A true cat and dog rivalry!
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Eiichiro Oda
Translation: Stephen Paul
What They Say
Luffy and the Straw Hat pirates have reunited in Zou but the country is on the verge of collapse. While uncovering the secrets of what happened to this animal kingdom, the Straw Hats also search for the whereabouts of their missing crewmate, Sanji.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
With the crew having reunited, we soon learn that the land of Zou has been in ruin for 10 days now, and as a result, the kings of day and night, the Cat Viper and Duke Dogstorm, were severely injured. And as we find out, this was the work of Jack the Drought and his crew, some vicious pirates serving under Kaido. They came to the land looking for a warrior from Wano named Raizo, but even though the Minks complied to have their land searched, the pirates still insisted on destruction, despite the pleas of the citizens insisting over and over that they knew nothing. As such, it turned into a fierce battle between both sides, but thanks to a chemical weapon developed by Caesar, the Minks ended up losing in the end. It’s a great flashback that shows a bit more into Kaido’s camp while also really making you feel how messed up the situation was.
Anyway, Jack ended up leaving on other business, leaving some of his men behind to continue to crush the kingdom of Zou, but of course this is when the crew stepped in and saved the day, making them saviors to the Minks. However, that isn’t the end of the flashback, as there’s still the matter of Sanji’s disappearance to cover. And it most certainly doesn’t disappoint, as it sets up what’s to come next brilliantly, giving us hints of Sanji’s thus far undiscussed past, as well as showing just how terrifying Big Mom can really be. Plus Bege gets to step back in the spotlight here in a great showcase of both his personality and powers, which is really cool to see.
Outside of the flashback, most of the rest of the book goes mainly to fleshing out the kingdom of Zou, as well as of course setting up where things are heading. While it may not be packed with action, it’s still some real great world building, making the place really feel like a vibrant and interesting location. And on top of that, the characters of Duke Dogstorm and the Cat Viper are just plain great, and a joy to watch. Finally, we end things on a cliffhanger that just plays absolutely perfectly off everything else that happens prior in the volume, making for a truly outstanding emotional beat.
In Summary
Though it may be a tad light on the action (though plenty does indeed occur in the flashbacks), this is a really great addition to the series. It’s a truly outstanding example of world building, as the kingdom of Zou just feels absolutely vibrant and alive, and Oda definitely sells its plight over the course of the book. Adding to this, the Cat Viper and Duke Dogstorm are great characters that steal every scene they’re in, and are a treat every time they’re on the page. And the content here does a wonderful job of both looking forward and back, as the flashbacks are exciting in their own right, while also providing some of the most exciting setup the series has seen in quite some time. Add to this an absolutely great moment at the tail end of the book that utilizes everything established over the previous pages perfectly, and you get a true joy to read, from beginning to end.
Content Grade: A
Art Grade: A
Packaging Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: February 7th, 2017
MSRP: $9.99
