's. It's kind of nothing. It gives us a little bit. But it's not like, I would put

[A]

it at C. I would put it at the bottom right now.

[E]

I think it's a.

[A]

There's not much to say even about these. Like, I'm curious where that's the problem.

[E]

It's not. There's. There's not enough.

[A]

Yeah, I get why they ex. And they were at that time, really, like, nice to see. Because we didn't. We weren't with the straw hats.

[C]

Yeah. So they. Well, they were arrested. I remember I could, you know, tell you too, that, like. Well, I guess, yeah, you guys were doing the. The manga recaps by now, but, like, when this first happened, it was like, oh, my God, like, we're gonna get, like, a story for each of the Strats. We're gonna find out everything that they're doing. And then it's like after two for Santi, and then it goes to Robin. And then it's like, wait, oh, that's it. And that just really took a lot of the wind out of the sails.

[B]

That was disappointing.

[A]

It was. I don't remember our specific thoughts at the time, but they weren't great. Like, I don't think we were thrilled.

[B]

These got expanded upon way more in the anime.

[E]

The anime? Yeah.

[B]

For better or worse, both. Some of these, you know, because I think definitely some stuff was left up to interpretation. And then there's other things that were just dragged out. And there were things that were improved upon. I would say, like. Yeah, like, you don't remember the weather wizards, but Herodotus is really funny in the anime.

[A]

He is. He is very good.

[C]

Yeah, I like him.

[B]

I.

[A]

That's the thing.

[B]

Like, these are so short. Like, I just don't really think that highly of them. I mean, the. The Volume two Sanji one is iconic, whether you like it or not. An image that's just one thing is. I remember when this came out, just like when Arlong Park Forum still did, like the character contests, you know, like the.

[A]

Oh, I forgot about those.

[B]

The post. And then like whoever's in charge just purposely just used this image for Sanji all the time. It's like, well, of course he's gonna lose to Zoro.

[A]

He's cool. Steve is making an impression of himself in the year 2009.

[B]

But in terms of, in terms of ranking, I don't know if we fully decided on this. I at least, like, I remember this more than CP9. I would rank this above CP9.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I don't think some of the reason I remember. The reason I remember it is mostly negative is the problem. Like this is the first one. I do have some like negative feelings for CP9.

[B]

I just, I think it's just whatever.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

I, I. Because there's not enough of it. I don't want to put it even at a C. Like I. That's it's tough. Like I would put it below CP9 for sure.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

Maybe still at a C. Maybe at a D. I'll let you guys decide. This is not enough. And if we're figuring if and if we're gonna like rank like, hey, what are our characters up to? The next one is. Is really just like, we should talk. We'll start talking about that one because that one's this one. The next one's got some meat.

[C]

Historical. Historical. Note in between the straw hat separation. And the next one is when ODA started doing reader requests for the in between covers. Started getting.

[E]

Yeah, so the introduction to Everybody 420Land.

[C]

Yeah. Yes, exactly.

[B]

Well, it was.

[E]

And notice guywise.

[B]

So it was requests too. I always thought it was just. Oh, he expanded it to doing other characters. I didn't realize requests that early.

[C]

Yeah, I think he ran through. Because he used to like do one cover with each of the straw hats. And I think he ran through them and then was like, let's open it up to your reader suggestions or something.

[A]

I think C or D is good. I would be fine with either of those. I don't know. Let's leave it there for anyone with strong. Yeah, we can move it.

[E]

Yeah, we can leave it.

[A]

You chose that Sanji image, Steve. So for the same reason that the AP forums vote vote, you could say was rigged. This one doesn't help.

[B]

It's the most iconic one.

[A]

It is. So next One is

[D]

number 19 decks of the world.

[A]

I can't believe this was the first one. I thought there was one pre time skip like if you had.

[C]

He did a couple like, where are they now? Ones like in between. So he had a prototype for this, but this is the first time he did like a full on long thing. And it is very long.

[E]

And this one, this one was like a whole calendar year.

[C]

It is 48.

[A]

48. That's more than a calendar year.

[C]

Yeah. For his. For his jump.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

But to be fair, at the very least, I really. You're right.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Alex.

[E]

Yeah, I mean, it's definitely awesome because we get to see everybody two years later and we sort of go through the arcs and I don't. I. We don't have time to go through every single one of these, I think. But this is, you know, Sarfunkel, the guy, Funkle, Machino's kid, Ms. Monday and Mr. Nanday.

[B]

What it was.

[C]

Yeah, that's right.

[E]

Nande yoked up Yosaku.

[A]

Johnny and Yosaku coming back was like a real. For us on the podcast, that was a big deal.

[D]

It's the first appearance of Gabon technically, with Crocus.

[A]

Yes. That whole thing.

[E]

That's true, that's true. That was hugely.

[A]

This many years later.

[E]

That's right. Gabon. We've got the Black Drum kingdom and the Sakura kingdom. That's also the end of the.

[A]

The lapin with the. Who's like, dressed in the garb is. They're very funny. That is a very funny gag.

[D]

It's the end of the Dorian brogy fight too.

[E]

Yeah, I really do love that. Like, we. We get time skip outfits for everybody, including Wiper.

[A]

You know, wiper looks badass. Like what a great.

[E]

Yeah, wiper's cool.

[A]

That's fantastic.

[E]

Alicia, the new.

[A]

The new secretary and Tyrannosaurus in his adorable suit. You can't skip over that.

[E]

Yeah, Disco. Disco's homeless thing.

[B]

I speed past Skypiea.

[E]

Oh, no. Yeah, there's plenty of.

[A]

There's meat to talk about for days for these.

[B]

Before you skip Speed by Skypiea, I just want to note how the upper yard has just become a theme park now.

[E]

Yeah, yeah, it's so funny. On my California Adventure, you have a

[B]

part, you know, on the. On the Milky Road. Is it called Milky Road?

[A]

I think it's been a while for me.

[B]

You know, like the part with the boat and then like the swinging blades and all that. That's just turned into like a dark ride now.

[E]

No, that's a jungle cruise. And the what? The white, White Sea? No, the milky ride. It has like three loop de loops that look like Mickey Mouse's head. Right like this.

[A]

I do really like the idea of, like, the holiest of Holy Lands just turning into a theme park. It's like praise land for a rubber band. Yeah. Oh, excellent. Excellent stuff.

[D]

Am I misremembering or wasn't there a weird thing where what's his name, Bellamy, said he got up to Skypiea and, like, messed shit up?

[C]

Yes.

[D]

Am I making that up? That's a thing.

[A]

Yeah. But he might have just. He might have just been saying that. To be fair, he took the.

[E]

It could have been a different sky.

[A]

That's true. Yeah.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

No, he made it to Sky Island. He said.

[E]

I think.

[B]

I thought he took part of the belfry that they were going to give to the straw hats.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Oh, okay.

[B]

We don't.

[C]

We don't know because we didn't see it. But, like, that's what he said to Luffy.

[A]

Although now he's on your side, as we'll find out later.

[E]

Guess I got a. Guess I got to reread Dressrosa.

[A]

No.

[D]

Also,

[B]

a very important notes from this cover story confirms that Bonkley is alive.

[E]

Yes. Bonkley is alive. Ace and Whitebeard are still dead.

[B]

Well, here's one thing I'm not sure you remember, Alex, but the podcast collectively losing their shit. On that last page, we see three sake cups.

[A]

Yep. That I remember.

[E]

Oh, no, I remember this.

[B]

And we're like, who else?

[E]

Wait a minute.

[B]

There's only one other person that could have known about that.

[A]

Yeah. At the time.

[E]

Lone Star.

[A]

At the time, this was like a huge reveal at the end.

[B]

Wasn't. So that's why when Sabo came back, it wasn't so much that Sabo's alive. It's more like.

[A]

It's like Sabo's back now. Yeah.

[C]

It was also. It was controversial.

[A]

Right after this. Yeah.

