Episode 926, “How Does Luffy Know Who Jack Nicholson is?”

Summary

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The One Piece Podcast – Episode 926

Title: “How Does Luffy Know Who Jack Nicholson is?”
Date: July 13, 2026
Host: Zach
Panelists: Ed, Steve, Delaney Jordan (Editor), Jill Knight (Contributor), with special mentions of Sam and Kirby
Main Topics: Dodgers One Piece Night recap, manga chapter 1188 breakdown, Genie Luffy, Emu fight, and pop culture shenanigans

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Episode Overview

This episode of The One Piece Podcast kicks off with a lively recap of the recent One Piece Dodgers Night and transitions into an in-depth discussion of manga chapter 1188. The hosts analyze the Luffy vs. Emu fight, the latest color spread, narrative stakes, and the increasingly wild manifestations of Luffy’s powers. Running jokes about references, pop culture impressions, and whether Luffy knows Jack Nicholson run throughout, giving the episode a playful, irreverent tone.

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Dodgers One Piece Night Recap (00:27–14:17)

Key Points

• Jill’s Third One Piece Sports Night:

  • Brief recounting of attending three separate One Piece-themed LA sports nights (Dodgers and Lakers games).
  • The main draw is getting the collectible promo card—Jill details the effort to secure one and stories of hustlers and resellers.
    • “...someone had a shirt printed with the card on it; it just said buying card.” – Jill (03:21)
    • “At the end, they were trying to give you $800 cash for those cards.” – Jill (03:41)
  • Scene at the gates: people in Luffy hats, vendors selling card protectors, and fellow fans scrambling for merch.

• Vibrant Fan Community:

  • Live One Piece music by a local band, photo booths themed like promo cards, and Mugiwara store booth.
  • Jill’s mother, a fan-favorite character, leads the crowd in cosplay and high spirits—eventually making it onto the stadium big screen.

• Game Day Vibes:

  • Bleacher camaraderie with other attendees, stories about Dodgers fans, cosplay highlights (“Chuggy the Clown”—a Buggy cosplayer who chugged beer on the big screen), and team rivalry banter.
  • “I actually saw a baby in a crocheted straw hat, and fuck yeah, dude…” – Jill (14:17)

• The Drone Show (10:02–12:46):

  • Participation in the post-game spectacle: a drone show animating major One Piece scenes (“more technical, less wide; Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, plus current anime events”).
  • Noted increase in focus for anime watchers—"If you are caught up to the One Piece anime, you know what's happening in this drone show." – Jill (10:47)

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Manga Recap – Chapter 1188 "Voohoo. Vohu. It's Unclear." (19:09–56:55)

Introduction and Color Spread (19:09–32:33)

• Anniversary Highlights:

  • 29th anniversary: color spreads and author comments. Oda attends concerts, is active publicly.

• Color Spread Analysis (20:54–32:33):

  • Summer-themed: Nami in a bikini, turtle mounts, Straw Hats’ shenanigans.
  • Panel’s infatuation with the art quality, character pairings (Frankie & Robin on tandem crab = “married” energy), and in-jokes about Oda’s priorities (“It’s really good and not just because it’s horny.” – Steve, 24:59).
  • “I’m just staring at Frankie and Robin in the tandem crab. This will nourish me for many winters.” – Delaney (27:48)
  • Micro-analyzing character expressions (Chopper’s “creepy” face, Zoro’s “beef/reef” shirt), and invoking past spreads for comparison.

Chapter Breakdown: The Luffy vs. Emu Showdown (32:52–56:55)

1. Imu Confronts Luffy (33:06–41:03)

   • Manga opens with a surreal swirl: Joy Boy, snails, and Imu’s cryptic dialogue.
   • Imu’s new black flame powers—attacks Luffy with “living” flame arms.
   • “How should I know?” – Luffy, dodging Imu’s strange question/attack.

2. Looney Tunes Escalates (41:38–50:34)

   • Luffy’s gear five antics go wild: dodging, cartoon-style exaggeration, explosive onomatopoeias.
   • Imu’s attacks develop from large flaming arms into accelerating “chain-chomps”-style missiles.
   • Luffy responds with classic rapid-fire “Gum-Gum Jet Gatling”—but then, in a sudden twist, transforms into a genie.

3. Gum-Gum Genie ("Genie Luffy") Segment (39:22–50:17)

   • Luffy manifests a Robin Williams–esque genie form—complete with quipping, wish jokes, and meta references.
     • “Could I call you Emu? Or call you Moo? How about Moo Moo? Come on, time for the milking.” – Genie Luffy (40:33)
   • The panel riffs: “But how does Luffy know who Jack Nicholson is?” (40:38), spawning the running gag of the episode.
   • The Genie Luffy transformation is met with a mix of awe and “go bullshit” confusion by the podcasters, drawing parallels to Daifuku’s genie in Totto Land.

4. Jinbe, Loki, and Co. (42:09–44:49)

   • Jinbe arrives to defend Loki (the injured giant prince), while Nami, Usopp, and Brook commentate—joking about the confusion and speculating about Imu’s status.

5. Emu’s Power Buildup & Narrative Stakes (47:05–56:55)

   • Imu whips out new sword abilities: "Stigma" and the “Blade of Nothingness.”
   • An epic forest-killing attack (“Wow, this character just got a whole lot more interesting. Fuck, I should have started with Tim Curry.” – Delaney, 48:40).
   • Luffy runs cartoon laps around Elbaf, chased and then ultimately impaled through his old Crocodile scar—ending the chapter on a dire note.
   • "Joy Boy was not this weak." – Imu (50:27), as Luffy bleeds out.

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Manga Recap – Roundtable Reactions & Analysis (56:55–77:00)

Chapter Reactions

• Ed:

  • Found the chapter visually confusing, unsure how Imu’s powers work, but appreciates the creative stakes and wackiness: “The genie panel is the best panel of the whole chapter… he just—boom—he’s huge.” (57:49)
  • Intrigued by implications for Imu’s and Brook’s history.

• Delaney:

  • Praises the surprise of Genie Luffy, notes this is the most physically wrecked Luffy has been outside of Kaido in Wano, and wonders about narrative consequences—“Does this mean someone else gets to do something interesting?”
  • Finds Emu recognizing Brook “weird” and lampshades the potential for narrative payoff: “He only did new material. He didn’t do any of the stuff from his popular album.” (54:48)

• Steve:

  • Loves the “Looney Toons” escalation—“Can moo friends do this? Can moo friends do that?” – Steve (56:55)
  • Points out Oda’s action panels are sometimes hard to follow but gives the moment high marks for stakes (“this feels like a serious blow…”).
  • Admits Emu looks and feels more Final Fantasy villain than One Piece but thinks it works to make him seem otherworldly.

• Zach:

  • Emphasizes Oda’s intended reader confusion: “We’re not supposed to understand Emu’s power… it’s supposed to feel uneasy and ominous.”
  • Believes narrative threads (Brook & Shuri, Sanji and Zoro’s fight) remain unresolved and Luffy will return.

Running Jokes & Notable Quotes

• Pop Culture Gag:
  • “But how does Luffy know who Jack Nicholson is?” becomes a recurring bit, referencing Looney Tunes, Robin Williams’ Genie, and asking whether Luffy makes pop culture jokes in his Gear Five form.
• On Genie Luffy:
  • “I can’t believe it… I’m losing to an emu.” – Steve (40:44)
  • “This isn’t even his final form!” – Steve (101:53)
• On Oda Color Spreads:
  • “It’s really good and not just because it’s horny.” – Steve (24:59)

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Piece Together Q&A Highlights (79:10–103:52)

Questions range from the comedic:

• What would you do with a frozen person? (sled? carpool lane?)
  • “If you have a sister who loves them very much, you have a chance of unthawing them. Otherwise you’re fucked.” – Delaney (80:36)
• Is Gum-Gum Genie blue? Who would voice him—Robin Williams or Dan Castellaneta?
• Will Luffy mimic obscure Devil Fruits? (favorite silly Luffy techniques: Space Out, Water Luffy)
• Does Gum-Gum Genie make pop culture references?
  • “For a fact, Luffy knows who Jack Nicholson is.” – Steve (114:08)
• Corporate recruitment skit for Loki as a Straw Hat (105:15)
  • “We have a 401k. Dental. Pizza parties. But we can’t accommodate dietary restrictions.”

To the analytic:

• Is Emu’s power really that impressive?
  • Panelists agree he feels more like an RPG villain—possibly intentionally “outside of this series.”
• What narrative direction would be “smart vs stupid” for Oda?
  • “The stupid thing is killing Luffy.” – Steve (86:31)
• Will this defeat have true consequences for Luffy?
  • Consensus: Luffy needs to experience genuine loss or emotional low (hasn’t happened since Marineford).
• Speculation on Imu’s final form, Brook’s role, and future narrative turns.

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Notable Timestamps

• 00:27–14:17: Dodgers Night Recap (with card hustlers, cosplay, drone show)
• 19:09–32:33: Color Spread & Oda update
• 32:52–56:55: Manga breakdown: Luffy vs. Imu ("Emu"), Genie Luffy, the fight's escalation and stakes
• 56:55–77:00: Chapter impressions, comparisons to One Piece and Dragon Ball arcs, pop-culture and cartoon references
• 79:10–103:52: Piece Together Q&A—funny fan prompts, theories, and panelist riffs
• 119:02–126:37+: Extended pop-culture improv: national celebrations, Wolf Blitzer bit, Luffy and Jack Nicholson

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Notable “Meta”/Riff Segments

• Jack Nicholson Bit (various, especially 119:02–126:37):
  • Fake news breaks as multiple panelists (riffing as anchors, politicians) formally declare, “Monkey D. Luffy does, in fact, know who Jack Nicholson is.”
  • Running commentary, celebratory vignettes, and role-plays of celebratory events (Oscars, DC street parties), blending in meta-humor about podcasting, audience, and deep fandom.

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Final Thoughts & Takeaways

• The podcast delivers a detailed, energetic blend of One Piece news, manga analysis, fan Q&A, and unfettered improv.
• The Dodgers Night report emphasizes the franchise’s cultural reach, the quirks of One Piece fan events, and the value of community.
• Chapter 1188 is seen as chaotic, visually dense, and pivotal: Luffy’s genie transformation is both hilarious and surreal, while Imu’s powers and the fight’s stakes create big questions for the arc’s direction.
• The panel wishes for lasting consequences, narrative payoff for supporting characters, and hopes Oda sticks the landing.
• Re: “How Does Luffy Know Who Jack Nicholson Is?”—It’s all down to Gear Five’s cartoon logic, and the panel milks the reference for every drop.

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Memorable Quote:
“For a fact, Luffy knows who Jack Nicholson is.”
— Steve (114:08)

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Transcript

[Delaney]

Foreign.

[Zach]

This is the One piece podcast, episode 926 for the week of Monday, July. July 13, 2026. My name is Zach.

[Ed]

My name is Ed.

[Steve]

And my name is Steve.

[Zach]

And on today's show, we have our editor, Delaney Jordan. How's it going, Editor Delaney Jordan.

[Delaney]

How's it going?

[Zach]

I don't know.

[Delaney]

How's it going, Editor?

[Zach]

I started to say editor.

[Delaney]

Editing.

[Ed]

Going.

[Zach]

How's it going, Delaney?

[Delaney]

It's going great, Zach. I'm very excited to be here. And make no references to anything whatsoever.

[Ed]

That's not like us.

[Zach]

Yeah. We also have, just for this segment, special guest Jill Knight. Well, I guess contributor Jill Knight, but special contributor. Jill, welcome.

[Jill]

Wow. For a moment there, I was like, oh, my God, I've been raised a special guest. And within a second, you tore that away from me.

[Delaney]

I think that's a ripped asunder.

[Jill]

All right, well, you know, are we

[Ed]

just gonna leap into this because Jill had a unique experience?

[Zach]

Oh, we could leap into.

[Ed]

You went twist Forge.

[Jill]

I know, I know. Shocking. Actually, this is the third time I have gone to a One Piece themed sports game because last year I went to the One piece Dodgers game, and then I also went to the One Piece Lakers game, and I had to make it back, of course, to the One Piece Dodgers game here on July 2nd. So I'm here for my sports cast.

[Zach]

Okay, first we gotta ask, did you get the card?

[Jill]

Of course I got the card. I'm not a Steve. I immediately got there and was like,

[Zach]

okay, you broke Delaney, by the way. The audience needs to know this.

[Jill]

I actually informed multiple people, not the

[Delaney]

Goofus and gallanting of Steve Yerko. Don't be a Steve.

[Zach]

You're already making references explicitly. Sorry, go ahead.

[Jill]

No, I mean, when I was in line, I told multiple people about Steve Steep's flight, and I was like, hey, make sure you get that damn card. My friend didn't. And it was a whole ordeal. So, Steve, you were like a word of warning amongst the people at the Dodgers game. But hell, even just waiting in line, because you're supposed to wait in line before the gate opens, like an hour and a half. There was people selling card protectors, like $5 a pop. They were scalp, like they're selling card protectors as you walk in.

[Ed]

And then, yeah, it's like they're giving away like a promotional comic book and someone was out. Out front with bags and boards.

[Jill]

Yeah, exactly the same. Exactly. And as you walk in, immediately you get your card, you get your hat, and then you were just inundated with people waiting 10ft away from the gate, yelling, asking for your cards. One dude had a shirt that he had printed the card on it, and it just said buying card.

[Zach]

I saw that.

[Jill]

I think. I think they were originally asking for 300. Then I heard it go up to 400 by the end of the night. At the very end, they were trying to give you 800 cash for those cards out the gate, I heard. And they were. I'm telling you, I just saw people walking around with wads of cash. I heard one guy say, hey, meet me in the parking lot for the card. And I was just like, wow, that's ballsy.

[Ed]

Catch me outside. How about that?

[Zach]

What are these, drugs?

[Jill]

Yeah. I was like, you would. I would never meet anyone in the Dodgers stadium parking lot for anything whatsoever. Oda could be there, and I'd be like, not today, buddy. But, yeah, so we walked in. We. It's. It's so fun seeing just, like, this crowd of, like, Luffy hats. Because it's, like, burning hot in Dodger Stadium. So just everyone's wearing their hats. Some people more than one hat because they were also trying to scalp the hats. So some I saw people with, like, 20, 30 hats at a time. That was. Oh, my God, Like a whole Doug DiMadome situation. Really.

