The consuming Night of wickedness has ended and given way to the emancipating radiance of the rising Sun. Time flows and restitution begins its ascent against a backdrop of ruin and relief. As the Kozuki clan return to represent Wano, the process of restoration unites the nation upon the desire of creating a paradise that once used to reflect Wano. Loss becomes the foundation for growth and pain becomes the driver for recovery. To honour the fallen means to move forward and live. A new day has dawned and with it, the freedom to enjoy it.
The brilliant thing with how Oda-sensei scripted Yamato is that no new arc needs to be incorporated within the manga to develop and push forward their story. Every single major story thread that the readers expect to feature within the future of One Piece has been made so Yamato heavily ties into it. When you think about it, the extent to how Yamato has been crafted to seamlessly fit into the future story of One Piece, you can’t help but wonder what Oda-sensei’s intentions for Yamato truly are. So much effort and care has been taken to establish a character that would have no problem existing within the future story alongside Luffy.
The land of Wano crushed under hatred and destroyed by animosity held unjustly toward the people left the hearts of all suffocating in misery for twenty years. Each dawn that arose reminded the people of the hell they resided in and of the inescapable reality governing all aspects of their lives. Freedom became a dream, a visage that would disappear and be forgotten with the rising of the sun and the opening of their eyes. Hope diminished and cries for salvation softened until nothing but silence could be heard. Yet, within that suffering, a flicker of hope endured. The last remnant of perseverance driving the nation forward through the endless torment breaking their hearts, minds, bodies and spirits down piece by piece day by day. The prophecy of Toki echoed throughout Wano and became the silent prayer the people would whisper earnestly to themselves. It became the hope that held the nation together. Twenty years later, as Toki promised, the Akazaya Samurai returned to liberate Wano and ensure the Dawn greeting the day was the signal for the end of the long night that began when Oden died. And the one ushering in the new age for Wano is none other than the son of Toki and Oden, a boy that sailed aboard Whitebeard, Roger and Luffy’s ship, a boy who became a man whose name means “invincible”, the heir of the Kozuki line and the true Shogunate of Wano, Kozuki Momonosuke.
He won. Luffy won. He challenged the world’s strongest creature and together with the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai alliance, the forces of Kaido were defeated. The twenty year long night that began when Oden died has finally been illuminated by the glimmer of hope awaiting in the future. Momonosuke in turn has also saved the Samurai and arrived in the Flower Capital with the Akazaya Samurai (those that can stand) and Hiyori to declare an end to the night and usher in a new dawn for the people of Wano Kuni. The time that stopped on the day Oden died has begun to move again with the arrival of his children, Momonosuke and Hiyori, and the Samurai who believed in them.
Looking at Yamato as a character, Oda-sensei introduced them in a very specific way that directed him toward Luffy. From the fact that Luffy was the person Yamato was waiting for to Yamato’s expression of wanting to travel aboard Luffy’s ship. There wasn’t much hesitation in Yamato’s mind about leaving with the Straw Hat Pirates once Wano was liberated and its borders opened. In order to make a case for Yamato remaining in Wano, the narrative would need to entrench Yamato and his desires within the plot threads of Wano but as at chapter 1049, that has not yet happened (potentially it still could). Rather, Yamato leaving with Luffy has only been reinforced.
Leading up towards the conclusion for the Wano Arc (as at chapter 1049), discussion regarding Yamato’s role aboard the Thousand Sunny in the case they join has been debated very broadly as certainty remains lacking within the established story. Nothing extends out as definite but there are notable possibilities promoted. I for one have been championing the Stonemason theory. Recently though, I have been made aware of the Master Brewer possibility. Initially, I conceived that role as an intensely uninspiring one but the more I think about Master Brewer, the more plausible it seems, especially when you bring into the equation Oden.
The chapter framed itself within the context of Luffy representing Joy Boy, an existence prophecised to precipitate change. Within the narrative of an unfair world ruled by the whims of unjust nobles, the suffering of the people gave rise to a longing for liberation. Those aware of the legends of Joy Boy came to believe in its manifestation and approached life with such a thought in mind. King saw Joy Boy in Kaido. And despite Kaido’s doubt in Joy Boy’s existence, he had hoped for the contrary. The World Government feared Joy Boy and attempted to hid his existence from the world. Oden came to find out the importance of Joy Boy and desired to open Wano for this person. And finally, there is Yamato, who realised the identity of Joy Boy while grieving over Ace’s death. The man Yamato has waited for since that day. Within this chapter, the threads of Joy Boy all converged onto Luffy who drove his fist down from the heavens and sent Kaido flying into the depths of the Earth. A display that illustrated the overwhelming nature of Luffy’s Haki that has now knocked down the world’s strongest creature.
The climatic moment approaches with the weight from decades of pain, suffering and death characterising it. Oden was Wano’s hero but on the day he died, the night representing such a tragedy never ended. Its darkness continued for 20 years encapsulating the whole of Wano and bringing about a reality defined in misery and destruction. Throughout such devastation, a single hope remained in the hearts of the people of Wano. A hope symbolizing the Moon reflecting the light from the Sun within the darkness. Toki’s prophecy of the dawn in 20 years time. On that prophecised day, Wano will be set free and the sun will once again shine on its people. The hope of Wano across 20 years have amassed on this day and the representation of it lies in the form of a titanic fist thrusting itself down from the Heavens onto the embodiment of darkness imprisoning Wano.
Despite being Shogun, Orochi never sought to rule Wano, his intention was always to bring Wano to ruin while enjoying himself in the process. And in that regard, he was immensely successful. Orochi brought the Kozuki name to the point where it was ridiculed and vilified. When you really look at how Wano fell into devastation and had its peoples’ resolve depleted to the point of hopelessness, you come to recognise how systematic Orochi was in deconstructing the aspects of Wano that represented its identity. From the nations honor, to the pride of its people, to the symbolism of the Samurai and to the hope embodied within the Kozuki name. Orochi was the antagonist Wano created. And when he came into power, he desired revenge.
Zoan Devil Fruits have been charactertized in a different context relative to their Paramecia and Logia counterparts. Rather than just possessing and imbuing power, Zoan Devil Fruits also possess a will of their own and are able to express themselves in ways impossible for the Paramecia and Logia Devil Fruits. Due to having a will, inanimate objects or lifeless mediums possessing no will of their own are able to become host for the Zoan Devil Fruits such as guns, swords, teapots or gaseous slimes. Life is able to be established within these mediums due to the nature of Zoan Devil Fruits. Further, it is also implied that the Zoan Devil Fruits have some power over deciding who consumes them. The Nika Fruit evaded the World Government for over 800 years because it did not want to fall into their hands. With that in mind, could the Okuchi no Makami Fruit have chosen Yamato to be its user for specific reasons?
12Dimension 