[C]

The Japanese text covered the cups so they could. They couldn't see it, but we could, which was crazy.

[E]

That's right.

[A]

It's one of the few times. That's

[D]

Hannibal's time skip design.

[A]

Yeah, but I. He's Hannibal.

[B]

He went to Bonaro Island.

[A]

Yeah, exactly. Archipelago.

[E]

Yeah. I would put this one. I would put this one in a tier. Yeah. It's not a story, but it's. It's sort of like. It's. There's nothing bad about it, and it's all fun. It's all fun stuff. It's. It's like. It's like flipping through a picture book.

[A]

Also, this is the last of three towns, I think, named for water in Water 7 Poochie. This is Poochie, where Ace went to die.

[B]

Ken.

[E]

So funny, by the way.

[A]

Lola.

[E]

Sorry, sorry. I wanted to say it's so funny going through. Going through this and going through these cover stories and, like, seeing which characters of the life that are in the live action have died already.

[D]

What are we saying?

[A]

Mary?

[E]

Like Mary and Ken?

[B]

I just want to look up what happened with Hanyabal over the two years. And I don't know if I could confirm this, but someone heard about Hanyabal. He went to a restaurant, and he ate everything in the restaurant, and they had to close the restaurant.

[A]

I think I could confirm that.

[E]

What I. What I like about this, by the way, is endure. Is you get a little. Little blurb for everybody, like what they've been up to. It's very cool. I wish. I wish that there was.

[A]

I was gonna let you.

[E]

I wish there was like an English. English.

[A]

Yeah. Someone get on that.

[E]

It's sort of. Sort of fun. Their data books should be translated, I feel like.

[A]

I agree. I. To be. To be honest, I don't completely understand. Why not? And I mean, the data books I get. But for Doors more specifically, I think feels easy.

[E]

Well, I think the data books. The data books for my hero are translated, I think. Right.

[A]

It's just the very text.

[B]

Because it doesn't rate that.

[A]

Let's give Steven more Stephen, more work and more money.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Mostly the latter.

[B]

We got to place this one.

[A]

Yeah. I agree with A. Below Django.

[E]

I think below Django.

[A]

I think it's perfect for me. Steve, do you disagree?

[B]

I would.

[A]

It's.

[E]

Well, maybe between Ace and Hachi, actually, I think.

[A]

Yeah, it's pretty good.

[B]

I'd put it above Hachi, below Ace.

[A]

Yeah, that's good. I think, at the time.

[E]

Well, then let's. Then. Then let's move Ace and Dex up

[A]

to a. Yeah, I could do that.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

I mean, I'm fine with that.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

All right.

[A]

I would switch Jackson Ace, but. Yes.

[B]

The novelty of this cover story just wears thin the longer we go on. Especially now that we've had.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And Fan.

[A]

We'll have another one, which I think is inferior.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay. What is the next one? This is. This is the one.

[D]

This is number 10.

[A]

Grandma Caribou.

[D]

Is that New World Kiheehee.

[E]

God. This one. It's so funny because this one teases us with chin.

[A]

I know. At the beginning, which we do get more of later. Anyway. At this point. At this point, you're like, whatever. You know, we've been through it.

[E]

I think the caribou one's funny. I just don't have any sort of whatever to it. I think it might be at bottom a high B. I think it is probably.

[A]

There's this and one more that are my favorite of the post time skip that I'll get to.

[C]

We had a ton of fun.

[A]

This one's good.

[E]

This one we had a way.

[A]

This was a very fun one. Yeah, this was kind of especially during like dressrosa and oh, this is early dress ropes to be fair to it. It's. It starts out kind of whatever I think. I mean the gym based stuff's good but it turns into like a. It humanizes caribou a little bit kinda. Was it protect the grandmas? Treasure of the grandmas. Treasure of the grandmas.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Humanizing might be too much of a word to.

[E]

This one is for the grandmas.

[A]

This one is for a. The revolutionaries and the grandmas. It's a fun one. I think I like it.

[E]

Caribou. A face only a grandmother could love. I feel like that's the.

[D]

I love his fucking tweed and plaid suit. And then carrying the lunch bucket is so.

[A]

Yeah, it's very funny. This is another example of like a really shitty person being the focus of a cover story too.

[C]

Yeah, the one when this was a 2023 when you see the Che flag and it's just him in the corner like looking deadpan like in front of is so funny. Such a good one.

[B]

I wish I could have fit them both.

[E]

The goop like it's. I love the goop.

[A]

Oh my God.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

I was looking at that panel a

[B]

lot today too when I was doing I. I hate. Because maybe there's never been like an Oda colored caribou. So you know the digital colored manga. It's like is perfectly fine with giving him a darker skin tone. Yeah, caribou.

[A]

Well, he's a swamp guy so he's probably whatever color a swamp is.

[B]

Remember when this robot guy was affiliate of Kaido?

[D]

Oh, Scotch.

[B]

Scotch or rocks?

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

How many rocks are there at this point? Oh my God.

[E]

Oh my God.

[D]

Holy shit.

[B]

I want to.

[E]

Oh my God. That's crazy. There's two scotches and two rocks. Wait a minute. Is there a significance there?

[A]

Yes. I don't know what it is.

[B]

The world top 100 could have been the funniest thing. And if a lot of people voted for the wrong rocks

[A]

and the wrong scotch.

[C]

Well, technically he was rock,

[B]

Scotch and rock. Ah, darn it.

[E]

When must you be the screen door in our submarines?

[B]

The wrong rocks because Yeah, I remember because at the time, too, we didn't know that Drake was aligned. Like, we didn't know that he was aligned with Kaido. But there was assumptions because it's like, oh, well, he came in to stop Caribou here. Where's this all going? Nowhere. It's like. I don't know, Like, I guess the whole point was Caribou had to get to Blackbeard eventually. But I feel like none of the events that got him there were really all that crucial.

[D]

No, not at all.

[C]

No.

[B]

Him being in Wano really didn't amount to anything.

[D]

He's the. He's the Buggy of the post time skip. Just kind of like being.

[B]

Don't even. Don't stop.

[E]

Not even.

[B]

Don't even.

[E]

Don't even.

[D]

He's getting shifted. He's just getting moved along like a pawn. That's all I'm saying.

[B]

You keep Buggy's name out of your

[D]

mouth, God damn it.

[B]

Yeah, out of your muddy mouth there.

[A]

I think I would put this.

[C]

Richard.

[A]

I think that's a good place you put it, actually.

[D]

IB

[A]

No, I like.

[B]

I'm good. I think.

[C]

I think it's an A to me.

[B]

It's. It's C tier. Oh, I. I think it's because I just don't care about this character all that much. There's some funny moments, but. Yeah, there's funny moments in all of these and. Yeah, but I think we know the payoff is.

[A]

But they're. They're extremely funny, though.

[B]

Sorry, forgot this was on tbs. I just don't think.

[D]

But that's why. Well, sometimes that's why I think B makes more sense. Like, we like the gadatsu and the hachi one for being kind of funny and well done.

[A]

Exactly. I think if.

[E]

I think the caribou one is funnier.

[A]

I think. I think the caribou's funnier one is funnier. Yeah.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

I guess I'm odd man out here because I disagree. I don't think it's that funny.

[C]

I think it's too long. I mean, it's a very long one.

[E]

It's long as. I mean, that's kind of.

[C]

It doesn't justify how long it is, but I do think it's a lot funnier than it has any right to be. It's kind of how I feel about it.

[E]

Yeah, it's somewhere along there. I might maybe put it between tachi and katana, actually.

[A]

Yeah, it's somewhere in B. I feel like it's more definitely a B.

[E]

But the Thing is, I think it's. It's more dynamic. It's more dynamic than.

[A]

And it also has a little bit of.

[E]

There's a lot of in it.

[A]

Like, yes, it's ridiculous heart. But there is some. The whole grandma thing is very. It's not like, emotional and, like, the way it's supposed to make you well up, but it is at least like an interesting portrait of Gobber.

