Ahoy, mateys! For this year’s Summer Comics Binge, I’ll be tackling a huge gap in my manga library; the gargantuan “One Piece,” written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. Over the next few weeks I’ll be journaling my way through the first 100 chapters, making up the East Blue Saga. This I’m covering volume 9, consisting of chapters 72 through 81. I’ve definitely been enjoying “One Piece” so far, but I’ve still been waiting for the point where the series really hooked me. I think back to when I first read “Naruto,” and it took the conflict between Naruto and Sasuke to really create an emotional investment that kept me coming back for more. This week, I may have finally found that moment.
Luffy and crew must contend with “Saw-Tooth” Arlong and his nasty Fish-Man pirates, who specialize in using mafia tactics to squeeze the lifeblood from innocent villagers. Needless to say, it comes as a big surprise to everyone that pirate-hating Nami is actually a member of Arlong’s crew!
Chapter 72: Proper Living
So, last week I made a comment about this arc turning into a story about a race war and it seems like that was spot on.
That Arlong is really not a very nice guy.
There are a few things I really like about this chapter. First, the focus on Usopp is welcome. Usopp isn’t a tough guy like Zolo or Sanji, and he doesn’t have the confidence and abilities of Luffy, yet nevertheless he continuously thrusts himself into bad situations to help others. He’s easily one of the most likable characters at this point. Secondly, we get a bit of clarification regarding Nami’s status with the village and her purpose for aligning with Arlong’s crew. The interaction between Nami and her sister is at the same time sweet and sad.
Chapter 73: Monsters of the Grand Line
This chapter has a giant sea cow. Not a manatee or a dugong but a textbook spotted milk cow made into a sea monster. Though, it does have horns, so I suppose it may be a bull? Could it at one time have inhabited Gaimon’s island?
Yosaku indicates that it’s actually a Grand Line monster, an ominous foreshadowing of the types of beasts the Straw Hats may have to face in the future. I don’t know, but the design is great and I love him/her.
Chapter 74:Business
This chapter continuous a to shuffle our cast of characters around, despite their best efforts to seek each other out. Last chapter saw Zolo leaving Arlong’s compound in search of the fish-man, only for Arlong to return, with Usopp now in tow, to discover Zolo’s escape. This puts Nami in quite the predicament as her loyalty is called into question, forcing her to take drastic action to protect herself. She continues to straddle the line between hero and villain as she stabs Usopp, leaving him for dead.
Chapter 75: Of Maps and Fish-Men
This chapter notably features the “final episode” of the Buggy’s Crew story. Buggy, now reassembled, stands triumphant with his crew. I definitely expect him to come back to plague Luffy in the future and am very interested to learn more about the identity of the enigmatic female pirate sporting the large brimmed hat.
In the chapter proper, Luffy, Sanji, and Yosaku make quite the entrance thanks to the Momoo the sea cow, reuniting with Zolo. Meanwhile, a Navy ship stands offshore at the request of the villagers, ready to rescue them from the clutches of Arlong. While Oda has previously demonstrated the terrifying power of Arlong, he takes this opportunity to showcase the might of other fish-men as well. We see Arlong stop a cannon with his teeth, while Hachi, Kuroobi, and Choo, destroy the Navy’s ship and its crew on their own.
Of note, Choo, a fish-man who has a tick that has perplexed me greatly. He begins his statements with a “smek” sound-effect and a heart symbol. Turns out, it’s because he’s a “kisser fish-man.” Well played, Oda.
Finally, just as the chapter ends, we get a confrontation that I’ve been waiting for, as Nami appears before her former crewmates.
Continued belowChapter 76: Sleep
The crew is all out of sorts at Nami’s return. Johnny and Zolo are aghast at her apparent crimes. Sanji, still quite smitten, turns against his friends. But, Luffy, ever the unpredictable goofball, responds to Nami’s apparent betrayal by taking a nap.
