is enies lobby in water 7?
The Enies Lobby Arc, also referred to as the Judicial Island Arc, is the sixteenth story arc of the manga and anime One Piece, and the third story arc of the Water 7 Saga.
The Enies Lobby Arc, also referred to as the Judicial Island Arc, is the sixteenth story arc of the manga and anime One Piece, and the third story arc of the Water 7 Saga.
The Straw Hats, Sogeking, the Franky Family, and the shipwrights of the Galley-La Company arrive at Enies Lobby aboard the Rocketman to rescue Nico Robin and Franky. Standing in their way, however, are the forces of the World Government, including its deadly assassin organization, CP9. A massive battle ensues between the two sides when Luffy declares war against the World Government.
Reunited with Sanji and Sogeking (Usopp) shortly thereafter on the Rocketman, the Straw Hats, along with the Franky Family and Galley-La,[1] began an all-out assault on the government island of Enies Lobby against thousands of Marine soldiers[2] and the Cipher Pol agents in a last-ditch effort to rescue their friends Nico Robin and Franky before they are dragged through the Gates of Justice. The massive doors are the only thing standing between Robin and Franky and their respective destinations: Marine Headquarters and the terrifying prison of Impel Down.
While the others battled with the giants Oimo and Kashii, dog-riding guards, monstrous jurors and a three-headed judge, Luffy rushes ahead and engages the numerous Marines and Agents on the island; in spite of their numbers and numerous wrong turns, he overpowers them[3][4][5][6][7] and eventually reaches the roof of the courthouse.[8] Meanwhile, Spandam gloats with overconfidence until a Marine finally reports in that casualties are mounting at a horrendous rate: over 2,000 so far, with Luffy himself responsible for half that total.[9] Furthermore, thanks to his previous contact with Dorry and Brogy, Sogeking was able to convince Oimo and Kashii to defect.[10] For the first time, Spandam starts to panic.[9] On the courthouse roof, Luffy encounters CP9 agent Blueno.[11] Unlike last time, Luffy is able to keep track and match his skill.[12] Then Luffy reveals his new Gear 2 ability,[13] which allows him to imitate the technique Soru to great effect, enhances his body to withstand the strain while using it, and allows him to overpower Blueno's strongest Tekkai technique, ultimately knocking him out.[14] Franky used his Coup de Burst to free himself from his chains taking Robin with him. Luffy called out to Robin and told her that he was coming for her. She replied that she didn't want to be saved and that she just wanted to die.[15]
The others finally catch up, and as the CP9 and Straw Hats face each other,[16] Robin's past is finally revealed,[17][18] as well as her last reason for being unwilling to return to the crew: having been betrayed so many times in the past, she's terrified that one day the Straw Hats will see her as a burden, and also betray her. She screams that she would prefer death to that. The other Straw Hats quietly acknowledged the reason Robin had, then Spandam burst out laughing, saying she's absolutely accurate, and nobody would be stupid enough to think she wasn't a burden after traveling with her. Spandam pointed at the flag on top of the Tower of Justice and told Luffy that the organization after Robin is over 170 affiliated nations.
Luffy acknowledged this, then told Sogeking to shoot down the flag. Sogeking complied, utilizing his new Kabuto weapon to launch a fiery missile at the flag, setting it ablaze and shocking Spandam, Robin, and all the Marines and Agents in Enies Lobby beyond words; the Straw Hat Pirates had just declared war on the World Government. Spandam questioned Luffy's sanity, but he just bellowed back that he can take it, then tells Robin to admit that she wants to live. Unable to doubt her friends any longer after seeing them declare that her enemy is their enemy also, she tearfully begged them to take her out to sea with them.
At this point, the Franky Family finally managed to pull the levers, and the drawbridge between the courthouse and the Tower of Justice began to lower. The Straw Hats waited impatiently, while Spandam is terrified.[19] However, Judge Baskerville ordered the personnel to fire the mortar cannon to forcibly stop the drawbridge. Paulie and Zambai attempted to stop him by cutting between his three heads, but it is revealed that they were three people in the same suit. The mortar cannon fired, stopping the drawbridge, and Spandam started to drag Robin, heading for the Gates of Justice, but Franky stopped him.[20]
Franky, impressed by the nerve of the Straw Hats, and knowing he has misjudged Robin, revealed the blueprints that the government had been after. He explained that the architect who wrote the blueprints of Pluton thought there should not exist a weapon like this without having a weapon against it in the case of it falling into the hands of someone like Spandam. Because he figured this was the only way to satisfy the wish of the architect, Franky then burned the blueprints right in front of CP9, telling them that he is betting on the Straw Hats' victory: if they lose, and Robin is taken, the world will end; but if they win, Spandam will be left with nothing. He told Luffy that he will help him with his fight. In anger, Spandam pushed Franky over the balcony, but Kokoro contacts the Straw Hats and told them to jump into the waterfall. Luffy complied, bringing the rest of his crew with him, and they land on the Rocketman as it shoots off the half-open drawbridge.[20] The train caught Franky on its front before plowing into the Tower of Justice.
Spandam is shocked, and immediately started to drag Robin away, heading to the Gates of Justice. Before he leaves, he tells CP9 that they have permission to massacre all of the invaders. He ordered Rob Lucci to come with him to take Robin, since he needs to be protected, then called Funkfreed, who turned into a sword. Spandam reflected that with his specially reserved sword and the CP9, he should have nothing to fear.
The Straw Hats emerged from the wreckage of the Rocketman, having suffered only minor injuries. When they head towards the stairs, they are called by Fukurou, who was in a corner of the room. He tells them that Robin is being taken to the Gates of Justice by Lucci and Spandam, and that CP9 has been given orders to eliminate them. He then showed them a key, which he explained is a key to Robin's Seastone handcuffs. After a bit of conversation amidst the Straw Hats about this, Fukurou explained that Seastone is as hard as diamond, and the handcuffs could never be removed without the key.
Luffy attempted to get it back, but Fukurou evaded with Soru. When he reappeared, he tells the crew that the key he has may or may not be the one to Robin's cuffs. He goes on to say that, including him, there are five CP9 members in the building, each with a key, and only one would release Robin's handcuffs. The Straw Hats would need to defeat all of CP9 to be sure that they had the right key. Nami suggested that they retrieve Robin first, but Fukurou threatened to throw the key into the ocean if she does. Fukurou tells them that CP9 is giving them a chance, then fled into the building.