[C]

Yes. It's a character.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. It's a good character bit.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

And there's some. There's supposed to be like some actual heartfelt something in there versus the guitar.

[D]

Well, we can.

[E]

We can move it.

[A]

Which is. Has none.

[E]

We can move it if you.

[B]

The next one, the Gadatsu one is funny.

[E]

Getting late. We got to keep.

[D]

We got to, you know, Steve.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Okay. 100%.

[D]

All right.

[A]

Leave. Leave it right here for now. Well, we could change it at the end.

[D]

We'll come back.

[A]

As we get more and more tired, we'll have better opinions.

[D]

We are now on 21, the solitary journey of Jim Bay, first son of the sea.

[E]

That's a sea. First son of the Sea tier.

[A]

You know, I thought that at the time, but rereading it, especially after Egghead, I think this one is way better than. And it's very clever. The stuff that, you know, a happens and then you realize, oh, it was because of this and this and this. And it's very cute. And it also has some interesting lore implications. I'd probably put it at the bottom of the B, but. Or like in the B. I would put it in a B tier. I don't know where.

[D]

This one has a lot of connective tissue too, because it's. The poneglyph he finds is the one he brings to Big Mom. He gets reunited with Wadatsumi, which also plays back into whole cake. Like, this is really his, like, lead in toll cake.

[E]

Well, the sunken. The Sunken City, I think is probably. Yeah, it is this piece of thing here I. With the animals. I don't care about the poneglyph stuff. I don't care that he brings it back to Big Mom.

[A]

It's more minor.

[E]

This is fine. But it's like Jinbe goes on to do much bigger and better stuff after this. So I don't really care about this one.

[C]

Yeah, I. This, to me was like kind of a blue balls arc. Like, it was like, we thought it was going to be.

[D]

We thought Shin Bay, you know, and

[C]

sure, like, jokes on us for. For making assumptions. But like, I remember when this happened we were like, man, what if, like, he ends the. The COVID story and it's like the next you turn the page and then Jinbe appears in Whole Cake island or something? You know, it would have been cool.

[E]

We were really hoping.

[A]

Yeah, you're making me think. Rethink it. Yeah. I think I put it at C. Yeah.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

This one has just really animals, though. Do you guys ever. Cute.

[C]

It is.

[D]

I love. I love the catfish, the cat, like, mermaid things.

[B]

Guys, I know Acab, but the sea dog Officer.

[D]

Which one is that?

[C]

Oh, my God.

[A]

The one with the mustache. You are right. This does have some excellent ODA designs.

[B]

He deserves to take a bite out of crime, you know,

[C]

as a treat.

[A]

That was for Mike Padden. And that's it.

[B]

It's a very cute story. And yeah, knowing what we know now, after Egghead, it's like, oh, that's why this was under there. But other than that, it doesn't really set up too much, you know, just that I think.

[A]

I think Alex is probably actually right. I feel like this is the most neutral one you could possibly get. Like, it is. It is harmless. And that's really it. Like, it's. I kind of wish the.

[B]

You know, I wish the Sun Pirates showed up in this kind of setting up that they were there on the sidelines at Hulking.

[E]

No, they didn't.

[D]

Why is he. Why is he in a submarine? Like, why is he in a little bubble?

[A]

Why not?

[D]

He's a fisherman.

[A]

It's cool to be in a bubble.

[D]

He isn't yet.

[A]

Everyone likes bubbles.

[B]

You don't want the sea wind getting in your face.

[D]

Ah, yes, that's right.

[A]

Let's go to the next one.

[D]

All right, go ahead, Sid.

[B]

Jinbe is just a funny character when he's drawn small. And the less details and grizzleds on him, the funnier he looks. Hence why I use this thumbnail.

[D]

It's a little guy in a bubble.

[A]

He's just a little guy in a

[B]

bubble, but he still has the same voice.

[D]

It's a Jinbe snow globe.

[A]

I love Jinbe. Like, you know, if it were just me, I might put it at a B. But, like, I get. I do think it is a pretty harmless one. Like, there's nothing wrong with it. It's just not as good as the others. What's next?

[D]

Next we have number 22 decks of the world 500 million man arc. This is the one that was taking place during Zo.

[C]

I think it was Zo and early Whole Cake Island.

[E]

Yeah. I mean, this is fun. But it's not even close to it.

[C]

Yeah, it's just a retrace.

[B]

It doesn't hit as hard.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

Yeah. It could have been a chapter. Could have been an email. Right? Like, it's. I feel like this could have just been a whole chapter.

[A]

The most interesting one is the end with the wedding that we'd never really find out about anyway.

[E]

I guess Lucky Roo got married. That was my theory.

[B]

I don't know. I haven't seen a ring on those giant fingers.

[A]

Well, more importantly, the Wytheria guys. Oh, they have new outfits.

[D]

Yeah, their drip is great.

[A]

Their drip. They do have good drip, to be fair.

[E]

Hey, no, it all starts with. No, no. Drip starts with D. I feel like this is a D tier.

[D]

No, this is not. This is not a T tier.

[E]

It's a D tier.

[A]

If he makes a joke like that, Alex has to be correct. Cause it's.

[D]

I'm sorry, Alex.

[B]

My girl Margaret makes a slight, small appearance here.

[E]

Yeah. I mean, we've got some fun. Like, we get to see our friends.

[C]

Not without merit, but I feel like.

[E]

Yeah, yeah.

[C]

You know what?

[A]

I would put this.

[E]

Everybody reading a newspaper in the same

[A]

place as Jim bae's, because it is kind of that harmless. Like, there's nothing wrong with it. It's just.

[E]

Who got married the first time?

[B]

Who got married?

[E]

Piggy and Kermit. You know, I feel like, if I

[B]

recall, you could say Shanks got married, but since he doesn't have a left arm anymore, he's like, hey, sorry, I just got nothing to put a ring on.

[A]

I'd put this above CP9 and below Jinbei. That's where I would put it.

[B]

Nah, no, hell, I.

[E]

So I'm gonna. Yeah, I think it's fine where it is currently. I think the one big thing that we took from this initially was that this was the first time we saw Only Alive on the Sanji Quinta coaster.

[B]

Wait, hold on. I've just been told from my resident expert here that the COVID with Shanks at the wedding is a plot point for Buggy and Shanks Shipping. So that. I guess that would mean this is an S tier cover story. My mistake.

[D]

Oh, I'll put it. I'm sorry.

[E]

Wow. Well, you can say that. Steve can say that, but Pharaoh doesn't have the headphones on, so we can keep it where it is.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

What's next?

[B]

I don't know. Part of me do. I like the separation one more than this.

[D]

Oh, no, no.

[B]

This one's.

[A]

This one's better. But I remember More. I don't know. Yes.

[E]

Doesn't matter what you remember.

[A]

It's just also because these kind of meld into the. Into the other one that's kind of the problem.

[B]

But then again, Mihawk and Corona on a farm is pretty.

[A]

Yes.

[E]

That could have been a cover. That could have just been a reader request.

[A]

The next one.

[D]

Last dumb thought. This isn't God Valley, right? The certain ruined island couldn't be. Right.

[B]

Which chapter?

[D]

No, it's the two. The wedding ones with all the cactuses.

[A]

No, there could be many ruined islands.

[D]

Okay, okay.

[A]

Just the new world.

[D]

All right, moving on.

[B]

Part of me kind of took it as, is this the island that Ace fought Blackbeard?

[A]

It could have been. Yeah, it did look western, right, guys?

[E]

There's plenty of islands.

[A]

There's many islands. One would say. All right, do this one.

[D]

Number 23, the Saga of the self proclaimed Straw Hat Fleet.

[E]

This is an up and down one for me.

[B]

Classic.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

Columbus is pretty great.

[D]

Should we do the whole thing? We start at D and go up and down depending on.

[A]

I do actually think that's a good idea. Okay, so the first off is.

[D]

Kevin.

[E]

Let's do this quick.

