(PDF version with slightly better formatting here)
One Piece
Volume 4: Crescent Moon
Version 1.0 (Original release)
Covers and Frontpages
One Piece vol. 4: Crescent Moon
Written and drawn by Eiichiro Oda
Front cover: The brim of Luffy’s hat divides his close-up from a scene of Kuro, Jango, Siam and Butch looming under a crescent moon.
Blurb: Usopp’s peaceful village is going to be attacked by pirates! Luffy and his crew, who have uncovered the plot, set an ambush on the beach to prevent the invasion. When no pirates show up, it seems the attack was cancelled. But if they’re not coming, who’s making so much noise from the shore on the other side of the island…?!
Author avatar: photograph of a man smoking, blowing out a cloud in the shape of a skull and crossbones.
Author Intro: I have a dream. Yes, someday I want to draw all over a dog. Can I give it a moustache? Can I make it look like a panda? I keep asking my friends if I can come over and draw on their pets, but no one ever lets me. “Get your own dog to draw on,” they say. Why would I do that? I don’t want such a weird-looking dog.
Illustration: Luffy, carrying his flag, leads a crew of penguins and a bear.
Recap, page 1 – 2
Recap: The story of One Piece volume 1 to volume 4
It is the Great Pirate Era. Countless pirates have raised their flags in pursuit of the treasure hidden by the legendary Pirate King, a man called Gold Roger. Among them is a boy called Luffy, why was inspired by Shanks, the leader of a pirate crew harboured at his home port. One day, he accidentally ate a Devil Fruit the crew had captured. The fruit robbed him of the ability to ever swim again – but granted him an extraordinary body that stretches like rubber.
After Luffy picked a fight with some bandits, he was thrown into the sea and attacked by a sea monster, the Lord of the Coast. Shanks swooped in to save his life! But it cost him his arm…
Ten years later, and wearing Shanks’s old hat, Luffy embarks on his own voyage. His journey to be the King of the Pirates has begun.
After recruiting Zoro and Nami, Luffy stops at a village in search of supplies and a stronger ship. The crew meets the proud liar Usopp, and try to ask the wealthiest woman in the village, Kaya, for a ship. Her butler, Klahadore dashes their hopes and sends them away.
But later Luffy and Usopp see the butler by the coast with a suspicious-looking man. They overhear that Klahadore is actually the infamous pirate, Captain Kuro, and is plotting to assassinate Kaya. Now the two of them have to find some way to stop the plan being carried out…
Monkey
D Luffy
His dream is to be King of the Pirates!
And to meet Shanks again! He’s a rubberman.
“Red-Haired”
Shanks
Captain of Luffy’s favourite crew. He
taught Luffy about the dangers of the sea.
Roronoa
Zoro
Aims to be the World’s Greatest Swordsman! They call him “Pirate Hunter.”
Nami
A thief who targets pirates. She seems to hate them!
Usopp
He lies and bothers the village, but has a good heart.
Kaya
Kuro
Jango
Local
boys
Onion
Pepper
Carrot
Contents: Chapter 27: Plan – 7
Chapter 28: Crescent Moon – 29
Chapter 29: Uphill Battle – 49
Chapter 30: Great!!! – 71
Chapter 31: The Truth – 91
Chapter 32: Bad Luck – 111
Chapter 33: The Silent Man – 131
Chapter 34: Klahadore the Butler – 151
Chapter 35: New Uphill Battle – 171
Chapter 27, page 1
Title: Chapter 27: Plan
Cover illustration: Zoro spars with a kangaroo, whose child in her pouch holds two additional swords.
Chapter 27, page 2 – 3
In Kaya’s room at the mansion, Merry drops off a package.
Merry: Madam!
I have your special order from the next town’s optician.
Will that be all?
Kaya: Perfect! Thank you.
Sorry for sending you all that way.
Merry: Not at all!
SFX: Okay
Okay
Merry: It’s a present, after all.
Mr Klahadore will be delighted.
Kaya: I hope so! Tomorrow it will have
been exactly three years from the day he arrived.
He’s been so very good to me!
In town, Usopp confronts an angry mob that bears down on him with brooms and mops.
Usopp: Everyone listen up!!
The pirates are coming tomorrow!!
They’re gonna attack!!!
SFX: Grr Grr
The mob charges, and Usopp holds his ground for only a moment before being threatened into a hasty retreat.
Villagers: If we listened every time you cried
pirate…
…we’d be abandoning the village every damn day!!
Usopp: But this time it’s for real!!!
SFX: Raaah
Villager: This time you’ll get clobbered for real!!
Usopp: …
Yikes!!
Villagers: Damn it!!
He’s too quick!!
SFX: Zoom!!
Chapter 27, page 4 – 5
By the shore, Nami, Zoro and the kids have found and woken Luffy.
SFX: Shaaa
Carrot: No way!!!
Pepper: Killing Miss Kaya?!
Onion: Are they really gonna hit the village?! Come on, straw hat guy!!
Luffy: Uhuh.
That’s what they said.
I’m sure!!
Zoro: …alright. Why start by taking a nap then?
Luffy: I’m not sure. I thought I was at the top of the cliff.
Carrot: So the butt-ler really is a baddie!!
Pepper: He always gave me the creeps!!
Onion: And the hypnotist is in on it too!!
Nami: Well then… That explains it.
No wonder your captain was sprinting toward the village.
You’ll be alright, it’s enough advance warning.
There’s time to evacuate everyone.
Those pirates’ll be too dumb to find you!
Carrot: Oh yeah! She’s right! We better get outta here!!
Pepper: Of course!! And pack up our important stuff!!
Onion: …piggy bank. …snacks…!! Model ship. What else…?!!
The kids charge off.
Kids: Hurry!!
SFX: Tmptmptmp
Luffy: Oh no!!
Zoro: What?
Luffy: We’ve gotta buy some meat…
…before the butcher runs away!!
SFX: Aaaaaa
Chapter 27, page 6 – 7
Outside the mansion grounds, Usopp scouts for a way in. Shortly after, he appears at Kaya’s window.
Usopp: Huff… Huff…
Huff… Huff…!!
SFX: Zwip zwip
Knock knock!!
Knock knock!!
Kaya: Sir Usopp!!
I’m so glad! I thought you’d never come back…
Usopp: Kaya you have to leave!!
They’re gonna kill you!!!
Kaya: Huh? What?
Usopp: You’ve been tricked!!!
Your butler is really a pirate!!!
Kaya: Now… Hold on a minute.
Is this a joke?! You don’t mean Klahadore…?!
Usopp: It’s no joke. I heard it with my
own ears.
He was down at the beach talking it all out with his henchman!!
The man’s a pirate in disguise, trying to get your money!!!
He’s been posing as a butler for three years just to rob you!!!
Kaya: …?!!
Sir Usopp, what are you saying…?!
Usopp: His pirate crew is going to
attack the village tomorrow at dawn…
…and he’s going to kill you!!!
Kaya: …!!
Chapter 27, page 8 – 9
Usopp: That man’s a bad guy!!
You need to start running!!!
Kaya: That is enough!!
I’ve misjudged you, Sir Usopp!!!
Usopp: !
Wha…
The guards at the front gate overhear the escalating conversation.
Guards: Hey, you hear something in the yard?
…
Ack!! It’s that damn kid!! He snuck in again!
Kaya: You’re using me to get back at Klahadore…!!
Usopp: ?!
Kaya: I know you think he crossed a
line…
…with what he said about your father…!! And I agree he went too far…!!
But how can you stand to tell such an awful lie?!!
I never thought you’d be so cruel!!
I liked your old stories, the ones that came from your hopes
and dreams.
I had so much fun hearing them.
Usopp: …!!
Kaya: Those were the lies that I loved!!
So why would you say such a thing now?!! It’s horrible, Sir Usopp!!!
Usopp: Hey…!!
No!!
Kaya: You make me sick!!
Usopp: !!
…you don’t get it!
I’m not trying to get back at anyone…
Chapter 27, page 10 – 11
Merry bursts into Kaya’s room. The gate guards grab Usopp from behind.
Merry: Madam, are you alright?!
Usopp: !
SFX: Slam!!
Guard: Don’t you worry, we’ll see this rat out.
Usopp: Argh!! Let me go! I’m not done talking yet!!
SFX: Snag!!
Usopp bites the guard’s arm and wriggles free.
Usopp: …!! Grr!!
Lemme go dammit!!!
Guard: Aaargh!!!
SFX: Chomp!!
Kaya: …?!!
The second guard draws a pistol. Usopp whips out a slingshot.
Guard: Damn brat!!
Usopp: !
SFX: Swip…
Fwsh!
Guard: Freeze!!
SFX: Kerchack!!
Strrr…
Usopp dives to the side and shoots the guard between the eyes, disabling him.
Usopp: Shut up! You can’t stop me!!
SFX: Snap!!
Guard: Gah!!!
SFX: Pow!!
The first guard draws his own weapon. Usopp turns to aim at him.
Guard: Bastard!!
SFX: Strrrrr…
Spin
Chapter 27, page 12 – 13
Kaya: Sir Usopp, please stop!!
Usopp shoots the guard, knocking him down.
Guard: Oof!!!
SFX: Snap!
Bam!!
Merry: Oh no! He’s downed both guards…!!
SFX: Thump!
Huff
Huff
Usopp: Kaya, you gotta believe me!!
Get out of the village!!!
Run, before the butler gets back!!!
Kaya: What’s wrong with you…?! You’re not my Sir Usopp…!!
The villagers storm through the gates, which the guards left open when they chased Usopp into the grounds.
Villagers: There he is!!
He’s by the mansion!
Usopp grabs Kaya’s arm and tries to pull her through the window.
Usopp: Crap! The villagers again!!
Then I’ll have to take you by force!
Kaya: Ow!!
SFX: Grab!!
Kaya: No! Unhand me!!
SFX: Yank Yank
Usopp: You’ll see the truth tomorrow
morning!! Right now you just need to get away from here!!!
You gotta believe me!!!
She slaps him, and he drops her arm. The villagers are bearing down on the scene fast.
Usopp: !!
SFX: Slap!!
Villagers: You won’t get away this time, Usopp!!!
SFX: Raaaah
Chapter 27, page 14 – 15
Kaya: The only bad guy
around here…
…is you, Usopp!!!
Merry draws a gun and aims it through the window.
Merry: Step away from the mistress right now!!!
Usopp: !!
SFX: Kerchack!!
Flinch
Kaya: No!!!
Usopp turns and flees. Merry fires a single shot as the youth retreats.
Usopp: …!!
!!!
SFX: Kerblam!
Tmptmptmptmp
Kaya: What if you’d hit him!!
Merry: …but…!! He was hurting you, mistress…
Villagers: Usopp’s getting away!!
Come back you bastard!!
SFX: TmpTmpTmp
Merry has in fact hit Usopp with a grazing blow to his forearm.
Usopp: Shit…!! My arm!!
SFX: Drip
Drip
Usopp: …!! Why won’t anyone believe me…?!!!
Merry: Everyone, he went that way!!
And he’s turned violent!!!
Villagers: Violence…?!!
You’ve gone too far this time, Usopp!!
Usopp: …!!
SFX: Raaaaaaah
TmpTmpTmpTmp
Kaya faints into Merry’s arms.
Merry: !
M-madam, get a hold of yourself!!
SFX: Slump
Grab
Chapter 27, page 16 – 17
As the sun sets, Usopp walks dejected down the road out of town.
SFX: Caw
Caw
Kuro: Jango, tomorrow at
dawn…
…have the crew attack the village.
SFX: Shuff shuff shuff
Stare…!
Usopp: …
…!!!
Sob…!!!
The Luffy’s crew and the kids, on their way back into town, approach him.
Kids: Hey!! Captain!!!
Usopp: !
…!!
SFX: Rub rub rub
Usopp: …oh hey!! It’s you guys!
Gah!!
You!! You’re alive!!
Luffy: Alive?
Well, I’m awake.
Pepper: We found him sleeping.