Luffy immediately started to run after Fukurou, but Zoro and Sogeking hold him back, saying that they need to decide where they are going first. After clarifying that Lucci is "the pigeon guy", they decided to send Luffy on ahead to deal with him. Sanji stated that without Luffy, they have six people with them, and they'll need to defeat the five CP9 in the building before heading off to join Luffy. Sogeking worried that if Robin gets to the Gates of Justice, it's all over. Knowing it's a race against time, the Straw Hats rush off, with the determination to win their fights, even if they die trying.[21] Chimney and Gonbe ran after them, wishing them luck, but then fell through a trapdoor. Kokoro, who had been drinking, wondered where they went.
Chimney and Gonbe end up in a candlelit secret passageway and heard something echoing from the other end. When they recognized it as Spandam's voice, they ran towards it.[22] Spandam, with Lucci and Robin behind him, walked down a spiral staircase, Spandam laughing and taunting Robin all the while.[21] Chimney and Gonbe emerged from a hidden door in the tower, then followed the group. They reached the bottom of the tower, finding a large, formidable-looking steel door with an electric lock. Spandam fumbled with the control panel for a few moments, during which Lucci noticed Chimney and Gonbe, but does nothing. The door opened, revealing a very long corridor.[22]
Franky ran through the tower, looking for the kitchen to refill his cola supply. He finally finds it, but Fukurou blocked his way. Nami encountered Kumadori in a dungeon, and Sogeking tried a number of doors before coming across a garden where Jabra is sleeping with the key lying on the ground in front of him. Sanji runs into an apparently empty room, but Kalifa revealed herself and effortlessly seduced Sanji into taking tea with her. Zoro, swords at the ready, confronted Kaku in his study.[21]
Luffy, finally having found the right path through the maze of staircases within the tower, arrived at the top of the Judicial Tower, but finds that Fukurou was telling the truth and Robin had already left.[23] Spandam, explained that even if Luffy were to catch up to them, he would not know how to get across to the Gate.[21] Kaku, claiming to be CP9's best swordsman, tested his four-sword style against Zoro. After a duel revealed them to be evenly matched, he declared Zoro a worthy opponent, and uses his newfound Devil Fruit abilities for the first time.
Meanwhile, Sogeking tried to steal the key from the sleeping Jabra without a fight. Before he can reach it, however, a rooster appeared and chirps, startling him into making noise that woke Jabra up. He recognized Sogeking as a pirate and attacks him, revealing his Devil Fruit ability: Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Wolf. The fight is then interrupted by the room's ceiling collapsing.[23]
Zoro fell down, followed by Kaku, whose Devil Fruit gives him the form of a giraffe. However, his inexperience with his new powers caused him to accidentally transform into the full animal form rather than the hybrid. Jabra finds Kaku's new appearance very funny indeed, and they get into an argument until Zoro reminded Kaku of their fight. He subsequently changed into his hybrid form, but his appearance makes Zoro lose his focus, and made Jabra laugh even harder. Noticing their distraction, Sogeking tried to immobilize the assassins with a pair of Seastone handcuffs he finds, but only succeeded in hitting Zoro, as his aim was spoiled by laughing at Kaku. The latter, annoyed that everybody is laughing at him, lost his temper and cut the tower in half with his Rankyaku: Amane Dachi. Zoro and Sogeking avoid the attack but find themselves accidentally locked together by the Seastone handcuffs. Since Kaku and Jabra cannot decide who gets to kill their opponents while they are handcuffed together, they offered to unlock the two to avoid getting into another argument. Sadly, neither of them had the correctly numbered key, with Kaku having Number 5 and Jabra having Number 1, so they resign themselves to fighting both of them.
Meanwhile, Chopper managed to find the room where Zoro and Sogeking are fighting. They tell Chopper that he must find one of the other CP9 members and get the number 2 key. Chopper ran off, hoping that Sanji will have the right key. In the dungeon, Kumadori has Nami trapped with his hair attacks, giving her no opportunity to use her Clima-Tact.
Franky, low on cola and thus unable to use any special attacks, is forced to box with Fukurou. They compared the strength of their punches and find themselves evenly matched in strength and toughness. After three cups of tea, Sanji came to his senses and demanded Kalifa's key. She took advantage of his reluctance to hurt women and kicked him across the room.[24][25]
Finally, Luffy reached the bottom of the Judicial Tower, where he can see the Gates of Justice in front of him. The only problem is that between him and the Gates is a giant whirlpool.[24]
Nami is nearly killed by Kumadori before Chopper attacked him to rescue her, and she escaped having stolen Kumadori's key. Sanji suddenly fell from an upper story, his body terribly wounded and deformed by some unknown power into a doll-like figure. He explained his plight to Nami, who gently chastised him for his foolishness before advancing to face Kalifa herself.