[Zach]

I thought Luffy was ridiculous with his hats on a hat, But I know

[Jill]

he usually only goes, like, two or three deep, maybe. But these people really were trying to be king of the pirates.

[Zach]

That's what it is. Okay.

[Ed]

You know, and here's a wrestling reference for Steve. I heard that the Dodgers parking. Dodgers stadium parking lot is more dangerous than the NXT parking lot, Steve.

[Steve]

Oh, yeah, I get that. Why were people getting jumped, too, for cards?

[Jill]

I didn't see anyone get jumped, but last time I went, I did see a car accident. So that was lovely. At 5 mph and not avoidable at all.

[Steve]

Just like.

[Zach]

No.

[Jill]

Every single person in that parking lot was watching it happen, and it was avoidable, I guess is the term for it. They also had, like, a small band playing one piece openings. It was pretty sick. They were wearing, like, one piece hats and stuff. They had them last year.

[Ed]

They had that at the Boston one Piece night a year or two ago.

[Jill]

Yeah. I think they always try to go for, like, smaller local bands that can play music like that. So that was really cool to see. You would just kind of hear them throughout before the first ball was thrown. And also, they had a few different. I think there was two total that were the same thing. There are little Booths. Photo booths that you can go in and take your picture in, like, a frame that looked like the card. That was really cute. We got. The line was super long. We actually get into one of them. There was another booth that was celebrating. It's the opening of that new Mugiwara store. Right? Yep.

[Ed]

We talked about that last week.

[Jill]

Yeah, it's cool. They had, like, a little picture thing you could take a picture with, and I think you could get a pin. But we couldn't make it to that one. But that was also there, so that was really neat to see. And then we sat down. We. We always sit in the bleachers because I think that's just the best bang for your buck. And the people in front of us was one dude with his five or six friends, and he informed us that he had bought the tickets for every single one of them. And in return, they gave him his card and they got a free Dodgers game. So that was very smart of him, that.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Jill]

My mother.

[Steve]

I'm surprised. They were just. They were like, yeah, we'll go to a game. I couldn't convince anyone I know to go to a Dodgers game.

[Jill]

I actually love going to Dodgers games. I just don't like driving. So if anyone will drive me to a Dodgers game, I will always go. So I.

[Ed]

It's pretty far away from. You're not exactly in Los Angeles county, so it's kind of far from you.

[Jill]

I'm in Ventura County. It's like, hour and a half drive, depending on traffic, so it could be five hours.

[Steve]

What I should have said was, I would drive you to the Dodgers game for a card.

[Jill]

But my mom. So, yeah, I went with my mom, and she's the one who decided that we should dress up as Luffy last year. So, of course, we still had our outfits looking cute. Twinsies. But my mother, unlike me, is maximum charisma. And she made friends with the people in front of us. At one point, she called one of them, I'm a loser. And they were like, you're awesome. And it was. It was the whole thing. My sister was.

[Zach]

Your mom is awesome. From the. My mom is awesome. Yeah.

[Jill]

Yeah. And at one point, they actually got the camera onto the people in front of us because they were, like, standing on bleachers and, like, screaming and stuff. And my mom stood on the black back of the bleachers, jumped on these two dudes with her arms around them and was just screaming to get on the big screen. And I was just off to the side making sure she didn't Fall and break a hip. So my mom got on the screen. I did.

[Delaney]

I should fucking hope so after all that excess effort.

[Jill]

Oh, yeah. Trust me on there.

[Ed]

Jill trying to get in the background, like, usopping a wanted poster, right?

[Jill]

I was like, oh, that's gonna be me catching her when she falls. But, yeah, and there. There was a. There's a lot of cosplayers around. You know, it's kind of like easier. Cosplay is nothing like you would see at Anime Expo. But at one point, I definitely saw, like, I don't want to assume their gender, but I assume it was a dude dressed as Nami who was extremely buff and had a beard. And then so he was on screen, like, once or twice. And there was also someone I called Chuggy the Clown, because they were Buggy the Clown, but they started chugging it as soon as they got on the big screen. So that made my mom laugh when I said that. So I was pretty proud of that joke.

[Zach]

I'll write that down.

[Jill]

And then pretty much the last thing was, oh, of course we won. I mean, you know, Dodgers. Sorry, guys. I love having a local team that is pay to win. It's awesome to have an excuse to root for the team that wins.

[Steve]

But I heard it was a good game. That's the.

[Jill]

The first two innings, or the first, I don't even remember, against the Padres. So the first inning and a half, the Padres were up six and we were at zero. And so the whole mood was like, whoa. But then we immediately turned it around and kicked ass and pretty much shut them out for the rest of the game. So everyone had a great time.

[Zach]

Isn't that Steven's team, the Padres? I think he's a big fan.

[Jill]

What a loser.

[Ed]

You know, Steven is a San Diegan.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Jill]

Well, we gave you guys one game out of four, so that's for you, Padres.

[Zach]

Wow.

[Jill]

I'm telling you, before the game started, they had a whole thing being like, the Dodgers are the villains because they gotta hate someone. Sucks to suck. It was really very funny. But last thing they had there was the drone show. Oh, yeah. Yeah. So we didn't get to go on the field, but from last year's experience, I figured out where to, like, stand and watch it. So we got a good view of it. We didn't see whatever graphic they were showing on the screens in the field, I assume just scenes from the anime, but they played. They played we are and they played us. And. And the drone show was definitely different from last year. It was shorter, way Shorter. My moms think there was less drones. However, it was, like, technically better in that, like, the drones were, like, animating things and, like, changing colors and, like, Zorro's, like, fire turned from, like, green to purple. They had. And it was interesting because it was only Zorro. Luffy and Sanji got, like, a big thing instead of all the straw hats like last year. And they also had, like, Luffy versus Luchi from. I saw that from Egghead. Yeah. And then Bonnie and Kuma, I was like, wow, this is for, like, the anime fans that are watching this. So I thought technically better, but definitely much shorter and less like. It was much more like, specifically for. If you are caught up to the One Piece anime, you know what's happened in this drone show. Because how are you gonna know who Bonnie and Kuma is in that specific context otherwise?

[Zach]

I mean, drone shows, I unfortunately still have. I don't think I've seen one in person yet, but they always look so much cooler than fireworks.

[Steve]

I gotta say, they're pretty dope. And as a dog owner, Zach, you'll probably love them.

[Zach]

My dog doesn't give shit. My dog doesn't give two shits about fireworks. It's kind of crazy.

[Steve]

Oh, what a little sweetheart.

[Jill]

I do love fireworks, but, like, the drone shows are pretty damn sick. I mean, they're kind of scary, but they're really sick.

[Steve]

Steve.

[Zach]

When I. When I used to live in Astoria, Lucy would just, like, be asleep and literally outside the window would be giant things of fireworks, and she's just passed the fuck out. She's. She's a rare example of that. But, yeah, I mean, I appreciate that as a dog lover also, it just seems unnecessarily, you know, everything. Fireworks, which I guess is our country's, you know, motto.

[Ed]

What better way to celebrate the birth of your country than blowing a small piece of it up?

[Zach]

Yeah. Yeah. Jill, did you have any other fun stories? I mean, your mom seems to be the MVP of.

[Jill]

I know. I really did ask her if she, like, had anything she wanted to add to this, but she had no. Nothing. But I will say this was like the first stop of our, like, a week road trip I had with my mom for Fourth of July. And none of our TVs worked at Pretty much any hotel we stayed at. So we are now on episode 12 of One Piece. I'm going to try my fucking best to continue this with my mom.

[Zach]

We'll see the anime or the live action?

[Jill]

The anime. She has watched the live action now.

[Ed]

It's fascinating. Tell Us more when you can.

[Jill]

Yeah. I mean, hell, every time I'm on, I guess I'll give you an update. We're moving. So instead of my entire family living together, it's just going to be me, my mom, and one of us. So I figure now's the time she's stuck with me. It's one piece time.

[Zach]

Delaney, didn't we, like, at one point contemplate, like, doing, like, a mom cast with.

[Delaney]

Oh, yeah, your mom loves opla, and I maintain that that's still something you can do.

[Zach]

I think we should. I, like this just.

[Delaney]

I also believe that we should.

[Zach]

Yeah. One of these days, there's still time. Season three comes out in.

[Delaney]

Your mom loves opla.

[Zach]

Wow, that sounds so derogatory, but I know it's not. Jill, thank you for giving us your report and braving it through a sporting event for. Well, not for us, but for yourself and for cards. You did not sell the cards at the end, right?

[Steve]

For your country?

[Jill]

Yeah. God, yeah.

[Delaney]

You know, friends, Romans, countrymen.

[Jill]

I have not sold the cards yet. We were gonna, like, my mom at the beginning was like, 800 and I will sell it for cash. But then when they're offering you 800 for cash, you're like, okay, so clearly it's worth way more. So then we didn't take it.

[Zach]

Well, assuming they know what the hell they're talking about.

[Jill]

Yeah, well, they were, like, on ebay for, like, $1300 that night. Oh.

[Zach]

So there you go. Anything else, Jill, that I'm missing?

[Jill]

I saw a baby in a crocheted straw hat, and fuck, yeah, dude, I know. I, like, almost cried. I was like, oh, no. But, yeah, that was the cutest thing I saw.

[Zach]

I should have done that if I knew how to crochet.

[Delaney]

There's still time.

[Zach]

Is there? Yeah, I guess there is. The thing is babies. Well, none of my kids have ever been like, oh, yeah, I'll wear a hat voluntarily and not immediately throw. They never were.

[Delaney]

At that age, there are kids that

[Zach]

don't give a shit that are just like, I'm fine. I'll wear a hat.

[Delaney]

Wait, that's not true. That's not true. I was a hat kid. See, I misproved my own point.

[Zach]

You did.

[Delaney]

I was a hat child.

[Zach]

I've always. I've always said this. Yeah, I don't think there was a ton of other One Piece news as far as I could recall. I assume we'll be catching up on the anime pretty soon. I'll talk to Sam and make sure. But we also heroines came out, I think, right after we recorded last week. So hopefully we'll get to talk about that kind of soon. I But other than that, mostly just merch news and the Dodgers and more sporting events. I'm sure One Piece Day is in August, even though I guess the big news is this is. I think this coming week is the 29th anniversary of One Piece. It's still crazy. I was 10 when this started. I. People keep telling me, like Jill will tell me, oh, I was in high school or middle school, whatever, when you. When you guys started. And then I think, oh, if I ever see Oda, I could tell him I was 10 when you started. I've been podcasting about you for 17 years and that would make me feel old, personally. That'll do it, though, before. Sorry for this segment before we go into the manga, though. Patreon.com One Piece podcast Steve, that's not part of the URL. Steve, wasn't this the thing we did? The, like, the karate chop thing?

[Steve]

Yeah, apparently. Apparently I do this a lot when I.

[Zach]

You're.

[Delaney]

You're voguing.

[Zach]

Yeah. That's what you're doing. Anyway, we're doing hand motions. It doesn't work. It's an audio medium.

[Steve]

Madonna stickers. Hey, folks. Yeah, I haven't been on a while, but guess what? This past Friday, I put up the poll for July and it's a choice between it's the Kobe and Garp, like Father, Son, Kamehameha and the we are inspired Buggy Cross Guild illustrations from a few years back. As of now, I think the Buggy is in the lead and it seems like it's almost a sure thing. But if you're listening to this podcast as it comes out, you have until Friday, 10am Pacific Time. There are still times cast your vote. And you do have till the end of the month to subscribe to the $12 sticker tier to get a sticker. Loki stickers are getting mailed out. Sorry it's been a little bit late, but it's been busy beginning of the month. But these are. I'm putting these in the mail tomorrow, so look forward to these. Actually, I like, have a Loki stickers.

[Zach]

Yeah, they came out great.

[Steve]

I hope people like them, too.

[Zach]

Yeah,

[Steve]

the fact that I could just like. Oh, some like the full illustration sometimes can work. I think it kind of gives us a few more options here. So I hope people like them.

[Zach]

Absolutely. I mean, I'm not a graphic designer in any sense of the word, but yes, I think so. Thank you, Steve. And we also have, of course, alternate titles, alternate images. Kirby is doing our image this week, which I'm sure you're enjoying. There's also great alternate title. I'm sorry, alternate images that he drew for this week. So please subscribe to US at the $5 tier for that. It's also available at the $12 tier, of course, and also the extended discussions about what title we choose and who knows who Jack Nicholson is. You'll find out about that. I guess this time it's sounding a

[Delaney]

lot like you don't know who Jack Nicholson is.

[Zach]

Let's talk about the manga, Zach.

[Steve]

Who's Jack Nicholson?

[Delaney]

Jack Nicholson was in this movie called the Shining, directed by a strange man named Stanley Kubrick who doesn't ring a bell. Have you heard of Batman, Zach?

[Zach]

Bat who? How could a bat be a man?

[Steve]

Go watch Fucking Paw Patrol Paw.

[Zach]

This is the manga recap for chapter 1188. Voohoo. Vohu. It's unclear. You can read this chapter and all chapters as soon as they come out of Shonen Jumped Up.

[Ed]

Joy Boy over here.

[Zach]

Shonen Jump, Viz.com or MangaPlus Shueisha Co. Ed. Where do you want to. We have a lot before we get into the main meat of the chapter. Maybe that's. Maybe you should start with the COVID of Shonen Jump with that segue.

[Ed]

It's the 29th anniversary cover for One Piece, which, as we all know, started in July of 1997, as we all know. And it's Luffy. Like basically having a seat on a big, raw, delicious looking steak. As you do when you're Luffy.

[Zach]

Is that a vegetable or is that

[Steve]

part of the vegetable in Luffy's diet? Why are you asking?

[Zach]

No, the thing that looks like a zucchini or something.

[Delaney]

No, there's. It's like a pepper.

[Zach]

It looks a pepper. It's a shish kebab.