But Captain!! We heard about the pirates!!
We’ve gotta hurry and warn everyone!!
Usopp: …warn everyone…!!
Kaya: The only bad guy around here… is you, Usopp!!!
Villagers: Violence?!! You’ve gone too far this time, Usopp!!
SFX: Throb throb…
Usopp: Hahahahahahaha!!
Carrot: ?
Chapter 27, page 18 – 19
Usopp: C’mon guys, I made it all up like
usual!!
I got so mad at that butler…
…that I started lying that he was a pirate!!
SFX: Hahahaha
Don!!
Luffy: Huh?
Crew: …
Pepper: Whaaaat!! Another lie?!
Carrot: Aw man, I thought something exciting was gonna happen!
Onion: And even you were in on it, straw hat guy!!
Luffy: What?
Carrot: …actually, I think the captain did it wrong this time.
Usopp: !
Pepper: I feel the same!!
Onion: Me too!
I don’t like the butler either…
…but I didn’t think the captain would lie just to hurt someone…!
Carrot: Let’s go home!
Pepper: Yeah, it’s dinner time!
Onion: Wonder what we’re having.
Usopp: …
…
Luffy: ??
Night has fallen. Luffy’s crew and Usopp meet under the cliffs by the shore.
SFX: Shaa
Usopp: It’s all because I’m a liar.
I should’ve known no one would believe a word I say anymore!!
Nami: What they believe doesn’t change
the truth.
The pirates really are coming, aren’t they?
Usopp: Oh yeah. They’re coming alright.
But no one’s gonna believe it!!
They all think tomorrow will be just another peaceful day…!!
SFX: Shaa
Chapter 27, page 20 – 21
Usopp: So it’s up to me to fight off the
pirates, right here!!!
I’ll turn their scheme into another lie!!!!
On my honour as a liar!!
That’s the plan to save my home!!!!
SFX: Don!!
Crew: !
Usopp: …!! They can shoot my arms…
And they can chase me with brooms…!! But this is still my hometown!!
I love this village!!!
I want to protect everyone in it…!!!
I can’t… Can’t just sit and watch…!!
…while they all get killed…!!!
Crew: …
Zoro: You’ve got a good heart. You sent your crew away so you could fight alone…!!
Luffy: Okay! We’ll back you up!
Nami: But first thing’s first, all their treasure is mine!
SFX: Don
Usopp: Huh…
SBS Corner, page 1
Title: Question Corner
We have answers!!
Introduction: Finally, the Q&A section I announced in volume 2 as arrived. Thank you so much for sending in all your questions.
For this section, the reader comment or question will be marked with an R (for Reader), while my responses will be marked with an O (for Oda). I chose some random letters and postcards to answer.
Reader: How old are Luffy, Zoro, Nami and Shanks?
Oda: There were a lot of people asking me about characters’ ages. A whole lot. It’s probably the most asked question. Currently, Luffy is 17, Zoro is 19 and Nami is 18. We don’t know where Shanks is right now, but ten years ago when he was staying at Luffy’s hometown he was 27. As for Usopp, he’s 17, same as Luffy.
Reader: How come all the bad guys in this series are such weirdos?
Oda: Uh… Weirdos? Well, now that you mention it, they are a bit weird. But I think being weird gives them a sense of mystery. It makes them cooler, right?
Reader: Eiichiro Oda-sensei,[1] is it really true you can stretch your arms and legs? They wrote it in Weekly Shonen Jump.[2]
Oda: Woah! I thought I said that was a secret!
Chapter 28, page 1
Title: Chapter 28: Crescent Moon
SFX: Shaa
Usopp: You guys…
Are really gonna fight alongside me…?!
But… Why…?
Luffy: There’s a whole bunch of bad guys, right?
Zoro: You’ve got “scared” written all over your face.
Usopp: Ha!! You think I’m scared?! You’re
crazy!! I don’t care how outnumbered I am!!!
Don’t you get it? I’m Captain Usopp, the brave warrior of
the sea!!!
SFX: Don!!
Chapter 28, page 2 – 3
Title: Chapter 28: Crescent Moon
Cover illustration: Shanks as a farmer and Luffy, Nami and Zoro as farmhands riding on a cart of produce, as some of the vegetables start to manifest faces and come alive under them.
Chapter 28, page 4 – 5
Usopp’s legs start to uncontrollably shake. He pounds his knees with his fists.
Usopp: !
Hey!!
SFX: Shiver shiver shiver shiver
Usopp: …!! Grr…
Stop it!!
Stop it!!
SFX: Shiver shiver
Bonk! Bonk!
Usopp: What’re you guys looking at?!! I’m about
to cack myself ‘cos I’m up against Captain Kuro’s crew!!!
Is that funny to you?!!
If you’re just staying out of pity you can just go!! I don’t need you!! Leave!!
Nami: …
SFX: Shiver shiver
Zoro: Does it look like we’re laughing?
We’re with you because we like you. You’ve got guts.
Usopp: !
Luffy: I don’t risk my life out of pity!
Usopp: !!
You…!! …!!
…you …you guys…!! …!!!
SFX: Weep!!
The group examine the narrow path leading up between the cliffs.
Usopp: They’ll attack from the beach.
But the only way from there to the village…
…is this hill here.
The rest is steep cliffs!!
As long as we can defend this one road, the village is safe.
Luffy: Sounds easy!
Usopp: Easier said than done! It’ll depend
on what I’m working with…
What can you guys do?
Zoro: Cut.
Luffy: Stretch.
Nami: Steal.
Usopp: Hide.
Straw Hats: You gotta fight!!
SFX: Gah
Chapter 28, page 6 – 7
At the mansion. Kuro and Merry seem to be the only servants still up.
Kuro: Where is the mistress?
Merry: Already asleep.
The commotion left her exhausted…
Kuro: …I cannot believe all that
happened while I was in the next town over…
That boy Usopp is a troublemaker.
Merry: Indeed… To go as far as calling you
a pirate…
It’s not even a good lie.
Kuro: …heh heh.
Of course not…
Kuro notices a small, gift-wrapped box.
Kuro: Oh?
What’s this?
Merry: Ah… That.
A gift for you from the mistress.
Because tomorrow it will have been exactly three years from the day you arrived
here.
An anniversary, I suppose.
Kuro unwraps his gift. A new pair of glasses in a nice case.
Kuro: …
An anniversary…
SFX: Push…
Rustle…
Merry: Your glasses are always slipping…
…so the mistress had a new pair specially made for you!
She’s such a considerate individual…
Kuro: Yes, an anniversary.
Tomorrow… will be a special day indeed.
Merry: Huh?
Kuro lets the glasses fall.
Kuro: There’s a crescent moon
out tonight…
Nights like these awaken something in me…
They make my blood run hot…
SFX: Drop
Chapter 28, page 8 – 9
He stomps on his gift, destroying it completely.
SFX: Crunch
Merry: What?!!!
K…! Mr Klahadore?! Why?!! That was the mistress’s gift to you!!!
!
Kuro: Oh, she has a gift for me.
But it’s not this cheap trinket…
It’s her entire bloody estate…!!
Merry: ?!
What…?!! What…?!!
Kuro: There’s no reason to keep up the
charade.
In a few short hours, the accident will happen.
A set of swords flash through the room. Blood splatters, and Merry lands facedown by the smashed glasses.
Kuro: Three years is such a long time to wait…
Merry: !
…!! Run, Mis…
SFX: Shing
Merry: ?!!
SFX: Thud!!
Chapter 28, page 10 – 11
On the pirate ship.
Pirate: Captain Jango!!
It’s almost dawn!
Wake up!!
SFX: Knock knock
Jango moonwalks out of his quarters.
Pirates: Ah, good morning captain.
Good morning.
SFX: Creak…!
Jango: You fools, I told you, you
absolutely cannot ever say “good morning” ‘til the sun’s up.
The moon hasn’t set, it’s like the middle of the night out here.
Pirates: W-we’re sorry sir!!
SFX: Shf Shf
Shf Shf
Shf Shf
Jango: Alright boys!!
Good morning.
SFX: Don!
Narration: Acting captain of the Black
Cat Pirates[3]
“One Two” Jango
SFX: Don!!
Bam!!
Jango: Set sail!!!
Pirates: Yeeeeah!!!
SFX: Raaaaah
Chapter 28, page 12 – 13
At the shore, Luffy’s group stands atop the hill, which has been drenched with slippery liquid.
Usopp: Alright, it’s ready!!
There’s no way they’ll make it up the hill now!!
Not with our oil slick plan in place!
SFX: Don
Usopp: They won’t stand a chance while
they’re slipping and sliding around.
We’ll hold the line here no matter what it takes!!
SFX: Smack
Yar yar
Nami: Just make sure you don’t fall down
yourself.
You wouldn’t last long on the other side with the pirates.
Luffy: Man, this was a great idea.
SFX: Splash Splash
Usopp: Of course it was!!! When it comes
to ideas
and slingshots…
…I have complete self-confidence!!!
SFX: Don!!
The sun peeks over the horizon.
Zoro: !
It’s dawn.
Here they come…
SFX: Shine!
Ooooh
Chapter 28, page 14 – 15
The Black Cat Pirates’ ship makes landfall. Luffy’s crew’s two little boats are moored nearby.
Pirates: Landfall!!!
SFX: Whoooooo
Don!!
Jango: Let’s jam, lads!!
Burn the town and raid the mansion!!!
Pirates: Yeah!!!
Pirate: Captain! There’s two strange boats here already.
Jango: Who cares, they’re too small to be treasure ships.
Luffy’s group stares down at the shore below the hill, which remains quiet and empty.
SFX: Shaa
Luffy: It’s morning already…
…and they’re not here…
Zoro: Maybe they overslept?
Nami: …
SFX: Silence
Kick
Nami: It could be my imagination but…
…I think there’s a faint yarring coming from the north
of us…
The pirates disembark in a frenzy.
Pirates: Yarrr!!!
SFX: Oooooo
At the top of the hill.
Usopp: North?!
SFX: Flinch!!
Nami: There’s definitely a yarr!
Zoro: What’s wrong?!
Usopp: Well… There’s another beach to the north…!! No way…
Luffy: Then we’re at the wrong beach!!
Chapter 28, page 16 – 17
Usopp: But they had their secret meeting here, so I just assumed…!!
Luffy: No time!! They’re gonna make it to the village!! Tell me which way it is!!
Usopp: It’s about three minutes away going
directly north!
The terrain’s basically the same as here, so we just have to get there and
defend the hill!!
Nami: Oh no!! Our boats are
at the north shore!!
They’re gonna get our treasure!!
SFX: Don!
Luffy sprints away.
Luffy: I’ll be there in 20 seconds!!!
Usopp: My oil slick plan was all for nothing!!
SFX: Dash!!!
Nami: I have to hurry…
!
SFX: Splash!
Nami has blundered into the oil slick and struggles to keep her footing.
Zoro: Nami!! What are you doing?
Nami: Aaaaa!
Help, I’m slipping!!
SFX: Splash Splash Splash Splash Splash!!
She manages to grab Zoro, and pulls him down into the oil as she climbs past him to escape.
Zoro: What?!
SFX: Grab!!
Zoro: Argh!!
Let go, damn it!!
Nami: Oh, sorry!
SFX: Yank!!
Splat!!
Nami: !
…!! I’m up!
Thanks Zoro!!
Zoro: !! …Urrrrgh!!
SFX: Tmp Tmp Tmp
Zoro slides all the way to the bottom of the hill.
Zoro: Waaaah!
Nami: Uh…
SFX: Sliiiiide
Nami: Sorry!
My treasure needs me!!
SFX: Don
Chapter 28, page 18 – 19
Nami: I’m sure you’ll find a way back up!!
Zoro: …!!
SFX: Tmptmptmp
Huff huff
Zoro: I’m gonna kill her!!
SFX: Fume
Now Usopp, Luffy and Nami are all running their own ways toward the north shore.
Usopp: I won’t let them reach the
village!!
