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

Wano and the pirate alliance both really are ending, huh? It’s truly an era of One Piece wrapping up before our eyes, and what an era it’s been. This chapter finally takes us back to the Germa cover story, after close to two months between breaks and colour spreads. I assume Caesar’s going to save the siblings, with an outside chance of Pekoms (and slim odds of Pedro if Oda wants to burn even more goodwill surrounding character deaths. Looks like Oda forgot to ink in Katakuri’s knee spike also.

This is a pretty chill chapter overall, with a lot of standing around and talking. It definitely feels like a send-off for the Wano group giving Kin the chance to settle down with his wife, letting the leaders of Wano take back their roles as retainers, and wrapping up the Sukiyaki reveal (though it’s a bit strange that he was so certain he wouldn’t reveal his identity to Momo and Hiyori two chapters ago, just to do it now). I really enjoyed Kin being the only one not to have figured it out, that was hilarious.

Carrot being named the new leader of Zou feels a tad off to me. I can kinda see the in-universe justification – if previously isolated kingdoms like Zou and Wano are going to be making contact with the world in new ways it does make sense to appoint people who’ve actually experienced travel and dealt with forgeiners to positions of authority, but Carrot is just so young and never really demonstrated any desire to rule or aptitude for leadership, nor was she being groomed for the position. Our other young ruler of recent chapters, Momo, was clearly shown with some training and a desire to live up to the shogunate’s legacy before he ascended to the throne. It almost feels like something done to appease the crowd that voted her to the top of the WT100 poll than it does a planned end of her character arc.

That’s all assuming she agrees and sticks with it anyway, but there doesn’t seem to be time for anything else. Well, I look forward to seeing her leading the minks during the final war.

It’s a classic Luffy moment to just not give a shit about Pluton so casually. I still want to see it though. He and I have very different priorities. I wonder if Franky’s disappointed to be leaving without seeing in person what those old blueprints could create, but maybe he’s just a good enough shipwright that he can visualise it just fine from the documents without having to see anything else.

Shinobu getting de-aged and starting to dress in the same ninja outfit Kin gave Nami instead of her old practical one that Nami had been initially expecting is pretty funny, and I’m a big fan of Tama becoming her apprentice. Great place to leave the character at, and you can just imagine the potential of her ability to enhance her ninja skills on the job.

Going back to Log Poses and actually making the three domes on the New World version relevant is a breath of fresh air after being in Wano so long. I’m a big fan of heavily serialised stories, but even I have to admit I’m pretty excited to have no concrete idea of the next destination (even if there is a pretty narrow shortlist this late in the story). What’s curious about this page is the knowledge that Wano isn’t even halfway through the New World, if a northward course is still considered a forward movement.

Buggy’s new organisation is such a great development. The idea to put bounties on Marines is such a power move, and the presence of Mihawk and Crocodile just raises more and more questions about how this setup came to be. I’m so excited to see more of this group. I wonder if they picked up any of the other former warlords? What really gets me going is that Buggy and Mihawk were both characters from the first year of the series’ run. Well, give or take a week for Mihawk, but they’ve both been around a long time. One was a throwaway, comdic starter villain for the main character, the other was our first preview of the world’s strength ceiling. Can you imagine telling someone reading Mihawk’s introduction in 1998 that in 24 real-world years that guy would be working for Buggy? Twenty-five years, and these supporting characters from the first year are still relevant.

Kid getting a copy of the Lode Poneglyph is something I certainly didn’t expect, alongside the revelation that he got a copy of Big Mom’s in his attack on her territory. Man, if Luffy and co had known Big Mom’s commanders were just sailing around with copies, they might have saved a bit of trouble getting all the way into her treasury to copy it directly. I wonder how many Poneglyph rubbings have made their way around the world’s black markets, and how many fakes there would have to be, considering how hard it would be to certify the real ones. I wonder if Kid was allowed a copy of Zou’s Lode Poneglyph too. We didn’t see Law make his copy of that one, or have Big Mom’s one shared with him but it’s a safe bet he’s got it. Luffy would be willing to share in the spirit of competition, giving us three captains at 75% of the way to Laugh Tale. How exciting!

The chapter also reminds us of an yet unknown player – Caribou’s mysterious contact – and introduces a new one – Kid’s burned man, who Law and Robin seem familiar with.

It really does seem like the next chapter is going to be Wano’s last. Departures are set, a final emotional goodbye for Momo and Kin are being set up, as is whatever the hell the plan for Yamato is going to be. Next chapter is going to be a damn big one. I’m sure no matter what happens it’s going to break a few hearts, but there’s just so much to look forward to after those Wano curtains draw closed a final time.