[Steve]

But no, I was just surprised.

[Zach]

I didn't notice that until just this moment.

[Delaney]

One whole pepper.

[Steve]

You know who's actually gonna own a card with this illustration on it? Yo,

[Zach]

how much is that gonna cost?

[Steve]

$10. $10 for four of them?

[Zach]

Oh, really? Nice. Oh, you already got it. It's already been done. How does that work?

[Steve]

Pre ordered. Pre ordered on Premium Bandai.

[Jill]

These.

[Zach]

This already came out.

[Steve]

This is the first drop. But then they did a surprise drop which I caught because I got my ass kicked in the first round of locals in the One Piece card game. So I had time.

[Ed]

And there's also an author comment posted already this week.

[Zach]

Yeah, tell us about it. What's going on?

[Ed]

Yes. Oda. What did Oda do this week?

[Zach]

Concert.

[Ed]

I saw Mayumi Tanaka's play. She's injured, but you can't even tell what a pro it was awesome. Good for her.

[Steve]

The first thing I visualized is the gymnast in the Simpsons who snaps his ankle.

[Zach]

Oh.

[Steve]

Can't even tell.

[Ed]

You get the feeling sometimes when you read these comments that Oda really has a sort of a friendly connection to the straw hat voice actors. I think Tanaka in particular. And like we know that was it. Crap. Frankie's voice actor in the first one, Kazuki Yao. Kazuki Yao took him out to bars and stuff.

[Zach]

Yeah. I mean they have the barbecues every year. We know about that.

[Ed]

Takoyaki party, I think.

[Zach]

The Takoyaki party. You're right.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Zach]

They have. I think both. They do piggies in the blanket.

[Ed]

Best piggies in the blanket on the whole island.

[Zach]

That's true. They are. Yeah. That doesn't surprise me. But Oda's been out a lot this summer so far. He had two concerts. And this is a Pokemon Go festival. And a Pokemon Go festival.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Zach]

It was at least two concerts. Like recent in recent memories, I think.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Color page Ed.

[Ed]

Yes. This one does not seem to have a title or any text written on it.

[Steve]

It's one piece is in the top right corner.

[Ed]

Yes. This is definitely a summer for the next year's calendar.

[Steve]

If we get.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Steve]

It's gonna more readily available.

[Ed]

Yeah. But yes. A beautiful Nami in a bikini swimming with a turtle riding on the back. The turtle has. Wearing a crown. And riding on the back of the turtle is Luffy in a bubble with Chopper and Brook playing a violin.

[Zach]

And are you forgetting Zoro is sleeping there. There we go.

[Ed]

As you do.

[Steve]

And Sanji is chasing after another sleeping. Sanji's cockblocking.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Steve]

Yo.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Oh, that's how that goes.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Ed]

Steve, I saw your post about this on Blue Sky. The not me and the turtle. Like, this is what me and Vero look like when we're taking pictures.

[Steve]

Yeah. That's what it looks like when you get a photo of me from like under my chin.

[Zach]

Which are all photos because we're all shorter than you as human beings.

[Ed]

And of course, Frankie and Robin riding together because they are married.

[Zach]

Oh, yeah.

[Steve]

What does this mean? Says the YouTube thumbnail with an arrow pointing to it.

[Delaney]

Does he know?

[Steve]

And you have a bunch of sharks. Like you have one shark chasing after Usopp, but all the other sharks are in line and saluting to Jim Bey who's like. He's King Shark, I guess, like, knock it off.

[Delaney]

Nothing but respect for my president.

[Steve]

It feels like Oda put his time into this one.

[Zach]

It is a much nice. Yeah, yeah.

[Steve]

I think this is one of the cleaner looking ones I've seen from him in years.

[Ed]

It's not too busy.

[Zach]

I don't know about that.

[Ed]

Yeah. And the line work on the. On the, on the turtle's fin over like above Nami. That's nice.

[Steve]

I mean, just the line work, the color choices, the shading. I think this is one of his best ones he's done in a long time. And I feel like I say that every color, every few color spreads because we only get, you know, so many of them a year. But this one is really good and not just because it's horny.

[Zach]

Okay, let's make sure that that's the reason.

[Delaney]

Well, as long as you clarify.

[Zach]

Yes.

[Steve]

Yeah.

[Zach]

And now I feel better.

[Steve]

I mean, I'm gonna address the elephant in the room.

[Zach]

You mean the turtle?

[Steve]

Sure.

[Delaney]

The turtle is right there. Steve.

[Ed]

And Sanji is so jealous that Nami is scratching the turtle's chin.

[Zach]

He's angry chins.

[Steve]

Look how good, like the blue shading is on them there. It just really. It pops on like, just like, you know, otherwise, like their regular colors. Because that's like the only hint of like blue. Like Oda still kind of colors them with their traditional colors.

[Ed]

Here, let me get this clear. Are Frankie and Robin riding like a tandem crab or tantam crab?

[Steve]

You know, tandem crab.

[Ed]

What is that?

[Delaney]

The COVID charge for tandem crab is. I'm already paying 20.

[Steve]

Yeah, I know. It's one of my favorite places in Boston, Massachusetts though. It's so good.

[Zach]

I was so. I was gonna say this one reminds me of the one that there's another one from like Fishman island era. I think it might not be during that. You know what I'm talking about? I don't know how to.

[Ed]

Sanji.

[Steve]

No, no, no, no, no.

[Ed]

That one was even. That was even better.

[Zach]

No, the underwater one, it's another under.

[Steve]

Yeah, it was a bunch of them swimming by.

[Zach]

It is very similar. I think that's my complaint.

[Steve]

I guess when I first caught a wind of this, I almost thought it was a remake. Even though the. The color spread Zach and I are referring to from chapter. Here we go. Can you. Can you guess what chapter it was from, Zach?

[Zach]

Oh, okay, wait, wait. Give me one sec. 697.

[Steve]

Oh, so close. 634.

[Zach]

Oh, that wasn't that bad. I mean, out of 1180. That's not. Or 1188. It's not that bad.

[Steve]

I feel like this one was, like, towards the end of the arc, I

[Zach]

thought it was, like, right after Fishman island, but I think I'm thinking of the other one that they did with.

[Steve]

You know what? You might be. Yeah, you might be right, because. Oh, yeah, there was one where they're all, like, at a bar and stuff where it's like the mermaids are.

[Zach]

That's the one I was thinking of. Yeah.

[Steve]

Yeah.

[Zach]

But it's the same angle. It could be in the same.

[Steve]

Yes.

[Zach]

Like, it is very, very, very similar. Not that it's bad because it's similar, but it is very, very similar.

[Ed]

And I gotta say, Nami's always beautiful, but I love the combination horizontal stripe and polka dot bikini that she wore

[Steve]

for the first time today.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Delaney, any thoughts?

[Steve]

Sorry, that. That was a rough one.

[Delaney]

They're not sending their best. They're not sending their best. I'm just. I'm just staring at Frankie and Robin in the tandem crab. This will nourish me for many winters, and I'm very grateful and thank you, Eiichiro Oda. And anything bad I said about you on that Girl Perverts episode I just recorded. No, I didn't. End of thought. Thank you.

[Zach]

Or that you're about to.

[Delaney]

Or no, it remains to be seen. You know, we got a few hours ahead of us.

[Steve]

Who's to say few hours? Zach, this just in. The. The Mermaid Cafe color spread was from 724. Almost 100 chapters after this one.

[Zach]

I knew it was after. I knew it was, like, significantly after, but not, like, insanely.

[Steve]

I wasn't sure just which one was which. I wasn't sure if this, like, which one was during Fishman island or not, so.

[Zach]

There was also another one. I don't even think it was this one. I think. Oh, no, I know what I'm thinking of. It's the one where they're, like, looking up at, like, bubbles or something. Do you know, it's like, right after the time skip, there's a similar kind of laid out one with, like, Zorro looking up. Do you remember what I'm referring to? If anyone does.

[Steve]

Not entirely sure. Off the top of my head, I'll

[Zach]

look around for it. When I.

[Ed]

Not talking about color spreads, but I joke about Frankie and Robin being married. But, like, the one thing that made me think that initially or recently was when Frankie saw the Hurley, he was like, I gotta show this to Robin. Like, my Wife would love this.

[Zach]

Well, to be fair, though, that is the person who would most love it if you had to choose. But yes, I choose to also take it that way. Why not? Any other thoughts on the turtle? I mean, I love turtles, so I don't.

[Steve]

Actually, I kind of hope that the

[Delaney]

only thing that I don't love about the COVID is Chopper's expression. I wasn't really paying attention to it, and now the more I look at

[Ed]

it, I'm like, you know, pressed up against the bubble.

[Delaney]

Well, the face pressed up against the bubble. But, like, I don't know if it's the proportion of the eyes or just how big the mouth is, but, like, something about it is a little bit creepy to me.

[Zach]

For me, that's Luffy's face because, like, he doesn't have a neck. Like, like the turtle stole his neck.

[Ed]

And I gotta say, the turtle. His expression is giving the sea turtle from Dragon Ball.

[Zach]

That or Brooks eyes from the recent flashback.

[Delaney]

We're just enamored. This fucking turtle. This turtle has entranced us in ways both spiritual and ephemeral.

[Zach]

Well, with Nami Delay beyond our comprehension.

[Steve]

Who are you, Delaney? Who are you to criticize Chopper's mascara?

[Delaney]

What the fuck is that supposed to be?

[Ed]

Since when do Frankie and Chopper have the same eyelashes?

[Steve]

I said he's got some pronounced eyelashes.

[Zach]

He always has pronounced eyelashes. Cute characters have eyelashes.

[Steve]

No, Chopper doesn't. Chopper does not. That is not part of his design.

[Delaney]

I didn't even bring up the eyelashes.

[Steve]

Well, you just said Chopper looks weird, so I was just, you know, I just wanted to be like.

[Ed]

Hey, hey, hey.

[Steve]

Leave the.

[Zach]

What's on his shirt? Seaweed.

[Ed]

The rainbow of some kind and a face.

[Zach]

I don't know what the face. I'm sure there's a joke.

[Delaney]

And what looks like.

[Jill]

I don't know why.

[Ed]

It kind of looks like Sea Lab to me.

[Delaney]

Sea weed. Oh, there's a space between sea and weed. Okay, I think I'm understanding why Chopper's face looks like that.

[Zach]

Okay, there it is. There's that.

[Steve]

I do like that Zoro shirt on the sleeve. It says beef or reef.

[Zach]

I think it says reef.

[Steve]

Beef would be funnier. But it says reef.

[Zach]

I don't know what the one below it says.

[Ed]

What is that on Frankie's shoulder? Is that like a cat with a cat with a hat?

[Steve]

No, it looks like. It looks like one of, like, the Charlotte kids that rides around. What was it?

[Zach]

You're right. I know who you're talking about.

[Steve]

The motorcycle.

[Ed]

Like, the really little one.

[Steve]

Dandy one.

[Jill]

Yeah.

[Zach]

I don't think dandy is the word I would use. But yes.

[Ed]

Kind of had like Elvis hair.

[Zach]

Pompadour hair. Yeah. Which is a Yankee.

[Steve]

Yankee is a better.

[Zach]

That is. Yeah, that I think fits a little better. Nami just wants to give this turtle a hug so much that she doesn't even need her air is, I think also one. One thing to note. Okay. Anything else about the color spread? Because I don't have anything else.

[Steve]

It's really good. I. It. I. I wish Shoisha would can reconsider distribution of calendars.

[Zach]

Yeah. That's bizarre to me.

[Steve]

Still, I think just also, with tariffs being so that I just. I don't know, I have doubts. I think those days are over.

[Ed]

That's too bad.

[Zach]

Okay, I think we could move on into the chapter. Ed.

[Ed]

Yes. We start off with what sounds like a phone call. And we hear a snail call. Hello. And everyone responds. Hello. Come in.

[Jill]

Hello.

[Ed]

Hmm? What? Huh? Who are you?

[Jill]

Shh.

[Ed]

Moo. I am Imu. Who art thou? Oh, me? I'm Joyboy. Indeed. Joyboy is long dead.

[Steve]

This is Moo. Jasmine.

[Ed]

What?

[Steve]

You know, huge ass.

[Zach]

Oh, okay.

[Ed]

Yes, Joy Boy is long dead. So why dost thou remind Moo? Then it looks like Imu is being wrapped in his own black flames, as one does. Yeah. And Luffy responds angrily. How should I know? And then I guess, is that Emu trying to attack? And Luffy dodges.

[Zach]

Yeah, he does the old move your head out of the way. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ed]

I had a hard time following this when I was reading it.

[Steve]

Well, what's going on is like, Emu is, you know, he wrapped his arm in these black flames. These black flames that all have, like, minds of their own. Like, they're like the kamikaze ghosts from Dragon Ball. They all talk like, you know, little Muppet creatures here. And throws a punch at Luffy. Luffy, you know, dodges just by shooting his head down below. And then this, you know, big flame arm just kind of curves and heads down towards Luffy's head.

[Ed]

This is kind of Luffy's Gear 4 attack, where it turns 90 degrees.

[Steve]

Are you talking about snake?

[Zach]

Yeah, it does look like that.

[Steve]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ed]

And Luffy gets knocked way down into the ground of Elbaf with a big. And lands with a kaboom.

[Zach]

He's in a cartoon sort of thing where his legs are sticking up out of the ground and going flop, flop, flop.

[Ed]

Oh, yeah.

[Zach]

And he pulls himself up. It's the. What? It's a Looney Tunes thing. The Now I have dust all over me. So I'm just, you know, basically a silhouette. And maybe that's what happened to Emu.

[Steve]

Like someone. Someone put a. Like.

[Ed]

It's like the opposite of the. Of Luffy putting the old man with serious wounds back in the grave on Thriller Mark.

[Zach]

And yeah, he poofs up and tries a little swing. But it doesn't work. It froze and whooshes. We're really doing on a monopia today. Only Luffy tries again.

[Delaney]

She fruze. And she whooshes.

[Zach]

What did. What is that supposed to mean? Delaney?

[Delaney]

I mean whatever you believe.

