[Timeline] One Piece – Monet

Given this being the day of Monet, I thought it would be fun and insightful to create a timeline for Monet’s story based on what we know so far. While Monet featured primarily only in the Punk Hazard Arc, he role in certain events were critical for her crew. There are also periods of unknown within Monet’s past that would be interesting to have explored, especially with her taking on the role of an undercover agent once she joined the Donquixote Pirates. Besides Dressrosa and Punk Hazard, did Doflamingo have her infiltrate other factions for him?

One Piece Chapter 988 – Straw Hat Pirates VS Big Mom

As the full moon envelops the night sky with its radiant embrace amidst the flakes of snow blanketing the land, the winds of freedom echo across the halls of destruction unhindered by the chaos erupting before it. The Soul King and the Freedom Rider have arrived! And beneath their platform of announcement lies the concussed Big Mom interrupted partway through her act of annihilating the target of her ire. Now injured on top of being enraged, will the Straw Hats have to engage to prevent further devastation? Or will disorientation take hold of Big Mom and dissipate her memories once again?

[Timeline] One Piece – Ace’s Adventure

Edit note: Timeline updated with content featured up to chapter 1000.

Ace has become an extremely relevant character to the story of One Piece even with his death. It could be said that because of his death, Ace’s role in the story has transformed into an even more prominent one. Ace inspired both Luffy and Sabo and has become the driving force for both their adventures in the New World. Additionally, with the current events in Wano Kuni (as at chapter 987), Ace’s journey there 3-4 years ago is holding importance to the characters featured and the developments unraveling now.

Ace desired to help Tama and Wano Kuni when he was last there but presumably aware of his current strength at that time and his inability to take on Kaido, he departed Wano Kuni ensuring Tama that when he returns, Wano Kuni will be a country where she can eat all she wants. With that will unfulfilled, it now falls onto Luffy who has promised Tama that by the time the Straw Hat Pirates leave Wano Kuni, it will be a place she can eat as much as she wants, every single day. Considering how Ace’s adventure holds such an impact on the current events, it makes me wonder what exactly was Ace’s adventure like when he set sail 5 years ago?

[Theory] One Piece – Yamato And The Pheasant

The story of Wano Kuni is largely inspired by the Japanese folklore Momotarō. Within the story, Momotarō is born from a peach which an old couple find floating down a river. The couple named the child Momotarō (Momo being Peach). When the child matured, he left his parents to fight a band of Oni who marauded over the land. The Oni resided in the distant Island, Onigashima. Along the way, Momotarō met and befriended a talking dog, monkey and pheasant, who agreed to help him with his quest in exchange for a portion of his rations – kibi dango. When the group reached Onigashima, they penetrated the demons’ fort and defeated the band of demons. Momotarō and his friends returned home with the demons’ stolen treasure and the demon chief as captive.

While the Wano Kuni story is not stroke for stroke with the Momotarō folklore, Oda-sensei takes deep inspiration from major elements within the story. Momotarō is represented through Momonosuke. The Oni are represented by the Beast Pirates with the Oni chief being Kaido. Onigashima Island is the home base of Kaido. The plundered treasure is the home country of Momonosuke and his people’s freedom. Along the journey to Onigashima, Momonosuke befriends Luffy (who represents the Monkey) and Inuarashi (who represents the talking dog) and requests their aid in his quest to liberate Wano Kuni from Kaido and Orochi. Luffy answers Momonosuke’s request with a promise that he will defeat Kaido. Inuarashi protects Momonosuke and brings him to Wano Kuni. As at chapter 987, the Pheasant has yet to be revealed.

Kaiju No. 8 (Manga)

In a world tormented by destructive Kaiju; terror, ruin and the fear of death permeate the fibers of reality. Against such infernal beasts, humanity has consolidated their hope in a heroic few who act to defend the world from such a hopeless state of actuality. But beyond the focus of the world, there exist an uncelebrated role overlooked by the society that relies of their efforts in order to function after the devastation left by a Kaiju incident. Whether it is procuring parts for research purposes, surveying the scene to prevent further damage, or clearing up the aftermath so that society can return, what is critical after the “heroes” arrive to defeat a Kaiju is precisely, cleanly, efficiently and within a specified deadline dismantling the corpse of the Kaiju. The very structure, process, and danger present in the task is one invisible to the world. But fortunately for the readers looking into such a horrific and despairing setting, hope has been born in the form of a passionate Kaiju dismantler who seeks to expand his skill-set by becoming a defender of the people. Unfortunately the road to dreams is paved by forest of uncertainty and rivers of detours. Our hero finds himself caught in a scenario against the very direction he wishes to travel but when the future remains unknown, the freedom to choose exist all the while stumbling towards the end.

One Piece Chapter 987 – All Out War

The raid has begun. The assault on Kaido and his forces has been signaled by the actions of the Akazaya Nine as they overwhelm Kaido and force him to the ground of Onigashima. Within the shock running through Kaido’s body at the presence of shadows manifesting themselves in front of him after twenty years, memories of Oden reverberate through his mind uncovering a feeling he had thought buried. Across the distance of twenty years, the scar left by Oden on Kaido begins to pulsate in response to the injuries suffered from the Akazaya Nine as they drive their wills through the man responsible for their Lord’s death and the suffering of the land they swore to protect. Kaido acknowledges the actions of the Akazaya Nine and in reply to Luffy’s declaration of war against the forces of Kaido, Big Mom and Orochi, he accepts Luffy’s challenge. An all out war has begun.

One Piece Chapter 986 – The Courage To Face Your Fear

Say it! Shout it out loud for the whole world to hear. The resolve of your heart. The echoes of your suffering. The demons of your mind. Consolidate your courage and pierce through the shroud of terror crippling the conviction of yourself. In the face of the end, look straight ahead and express the unwavering will you hold. Kaido and the verisimilitude of death be damned. Who are you? Embrace your blood and burn your presence within the minds of those in attendance for your end. You are the man able to pull a country cast into ruin out from the hell it now exist in and into a reality outside exploitation, sadism and inhumanity. You are, what you believe you are!