…! Man that guy’s fast. I can’t even see him anymore.
SFX: Tmp tmp tmp
Luffy: Gotta go north.
Gotta go north.
SFX: Dsh dsh dsh dsh
Nami: If they’ve touched my treasure they’re dead!!
SFX: Tap tap tap
The pirates begin advancing up the hill at the north shore.
Pirates: Yaaaar!
SFX: Raaaah
Dmdmdm
Pirates: Gyahahahaha!!!
Give no quarter!!!
SFX: Oooooooh
A barrage of slingshot bullets sends the pirates tumbling back.
Pirates: !!!
Ouch!!
Argh!
There’s someone up the hill!!!
SFX: Kabambambam!!
Jango: !! Ain’t that…
Usopp: My name is Captain
Usopp!!! I’ve been waiting for you
bastards!!!
I’m completely ready for battle!!! Retreat now if you value your lives!!!
SFX: Don!
Huff huff pant pant pant huff pant huff
Zoro struggles with the oil slick.
Zoro: Bullshit!
How the hell am I meant to climb this?!!!
SFX: Splash splash splash splash splash
Luffy has arrived at the edge of town.
Luffy: Huh?!
The village?!
But he said north, and I was running in the coldest
direction!!
SFX: Huff huff pant pant
SBS Corner, page 2
Reader: I have a question for you, Oda-sensei. What do you do with the stuff you get from fans?
Oda: I keep it in my room. All of it. And I read every single one of the letters and postcards I get. They really pump me up. It’s thanks to all of them that I’m able to keep being a manga artist. Thank you.
Reader: Was Zoro’s family name inspired by the famous pirate Francois l’Ollonais?[4]
Oda: That’s correct! I took his name from the infamous Francois l’Ollonais, said to be one of the cruellest and fiercest pirates to sail the Caribbean. Morgan and Alvida also come from the names of real pirates.
Reader: I have a question about Captain Buggy the Clown! Is that Captain Buggy’s real hair coming out the corners of his hat, or just decorative tassels? Or maybe it’s a wig. I really wanna know! If it’s real, then Captain Buggy sure has long hair…
Oda: Yes. A lot of readers asked me about this one, so I’ll show you the truth.
Illustration: sketches show Buggy with and without his tricorn hat, demonstrating how he has two long ponytails that come out the corners of the hat.
Buggy: Execution extravaganza!
Hey, gimmie that hat back! Be extravagant about it!
Yes it’s my real hair!
Chapter 29, page 1
Title: Chapter 29: Uphill Battle
Cover illustration: Luffy, Nami and Zoro coolly snowboarding.
Chapter 29, page 2 – 3
Usopp stands alone in the way of the pirate hoard.
SFX: Don!
Usopp: …!!
Usopp: (W… What the…? I’m the first one
here…!!)
(But that guy was way ahead of me…!!)
SFX: Huff huff
Thump thump thump
Don
Jango: You’re that
kid…
…who was droppin’ eaves on our plans yesterday. What are you
trying to pull?
SFX: Whooooooo…
Usopp: …this is your last warning!!!
Retreat, while you still can…
…or my 100 million crewmen will destroy you all!!!
SFX: Dodon!!
Pirates: …
That’s something a kid’d come up with…
SFX: Nope nope nope
Jango: What?!! A
hundred million?!!
That’s… that’s insane!
Pirates: He’s obviously lying, Captain!
So fricking naïve…!!
Usopp: Oh no!! Busted!!!
SFX: Gasp!!
Shock!!
Pirates: He really thought that’d work too…
Jango: How dare you…
…try to trick me…
Chapter 29, page 4 – 5
Pirate: Shocking find, Captain Jango!!
Jango: What?!! How screwed are we?!!
Pirate: Not screwed at all!!
A pirate walks away from Nami’s boat, carrying a bulging sack.
Pirate: There was treasure
on the weird little boats!!
And a whole lot of it! Four… maybe five
million berries!!
Jango: What?!!
Usopp: …f…!!
Five million berries…?!
How’d that lot end up with so much money…?!!
…
You’ve found my treasure!!!
But!!! I’ll let you keep it!!!
Jango: !
SFX: Badon!
Pirates: What?!
We can just have it?!!
Usopp: That’s right!!!
You can keep my treasure!!! But only if you leave immediately!!!
SFX: Bam
Pirates: Hang on…
This lowlife’s tryin’ to bribe us…!!
What kinda criminals you think we are?!!
Narration: Pirates.
SFX: Grr grr
Jango: …
Are you stupid…?
Of course we’re taking the treasure.
But we’ve already got it, why would we leave?!!
Usopp: !
(!! …g… good point!!)
SFX: Dong!
Chapter 29, page 6 – 7
Jango swings his pendulum ring.
Jango: When I say “One, Two, Jango”
you’ll get out of the way.
One…
SFX: Zsh…!
Jango: Two…
Usopp: !!
(Oh no…! What’s he doing with that thing?!)
Jango: Jang…
Nami hits Usopp from behind with her staff.
Nami: Don’t be stupid!!!
Usopp: !
SFX: Crack!!
Pirates: ?!! …who’s this girl now?!!
Captain!! Snap out of it, there’s more of ‘em!!
Jango: !
Huh?
Nami: The treasure on those boats is
mine!!!
And you’re not getting one single berry of it!!
Keep it all together, ‘cos I’m coming to take it back!!!
SFX: Don!
Nami: And who do you think you are, giving away my treasure?!!
Usopp: Ouch! You coulda just said something!!
Nami: Don’t be rude, I saved your life.
Usopp: What?!
Nami: We forgot to mention it, but you
can’t look at the ring when that guy’s counting.
He’s a hypnotist!
Usopp: A… hypno…?!
Jango: !
Chapter 29, page 8 – 9
Nami: Hey? Where’s Luffy?
Didn’t he leave before all of us?!
Usopp: I dunno.
He might’ve got lost. Or just chickened out…
Nami: He’s lost then.
Unbelievable!! Right when we really need him.
Usopp: Okay… time to fight!!
I’ll cover you!!
Nami: What…? Why me?!!
You can’t expect me to fight them all myself! I’m weak!!
Usopp: And you think I should do it just
‘cos I’m a man?!! I can’t even stop my legs from shaking!!
Look!!
SFX: Shiver shiver shiver shiver
Nami: Look here! I’ll break down and cry!
Usopp: Your eyes are totally dry!
SFX: Bicker bicker
Jango: Like we’re not even here.
The pirate hoard charges, weapons drawn.
Jango: Cut them down and attack the village, you fools!!!
Pirates: Yaaaaar!!!
SFX: Ooooooo
Nami: Here they come!!!
Usopp: …
Hold on, I got caltrops!![5]
Nami: That’s great!! Let me in on that!
SFX: Rustle rustle
Pirates: Outta our way!!!
SFX: Ooooo
Nami and Usopp hurl their spikes towards the mob.
Nami: Take this!!
Usopp: Caltrop hell!!!
SFX: Fling!!
Chapter 29, page 10 – 11
At the other beach, Zoro lies exhausted and oil-covered at the foot of the hill.
SFX: Sliiiiiiiiide!!
Thud!!
Zoro: Ugh…
Huff!! Huff…!!
Pant…!! Pant…!!
Damn it, Nami! I’m gonna get her for this…!!
Zoro draws two swords and uses them as picks to anchor his path up through the oil.
SFX: Shing…
Zoro: Huff…
It’ll take more than oil to stop me…!!
SFX: Bam!!
Zoro: Raaaaaaaaaaaa!
SFX: Thunkthunkthunkthunkthunk!!
Zoro: Yes! I did it!!!
SFX: Dash!!
Zoro: …!!
Now, where’s that north shore?!!!
Luffy sprints through the woods and arrives at a dead end.
Luffy: Directly north!
Huff!
Huff!
Directly north!
SFX: Dshdhsdshdsh
Luffy: …
SFX: Bam
Huff huff huff
Luffy: Which way’s north?!!!
SFX: Dashdshdshdsh
Aaaaaaaaaaa
Chapter 29, page 12 – 13
At the north shore, caltrops tumble into the charging pirates, injuring their feet and fouling their advance.
SFX: Tunk tunk tunk…!!
Pirates: !!
Owww!!
Aaaaargh!!
Yeow!
Nami: Yes!! It’s working!!
Usopp fires his slingshot at a pirate mired in the spikes, knocking him out.
Usopp: And the finisher!! Lead Star!!![6]
SFX: Snap!!
Nami: !
Pirate: Oof!!!
SFX: Blam!
Pirates: Shit!
SFX: Thud
Nami: Not bad!! Keep up the good work!!
I’m gonna take five.
You got this, Captain!
Usopp: Have you even done anything yet?!!
SFX: Smack!
Jolt!!
Nami: Gasp!!
Usopp: What’s wrong?!!
SFX: Oooooo
Snap!
Nami and Usopp are penned in by their own trap.
Nami: They landed behind us too!!
Sob sob
Usopp: You’re kidding!! Come on! Those are your ones!!
SFX: Snap!
A pirate has snuck up on Usopp while he was yelling at Nami, and swings a stone hammer.
Pirate: Get the hell…
…outta our way!!!
Usopp: !!
Chapter 29, page 14 – 15
The hammer strikes the back of his head. Usopp falls, blood streaming from his skull.
SFX: Crack!!
Usopp: ?!!
Nami: !!!
Usopp: …!!!
Pirate: Hah!! Did you kids really think you could stop us?!
Pirates: Get moving, boys. Captain
Kuro’s waiting!!
Yeah!!
SFX: Thwump…!!
Pirate: Huh?
Usopp reaches up from the ground and grabs the pirate’s sash. The pirate repeatedly strikes the prone youth in response.
Pirates: Hey…
The hell’s this?!!
!
Nami: !
Pirate: Let go of me, shithead!!!
Usopp: …!!
…I can’t…!! Let you!!!
SFX: Wham wham wham!!
Usopp: You can’t go up this road…!!! I’ll
make them all think I lied again!!!
This is gonna be just another boring day for my village!
SFX: Don!
Drip drip…
Chapter 29, page 16 – 17
A pirate with a sword leaps at Usopp’s back.
Pirate: I’ll shut this turd up!!!
Usopp: !
SFX: Whoosh!!
Nami leaps in and knocks out the attacker.
Pirate: ?!!
SFX: Whack!
Another pirate swings his sword at Nami. She blocks the blade with her staff, but the force of the blow throws her back into the cliff wall. She slides to the ground.
Pirate: Bitch!!!
SFX: Swsh
Nami: !!
SFX: Kachang!!
Nami: Argh!!!
SFX: Wham!!
Nami: Ah… ow…!!!
SFX: Skrr…
Usopp: …you…
Pirate: I’ll enjoy finishing these two off…
Jango: Hmph!
Stop wasting time, you fools!!! Get ‘em on the way back! You’re meant to be
attacking the village right now!!!!
Don’t forget! This is Captain Kuro’s plan!! If we mess it up…
Pirates: !
Chapter 29, page 18 – 19
Jango: …he’s gonna kill us all!!!
Get it through your crazy heads!!!!
Pirates: !!!
…!!!
SFX: Shiver…!!
The pirates charge, trampling past the fallen Usopp. He tries to grab one but is kicked away.
Pirates: To the village! Hurry!!!
SFX: Ooooooh
Usopp: Wait, dammit…!!!!!
SFX: Thumpthumpthumpthumpthump
Usopp: Stop!!! Not the village!!!
SFX: Grab
Thdthdthdthdthd
Pirate: Shut up and stay down!!!
SFX: Whack!!
Usopp: !
The pirates reach the top of the hill and charge on into the distance, leaving Usopp bloodied in the dirt.
Pirates: Yaaaaar!
SFX: Ooooooh
Tmp tmp
Whud
Usopp: I’m begging you to stop!!!
Please don’t kill my village!!!
Suddenly, beaten pirates are raining down around Usopp from the hilltop.
Usopp: !
Chapter 29, page 20 – 21
Pirates: Aaaaaaargh!