[Zach]

And he's right behind him, isn't he? And Emu tries to stab Luffy. But then Luffy does one of those through fruit. There's. I. I'm interested in the sound effect here specifically. We talked about like the artillery sounding sound effects for Emu. So like the boom specifically for the stabbing of a sword is interesting to me. Anyway. And then you hear. Hey, I actually did the onomatopoeia there. And another barrage of Gatling gun. Not specifically said.

[Ed]

But I assume that Emu deflects by twirling his sword. Yes.

[Zach]

As one does. Have you never deflected rapid fire tax by twirling your sword? Anyway, Luffy. A little less dusty is like. I was able to hit you before. What changed? And yeah, I was really cool two

[Ed]

chapters ago when I hit you before. Let's do that again.

[Zach]

Was that two chapters ago?

[Ed]

It was the end of two chapters ago.

[Zach]

You're right. It was two chapters.

[Ed]

You're right.

[Zach]

You're right. Right.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Zach]

It just doesn't feel like. Anyway, everything feels like six months ago. I don't know what I'm talking about. On the next page we see Emu starting his Hertz Donut attack once again. The main thing that he does that

[Ed]

he was pulling his stigmata out of his hand.

[Zach]

That comes later. But you're not wrong. And similar. Here's another of. You know, an interesting onomatopoeia. We'll talk to Steven about it when he's on next week. Maybe if anyone has a piece together. Question about it because I am not going to remember this. But anyway, you get a. And there's a lot of sound effects in this chapter. I'm sorry. And Luffy on the forest floor doing a Looney Tunes run saying close almost

[Ed]

the Sonic the Hedgehog.

[Zach]

Actually, you're right. That's probably a better analogy. Or better comparison. And the Hertz donut. Now all we see closer up as Emu is firing these Little been calling them chain chomp guys with for lack of a better term. And they are basically homing in on. By basically they are homing in on Luffy. And they sound like they're even making that. Like. Well, they were making that. Like you know when you. I mean, it's a missile, I assume would sound like it's that in the air. Kind of that high pitched squeal.

[Delaney]

The whistling of fireworks.

[Zach]

Yeah, that's a better example. And he's like, what are they chasing me? Are they supposed to be bombs? And we have a Gum Gum Jet Gatling as he hits all of them.

[Jill]

Yeah.

[Ed]

Luffy's got the eyes bugging out when he's being Saying that last thing about the bombs.

[Zach]

Forgot about the eyes. And you also get the sound effects of these guys after they got punched and exploded. Why I feel pain. They don't say that, but it's assumed. And so that's a Jack Gatling and that's named. And there's another technique coming up. But maybe Steve could take us through that. As Emu looks on suspicious.

[Steve]

I'm sure all of you predicted this new attack. It's Gum Gum Genie.

[Zach]

Yes.

[Steve]

No, this isn't Charlotte Daifuku returning. But yes. Someone must have rubbed that lamp to summon the Luffy Genie here, whose whole existence I'm still questioning to this very hour why this is here. But Luffy turned into a genie. This is usually how you defeat the villain. You turn them into a genie. So I'm kind of curious to see phenomenal cosmic power. Itty bitty living space. But yeah. And Luffy just has this big boisterous laugh like ho ho ho. And he says like, hi, Emu. Could I call you Emu? Or call you Moo? How about Moo Moo? Come on, time for the milking. He's going to be doing a lot of weird voices and stuff. A lot of Robin Williams shtick.

[Ed]

I'd like to see Luffy's Ed Sullivan impression.

[Delaney]

But how does Luffy know who Jack Nicholson is?

[Zach]

Gear five.

[Ed]

You know, Luffy tunes.

[Steve]

Luffy must had such a crink in the neck or something. But I can't believe it.

[Delaney]

I'm losing to an emu.

[Steve]

So Luffy says, oh yeah, I saw your fight with Loki and I won't let his death be in vain.

[Zach]

I laughed.

[Steve]

As we cut to a. We cut to a wide where we see Loki here, you know, recovering and says, I'm still alive, you moron. As he. As he's still panting and wheezing and Luffy's like, oh, hey, Loki, you're alive.

[Zach]

I'm a genie now.

[Steve]

And. Yeah, and emu. Just like my. You know, my. My friends on the podcast today just couldn't be bothered. No reaction. But just does another little fire attack here as Ratasker hops onto Loki here. And Loki's like, oh, crap. Damn it. And Ratatasker's trying to do something. And Loki says, no move, Ragnar. As he looks like he's gonna take the attack for him, he's also stepping

[Zach]

directly on his wound, which is, I thought, part of like with like a little squirrel claws, I assume that can't. Well, little gigantic squirrels.

[Ed]

And he's a hammer, so he's heavy, isn't he?

[Zach]

Assumedly.

[Steve]

He's gotta have. He's gotta have rabies too.

[Delaney]

What?

[Zach]

He's rabid

[Steve]

and he's gonna take this attack. But then we hear. Then we see a arabesque breakfast. And this is Jinbe popping in here and blocks the attack as we go to the next page. And Genie Luffy says, oh, Jinbe. And Jinbei says, luffy, do you want me to make sure he's protected? Luffy just raises his arms in the air and says, yeah, perfect. Thanks, Jinbe. He's my pal. And Loki says, I ain't nobody's pal, stupid pipsqueak.

[Jill]

And

[Steve]

all right, I could do that. You focus on the fight. And we see Nami and Usopp here.

[Ed]

I didn't realize Jimmy was also standing on top of Loki.

[Zach]

Yeah, everyone's on his wound.

[Steve]

On his crotch.

[Zach]

Oh, true, true.

[Delaney]

Everyone's topping Loki.

[Zach]

Technically true also.

[Jill]

And then.

[Zach]

Go ahead, sir.

[Steve]

Thank you, Zach. Nami and Usopp here are saying. Are having the same reaction we did to this chapter, saying, wait, that's Luffy. He's fighting that guy from before. And Usopp says, is he gonna be all right? Who is that guy anyway? And we look on top of the log here that you know, that stretch of paths in Elbaf here. And we see the melting cube of ice. And Brook says, the only people higher than the Knights of God are supposed to be the five Elders, as far as I know. And Usopp retorts, so maybe he's the knight's commander. I bet that's it. And. And Brook so cryptically says, there's no group more shrouded in mystery than the world government.

[Zach]

Thanks, Brook.

[Steve]

And we cut back.

[Ed]

Tell me something I don't know.

[Steve]

But we see the top of the cube here. And Shuri is almost melted out. It's pointed out by Frankie. And I don't know who's saying, what's our next step? What do we do with a frozen person? And this could be either Usopp or Nami here saying, well, let's see. When Robin and Luffy got frozen back

[Ed]

in Long Wing island.

[Steve]

And either Frankie or Brook say, like they've been frozen before.

[Ed]

I was frozen today.

[Steve]

And then we cut back to my original character. Do not steal saying, Gunko, couldst thou not. Oh wait, what was my voice again? Gunko, couldst thou not break that ice? A man with an afro calling Gunko Princess Shuri could it be. And we hear another gum gum attack. And this one's called Caught you sleeping has caught you slipping bullet. As Genie Luffy comes in here with an armament Haki punch. But Imu blocks it and says, were though not watching earlier. Were thou not watching earlier? I say thou. You're so cool. Even he makes a little bell flame here.

[Zach]

Yes. I can't unsee what Sam said it looked like though. Now he ruined this. Ruined it.

[Steve]

Gonna look the flame.

[Zach]

Oh, I'm not. Oh, six.

[Delaney]

We could have left this in last week. Zach. It's not. Nobody relitigated it except for you.

[Zach]

No, it's like. It's like one of those obstacle illusions.

[Delaney]

Okay, I'm not doing this mallrat sailboat bullshit with you, man. Like, come on.

[Ed]

The scooter.

[Zach]

What else happens on this page?

[Steve]

But then we see two flames have attached to Luffy's big beard that he just had to have now that he's a genie.

[Zach]

Yeah, it makes no fucking sense that part.

[Steve]

Emu continues here says, watching what happened to Loki despite his size. As we go to the next page.

[Zach]

Delaney.

[Delaney]

Oh, I'm so annoyed that I can't do the voice that I did last week with the foresight of what I have to do later. So.

[Steve]

For what? For Emu?

[Delaney]

Yeah, I'm not gonna be able to

[Steve]

do your do your best Adam Driver

[Delaney]

impression I don't have.

[Zach]

That is a really good. That's good casting for Emu. I mean, Adam Driver, but yeah, there you go.

[Delaney]

I personally hate him.

[Ed]

So is Imu's nose really that big?

[Zach]

Is that the takeaway here?

[Delaney]

So out of thin air, a huge sword, huge black sword pops into existence as Imu says stigma. And Luffy Sonic rolls backwards from the force of it. And as Luffy retreats, IMU starts flicking his little flame buddies at him. And they're all going pew pew pew. Luffy's just booking it. Screaming and Emu lands with a. With a Shud, which is a fascinating choice of words. Gives us one of those little lightsaber twirls I used to do outside of Star Tours all the time. Grabs one of his flames and transmorphs it into a huge A separate black blade from the big one that he used to stab Loki. And as he unsheathes it from his own donut, he announces it as Blade of Nothingness. Whoa. And seems to almost instantly kill a tree.

[Steve]

Dude.

[Zach]

What is he doing there?

[Delaney]

Yeah. No. Oh my God. Tim Curry and ferngully. Let's absolutely go. This character just got a whole lot more interesting. Fuck. I should have started with Tim Curry. Anyway, it looks like I can't reroute now.

[Steve]

No.

[Delaney]

Based on. Based on the clouds. It looks like Luffy's doing laps around the forest. And we see him up in the air, still being followed by the bullets. And Luffy yells, huh? The forest dried out. And I think, oh yeah. No, that's Emu. Nimu yells up to him. The view is clearer now. And Luffy, of course, responds, same from up here.

[Zach]

And Luffy is so spot on, Delaney. I can't get over it.

[Delaney]

Thank you. And wow. I really can't tell what's happening in this one. Apart from Imu saying, I guess it's a perspective shot because he's on the ground and he says, of course I know that thou art not Joy Boy. Luffy yells, huh? And we hear a big. As Luffy starts bleeding from the mouth. The bullets finally catch up to Luffy. Nail him on the back. Luffy screams, ah. And we see a big old Doom with a big old shot of a big old sword going through that big old scar in Luffy's chest. A lot of blood. Fun.

[Zach]

Fun or flames too. It could also.

[Ed]

That's a crack. It's a crocodile.

[Zach]

It's worse. But yeah, Crocodile got him there.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Delaney]

And Emu closes out the chapter by saying, Joy Boy was not this week.

[Zach]

And now you got angry Adam Driver going there. That's. That's pretty good. I think that concludes our. Sorry.

[Jill]

Go ahead.

[Delaney]

My performance is whatever you project onto it, Zach. I'm a conduit for art.

[Zach]

I think that concludes our shortest recap.

[Steve]

After Bacca shoots Imu with the Bowcaster.

[Delaney]

And then he gets into the ship. But it's actually a separate ship than the one that they explode.

[Steve]

Oh God.

[Zach]

The manga's off next week. I'll. If I haven't already announced it, we're doing volume 115. The SBS next week with Steven, which is one of the reasons he's not here this week. He deserves a break, but he only gets one week.

[Steve]

Just like a squirrel, he ate plenty of nuts, and now he's just gonna. He's gonna sleep for a bit and then he's gonna come back fully recharged.

[Ed]

But.

[Zach]

Thoughts on the chapter? Ed, I'll start with you.

[Jill]

Oh, yeah.

[Ed]

To be honest, I had a hard time reading this, especially on my phone, or understanding what was going on. This was a hard one to follow for me. I don't understand exactly how Emu's powers work, and the way Oda draws it doesn't. Isn't necessarily helping. But I appreciate how wacky Luffy is in this. Like, do all of his cartoon transformations, transforming into a genie for some reason and running like Sonic Hedgehog. And the idea that Imu has an idea of who Brooke might be based on how he's relating to Princess Shuri is curious and curiouser, but we don't have a lot to go off of. But this chapter raises more questions than it answers.

[Zach]

Delaney.

[Delaney]

I don't remember what I said last week about, like, oh, I guess we're doing the fight now, because I believe that I said that with the pretense of, oh, this fight seems like it'll go on for a while. And I'm. I'm getting the impression we have seen, if not outright the end of it, then at least the halfway point. I kind of hope we're at, like, the 75% mark on this, because it would be. First of all, I love the decision to do the. The Genie Luffy stuff, which is so out of nowhere already and gives us a font of jokes before. I don't remember how bad his injuries were with Kaido, but it's certainly the worst he's gotten fucked up since the Kaido fight.

[Zach]

I mean, he died, but that was. Some guy showed up.

[Delaney]

Yeah, he died in Wano. But I mean, like, I'm talking about, like, actual viscera. Like, I can't think of between now and then.

[Ed]

I mean, like, is Luffy, like, has Luffy, like, bled this much or gotten stabbed like this since Crocodile?

[Delaney]

Well, I'm not. Well, I'm not really sure. Yeah, I think that outside of Wano, I can't think of when there was another time that he got this much damage. And I mean, we've been talking about wanting. Wanting to kind of see where the consequences were coming into play in this arc. And I'm like, on the one hand, it's a Bit late in the game to do this. But on the other hand, like, it would be interesting to see if this is, like, a permanent thing. Not a permanent thing, but, like, if this is. This is kind of the end of the fight if he can't get right back up from this. Because then it opens the door for someone else to do something interesting. I don't really know who else.

[Zach]

Yeah, that's Zoro's.

[Ed]

Like, I'm gonna steal that sword.

[Zach]

Which one?

[Delaney]

But also, like, the other thing is, I. I guess there's more of the flashback that we maybe didn't see. But I'm also, like. It feels weird to me narratively, that Emu knows who Brook is. Like, out of all the straw hats, IMU's like, hmm, a skeleton with an afro. I remember music. He's a big. He went to a Soul King concert, like, way back when. Like an undercover diner situation. It was like, God, that he. He only did new material. He didn't do any of the stuff from his popular album.

[Steve]

World material.

[Delaney]

He only did new world material.

