Has One Piece lost its luster? Exploring fan reactions to the latest chapter

An unexpected transformation

For almost two years now, Luffy and his Nakamas set down on Egghead Island, home of Vegapunk, the world's greatest scientist. But in view of the last chapters, it could well be that we are reaching the end of this arc rich in discoveries and twists and turns. After having suffered incessant attacks from a gigantic troop of marines, the coalition of pirates and giants finally seems to succeed in setting sail. While in the last chapter, One of the five elders finally managed to stop the broadcast of Vegapunkchapter 1118 presents us with new challenges.

This new chapter picks up where the last one left off. Luffy's crew has finally reunited and together they try to escape from this war they are trapped in. Along the way, one of the five elders, Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, tries to burn the pirates' ship to prevent them from fleeing. Faced with this, the giants try to push back the flames, but their power is not enough. In a triumphant drum, Luffy then transforms into Gear 5 to repel the winged monstrosity. Seized with admiration for this form of Nika in which the young girl has never ceased to believe, Bonney decides to imitate Luffy and use her power of age to become… Nika.

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…Which disappoints some fans

A surprising end to the chapter, which had the gift of dividing the community. While some are pleasantly surprised by this turn and appreciate the symbolism it represents, others have more trouble with Eiichirō Oda's choice. According to them, Luffy's Gear 5 sees its singularity blunted by Bonney's transformation. If the young girl can also take on Nika's appearance thanks to her fruit of age, perhaps others are also capable of it? If that's the case, it's true that the ultimate power that Luffy was supposed to hold would seem, therefore, less impressive.

However, many fans do not share this opinion at all. According to them, Bonney's transformation would be most justified in relation to her story. The young girl has, her entire existence, believed in Nika, the free and emancipating God of oppressed peoples. Daughter of a slave, this belief allowed her to survive many trials throughout her twelve years of life. It is therefore rational for the glutton to gain self-confidence at the sight of Luffy in Gear 5 and, in the same way as she transformed into a giant a few chapters earlier, May she also embody Nika’s freedom. Fans with divided and divergent opinions, who, for the most part, are mainly waiting to find out more about this final saga. Every week or almost, new chapters of One Piece can be found legally on Glénat Manga Max. The episodes of the anime can be found in streaming on Netflix Or Crunchyroll.