[B]

It wouldn't be a one piece podcast ranking if we didn't just rush through the list.

[A]

It's true. That's true.

[B]

This one, especially the Barto Ameo one, has a lot going for it because it was just adapted recently in the anime.

[C]

True. Yeah. There's some lore there.

[B]

Some really great animation. I. You know, there's the. You know, there's the psy cover story with just. Ha ha. The woman looks like, you know, manly.

[A]

No, but she has a husband club. She has. He was gonna be the 26th husband.

[D]

Yeah, she's collecting men.

[A]

She's. Yeah, she's doing well for herself.

[B]

Ucleisha. That sounds like a Norbert character.

[A]

No, it was supposed to be that she looked like a monkey because he had a monkey motif. Right. Isn't it like supposed to be related to that? Yeah, Yeah.

[B]

I shouldn't complain too much because this is a woman that doesn't just look like Nami.

[C]

So.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Right?

[E]

Yeah.

[B]

You know what? She's kind of a bad bitch. Yeah. Seeing the husband club.

[A]

Yeah, the husband club.

[C]

He talked himself into it.

[A]

Club is excellent. Yeah.

[B]

Actually pretty fun. I'd say the most boring part is

[C]

you have Ideo, the forgettable.

[D]

Yeah,

[B]

yeah, that's his epithet.

[E]

Just an Ideon reference.

[A]

Right, the forgettable one.

[B]

Like, what do they even do here?

[E]

Blue Gilly. Right. That's the other guy.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

The frog.

[C]

What's the.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Abdullah.

[E]

Oh.

[B]

So they kind of just reunite the Long Arm tribe and the. The Long Leg tribe, I guess.

[C]

Kind of good for them.

[D]

They're Panel buddies.

[A]

The LEO stuff is ship. The ELPATH. The buggy delivery. 5 earners thing has become super important.

[C]

Oh, yeah.

[D]

So we're seeing the new giant pirates.

[A]

Yeah. Most importantly. Or Lumbus, I thought was much longer because maybe just at the time it felt like that. Perfect. Though I had no notes.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

Put it in a.

[A]

Put it in a.

[B]

Actually, I forgot. The chapter 907 cover is really funny. With the sad goodbye. The slow. It's like, thank you for everything. And it's clear. It's like he's stealing our shoes.

[A]

It's very good.

[E]

You know, it's so funny.

[A]

I think I'd put this as an A. Like, I think it's solid.

[B]

Our Lumbus truly kind of puts this.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[E]

Put it above deck. And put it above deck.

[B]

His 2020 hobby.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

That was a nice little capper to this too. Him making them all their new flags and the new straw hat flag.

[E]

Pelme's Covid.

[D]

He got really into flag making.

[A]

Yeah. You know, we've already done a cover image for Bellamy's flag making, but. Yeah. So good. Did we. Years ago. Maddie did one, I think.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

It was.

[E]

Yeah, it was.

[A]

I forgot what it was. But it was a Simpsons reference, I think.

[B]

And then we have Cavendish who just lives in the movie. Like, Amadeus.

[A]

Oh, my God. It's so fucking funny. The Cavendish stuff. At the beginning, they all have the. Oh, my God. And that. It's like. That was a long way to answer that question. Is a very funny gag.

[E]

I really wish that there was a character named Balieri who felt like he's constantly getting cucked by Cavan.

[A]

This is like book Silent Bartolome, maybe.

[E]

Thank God.

[B]

I'm fine with it being an A. I thought I was gonna rank this one a lot lower.

[A]

Me too.

[E]

So did I.

[B]

When I like looking at it, it's not everything hits, but the hits hit hard. So.

[A]

Yes. Yeah.

[E]

They're really good to the world that

[D]

some of their parts don't hit as well. These little mini ones that have just enough time to breathe where, like even. Like the separation straw hat ones, those two chapters are enough to make either a joke or a story. But these ones all hit what their point of their little arcs were. And it's really funny. It's really well put together.

[A]

The Orlympus one, I could talk about The Olympus one would be an S tier if it were its own thing. I think the.

[E]

The Lumbus one is totally like. It's totally like one of those. God, it's such a good bit.

[A]

It's really good.

[C]

They would. They would be quick cutting between them and they're just playing like elevator muzak over or Lumbus's, you know, bits and then switch to someone else doing something crazy and. Yeah.

[A]

Oh, my God. That is just. I would so pay to watch that. I will say what's great about the Olympus one that I'm like, also noticing is it goes from serious thing to like folding pajamas, cleaning check, then stealing an entire fleet, then planning chart for

[D]

pirating activities, an hour of paperwork after the adventure.

[A]

It's. That is like my sense of humor to a T. I love it. It's really good. Yeah.

[E]

I like where it is. Yeah.

[A]

A is good. I think that's perfect.

[B]

Moving on. Do you want to go to Oda's Covid project.

[D]

Is.

[E]

Is that I love my family.

[D]

We're on number 24.

[A]

Is this in 2020? I guess it was. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Gang, Beige is oh, my family.

[B]

Oh, my family. Or can I get a Kazuku? Can I get a different read on that? Let me get another take. Oh, my family.

[D]

Oh, my family.

[A]

Bonnie, I. I forgot. His ship says fire. I love my family on it.

[E]

Kazokua Tsurayo. Right? That's the. Well, that's the. The movie.

[A]

I don't know how popular my take is going to be here, but I love this cover story, so I'm with you.

[D]

This is.

[A]

I loved it at the time too. Yeah, this is probably my favorite of the. The post time skip ones.

[E]

It's definitely my favorite of those as well. I don't know if I can put it above jungles.

[B]

Yeah, I do like this one.

[A]

Sorry.

[B]

I like this one, but I. I just don't remember, like a lot of highs from it. I remember the germ pirates came in and I kind of felt like once, like Covid hit. I think. I think an editor was probably like, might want to lay off the germ pirates there.

[D]

I like where.

[E]

I like the outcome. I think it's a really great. It paints beige as such a great character. It basically does to beige what Ace's cover story did for Ace.

[A]

I think beige was already. So this is after whole cake island. Paige was already on.

[E]

This is post Hulk cake.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. This cements it for me. Like Pez and beige and Lola and chiffon. This is great.

[C]

See Lola again.

[A]

Yeah, we get this story. We all really wanted to see this story. And we actually get to see it. So that's great.

[E]

And we all really wanted to see pound. Right.

[D]

I was about to bring that up, the pound being alive thing.

[B]

Who did not die.

[A]

To be fair, It's a really adorable. Maybe I'm a dad and this is why. But it's really adorable at the end,

[D]

his death, like, his straightening his tie. And we see he gets, like, killed off panel and the baby starts crying. When he dies, he's like, quote unquote, dies. That's all ruined by the fact that, oh, no, he's fine. And like, I don't know. I don't like the Hound is a lot. It's cute. Like, in the moment here, it's like, okay, the family's back together. He proves that he's their dad. It's all very cute, but it ruins that moment in the world.

[A]

He gets to go to their wedding.

[B]

Queen shows up for some reason.

[A]

That's the worst part of this.

[C]

I felt like.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

The germ pirates. I really wonder if there was a shift where it's like, maybe we shouldn't do the germ pirates right now. Cause they are quickly dispatched and they serve no purpose other than Capone veggie. Just being like, you're gonna get us spotted too. Which does that really matter, because then it just immediately goes into chiffon quotes. But really, Lola getting captured and then saved by Gotti.

[A]

You're right.

[E]

See, that's why I want to put this.

[A]

That's a good point.

[E]

Put it below John.

[B]

Feel like this could go at the top of B. I don't think it's better than.

[D]

Oh, no, I don't think it's better

[B]

than Grand Fleet, Dex or Ace.

[E]

I don't think it's better than.

[A]

Yeah, I would put it between.

[E]

I like the Ace one a little better.

[A]

Like, given this discussion, I would put it between Grand Fleet and Dex. That's where I would put it.