[Zach]

He did inhabit Gunko in several different.

[Delaney]

Well, he did. I guess that's the explanation, but it just feels bit. Well, strange to point out. Sorry if it's not going to be relevant later.

[Zach]

I. The thing is interesting. So he, like, overhears Brooke saying Princess Shuri, but he doesn't hear Frankie saying, hey, Brooke. And we all know Frankie projects like. Yeah, he's the Steve Yurgo of projecting for the straw hats.

[Steve]

Thank you. I was going to say what Emu didn't respond to. The straw hats have been frozen before

[Ed]

Christopher Lloyd in swerving Commando.

[Delaney]

But, I mean, apart from that, Color me surprised. Honestly, didn't think this is where this was gonna go. I do agree that it was a little bit messy in some spots. Like, some of the panels were a little bit hard to track on initial read, but. All right. Okay. I'm interested in seeing where this goes, Delaney.

[Steve]

Some folks are calling it color of the surprise King Hockey.

[Zach]

You're leaving all of this dead air in, I hope, right, Delaney?

[Steve]

It's not as long as you think, people.

[Zach]

Yeah, you should add extra dead.

[Delaney]

I can add extra.

[Zach]

I don't think you need to. I think that's the right amount.

[Delaney]

I'm allowed to do that.

[Steve]

Set it down like a deserted hallway.

[Zach]

It should be whatever the sound of a tumbleweed going by.

[Steve]

Somebody, Anybody.

[Zach]

Delaney.

[Ed]

Any other with the tumbling tumbleweeds.

[Delaney]

I'm good, Steve.

[Steve]

Well, I. This chapter, Luffy, finally answers the question. Can moo friends do this? Can Moo. Friends do that.

[Zach]

You had a lot of chamber pull

[Steve]

this out their straw hair.

[Ed]

Can your friends go poof?

[Steve]

I was excited after this chapter today. I think this was one. I was like, I got to get up. I got to get going. I got to go read this on a computer and not on my phone. And I think that might have been a factor in why I enjoyed this a little bit more. That being said, I think Oda's action leaves a lot to be desired. I think there's just. I think a lot of panels are slivers, so you kind of really don't always get a hint at direction here. But I think sometimes bigger is better with reading these.

[Ed]

Like, the genie panel is the best panel of the whole chapter. And he just. Boom. He's huge. Mm.

[Zach]

White background for the most part, too. That's helpful. Yeah.

[Steve]

I mean, you got all those happy little trees at the bottom there.

[Ed]

Yeah. Jinbe on top of Loki is very funny to me as well.

[Steve]

I couldn't help but wonder. I'm like, was there some sort of wordplay that maybe I might have missed here? But no, he's genie. And I'm curious why. But if it's anything. But if it's anything amongst, like, because Joy Boy is a cartoon character, then it's like, okay, all right. I could see it because maybe it's like the. The Aladdin references aren't too far fetched. Where it's.

[Zach]

Isn't there a Looney Tunes where he, like, becomes. I'm trying to remember. I feel like.

[Steve]

Like one of them.

[Zach]

Like, that's the problem. I don't remember specifically, but I have,

[Delaney]

like, this is actually a deep cut reference to Shazang. Like, a really, really deep cut.

[Steve]

Shazang? Yeah. I don't know.

[Delaney]

No. Yeah. Well, the. The one joke I thought would land with this group in it.

[Ed]

Shazang or Kazam.

[Steve]

Starring Sinbad.

[Delaney]

Starring Sinbad.

[Steve]

I. I don't have too much critique on Luffy turning into a genie. It's like, yeah, sure, okay. I don't think anyone has a beard.

[Ed]

He's gotta have a beard.

[Steve]

I mean, maybe it was just all like, well, the only way Luffy was gonna get caught on fire is if he had a beard that caught on fire. And who has a big beard? Let's see. Genies.

[Delaney]

It was this or Santa Claus.

[Steve]

Yes. And he wound up going here. So I was like, okay, I'm with you there. I do like this bit of guys like Frankie and Brooke not knowing everything about the Straw Hats past. I think that's like, really some untapped potential and material that I don't think has ever really been used much because these guys weren't there for everything. Other than that, Emu continues to have mysterious and mysterious powers, which I don't get, and I don't think we're supposed to right now, but definitely that last panel. As many false flags I see in this series, I still can't. I couldn't help but be like, ooh, okay, this feels like stakes. I know Luffy is not dead, but this kinda. This feels like a serious blow. I mean, he is impaled. He's bleeding a lot. And this kind of still shows that there's a. There might be this huge gulf between the two in terms of strength. And Luffy's got a long way to go. So I'm like, okay, this is something to work towards.

[Ed]

But Joy Boy was stronger.

[Steve]

Yeah, but according to Imu, Luffy ain't no Joy Boy, or art not thou Joy Boy. So I at least felt like, okay, I. I'm interested to see where this arc goes because it's not just gonna be a cakewalk. I don't know if it's gonna be the same for Zoro and Sanji. I really don't want to see those guys fail. And I feel like the story is setting up in a way where Sanji is gonna have a big moment here. But now with, like, Luffy being taken out, it's interesting.

[Ed]

I gotta say, this chapter gives me. Makes me more curious about the relationship between Joy Boy and Emu in the past. Like, were they friends and rivals or.

[Zach]

Yeah, I agree, Ed. That was, like, one of the things that stuck out to me. The first page has more juice on it than the rest of the chapter for that reason. But Steve was going, I'm gonna let Steve talk.

[Steve]

Joy Boy prank calling Emu

[Ed]

from beyond the grave.

[Steve]

I'm curious to see what this is all gonna be, because I'm guessing Emu might have just been a guy or

[Delaney]

a fella, you know, even a lad, if we venture.

[Steve]

A lad.

[Delaney]

Just a blow. Just a bloke.

[Steve]

So I'm hooligan. I'm curious to see what this reaction is and why it was over.

[Zach]

Over.

[Steve]

Over a call, too. So at least that was interesting enough.

[Ed]

I think if it was using the snail word panels.

[Steve]

I think if it was just, like, regular speech bubbles, I'd be like, yeah, I know they know each other, but the little, you know, little hints here that they first met over a phone

[Delaney]

call or over zoom, maybe Worst habit of Joy Boy. He's a voice notes guy. Like, two minutes of voice. Two minutes of voice notes, and you're gonna listen.

[Steve]

Freaking emu saying, thou Mike is muted. Thou should go into. Thou should go into settings and turn thou mic on.

[Delaney]

Thou need to turn on noise suppression. On discord.

[Zach]

Here comes evil.

[Steve]

Good chapter, though. I think I was actually happy to talk about this one because it was just weird and very focused for the most part. It didn't jump around the aisle in a mutt that much. It was just mainly Luffy versus Emu, which I appreciated.

[Zach]

Yeah. I don't know how I feel about this chapter.

[Jill]

Yes.

[Ed]

More questions than answers.

[Zach]

Well, I don't. Well, to all here who say, wow, Emu's powers don't make sense, I say two things. First, Luffy's powers make no sense. I mean, he's a genie in this chapter. And as Steve said, none of us could have predicted this, and none of us should have predicted this. And anyone who did, he was kind

[Ed]

of like, broly, his power is maximum.

[Zach]

And yeah, Emu is he the. He. He had the devil fruit. Correct. That was, I think, something along those lines. Unclear. He's such a hat on a hat on a hat. Like the character. He has, like.

[Ed]

And a pair of wings.

[Zach]

Yeah. So he has the wings. He has the weird black eye halo. He has a weird tail thing. He also, Darkness Storm Blade.

[Delaney]

Do not. With his Void Sword, do not steal.

[Zach]

Exactly. And like, the end, specifically, like, how much of that is blood and how much of that is just black Flame or black. You know, whatever his power is. You know, I think a lot of that is supposed to be mysterious. I don't think the reader is supposed to quite understand what is going on. And I think that is supposed to imply.

[Ed]

It's also, like, imagine how much stronger Luffy will be when he is Joy Boy.

[Zach]

Well, a few thoughts on that when I get there, but I think Oda is trying to impart onto the reader the uneasiness of not knowing what is going on here. And I think that, you know, that provides a lot of ominousness to the situation that I think is conveyed. Obviously, Luffy's. Even if he's dead, he's not out, Meaning the series must continue. He was on the COVID eating meat. I'm sure he'll be fine. The question is, no one who has

[Delaney]

ever eaten a steak has died.

[Zach]

Correct. Don't. Don't source that, please. Don't fact check that, please. Anyway, I. It's interesting because. Okay, how the question. How Does Luffy get out of this one is a very. There's. It's. It's a harder one to. To puzzle together. But I think Luffy has to come back into place sooner rather than later because we. I don't know if necessarily Luffy needs to be there to ensure that this happens, but there's so many narrative things that have not yet been, you know, fulfilled, have not yet been completed that Oda has set up and that I think, unlike, you know, I don't think it's a red herring. I think Oda on purpose is setting this up and wants this to be followed through. So what I'm referring to is Brooke and Gunko Shuri. We need some. There is narrative stuff literally right geographically there that needs to be solved before Imu goes on some sort of awful rampage.

[Delaney]

I love when the plot is geographically there. The things you can say about a narrative. It is present.

[Zach]

It is.

[Delaney]

It is tangible in the space that I'm in.

[Zach]

I always say this famously.

[Delaney]

One of your most glowing critiques of a work. It's around.

[Zach]

And there's also the stuff with Sanji and Zoro's fight hadn't even begun. And I would look. Is it possible Oda just abandons all that and has Emu, like lay waste to Elbaf while Luffy goes on his own sort of, you know, Snake Road adventure?

[Steve]

Sure.

[Ed]

And the children are still being kidnapped, right?

[Zach]

Yeah, but they're always being kidnapped, these children.

[Steve]

Someone please think of the children.

[Zach]

We've been thinking about them for two years. But seriously, we have been thinking about that for two years. I'm very excited for Kirby to draw the 2026 with the same exact image.

[Steve]

No, just replace the flames with water.

[Zach]

Yeah. And then in 2027, it's gonna be. So we got fire, water. What else can you. Earth.

[Ed]

Earth.

[Zach]

Yes. Heart. You don't want to be crushed by that.

[Steve]

So this one is just a very windy day.

[Delaney]

It's just the picture.

[Steve]

If we're in Elbat for two more years, someone take me out back and just put me out of my misery.

[Delaney]

It's the picture of Lionel Hutz where it's like. Can you imagine a world without lawyers? It's just all the kids in a circle dancing together. But it's Emu in the corner.

[Steve]

No, it's Emu.

[Delaney]

Can you imagine a world without Moo?

[Jill]

That's it.

[Ed]

Perfect harmony.

[Zach]

The hell was I talking about?

[Delaney]

Yeah.

[Zach]

No. So I. All that to be said is I, Luffy, I feel like is going to get out of this in some form or fashion, quicker, sooner rather than later. I, as you know, am the big proponent of what is going on in the astral world of Elbaf. This is a catchphrase. This is an actual catchphrase I've had for the last few years. I feel like maybe, I don't know, it's been a while. And I think it was Kirsten who said last week something along the lines of, oh, maybe he dies and that gets him to the. I don't understand why to move up a tree you have to die. But I'm not gonna be the one to criticize this, especially with someone with the name Monkey. I feel like that should be an easy, you know, get. But he. And also we kind of did the he died and came back and now he's cooler like thing in one piece even. I mean, that's a very big shonen trope generally. But we just did with Kaido and Delaney. You know, already mentioned that. And yeah, I don't know. Do you have ideas? How is Luffy gonna get out of this one? Do you have any logic game answers to this?

[Delaney]

Well, ideally he moves the sword.

[Steve]

Step one, spitballing. Also, I don't know, like he never got a scar from crocodile when you think about it. Also, man, he must like how he survived the crocodile one because he got

[Zach]

sand that never made. Oh yeah, that must. He still is finding sand in his intestines, I guess. Stomach.

[Steve]

I try not to think too much about the hows of one Piece because in this chapter, Luffy turned into a freaking genie.

[Zach]

What Disney character do you think he'll turn into next to get out of this one? This is just Delaney and Steve specifically. Maybe Ed if he wants, but definitely Delaney and Steve.

[Ed]

Well, it's funny because Emu is basically Chernobyg from Fantasia.

[Delaney]

Oh, fair enough. Then is he going to turn into the concept of Christianity to combat the demon and sing him into the night? The vague concept of Christianity, which is canon in Fantasia.

[Zach]

Does Fantasia have a canon?

[Delaney]

I mean, it has vague. It has narrative ideas.

[Zach]

Yeah, but they don't. They're separate. Whatever.

[Delaney]

They literally sing Ave Maria. They sing Ave Maria?

[Zach]

No, no, no, I'm agreeing.

[Delaney]

It was the morning.

[Zach]

It was more the.

[Steve]

And the Sorcerer's Apprentice takes place sometime between Plane Crazy and Runaway Brain.

[Delaney]

And actually it has broader implications for the Disney timeline because technically that's where it divides between Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and the Kingdom Hearts timeline.

[Zach]

I'm gonna.

[Delaney]

And that's how Donald becomes the most powerful sorcerer in the square. Enix Universe.

[Zach]

This is a nice podcast.

[Steve]

At the same time,

[Delaney]

no, but simultaneously. Which brings us back to Christianity.

[Zach]

So before we get into this essay, do you guys have, like, an idea as to, like, if you had to choose a Disney character that Luffy transforms into in gear five?

[Delaney]

They're all so squishy, is the thing. Like, he. He's all about, like, the big squash and stretch. I mean, like, yeah, I don't want to think about the visual implications of Goofy, but that's the only character that I could plausibly see fitting his. His oeuvre. You know, like, Genie is kind of already the most fairy tale we can get before he just turns into. What is he gonna be Lumiere next?

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Oh, I like it.

[Steve]

It's like a full 11. I don't know. He could turn into, like, a big Mufasa ghost in the sky.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Zach]

That's how he gets out of this.

[Delaney]

That's true.

[Steve]

He talks with the former. You know, the former Kings of the Pirates up there in the stars. Just cold Roger.

[Zach]

Maybe that's how he gets to space. Yeah. Anyway, that's the thing.