Usopp: ?!!
SFX: Thud thud thud thud
Usopp: …
Jango: ?!!
Nami: It’s about time.
Pirates: What’s going on, Captain Jango…?!!
You didn’t say in the plan…!! That they’d be this tough!!!
SFX: Whoooooo…!!
Luffy and Zoro stand triumphant at the top of the hill.
Zoro: Not worth much, were they?
Luffy: Who cares! I’m real mad now!!
SFX: Don!!
Zoro: Nami, you bitch!!! How dare you throw me down that hill!!!
SFX: Don!
Luffy: Usopp, you jerk!!!
Why didn’t you tell me which way’s north?!!!
SFX: Don!
Jango: …and who are these guys…?
SBS Corner, page 3
Reader: How come Luffy never seems nervous or tense?
Oda: Because he’s an idiot. Hehehe.
Reader: Luffy’s treasure is his straw hat. Is your treasure a straw hat too, Oda-sensei? If not, tell me what it is!!
Oda: My treasure? There’s only one
thing it could be…
All my readers!
Reader: Why is Mohji’s hair like that?
Oda: He was born that way. Those two spots on his head just grow extra quick. If he left it alone he’d end up looking like a rabbit.
Illustration: sketches showing the growth of Mohji’s hair over time.
Caption: Normal appearance.
Mohji: What?
Caption: Next stage.
Mohji: What’re you looking at?
Caption: And finally.
Mohji: Nothing to see here. Grr!
Reader: I thought of a new special move for
Luffy!
1: He swells up with Gum Gum Balloon.
2: Then he uses Gum Gum Pistol (or Zoro’s sword) to puncture himself.
3: Kaboom!! I call it the Gum Gum Bomb!!
Oda: Thank you for sharing. But if Luffy did that… He’d die.
Chapter 30, page 1
Title: Chapter 30: Great!!!
Cover illustration: Giant mechanised versions of Luffy, Zoro and Nami demolish a city while people run for their lives.
Chapter 30, page 2 – 3
Kuro sits alone on the front steps of the mansion. He adjusts his glasses with both hands, still using only the palms.
SFX: Don!
Whoooooo
Push push
Don!!
Kuro: They’re late…
Those imbeciles…
They should know the penalty for derailing my plans…
…but they’re still late…!!!
SFX: Whup…!
Kuro: If they want a reminder of who I
am…
…I’ll kill them all…!!!
SFX: Whoooooo
Trudge trudge trudge
Chapter 30, page 4 – 5
At the north shore.
SFX: Don!
Pirates: …!!
Usopp: Y… You guys are actually really strong…!!
Luffy: Yup!
Nami: You two really cut it close here.
Took you long enough!!
Zoro: !
Everything on that stupid hill was your fault!!
SFX: Fume!
Nami: That was an accident! What do you want from me? Better one of us got out than neither, right?
Zoro: You fall next time!!
Luffy: And you!! You can’t just say “go north” without saying where north is!!
Usopp: What?! You ran off like you knew!
Luffy: Because I had to get here fast!!
Jango: Come on now, boys.
You haven’t really been laid low by these kids, have you?
Pirates: …!!
…n… no sir…!!
SFX: Stagger
Chapter 30, page 6 – 7
Luffy: Woah! They’re still kicking!
Tough guys!
Jango: Listen. We don’t got time to mess
around like this.
If they’re strong, then we just gotta be stronger…!!
Jango faces the wounded pirate hoard and starts swinging his ring.
Jango: So keep your peepers on the
ring…!!
When I say “One, Two, Jango” you’ll get stronger…
…and all your wounds will heal!!
Grow more and more powerful!!
SFX: Swing swing…
Luffy: What’s he doing?
Usopp: I dunno.
Nami: More hypnotism…!! He’s making them believe
they’re stronger!
This is ridiculous!
Zoro: …
Jango: One!!
Two!!
Pirates: …!
SFX: Wobble wobble
stagger stagger
He now pulls his hat down over his eyes to avoid hypnotising himself.
Jango: Jango!!!
SFX: Shf!!
Nami: !!!
Woah…
The pirates leap back into action with a frenzied vigour.
Pirates: Yaaaaaaaar!!!!
SFX: Oooooooo
Chapter 30, page 8 – 9
Nami: No way!!
They were on their last legs a moment ago!!
One pirate swings his bare fist into the cliff wall. Cracks spread from the point of impact.
Pirate: Rah!!
SFX: Oooooo
Whack!
Crackcrack!!
Zoro: What the…
An enormous section of the cliff comes loose and crumbles to the ground.
Pirates: Yaaaar!!!
Zoro: ?!!
SFX: Crashoom!!
Zoro: He broke the cliff…!!!
What power!!!
Nami: I don’t believe it…!! Hypnotism really works like that?!!!
Usopp: That was just one guy, and they’ve got so many…!!!
Jango: Charge!! Tear those brats apart!!!
Pirates: Yaaaaar!!!
Nami helps the wounded Usopp off the battlefield.
Zoro: You two get to the hilltop!!
We’ll handle this…!!
Hey, Luffy!!
SFX: Ooooooh
Zoro: Luffy?!
Chapter 30, page 10 – 11
Luffy: Yeeeeeeeeeeah!!!!
Zoro: You’re hypnotised too?!!!
SFX: Gasp!!
Aaaaaaa
Jango: Huh…?!
Nami: What… What a complete idiot.
It wasn’t even aimed at him…
Usopp: …
Pirates: Aaaaaaaar!
SFX: Ooooooo
Luffy charges at the pirates in a frenzy.
Luffy: Yeeeeeeah!!!
Zoro: Wait!! Luffy!!
SFX: Dash!
He starts throwing punches rapidly, so fast his arms seem to multiply. A barrage of fists extends out ahead of him and crashes into the hoard.
Luffy: Gum Gum…!!!
SFX: Wsh wsh wsh wsh wsh
Ooooooh
Bambambambambambambam!!
Pirates: ?!!
Luffy: Gatling!!!!
Chapter 30, page 12 – 13
The whole crew is sent flying back, bruised and bloodied.
Pirates: Aaaaaargh!
SFX: Crash!!
Usopp: ?!!
His arms…
Jango: !!!
Luffy barrels forward. The pirates flee for their lives.
Luffy: Raaaaaah!
SFX: Grrrr!!
Dshdshdshdshdsh
Pirates: Eeeeek!!!
SFX: Thumpthumpthumpthump
Dshdshdsh
The pirates dive to either side at the base of the hill. Luffy just runs past them.
Pirates: Oof!!!
Jango: !
SFX: Whum-sliiiiiiiid…
Thmpthmpthmp…
Zoro: …
Luffy hits the bow of the pirates’ ship and wraps his arms around the rising stem of its keel.
Zoro: ?!
SFX: Smack…!!
Luffy: Hup!!!
Chapter 30, page 14 – 15
Pirates: …hey.
What’s he doing now…?!
Luffy: Raaaaaaargh!
SFX: Creak creak creak
Jango: …!!!
Nami: Go, Luffy, go!
Usopp: …?!
With a titanic effort, Luffy rips the stem off the front of the ship, all the way up to its figurehead, which towers over him as he carries it.
Pirates: No way!! He took the whole freaking stem off!!! He’s gonna destroy the ship!!!
Luffy: Aaaaaa…!!
SFX: Snaaaaaaaap!
Crack crack crack…!!
Luffy totters back toward the pirates, still holding the enormous stem upright, brandishing it as a weapon.
Pirates: Uh oh.
Please no!!
yikes!
SFX: Glare!!
Pirates: He’s gonna kill us!!!
Do something Captain!!!
SFX: Stomp stomp stomp!
Grrrrrrrrrrm
Jango frantically gets his ring moving.
Jango: When I say “One, Two, Jango”
you’ll fall asleep!!
One.
SFX: Swing!!
Jango: Two!!
Luffy: Raaah!!!
Jango: Jango!!!
SFX: Shf!!
Chapter 30, page 16 – 17
Luffy falls asleep instantly and loses his footing. The stem topples, squashing Luffy, but also slamming down into the pirates and wreaking destruction.
SFX: Zzzzzzz!
Pirates: Watch out!!
SFX: Whoosh
Snore
Pirates: Aaaaaaaaargh!!!
SFX: Kaboom!!
Snore
Whump…!!
Snore
Snore
Jango: …
SFX: Silence
Huff huff
Jango: The kid’s gone and done it now…!!
Screwed up the whole damn plan…!
SFX: Sweat
Jango: If Captain Kuro saw
this…
…he’d kill every last one of us, kids and crew!!!
SFX: Snore
Snore
Nami: Alright then. Luffy took care of the crew.
Usopp: But… he got himself squashed too!!
Zoro: Don’t worry, he won’t die from
that.
Go patch up your wounds.
SFX: Tap tap…
Chapter 30, page 18 – 19
Nami: !
Voices sound from the deck of the ship.
Siam: Hey Butch!![7] Come look, someone swiped the figurehead!!!
Butch: The figurehead?!! How do you take a thing like that?!!
Jango: !
Pirates: D… d… did I just hear…?
It’s the ship’s guards, the Meow-pow Brothers![8]
Nami: …?!
Usopp: …
Zoro: Sounds like there’s still reinforcements on the ship…
Jango: That’s right.
We’ve still got some fighting strength left…!!!
SFX: Don!
Meanwhile, Kuro silently walks the road leading out of the village. Onion watches from a hiding spot.
SFX: Wooooooo….
Tap tap tap tap
Clunk clunk…
Push
Oooooooo
Sneak sneak…!!
Tap tap
Onion: …
It’s the butt-ler from the mansion…!!
It’s so early… Why’s he heading for the beach now?
…?!
SFX: Don
SBS Corner, page 4
Reader: How far can Luffy’s arm stretch? Please tell me.
Oda: They go pretty far. Right now he can get to about 72 Gum Gums. But he’s been saying lately he wants to try and reach 100 Gum Gums.
Reader: Nice to meet you, Oda-sensei. Thanks to you, I was able to get into high school.
Oda: You’re welcome. …wait, what?
Reader: How do you come up with names for your characters?
Oda: I just… try to think of things that sound good is all. Sometimes I get them from historical pirates’ names, but sometimes I don’t.
Reader: Why doesn’t Luffy ever kill his enemies? Looking back, he didn’t kill Mohji. He didn’t kill Helmeppo or Captain Morgan either. Well, Zoro killed Morgan anyway, but still. Why?
Oda: Good question. First things first,
Captain Morgan is still alive. His former subordinates threw him in jail.
The reason Luffy doesn’t kill is this: In this era, people bet their lives on
their dreams and beliefs. When Luffy fights, he’s fighting his opponents’
dreams, and when he beats them, those dreams are shattered. And for these
pirates, losing a dream is a pain equal to death. For pirates, victory and
defeat are more important than killing or not killing.
Chapter 31, page 1
Title: Chapter 31: The Truth
Cover illustration: Luffy, Nami and Zoro relax on a ship, a treasure pile and a bundle of swords sculpted out of clouds.
Chapter 31, page 2 – 3
At the mansion, Kaya dreams of Usopp wielding a sword and leading a band of pirates. He grabs her violently by the arm.
Usopp: You’ll pay for how you treated me!!
Mocking my pirate blood!!
I’ll kill you!!!
SFX: Oooooo
Kaya: Sir Usopp, no!!
Usopp: You’re dead!!!
Kaya: Eeeeeek!!
Kaya jolts awake. She’s alone in her bedroom.
Kaya: Ah!!!
SFX: Gasp!!
Kaya: Huff…
Huff…!!
…
SFX: Huff…
Thump thump thump
Kaya: …!! I don’t understand…
Cough…
Cough!
Why would Sir Usopp… act like that…?
She pulls on a coat and ventures from her quarters, wandering the quiet halls of the mansion.
SFX: Creak…!
Kaya: Klahadore?
SFX: Knock knock…
Kaya: Are you there, Klahadore?
Chapter 31, page 4 – 5
She opens a door and is shocked by the site of Merry, lying in a pool of blood.