[E]

But, I mean, it's. It's great. I love it. I love beige. I think this is. Yeah, this is, I think, without question, best time skip.

[A]

Well, that's the thing. Grand Fleet is. Is the only. Is the highest one there. I think this is about right for me, I guess.

[B]

Am I. Am I the only one that's saying, like, oh, no, this is a top of the B tier at most.

[D]

No, it's definitely not B, in my opinion.

[E]

No, I think it's an A. I would say it's. I would say it's an A.

[A]

My family.

[B]

I will say that.

[A]

As they say Canada. The.

[B]

The jump from 975 to 977 with Gotti getting kissed on the cheek, and then it kind of. It almost looks like the camera just kind of slightly moves over to the right. And then when Gotti's just barely in the shot and him going, like is really funny.

[E]

It's really good.

[D]

I don't know. I think this one has a lot to add to, like, the world building. This is the first time we see a bunch of the members of sword, too, and they're questioning Lola and whatnot. That's Prince Fice.

[B]

Did we know this guy was in sword?

[A]

No, we didn't know who they were yet.

[B]

What a baffling choice that's been.

[A]

Actually, no. They had just introduced sword, but we didn't know.

[B]

We didn't know this guy was in a correct way.

[A]

No, I think it was just after it was introduced.

[D]

And who's that Kujaku in the background there with the whip.

[A]

It was also really nice to see all of these folks in the middle of wano. So there was definitely that level of it. Like the Thriller bark, you know, Lola's, you know, whole crew.

[D]

And this is happening in just Rosa too, which is cool.

[A]

It's fun.

[E]

I do like that it ties up the Lola stuff. Yes. Like, that's. I think that's a really lovely, like. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

It needed to happen. And this was, I think, executed mostly well. I have very little to complain about.

[D]

I love chapter 982. You have Gotti carrying Lola and Chiffon carrying Beige as they're running away.

[A]

Thank you for mentioning that, Ken.

[D]

That's excellent.

[A]

That might be the highlight for me. It's really funny.

[D]

It's a really good. I get it being an A. But if I was in this personally, I'd put this higher.

[A]

But I get it being A, I would put it. I think personally it's an S. Cusp A. And I know Steve thinks it's a.

[B]

A cusp B. I think that's crazy. But, Stevie, I don't hate it. I just don't think it's.

[D]

I get it.

[A]

All right, let's go to better than Orlembos.

[B]

Better than Orlumbus folding his pajamas.

[A]

True. Steve is right. As I said, though, if or Lumbus was on his own top of the heap, like, I may put it all the way at the top, but the fact that there's ideo in there that you could say adeo brings it down.

[E]

Flip it shows up to the party. Ken Ideo shows up to the party, but he has, like, he just has the check cereal and not the checks mix. Like, he's just.

[B]

Hey, I'll take Mr. Shoulder Elevator Vaders over Queen any day of the week.

[A]

Quote me on that. Okay.

[E]

The Queen's fucking sauce. The fact that she's in it sucks. Yeah. Next up, we have Queen Orica Vacusac

[D]

25 Germa 66 double sixes. Double six.

[E]

I don't remember. Oh, really?

[D]

Oh, I love this one.

[E]

This is such a. Like, it's. It's basically kind of like Judge and Caesar's wedding. Mad backstory, right?

[A]

Is the best. Best part of this.

[B]

And it turns. It turns into that. But for a while, it is just Germa.

[D]

And at first it's German.

[A]

Also kind of just states.

[D]

Yeah, no, it doesn't get a. A final volume, final chapter.

[A]

They just have a wedding and then that's it.

[E]

This is a real. This is a real. See you later. I think this might be. I don't know. This is.

[D]

No, this is an S here for me. Because, like, this is. This is when it tied into. No. Cause this is when I like it,

[A]

but I don't like it that much.

[D]

It's when the events of the COVID story started affecting what was happening in the manga, too. Like when, like, Pudding got captured. How she got captured. Then it showed the town being frozen, and then it showed her on Blackbeard's ship. Like, this is when it really started connecting. And then we got to Egghead and they started revealing about Mads and the stuff. It was going back and forth like it was the first time the COVID story became relevant to the events currently happening.

[A]

Correct.

[D]

And I think that is the coolest fucking thing.

[E]

Buggy is the first time that happened.

[A]

No, no.

[E]

As it's happening. He means, what are you doing?

[D]

Okay.

[E]

As it's happening. Honestly, I don't know if that was planned. That might have been a happy ending.

[A]

No, I think it was planned. I think it was planned because the fact that they go into all that mad stuff, like it does. That felt like he added it because it was related. Like, I feel like he.

[D]

Again, Caesar flies away at the end of Whole Cake. We didn't know where he went. They pick him up here.

[A]

So here's the thing.

[D]

It's great.

[A]

My point of view, I think this for, like, as a novelty is really incredible. However, as a story, I think it's held together with a loose twine and decaying something and duct tape.

[C]

The ability to tie all the red yarn strings, you know, into one thing is impressive, but, like, what you're actually reading is just not really very interesting.

[D]

That's my Kata, curry and Ovenverse, all for the Jerma kids.

[E]

Like, oh, so that's content.

[A]

This is content.

[E]

That's right.

[D]

Give me, give me, give me. I want it. I want.

[A]

I know.

[E]

Jingly keys for Ken.

[A]

Give him a few more Funkos.

[B]

Ken, what are your top five favorite moments from this cover story?

[D]

The wedding of Judge and Caesar putting Punching one of the brothers. I think it's Niji seeing the town frozen.

[B]

Oh, trick question. She punches both.

[D]

Oh, okay. Seeing the town frozen over after that wasn't the question. After he gets attacked. The four Germa kids fighting. Oven and Katakuri.

[A]

Dufeld.

[D]

Ah, no, fuck Dufeld. And the joke with Vegapunk gun. That makes sense. The flower bullets. What?

[B]

Ken say his piece.

[D]

I like this one. Go ahead, put it in D. I don't care. I love it.

[A]

No, no, I don't think it's.

[E]

I don't think it's B. I'd put it personally. I think it's between Jim Bae and CP9.

[A]

Yeah, it's not a C. I would put it. I would put it in B personally, but it seems like the consensus is. I think it's a B. What was it? B. Litigate.

[E]

Litigate. You know why it's a litigate?

[A]

Because it adds to the story. Like you when you were reading the story, just. It's different on its own. I 100% agree with you. It is a C. But I think as where it is meant to be read, it is probably an A. And so to speak.

[E]

Let me ask you a question. Let me ask you a question. No, no, let me ask you a question. If. If the bits with pudding and. And it being iced over, all that are not in it, what do you have?

[A]

It's. No, it's the entire backstory. Yeah. The mad stuff, I think.

[B]

I don't think that's a fair argument. I don't think that's a fair argument. Because then it's like, oh, if you took Full Body out of Jongo's, what

[D]

do you have dancing?

[A]

Well, actually, you still have a lot there, I mean.

[B]

Oh, yeah? Yeah. Name five things.

[A]

The courtroom.

[D]

He dances once. He dances again.

[B]

Why is he in court? Why is he in court? Who captures him?

[E]

Full Body helps him. Like, if Full Body is the reason that John Gobi becomes a quid. Like, it's their friendship. It's about. It's about their fucking Friendship, Alex. I think it's about their fucking friendship.

[A]

Who brought it up?

[E]

Oh, my God, Zach.

[A]

I thought we were trying to. Yeah, but at least this cover story relitigate full body.

[B]

It introduces a major plot point of pudding being captured with black parents. Get it the hell out of S. It is not S. I would put

[A]

it where you were maybe there. Yeah, I think. I think bottom of B.

[C]

All right.

[B]

Is pretty good.

[A]

So I've definitely generous. I agree with that. I think that's exactly.

[B]

You got. And, you know. And you guys think Caribou is like, you know, the greatest story ever told, so.

