I make it literally "I'm shocked by the extent of your forethought."
That's pretty much exactly how the Swedish translation says it, too.
[Seriously one of the best reveals in all of One Piece. I never saw it coming.]
This may sound a bit pathetic, but from what I remember, I actually read vols 35-37 out of order. I'd missed out on new volumes for a while for financial reasons, then bought volume 37, didn't really get what was going on, got volume 35 and some time after that, vol 36. (I think it had sold out in the bookshop and wasn't at the library.) And would you believe I was still really surprised?! I guess somehow I'd gotten mixed up on what was going on in vol 37, so even though I was spoilered, I'd forgotten about it and Oda got me all the same.
[I find it odd that when the others abandoned ship, they left the flag. Too much part of Merry's identity, perhaps?]
[Enies Lobby]I wonder, is it possible there already was a spare flag, one which Usopp might have painted at some earlier time? That could explain how their Jolly Roger on
( ... )
[Enies Lobby]Or maybe they took the original flag just before Merry's funeral? I could go and look it up, but sort of don't want to read that chapter any more times than necessary. :-(
[Vague spoilers/speculation] I can't disagree with anything you've said about Kaku, really, and yet I can't help liking him. It would be interesting if he comes back into the story at some future point (beyond the later cover arc story), giving us a second chance to see what his ethical standpoint is and how he might choose to align himself.
(I really really want to use my Kaku icon for this comment, but it would still be a spoiler.)
Lucci, on the other hand, terrifies me. There are few villains in One Piece that I find more frightening. *shiver*
[Enies Lobby]The flag burned with Merry - I'm sure of that, I remember looking it up once before. (I share your reluctance to go check that scene now! ;_;)
Sympathies will come where they come! I myself have a certain mild fondness for Blueno, though it's based on very little and most of it conjecture that might just as well be false as true, given the character's extreme stonefacedness. And I do concede the CP9 as a whole came across as more likable from what we saw of them in their cover arc. If Oda can convince me with a Kaku that's really developed his decent side and lost his self-righteousness, all the better.
Now I'm trying to figure out what I feel about Lucci that isn't coloured by my negative reaction to how much of a fandom favourite he used to be. I loathe him for a variety of reasons (cruel, smug, kills his own side for being weak) but I do think he made for a very good antagonist in this arc. And yeah, he's legitimately very frightening.
[Enies Lobby] Thinking more about Kaku, his cold attitude after their true identity is revealed reminds me a lot of Robin during her undercover days (and here, really, especially in the next volume). Having been compelled (in Robin's case, by circumstances; in Kaku's case, by conviction? why did he join CP-9, anyway?) to adopt a persona that is fundamentally at odds with the kind-hearted person underneath, he doesn't dare show any weakening of the facade. But I will freely admit that this might all be in my head.
I gathered that Lucci was a fan favorite, and I will never understand why. He creeps me the hell out (although I will certainly agree that he made a compelling antagonist). Then again, I don't understand why Japanese fangirls write Luffy/Crocodile doujinshi, either. >.<
Seriously one of the best reveals in all of One Piece. I never saw it coming.
I am never recovering from this. It erased the rest of the volume from my mind...except for Luffy getting stuck between two buildings and Chopper *sparkling* over Zoro's strength.
OMG, Rob Lucci! How could you pulverize Paulie? You guys were practically dating! And Kalifa...yes, you were a sexist secretarial icon, so I should probably be glad you're actually a ruthless assassin, but you were Iceberg's sexist secretarial icon. Iceberg!
I hope the mouse does something amazing to rescue him.
OMG, Rob Lucci! How could you pulverize Paulie? You guys were practically dating!
LOL, I was wondering who you had your slash goggles focused on. I don't think it's an accident that there seems to be a vast amount of more-or-less AU Galley-La fanfic, and that the pairings are about as elastic as Gundam Wing. (1x3! No, 3x5!)
[Spoiler protected out of an abundance of caution]Most of it is not really my thing, since I've never cared for rival/villain slash, but I have a weakness for a few of the Zoro/Kaku fics I've read.