At the Gates of Justice, Luffy nearly drowned trying to cross the ocean by himself, but is rescued by Gonbe and Chimney, who led him to a secret passage that Spandam had used earlier. It led to the lower areas of the tower, and eventually to an immovable steel door. Luffy broke through it with his new Gear 3. The attack was not shown, but afterwards his body is briefly shrunk to child-size.[25]
Luffy returned to normal as he pursued Lucci and Spandam. Lucci informed his commander that they are being followed, and Spandam ordered him to wait behind to hold off any pursuit while he takes Robin to the Gates of Justice.[26]
Meanwhile, Franky and Fukurou's battle continued into the kitchen, each one trying to punch harder than the other. As the two swapped blows and taunts, Franky began to flag due to lack of cola, but their fight was interrupted by Kumadori and Chopper, who burst in through one wall. Chopper's first Rumble Ball has worn off, so he stalled Kumadori by locking him in an enormous fridge. He joined forces with Franky, and after "accidentally" giving the cyborg the wrong drink several times, Chopper gave Franky a full cola refill. Franky, now super-charged, punched Fukurou out of the building,[26] and their fight continued outside, taking them down into the ocean and then high above the Tower,[27] where Franky ended the fight with his Coup de Vent cannon.[28] Franky then grabs the Number 4 key off of Fukurou's coat pocket.[29]
Zoro and Usopp are still handcuffed together and running from Kaku and Jabra as best they can. The two agents managed to get into another argument in the process, giving Zoro and Usopp a chance to form a plan—if Zoro cannot hold a sword with Usopp on his arm, Usopp must 'become' his sword and be used as a weapon instead. Usopp reluctantly agreed.[28]
Back in the kitchen, Kumadori escaped from the fridge by eating his way out, and confronted Chopper,[27] who is forced to eat another Rumble Ball in the hope of beating this powerful enemy. However, eating two Rumble Balls in such a short time made his transformations random and erratic, leaving him open to attacks. In the end even his strongest attack could not defeat Kumadori, and he fell, badly wounded.[28]
In the moment before Kumadori finished him, he remembered the last time he took three Rumble Balls in a row, and how he woke up to hear that a monster had destroyed much of his village. His mentor Dr. Kureha had told him that the monster had been him and made him promise to never do it again. With an apology to Kureha, and hoping that his friends aren't nearby, he took a third Rumble Ball, and grew into a gigantic, terrifying monster that dwarfs Kumadori.[29] He crushed the CP9 agent and threw him from the Tower of Justice to the main island.[30]
In Kalifa's room, Nami's battle seemed to have ended prematurely - she lay paralyzed on the floor as Kalifa calmly took a bath. Nami, recovering her strength, tried to attack the CP9 agent,[29] who defended herself with her newfound Devil Fruit powers - she is revealed to have eaten the Awa Awa no Mi, which allows her to create bubbles which can weaken enemies, harden into soap for defense, or transmute an enemy's body entirely (as in the case of Sanji). Having worked this out, Nami continued to fight, but is soon weakened by Kalifa's bubbles.
Down in the basement, Luffy finally caught up to Lucci,[30] who held him at bay while Spandam escaped towards the Gates of Justice with Robin. When Robin tried to escape, Spandam attempted to summon CP9 with his ordinary Den Den Mushi but used the Golden Den Den Mushi by mistake, which summons the Buster Call, a powerful Marine fleet with orders to destroy the entire island. Realizing his mistake, Spandam contacted all the Marines stationed on the island, ordering them to report in. Meanwhile, Marine Headquarters receives the Buster Call signal on the Silver Den Den Mushi. Noting the target to be Enies Lobby, they decide to launch the fleet straight from headquarters so as to reach there within 30 minutes.[31]
Spandam, at first panicking and not realizing that he is still on air, started to gloat that the lives of the Marines do not matter as long as he can bring Robin alive to the Gates of Justice. Robin cut in on his broadcast with a warning to the Marines. Understandably alarmed, the listening Marines evacuated the island, leaving the Franky Family and Galley-La workers behind as prisoners.
Hearing Robin's warning, Luffy tried to force his way past Lucci to reach her, but Lucci fought back fiercely and stopped him in his tracks, forcing him to continue the fight.[31] Jabra and Kaku decided to end their fight with Zoro and Usopp quickly in order to escape the approaching bombardment.
In Kalifa's room, Nami struggled against the superior skill and powers of her opponent, who began to transmute Nami's body just like she did with Sanji. Before she can finish Nami off, however, Chopper broke into the room, still in monstrous form and totally out of control.[32] The giant Chopper attacked Nami wildly, uprooting Kalifa's bath in the process. He threw it down the stairs to where Sanji lay unconscious below, drenching the whole area with water before storming off. The water from the bath washed away Kalifa's weakening bubbles; A splash on Nami's leg let her realize how to restore herself using Rain Tempo. She then used Mirage Tempo to confuse Kalifa[33] before eventually defeating her with a Thunder Lance Tempo and taking her key.
Meanwhile, Chopper wandered into Zoro and Sogeking's fight, and Zoro fought to protect him from Jabra and Kaku. Franky arrived and decided that the only way to stop Chopper is to knock him into the ocean to cancel his Devil Fruit powers. He blew Chopper out of the tower with his Coup de Vent, then jumped in after to save him. Nami unlocked Zoro and Sogeking's handcuffs, allowing the real fight against Jabra and Kaku to begin.[34]
Robin tried to escape from Spandam, but he stopped her by attacking with Funkfreed.
With Chopper back to normal, safe, and out of the water, Franky remembered that Nami told him to head towards the Gates of Justice to try Fukurou and Kumadori's keys on Robin's handcuffs, so Chimney and Gonbe showed him the way.
Zoro began to once again battle Kaku. Kaku revealed more impressive abilities through the use of his Devil Fruit, using his nose as a larger version of Shigan; the deflected blow easily cut into a boulder nearby.
Usopp tried frantically to defend himself against Jabra, but even his new Kabuto is no match for the CP9 agent's speed. Jabra caught Usopp off guard by offering him the key without a fight, but attacked Usopp at the last moment, knocking him down. With his opponent helpless, Jabra began to gloat at Usopp's weakness, but is cut short by the sudden arrival of Sanji, returned to his normal self[35] by the falling water from Kalifa's bath. He distracted Jabra and told the wounded Usopp to help any way he can.
Outside, the Sea Train departed, filled to capacity with escaping Marines. Meanwhile, Paulie (who used his rope skills to pretend he was bound) managed to untie the other captives, and they tried to find an alternative way off the island.
Fighting Sanji on the tower's high landing, Jabra revealed his Tekkai Kenpo - a fighting style which allows him to move and fight while using Tekkai, making him all but immune to Sanji's kicks. Suddenly Jabra stopped the fight, tearfully offering Sanji his key and telling him that Robin is really his long-lost sister. Sanji ignored the deception and continued the fight.
Meanwhile, Usopp, high above on the tower, came up with a plan.[36]
To combat Jabra's impenetrable Tekkai, Sanji creates a new technique, Diable Jambe, where he heats up one foot with friction, resulting in powerful kicks that burn through his enemy's defense. He kicked Jabra all the way down to the ground floor, defeating him.[37]
Meanwhile, Spandam dragged Nico Robin across the Bridge of Hesitation, a long bridge that leads to the Gates of Justice. Franky caught up to Luffy and Lucci and asks Luffy if he needed help. Luffy snapped at him, telling not to interfere. He told Franky to take the keys and head to where Robin is, behind the door Lucci is guarding.
