Oh we’re here, it’s happening. The final fight of Elbaph is finally in motion, and surely there can be no more food breaks or flashbacks. At most, a pause with a fakeout defeat to set up some Gunko/Shuri reveals. With Egghead being structured so different, it’s been legitimately more than four years since we were last in an arc-climax Luffy fight.

I’ve been fixated for a while on the faces of Imu’s black flames, wondering if they were purely aesthetic or representative of, say, demonic spirits Imu commands, or fragments of his own essence breaking off. I think we can at least put the aesthetic argument to rest after seeing the flames speak to each other on Loki. One way or the other, we’re getting demonic legions. And how curious that in this world where one god dances to the drums of liberation and another the rhythm of prayers for rain, Imu would connect to these spirits using the sound of a bell. There’s not enough info to have all the answers yet, but some themes are emerging. Imu has become my clear top pick to the Harley text’s demon-taming Forest God, anyway.

This probably isn’t the end for Loki, but it wouldn’t shock me if he stays down for a bit and lets Luffy have the spotlight. It’s a big hit, drilling into an already-made wound, and it hasn’t been that long in-universe since he was savaged by Shamrock and Gunko. Legendary Ancient Giant or not, the damage adds up eventually.

(Side note, is this the first time Luffy’s sincerely called one of his opponents scary? I feel like it is, but I haven’t had the chance to review.)

The crew’s struggle with ice block has me conflicted. On one hand, it all seems to end in a real anti-climax that robs them of the chance to participate in the arc’s finale. On the other, the banter as they try to work out the ice is really funny (every line here is a gag and they all land) and I enjoy the slapstick of Ragnir dropping and undoing its own work accidentally.

I’m a fan of Luffy’s combat savvy, solving the fire issue and ditching the cloak before Imu’s attack hits. He’s a smart guy in that one way. But what’s he going to do after he’s back in Gear Five and his shirt is apparently magically built into his body? (Yes, I’m forever bitter about the G5 outfit swapping, it’s the one hater indulgence I allow myself.)

Scene changes to set up the parallel fights. The banter between Zoro and Sommers is fun, especially getting a moment of Zoro’s secret trust in Sanji. It’s interesting that Oda chooses to frame this confrontation with Zoro starting on the high ground. There’s very little apprehension to feel for Zoro here – he’s seen the metal heart weak point, he’s awakened his all-important Conqueror’s Haki, he talks down to his enemy like a predator watching from the trees. Even the dialogue between these two debates Sanji’s changes of prevailing, not Zoro’s. What is Oda going to add to make this feel for half a second like not the most foregone conclusion in the history of battles?

And then Sanji. Oh, Sanji. Sanji frustrates me because when he’s written well he has the potential to be one of the most compelling Strawhats. His character arcs, when Oda locks in on them, are great. He just has all these inbetween bits with weak gags, annoying sex pest behaviour and unaddressed weaknesses. Luckily, Oda seems to be setting up a good Sanji moment here. I like his “three problems” speech. Not even being able to attack the visage of a woman is a bit… sigh, but working around it by cutting right to the source is that good Mr Prince kind of move. I like the framing of his clashes with Killingham too, very arial among the oversised buildings with Zaza towering in the background. Super dramatic. This all setting up Sanji’s Conqueror’s awakening. I’ve been impartial to the debates about whether or not he should have it. Doesn’t really seem necessary to fill out his characterisation, but no objections if it fits into the story. And honestly, using Sanji’s self-sacrificing and subordinate traits to explore what the nature of a king really is and if a person can attain them via determination instead of birth is a really good way to add to the narrative.

And whew, that final spread. Artistically, I don’t know if it’s truly Oda’s best – Imu’s pose is a tad static by his standards – but the hype of this long-awaited battle getting a title card cannot be understated. Love to see an Oda-approved romanisation for Imu as well. Oda may occasionally flip-flop on these, but it still gives an indication of where the canon could land.

Setting up this showdown to coincide with the anniversary chapter is awesome hype for next week. The only downside is that milestone promo material like this tends to be very Strawhats-focussed, so I don’t have super high hopes of seeing Imu in colour on the cover or colour spread. Still, I’m expecting a powerhouse chapter on the horizon.