[follows your lead in excessive caution, though it's only about fanfics]I always felt so protective over Paulie! I could totally believe he had a thing for Lucci and maybe even Kaku before the reveal, but I do not want to read fics focusing on that. >_< Especially since the ones I peaked at often seemed to have a whiff of "haha, that Paulie and his amusing fail, unlike those cool comrades of his that are actually lying to him all along and will betray him in the future". Mind you, I may have been overreacting due to that protective bias...
Aw, seriously? I can totally understand the protective bias. Paulie is a sweetheart. (His reaction at the beginning of the next volume, so painful.) I love how Luffy gets all fellow-warrior fired-up when he sees how loyal Paulie is to Iceberg.
I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make volume 36 all about my slash goggles. It's just…as disappointed as I am that Kalifa would betray Iceberg, I was devastated that Rob Lucci and Paulie weren't flyting friends. Rob Lucci, I wish you were being mind-controlled by an evil pigeon.
LOL forever, it took me almost a full minute to figure out what they were doing. TOO ADORABLE.
I totally missed that. I think it's because in the panel where Oda is trying to convey to me that they are on the beach within range of the Merry (*sniffle*), I am distracted by the giant city.
Is it time for the "stupidest devil fruit" conversation again?
Making doors is definitely not a versatile skill. It would be hilarious if someone teeny-tiny ate that fruit.
They are dismayed to arrive at the gate and discover it very thoroughly guarded.
I loved this moment. Not only was it hilarious, but how often do you see the "smart" characters' cunning plans just not pan out at all? Fortunately, Zoro is strong. *sparkle*
Robin says that she agrees, but it is none of his
( ... )
Here ya go. (That page is REALLY obnoxious, sorry.) The auction title says it's a くったりクッション, but the pictures look like a plushie, maybe a little more floppy than usual? (There's also a little keychain sized one, a little plastic figure, and one of those little things that goes in your headphone jack, haha.)
ETA: I see from the picture on another site that it has a flat body but normal head. But I'm pretty sure that's the one I saw in the image search; no idea if there's a regular plushie one.
"HEY, DID YOU HEAR THE AQUA LAGUNA IS COMING?" "YEAH, WE BETTER GET TO HIGH GROUND!"
I love this so much. It will never not be hilarious. (Also, I'm really glad that--at some point in your summaries, I don't even know where this came up--you brought up that Sanji is Usopp's...I dunno what to call it, anyway, he is to Usopp as Zoro is to Chopper, and I really noticed that when rereading this arc. Sanji, why can't you stop being so stupid about women so I can like you more?)
Chopper wonders if he did something at the bookstore to make Robin mad. (Oh, Chopper. ;_;)
+1 on Oh, Chopper. ;_;
[Water 7] Also, that his reaction when he learns the truth is "Robin doesn't hate us?" ;_;
Is it time for the "stupidest devil fruit" conversation again?
I dunno, I think it's pretty handy for anybody with some kind of clandestine purpose--assassins, spies, thieves, etc. So, perfect for the person who got it, basically. Useless for anyone who DOESN'T plan to spend a lot of time sneaking around.
[Enies Lobby]Also, the "revolving door" attack he uses against Luffy is
( ... )
I dunno what to call it, anyway, he is to Usopp as Zoro is to Chopper
Yes! Sanji is such a good big brother, and he gets to shine in this arc in particular (in more ways than one). I am grateful to fanfic for pointing out the way he so often looks out for Usopp.
Well, part of my problem is that Oda's idea of Sanji shining just makes me angry.
[Water 7/Enies Lobby] In this arc, even--yes, I love the way his care for Usopp shows, but then he has a couple other moments, like "Being a man means forgiving a women when she lies" and "I'll die before I kick a woman" that just...UGH. You're not being "cool," Sanji, you're being gross and sexist.
[Water 7/Enies Lobby] You're not being "cool," Sanji, you're being gross and sexist.