Elsewhere, we get the unsurprising reveal that Usopp is not as dead as Nami would have us believe. It turns out that she only pretended to stab Usopp, blocking the blade with her own hand, explaining the addition of a single glove to her outfit in the preceding pages. His search for Zolo reunites him with the rest of the Straw Hats. It’s here that Nojiko finds them. She promises to explain Nami’s story once and or all, on the condition that the Straw Hats leave the island.
Chapters 77, 78, and 79: The First Step Toward a Dream, Bell-mère, To Live
Luffy, ever the contrarian, refuses to listen to Nojiko’s story, going for a walk. As Zolo says, “he’s quirky.” That quirkiness may be rubbing off, as Zolo promptly falls asleep, leaving Usopp and Sanji as Nojiko’s remaining audience. The story they are about to hear is horribly tragic and breathtakingly told, featuring the most powerful and striking moment in the series so far.
We begin what will be a three part flashback detailing Nami and Nojiko’s youth and the tragedy that is to befall them. We see a spunky Nami at the age of 8, constantly bedeviling the inhabitants of Coco Village. We meet Belle-mère, ex-soldier, tangerine farmer and adoptive mother of Nami and Nojiko. We learn the truth about how Belle-mère found the children, sole survivors of a war-torn battlefield. We see the coming of Arlong and his fish-men to the island and the imposition of their protection tax.
Oda’s build-up through these events is fantastically paced, hitting all the right notes as he develops a strong emotional attachment between the reader and these characters in a short amount of time. Belle-mère is instantly likeable thanks to her unique design and her gruff exterior that hides a selfless soul. Like most benevolent adults (she’s 30, the old geezer!) in the “One-Piece,” Belle-mère is defined by a self-sacrificial love for those entrusted to her care. She also posses a Luffy-esque code of honor, one that she must abide by regardless of the danger it may place her in.
The showdown between Belle-mère and Arlong is masterful. Despite lacking any superpowers or extravagant weaponry, Belle-mère gets the jump on the fish-man.
Faced with the decision of buying her life and casting out her daughters, Belle-mère defiantly sacrifices herself. It’s a profoundly powerful moment, elevated by Oda’s craft. From Belle-mère’s confession, her tearful farewell, to her triumphant final moments, this is top-notch story-telling.
In the aftermath, we learn how Nami’s cartography drafts her into the service of Arlong, where she begins to form her plan of subterfuge to save the village. Oda captures the travesty of a young girl, forced to grow up well beyond her years in a matter of days, faced with the powerful sway of money and the unreasonable responsibility to use that power to protect her people.
Chapters 80 and 81: A Thief is a Thief, Tears
Back in the present, it seems that the “other shoe” has finally dropped. Arlong has enacted a plot to betray and maintain control of Nami. Captain Nezumi, the corrupt naval officer on Arlong’s payroll, highlights to profound evil of small, pitiful men. To see a mere middleman, with little authority and less spine, act in such a feckless way is infuriating, mostly because of the stark reality of similar men in our own world. Nami, realizing Arlong’s betrayal, goes to confront her employer.
Of note, Luffy offers his help, which Nami brashly refuses. However, things go downhill for her quickly. Arlong’s plot leaves Nami penniless, forcing her to begin her indentured servitude anew. Faced with the futility of the situation and their shame at placing the weight of their debt on a young girl for the better part of a decade, Genzo and the villagers prepare to make war against Arlong. Reaching her lowest point, Nami turns her dagger on herself, carving away at the tattoo that symbolizes all the pain she has taken on over the past 8 years. Once again, Luffy steps in, despite Nami’s continual rejection. In a final moment of desperation, Nami pleads for Luffy’s help. It’s a moment that’s nearly as powerful as Belle-mere’s sacrifice, made all the more powerful by Luffy’s small act of kindness.
Thus ends one of the most remarkable series of chapters in the series so far. The thought that I’ve got two more volumes left in this arc has me in a tizzy. I certainly feel more emotionally invested in Nami’s plight than I have for any of the prior arcs. I greatly anticipate Arlong’s comeuppance at the stretchy hands of Luffy.