Zoro and Kaku continued their duel, with Kaku using his Devil Fruit power to gain the upper hand, wounding Zoro with a rain of Rankyaku attacks. Zoro stalled Kaku by mocking his voice.[38] Angry now, and experimenting wildly with his transformations, Kaku changed to a more powerful form, which removes his long neck while lengthening his arms and legs. Combined with larger swords he retrieved, Kaku gained the upper hand and mocked Zoro's attempt to rescue Robin.
This angered Zoro, prompting him to unleash a new mysterious technique, Nine Sword Style, which made him appear like an Asura deity; three faces plus six arms meant nine swords total. Realizing the danger, Kaku prepared his finishing blow, the powerful Rankyaku attack that sliced the tower in half. Zoro countered with Asura: Ichibugin,[39] which was so powerful it negated Kaku's Rankyaku and finally incapacitated the CP9 agent. In the end, Zoro delivers Paulie's message of termination, and the downed Kaku freely gave Zoro his key and even shared a joke with the man who defeated him. At this moment, Sanji catches up to Zoro and learns the last key is now theirs.
Robin admitted she is afraid of death, and tried to escape, even biting down on the bridge to stall for time. At the same time, she insisted in her mind that the crew will be coming to save her.[40]
Luffy is unable to hurt Lucci, who hit him with a rapid-fire Shigan. Franky comes to Luffy's aid by trying to hit Lucci with the same move he used against Fukurou. Franky's move is unsuccessful against Lucci's much-stronger Tekkai, and Lucci prepared to strike Franky. Luffy used his Gear 2 ability and knocked Lucci away. Franky was astonished by Luffy's strength and power, and encouraged him to defeat Lucci. Luffy manages to keep the now transformed Lucci at bay and allowed Franky to leave the room to chase after Spandam and Robin.[40]
On the bridge, Spandam dragged Robin by a rope, gloating that no one will ever reach her because he set up landmines behind them. He then explained that his father, Spandine, was the one who led the destruction of Ohara, which infuriated Robin. There is an explosion as Franky triggered the landmines and is blown into the water, and Spandam laughed that no one will save Robin.
Spandam is suddenly hit in the head by a missile, and the Marines waiting to transport the prisoner are also attacked. Sogeking had fired the shots from the top of the Tower of Justice, a distance that none of the Marines could hit with any weapon and none could see without binoculars.
Robin escaped and the Marines fired at her, but Franky jumped in the way to block the bullets (the landmines had only delayed him). Sogeking shot Zoro and Sanji's keys to Franky, leaving him with all of the keys to use on Robin's cuffs[41] (the Number 5 key was the right one). Spandam is shocked that CP9 was defeated. With all the keys in hand, Franky eventually unlocks Robin's Seastone cuffs. Robin thanks Sogeking but he replied that she should save the thanks until later. Sogeking also tells Robin that she is now free to do whatever she wants, and Robin made her decision. Using her Devil Fruit abilities she attacked Spandam.
The celebration is cut short when the Buster Call arrived, and the top of the Judicial Tower is blown up. The defensive fence surrounding Enies Lobby is also destroyed. Franky shouted out that this is their last chance to escape, as there is an escort ship at the end of the bridge. In the tunnels beneath the towers, Nami, Kokoro (carrying Chopper on her head), Chimney and Gonbe continued their escape.
The battle with Luffy and Lucci raged on. Luffy is able to land an attack on Lucci, who is forced back with pain. Lucci then explained to Luffy that his Gear 2 ability is wearing his body away and shortening his life span by pumping blood into his legs, causing his blood-flow to speed up. Luffy yelled back that he does not care and wishes to save his comrades first. So Lucci raised the stakes and used a Rankyaku to smash a wall, causing water to flow into the tower and the tunnel system below; anyone in it (namely any of Luffy's comrades trying to catch up to him) will drown.
Spandam ordered the Marines to take back Robin, but the Marines stopped as they see the Buster Call approaching. The Buster Call is now upon Enies Lobby and is about to destroy everything. The fleet appears along with the five Vice Admirals.[42]
The Buster Call Marines explain that they can destroy everything but the bridge on Enies Lobby, because Robin is standing there, although Spandam thinks it is because of his presence. It is revealed that during the last Buster Call, everything on Ohara was destroyed except for the ground where Spandine was standing.
The Franky Family continued to rush to the Gates of Justice; meanwhile, Sogeking (blown off from the attack on the tower) falls to where Sanji and Zoro are located. They tried to get Sogeking to leave, but he is slowed by injuries. He tried to explain the properties of Kabuto, but is cut off by Sanji. Nami, Chopper, Kokoro, Chimney, and Gonbe are under the room where Lucci and Luffy are fighting, which is also filling up with water.
Having exhausted himself, Luffy is attacked fiercely by Lucci, who taunted that he thought Luffy was stronger. So Luffy unleashes Gear 3, briefly explaining how it works. His arm then swelled to massive proportions, and he attacked Lucci with a Gigant Pistol, sending him flying through the wall and toward the sea.[43]
A Marine asked Vice Admiral Doberman how to handle the capture of Nico Robin. The Vice Admiral ordered him to ignore her and began to explain about Lucci's past.
15 years ago, an incident happened where 500 soldiers were captured on an island by pirates. The pirate’s captain wanted to become the king of the island in return for sparing the soldiers' lives. Just as the island was about to fall, the World Government sent a boy to the island. The boy infiltrated the pirate's hideout and killed the 500 soldiers on the spot. The pirates, infuriated, began to shoot at the boy. The boy emerged from the explosions, killed the pirate's captain and ended the incident. That boy, at the age of 13, became a member of CP9, and has become the strongest killing machine since CP9’s inception.
The Marines, upon hearing the story, became frightened. The Vice Admiral tells the Marines that as long as that man is here assisting in the recapture of Nico Robin, they do not need to act, and will do nothing until all but the Bridge of Hesitation is destroyed. In the tunnels, Zoro, Sanji and Sogeking heard the sound of water, and see Nami, Kokoro (with Chopper on her hat), Chimney, and Gonbe running away from the rushing water. The water began to fill up the passage, engulfing them all.