Ugh, yes, totally agreed. (I just hit the first of those in my rereading, and I kept wondering if I was mistranslating the line, because WTF, Sanji.) It was more some of the later stuff I was thinking of, like when he comes through at the critical moment in Enies Lobby. Or thinking back to his "Mr Prince" shtick in Alabasta.
It's just so much fun seeing the Strawhats play detective... or come the closest they'll ever get to doing so (and now I have a strange urge to commission fanart of Luffy in a deerstalker...). And I'd almost forgotten about the shopkeeper and Usopp! Now I'm reminded of reason #239 why Water 7 is best One Piece city.
My memories of this arc are also improved by my memories of the Pirates Carnival video game, where each of the CP9 agents here get a mini-game. The one featuring Kaku and Kalifa as co-bosses is absolutely brutal if you don't know what you're doing, while the one featuring Blueno is seriously nail-biting even when you do know what you're doing.
Comments 45
That's pretty much exactly how the Swedish translation says it, too.
[Seriously one of the best reveals in all of One Piece. I never saw it coming.]
This may sound a bit pathetic, but from what I remember, I actually read vols 35-37 out of order. I'd missed out on new volumes for a while for financial reasons, then bought volume 37, didn't really get what was going on, got volume 35 and some time after that, vol 36. (I think it had sold out in the bookshop and wasn't at the library.) And would you believe I was still really surprised?! I guess somehow I'd gotten mixed up on what was going on in vol 37, so even though I was spoilered, I'd forgotten about it and Oda got me all the same.
[I find it odd that when the others abandoned ship, they left the flag. Too much part of Merry's identity, perhaps?]
[Enies Lobby]I wonder, is it possible there already was a spare flag, one which Usopp might have painted at some earlier time? That could explain how their Jolly Roger on ( ... )
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[Vague spoilers/speculation]
I can't disagree with anything you've said about Kaku, really, and yet I can't help liking him. It would be interesting if he comes back into the story at some future point (beyond the later cover arc story), giving us a second chance to see what his ethical standpoint is and how he might choose to align himself.
(I really really want to use my Kaku icon for this comment, but it would still be a spoiler.)
Lucci, on the other hand, terrifies me. There are few villains in One Piece that I find more frightening. *shiver*
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Sympathies will come where they come! I myself have a certain mild fondness for Blueno, though it's based on very little and most of it conjecture that might just as well be false as true, given the character's extreme stonefacedness. And I do concede the CP9 as a whole came across as more likable from what we saw of them in their cover arc. If Oda can convince me with a Kaku that's really developed his decent side and lost his self-righteousness, all the better.
Now I'm trying to figure out what I feel about Lucci that isn't coloured by my negative reaction to how much of a fandom favourite he used to be. I loathe him for a variety of reasons (cruel, smug, kills his own side for being weak) but I do think he made for a very good antagonist in this arc. And yeah, he's legitimately very frightening.
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Thinking more about Kaku, his cold attitude after their true identity is revealed reminds me a lot of Robin during her undercover days (and here, really, especially in the next volume). Having been compelled (in Robin's case, by circumstances; in Kaku's case, by conviction? why did he join CP-9, anyway?) to adopt a persona that is fundamentally at odds with the kind-hearted person underneath, he doesn't dare show any weakening of the facade. But I will freely admit that this might all be in my head.
I gathered that Lucci was a fan favorite, and I will never understand why. He creeps me the hell out (although I will certainly agree that he made a compelling antagonist). Then again, I don't understand why Japanese fangirls write Luffy/Crocodile doujinshi, either. >.<
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I am never recovering from this. It erased the rest of the volume from my mind...except for Luffy getting stuck between two buildings and Chopper *sparkling* over Zoro's strength.
OMG, Rob Lucci! How could you pulverize Paulie? You guys were practically dating! And Kalifa...yes, you were a sexist secretarial icon, so I should probably be glad you're actually a ruthless assassin, but you were Iceberg's sexist secretarial icon. Iceberg!
I hope the mouse does something amazing to rescue him.
Reply
OMG, Rob Lucci! How could you pulverize Paulie? You guys were practically dating!
