Welcome to This Week in Shonen Jump, our weekly check in on Viz’s various Shonen Jump series. Viz has recently changed their release format, but our format will mostly remain the same. We will still review the newest chapters of one title a week, now with even more options at our disposal. The big change for our readers is that, even without a Shonen Jump subscription, you can read these most recent chapters for free at Viz.com or using their app.
This week, Zach checks in with “The Elusive Samurai.” If you have thoughts on this or any other current Shonen Jump titles, please let us know in the comments!
One Piece Chapter 1002
Written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda
Translated by Stephen Paul
Lettered by Vanessa Satone
Reviewed by Zach Wilkerson
The chapters leading up to and immediately following the monumental 1000th chapter of “One Piece” have rightfully felt like a victory lap for Eiichiro Oda and his staff. The stakes are as large as they’ve ever been with Luffy and crew facing down two Emperors of the Sea, but the odds aren’t necessarily against the heroes. Oda gives Luffy and crew a bit of an edge in this thrilling fight that calls back to some of the series’s iconic moments.
This chapter is essentially a showcase for just how powerful the Worst Generation has become. Luffy, Zoro, Law, Eustass, and Killer each get to strut their stuff, dishing out their most powerful signature attacks against Big Mom and Kaido. Luffy and Eustass stand out as the most visually interesting here; Eustass’s junkyard mech design is one of the most intricate and impressive designs Oda has ever created. Characters like Zoro and Killer get some awesome moments of their own, with Zoro making great use of the Enma sword and Killer delivering a magnificent blow to Kaido. Due to the size of the villains Oda continually pushes the boundaries of scope and scale, arguably topping the spectacle of even the biggest and best battles in “One Piece” history. Despite the battle’s size, Oda still manages to present everything in a manner that is clearly paced and easy to follow.
Speaking of “One Piece” history, there are a couple of Easter eggs that were particularly amusing. Early in the chapter, Luffy uses his Kong Rifle attack on Kaido in a wide spread that evokes the iconic image of Luffy defeating the Sea Monster in the very first chapter. Placing the panels side-by-side, it seems obvious that Oda was attempting to draw readers back to the momentous moment. While it seems unlikely that this connection will have any thematic relevance or bearing on the plot, it’s a great reference nonetheless.
Later, Big Mom uses Zeus’s lightning abilities to disastrous effects against the heroes. Well, everyone except Luffy, of course. As we know from Skypiea and the fight with Eneru, lightning doesn’t affect a rubber man. Big Mom’s reaction to this revelation isn’t quite as satisfying as Eneru’s, but it’s always satisfying when a villain realizes they’ve underestimated Monkey D. Luffy.
Despite the insurmountable odds this chapter feels full of hope and excitement. Oda continues to fire on all cylinders in both plotting and art. While I expect a few more dramatic upsets before we reach the climax of this battle, it’s a joy to get a chapter where the heroes just get to flex.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – “One Piece” is good, are you surprised?