Kaya: ?!!!
SFX: Bam!!
Kaya: …!!!
M…
Merry!!!!
Is this a nightmare?!! What happened to you?!!
Open your eyes, Merry!!!
Please, you can’t die!!!
Merry, now rolled onto his back, coughs up blood. He tries to stand but falls back down.
Merry: Ugh…!!!
Hack!!!
Cough!
Cough!
Kaya: Merry…!!!
Merry: Huff…
Huff…
…ma…dam… I’m… so glad you’re safe…!!
SFX: Flop…!!
Kaya: ?!…
…of course I’m safe, Merry. What are you talking about…?!! How did…?
Merry: Klahadore!!!
SFX: Huff huff huff
Chapter 31, page 6 – 7
Merry: He tried…
…to kill me…!!!
Kaya: ?!!
Wha…?!!
Merry: He’s really…
Kuro: And if…!!
For any reason…!! If anything were to happen to you, Mistress!!
I know your parents would never forgive me…!!!
Kaya: …impossible!!
It’s a lie, right?!!
Merry: …a pirate!!!
Kaya: !
Then everything…
…Sir Usopp said yesterday was the truth…!!
Merry: Yes…!! Thinking back…
He must have learned it somehow and made a desperate attempt to save us…!!
And yet…
…not a single one of us…
…believed in him!!
Kaya: …!!!
Usopp: You’ll see the truth
tomorrow morning!!
Right now you just need to get away from here!!! You gotta believe me!!!
Merry: And to think…!! We were all
defending the villain…
…while we chased away…
…the brave young man
who wanted to save our lives…!!!
Kaya: …!!!
Chapter 31, page 8 – 9
Kaya: And I…!!!
What have I done to him…?
SFX: Drip drip drip
Merry again struggles to move, eventually managing to sit up against the wall.
Merry: Cough!
Kaya: Merry?!!
Merry: Cough!
Kaya: Somone help us!!! Merry’s…
Merry: It’s no use…!! The whole staff was given personal leave starting yesterday.
Kaya: !
…then …then I’ll…!!
Merry: But you mustn’t panic!!
Kaya: !
Merry: He hasn’t executed his plan
yet…!! We can still… approach things calmly and rationally.
Klahadore left the mansion not long ago.
If everything Usopp said was true…
…he must be rendezvousing with his pirate crew at the beach.
Kaya: …
SFX: Thd…
Merry: But that means the whole village is in danger, not only us.
SFX: Huff huff
Merry: If Klahadore wants the money and
the estate…
…please let him have them!!
They aren’t worth our lives!!
SFX: Huff huff
Kaya: I know…!
SFX: Wipe…!
Merry: It’s not fair… but I think you
are the only person…
…who can stop Klahadore now!
Chapter 31, page 10 – 11
Merry: Can you do it…?
I know it’s a terrible burden…!!
Kaya: I understand.
SFX: Huff huff
Kaya: There’s no choice…!! I couldn’t
possibly run away now!!
I’ll negotiate with Klahadore…!!
In the village, the kids of the Usopp Pirates meet near the road out of town.
Pepper: What?! The butt-ler
went to the beach?!
Hey Carrot!! Wake up!!
Carrot: But I’m usually still asleep this early.
Onion: You can’t sleep today. This could
be really, really bad.
I think the pirates really are going to attack!!
The captain said he was lying, but that was the real lie!!
Pepper: I think you’re right.
Carrot: Actually, me too! He was acting really weird yesterday.
Kaya makes her way up the road, breathing heavily and visibly struggling.
Onion: Huh?
Carrot: Is that…
SFX: Shuf shuf
Kaya: Huff…
Huff…
SFX: Shuf shuf
Pepper: Miss Kaya…!!
Carrot: She never goes walking around alone like that…!!
Onion: Something’s wrong… Something’s definitely wrong!!
Chapter 31, page 12 – 13
At the north shore.
SFX: Whoooooo…
Snore
Snore
Zoro: What’re they bringing out now…?!
Pirate: Hehe…!!
…you… you guys are dead now!
Jango: Get down here!!!
Meow-pow Brothers!!!
On the ship’s deck.
Siam: Hey! The captain’s calling!
Butch: What?! He’s s’posed to be at the
village by now.
Is everyone still here?
The two step up to the bow railing and leap off it.
Siam: Look at that, someone beat ‘em all up!
Butch: That’s no good at all!! We going?
SFX: Tap tap
Siam: Of course we’re going!!
SFX: Fwoosh
Chapter 31, page 14 – 15
The brothers land on either side of Jango.
SFX: Whud…!!
Jango: We need a hand here, brothers.
Siam: What’s the problem, Captain Jango?
Butch: What’s up?
Narration: Black Cat Pirates
Ship’s guard
Siam[9]
Black Cat Pirates
Ship’s guard
Butch
SFX: Dodon!!
Nami: Who are they?
Usopp: Awesome… They landed from so high
up…!!
Like cats!
Zoro: …!
Jango: Butch, Siam, we gotta boogie up
this hill at all costs.
But there’s a nasty roadblock in our way!! Get rid of it!!
Siam: H… hang on, we can’t do that! Can we, Butch?
Butch: No way, that guy looks super tough!!
SFX: Flinch!!
Chapter 31, page 16 – 17
Usopp: !
What…!! Weren’t these guys gonna be their secret weapon?!
Zoro: Huh?
Nami: …they’re terrified…!!
Siam: Come on, we’re just meant to guard the ship.
Butch: Yeah, we don’t fight big battles.
Jango: Siam!! Get your arse up that hill!!!
Siam: Huh?! Why me?!!
Jango: Now!!
Siam: Yes sir, I’m going!!
SFX: Shiver!!
Nami: He’s starting to cry…!
Why make this wimp fight?! It’s almost cruel.
Siam charges up the hill, his arms flailing.
Siam: I’m coming to kill yooooou!!
I’ll claw your eyes out!
SFX: Tmptmptmptmp
Zoro: …!!
…what do they expect this guy to do…?!!
SFX: Tmptmptmptmp
Zoro: Back off!! I’ll cut you down!!
Siam: Do your worst…
SFX: Shing
Zoro: ?!!
What the…
SFX: Slash!!
Chapter 31, page 18 – 19
Siam swipes with the long claws on his glove. Zoro parries with his sword.
Zoro: !!!
SFX: Kachang!!
Zoro: What the…?!!
Siam: Did you think…
…I was just a pussy…?!!!
That was a good block!!
I guess the cat’s out of the bag now!!!
SFX: Swoosh!!
Usopp: Wait, you mean… he’s not a coward?!!
Nami: !
Zoro?!
Where are your…?!
Two of the three scabbards are gone from Zoro’s waist, leaving only the sword in his hand.
Zoro: Wha…
My katana!!
Siam has the two swords on his back.
Siam: You may have some skill…
…but you made the fatal mistake of underestimating Siam of the Meow-pow
Brothers…
Lost something?
Well don’t look at me…!!
SFX: Smirk
Jango: His trademark.
Butch: Cat Burglar.[10]
Zoro: …!!!
(This bastard…)
(…took my katana…!!)
SBS Corner, page 5
Reader: So, Sensei, do you like animals? It seems like there’s one on every cover page…
Oda: It’s true that I’ve been putting animals on the cover pages. But I’d say I only like animals the normal amount. They’re just really fun to draw. I enjoy giving them round, furry shapes and funny features, like pandas with spots that look like bad makeup, or a wombat that could have a wanted poster, or an owl that looks like it just got shot with a BB gun.
Reader: You know the bit on Klahadore’s suit that kinda looks like poop? Is it really poop, or is there a deeper meaning…?
Oda: It’s poop.
Reader: Question. Nami’s measurements. I really want to know.
Oda: I can see you’re serious. This is vital info. Alright, but I don’t actually know. We’ll have to go measure her ourselves. Here we go!! Woah!!
Nami: What?! My measurements?
Oda: N-nami! I didn’t see you there, Nami… Perfect timing, let’s get this over with. Here we…[Bonk!!] Oww!!
Nami: If you wanna measure me it’s gonna cost you.
Oda: Huh…?! H-how much?
Whaaaaaat?! That much?! You think I’ve got that kind of money?!
…aha! She’s distracted!! This is our chance!! (Bonk!!) Owwwww!!
Nami: If you don’t have the money this conversation’s over! Bring your wallet next time! ❤ See ya! ❤
Oda: …d-damn it! I failed!! B-but next time! Next time I will get her measurements!! Just wait, young man! I’ll keep my promise!!
Chapter 32, page 1
Title: Chapter 32: Bad Luck
Cover illustration: Luffy, Zoro and Nami play at Chinese acrobatics. Nami leans back in a chair balanced on the end of a spear held by Zoro. Luffy teeters on one hand on Zoro’s head, holding a spear between his toes and carrying a stack of barrels on his head. A serpentine dragon coils through the background.
Chapter 32, page 2 – 3
Nami: That thief got Zoro’s swords!!
Usopp: …
Zoro: Give my katana back…!!
Siam: Give them back?
These can’t be yours, you’ve already got one.
Reminds me though, before we start…
…I should dump…
SFX: Chak…
Zoro: …
Siam flings the two swords away. They clatter toward the bottom of the hill.
Siam: …the trash I picked up…
SFX: Toss!
Zoro: !
SFX: Twitch
Clang…!! Clang…!!
Chapter 32, page 4 – 5
Siam: That’s better.
Light a weight off my shoulders…
SFX: Lick
Zoro leaps at Siam and tears through his body with his remaining blade.
Zoro: You should treat…
…my katana with respect!!
SFX: Whoosh!!
Siam: Ack?!!
SFX: Slash!!
Nami: !
Usopp: Holy crap!!!
Jango: !
Butch: …
My go then…!!
Zoro runs past Siam even before he falls, reaching for his swords.
Zoro: You feral…
Chucking my katana around!!
SFX: Tmptmptmptmp
Siam: Did you really think you cut me?!
Zoro: ?!!
Siam leaps onto Zoro’s back, pushing him to the ground. The midsection of his shirt is torn away, revealing a far thinner torso than his silhouette had suggested.
Siam: Too bad for you…
…I’m as flexible as
a cat!![11]
Zoro: !!
SFX: Whud!!
Zoro: …what the?!!
Usopp: Come on man… How hard was he sucking it in?!!
Siam: That’s right, Butch!! Your go!!!
Butch runs forward and leaps high into the air while Siam keeps Zoro pinned and restrains his arms.
Butch: I’m coming, Siam!!
SFX: Swsh!!
Thunk!!
Zoro: Oof!!
Butch: Cat Fight!!!
SFX: Thumpthumpthump
Butch: Catapult…
SFX: Fwoom!!
Chapter 32, page 8 – 9
Nami: Watch out!!!
Zoro: !!!
Butch descends into a stomping attack that cracks the ground. Zoro wrenches himself to the side, throwing Siam off his back and clearing Butch’s landing.
Butch: …Stomp!!!![12]
SFX: Kablam!!!
Crack crack crack
Zoro: Aargh!!!
Usopp: ?!!
He cracked the earth…!!!
Nami: Amazing!!!
SFX: Fwump!!
Zoro: Ugh…!!
SFX: Swsh…!
Siam: Dammit!
He slipped out!
SFX: Whud
Butch: Hey! Pin him properly, Siam!!
Siam: Sorry, sorry.
I didn’t expect so much raw strength!!
Chapter 32, page 10 – 11
Zoro: …!!
(That was too close…!! Shit. If he gets me with that one…)
(…he’ll shatter my bones…!!)
SFX: Huff huff
Siam: You won’t escape this time.
Butch: No chance.
SFX: Lick
Whooooooooo
Zoro: Ittoryu isn’t my strongest style, but with just one katana…
SFX: Klack…
Siam: Let’s go, Butch!!
Butch: Get him, Siam!!
The two brothers attack at once, swiping rapidly with their clawed gloves. Zoro frantically parries.
Brothers: March of the Pussywillows!!!
