Contents
Cover
Front page request: “Hancock blushes after putting a straw hat on a monkey wearing a t-shirt with Luffy on it” by Onanchuru
Storyline
Wano Country, in the middle of the capital: After Tonoyasu’s public execution, Zoro and Sanji, enraged, have confronted Kurozumi Orochi to punish him for his cruelty. To the shogun’s horror, Zoro launches a direct attack using his Slash 720 Sense Phoenix, to which the regent seems defenseless. At the last moment he is saved by his bodyguard Kyoshiro, who also orders his master to leave the battlefield immediately. At this moment X. Drake, who was looking for the rebel Sanji anyway, enters the scene and attacks him. The Cook is able to dodge, but then all the other men of the army of Wano Country open fire on the two enemies, which Franky, however, opposes with his iron body. In a hurry he finally grabs Yasuie’s body to take him away, while the others continue the fight…
Meanwhile, at the Udon Prison Mine, Luffy is feverishly following the action in the capital when his cheering is interrupted by Queen, who wants to show him two convicts who have just been recaptured. These are the recently escaped Eustass Kid and Kamazo, Orochi’s assassin who failed in his mission to kill O-Toko in Ringo on Zoro. Not understanding how Luffy could succeed in catching such a strong Kid again, the former Supernovae reveals to the rubber boy that Kamazo is none other than his Vice Assassin! Since he couldn’t just leave his partner behind, he had allowed himself to be captured once again. As the “captain”, visibly confused, further reports, Killer once put on his mask to hide the laughter he hates so much, but now he won’t stop. Hyo interprets this to mean that he was forced to eat a Smile, but it didn’t work. Thus, the “Massacre Soldier” is now forced to keep laughing, which simultaneously brings tears to his eyes as well as makes Kid freeze with anger. To make Luffy’s tournament even more hopeless, the guards ultimately seize the two fugitives and repeatedly submerge them in a container of water. As Queen states, this would go on and on as long as Luffy was alive. Furious, he immediately wants to attack Queen herself, when the guards interrupt them. They report loud noises from the main gate as well as the loss of communication to the guards there… As it turns out, Charlotte Linlin aka Empress Big Mom has finally reached the mine of Udon…!
Oda’s comment
The Aoharu Cup Noodles commercial is great! Thanks to all involved! Keep it up!
We’re talking about the Hungry Days ad campaign by Nissin Foods to promote instant noodle dishes. The ad campaign features the Straw Hat Pirates and other characters from One Piece in a Japanese high school setting. The designs were created by mangaka Eisaku Kubonouchi. To mark this collaboration, the color spread of Chapter 972 also features the Straw Hat Pirates with their likenesses from the Hungry Days commercial.
| Manga volumes | Wano Country Arc (Manga) |
