One Piece 1051 Review: The Peach Shogun

One Piece, Chapter 1051: The Shogun of Wano, Kozuki Momonosuke

So this is kind of the huge payoff chapter, in a way. I think we can safely say that, yeah, we're entering the wrap-up stage of Wano. The fights are over, Luffy's Bajrang-Gun'd Kaido and caused a whole damn volcanic eruption, and this is the huge speech moment at the end where our heroes declare Wano is free. I am pretty sure that since we don't have one of those act curtain closing thing that we're going to get something more (probably involving the World Government ships?) but all in all... I think I've kind of formed my opinion about the arc as a whole? 

It's got a lot of great highs. My god, the anime right now is just entering Roof Piece and the sheer pure adrenaline from watching those episodes. But Wano's got its own warts too, and some of the events that had taken place in the past couple of chapters haven't really been sitting right with everyone... and I think the matter of Kaido's characterization is something that's worth discussing now that I actually have a very convenient comparison to point to. 

And yes, that comparison is Tama.

Or rather, Tama's flashback. Tama's flashback fills in some of her backstory -- we get to learn how her parents died because of Orochi's oppression, and it's the hope for an eventual Kozuki victory, instilled by Tenguyama, that caused her to continue holding on. Nothing too significant, nothing too groundbreaking, but it really does tie off Tama's motivations pretty well. Kaido's flashback... it shows us events, yes. I also appreciate and understand why we can't see the Rocks Crew segment of Kaido's flashback. But we don't really understand too much about Kaido's backstory and motivation -- why he's so intent that only Joy Boy can beat him, why he's a death seeker, why he thinks death completes a person... and since Kaido has had so much significant scenes where this part of his motivation is played up as a mystery, I felt like we really should've gotten a bit more in that flashback to really wrap Kaido up properly.

But that's neither here nor there. I've seen arcs end in much worse ways before. 

Anyway, a good chunk of this chapter is just the long, drawn out revelation as the Scabbards and Momonosuke show up and give their big speech. It is well-paced, appropriately dramatic (particularly Kin'emon's kabuki pose at the second page) and we get to see some of the recurring background characters like Franky's carpenter friend all react to the news. The light-scroll snails allow all of Wano to see what's going on as Momonosuke and his retainers make the announcement. 

Meanwhile, we get a fun little scene as the other Straw Hats surround Yamato. There's a hilarious misunderstanding as Brook and Franky think Yamato's going to fight them in her capacity as Kaido's son... and she just flat out goes "I'll be sailing with you from now on!" Brook and Sanji are of course excited, but Jinbe ends up saying something that's a lot more reasonable -- we'll wait for Luffy's word on it. And you know Luffy's going to give his word on it. So yeah, after so many chapters of wishy-washy-ing, Yamato is our next Straw Hat!

(Luffy and Zoro, meanwhile, are being bandaged up and treated by Chopper.) 

We also get a brief acknowledgement from Tama (before the aforementioned flash-backstory) that Tama's mind-control powers lasts for a month, tied to the moon, but some animals do end up still hanging out with her regardless. There's a funny bit where Tama and Speed have a moment, where Tama tells Speed that she would like to think of her as her mother and Speed gets blown away by the wholesomeness. 

All the Scabbards kneel down and Momonosuke walk through the fog towards the audience, and as he lists all of the things that will be abolished, Tama gets her flashbacks and gets all emotional as she hugs Nami. We get a nice Luffy smile as all of this is juxtaposed with Luffy's claim that Wano will be a place where Tama can eat as much as she wants every day. 

And despite his speech, I do like the little acknowledgement that Momonosuke is a bit confused, and Kin'emon gives an encouraging 'fake it till you make it!'. And after another flashback to another one of his best conversations with Luffy, Momonosuke repeats the same speech about his name that he spoke when Kaido crucified him in the festival hall, announcing himself as freaking Kozuki Momonosuke, as we see him in a two-page spread. he looks... kinda like Oden, as expected, but without that weird thing Oden has on top of his head. And as Momonosuke walks into the castle, the narrator talks about how this is the birth of one of Wano's greatest leaders, the shogun Kozuki Momonosuke. 

And... and you know what? I like Momonosuke. He's easily one of my least favourite characters back during Punk Hazard and Dressrosa, but you know what? After his growth, after seeing how much he's grown... now, I think I made my stance clear that I really don't think that Momonosuke is quite mature enough to lead Wano enough, and I feel like it's kind of a missed opportunity to not at least give Hiyori a moment in this chapter even if the end result was going to be Momo... but all in all, this has been a pretty huge chapter in terms of impact. 

Also, interestingly enough and I do hope that this does lead to the confirmation of their fates... while Kiku is hanging around on Nekomamushi's arm, neither Izo nor Ashura Doji are part of the Scabbards here. I'm still somewhat salty about Kiku and particularly Kin'emon's random out-of-nowhere survival, and while those two characters didn't have the best exit, it would be nice to have some deaths even if it's two of the less-developed Scabbards. 

Overall... it's not the perfect conclusion, not by a long shot, but I'm happy for Momo.

Random Notes:

• Cover story: the Germa siblings are cool folks that don't look at explosions. Is... is Anana the little girl with the knife dead? 
• There is a very long-running and prevalent theory that Tama is the child of the Kurozumi clan. I guess that theory's out the window, and... and we're probably not going to deal with the cycle of hatred plotline at all in Wano, I suppose? 
• Little baby Komachiyo is adorable. 
• Ah, yes. The Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance. God bless you, Oda. 
• I love how Kid is just pissed off at the whole 'alliance' thing while Law is just all quiet and pensive. 
• ...is Shinobu not around? I feel like she's not unconscious, and I felt like it's kind of lame not to have her show up and stand in for one of the missing Scabbards. We don't even get to see a reaction from her -- her sole appearance in this chapter is off to the side when Hiyori is hugging Momo.