Zoro: !!
SFX: Shing shing!!
Siam: Scratch, scratch, scratch! Scratch, scratch scratch!
Butch: Scratch, scratch, scratch! Scratch, scratch scratch!
Zoro: …!!
SFX: Ching ching ching!
Chapter 32, page 12 – 13
Nami: Oh no! Zoro’s losing ground!
!
What are you doing?!
Usopp: Even he can’t beat ‘em both at once. I’m giving him some cover fire!
SFX: Clang clang clang
Usopp fires his slingshot into the battle, but Zoro sees the bullet coming and moves into its path, taking the hit on the shoulder.
Usopp: Eat this! Lead Star!!
SFX: Snap!!
Ching! Clang!
Zoro: !
SFX: Slash!
Ooooooo
Oooo
Zoro: !!!
SFX: Wham!!
Usopp …!!!
What?!!
Siam: He’s open!!!
Zoro: !!
SFX: Stagger…
Shing!
Chapter 32, page 14 – 15
Siam and Butch both hit Zoro at once, scouring criss-cross wounds into his chest.
SFX: Slash!!
Zoro: Aaaargh!!!
Nami: Whose side are you on?!!!
Usopp: N…no… I didn’t…!!
SFX: Whoosh!!
Zoro: Shit…
Usopp: It was like…
…he moved into my shot…!!
Nami: On purpose…?!
…
Zoro: Usopp, you idiot!!
You trying to get killed?!!!
Usopp: !
Nami: Actually, did he just save us…?
Usopp: Huh?!
Nami: If you’d actually hit one of them…
…he’d probably’ve come straight after us instead.
Usopp: !
Zoro is back on his feet and fending off a renewed assault from the brothers.
Siam: Scratch, scratch!!
Nami: And what’re we meant to do then…?
Usopp: !!
SFX: Clang!!
Usopp: Come on man…!!
You don’t have time to worry about us…!!
Zoro: (Damn it…)
(If I just had one more katana…!!!
Chapter 32, page 16 – 17
Nami: It can’t keep going like this…
I’ll get him his swords!
He’d be winning for sure if he had all three!
Usopp: !
Nami leaps off the cliff and sprints down the hill.
Usopp: If it’s that easy I’ll go!!
Nami: Don’t be stupid. You’re injured, right?!
SFX: Swip
Kaclang! Ching!
Swoosh!!
Usopp: Hey!!
Zoro: What is she…?!
SFX: Tmptmptmptmptmp
Jango: …!
SFX: Tmptmptmptmp
Nami: They’ve just gotta reach him!!
Usopp: !
No!!!
Jango darts forward and uses his hypnotism ring, which has a bladed edge, to slash Nami’s shoulder. She overshoots the swords and tumbles downhill.
SFX: Shing!!
Nami: ?!!
Jango: You can’t be doing that, now.
SFX: Thud
Nami: Aaaah!
Usopp: You bastard!!!
(Our last hope…!!!)
Chapter 32, page 18 – 19
Jango suddenly startles and begins trembling. The brothers also pause their assault.
Jango: !
SFX: Jolt!!
Jango: …oh…!!
…uh… This is…!! I can explain… Circumstances beyond our control…!!
SFX: Shiver shiver shiver
Usopp: !
What…
Siam: …uh oh…
Zoro: ?
Butch: Ulp…
SFX: Shiver shiver shiver shiver shiver shiver
Kuro stands at the top of the hill, adjusting his glasses with his palm.
SFX: Push…
Oooooo
Pirates: C-c-captain…
Kuro…!!
…we… we’re dead…
SFX: Shiver shiver shiver shiver
Usopp: (Not now…!!! This’s gotta be the worst possible time!!!)
Kuro: It’s now long past the break of
dawn…
…and my plan still isn’t being executed…
SFX: Whoooooooo
Kuro: What the hell are you doing?!!!!
SFX: Doom!
Snore snore
SBS Corner, page 6
Reader: Queeeeeestion! ❤ Why does Zoro always wear that haramaki[13] around his stomach like an old man. Tell me please!
Oda: How rude!! Sit down and listen up!! Okay! Remember this! The haramaki is a high fashion, form-fitting, combat-ready accessory worn by Japan’s proudest warriors!! Apologise! Dismissed!
Reader: I keep seeing this Mikio Itoo guy
show up in different manga. One Piece, Butsu Zone and Rurouni Kenshin. None of
the others explained it, so could you do it?
I found him in volume 1, page 14, panel 3 (behind the first mate), then on page
16, panel 2 (on the bottle), and volume 2, page 3 (behind Zoro).
He’s got a wanted poster! So tell me, who is he?
Oda: You found him everywhere, good job! His name’s Mikio Itoo, known for his quick draw. He appears as a travelling actor in both Butsu Zone (drawn by Hiroyuki Takei, who also drew Shaman King) and Rurouni Kenshin. But who is he really? Let’s just say he’s a fellow adventurer of the wilderness who’s saved my ass more times than I can count with his sharp shooting. Hopefully he’ll reveal himself to you all soon.[14]
Illustration: a sketch of Mikio Itoo’s wanted poster.
Chapter 33, page 1
Title: Chapter 33: The Silent Man
Cover illustration: Luffy, Zoro and Nami fly biplanes with a gorilla.
Chapter 33, page 2 – 3
Kuro: You aren’t about to tell me these children held you up…
Usopp: …
Kuro: What a sorry state the Black
Cat Pirates are in…
…aren’t they?!! Jango!!!
SFX: Thoom!!
Twitch!
Jango: !!!!
B-but you said I didn’t need to kill the other kid…
You told me that!!
Kuro: Yes I did, didn’t I…?
Usopp: …!!
Kuro: And what of it…?!! He shouldn’t
have mattered.
Any fool would guess he’d try to mount a defence.
What I didn’t account for was your uselessness in the face of it.
Save your excuses.
Siam: !
So… you think we’re useless…?!
Butch: …!! Better watch your words, Captain Kuro…
SFX: Hiss…
Chapter 33, page 4 – 5
Siam: Maybe you were strong once…
Kuro: Speak your mind.
Jango: No!! Siam, Butch!! Don’t try it!!
Siam: …but that was three years
ago…!!
We never stopped fighting while you were growing pampered and soft in
this village!!
Butch: That’s right, we’ve been raiding
towns…
…and sinking lotsa other crews…!!
Usopp: !
A mutiny…?!
Nami: …?
Siam: We’re not about to lay down and
die…
…just because your plan isn’t working!!
Butch: You’ve been an inside cat for three
years!
No way you can beat the Meow-pow Brothers both at once!!
Pirates: Maybe they got a point…
Even Captain Jango can’t beat ‘em…
Not both at once anyway…
Kuro stands silent and calmly adjusts his glasses as the brothers lunge at him.
Kuro: …
SFX: Push
Butch: You’re not our captain no more!!
Siam: If you’re killing us, we’ll kill you first!!!
Kuro: !
SFX: Shing!!
Chapter 33, page 6 – 7
Kuro vanishes in the blink of an eye. The brothers’ claws shred his briefcase, but nothing else.
Brothers: Scraaaaaatch!!!
SFX: Slash!!
Pirates: !
Kuro is behind the brothers. He’s donned clawed gloves, but each of his claws is a full length sword.
Kuro: Just who…
…was killing who?
Brothers: ?!
SFX: Whooooooooo…
Usopp: …?! When’d he move there…?
Pirates: …!!
Th-that’s his…!! Pussyfoot Step!!
Zoro: What kind of weapon is that?
Nami: …!!
SFX: Glance
The brothers spin to face Kuro, but he’s gone again.
SFX: Swish!!
Siam: He got past us!!
Huh?
Butch: Uh… Where’d he go?
Kuro appears between the brothers. He drapes his arms over their shoulders.
Kuro: You were right after all.
I have gotten soft.
Butch: Eep!!!
Siam: Ack!!!
SFX: Don!
Jolt!!
Jolt!!
Chapter 33, page 8 – 9
Kuro: I may not be your captain anymore…
…but I hired you to do a job…!! And I will kill you if you can’t
complete it!!
Butch: So… fast…!!!
Siam: …!!
SFX: Oooooooo
Shiver shiver
Shiver shiver
Pirate: I never saw anyone catch the Meow-pow Brothers…!!
Nami: (…!! Those guys gave Zoro a hard time, even if he was a couple of swords short, but he’s just toying with them…!!)
Jango: We knew who we were dealing with…
Pirates: !
Jango: The captain’s Pussyfoot
Step…
…lets him move undetectably.
You could get fifty assassins working together and they’d still
never see him coming.
We can’t escape his plan.
Not to mention… When I saw him yesterday, I got chills.
That way he adjusts his glasses with his palms was a habit he picked up…
…so his Cat’s Claws wouldn’t scratch his face, and he never
dropped it…
…which proves he didn’t forget how to fight…!!
SFX: Push
Pirates: …!!
SFX: Gulp…!!
The tip of one of Kuro’s claws presses into Butch’s throat, drawing blood.
Butch: !
SFX: Shunk!!
Butch: Yeow!!
Ow…
Kuro: As I was saying…
…these three years have left me soft…
Siam: !
SFX: Shiver shiver
Kuro: You have five minutes.
If you can’t clean this mess up by then…
Chapter 33, page 10 – 11
Kuro: …I will kill every last one of
you…
…with my own hands.
Pirates: !!!!
I don’t wanna diiiiiie!!
SFX: Shiver shiver
Tremble
Butch: Five minutes…
Zoro: Ugh…
Usopp: What the hell!! How’d we live with this guy for three whole years…?!!
Jango: Five minutes.
We can do it in five minutes!!
SFX: Shf…
Jango: That guy!! If you can just take
out that one guy!!!
The rest of us cats’ll make it up the slope easy!!!
Zoro: !
SFX: Bam!
Butch: That’s right! We was beating him already a minute ago!!
Siam: He’s not so tough!! Five seconds is more like it!!!
Chapter 33, page 12 – 13
Nami: Zoro!!
Nami slips past Jango and kicks Zoro’s swords towards him.
Zoro: !
Nami: Swords!!
Jango: No!!
SFX: Thwack!!
Zoro: Hey, come on…!!
Don’t kick my freaking swords…!!
Nami: …
No “thank you?”
Zoro: Yeah yeah…
SFX: Chack check!!
Zoro: (I’m saved…!!)
Thanks!!
SFX: Clack!
Siam and Butch lunge at Zoro, who calmly readies his swords.
Siam: Scraaaaaaaaatch!!
Butch: No problem!! Having three swords won’t make him three times better!!!
SFX: Whoosh!!
Zoro: You wouldn’t understand the
difference between having three katana…
…and knowing Santoryu!
SFX: Chomp
Pirates: Go, Meow-pow Brothers, go!!
Get him in five minutes!!!
SFX: Ooooooo
Brothers: Scraaaaaatch!!!
Zoro: Tora…
SFX: Shing…!
Chapter 33, page 14 – 15
With three blades flying, Zoro cuts down both brothers at once.
Zoro: …Gari!!!![15]
Brothers: !!!!
SFX: Kerslash!!
Nami: ?!!
Usopp: Woah…
Pirates: …?!!
SFX: Thump!!
Chapter 33, page 16 – 17
Pirates: With…!!! Just one move!!!!
He got the Meow-pow Brothers with just one move!!!
Zoro points a bloodied sword at Kuro.
Kuro: !
SFX: Shwing!
Zoro: Don’t worry… It’s not gonna take
five minutes…
…for me to beat you all!
SFX: Don!!
Grin
Kuro: I’d like to see you try.
SFX: Push
Butch struggles back to his feet. Siam lies still.
Butch: Huff… Huff… I’ll…
I-I’ll… kill him…
SFX: Drip drip…
Butch: C-captain!! Captain Jango…
…you gotta hypnotise me!!
Kuro: He’s still alive. Your claws need sharpening…
Zoro: (All that fat saved
him…)
…
!
