Oda shows no sign of hitting the breaks on Elbaph this week. It’s amazing how different his storytelling feels for this arc and Egghead compared to the bloat of Wano. Whether it’s a second wind from reaching the final saga, a response to feedback or personal feelings about how Wano turned out, or fear that he wouldn’t reach the end before he gets too old to do so, Oda is choosing to go foot to the floor.

But even within this new, fast era we can see growth and adaptation. Egghead felt underpopulated without a single named lab assistant outside the main Vegapunks. Nothing in the arc would have changed if the island had been staffed entirely by robots, a flaw that stood out in a series so full of large and vibrant casts that make its settings feel fleshed out. Elbaph will not face this accusation despite reaching a state of open conflict before the end of its second volume. Kids, teachers, warriors, leaders and animals, all with different personalities and interpretations of the local mythology. There’s enough going on to give the impression of a large, functioning society of individuals. And yes, Elbaph is advantaged by so many giants having been introduced earlier in the story, but I’m still impressed.

The first big forward movement of the chapter is the Holy Knights’ attack on the Walrus School, with a very unique set of powers. If I’m reading between the lines properly, Killingham can put people to sleep (what limitations are on this that kept him from outright disabling the adults too?) and Sommers can manifest people’s fears. It’s very cool how the children’s fears take on a rougher look with crayon-like textured shading. I think these things will look great in the colour manga a few years from now, given splotchy, bright tones that can stand out even more from the sharper surrounding art. Will any adults’ fears that get pulled out take on the same style? And which character is inevitably going to make Sommers do the Enel face when they say they have no fears?

We also get a fun new application of Gunko’s arrows in leading the unconscious. This brings to mind the hypnotic suggestions of Miss Goldenweek’s painting (coincidentally, a power also showcased in an arc with giants) and the possibility of arrow traps that redirect her opponents’ attacks or movements in more favourable directions. Again, I refer to Medusa from Soul Eater for how creative and visually distinct this kind of power can be. And if Luffy could be tricked back into the unthinking instinct mode he used to dodge Enel’s Mantra, would he be totally at the mercy of the arrows like the sleeping children?

Also in this sequence, we’re meeting more school staff. I guess that’s why they call it the Walrus School then. Wonder if this guy has any connection to Islewan from Whitebeard’s fleet. They can’t both have a walrus Devil Fruit, right?

Down in the Underworld, Loki cuts an intimidating figure, not revealing his own power but proving there’s something special about that hammer. The lightning that crackles around it as he winds up the swing is rendered differently to the crackle of energy produced by Haki, but we can see also that the blow calls a thunderbolt from the sky rather than being charged with its own power. And man, I did not expect the ticking clock of the burning tree to be started so soon. Almost too soon. It barely counts as setup if it happens the chapter after it’s first mentioned.

We don’t have much time to go into responses to this here. I’m really curious to see how Luffy’s going to act, whether he’ll demand Loki explain himself or go straight into fight mode to put things right.

The final pages, returning to the school, deliver a stunning piece of art as Norse myths and classic childhood specters alike come to life. I hope Loki and Luffy get to meet the reflections of themselves here. Love seeing that one kid’s mum hidden between two speech bubbles in the bottom left. What’s interesting as well, is the sky. The space above and behind the monsters is filled in with the same rough shading as their colours. Oda doesn’t use screentone like that for clouds or skyboxes, so it’s a part of Sommers’ powers. An extension of the storm that one kid feared, or some indication of a closed space where his power works?

Break weeks are never fun, but I’ll take it here to get the next few events from here in an uninterrupted string, which include the finale for volume 112. Feel like we must be due for a colour spread when we come back as well, so things aren’t all bad.