Undercover Robin (got to love them sunglasses) and Usopp
The Sugar surprise panic strategy has begun and with that so has the most important part of the arc, depending on what happens here, tremendous shock waves will be sent throughout the world. How exactly will the Strawhats and their alliances stop the Donquixote underground trading port and the SMILE factory? And how can such a massive underground trading port exist and function without the World Government knowing about it? I look forward to having these questions answered. Also Oda-sensei is one sly man, I noticed that Christmas present in the final double spread page as well as the hinting of ‘Santa’s-little-workshop’ going on, a very fitting chapter to end things at for the week of Christmas (ho ho ho – where is Brook when you need him, /sadface).
The solution to the Dressrosa problems seems quite simple, render Sugar unconscious, but will it really be that easy? I’m sure Sugar sleeps at some point so wouldn’t the toys have reverted to their human form during those moments? How exactly does her Hobi Hobi no Mi function and Trébol mean he expressed that “not a single one of them knows what she is capable of”, does he mean there is more to Sugar’s ability then people know or was he simply referring to his assumption that the Strawhats know nothing about Sugar because he is oblivious to the fact that the Tontatta tribe has told the Strawhats about Sugar’s ability? Well whatever the case, the Strawhats are after Sugar and they know she is able to transform a person into a toy. Still I have this anxious and worried feeling that there is more to Sugar’s ability then we have been told, the fact that she keeps eating those black [candy] balls and wears an unusual eye patch only adds to the apprehension I’m feeling. Can it be that Sugar doesn’t sleep?
What exactly does Trébol mean?
Franky cutting loose and attacking one of the four Toy Factory entrances is a very appreciated twist, I was hoping we would get to see Franky in action and it turns out he is the first one we will get to see in a serious fight against one of the Donquixote crew members. Senor Pink, I am speechless, there are so many conflicting aspects to his character, but what a fitting match-up, two characters with preferences for speedo’s going at it. Not sure why so many woman gather around Senor Pink, but he is apparently “hard-boiled”, oh dear…I couldn’t help but burst out with laughter after reading that be overwhelmed by a totally perplexing scenario. Well whatever, he has some charm we haven’t seen yet, but what we have seen is him being able to transverse through the ground as if he were swimming in water. It does seem like he has a Paramecia type Devil Fruit. Will be interesting to see how Franky combats one these executive members whom have a 100% victory rate – incoming a reduction to that figure as well as to the other three members in Diamante’s forces when they meet with the Strawhats or their alliance.
Fraland Goes Wild – colour by SergiART
Loved how the scenes shifted to the various Donquixote groups after Franky initiate the Strawhat attack on the toy factory. I can’t believe Doflamingo is underestimating the Strawhats so much after he boldly told Law that he won’t be one of those defeated people who underestimated the Strawhats. Since he found out about Sanji being able to cause Viola to defect the Donquixote Pirates, he should have realised how much more capable the Strawhats were. Either way, Doflamingo is going down, as for how spectacularly, well we’ll just have to wait and see how badly the Strawhats want to vent their pirate fury onto Doflamingo (currently in Luffy, Sanji and Franky’s case, immensely).
Ah, I can’t stop wanting Monet to be alive, this intense belief I have that she survived somehow won’t calm down. The fact that she has a Logia Devil Fruit ability (the first canon female user) and a cool on at that – Yuki Yuki no Mi, a profound epithet – the Yuki-Onna, and a really awesome character design, I feel that keeping her relevant for only one arc would be just too cruel. Hopefully my theory about how Caesar’s stab not being deep enough in the heart to be fatal will come about (crosses fingers).
A massive space underneath Dressrosa, the underground Trading Port
Finally we get to see inside the underworld of the Dressrosa and how unbelievably surprising, to think such a massive trading port existed underground =/. Now with the Tontatta tribe, the Thunder Solider, Usopp and Robin inside the facility, I wonder what mayhem will result. I doubt Doflamingo could have foreseen something like this, which makes it all the sweeter waiting for the reaction he will express when he does realise how badly he has underestimated the Strawhats. Somehow I feel it will Robin who ends up dealing with Sugar, but I wouldn’t mind seeing her deal with Trébol, it would make for a great opportunity to showcase the progress she has made over the two years and during her time with the Revolutionary Army. Well whatever happens, I am looking forward to seeing more of undercover Robin in action (love how we are getting a situation in which she excels at) and hopefully next issue we will get to see Sabo =).
12Dimension 