Chapter 33, page 18 – 19
Butch has crawled to Jango and been hypnotised into a frenzy, muscles bulging. Even the bleeding of his wound seems to be stemmed.
Butch: Graaaaah!!!!
SFX: Don!
Rmmmmmbllll
Zoro: Damn it…!!
This trick again?!
SFX: Oooooo
Zoro: (This’s gonna suck…!! He was
already strong enough to crack the earth…)
(…so how much worse is he now?!!!)
Nami sprints toward the fallen figurehead.
Jango: Huh?!
SFX: Tmptmptmptmp
Nami: (Now’s my chance!! If I can just
wake that idiot up!!)
(How the hell’s he sleeping through all this anyway?!!)
Jango throws his ring after Nami.
Jango: What now, you sneaky bitch?!!
Drop dead!!
SFX: Whooooosh!!
Fling!!
Nami: Everyone’s fighting and getting hurt while you’re just sleeping!!
SFX: Tmptmptmptmptmp
Snore
Snore
She stomps on Luffy’s face, which is sticking out from under the figurehead.
Nami: Wake up!!!
Luffy: Bwah?!
SFX: Stomp!!
Zoro: Nami, look out!!!
Nami turns to see the bladed ring flying straight towards her face.
Nami: Ah!
SFX: Buzzzzzzzzzz!!
SBS Corner, page 7
Reader: Ei-chan,[16] tell us about yourself! (Is that even your real name?)
Oda: It’s my real name. Well, I was born on January 1st, 1975, so I’m a Capricorn. Blood type A. Year of the Rabbit. I like to watch movies and I try my best.
Reader: I have a question, Oda-sensei. When did you decide to become a manga artist? And how did you become one? Please tell me.
Oda: First of all, I decided to become
a manga artist when I was four years old, the moment I learned there was such a
job as manga artist. I thought it was the kind of job I could do so I wouldn’t
have to work as a grown-up! I didn’t start actually drawing until around 7th or
8th grade.
And for how I became an artist from there, lots of doodling! Even now I’m
always doodling when I’m thinking about stories.
Reader: This is a pretty out there question, but in volume 1, page 93, panel 4 of Mizu no Tomodachi Kappaman by Masaya Tokuhiro, the name Eiichiro Oda shows up. Were you an assistant on that series or something?
Oda: You’re a serious fan! Well
spotted. I was an assistant there.
My assistant history goes from Midoriyama Police Gang by Shinobu
Kaitani, Jungle King Taa-chan and Kappaman by Tokuhiro, and
finally Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki. I learned so much from
those three senseis and admire them both as manga artists and human beings.[17]
Reader: How many Devil Fruits are there, and what other kinds are going to show up?
Oda: If you want to know, you’ll have to read the story! But I’ve heard a rumour there are more than 100 different fruits out there. And that there are a lot of people with Devil Fruit powers waiting in a certain part of the world.
Chapter 34, page 1
Title: Chapter 34: Klahadore the Butler
Cover illustration: Luffy, Zoro and Nami play a variety of instruments with a band of assorted animals.
Chapter 34, page 2 – 3
Nami kicks off from Luffy’s face in an attempt to dive for safety, but it doesn’t seem like she’s going to make it.
Luffy: What the?!!
SFX: Bam!!
Jango: I’ll split you in two!!!
Nami: Eeeek!
SFX: Whoooosh!!
Zoom
Bzzzzzzzz
Usopp: The ring’s really… a chakram?!!
I thought it was just a pendulum!!
Luffy: What was that for, Nami?!!!
SFX: Grrr
Luffy stands up, right into the path of the chakram, which strikes the back of his head.
Luffy: Don’t just stomp on my hea…
SFX: Shunk!!
Bam!!
Nami: ?!!
Chapter 34, page 4 – 5
He begins to topple, the ring embedded bloodily in his skull.
Luffy: ?!!!
SFX: Swsh…
Nami: Luffy!!!
Jango: What…?! He’s still alive…!!
Zoro: Was that the worst…
or maybe… the best time for him to wake up…?!!
Usopp: …!!
Kuro: That kid…?!!
(But I thought he died when he fell from the cliff…!!!)
Luffy grits his teeth and takes a sudden step forward, catching himself from falling.
SFX: Clench!!
Stomp!!
Jango: Impossible!! He’s still standing!!!
Pirates: …
…he…
He wrenches the chakram from his head. Blood sprays in a fountain from the wound.
SFX: Shuck-splurrrrr…!!!
Nami: …!!
Zoro: …
He’ll be fine…
Pirates: …he…
SFX: Ruuuuumbl
Pirates: He…!!!
SFX: Uuuuuumbl
Chapter 34, page 6 – 7
Pirates: He’s baaaaaaaack!!!!
Luffy: Ye…
…ooooooooow!!!!
SFX: Doooooon!!
Pirates: Ah shit…!! It’s over!
We’ll never beat ‘em in five minutes…!!!
SFX: Gasp!!
Luffy: That freaking hurt!!!
Nami: It wasn’t me!!
Nami sinks to her knees.
Nami: !
SFX: Slump…
Luffy: Your shoulder’s bleeding.
Nami: I’ll be okay…
…but I think I’ve done all I can. The rest is up to you!
Usopp: …
Nami: There’s too much on the line…
…for us to lose the fight now!!
SFX: Smile
Luffy: !
Chapter 34, page 8 – 9
Luffy: Yeah…
Nami: We’ll take back my treasure!!
Luffy: Hmph!! You can do that.
If it’s so important!!
SFX: Don
Pump!
Pirates: …!!
Luffy: Hey…
The evil butler’s here…
SFX: Don!!
Shff…
Kuro: You have three minutes…
…until I kill you all.
Pirates: !!
Oh shit… No way…
Even Captain Jango and Butch…
SFX: Aaaaaaaaa
Pirates: …can’t stop them in three minutes…!!!
Jango: Butch! Don’t stop to think.
Just kill the guy in the sash!!
Butch: Mmph!
Jango: I’ll take care of the kid in the straw hat…!!
Kaya appears behind Kuro.
SFX: Tmp
Kuro: !
Chapter 34, page 10 – 11
Kaya: Klahadore!!!
Stop this!!!
Everyone: !!!!
Usopp: Kaya!!
Why… What’re you doing here…?!!!
Jango: Hey now!! Ain’t that the mistress
of the mansion?!!
She’s meant to be the real target!!
Pirates: So… we don’t gotta reach the
village after all…?!
If we kill the girl here…
Luffy: …
Kuro: What a surprise… Mistress…
What brings you here…?
SFX: Push…
Nami: …
Butch: ?
Chapter 34, page 12 – 13
Kaya: Merry told me everything.
Kuro: …oh. Was he still alive?
…I thought…
…I’d killed him…
Kaya: !
…?!!
(No…!! This man…)
(Can’t possibly be my Klahadore…!!!)
SFX: Huff…
Clench!!
Kaya: …I’m sorry…
…Sir Usopp…!!
Usopp: !
Kaya: It may be too late for apologies…
But I…!! I couldn’t stand to believe…!!
That Klahadore could be a pirate!
Usopp: Who cares about that?!!
You shouldn’t’ve come here!
I told you to run!!!
They’re out to kill you!!!
Kaya: …!!
But you’re here fighting!!!
Despite the horrible way we all treated you!!
Despite the blood on your face!
Usopp: !
It’s different for me…!! I’m a brave warrior of the…
Kaya: Klahadore!!! If it’s my fortune
you want, I’ll give it all to you!!!
Take it and leave the village alone!!!
Kuro: …
Chapter 34, page 14 – 15
Kuro: Not good enough, Mistress… It’s
not only the money I want.
I also desire peace of mind.
The three years I spent earning the villagers’ trust…
…have made it a comfortable place to settle down.
Villagers: Good morning, Mr Klahadore!
Kuro: Only when I have my peace and your
money…
…will I consider this plan a success.
Kaya: …
Kuro: That is why both the pirate attack
on the village…
…and your accidental death…
…are absolutely necessary.
Kaya: !!
Usopp: Run, Kaya!! He’s not gonna listen
to you!!!
That’s not the butler you knew!!!
Kaya draws a pistol and aims it at Kuro.
SFX: Click…!!
Kuro: …
Usopp: …
Jango: !
Pirate: A pistol…
Kaya: Leave at once!!!
Kuro: My, my… You’ve certainly grown up in these past three years…
Kaya: ?!
Chapter 34, page 16 – 17
Kuro: Do you ever look back on our time together?
Kaya: !
Kuro: Even before your parents died and
you became bedridden…
…we spent so much time together.
We went sailing.
Our trips into town…
I sat with you through your fevers…
We shared our pain and our laughter…
…and I served you tirelessly!
All your girlish flights of fancy…
…I endured…
Kaya: !!
Kuro: …for the sake of this day…
…when I could finally kill you!!!
SFX: Don!!
Kaya: !!!!
Usopp: You evil…
Kuro: I, who was once the fearsome
Captain Kuro…
…lowered myself to bowing and scraping for some spoiled little girl…
…just to stay in her good graces…
Kaya: …!!!
Kaya, in tears, lets the gun slip from her hands.
Kuro: Can you fathom my humiliation? Day after day…
SFX: Slip…
Chapter 34, page 18 – 19
Usopp lunges at Kuro and tries to punch him.
Usopp: Kuuuuuuuuro!!!!
Kuro: !
SFX: Roar
Kaya: (Sir Usopp…?!!)
Kuro: Dear Usopp…
That reminds me…
Usopp’s punch passes through empty air. Kuro appears behind him.
SFX: Swip…!
Kuro: I still owe you for that punch…
Usopp: ?!!
SFX: Swoosh!!
Kuro: And it’s a steep price for such a savage blow…!!!
Luffy’s fist flies in out of nowhere and smashes into Kuro’s face, knocking him down.
SFX: Kabam!!
Kuro: ?!!!
Jango: W-what was that?!!!
SFX: Thud!!
Pirates: Captain Kuro’s down!!!
Luffy: If you hate getting punched so
much…
I’m gonna punch you a hundred times!!!
SFX: Don!
SBS Corner, page 8
Title: The Future of the SBS
Reader: I made the papercraft Luffy from
volume 2 and it turned out super good! I have it on display in my room.
I think you should keep doing those. For example, volume 3 could be Roronoa
Zoro, volume 4 could be Nami, and volume 5 could be Usopp. People will keep
buying volumes to expand their collection.
Reader: How about a fashion show for Luffy and friends?!! You could have everyone model clothing designs from your readers. How about that?
Reader: How about an advice column from Luffy?
Reader: Make an animal encyclopedia for Gaimon’s island.
Reader: You should do some One Piece cross sections, showing how Luffy’s body works and what the inside of a ship looks like.
Reader: Please draw Luffy and the crew as cowboys.
Reader: I think it’d be good to have a fanart section in the SBS.
Reader: Can you show early designs for Luffy and the rest like you did for Captain Morgan in volume 1 please?
Oda: As you can see, I’ve gotten a lot
of ideas and requests from readers. Thank you all for writing in. I’ll try them
out little by little as we go along. Starting out, we’re going to have a new
corner for fanart, hosted by master artist Usopp, called the Usopp
Gallery Pirates
And now a word from the man himself!
Usopp: Alright. I’ll take you readers’ art. But we’re gonna have to start small. Oda said it’d be hard to choose which ones to include if too many pics come in. So only do it if you’re brave! The prize for the best piece is a trip around the world! Not! You’ll actually get an autograph from Oda!! There’s no theme, just draw One Piece characters in whatever way you want! The address is at the end of the volume!
Chapter 35, page 1
Title: Chapter 35: New Uphill Battle
Cover story: Buggy, still just hands, feet and a head, desperately paddles a log raft through the sea, pursued by carnivorous fish.
Cover Story: The short-term cover page serial begins!! Buggy’s Crew, After the Battle
Chapter 35, page 2 – 3
Luffy cracks his knuckles, staring up from the bottom of the hill. Kuro, prone at the top, has a bloodied lip and cracked glasses.
Pirates: What the hell was that?!!