[Steve]

Yeah. You already like you. When you go with Genie. It's like Family Feud. That's already the number one.

[Zach]

Yeah. I'm trying to think if. Yeah, I mean, you wouldn't. You guys would know better than me.

[Delaney]

Monkey D. Luffy. Is Olaf

[Zach]

back. Back to the chapter.

[Ed]

He's already kind of figment from Epcot. You can do whatever you need to.

[Zach]

I think the juiciest part of this chapter, I said before is the first page. Like, the steak or burger. Unclear. It looks like a steak. Fruit.

[Delaney]

It's a steak.

[Zach]

It's a steak. Or it could be a Hamburg steak, like the. They love that in Japan.

[Ed]

That looks different.

[Zach]

Okay. You know, what I was trying to say is that. No, I think the relationship between Emu and Joy Boy, I think we've been like, leaning on the side that it was probably at one point cordial or they were friends or something along those lines. And we've been getting. Oh, vaguely. Fully, but maybe vaguely. I don't know. But I. I stand by that. I think this chapter, in and of itself, like, funny, if Emu and Joyway

[Ed]

were, like, the ambiguously gay duo, would that be funny?

[Zach]

Anyway.

[Ed]

What are you all looking at?

[Zach]

Anyway. Yeah, but the. The end. Like, oh, no, you're. You're. No. I don't know. He doesn't seem like one of those villains who's like, oh, you're no match. You know, you're no match for, like, compared to my former opponent. I need someone with more power. I think it's more his PTSD about the relationship he had with Joy Boy that makes him say, oh, no, you're not Joy Boy. You suck. Like, I. It's not that I wanted to fight someone stronger. It's. I wanted Joy Boy. Like, that's kind of how I see it. Again, could be homoerotic. But you're saying.

[Delaney]

But you're saying it's Batman rules. You're saying it's Batman. Joker rules with. With Emu and Joy Boy.

[Zach]

Yeah, it's a.

[Delaney]

Specifically, it's. I don't want to just fight anybody. I want to be fighting Joy Boy.

[Jill]

Yes.

[Zach]

You know what?

[Delaney]

Something's gonna circle it back around to either rectify that or prove that that's gonna be his undoing in some way.

[Zach]

I agree. I. Still.

[Ed]

Joker wants to fight Batman, but he has no problem killing Robin.

[Zach]

Yeah, that's true. Spoilers. Now, I. Well, I think, like, I'm thinking of it like, a difference between, like, a Goku or someone like, from tbz, where it's like, oh, I just want to fight the strongest opponent sort of thing. Like, I want that.

[Delaney]

Wait, do you guys like Dragon Ball? Are you guys Dragon Ball fans?

[Steve]

This is really. Yeah, I do.

[Delaney]

I've. No one has ever mentioned this on the show.

[Zach]

Anyway, any other thoughts on the chapter?

[Ed]

Sorry, this was a bit of a confusing one for me, but this is

[Zach]

a bad reading on the phone chapter. I will say, because I read it on the phone this morning.

[Steve]

This is not a Lowe's argument. Read the chapter on your phone.

[Delaney]

David lynch would be very disappointed in us as a show.

[Steve]

Yeah, Christopher Nolan would smack the phone out of your hands, Zach.

[Zach]

Oh, no, not Christopher Nolan. Known for his brute strength, Nerona Imu

[Delaney]

must be seen on a big screen. The largest available.

[Steve]

I'll let the lady finish. Zach. He has to have brute strength to knock a phone out of your hand. What? Is your phone like a squirrel, too? Is your phone Ragnar or something?

[Zach]

Who told you?

[Steve]

Can only the mightiest pick up the Zach Logan phone?

[Delaney]

Only the ones worthy of podcasting.

[Steve]

Only those worthy can read the latest volume of Yotsuba. Only a father of two.

[Zach]

Those are not digitally available, as far as I'm aware, so I don't know,

[Steve]

maybe you'd scan them. I would never.

[Delaney]

In order to lift my iPhone 13, you must solve thy riddles. 3.

[Zach]

I tell my son that at least. Like when he tries to take my phone.

[Delaney]

Good parenting. Well, good choice.

[Zach]

You have to solve my riddles, three

[Steve]

kids love stealing phones.

[Zach]

They're actually. They're pretty good. There's a certain age where they're like, ooh, shiny thing that moves. But he's passed that, and he would like to steal it if the opportunity were available. Anyway, that's it for the manga recap. Now that we've discussed how difficult it is to steal my phone. Kids, don't try it at home, please. Let's move on into the next segment. Can you imagine a world without the Piece Together segment? The place where we take your questions, comments, and theories. I know. I can't. I can't believe it. Losing to an emu. Let's start with Steve Deep.

[Delaney]

He lagged a bit in the middle there.

[Zach]

Yeah, you. Something happened to your audience?

[Steve]

Was there actual, like a technical.

[Zach]

No, no, no. We're just talking about the.

[Steve]

I'm just that good of. Oh, I'm just that convincing of an actor.

[Delaney]

Here's. Here's the joke. It starts here and then it goes right over there.

[Zach]

So for those listening, she did the motion where the hand goes up.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Delaney]

This is an audio only podcast. It was over the head.

[Zach]

Yes, it's an indication of the phrase over his head.

[Steve]

Okay, let's get through this. A lot of people ask questions.

[Delaney]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Zach]

It's a bad week. Bad in that there's a lot of questions.

[Steve]

I can't wait to talk about. To dissect all these punches. Loki, still alive, also known as Slay, writes, hello, my fellow pipsqueaks and wish granters. What a nice chapter with a freaking dork ending, man. Poor Luffert. But at least we now get some expansion on Douglas Bullet's long lost sibling. Caught you slipping, Bullet. I wonder what they're up to. And it seems Loki just needs to accept that he's Luffy's pal. If Luffy says you are, you are. It's like Loki doesn't even read the manga. But hands down, one of the best parts of the chapter was when Brook wondered what to do with a frozen person. So what do you do with a frozen person? Opp. Use them as a sled? As a scarecrow? Or maybe even put them in your car so you could use the carpool lane. Wrong answers only. And have a great week.

[Delaney]

If you have a sister who loves them very much, you have a chance of unthawing them. But otherwise you're fucked, dude.

[Zach]

Yeah, like, which kind of dead person are we talking about? One we care about or one we don't? It's a reference.

[Delaney]

I Assume I was asked to come on the show and do Disney references.

[Steve]

Steven.

[Delaney]

Oh, I'm doing my one job.

[Steve]

Oh, you're making a reference to the ice queen.

[Delaney]

Yeah.

[Steve]

Otherwise known as all of you. When I try making a joke, that's

[Zach]

what they call me.

[Steve]

You gotta let it go, Steve.

[Jill]

Steve.

[Zach]

You're gonna say that's not what they call me.

[Steve]

I can't. I'm a dorkable in the Obama era.

[Zach]

I am so lost this week.

[Delaney]

What else can you do with a frozen person?

[Steve]

I like sled. That's a good Simpsons reference.

[Zach]

That is a good Simpsons reference. Yeah. The carpool lane, I. I think is a great. It depends the person and how deteriorated they are.

[Steve]

I think maybe, like, if your AC breaks, you know, you could just get a fan and put them in front of the fan and I don't know, you see it in cartoons where they put an ice block in front of a fan and then they.

[Zach]

That's true. That's true. That's how they used to do it back in the day.

[Delaney]

Get your ice pick. They don't need those fingers. Get some cool drinks.

[Zach]

What's the next question?

[Steve]

This one is not. This reversed and they write, is gum Gum Genie blue?

[Zach]

You know, we never made a Genie Weenie reference, despite the fact that that was episode title and episode that we did.

[Steve]

I remember seeing People don't know Jack Nicholson.

[Zach]

Syifuku. It's on One Piece podcast. Damn it.

[Delaney]

What the fuck is Genie Weenie?

[Zach]

Oh, Delaney.

[Steve]

Delaney. Imagining the genie Luffy with, like, the skin color and it looks weird. I feel like he's got to be purple maybe. I don't know.

[Delaney]

Good compromise. I'm just imagining him with that weird. The lighting effect that they do occasionally on the genie where, like, it's a. Like they give him that soft glow occasionally.

[Steve]

Yeah, just in the first Aladdin. They didn't have that budget in two, three.

[Delaney]

Aladdin and the King of Thieves couldn't shell out for fancy caps lighting effects.

[Steve]

But they did get Robin Williams back.

[Delaney]

You can't get Robin Williams back with the cost of a Picasso. Now, that was. I was still thinking. All right, so it's still white Luffy Genie, but with an ethereal genie esque glow.

[Steve]

So he looks more like the gods than Hercules.

[Delaney]

Yeah, I guess you're right. Yeah.

[Steve]

Okay.

[Zach]

Okay. Genie Weenie was the name of our 468th episode. So that tells you it is from nine years ago. May 8, 2017. So, Delaney, shame on you for not knowing that off the top of your head. That's just unforgivable right there.

[Delaney]

Oh yeah, you're right. It's sloppy handiwork on my end.

[Zach]

It referred to how Daifuku summoned his genie.

[Delaney]

Right. Okay.

[Zach]

As we all recall, it's a great bit.

[Steve]

That's a great bit.

[Zach]

It's such a great bit. Let's explain it.

[Steve]

Funny, Steve. Now you know how it feels. Usopp the Great writes regarding Luffy. It could be better. Is that like a

[Zach]

this is how I react to all of your jokes?

[Steve]

Is this like a liar liar bit?

[Zach]

I don't remember.

[Delaney]

I feel like it's very self explanatory. It could be better.

[Steve]

It could be better. Yeah, it could be. Eyepatched Was not this reverse as back in all caps and bold saying is gum gum genie voiced by Robin Williams or by Dan Castellaneta doing a Robin Williams impression?

[Zach]

Yes.

[Steve]

Yeah, it's going to happen. They'll work non union rates just as long as they don't promote that either one of them is the voice.

[Zach]

What would. What would his. What do you call it? His alternate title be? His alias. That's the word I was looking for. Okay, let's move on to the next question.

[Delaney]

Smithy D. Luffy.

[Steve]

Donald Castley Rock or something. That's Dan Castellaneta's.

[Zach]

Of course. You just know that off the top of your head.

[Delaney]

You had that like in the chamber, Steve.

[Steve]

You did.

[Zach]

Steve.

[Steve]

Boom.

[Zach]

What's the next question?

[Steve]

Sam, the Coco Yashi drunk writes. Ahoy Opp. Boy, this chapter. I really appreciate the gag of I think Chopper mentioning that Luffy and Robin were frozen before and Brooke and Frankie's reaction makes me wonder if the straw hats ever talk about previous adventures off panel. The genie design is awesome. I love that the Jewel of the Turban is the piece. And meat. We forgot to mention that.

[Zach]

Yeah, I made a note of that and I forgot.

[Steve]

Speaking of meat, I'm surprised with the amount he eats, Luffy hasn't gotten heartburn this bad sooner. That's a rough final panel before a two week break. But I feel there are no stakes regarding Luffy dying. I did see on social media someone say ODA can either do the smartest thing ever or the stupidest thing ever. So what would you consider the smart story play and the stupid story play? Well, the stupid thing is killing Luffy.

[Zach]

Yeah, that would be the most stupid thing.

[Steve]

That's the dumbest thing.

[Delaney]

Everyone says the stakes were on the

[Zach]

COVID Yeah, I said that already.

[Steve]

Do you think like they'll do like. I don't know, like The Grim Reaper bit with like, Zorro.

[Zach]

I don't know what that was. That's the.

[Steve]

You guys are full of them.

[Zach]

That must have been.

[Steve]

Will we ever get that again? I don't know. One piece. You have to play the long game. You have to wait years for things to pay off. So, yeah, the stupidest thing is killing Luffy. That's.

[Zach]

Well, with the caveat that unless killing Luffy in the sense that they did during. I mean, it still would be stupid that they did during Wano. But like, yeah, I think I'm. If. If I had to suppose what people would say online is a stupid thing is if it were not hardcore and cool, you know, in that. Oh, his grizzly destruction of Luffy and then he comes back and he's Super Saiyan again. That's a Dragon Ball reference to Laney.

[Delaney]

I'm still. You just never mentioned the show Dragon Ball.

[Steve]

It sounds amazing about it. To make this a low point for Luffy, like, this is Luffy. He's taking a loss. I mean, that's. You know, it's happened like it happened midway through Alabasta. But it also, you know, it happens like in Water seven, which, you know,

[Zach]

happens midway through Wano too.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Or actually at the beginning of Wano.

[Steve]

I'd say, like, it needs to be a loss. This is something. We'll all look like fools if the next chapter Luffy goes like. And then like, he heals himself.

[Delaney]

You know, Maybe my adamantium factor just kicked in. Yippee.

[Zach]

He's a cartoon character, like, getting stabbed in the chest. Like, what if Bugs Bunny got stabbed in the chest? What would happen next? I guess that's the question.

[Steve]

He'd do the overreact thing.

[Jill]

Like the.

[Zach]

You're.

[Delaney]

You know, I agree with Steve that like this. This needs to have like, at least some impact. And the thing is with like Wano is that, you know, obviously like he died. But I feel like the. There wasn't a moment where we really sat with like, it wasn't an emotional low point for Luffy because Luffy was dead. Like, Luffy was too dead to be like, oh, I'm so bummed about losing this fight. Cause then he got right back up and kicked Kaido's ass. So at that point, I think that we need. We haven't had a real low for him as a. I mean, apart from whole Cake island, which was, to be fair, pretty severe. But like a moment where he really has to recontextualize what he's doing at an emotional low point. Since Marineford. Honestly, so.

[Zach]

Well, I'm thinking about it. So when he did get initially beat by Kaido when he was in the jail with Kid. Well, first of all, he was in the jail with Kid. Not fun. I'm just like trying to think of like. I feel like he just was like, oh, I'm Luffy. I'll figure this out. Kind of at that point. Oh no. He was. He did that whole thing in the jail with Heyo. Yeah, like trying to get stronger. Okay. I. I think it's.