[E]

I don't. I don't. I just think it's funny. I think it's funny. B has. B is interesting because it's very like comedy heavy tier. We have Hachi, Caribou, Gadatsu, and then Germa.

[A]

I don't think is good because of humor. Jerma is good because of lore. And that. That's it. I would say there's barely any.

[E]

I mean, not barely. I guess the backstory is bad.

[D]

You see, the Elders award Vegapunk, the student.

[A]

You see, Judge without the mask for the first time. And he looks like a doofus.

[D]

Yeah, he looks really bad.

[A]

He looks awful. I mean, he should look bad, though. He sucks.

[B]

And I think 1070 was before the Stussy Clone War reveal, right?

[D]

Correct.

[E]

Yeah.

[D]

Yes.

[A]

Already put the Yamato in and he's correct.

[E]

Yep, that's correct. It's the worst ever story, unfortunately.

[A]

It is. It is.

[C]

Jesus.

[E]

It's bad.

[A]

There are cute aspects. So I reread it again. You know, there's bits. There are good bits and the bits are good. I think I would.

[E]

But why?

[A]

Yeah, that's the question. And Ken, I'll let you go through it because you're the Yamato. Stan.

[E]

Yeah, Ken. Honestly, Ken, the fact that you're putting it here speaks volumes.

[D]

It's just because the wasted potential. I think we were talking about this before we started recording tonight. You start off with showing Onigashima, bottom of the ocean, like sinking whatnot. And you go up on. Oh, this harvest festival thing. It's just Yamato walking around wano. And it's like a Dex of the world for just Wano.

[C]

Yes. Yes, it is.

[D]

And Yamato is just eating food and visiting places. And again, I love Yamato.

[A]

He's a great character. Gekko is a kozuki gak.

[D]

We're not getting to that point yet. But just. It's like I.

[A]

Again, like, I'm so tired Slow down, Zach.

[D]

I was hoping it would be because.

[A]

Spoilers.

[D]

I want Yamato. It's no secret that I want Yamato to join the straw hats or join them in some capacity or something like that. And to me, I thought the joke was going to be, okay, have Yamato go through all around Wano and then do the same thing Oden did. Oh, it's too cramped. And then leave Wano. And it doesn't even do that. Interesting. Like, again, you have the entire thing where now Yamato has their own little following with page one and ulti and stuff like that, which is cute. But now he ends back where he

[A]

started with now do you know what's really crazy about.

[E]

And it's really fucking long.

[D]

There's no payoff.

[A]

Do you know what is crazy about this cover story? It starts in the beginning, I think, of the egghead broadcast and ends at the God Valley stuff. That's crazy to me. Like, in the middle of God Valley, we've got somebody. Not even.

[E]

I've got the chat up, and we've got Zinc Frog in the chat saying it's their favorite cover story. The best cover story.

[D]

Listen, I love Yamato. Like, you can drag me through the mud all you want. I love Yamato more than anything. This is a bad cover story and

[A]

does not live off the potential. Yamato's journey about learning to become a person and not just Odin.

[E]

That happens.

[D]

I don't know if I keep falling just like Odin. And he's wearing a cape just like Odin. And like, all right, I'm still in Wano protecting you, just like Odin.

[B]

There's not much of an arc.

[D]

Yeah, there's no arc.

[B]

If anything, I would say this cover story makes Yamato more like Odin.

[D]

Yes. Yes, I agree. 100% agree. And I hate that.

[E]

You know, it's sort of like. It's almost like a tour guide Yamato. Right. Like, I feel like feeling it's decks of the world.

[D]

Wano.

[C]

I like it for that reason. Like, I. I thought it was.

[E]

I like seeing what everybody's up to.

[C]

That's what I like about it. And. And I don't think it's, like, essential. And. And obviously I had, you know, a reaction to the Gecko Moria thing.

[A]

So that's also go.

[B]

One of the most. I think. I think one of the funniest I've ever heard on the podcast.

[A]

Steven getting really pissed about me ranting about it.

[B]

Steven exacerbated figuring out how he pronounced that.

[D]

You can't do. You can't do it on camera.

[C]

I had a hate jerk on that one.

[A]

Yeah,

[B]

I'm tired too.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

But I did like seeing.

[B]

So Steven really got. Sorry. I'm not gonna try drag you down anymore.

[A]

I was gonna say rereading this. It is so insane how like tangential that shit is with the Kozuki Moria stuff. Like she. The. Like the whole thing had finished and then they go to the grave for some reason and then nothing else happens.

[D]

Who's. Who's back? Yay.

[A]

No, after who's who. That part is not awful.

[E]

I forgot about that.

[D]

Show us what happened to Big Mom. Show us what happened to Kaido. Show us thing that like that was left unresolved in Wano. Nothing was shown.

[A]

They were in a volcano, Ken.

[B]

To that I say no, I'm still

[D]

convinced that Big Mom. Stephen Kaido got blasted off again in the volcano.

[A]

So did you have any other thoughts, Stephen?

[C]

No, not really. I. I agree that it is. There's definitely a lot of missed potential to it. And maybe, you know, it's possible that later on when Oda has had time to do. To write other things into the story, you know, like he brings back Kaido or Big mom in some capacity. Maybe this will look better or worse in retrospect. But as it stands, I think it is. It. It. It's cute. It's fun. I liked seeing all the characters again, but it is inessential for sure.

[A]

So that's the last of the COVID stories. I assume we're gonna have a new one kind of soon. It's been a little while be.

[E]

Yeah, yeah, maybe.

[D]

Probably the bigger punks in the cloud floating around.

[E]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Gathering or something.

[B]

It's definitely the McDonald's Happy Meal. Inspector Gadget.

[A]

I love it.

[D]

Had her give me waffle, Vivi and Big Deuce Morgans going on adventures.

[A]

That's why we're gonna see them in the main story.

[D]

That's gonna be in the main story.

[B]

Yeah, I think that's gonna be that way. We cut to them a lot. I'm pretty sure it's gonna be.

[A]

And we have the X thing.

[D]

Yeah. The fact we started lb.

[E]

The X thing is gonna. It's gonna come home to roost by the end of the arc. Probably.

[A]

I. I think Edison's a good choice, personally.

[E]

Yeah. Edison. Yeah, I like Edison's. Edison's Skywalk. Wait, they already did Skywalker. What is your name?

[D]

Edison. Skywalker.

[A]

Edison Skywalker.

[E]

Edison who? Edison Thomas.

[B]

How are you even saying anymore?

[A]

I don't even know what he's saying. It's so we have to. Yeah, we're going to wrap up in a second. But are we okay with where things stand or do you want to make any last minute adjustments?

[B]

Let's take a look.

[D]

I think Toby Helmeppo is way too high.

[A]

So we should say also for the audio listeners, the SJ what we're looking at.

[B]

Yeah, I'm sorry. I will fight you in a knife edge death match. Ken.

[D]

Better than Golden Week. Better than Buggy.

[B]

Absolutely. Absolutely.

[A]

Which one?

[D]

I think Kobe Helmeppo should go between Buggy Waffle.

[E]

Well, I don't know about.

[D]

No, I think Golden Week is that good. I don't think, I don't think Kobe Hell Meppo has the highs that Golden Week.

[A]

So let me go in order. So in the S tier, which we could start with I guess Kobe Helmetpo, Golden Week, Buggy Waffle and Enaru in that order, but all at the top. I think that's pretty damn good. I kind of agree with Ken, but I wouldn't, it's not like enough that I would fight for it. You know, like it's. I, like this is good. I think. I, does anyone have any strong opinions?

[E]

I my, my whole thing is that S tier supposed to be like the cream of the crust, the name of the crop. So I feel like maybe we want one less S. I don't know. What do you guys think? I think 5 is also probably fine for us.

[C]

I like this.

[E]

I think I don't mind it. And these and, and the top five. I, I totally like. I, I, I, I'm not like, I'm not mad about it. This is a good top five. Even if I don't like personally put Coby Helmeppo up there, I think it does deserve to be in top five. Maybe.