Lucci, after receiving a Gear 3 attack, is knocked out, and landed on one of the Marine's ships. After recovering, Lucci returns to human form and takes off his shirt, showing scars on his back similar to the World Government's symbol. Luffy inhaled deeply and then attacked the ship. The Marines fired at him, but Luffy was unaffected.
Luffy resumed his fight with Lucci, attacking with a Gigant Axe, but Lucci managed to dodge it. He turned into his complete animal form and bit Luffy. Luffy escaped by expanding his body, while Lucci returned to his human form. Luffy tried to hit Lucci with a Gigant Whip, but Lucci dodged it as the attack destroyed the mast of the ship. Lucci fired a Tobu Shigan Bachi and hit Luffy, and deduced that Luffy's speed decreases as his strength increases. The ship starts to split while Lucci laughed boldly.
Vice Admiral Onigumo noted Lucci and Luffy fighting and ordered the fleet to target the ship they are on. He explained that if it's Lucci, then he will survive. A Marine objected to the idea, saying that 1,000 Marines are aboard the ship. The Vice Admiral killed the Marine on the spot, asking if he can protect the future from a criminal with his weakness. The ships begin firing,[44] and the ship that Luffy and Lucci is on is hit. Luffy escaped the bombardment, returning to the tower. However, when he lands, he is shrunk from the side effects of Gear 3. He then hid from Lucci until he could return to normal size.
Spandam mocked the pirate, thinking Luffy died in the attack, and continued to brag about the Buster Call until Franky punched him in the face. Angry, Spandam tried to attack Robin with Funkfreed in elephant form, but is stopped by Franky, who threw the animal back right on top of Spandam.
Lucci found Luffy and began to attack him. However, right before Lucci could strike the finishing blow, the damage from the Gear 3 attack starts to hurt. As he struggled with the pain, Luffy returned to normal. In the tunnels, Zoro and the others slowly drown. As they neared death, Kokoro saved them all by revealing her true identity as a mermaid.[45]
Robin and Franky hijacked Spandam's escape ship, and Kokoro soon arrived, jumping into the ship with the unconscious Straw Hat crew. Robin and Franky thank her as she changed back into a human and their friends woke up, but they realized they still need to wait for Luffy.
Meanwhile, Oimo and Kashii, who had been carrying Zambai, Mozu and Kiwi, the rest of the Franky Family, Paulie, Lulu, Tilestone, Sodom, Gomorrah, and Yokozuna out of the path of the Buster Call, finally reached the exit of Enies Lobby. However, they are attacked by three Buster Call ships; hit by cannon fire, the Straw Hats' allies tumbled into the waterfall below.
Luffy, still having trouble with Lucci, used Gear 2 once more to even the odds.[46] The Straw Hats and Franky continued to wait on the ship for Luffy. They heard an announcement from the Buster Call ships about the apparent deaths of their allies, leaving everyone, especially Franky, shocked. The group then discuss Luffy's fight with Lucci, claiming that Luffy always seems to know exactly which opponent he has to fight so they aren't overwhelmed.
Back at the battle, Lucci hits Luffy with the most powerful Rokushiki technique he knows, damaging Luffy heavily. However, it only leaves Luffy more determined than ever to defeat Lucci. Meanwhile, the Buster Call ships realized that Rob Lucci and Luffy are in the tower,[47] so they destroyed half the bridge and isolated the tower. The fleet aimed at where the rest of the crew were waiting, to capture Nico Robin and Zoro and the rest of the crew. The crew get ready to fight back so that Robin will not be recaptured. The Marines are astonished by the crew, noting that one pirate crew was able to take down Enies Lobby and CP9.
Sogeking spotted Luffy and Lucci in the tower and called out to the pirate. Franky, Sogeking, Zoro, and Sanji, who are on the bridge, cheered him on. Newly motivated, Luffy prepares to fight Lucci again. Lucci, upon seeing the crew, remarked that it was quite the crew, but that evil cannot win.
As the fight of Luffy and Lucci continued, the Buster Call ships announced that 200 Captains and Lieutenants will finish off the crew and recapture Nico Robin. As the pirates get ready to fight back, they realized that Sanji has gone missing. Nami exclaimed that they need to get off the ship as Chopper finds himself unable to move. On the bridge, Franky, Sogeking, and Zoro took on the Captains and Lieutenants, as Franky noticed that there are Devil Fruit users among them, making the fight more difficult. Zoro's sword Yubashiri is broken during this fight. Robin and Nami fought off the Marines that attacked the ship.
Meanwhile, in the battle against Lucci, Luffy began to struggle as the effects of his Gear 2 begin to show. Lucci taunts him that no matter how hard Luffy struggles, in the end, Luffy cannot take down Enies Lobby. Luffy attacked, but Lucci dodged his attack and landed another devastating Rokuougan. Luffy fell to the ground and attempting briefly to stand before collapsing in a pool of his own blood.
On the bridge, while fending off the attackers, Sogeking see Luffy's fall and froze. He finally takes off his mask and cried out for Luffy.[48] Usopp encouraged Luffy to get up and to stop looking so defeated. Usopp tells Luffy that he came to save Robin, not to see Luffy being beaten up, and then challenged Lucci to a fight. Luffy stopped him, knowing that Usopp will be killed almost instantly. Now more determined than ever, Luffy got up again to fight,
Despite being attacked again and again by Lucci, Luffy still fought back. Lucci hit Luffy with another Rokuougan, but this time, Luffy does not fall. Using everything he has left, Luffy bombards Lucci with an all-out Gomu Gomu no Jet Gatling, crushing him through the tower wall and finally defeating him. After the Marines and the crew witness Lucci's defeat, Luffy fell to the floor, exhausted but triumphant. Luffy then calls out to Robin that they are going back together, causing her to tearfully smile.[49]
The Marines are shocked at the loss of Rob Lucci, whom they considered to be the strongest in all of CP9's history. Usopp, Franky, and the rest of the crew, letting out a sigh of relief, began to congratulate Luffy and his victory.
