One Piece - Chapter 963 [manga]

[marvelB]

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The Oden flashback continues! Credit goes to Redon and co. from AP for the spoiler info:

-Chapter title is something like "Becoming a samurai". Ministory reveals that a pirate crew known as the "Germs Pirates" have attacked the country in the king's absence.

-According to Nekomamushi and Inuarashi, they learned that the minks formed a pact with the Kouzuki clan centuries ago, which involved them joining forces and fighting together if either group were facing a crisis. The two minks, who were interested in the legend, traveled to Wano to meet the Kouzuki clan, but ended up getting stranded on the beach. They, along with Kawamatsu, get caught by a group of humans, who consider the three to be monsters (more specifically, yokai), and prepare to burn them at the stake! However, they're soon saved by Oden, who happened to be looking for ingredients at the beach.

-We then learn Kawamatsu's story: He and his mother got stranded in Wano after their boat sank. When they tried to ask for help, they faced discrimination due to the fact that they were fish-people. Before she passed away, his mother told him to call himself a kappa in order to avoid any further discrimination. Later, Oden finds himself broke because he lent out all his money to Orochi, who's no longer working for Yasuie. This forces the Scabbards to steal from Yasuie.... which leads to an event we saw from an earlier flashback. As we learned then, Yasu gave them extra money in order for them to get an education and become proper samurai befitting of serving someone like Oden. Three years later, Oden's group undergoes explosive growth, to the point that even shogun Sukiyaki, who is now ill, is surprised by the news. He personally tells his son of this, in what would become the last time the two exchanged words....

-Later, Wano receives yet another surprise visitor: EDWARD NEWGATE, AKA WHITEBEARD!!! His ship, the Moby Dick, ends up washing ashore in Kuri, and needs a week to undergo repairs. Oden, who's excited by the news of the pirates' arrival, meets up with WB, asking him to take him aboard his ship....!!!!

Images

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[Kanon]

Oh wow, young Whitebeard and his crew. Marco and Joz joined him when they were really young. Who's the hot chick?

[Blackbeard D. Kuma]

Marco and Jozu are 45 and 42 years old, respectively. This meeting in this flashback takes place 32 years ago. So that would make Marco and Jozu 13 and 10 years old, respectively, back then.

[Endscape]

Now we're getting somewhere!

[marvelB]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Who's the hot chick?

I believe she's Whitey Bay, one of the NW captains who would later fight alongside WB at Marineford. I guess she was a WB pirate before she formed her own crew, I dunno. Though, if that is the case, that would sorta contradict what Oda said in an earlier SBS about WB not allowing women as fighters in his crew (the only officially recognized female crew members were the nurses, who were the medical staff). I suppose another possibility is that the lady is Bakkin, the mother of Edward Weevil (Marco did confirm she visited WB's ship, remember), but appearance-wise, I'm definitely more convinced she's Bay (she's even wearing a striped outfit like she did in Marineford), so... yeah.

Personally, I'm more stoked to see that Rakuyou is one of the original WB commanders.... aka the shaggy-haired dude with a chain chomp-style weapon. Hard to tell if his weapon was "alive" back then, though....

[Ramero]

So, at this point. Shirohige will earn Izo, Oden, Nekomamushi, and also Inuarashi as a part of his crew.

Still, i wonder when Roger will visit this island? Considering Oden, Nekomamushi, and Inuarashi is also part of Roger's crew. I bet something makes them want to join Roger, hopefully on friendly terms with Shirohige too.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by marvelB

I believe she's Whitey Bay, one of the NW captains who would later fight alongside WB at Marineford. I guess she was a WB pirate before she formed her own crew, I dunno. Though, if that is the case, that would sorta contradict what Oda said in an earlier SBS about WB not allowing women as fighters in his crew (the only officially recognized female crew members were the nurses, who were the medical staff). I suppose another possibility is that the lady is Bakkin, the mother of Edward Weevil (Marco did confirm she visited WB's ship, remember), but appearance-wise, I'm definitely more convinced she's Bay (she's even wearing a striped outfit like she did in Marineford), so... yeah.

If this is her then she hasn't aged a day in thirty years. That's not impossible by One Piece standards (if she is in in a really good timeline), but... I don't know. Everyone else looks noticeably younger.

