Ron Does Stuff

A new season of One Piece! I really liked the first season of this live action adaptation, and I can’t wait to get into this new season!

We start the new season with Shellstown being attacked. But by who? It looks like it’s being attacked by what I can only assume is Baroque Works, as hinted in the trailers. Miss Valentine is there, as well as Miss Sunday from the trailers. I hope I am getting these names right because I have not watched the anime! There is also a third character whose name they haven’t mentioned yet, but I’m sure fans of the anime already know who he is.

We also get to see Miss All-Sunday’s Doce Fleur ability, which is both frightening and beautifully rendered at the same time. Looks like they’re looking for Mister Seven, which Zoro already took care of in the first episode of the first season. The three of them are looking for Zoro, which of course sets them on a course to get into conflict with the Straw Hats.

And where are the Straw Hats? On the Going Merry, with Sanji finding it more and more difficult to come up with meals as their supplies are running low. And because he and Usopp know who to actually talk to when it comes to the nitty-gritty of making the ship function, they head to Nami for what to do next. Loguetown comes up as a destination before heading into the Grand Line, and Nami knows exactly what to say to get Luffy to agree to a Loguetown visit. She brings up the fact that this is where Gol D. Roger was executed and where the legend of the One Piece was born, so of course, Luffy wants to see it.

Before we get to actual Loguetown, we get a flashback to the day of Gol D. Roger’s execution. Before he’s executed, we find out that Gol D. Roger has a son that he’s asked Garp to keep safe, but it isn’t clear to me whether Garp’s agreed to do this or not. Who’s this son?

Back to the present, the Straw Hats finally arrive in Loguetown and Nami is forced to conform to gender roles and acts as the mother of the crew, handing out money to Sanji and Zoro to buy food and swords, specifically, and she can’t help but wish for another female crew member. The crew is a little dong heavy, so it’s not an unfounded wish!

Elsewhere in Loguetown, we see Captain Smoker, who was teased in the end credits of the final episode of the first season. Looks like he’s the main pirate hunter, now that’s Zoro’s a pirate himself. And it’s pretty obvious that he’s going to be an antagonist in this episode and maybe further into the season as well.

Inside Loguetown, there’s one character that the camera focuses on as Nami passes by him, so I’m guessing that he’s going to play a role in the show, either in this episode, further into the season, or maybe even in the third season. I don’t know! I just know that camera zoomed in and lingered on the mullet (?) and the tattoos, so he’s got to be important.

Zoro runs into what he thought was Kuina, but it’s not actually her. Or at least she doesn’t remember she’s Kuina, because what was that “Was that?” for? Maybe this makes sense for the manga readers and anime watchers, but I am neither, so this is all interesting and new to me. We also get a Zoro is good with directions joke, which I only know is a joke because One Piece fans online have continuously made that joke.

The show then tells me what that “Was that?” for, as this new character unintentionally saves Zoro from being swindled and the Wado Ichimonji taken from him. This new character is named Tashigi, and she’s just told Zoro that the Wado Ichimonji is worth tens of millions. Tashigi is also someone Captain Smoker mentioned earlier, so I’m guessing she’s the reason the Straw Hats will get into conflict with him.

Zoro gets Tashigi to help him pick out a sword, and wouldn’t you know it, the Sandai Kitetsu is in the store. Tashigi says it’s a cursed sword, and Matsu the sword seller agrees, which just makes Zoro want the sword even more. He does a ~test~ pitting his will against the sword, and while I don’t know how leaving it to chance to see if your arm gets hacked off by the sword is a test of one’s will, I’ll leave it to Zoro since he’s the swordsman.

Elsewhere, Luffy and Sanji find out that the Baratie’s taken one of Sanji’s recipes from the first season and added it to the restaurant’s menu, which of course, motivates him to come up with even more recipes Elsewhere elsewhere in Loguetown, the mullet guy from earlier tries to pick Nami’s pocket, but Nami’s an old pro and is unimpressed and unscathed, and even gives mullet guy some tips.

Back in the sword shop, Zoro also gets offered Yubashiri, which is an heirloom from Matsu’s family. Matsu’s giving it to Zoro for free, because he thinks Zoro is a worthy swordsman. I guess he’s being sincere and this isn’t a trick, because the show would have shown it if he was.

Meanwhile, Luffy’s wandered off from the market and bumps into mullet guy that tried to steal from Nami. He’s named Bartolomeo, and he’s just jumped from the frying pan into the fire, because Luffy might be naive, but he’s far more dangerous than Nami. However, it’s Bartolomeo’s lucky day because Buggy is also there, and he’s not alone! Alvida’s with him, and she’s eaten the Slip-Slip fruit. She manages to land hit on Luffy, and her and Buggy have Luffy chained with seastone, nullifying his powers. They have a mock trial before ultimately deciding that Luffy needs to be killed, but the Straw Hats arrive before that happens. And we get an okay fight scene! I only say okay because I really feel like they’re still not fully utilizing Mackenyu’s skills. He’s really good at fight scenes!

Just when it looks like Luffy’s going to lose his head, force majeure steps in and saves him from certain death! The Straw Hats scramble as Captain Smoker descends on the scene, with Nami and Usopp going one way and Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji going another. But Zoro has to split from Luffy and Sanji as well as he gets accosted by Tashigi, whi is also a Marine and who promises to get the Wado Ichimonji from him. Of course, Zoro makes quick work of her but spares her life, and is this going to be a thing moving forward?

Elsewhere in Loguetown, it’s Luffy and Sanji who are now getting accosted by a Marine, and not just any Marine, but Captain Smoker himself. As hinted at by his name, Smoker can turn to literal smoke, and it is a challenge for Luffy and Sanji. How are you going to fight literal smoke? Luffy loses this fight, but is saved by…someone. I guess I’ll find out as the season progresses! Gotta say, this fight really felt like an anime for me! And with a smaller budget than a movie, I think!

The Straw Hats escape from Loguetown, but now the Baroque Works members are in town. Tashigi gets propositioned by Miss All-Sunday, but to do what, exactly? Tashigi isn’t a spectacular swordsman, and she doesn’t have powers either. Maybe that’s for further in the season! Smoker comes back after he got stopped by that stranger from killing Luffy, and he tells Tashigi that they’re going to be hunting the Straw Hats as they head to the Grand Line. And they better move fast, because as the episode ends, the Straw Hats have already reached Reverse Mountain, the entrance to the Grand Line.

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