Suddenly, a Den Den Mushi from somewhere transmitted a mysterious voice, which also congratulated Luffy. Knowing that they are being heard by everybody, they reveal themselves to be the Franky Family, Galley-La shipwrights, Yokozuna, Oimo and Kāshī, dangling by Paulie's rope. They explain that the giants took all the shots for them, and that they are all safe. All of them begin climbing the rope, as Franky starts crying. Wiping the last of his tears, he yelled defiance at the Marines.
The Marines then realize that Luffy is seriously fatigued and has not been able to move, much to the crew's shock. Usopp encouraged Luffy again to move, but the latter cannot move at all. The Marines now noticed that the pirates are escaping through the escort ship, fire at it, and destroy the ship. The crew, realizing that Kokoro, Chimney, Gonbe and Chopper are still there, watched in horror as the ship starts sinking.
Suddenly, Sanji appeared, carrying all four of them. A Marine tries to capture Nami, but Kokoro knocked him out with a kick. The Buster Call ships start firing at Zoro and the others as they run from the explosions. The ships prepared to fire at Luffy in the tower. Robin tells everyone that, at this distance, even if she tried to pull him out of there, Luffy would just fall in the water. The crew begins to shout at Luffy, saying that he needs to get up.
As the rest of them shout at Luffy, Usopp noticed another voice. Franky yells at him that it is his family, but Usopp insisted that it is a different voice: one he recognizes. Luffy also heard the voice, hearing someone tell him to look below. The rest of the crew start hearing the mysterious voice, as the Marines starts the countdown. Usopp urged them to jump to the sea, asking Robin to help move Luffy.
Zoro says that it will kill him, but Usopp says that they still have a friend among them, which left Zoro speechless. Two seconds remain in the countdown as Robin moved Luffy towards the sea. Chopper started to cry as he sees a familiar figure, coming up from the water. Sanji, Nami, and Chopper cry as Going Merry arrives, telling them to return to the "sea of adventure".[50]
Kokoro threw Chopper, Robin, and Luffy onto the Going Merry before boarding herself. Spandam returned, broken and bruised from being hit with Funkfreed, and orders the Marines to open fire on Merry, falsely claiming to have permission from Admiral Aokiji. Two Buster Call ships fired, only to get caught up in a strong current and hit each other. Sanji, during his absence, had started to close the Gates of Justice, causing the whirlpool currents to return. As Nami used the current to elude the battleships, more shots are fired, which Zoro and Sanji deflected by using Luffy as a sling. Spandam yelled more orders, but Robin used her powers to break his spine. Finally, Franky used the Coup de Vent to catapult ship and all out of danger.
At the front of the island, the Franky Family, Galley-La, giants, King Bulls, and Yokozuna commandeered the Puffing Tom and return to Water 7. Aokiji arrived on the scene and declared that with the island in ruins there's no way they can depict Enies Lobby as anything but a "complete defeat" for the World Government.[51] The reunited Straw Hat Pirates leave the chaos of the Buster Call behind and sailed out of Enies Lobby. Sometime later, they see a Galley-La ship with Iceburg and his shipwrights in it. However, their joy is short-lived as Merry's hull finally gave out and splits in two.
Luffy pleaded with Iceburg to fix the ship up one last time, but Iceburg cannot; he'd already done what he could. As he saw the ship laying on Scrap Island (after having been dumped from Franky's lair by CP9), he too heard the voice of the ship and decided to grant its request to sail once again; the ship was then carried off by the waves of Aqua Laguna and sailed off on its own. He declared what he saw before him as a miracle: a ship so loved by its crew that it went beyond its limits to save them one last time; he praised ship and crew for such extraordinary loyalty. Luffy comes to realize what Iceburg is saying and understands what has to be done. After moving to Iceburg's ship, Luffy and the rest of his crew give Merry a viking funeral, setting her ablaze for her final voyage. As the crew lament the funeral of their ship, they each hear the soul of Merry, thanking them for taking good care of her. Though Luffy argued that her damage was their fault, Merry says that she was happy, with her only regret that she could not continue their voyage with them. As the ship starts to burn away, the crew mourn their friend, as Merry once more thanks them for a wonderful life.[52]
-Written by: Will
I’m spoiling the whole blog post, but it must be said. Baroque Works may have the best action and Skypiea the thematic complexity, but Water 7 is certainly the best all-around. It’s got the action and humor that define the series, but its character drama elevates it to greatness. Some have said you can start One Piece at Water 7. After reading this saga, I have to disagree. It is only by reading the previous 300 chapters that it left the impact it did. That is tons of chapters, but it is well worth it, my Straw Hats.
Water 7 gets off to a light-hearted start when they land ashore on the Long Ring Long Land islands. Leave it to Oda to make an island that’s themed entirely around length. There’s long trees, long hills, and… long stilts! Tonjit and his horse, Sherry, don’t get much screen time, but leave a lasting impression. It’s funny that Tonjit was so scared of heights he couldn’t come down. On an island named Long Land, no less. It does weird me out that Sherry has long eyelashes and human female eyes, though. The thing that started getting on my nerves was the extensive puns about lengths. They got long in the tooth. They almost extended beyond their welcome before Foxy showed up.
I have to say, Foxy may be the ugliest One Piece character. He looks like a gargoyle who rammed their face into a door multiple times. Then it’s coupled with the Slow-Slow fruit, a great power making him a formidable opponent. Why do you make me have to look at him so much, Oda?!
But what he brings is worth the looks: The Davy Back! I love this idea; I don’t want to lose a crew-mate! Not when they’re basically family. Missing out on them for just a chapter would be a weird experience. It makes the Davy Back Games exciting, and Oda adds lots of humor to make it fun, even when your hair is standing on end. It is also preparation for what’s to come in future arcs.
The best game has to be the Groggy Ring. It’s a fun setup made better by the Sanji-Zoro pairing. These two never get along: Zoro thinks Sanji is too posh and Sanji can’t stand Zoro’s stoic nature. Their misgivings reach a climax in this event. Despite the initial bickering, they become a team for the sake of their crew-mates. They don’t like each other, but they also can’t stand to lose the other. The size of their giant opponents gives the action a grand scale, even for a soccer game.