That kid knocked down Captain Kuro…!!
From all the way down here…?!!!
SFX: Don!
Whoooooo…
Kaya: …!!
SFX: Ruuuuuuumble…
Crack crack…
Kuro: …
SFX: Ruuuuumble
Pirates: Captain Kuro’s gonna be so pissed
now…!!
What’ll he do to us…?!!
Voices ring out from the forest.
Kids: Attack now!!!
SFX: Dshdshdsh!!
Jango: ?!
Kaya: What!
Usopp: Hey!!!
Chapter 35, page 3 – 4
The kids of the Usopp Pirates leap out, wielding a frying pan, a bat and a spade. They pound the head of the fallen Kuro with their weapons again and again.
Carrot: The Usopp Pirates are here!!!
Pepper: Die you stupid butt-ler!!!
Onion: Yeah, butt-ler!!!
SFX: Babam!!
Usopp: What’re you guys doing here…?!!!
Kaya: No, I told you to stay away…!!
Onion: Punish him, punish him!!!
Pepper: Leave our village alone you pirate!!!
Carrot: Take this you bastard!!
SFX: Bonk! Whack!! Whack!! Bam! Smack!!
Pirates: Argh! What are you kids doing?!!!
SFX: Aaaaaaaaa
Jango: …!!!
Usopp: Get away from him!!
Stop!!!
Zoro: What are those brats thinking?
Carrot: Alright! We’ll have mercy…
SFX: Wsh…
Carrot: …I knew it!! The captain was fighting!!
Pepper: Why’d you lie to us?
That’s dishonourable!!
Onion: No, it’s just dishonest!!!
Chapter 35, page 6 – 7
Usopp: I don’t care what it is!!
You guys’ve gotta get outta here right now!!
Run away!!
Carrot: We’ve got your back!! Captain!!
Pepper: Yeah!! We can fight too!!
Onion: Running away would make the Usopp Pirates look like wusses!!
Kuro stands up, looming expressionless behind the kids. He adjusts his glasses with the palm of his hand, even as the shattered glass falls from the frames.
Kids: !
SFX: Push…
Crack
Ting ting…
Kids: Waaaaaah!!!
Usopp: Run, you idiots!!!
SFX: Aaaaaaa
Kuro walks calmly past the kids and approaches Usopp.
Kids: Huh…
H-hang on?
Is he ignoring us…?
SFX: Tmp Tmp
Snick…
He kicks Usopp in the gut, then stares down the hill to address Luffy.
SFX: Whack!!
Usopp: Oof!!
Kids: Captain!!
SFX: Thud
Kuro: You, your attack hurt me…
Luffy: ?!
Kuro: And what a strange move it was.
Chapter 35, page 8 – 9
Kuro: You have the power…
…of a Devil Fruit, don’t you…?!
SFX: Don…
Luffy: Yup! I ate the Gum Gum
Fruit!
I’m a rubberman!!!
Pirates: What?!! A Devil Fruit?!!
I didn’t think they were real!!
I knew there was something weird about him!!!
Jango: Alright then, a rubberman.
That explains the stretching arm.
But how can he still stand…
…after copping a chakram to the head?!
Usopp: …gah…
Kuro: Jango!!!
Jango: Y-yes sir!!
Kuro: I’ll handle the boy.
Go deal with Mistress Kaya.
Have her write the will as planned…
SFX: Bam…!!
Kuro: …then kill her.
Kaya: !
Kuro: Additionally… these three insects…
…have annoyed me.
SFX: Shiver!!
Jango: You got it.
Chapter 35, page 10 – 11
Zoro holds his sword out, blocking Jango’s way up the hill.
Jango: !
Zoro: Stop.
I won’t let you…
…get past me.
At Jango’s order, Butch leaps back into the fray.
Jango: Butch!!!
Butch: Grrroar!!
Scratch!!!
SFX: Fwoosh!
Zoro: …
Butch jumps high in the air over Zoro.
Butch: Catapult…
SFX: Sproing!
Zoro: !
Shit!! Not this again!!!
Zoro dodges the impact, but this time the ground doesn’t just crack, it shatters, sending chunks of earth flying.
Butch: Stomp!!!!
SFX: Kaboom!!
Zoro: ?!!!
Chapter 35, page 12 – 13
Fissures run up the side of the cliff and shake sections of it loose over the beaten pirates.
SFX: Crack crack crack
Oooooooooo
Usopp: Woah!!
SFX: Bump
Kids: He broke the ground!!!
Zoro: Dammit!! Even worse than the last one!!!
SFX: Swsh
Crack crack
Crack
Pirates: Aaaaaargh!!!
SFX: Crackoom!!
Kuro stands in front of Kaya as pebbles fly to their location.
Kuro: No sense of self-control…
Kaya: …!
SFX: Tmp
Tmp
Butch swipes at Zoro, throwing him back hard into the cliff wall.
Butch: Scratch!
Zoro: !
SFX: Fsh!
Luffy: Wow!!
Who’s that guy?!!
Zoro: !!
SFX: Shing!!
Zoro: ?!!!
SFX: Thwam!!
Chapter 35, page 14 – 15
Zoro has blocked Butch’s claws with his sword, using two hands to resist his strength, and kicked his foot up into the pirate’s face to hold him back.
Butch: …!!!
Zoro: You already…
…lost to me once…
…so stay…
He kicks Butch away.
Zoro: …outta my way!!!
Butch: Ack!!!
SFX: Whack!!
Usopp: (Damn it…!! My head’s spinning, I can’t stand up…!! But I gotta stop that guy…!!)
Jango has moved past Zoro and Butch while they were clashing.
Zoro: Shit, he’s through…!!
SFX: Bam!
Tmp tmp…
Usopp: Usopp Pirates!!!
Kids: !
Carrot: Yes, Captain!!
…
SFX: Glance…
Carrot: But… We told you… We’re not running!!!
Pepper: You’re hurt too bad, Captain! We won’t leave you!!
Onion: They’ll pay for what they did to our captain!!!
Chapter 35, page 16 – 17
Usopp: Protect Kaya.
Kids: !
Kaya: …Sir Usopp…
Usopp: You men get the most
important job of all!!!
Get Kaya away from here safely!!!
Don’t let me down!!
That’s an order from your captain!!!
Kids: Y…
Yes sir, Captain!!!
SFX: Jolt!!
The kids collect Kaya and lead her into the forest. Jango draws two more chakram and spins them on his fingers.
Jango: Fools.
You won’t escape me.
SFX: Tmptmptmp
Shing…
Zoro: (He knew just what to say…)
(…to get them off the battlefield.)
Pepper: Hurry, Miss Kaya!!
Onion: We know the forest like the backs of our hands!
Kaya: Alright…
Jango: You ain’t going nowhere!
SFX: Spin spin spin
Spin spin
Chapter 35. page 18 – 19
Usopp shoots Jango in the back from his position on the ground. The hypnotist stumbles and falls, dropping his chakrams.
Usopp: Killer move: Lead Star!!!
Jango: Oof?!!
SFX: Bam!!
Thud…
Usopp: Hehehe! Gotcha!
Jango: Ow…!! You little…!!
SFX: Grind
Kuro: Jango!! Get up and do your job!!!
Jango: I-I’m going already!!!
SFX: Tmp!
The kids and Kaya disappear into the trees. Jango hurries after them.
Kids: This way, Miss Kaya!!
SFX: Tmptmptmptmp
Kuro: They’re wasting their time. I know
how frail Kaya has become…
She can’t outrun Jango!!
Go and save her if you want…
SFX: Whooooooo
Kuro: …however…
SFX: Don
Push
…you’ll have to reach the top of the hill alive first…!!
SFX: Don
Usopp: …damn it.
They’re using our plan…!!
Luffy/Zoro: Usopp…
…leave it to us!
SFX: Dodon!
End line: [4] Crescent Moon (End)
Endpages
Colouring Corner
Illustration: the cover pages for chapter 28 presented as lineart.
Usopp Gallery Pirates
Title: Usopp Gallery Pirates Submission Guidelines
Text: It’s just like Usopp described earlier. Illustrations of whatever One Piece character you like, in whatever way you want.
Just send them in on postcards, but remember that the volumes are printed in black and white, so you’ll want to draw something that will still show up well. (Probably avoid drawing in pencil)
We’ll print your name with it, so remember to include a penname if you don’t want anyone to see the real one.
Don’t forget your address either. The best submission gets sent an autograph!
Send to:
Post 119-0163
Tokyo-to, Kanda Post Office, P.O. Box 66
Shueisha, JC One Piece
“SBS!! And Usopp Gallery Pirates”
[1] Use of honorifics in the SBS will mostly be maintained, as these are comments from Japanese readers. Exceptions may be made on a case by case basis for jokes or comprehension. The ‘sensei’ suffix is used to refer to someone like a teacher or a doctor respectfully.
[2] I can’t find any record of whatever the last question of the first SBS is meant to be referencing. It’s not one of the author comments released alongside the weekly chapters – none of the ones made before volume 4’s release reference stretching or Oda’s limbs in any way. It must have been some other interview, editorial, or space to comment that hasn’t been digitised or translated.
[3] “Kuro Neko” in Japanese, literally and easily translating to “Black Cat.”
[4] Due to L and R sounds being pronounced the same in Japanese (and the sound an “ais” ending makes in French), Roronoa and l’Ollonais sound basically the same in Japanese.
[5] Usopp is specifically throwing “makibishi,” which are the Japanese version of a caltrop. But not since they seem to be all but indistinguishable from other global versions, it didn’t seem worth trying to make the loanword work.
[6] Usopp’s attack name is “Namari Boshi” in Japanese, translating literally to “Lead Star.”
[7] Butch in Japanese is Buchi. This can mean “spotted,” which would match with his design, but has previously been both left completely as is and transliterated as Butchi by previous versions and Japanese databooks. Researching the name, however, I found the Tom and Jerry character Butch Cat, whose name would be written the same as Buchi in Japanese. While this is likely not the intended reference, given the ‘spotted’ meaning, I decide to use Butch as the name anyway as Oda is known (according to a 2022 interview) to have taken inspiration from Tom and Jerry and other classic cartoons for Luffy’s ridiculous powers.
[8] The Japanese Nyanban Brothers is made up of the noise of a cat (nyan) and an explosive onomatopoeia (Ban, or Bang). This isn’t really a pun or anything so there’s no clever way to substitute it, just a search for the best rhyme. I considered leaving it as is, since nyan seems to be fairly easily accepted as a cat noise by English speakers, even without translation notes or contextualisation. In the end, I decided Meow-pow rolled off the tongue best out all the cat noise/explosion combinations I could think of.
[9] Though it can also be read from the Japanese as “Sham,” I decided Siam was the best handling of this name, in reference to the Siamese breed of cats.
[10] Siam’s move Cat Burglar was Nekobaba, more accurately “Cat Droppings,” in Japanese. Rather than being about the theft, it refers to his feigned innocence over it. This comes from a Japanese term comparing the way cats bury their poop to hiding your crime. There wasn’t a succinct way to communicate this in English without losing the cat pun, so I stuck with the cat burglar angle.
[11] In Japanese, Siam describes himself as a hunchback, as the word for it (Nekoze) is the same as the term for a cat arching its back.
[12] Butch’s set of techniques was introduced as “cat kill” in Japanese, while the actual technique he uses here is Cat the Funjyatta, literally meaning “Stomp the Cat,” a well-known kids’ song in Japan. Since this wasn’t going to translate in any intelligible way, I just made it a cat pun.
[13] Harimaki literally means ‘bellyband.’
[14] Mikio Itoo is a caricature of the manga author Mikio Ito, who Oda had worked with as an assistant. The hope that he would reveal himself soon alluded to Ito’s then-upcoming series.
[15] Tora Gari translates to Tiger Hunt.
[16] Using a fragment of Oda’s given name and adding the chan honorific gives this nickname a cutesy vibe.
[17] This statement was made before Nobuhiro Watsuki was convicted for possession of child pornography.
Captain M Entertainment 