[A]

So yeah, if it were just me, I'd probably put it at two or three.

[E]

But it's, it's consequential. It fleshes out the characters at a time where. And I think what it really like, the shining moment of it is the fact that it really makes us sympathetic for Helmeppo, a character that nobody likes.

[A]

There's a reason why it was adapted in the live action series. So too much because they needed too much.

[B]

But they needed a D plot line.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

But I mean it was a good choice on paper. Like I get, I get why it. There's a lot of meat in that story. I get that. So for.

[E]

Are we moving any slay slay things? It's boring. Interesting garp, though.

[A]

A. Should we go through. Or anything else with S. Any other.

[E]

Yeah, let's go through A. Let's go through A. I think.

[A]

Does anyone else have, like, an objection with S. A strong objection.

[B]

Not in that these were the. These were the five I was envisioning, like, being at the top, so.

[D]

Up top. Yeah.

[E]

I mean, yeah, obviously. Obviously, for me, Django would, wait, go a little higher than this. But. But, like, I think I was ready to come in and say, put Django in. Put Django in A.

[A]

In the S tier. Okay.

[E]

A. Oh, no, Germa. We're going to litigate German to go lower.

[A]

A is Django.

[E]

Just for that.

[A]

Django. Oh, my family. Beige. The Grand. His name is beige. Oh, my family. It's like one word. You say it fast.

[D]

Beige.

[A]

And my family Kapo Decks of the world and the Ace cover story. I think this is. I think it's pretty good.

[E]

Let's put Ace above decks. Ace above decks.

[A]

I think Ace above Dex. I do. Yeah.

[E]

And I think. And I think it's because it's a story. Dex isn't really a story. It's just sort of fun to see what everybody's been up to. And it ran for, like, a whole fucking year.

[A]

So I feel like it is an endearing funny. It is. And it moves the story and it has some little bits of lore. So. So it's kind of everything you want. So that's pretty good.

[E]

I kind of put Ace above. For me, Ace is above Grand Fleet.

[A]

No way. I can. Steve is. Steve is right. Are you gonna really compare it to. Or Lumpus folding laundry?

[B]

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[E]

You're.

[B]

You're. That was not the argument I was making. I was talking about, oh, my family. I would put Ace above Grand Fleet. I think. I think, oh, my family should go Grand Fleet.

[E]

I would actually put Ace above. Above page two. You know what? Fuck it. I would do.

[A]

I like this better than that, Steven. I feel like you have to be the arbiter here.

[C]

Let's put Ace in B tier.

[E]

Whoa.

[A]

Okay, that's what I argue.

[B]

Get your finger on it.

[A]

Leave it there. Leave it there. Leave it there. That's good. So, Jango, Beige, Grand Fleet, Ace decks of the world. Okay. B. I think we're done with a. B. Hachi, Caribou, Gadatsu and Germa.

[D]

Germa should be higher.

[E]

No, Germa should be in C tier.

[D]

I think Hachi, Caribou and Higdotsu are perfect together in B. I. I like that three together, it is a good.

[E]

I agree. So let's put Germa.

[A]

You know what? Flesh Germa agree with Alex. No, I think, like, I'm thinking about it, it's like the Jerma is cool, but there is no story to that. Which I did mention.

[B]

I disagree there.

[A]

No, there's not like, there's not like a.

[E]

There is a litigation cap.

[B]

It's post hole cake. They've. Yeah. The Vin smokes and the. The big. The big mom pirates are still going at it.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

The Vin smokes get captured.

[D]

Yeah. Lives on a big. Like.

[B]

Then they're rescued by Caesar and Caesar has a pass with Judge. So they kind of like, they're still hs, but they realize, wait a second, we hate someone more. We get the backstory with Mads, I'm like, hey, we should team up. And also it sets up the Blackbeard pirates kidnapping pudding, setting up for something big later. It's like, what does she have that they want to get it out of? S tier. That is not an argument for S Tier. No story is crazy when you have Gadatsu above it. Like, you're. You're high.

[E]

Well, then do we want to put it above Gatsu?

[A]

I would put it above Gatsu.

[B]

I think Gatsu is a big overachiever on this one. I.

[A]

For one of the most. I agree with Steve, actually.

[B]

I'd say it's king of the forgettable ones, because it's hilarious.

[A]

But it's an underrated one. It is 100% underrated. I think I mentioned this before, but it's. It's good, but it's not. Not great.

[E]

Well, here's the thing I remember. Gadot's all about what we remember. I think it's all our personal journeys.

[A]

It was a penultimate one.

[E]

I mean, that's the thing that sucks about it. I. I don't. It just happened. I barely remember anything, but I remember Gadatsu's like, oh, Alex has fond memories

[B]

of, you know, you know, hitting the street first thing in the morning and the paper boy.

[A]

And extra, extra. Cover story with Gadatsu.

[B]

Hey, Mr. Kazanis, mind if I shine your shoes for you?

[A]

I'm writing this down. I don't know why.

[D]

That's the entire title, Jimmy.

[A]

Extra, extra. It's Gadatsu.

[E]

Gadatsu is the one for old people. Gadatsu is the one for old people. I think I feel like old people. You had to have been there.

[A]

All of us are old people.

[E]

You had to have been there for Gadatsu.

[A]

We're gonna Retire one piece things.

[C]

Ugari Island. Yeah.

[A]

With Kuro. I think this is good. Hachi Caribou. Germa.

[E]

Germa's doesn't end though. Well, actually, Gadatsu's doesn't really end either. It just ends in a gag. It's kind of funny.

[A]

Well, Caribou's, I think is the most story of these four.

[E]

That's. Caribou gets an ar.

[B]

I disagree.

[A]

Okay. I'm not. I just don't elaborate as much of a caribou. Okay. I think this is good for B. C is Jim Bay, CP9 and the second decks of the world.

[E]

I was saying Caribou.

[A]

I would personally put Jim Bay up more because I feel like it doesn't deserve beaming in the CP9 decks.500 but

[B]

I feel like Yamato.

[E]

Can I just say. Look, look. Yamato's in D. All right. We can't litigate Jinbei to be higher than. Than that. Jim bae's. At the very least, I might. I might actually like Jim bae's less than Yamato's.

[B]

I was gonna say I feel like Yamato being in D. I think that's just. That wound is still fresh. I think I like it more than Dex.

[C]

You know, I was gonna. Yeah, okay. I was gonna say we should switch Yamato and the decks.

[A]

I agree with that. I would.

[B]

Dex has a few new things, but otherwise it kind of just feels like a repeat.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You know?

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. I agree with that.

[D]

Do we like Yamato more than Jim Bay?

[C]

No, I do.

[D]

Steven likes.

[E]

I think it's. I think there's more to it.

[D]

It.

[E]

Because it's like.

[D]

Like.

[E]

Like you said, it's a.

[D]

It's.

[E]

It's a Wano get. It's. It's longer. It's long as. But it's also a decks of the world. We get to see our friends from Wano again. Jim Bay's got. Sorry. Jim Bay has practically nothing going on.

[D]

Garbage at the bottom of the sea.

[E]

That's basically it.

[B]

And I feel like I'm gonna like.

[E]

Basically.

[B]

I think in hindsight, I feel like I'm gonna like the Yamato one more than CP9.

[D]

When all the Wano folks come back into the main story, I feel like the Yamato will hit. Hit more.

[B]

But yeah, when we see them watching a giant TV and being like, whoa, they did that happen?

[A]

That happened.

[C]

Is that Luffy?

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

But also Wano and then Anime only watchers are going to be like, what do you mean? Ulti and Page One.

[C]

Or.

[A]

Or that's what's going to happen. Yeah, I'll say. Wano. The problem is wano always feels like it was a year ago because of COVID and because of how long it was. Like, it just always feels recent.

[E]

Which makes no slay.

[D]

Slay Just said.

[E]

I'm glad they can't see my ranking and make. Probably cause them to crash out post it.