[Delaney]

But he was training, you know, like it was. It was still a productive. It was like his can do attitude. Like he was.

[Zach]

You think you're gonna throw him into like a situation where he's self doubting?

[Delaney]

I think there has to be some something because he's just been riding high ever since he's unlocked these new powers. There hasn't really been a moment where anything has forced him to stop because he can brute force, you know, or at least maneuver around, you know, the. The Five Elders and Warlord of the Sea and the Emperors. Like he's. Nothing has faced him up to this point. And I kind of need to see a bit of kickback here. I don't know in what form.

[Zach]

I mean, he did get stabbed through the chest.

[Delaney]

I really hadn't noticed. Deck, thank you for. Thank you for mansplaining how swords work.

[Zach]

Not sure. Anyway, my point was. What was I gonna say? I don't remember. Steve, what's the next question?

[Steve]

Sure. Straw Hat Pirate 9 says, My hatred for IMU continues to grow. But seriously, I don't think Luffy is gonna die from this. But I hate seeing him hurt. And Oda did a damn good job of making me scream with that last panel. We have to sit with this for two weeks. Damn it. Damn it.

[Zach]

Damn it. Damn it.

[Delaney]

Damn it. God damn it.

[Steve]

Same shit every day.

[Delaney]

God fucking damn it. They're stabbing my boy.

[Steve]

Matt R. Writes. Hey Opp. Glad I was around to see the final chapter of One Piece. Joking aside, we see Emu doing his best Snake man impression and Luffy doing his best impression of his favorite Charlotte sibling, Charlotte Daifuku and his Puff Puff Fruit. I forgot that's what it was.

[Zach]

Someone remembered it.

[Steve]

Assuming Luffy gets out of this jam, which. Which obscure devil fruit is going is he going to impersonate next? The berry Berry fruit. The wash Wash fruit. Which would you like to see him impersonate? Easy answer. The jacket Jacket fruit. That's my answer.

[Zach]

I mean, was the baseball one like a Mr. Four thing? Already. Or lasso. Because he's already done that. He did the thing with the goggles. They did nothing. I don't know who's. What other shitty devil fruits could he impersonate? It's a good question.

[Delaney]

All of the. All of the stupidest ones are eluding me right now.

[Zach]

Well, the jacket jacket one.

[Delaney]

I barely remember what the jack jacket fruit does.

[Zach]

I know the one Fortrix had. The chicken butt one where, you know, he came out of a chicken's butt

[Steve]

turned to a chicken, but his face

[Zach]

will be in the bad fruit.

[Steve]

It turns him into chicken.

[Zach]

No, he doesn't have to eat the fruit. He just impersonates the fruit.

[Steve]

Impersonates it? Yeah. He's gonna turn.

[Delaney]

Oh, yeah.

[Zach]

Okay. He just turned into a genie. It's not that ridiculous.

[Steve]

I don't know, man. Why don't you. We gotta ground ourselves a little bit. Cram cram. Goofy nonsense or goofy nonsense writes Ahoy. Old Pensioners podcast. Cheeky chapter is always. Hey, what's that? I'm writing to the wrong show. Dang. For real. For real though. Banger chapter is always crew. What do Brooke, Kid, Law, Pedro, and now Luffy all have in common?

[Zach]

They're dead. They're all dead.

[Steve]

Zach. Seriously though. Seriously though. What a really jarring chapter. I thought Luffy would put up a stronger fight. So this ending hit. Even if it sadly was the first spoiler I've seen in years. Thankfully I didn't get spoilt like spoiled spoilt. I like spoilt as a word with

[Zach]

a T. Yes, you're doing okay there,

[Delaney]

Steve. Yurko comes up against one Britishism and gets completely knocked on the.

[Steve]

I was about to say this is a very British sounding person, but spoilt. It just needs an E at the end and it gets spoiled spoilt on Gum Gum Genie. Another classic go bullshit technique from Luffy that does nothing. Made me laugh hard.

[Zach]

It is racism, by the way. I have looked it up.

[Delaney]

Oh, you didn't trust my judgment on the matter?

[Steve]

I listened to Delaney.

[Delaney]

Thank you, Steve.

[Steve]

My question this week is what's your favorite of Luffy's silly one off techniques that do nothing for me, it's either Water Luffy or Gum Gum space out from the Eniru fight. Have a great week. And try not to. Try not to be stabbed by emu heart. Damn. Gum Gum space out was going to be my answer.

[Zach]

That's a good answer. Yeah, I was thinking about that with. When he said, oh, how did I hit you before? That's like. I was like maybe like he just wasn't thinking. He was just doing it. So he wasn't able to use his whatever observation Aki. With. That was the next question.

[Steve]

Wispy writes. Hello, Opp. Look, sorry, they weren't like, look, they say, looks like we could add IMU's name to the short list of characters who have pierced all the way through an active emperor with their sword. Join the ranks of two time champion, Trafalgar D, Waterlaw and Squard. I like how Imu can use the Omen flames to mimic Luffy's stretching and python technique in Gear four. But I gotta say, for a guy who's supposed to be the all powerful demonic ruler of the world, Emu's offensive powers being blades and explosives feel a little small ball. I'm curious, how's Emu so far mesh with your expectations for him? If you had any. I'm not like still not the biggest fan of.

[Zach]

I think there's more to it still. I. I like.

[Steve]

Yeah, to use someone's go bullshit, which is I think is like a. Is that like a Deadpool like comics reference? I think that's how Imu kind of feels. And then he could reach in his dark ring of eyeballs, pull out a blade and

[Delaney]

actually he has the darkness nullifying power, which completely diminishes your guy's light power. And he has 85 million of them. So actually it means that he wins the fight and rescues the barmaid.

[Steve]

So like Blackbeard. No, no, no. No cooler than Blackbeard.

[Delaney]

No, cooler Blackbeard.

[Steve]

Cooler than Blackbeard. He actually kills Blackbeard. He kills Blackbeard.

[Delaney]

He solos Blackbeard.

[Zach]

He'll be the king of the world.

[Delaney]

Yeah.

[Steve]

It's like, I don't like, I'm not hating but like Emu does feel like. I think Alex put it best. He is such a Final Fantasy character. Like, like, like I would say, you know, like pre PlayStation era Final Fantasy. He feels like. Or I don't know, maybe even one of the one. I don't know. I feel like Sephiroth could have turned into this shit at some point. He feels like a Final Fantasy character in a One Piece world. And maybe that's totally intentional. I think maybe, maybe ODA wants him to feel so outside of this series. But I think that's why I'm kind of just like. I'm not entertained by him.

[Delaney]

But something outside of this series would have been kind of where I thought they were going with imu, which was like a very much whatever power they did have was going to be if Luffy was this hyperactive, constantly mobile, flexible force. Imu was gonna be reflective of that figure of, you know, who we saw all the way up until recently, who was just sort of standing there and biding his time and very still. Like, whatever you could. Whatever needed to be done didn't need to be done with, like, obvious violence. And so to kind of have it flipped that Imu is just sort of a very similar fighty guy with swords and his whole thing of, you know, thou shalt not power scale my 999 level character. But I have also said, like, maybe there's a solution to dealing with Imu that will not necessarily come down to Luffy. Maybe there's something else. And perhaps that's the point. In which case, you know, I might recontextualize my opinions on Emu. But where we're at right now, I'm like, oh, okay. I mean, all right.

[Zach]

I still don't.

[Delaney]

I'm not angry. No, I'm fine. I'm just. I'm saying I'm not angry. I'm just like,

[Zach]

that's worse than angry. Everyone knows that. I still think that we haven't seen, like, the full visage of Emu. Like, I still think the fact that we saw him silhouetted in the flashback with Brooke, like, after we've been introduced to him, and we saw him silhouetted in the flashback with Joy Boy, like, you know, early in with him coming with him appearing in the series proper, makes me think that there's something else happening here. Like, why does his silhouette look completely different? And it's not. It's. It's not done in the way like that. The silhouettes of, like, the Seven Warlords, you know, we're used to silhouettes not matching characters. But the fact that he goes back to that silhouette again after it's been revealed, the fact that he had the silhouette up until, like, he cracked out of an egg, basically, on Elbaf, like, I am holding my applause until the. Or lack thereof, until the end for Emu, because I am. I don't know. I don't think that this is him. I might be wrong, but I don't. He's. To everything that you guys described. Like, I agree. And that's why I don't think that this is it. There's a catch. I assume it's Oda.

[Delaney]

I don't think you're completely wrong, but I'm just. I watched a lot of people in the run up to the Emerald Fennel adaptation of Wuthering Heights spend a lot of time viciously convincing themselves that there was going to be a twist on it they just didn't know about. And eventually it was just. Nope. It really was just that. So we're on the side of caution.

[Zach]

I'm wrong all the time. I'm not saying I'm right. That's just what I personally. That's how I see it going, just given oda's narrative kind of thing.

[Delaney]

Right.

[Zach]

But I'm off oeuvre. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not right a lot. And Steve could attest. But.

[Steve]

Yeah, I won't say, like, if. If Emu is anything like a Final Fantasy boss, is this in even his final form?

[Zach]

No, I don't think it is. Even. Even if he is, this is just like, oh, this is Emu. Like, I still think we have a lot more to see of him or he'll just be taken out. And, you know, that void is an interesting narrative twist. Like, if he actually does lose, but doesn't seem like that's happening at this moment. But.

[Delaney]

But that's what I think. Like, if. If we do kind of leave this fight in a position where Luffy either has to fight him again or, like, something else happens, then I think, like, we might be onto something. But I just. I'm not. I don't know. I'm not entirely sure right now how much longevity Emu has. I really can't telegraph.

[Zach]

I don't think he does. I think, well, he was, like, bleeding. Remember when he, like, initially appeared on Elopeth? I don't think. I don't think his endurance is going to be very high in how long he is able to stay where he. What he doing, what he's doing, where he is. There's got to be a catch. Steve, what's next?

[Steve]

Sure. God, that was so long. I forgot. Okay, Tyler writes. What's up, Opp? Did something big happen this week? Not like Luffy could die or something. This ending reminded me of Luffy's first fight with Crocodile, bloody and hanging from his hook. Do you think this fight will continue? Or perhaps Imu won this round and another's coming up. Also, why do I have the feeling that Imu is going to go after Brook next? I figured we already answered the first question, like, enough for their discussion. But going after Brook. He could. He might.

[Zach]

But he's already dead. What is he going to do?

[Delaney]

Kill him again?

[Steve]

Well, I think Brooke is obviously going to try and, like, take Gunko away, so yes, obviously.

[Delaney]

Although, hang on. Raising a question here. It's not. I don't think it's fully feasible. I'm literally just spitballing. So I'm not attached to any of these ideas. But with the. We don't really understand yet the extent of the power of the sword that he just pulled out. Is there a possibility that it might have an effect against devil fruits?

[Zach]

Ooh, or like a domey reversy sort of thing.

[Delaney]

Like a domey reversy thing or something like that.

[Zach]

What was the did we look up like? I think there was a piece together question. Talking about it a little more except would probably save the power of this sword.

[Steve]

Is it gonna stab once? It's like, darn, I can't use it again.

[Delaney]

Oh, no. It's. It's endurance level is so much lower than its hit points.

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Steve]

Breaks like a breath of the wild weapon.

[Delaney]

Yeah. You get three hits with the master sword. And if Brook's not dead by then, then you gotta wait like a full in game hour.

[Steve]

My swords never break. My swords are imbued with my power.

[Delaney]

Actually, it has 99 endurance. Ready for another weapon durability buff? Yeah. Yeah.

[Steve]

Sailor Karna writes. Hey, Opp. How y' all doing? While rewatching whole cake arc, I had a thought. Mother Carmel was part of the underworld and provided the world government with children. So when she disappeared, did they try. Did they try to look for her? They must know about Big Mom's tragic meal because some giants witnessed it. Why didn't the world government try to recruit her? She was a kid and was easily bribed with food by Strusan. So all I'm saying is that she could have been a God knight and a dangerous tool for Imu. I think you kind of answered your question right there. That Streusan got to her first, you

[Zach]

know, he was right there.

[Steve]

Streusam was like, I call dibs. Andrewson was the first round draft pick that went to Struson.

[Zach]

There so much sports today.

[Steve]

Don't get used to it. Next one is from Sheepman.

[Zach]

That's the correct pronunciation.

[Steve]

Yes, of course. Howdy, Opp. Wanted to share the thought I have of Jinbei talking to Loki casually about his experiences being on the crew now and talking about all the great benefits involved with joining. All the while Loki is hurt and just has to sit there and listen. What sales tactics would you employ towards Loki and joining? Right answers only. Well, first of all, we have a really nice healthcare package.

[Zach]

Loki is a toddler.

[Delaney]

Dental.

[Zach]

Like, he's like Emotionally kind of a toddler where he lashes out instead of, you know, actually, you know, being open with his emotions. So I think the best way to convince him is like a reverse psychology or a bribe. That's probably the best way to do it.

[Steve]

We have a 401k.

[Zach]

Do they? Do you have 401k for giants? Because that lasts a lot longer, the retirement.

[Steve]

And it's gonna be like a very, like, diversity heavy slideshow. It's like we hire animals and horsemen, skeletons, robots. My Jim Bae's turning into Mr. Plinkett.

[Delaney]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. The corporate, like, tinkly. He was like, doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo. Like in the background at the straw hats. You're not just an employee, your family. We prefer team member, not crew member.

[Steve]

Let's run through a scenario right now.

[Delaney]

What's the straw hat difference? We are turning him into Mr. Blanket a little bit.

[Steve]

Oh, no. I don't think I have what it takes to be a part of this crew. It's like, how can I face Luffy now? This is something you don't do. Have faith in yourself. Remember the acronym Yonker W W L D. What would Luffy do?

[Delaney]

The hiring questionnaire that they use to screen your application is you encounter one of the four emperors of the sea. Do you report it to your supervisor? Try to handle the situation yourself? Leave it to your boss, or D join the opposing crew?

[Zach]

What's the next question?

[Steve]

Chinpei says, basically, what I want to know is, can you work weekends? That's non negotiable.

[Delaney]

Holidays are merit based.

[Zach]

Oh, my God. Is this still going?