[marvelB]

Originally Posted by Kanon

If this is her then she hasn't aged a day in thirty years. That's not impossible by One Piece standards (if she is in in a really good timeline), but... I don't know. Everyone else looks noticeably younger.

Well, Rayleigh's partner Shakky looks pretty young for her age, and remember that she was also a pirate from the Rocks era. So if she can pull off that look in the present time, I think it's fair to say that Bay is just as plausible in that regard. Maybe they followed Dr. Kureha's beauty regimen or something, heh.

Actually, speaking of Shakky, I wonder if she'll appear in this flashback? I think it would be pretty cool to see her hanging out on Roger's ship...

Edit: Okay, checked out the full chapter! Huh, the younger minks and Kawamatsu were kinda cute. Also, we learn that Yasu fired Orochi.... guess he found out he stole from him. Oden must really feel pity for the guy to keep lending him money, though. And if that wasn't enough, Orochi is skulking around during Oden's last meeting with his father.... oboy, he usurped the shogun's throne through murder, didn't he?

[Theia_Loki]

Oden: "Let Me set sail with ya!"

Whitebeard: "!?"

Guess even Whitebeard himself wasn't immune to these moments either.

[Hakai]

Finally it's getting to the juicy parts.

So many overreactions over that "clash" smh. But Oden is strong, no doubt. His fight with Kaido was probably closer than what most people initially thought.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by marvelB

Edit: Okay, checked out the full chapter! Huh, the younger minks and Kawamatsu were kinda cute. Also, we learn that Yasu fired Orochi.... guess he found out he stole from him. Oden must really feel pity for the guy to keep lending him money, though. And if that wasn't enough, Orochi is skulking around during Oden's last meeting with his father.... oboy, he usurped the shogun's throne through murder, didn't he?

Given that he's walking around the Shogun's place wearing the clothes of an official, my understanding was that it was all a lie. Rather than getting fired, he moved up, but he made up that lie to bleed Oden dry.

As for Whitey, I guess I'll just assume that's her.

[necrolyte]

Oda is really bad at showing the progress of his characters, just because they look a little changed citizens won't fall in love with them. For people to start revere other person/people that much takes quite some time and not a single look.

Overall, another so so chapter for me.

[Hoodspirit]

Oden impregnates Toki in a bit over a year from now on. Romance incoming!
Toki has too much of lore behind her to skip over it.

Jozu was 12 in this chapter, so we have a gap of only 4 years between Tama and a kid on a future Yonkou crew. If Inu and Neko join right now too, the gap is lowered to 2 years.

Kiku teaching Ashura Doji how to read was quite the cute panel.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Hoodspirit

Oden impregnates Toki in a bit over a year from now on. Romance incoming!
Toki has too much of lore behind her to skip over it.

I don't care about the romance, but I'm interested in Toki as a character. Definitely more than I am in Oden, who is pretty much the worst character in his own flashback.

[Tuor]

It looks like Orochi has already eaten the devil fruit, based on his appearance this chapter.

[Zolton]

Originally Posted by Tuor

It looks like Orochi has already eaten the devil fruit, based on his appearance this chapter.

What makes you say that?

[Blackbeard D. Kuma]

Originally Posted by Hoodspirit

Jozu was 12 in this chapter

Nope, he was 10. It was revealed soon after this whole flashback started by some editorial staff member that it was 41 years ago and not 39 as shown originally. 39 was a mistake. 3 years prior to the God Valley incident.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Blackbeard D. Kuma

Nope, he was 10. It was revealed soon after this whole flashback started by some editorial staff member that it was 41 years ago and not 39 as shown originally. 39 was a mistake. 3 years prior to the God Valley incident.

Oh, I didn't know about that. That means Oden will sail longer, interested in how much time he'll spend with Whitebeard and Roger respectively, as well as how he'll part with Whitebeard.

[Tuor]

Originally Posted by Zolton

What makes you say that?

His teeth. They appear... dragonish to me. Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

[The Small One]

Originally Posted by Blackbeard D. Kuma

Nope, he was 10. It was revealed soon after this whole flashback started by some editorial staff member that it was 41 years ago and not 39 as shown originally. 39 was a mistake. 3 years prior to the God Valley incident.

This is confusing.
Wasn't this incident the point, where the Rocks pirates were disbanded?
In this chapter Whitebeard obviously has his own crew, so this should be after the incident, shouldn't it?