[A]

You share this. Yeah, please share this ranking thing in the description.

[D]

We're going to share this. And the bracket goes live tomorrow. So right now these tiers we're doing are seated. This is going to be the seating.

[A]

These are the seats. And then so you all get to decide now if we're right. Which we are.

[D]

Yeah, the bracket. The bracket will be the ultimate decider at the end of this.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

I'm cool with this. I. I think this is good.

[A]

I agree. I agree.

[E]

This is good. Plus it has like a little. Like a little denim.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

Like it's.

[A]

Yeah, it's a good shape. It's a good. It's a good triangle.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

So by the way, C is now Yamato, Jim Bay and CP9 and D is now the 500 million. And separation. I feel like I'd switch those even. But the. I think we're good.

[E]

No, no, I like Dex better than separation.

[B]

I don't want to exacerbate.

[A]

Yeah, let's lock it.

[D]

You can't do that on camera.

[A]

Stop doing that. Steve, don't do that.

[B]

All new drinks are now at McDonald's

[D]

with refreshers like the strawberry watermelon refresher

[A]

and the mango pineapple refresher with popping Boba to craft. And sodas like the Sprite berry blast

[D]

with berry flavors and cold foam.

[B]

Who knew ice cold drinks could be so fire? Try them all now at McDonald's.

[C]

Refreshers contain caffeine.

[B]

Copyright 2026, the Coca Cola Company Sprite is a registered trademark of the Coca Cola Company.

[D]

Ready to soundtrack your summer with Red Bull Summer All Day play. You choose a playlist that fits your summer vibe the best. Are you a festival fanatic, a deep end dj, a road dog or a trail mixer? Just add a song to your chosen playlist and put your summer on track. Red Bull Summer All Day Play. Red Bull gives you wings. Visit red bull.com brightsummer ahead to learn more. See you.

[A]

Can. Where could people find you?

[D]

You can find me anywhere online under kindking01 and you can find the one piece art collab on Blue sky at opcollab bsky

[C]

Steven I'm over on Blue Sky. StevenPaul bsky Social

[A]

Alex

[E]

at dudeExclamation on Blue Sky. Also patreon.com superartfight Steve steveyerko.com Social Media

[B]

Steve Yurko Listen to me on Prozplays Games. Listen to me on 4kids flashback. I might be doing a bit of a one piece reread myself and maybe I'll post about it and talk about it. So if you want to know my thoughts and feelings, I think I'm unk status now amongst One Piece fans. So if you want to know what an old man.

[A]

What the fuck does that mean?

[D]

We're all unk status.

[E]

Oh, if. Oh if you're an unc, what the fuck does that make me? Or Stevens?

[B]

Grandpa. I don't know.

[A]

You don't want to be a grandma.

[B]

Tell us about how weekly shown up. Used to cost a nickel back in the day.

[D]

Extra, extra. Gadatsu is all about it.

[B]

Yeah, sorry. I don't want to keep you guys, you know, up any longer. Alex. Alex is waiting to have his malt before dinner.

[E]

Do you even know what time it is? I had dinner hours ago. Sorry, I meant the same before dinner.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

Oh yeah, that's true.

[D]

You have a malt.

[E]

My. My malted. My egg cream.

[A]

Find [e-mail] got to take my Alka Seltzer. Blue Sky. Either of those. A Blue Sky One Piece podcast on Patreon. Check us out. $5 a month. You get alternate images, titles. This. This week is going to be interesting. We also have.

[B]

Hey.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, sorry.

[A]

No, I'm done plugging. Okay.

[B]

Saying if this is something you really enjoyed, because this is something we don't really do all that often. Let us know and we'll try to do more of these.

[A]

I don't know if these do.

[D]

Maybe.

[E]

Maybe I liked. I liked doing it.

[B]

Maybe we're late to the game. Maybe it's like. Maybe tears are so passe now. But if you enjoy it, this is fun.

[D]

Yeah, it was a good off week activity. For sure.

[A]

It is. So I have titles which I normally would do in the middle of the show. If you're a Patreon subscriber, you know that we always do this. But we're going to do it right now because the way we're recording is different. We have Guyman's Island. Cannibalist. Cannibalish. Not cannabis. It has nothing to do with Cavendish. Why should I change my name? Frosty. Frosty Chocolate Hot Springs. Goodbye. Bye Bye. Bye Bye. And roost. Kimchi. A face only a grandma would love. The wrong rocks. Adeo, the forgettable one. Are we breaking Steve?

[B]

Who's the one?

[A]

Bellamy's Covid project.

[C]

That's actually good.

[B]

We did have an image by Maddie. Yes, you're right.

[A]

I gotta find that Edison Skywalker. And Extra. Extra. It's Gadatsu. Which one are we making? Side Ray.

[D]

We should talk to Sai and see which one speaks to them.

[E]

Can't fucking say.

[B]

Eniru's kimchi hits with me also imagining like Sai could just redraw rocks from the latest volume cover, but just replace it with the yeti guy.

[A]

But we never see his full body.

[B]

Just draw the stuff as implied. And. Oh, what was.

[E]

Yeah, if Steve had his way, we would never see full body.

[B]

I didn't say I don't want him in the COVID story. I'm just saying if you took him out.

[A]

No, we're not having that.

[D]

This.

[A]

We're not having this.

[B]

If you took his body out of the story, would Usopp remember him? That's what

[A]

this is really getting more.

[B]

17 years, One Piece podcast. What were some of the last few. There was one there.

[A]

Adeo, the forgettable one. Bellamy's Covid Project. Edison Skywalker. And Extra. Extra. It's Gadatsu with a paperboy presumably going,

[B]

I do like the paper boy. You know, I like that. Those three are my favorites. Edison Skywalker. I feel like that's more of like.

[D]

That's a niche audio joke.

[A]

It's like I'm Edison. No, you're fool. It's funny because I've never seen.

[D]

With Area Witch Wizard.

[A]

I've never seen that movie. So that's literally all I know about that movie. Is that fucking meme. And they fly now too.

[B]

No, your full legal name.

[D]

Zach. I shared the Bellamy image.

[A]

Oh yeah. Wait, why don't you share your screen?

[D]

I did Enaru, by the way.

[E]

I think it's.

[B]

Those are my three.

[A]

There it is.

[E]

I think if we do go extreme.

[A]

What was the title? Do you remember?

[E]

If we. If we do. If we do Xtree Extra. I think that the. The newspaper has to be the volume two cover story where we just see Gadatsu's feet. Because very clearly, like, that's.

[D]

That's.

[E]

Who else could it be?

[A]

God.

[E]

Eva Unit One. Right. I guess that's the. Or the Enugami family. Can I, I don't know, get a.

[A]

Which titles are we doing? Which one?

[C]

I like Bellamy's Covid Project. I think I. That's. That one's the funniest.

[E]

Yeah, it's the funniest one for sure.

[D]

But is that too close to the image we have on screen already or.

[C]

Yeah, I don't know. I'm like, half expecting, like, side to just draw a couple of the characters just hanging out doing whatever.

[A]

But, yeah, which is fine. Goodbye. Bye. Bye. Bye.

[B]

Bellamy talking with the other Grand Fleet. Yes.

[A]

I will send these to Psy and I will let Cy choose the way God intended.

[E]

That's a great idea. Don't know the right enter intended at the end of his cover story, Alex.

[A]

And when he comes back, how should we sign off?

[E]

What? What are you talking about? My name is Zach. My name is.

[A]

Yeah, we say goodbye. Bye. Bye.

[B]

My name's Steve.

[E]

Goodbye. I don't know. See, it works better with the ga. Ba Ba versus the game.

[A]

Thank you all for listening. If you like this, as Steve said, please leave us a comment. My name is Zach.

[B]

Good, good, good. Good night. My name is.

[E]

That's good.

[B]

See, we got there.

[E]

And my name is Alex.

[A]

Thank you all.

[C]

Take care, everybody.

[A]

Bye. Good night, Simba.