LOL, I was wondering who you had your slash goggles focused on. I don't think it's an accident that there seems to be a vast amount of more-or-less AU Galley-La fanfic, and that the pairings are about as elastic as Gundam Wing. (1x3! No, 3x5!)
[Spoiler protected out of an abundance of caution]Most of it is not really my thing, since I've never cared for rival/villain slash, but I have a weakness for a few of the Zoro/Kaku fics I've read.
Poor Iceberg, indeed. :-( And poor Paulie!
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haha, that Paulie and his amusing fail
Aw, seriously? I can totally understand the protective bias. Paulie is a sweetheart. (His reaction at the beginning of the next volume, so painful.) I love how Luffy gets all fellow-warrior fired-up when he sees how loyal Paulie is to Iceberg.
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LOL forever, it took me almost a full minute to figure out what they were doing. TOO ADORABLE.
I totally missed that. I think it's because in the panel where Oda is trying to convey to me that they are on the beach within range of the Merry (*sniffle*), I am distracted by the giant city.
Is it time for the "stupidest devil fruit" conversation again?
Making doors is definitely not a versatile skill. It would be hilarious if someone teeny-tiny ate that fruit.
They are dismayed to arrive at the gate and discover it very thoroughly guarded.
I loved this moment. Not only was it hilarious, but how often do you see the "smart" characters' cunning plans just not pan out at all? Fortunately, Zoro is strong. *sparkle*
Robin says that she agrees, but it is none of his ( ... )
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Kung Fu Dugongs!
ETA: wow, so many amazing things in that image search. Dugong wanted poster! Dugong bento! Dugong ice cream! Mohmoo plushie!!??
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(It makes me so sad that I can so rarely use this icon.)
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ETA: I see from the picture on another site that it has a flat body but normal head. But I'm pretty sure that's the one I saw in the image search; no idea if there's a regular plushie one.
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I love this so much. It will never not be hilarious. (Also, I'm really glad that--at some point in your summaries, I don't even know where this came up--you brought up that Sanji is Usopp's...I dunno what to call it, anyway, he is to Usopp as Zoro is to Chopper, and I really noticed that when rereading this arc. Sanji, why can't you stop being so stupid about women so I can like you more?)
Chopper wonders if he did something at the bookstore to make Robin mad. (Oh, Chopper. ;_;)
+1 on Oh, Chopper. ;_;
[Water 7]
Also, that his reaction when he learns the truth is "Robin doesn't hate us?" ;_;
Is it time for the "stupidest devil fruit" conversation again?
I dunno, I think it's pretty handy for anybody with some kind of clandestine purpose--assassins, spies, thieves, etc. So, perfect for the person who got it, basically. Useless for anyone who DOESN'T plan to spend a lot of time sneaking around.
[Enies Lobby]Also, the "revolving door" attack he uses against Luffy is ( ... )
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Yes! Sanji is such a good big brother, and he gets to shine in this arc in particular (in more ways than one). I am grateful to fanfic for pointing out the way he so often looks out for Usopp.
I wish Oda would let Sanji shine more often.
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[Water 7/Enies Lobby]
In this arc, even--yes, I love the way his care for Usopp shows, but then he has a couple other moments, like "Being a man means forgiving a women when she lies" and "I'll die before I kick a woman" that just...UGH. You're not being "cool," Sanji, you're being gross and sexist.
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You're not being "cool," Sanji, you're being gross and sexist.
Ugh, yes, totally agreed. (I just hit the first of those in my rereading, and I kept wondering if I was mistranslating the line, because WTF, Sanji.) It was more some of the later stuff I was thinking of, like when he comes through at the critical moment in Enies Lobby. Or thinking back to his "Mr Prince" shtick in Alabasta.
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My memories of this arc are also improved by my memories of the Pirates Carnival video game, where each of the CP9 agents here get a mini-game. The one featuring Kaku and Kalifa as co-bosses is absolutely brutal if you don't know what you're doing, while the one featuring Blueno is seriously nail-biting even when you do know what you're doing.
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