I also need to highlight the Luffy and Foxy fight. If it wasn’t for the dramatic, “For friendship!” messaging, this would feel right at home in a Looney Tunes short. With every room in a ship a new weapon or visual gag, as if Oda switched the Bugs Bunny-Elmer Fudd dynamic. I also love the afro. It’s now up there with Zoro’s sense of direction as the best running gag in the series.
Foxy loses, everyone keeps their crew-mates, and Foxy sails away. You’d think that would be the end of the arc, but that was just the first half. From here, we take a 180 that sets the tone for the rest of the saga going forward: the introduction of Vice Admiral Aokiji.
There are characters that demand immediate respect, and that includes Aokiji. With his great height and sullen eyes, he’s immediately imposing. I like fancast voices in my head, and Lex Luthor from the old Superman and Justice League cartoons is super fitting. But it’s Robin’s reaction that makes him terrifying. For over a hundred chapters now, Robin has been stone faced, not giving a word of her past. Now she cowers in fear at the sight of him as he digs up memories of her past. It’s a scary moment made more terrifying when Aokiji shows the power of the Chilly-Chilly Fruit. Seeing Luffy get defeated so easily really puts Aokiji’s and the Straw Hat’s power into perspective. Not even Luffy can protect Robin from her cold past.
In search of a way to fix up the Merry Go, we set sail to the saga’s namesake, Water 7! This is a truly great arc. It’s got everything: political intrigue, strong emotions, and a huge cast to love. Speaking of, you know when you’re introduced to a bunch of characters and you're an immediate fan of all of them? That’s this panel.
Every character has a unique look and, dagnabbit, Oda just knows how to visualize the concept of Cool. I especially like Kaku with his long nose and weird eyes. These guys could probably have their own spin-off, but luckily for my wallet One Piece spin-offs aren’t much of a thing. This introduction of awesome is met with bad news: Robin has disappeared, and the Merry Go is broken beyond repair.
Everyone takes it hard, especially Usopp. Why wouldn’t he? For him, Merry Go is the last piece of home. It was given to him by his crush and they’ve been through thick and thin. Usopp was there for Merry for makeshift repairs, and Merry Go responded by carrying them across continents and above the sky. Nami has her tangerine trees, Usopp has the ship. Now it’s being ripped away. It’s not something Usopp can handle. So when Luffy decides they should get a new ship, Usopp understandably freaks out. This conflict reaches a breaking point with the most emotionally-charged fight in the series: Luffy vs Usopp. Even though the result is obvious, Usopp will fight for Merry to the bitter end. With that, Usopp leaves the crew, something unthinkable just an arc ago.
Now, where did Robin go? Lurking in the shadows, it’s time to talk about CP9. Oda does a great job building up this mysterious group of the World Government's best spies and assassins. Simply hearing the name “CP9” forces Robin to ditch the Straw Hats and join the group, then frame the Straw Hats for an assassination attempt on Mayor Iceberg. Then you get to actually see them in action.
The next time you see them, it’s under the shadow of night, dressed in a cosplayer’s ultimate dream. They infiltrate Iceberg’s home, defeating all guards swiftly. They even got the Galley-La crew. Speedy Kaku didn’t even see them coming! So who are these super powerful, evil villains?
People joke about Top 10 Anime Betrayals, but can we talk about Top 10 Anime Betrayals? How could you do this to me, Kaku! This twist is so good! So far, One Piece has worked a certain way. Villains have been characters that are introduced as villains and obviously evil. Then this arc comes in and finger pistols the status quo. My expectations are flipped, and I couldn’t be more excited. What’s coming up next? Oh, a flashback? Maybe things aren’t that different. Super!
It’s time to talk about Franky, the cola chugging excavator. At first I wasn’t a big fan of cyborgs in the One Piece universe. Then I remembered a man ate a fruit that allows him to detach and control his body parts; maybe cyborgs aren’t such an outrageous idea. Plus we need more surfer dudes in manga.I did enjoy his backstory. It’s able to serve as both a backstory for Franky, Iceberg, Franky’s gang, Water 7, and that sumo frog all at the same time. That’s impressive when you think about it. It's sad, but one that pales in comparison to what comes later. But first, it’s time to hit the tracks on Rocket Man!
After all that character drama, it’s a nice change of pace to return to some action as they survive the Aqua Laguna and infiltrate the enemy train. The biggest by far is Luffy’s and Zoro’s Gomu Gomu no 300 Pound Cannon splitting a wave in half. Sanji’s fight with Wanze is fun and tests the star chef’s mettle. Though Wanze being able to spit noodles out of his nose is extremely gross. Who would even think to do that? It must hurt so much. Then a new character joins the fray…
Usopp is dead, long live Sniper King. Usopp has been the Saga’s MVP, and this change of face makes it more obvious to me. I don’t get the Usopp hate I see from some fans. Since panel 1 he’s been the Straw Hat’s everyman, and he’s filled that role well. Sure he lies a lot, but that’s Usopp trying to cover up his cowardice. Usopp so desperately wants the lies to be true, but he can’t overcome his cowardly nature to make the stories a reality. During this saga, Usopp is having an internal fight with the man he was and is (represented by the Merry Go) and the man he wants to be (represented by Sniper King). It’s similar to what Robin is going through as well. They’ve both abandoned their friends because they can’t let go of their past selves. It makes their conversation on the Sea Train more powerful, as she once again rejects their help. Now she must face her destiny on the Sea Train’s last stop: Enies Lobby.
If you thought Water 7 was emotionally taxing, have I got an arc for you! But before we get to the emotional showdown, The Straw Hats, Galley-La Crew, and Franky’s Family must infiltrate the seat of World Government justice. Which means ramming through every gate and punching every enemy in sight. During this all-out assault, we get another great moment with Usopp. Turns out the Little Island arc has some importance as some enemy giants were crew-mates of Brogy and Dorry. Now Usopp gets to stand on the shoulders of giants.
Meanwhile Luffy fights ahead, reaching the courthouse before running into Blueno, the bull of CP9. The fight looks bad for Luffy, until…
...huh? The steam makes it look cool and makes for a fun if confusing surprise. Anime community has shown there are a bunch of other gears, so this is only the beginning. As long as it doesn't turn into “Super Saiyan Goku Super Saiyan” levels of confusion, it should be fine.