[Steve]

Do we get time and a half? Oh, no, no, sorry.

[Zach]

Actually, you don't get paid at all.

[Steve]

But we have monthly work meeting.

[Delaney]

But we can't accommodate dietary restrictions for our pizza parties, though. Sorry.

[Steve]

But hey, pizza party.

[Delaney]

All right, being on a tv.

[Zach]

What's the next question?

[Steve]

Number five.

[Delaney]

My son

[Steve]

Eyepatch does not. This reverse writes in all caps and bold is Gum Gum Genie Will Smith.

[Ed]

Ha ha.

[Steve]

No. SNP writes, Hey, O. Opp. Hoping Stephen will be on tonight.

[Zach]

Let's save this one for. Yeah, let's save this one for next week.

[Steve]

Okay, sorry. Put it laugh like Will Smith saying, no, he will not. Ice Fisher Tenacity. Stop.

[Zach]

You got it.

[Steve]

Joking. I'm joking. Ice Fisher Tenacity writes. Salutations, Opp. What a battle. ODA really is the master of. ODA really is the master of foreskinning and parallax.

[Delaney]

God fucking damn it.

[Steve]

Right at the chapter start, it feels like IMU and Joy Boy had a relationship just like the snail pals Loki and Shaggy. Hoshi. And the chapter's end had such a. Had such strong references to Luffy versus Crocodile. I can't help but believe Oda had this particular moment in his mind all the way back in Alabasta. Now, in all honesty. Thank God. Oh, I thought you were serious there. In all honesty, I felt that the. The word nothingness, while accurate, just doesn't have that bite, that oomph. Where perhaps Blade of Oblivion or Null Blade has been a bit more dark grandeur. In my opinion. Lastly, Gum Gum Genie opens up a world of possibility. I'm hoping for Gum Gum Kaiju. A King Kong esque Luffy. Like an homage to Saiyan Ape transformations. Have a good one. That's from Dragon Ball.

[Zach]

Yeah. Delaney. That's from Dragon Ball.

[Delaney]

Why is the show like Dragon Ball? I'm just. I'm not following what the hell this show is about.

[Zach]

So it's about a giant?

[Delaney]

What is this thing? Where are you with Journey to the West?

[Zach]

Do you know who Jackson is?

[Steve]

I can't really comment on what would be better. Attack Nature. Emu. Because it already just. I. When I think of Emu, I already think of nothingness. So.

[Zach]

So I. Emo. Emu is my headcanon. So it doesn't like to be fair. Someone like that would totally try and think for a really long time as to what to name his attack. Like. And try. It would be very Try Hardy.

[Delaney]

I see you're impressed by my katana.

[Zach]

Oh my God. I don't know how I feel about

[Delaney]

iwu the local Japanese market in terms

[Steve]

of Luffy being a Kaiju. Eri got Giant. So

[Zach]

does he just look like Reptar? At a certain point though, like, he has the full.

[Steve]

I think he should just go. I want to see Luffy in drag. That's what I want to see.

[Zach]

Oh, we can just do the full Bugs Bunny thing. Yeah, that would be more of that. Just rip off Bugs Bunny episodes at this point. Or Looney Tunes episodes.

[Steve]

Absolutely.

[Delaney]

I mean, Emu already sounds like Emu already sounds like Elmer Fudd. Depending on what version we're doing.

[Zach]

Emu sounds like a lot of things depending on what version we're doing.

[Delaney]

My love.

[Steve]

I want the most Mel Blanc yell for Luffy to be like, well, here's the secret. I am a Joy Boy. And then just flutters away.

[Zach]

I gotta watch some Looney Tunes.

[Delaney]

Watch it, Bob.

[Zach]

I haven't. I haven't watched Looney Tunes in forever. I need to. Is it did they take it off again. Like, I know.

[Delaney]

I think it's back on Tubi.

[Steve]

It's probably on Tubi, the app for everything.

[Delaney]

It's on Bebo. It's on Doofu.

[Steve]

It's on Zop. It's on.

[Zach]

You're making them up now. Okay. You're making them up. Bloop blorp.

[Steve]

Bloop Blorp is a real one.

[Ed]

All right.

[Zach]

It's us.

[Steve]

And then finally, Eyepatch was not. This reverse writes in all caps and bold. Does Gum Gum Genie make pop culture references?

[Zach]

Well, I think our episode title.

[Steve]

I do know for a fact that Luffy knows who Jack Nicholson is.

[Delaney]

I can confirm. We have private intel. Monkey D. Luffy has perceived Jack Nicholson.

[Zach]

Perceived.

[Delaney]

Major news has hit the podcast on this day. And now at last, I can die.

[Zach]

That'll do it for the Piece Together segment. This has been episode 926 of the One Piece podcast for July 13th. Thank you for this sober discussion today, Delaney and Steve.

[Steve]

Happy to be back.

[Zach]

Thank you, Steve Delaney, you too. You're happy to be back?

[Delaney]

Happy to be. I'm so happy to be back, Zach.

[Zach]

You're okay. What time is it though?

[Delaney]

I was. You don't need to know that information.

[Zach]

Ooh, must be some time that doesn't exist. Delaney. Where could people find you? I know you are working on something pretty cool right now.

[Delaney]

God, I hope it's done. Well, I'm at Infinite Snow or Infinite Snow Pro on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also go to my YouTube channel, Infinite Snow Productions, where within the next couple of weeks, ideally I will have my 100 minute monolith on the history of Disney trying to rip off Wicked on my channel. I have been working on it for a very long time, so I hope that you go and check that out. It's a great time to subscribe. Steve is on that video doing the most flattering voice I could have asked him to do. Also, check out girl perverts. Check out girl perverts. This week we are doing Whole Cake island with Melontea and we had a really great conversation. So tune into that. That's dropping this Friday.

[Zach]

I saw she is Thursday.

[Delaney]

Thursday. Thursday. Thursday. It's this Thursday.

[Zach]

Well, it's okay if you show up on Friday, it'll still be there Podcast. I saw she's going through Witch Hat Atelier. I don't know if that was by your both of your suggestion or Vero's, but I know that it's always good to. I know that community has Expanded a lot with the anime, which is great. Steve, where could people find you?

[Steve]

Hey, folks, I go to steveyerko.com that's my website. Follow me on socials, mainly bluesky and Instagram, mainly where I post. Listen to me on Prozd. Plays games over on YouTube. Listen episodes of 4 Kids Flashback. Wherever you get your podcasts, watch season nine of Rick and Morty, which is getting close to finishing up on Adult Swim, but they're putting episodes on HBO Max Weekly. I think they're like a few weeks behind. And check out all the hard work we put into that season, which critics are saying is good.

[Zach]

And it's Emmy nominated, isn't it? Or was that season eight, season nine, right?

[Steve]

No, it was our season nine premiere. It just made the cutoff for Emmy nominations. So that was. Was the one we submitted and we. Yeah, first time I think our show has been nominated since season four. So.

[Zach]

Really? That's surprising.

[Delaney]

That's surprising.

[Steve]

Yeah. I think the last time was Vat of Acid, which we won.

[Delaney]

Nice.

[Zach]

And then they were just like, that's crazy.

[Delaney]

And that's.

[Steve]

Then I came in and just put stank all over it.

[Zach]

Put a stop to that. Yeah, yeah. Here's Steve Yurko stopping your Emmys from coming in here. Thank you, Steve.

[Steve]

You could follow the Emmy stopper.

[Zach]

Anyway, you can find [e-mail] or patreon.com onepiecepodcast you can find us wherever you get your podcasts, including YouTube.com onepiecepodcast, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else, really. We have a new episode next week. Stephen will be joining us to go through the SBS for volume 115, which, as we discussed is an extra big, extra thick volume. So there's gonna be lots to go through. And also we'll go through some of the questions that we weren't able to get to this week because Steven's not here. And we also have those questions and we want to know. So if you have more of those. Our disc piece lines are open. But until next week, everyone, my name is Zach.

[Steve]

And my name is Steve.

[Zach]

We'll see you next week, everyone. Goodbye.

[Steve]

Later.

[Zach]

Wolf. Wolf, I'm here to tell you, Monkey

[Steve]

D. Luffy knows who Jack Nicholson is. And me just wearing my. My 2000, you know, 8 era one piece shirt, just smirking in the camera like I always knew.

[Delaney]

Well, incredible news from ground zero. We have confirmed that Monkey D. Luffy does in fact know who Jack Nicholson is. We are waiting for a follow up on our inquiry whether or not he knows who Rodney Dangerfield is. But as you can see, people are really coming out celebrating the news today. A lot of memories for the city. I'm here with New York locals who are excited to hear whether or not he will come and watch the producers. Back to you, Wolf.

[Zach]

We're doing a whole visual CAC here. That does not work.

[Delaney]

What a wonderful audio podcast this is.

[Steve]

Monkey D. Luffy. I can't even try to do Wolf Blitzer if like. Like five of you know the bit we were doing. Congratulations. You've listened to the show for you too long.

[Zach]

We haven't discussed it a ton on here and we won't. Let's round off that just had to be cut off or else it was never happening.

[Steve]

Ladies and gentlemen, Monkey D. Luffy, who I've been told will be the future King of the Pirates. A character that exists purely in fiction does not interact with the people among you, your friends, your peers. And that includes famous celebrities. Famous celebrities like Rodney Dangerfield, but most importantly, Jack Nicholson.

[Delaney]

They're saying he doesn't know who Jack Nicholson is. Is. It's really sad. It's really tragic.

[Steve]

I don't want him announcing it. I want this guy announcing it. My fellow Americans, it gives me great privilege to announce that Monkey D. Luffy does know who Jack Nicholson is. Go out and celebrate. Thank you. Well, you heard it here live, folks. The President confirming Monkey Ricky D. Luffy from the Japanese comic book One Piece, does in fact know who Jack Mickles.

[Zach]

Something wrong there, Rick. Something wrong. We're live. We're live. This isn't funny. This is breaking news.

[Steve]

This is one of the best bits we've ever done.

[Delaney]

Rick, I'm out here. I'm out here in Washington, D.C. and the energy here is great. Now that it's been announced that Monkey D. Luffy does know who Jack Nicholson is, people are dancing in the streets. The music is playing. What a wonderful time to be American. What a wonderful time to love the movies. We'll be getting insights all throughout the day. We will be on the ground for as long as possible. What a wonderful day for America.

[Steve]

Jubilant crowds in New York City as they celebrate.

[Zach]

Rick, can you tell us what are they singing? What songs are they singing down there? I don't.

[Delaney]

Loud renditions of Midnight, the Stars. And you'd broken up by selections from Prince from the Batman soundtrack, Heavy Rotation. It's really exciting stuff.

[Steve]

It's the Obama era. We're confirming Prince is still very much alive.

[Delaney]

Prince is still alive.

[Steve]

Still haven't topped that super bowl halftime show. It's the best one ever.

[Zach]

Can we.

[Delaney]

What a great distraction from.

[Zach]

This is the best timeline to be in the one we're in now. Rick, can you give us.

[Steve]

This is indeed the greatest timeline. Timeline.

[Zach]

Yes, actually, we could.

[Steve]

Robin Williams is still alive. And. And Donald Trump shat himself to death.

[Delaney]

I can confirm that the Oscars have not posted that weird tweet that says genie or free, which weirdly implied that his death was a act of liberation and not a tragic result.

[Zach]

What kind of timeline? What that happened, Rick, can you tell me?

[Steve]

Also, I can confirm that if anyone makes fan art of a bunch of cartoon characters that were voiced by someone, if that person dies, and if anyone draws a bunch of those characters grieving over a tombstone, they're putting the ghoul Rick.

[Zach]

What an odd thing to say. Completely unrelated to this beautiful occasion in which we find out Monkey T. Luffy didn't know who Jack Nicholson was.

[Steve]

Wait, hold on. President Obama's coming back to add something. My fellow Americans. Also, we got him. Osama bin Laden. Yeah, we got him. He's dead.

[Zach]

We're gonna break in here because we don't care about that. We're talking about. Hey, Monkey.

[Steve]

Monkey. I. I am.

[Jill]

I.

[Steve]

Actually, I. I am. As we speak, I am. I'm flying in. Monkey D. Luffy and Jack Nicholson, we're gonna have a big dinner. It's gonna be great.

[Delaney]

Breaking news. Luffy knows how to do a Scottish accent. We might be getting live footage from the ground, but this also confirms that Scott exists.

[Zach]

Let's hear from.

[Steve]

Let's hear from Scotland.

[Zach]

Monkey D. Luffy,

[Steve]

let's hear your Scottish accent. Monkey D. Yeah, Monkey.

[Zach]

I'm very excited to hear this. Let's roll on that live.

[Delaney]

I'm gonna be King of the Pirates

[Zach]

now. That just sounds like a Scottish person to me. Maybe we got the wrong feed. Did we get the wrong feed there, Rick? Is this the wrong feed? Rick?

[Steve]

Who the hell's Rick?

[Delaney]

Who's Rick?

[Zach]

Okay, okay, let's round up Rick.

[Delaney]

It's your eye in the sky here.

[Zach]

How long can I call you Rick and no one says anything? Okay, let's round off. That's. I think we're good.

[Steve]

Rick, it's your cousin Pickle. Rick, you know that news story you've been looking for?

[Delaney]

We're in the timeline. That's still funny.

[Steve]

You know that great timeline you're looking for? Well, listen to this.

[Delaney]

He's turned himself into a pickle. It's the funniest thing anyone has ever seen.

[Zach]

It's to avoid therapy.

[Jill]

Okay.

[Steve]

Realize we have, like, an audience of one. It's just like, Kirby just been listening all the time. It's either like, He's either like, these guys are all stupid, or, like, oh, this is kind of funny.

[Zach]

Oh, no. This all better go in.

[Steve]

Kirby confirms. Hey, this is the best. So you're putting this at the end, right, Delaney? This is just gonna be the.

[Zach]

This has to be at the end.

[Steve]

The sting. The stinger.

[Zach]

Yeah. A stinger that takes literally 15 minutes.

[Delaney]

Like, a whole segment. I almost spit my drink out.

[Jill]

It.