This text was originally written for Arlong Park forums’ discussion thread.

I was surprised to see another Udon chapter at first, but it all made sense by the end. It’s felt a little slow week by week, but I think the volume reread will show this was just the right place to end it. Wano has emphasised the need to recruit help from the locals and make the people a part of their own rebellion, and it wouldn’t have been right to let Luffy’s prison break end without putting that factor in the limelight.

But first, that colour spread is a gorgeous piece of work as always. Chopper without his hat is a mildly cursed image, but Zoro holding the ring and “chopper on board” more than make up for it.

I’m glad the final chapter title isn’t “zombie” like the first spoilers suggested, given that it was already chapter 84. And prettymuch chapter 445. We don’t need another zombie chapter title. That said, what’s the connection between mummification and infections for Japan? The pokemon ability Mummy also works that way, so this clearly isn’t just an Oda creation, but none of the western lore/mythology around mummies that I know works the same way.

Luffy’s big speech is a fantastic character moment that plays well into his growing maturity over the course of the New World. He’s really showing that legendary “king’s disposition” here, and I think it’s worth noting that he’s doing it intentionally and knowingly. This isn’t just a case of ‘Luffy rushes in and people follow him because he’s bold and charismatic but he doesn’t care if they follow or not because he’s doing the thing either way,’ it’s Luffy very genuinely taking a stand against the prisoners’ lifestyle and choosing to bring them to his side. It’s also an interesting point of comparison to his “I’m not a hero” speech from Fishman Island. Luffy’s morality is still framed as relative (ie he’s doing the right thing by his personal friend Tama, not he’s doing the right thing because it’s the right thing) but he’s taken a personal stake in the lives of the prisoners in a way he hadn’t quite done before.

The end of Babanuki was hilariously unexpected. I don’t think he’s actually dead; he’ll crawl away and show up with his head and the elephant’s wrapped in bandages later, but it’s a great note to end his role here on. “Whut” was also a great translation choice for that one panel. Gets the tone juuust right.

And while we’re here, the Boichi cover chapter was pretty sweet. That dude has a great talent for texture work and fun expressions. The nitpick I have with his work, both here and in what I read of Dr Stone, it that his panels often run off every edge of the page, even into the spine. I’m of a mind that that shouldn’t be happening unless it’s specifically a spread page. It’s the kind of thing that has no impact when you read one page at a time online, but isn’t great in a physical book or in official readers that show spreads. But also it hardly ruins the experience, and Boichi’s particular brand of exaggeration is a great fit for a One Piece chapter. Can’t wait to see who else they get on board for this project!