I also need to highlight a favorite moment before we get to the heavy stuff. One of my favorite scenes in movies is when the main cast are in a dangerous situation, and they all scream as they accomplish some impossible feat. I think the Rocketman flying over the bridge to Enies Lobby tower counts as one.
Now, the Straw Hats stand on top of the courthouse, staring at Nico Robin across the gap. Again they plea to Robin, but she continues to resist. This is after the crew finds out the reason Robin joined CP9 was to keep them from calling a Buster Call, the ultimate show of force by the Navy, capable of apocalyptic destruction. But why would Robin do that? Why not let them face a Buster Call together? Why does Robin keep rejecting their love?
I don’t think I can properly convey how heart-breaking Robin’s backstory is. It was like how I felt about Chopper finding out he gave Heiliuk poison, but for 3 hours straight. I can’t imagine reading this as it came out, “Yahoo! Another Shonen Jump issue! I can’t wait to find out how Oda is going to rip out my heart this week! Again! For the 8th straight week!”
Robin is a woman who has always been alone. Her “adoptive parents” ignore her. The only things she has are the scholars at the Tree of Knowledge, the giant Saul, and her mother. Then the people who do love her are ripped away from her, in pools of blood and balls of fire. They died simply because they wanted to learn about the Void Century. The only person left alive to show her kindness is Aokiji, and it was done more out of curiosity. She is labeled a devil by the world government, and is one of the world’s most wanted criminals at a very young age. Continuing her family legacy of hunting for the Poneglyphs, she does it in ways that reinforce her devil moniker, because that’s what she thinks she is. She’s internalized her trauma and abuse. She is haunted by her past. But not with the Straw Hats. They don’t care about who Robin was, but who she really is. They have this unconditional love for Robin. More importantly, they want to be with her to the end. She doesn’t want the Straw Hats to be the target of the government? They’ll burn the World Government flag. They will do anything to make her stay. All Robin needs to do is accept their love, to find out she has a reason to live. That reason: to love herself and be with her friends.
Honestly, after all that, the rest of the arc felt like blur. It became non-stop action, unwinding us from the emotions before. There were some fun bits I wanted to highlight:
After all that action, Oda delivers a sucker punch to the heart. After saving their friends, the Merry Go can no longer go on. It is time to say goodbye to Best Ship. Previously in Skypiea, Usopp once saw a shadow fixing Merry. Franky later tells him he saw Klabautermann, the physical embodiment of the ship’s spirit. The Merry Go has always been treated as its own character, but only in its final moment is it given a voice. Its joy, its regrets, it all spills out as the ship becomes engulfed in flames. Like an owner calming down their pet in its final moments, it’s heart wrenching to see them reassure Merry through a flood of tears. By them I mean the Straw Hats and the reader.
Phew, after all that, it’s time to return back to Water 7 and close out this saga. Post-Enies Lobby isn’t that great of a name, so I propose the name All In The Luffy Family because they’re all over this arc. First off, he has a living family we didn’t know about. He has a grandfather (who works for the navy!) and a father (who works against the navy!). I thought Luffy’s father would go the way of Ash’s dad and never be brought up, but here he is in the flesh. So Luffy has a parent, but doesn’t talk to him. We also get to see the return of Koby and Helmeppo, and do they get a glow-up. As they say, be careful who you make fun of in the first saga.
After those introductions, there’s still some threads that need tidying up. Number 1: The Straw Hats need a ship! Franky, with some help from the Galley-La, builds his dream ship. The one he has wanted to build for a long time, but the death of Tom guilting him from ever building again. Now that it’s lifted, Franky builds the ultimate ship: The Thousand Sunny! It’s a good-looking ship and a strong symbol for how far the crew has come, and the growing threats they will have to face.
Now all that’s left is for the crew to board. They board initially, but realize there are two people left: Franky and Usopp. Franky wants to join, but he has a family to take care of. Even when the family says it’s okay, Franky refuses to leave. So naturally they steal his briefs. In a sequence out of The Simpsons Movie, Franky runs through the streets half-naked, until he reaches the ship. Even when Luffy asks, Franky refuses, so Robin… uh, holds the Franky Family jewels hostage. Franky, in tears, agrees to join. Robin reveals that she wasn’t holding on to them at all.
Now it’s Usopp’s turn. After Enies Lobby, he is so excited to get back on the crew. He’s almost fully got on Luffy’s good side, but there’s one thing left: Usopp’s apology. For someone who has lied of grandeur, humility is hard to do. Naturally, it’s not the first thing he does when arrives at the shipyard. But as the ship sails away, Usopp breaks down. To truly be a good human, you have to recognize when you’re wrong. Choosing between swallowing his pride or losing his friends forever, Usopp makes the right choice.
The rest is set up, but it’s dang good set up. First, Shanks and Whitebeard meet. Thanks to Oda’s master panelling, you can tell this is a meeting of gods. Every word and action they take will make major waves across the world. We also get to learn more about these gods as people, and hints of their pasts. It’s a great moment with a great ending.
Far away, another major meeting happens: Portgas D. Ace and Blackbeard. We got to see bits of Blackbeard in Skypiea, but now we see his full potential. A war is brewing between Blackbeard and Whitebeard, and Ace has to stop it. But how can he when Blackbeard has the ultimate Devil-Fruit power?
With that, the best saga in One Piece comes to a close. What an adventure that was. It was high stakes, both action-wise and emotion-wise. You laugh, you cry, you root for characters to become better. It’s everything you could want from a story and more. Now it's time for a spooky, scary saga with Thriller Bark! The write-up will definitely be shorter, that’s for sure.
My updated One Piece arcs rankings
- The city of water: Water 7.
- Robin encounters CP9.
- Sanji, Luffy, Zoro, and Chopper march to the Franky House to avenge Usopp.
- Usopp as he uses his Impact Dial against Luffy in their single duel.
- Robin's farewell to Chopper and Sanji.
- CP9 burns down Galley-La Headquarters.
- CP9 tracks Franky to his warehouse.
