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, Rowan checks in with “One Piece.” If you have thoughts on this or any other current Shonen Jump titles, please let us know in the comments!
Written and Illustrated by Eiichiro Oda
Reviewed by Rowan Grover
We’re still in the midst of the aftermath of the Wano arc, which is arguably where some of the most fun stories come out in “One Piece”. Oda balances drip-feeding readers with little hints at what might be coming in the future of this story, all in the thick of giving us delightful character moments that strengthen the bond between characters. The issue kicks off with Raizo and Shinobu exhausted from having fended off a Marine invader. The moment has the potential to be dire in the first panel by threatening to kill these characters that have fought so hard for life for hundreds of chapters. Oda diffuses it with typical humor, having their bodies appear starkly as absurd, mummified versions of themselves, whilst the rest of the gang carry on and make light of the situation.
In terms of reveals and setting up for the future, Oda makes sure that Carrot is not done dirty by having Dogstorm and Cat Viper pass their role as kings of Zou and the Mokomo dukedom. It’s a genuinely heartwarming moment, feeling like an excellent progression for Carrot’s development and a nice capstone and retiring point for the two former regents. Both characters actually look like they are getting to relax and even rebuild a relationship between themselves for the first time in a while, with Oda conveying this perfect body language in only a single panel.
The other big reveal building off last week’s chapter is the matter of Pluton, the ancient weapon. Whilst we still don’t find out the exact nature of it, we get to see the stir that it causes amongst the cast that hears about it, which gives us some great character moments and little personality reveals. Robin regards it with a level of awe, whilst Franky has a moment of genuine shock and appropriate drama. Luffy interestingly acknowledges the importance and fearsome legacy it holds but dismisses trying to obtain it. The lettering here by Vanessa Satone does a great job at exaggerating how casual Luffy is about this, having him speak “NAH, I’M GOOD!!” in boldened caps in a speech bubble that itself feels quick and cramped between others. Again, all this takes place in the space of about two panels, showing just how well Oda can convey personality in a short amount of time.
The final point I want to touch on here is how much the Wano arc has felt like a bonding point for the Worst Generation, and how much the interactions between Luffy, Kidd, and Law exemplify this. Oda stretches his artistic chops in a big splash panel that shows them all arguing about which way each crew will be departing Wano to follow their Log Pose. The body language that Oda uses here is exceptional. Kidd is sitting down, spread legged and metal arm pressed down on his knee like someone demanding attention. Luffy is squatting atop a crate with his hand on his head in confusion and annoyance. Law is sitting back, cross-legged and arms folded like he’s over the argument and just wants to take the easiest route. Without even reading the text, you can get a perfect read of what this scene is about just by how well Oda poses and directs his characters, showing how adept and learned he is at his craft.
Final Verdict: 8.8 – Not an earth-shattering issue by any means, but I always enjoy some downtime with the extended Straw Hat crew, and Oda flexes his visual and narrative storytelling skills hard here.
