Chapters 16 & 17

Chapter 16: Versus Buggy's Pirate Fleet

These two issues are great because they are the first time we see the combined strength of Luffy's crew. The issue starts when Luffy discovers that Buggy as well as his vice-captain and his commander survived the Buggy special cannon ball. The fighting begins when Buggy throws his vice captain at Luffy. Luffy easily deflects the vice-captain with a kick and Zoro engages the commander. Although Zoro would normally dominate any opponent due to his wounds Buggy's commander quickly takes control of the battle. Although it looks as if the commander is about to kill Zoro in the next panel it appears that Zoro has finally started to try. Zoro hits the commander sending him flying across the battle field in order to keep the commander from constantly exploiting his wound Zoro reopens the wound with his sword and then proclaims to the commander that Zoro will teach him the difference in their power.

Chapter 17: Difference in Level

In this issue Zoro and the commanders battle really begins but first  Nami tells Luffy that she is gonna steal all of Buggy's treasure during the battle. Returning to Zoro's battle the commander initiates his ultimate technique unleashing 100 tops. He then climbs a wall and prepares to drop straight onto Zoro his blade face down. Buggy sends his hand to hold Zoro so that he cannot dodge the commanders attack but before his hand gets there it is stopped by Luffy. Zoro easily dodges the attack and then ends the fight with one attack claiming he is tired of fighting some one with such pitiful skill. Zoro passes out from blood loss and Luffy offers to finish the fight. It is at this point that Buggy finally discovers that Luffy and crew are pirates. As Luffy prepares to fight Buggy he is informed that Buggy once met a pirate just like Luffy with red hair. Luffy immediately realizes that he is talking about red haired shanks. These two issues are great because they showcase just how extraordinary Zoro is. Also I like that Luffy acts as a moderator for the match in ensuring that its 1 v 1 because only the strongest fighter there can be an effective moderator and Luffy is defiantly an effective moderator.

Chapter's 14 & 15

Chapter 14: Reckless

The issue opens with Buggy's vice-captain reporting back to the captain that he was defeated. He was, however, unable to inform that captain that Luffy was a rubber man because he passed out from the pain of his battle. Shushu then heads to the village shelter and the villagers discuss going to bring the chief back to the shelter only to decide that it is too dangerous. The captain furious at seeing Shushu's treasure destroyed flies into a rage and prepares to attack the Buggy Pirate Crew alone. As if to add insult to injury Buggy has the town attacked with a Buggy special cannon ball and destroys the chiefs house. The chief charges in to attack Buggy. After a short conversation Luffy and his crew decide to help in the fight against Buggy. This was a really slow episode. It consisted mainly of the chief yelling which made it really a wasted issue in my opinion. I guess in a way this issue was important to the ending of the arc but the same situation could have been accomplished in a fourth of the panels that this issue used.

Chapter 15: Gong

This issue makes up for the last one in every way. It starts with more shouting and as a response Buggy's number 2 crew member offers to dispatch the chief but Buggy denies him the right saying that he was the one that was called out. He then send down his hand and begins to choke the chief. Just as it looks like the Chief may die he is saved by Luffy and the true battle begins. Luffy knocks the chief out to keep him from getting in the way. Luffy screams an insult at Buggy that stuns his entire crew and then Buggy orders a Buggy special cannon ball be shot at Luffy. Rather than dodge the cannon ball like Nami and Zoro, Luffy simply draws in air and swells up like a balloon using his increased size to reflect the cannon ball right at Buggy. The cannon ball seems to destroy Buggy's crew and Luffy's crew prepares for battle. This issue was infinitely better than the previous one, it included a little action, quite bit of comedy, and pretty good plot progression. Over all this isn't one of my favorite issue but it wasn't half bad.

Chapter 12 & 13

 Chapter 12: The Dog

This issue introduces quite possibly my favorite character from all of One Piece, Shushu. The issue begins with Buggy deploying his vice captain in an attempt to quickly subdue Luffy and his crew. Then we see Zoro who is no longer able to walk because of his wounds. After Zoro sets his cage down Luffy begins to mess with a near by dog who proceeds to bite him. This is Shushu the most determined dog in the world. Aside from his real character qualities Shushu is also a very funny character. An example being that as soon as Nami throws Luffy the key to the cage Shushu eats it. At this point the village chief appears and offers to give Zoro a place to rest. While Zoro is resting  the chief tells Luffy and Nami Shushu's story. Shushu his owner had run a pet food store for the last 10 years. However,three month ago Shushu's owner passed away of an illness and his last words to Shushu were "while I'm in the hospital look after the store". Shushu has done just that for the last three months and the chief believes it is because the store is all Shushu has to remember his owner by and because of that it has become his treasure. Buggy's vice-captain finds Luffy and has his lion attacks Luffy destroying the cage and freeing Luffy. Luffy is also knocked through a building by the attack but is as always uninjured and stands up claiming that he will get rid if Buggy's crew and make Nami his navigator.

Chapter 13: Treasure

I know this is a rather long post and I know I have spent the majority of it talking about a minor character who isn't even human but these are my third and second favorite of the first 151 issues, respectively, anyway on to the review. Nami is amazed to discover that after being attacked by the lion Luffy is still very much alive and after a brief conversation between Luffy and the chief the scene returns to the vice-captain and Shushu. Shushu is attacked a by the lion again and again each time remembering some event in the stores history. From the opening to hard times to eating the stock. Every time Shushu is swatted away he gets back up and defends the store although the fight is very one sided it is truly an epic battle. Luffy is casually walking down the street when he becomes wide eye's at the horrible sight he sees. Shushu is setting in front of the pet food store barking as the building burns to the ground. After a very emotional moment watching Shushu Luffy finds the vice-captain. The vice-captain, believing he can beat Luffy attacks him head on. Luffy angered by what the vice-captain did to Shushu unleashes a new attack on him, the gomu gomu hammer. After the vice-captain tells Luffy he will do anything Luffy asks, as long as Luffy doesn't kill him, comes my second favorite panel in One Piece. Luffy with a terrifying look on his face tells the vice-captain that he didn't come for an apology he came for revenge. Luffy the gives him a full force fist to the face rendering the vice-captain unconscious. Luffy brings Luffy the only surviving box of dog food which he took from the vice-captain's lion. Shushu walks away with the pet food but looks back to show Luffy the only happy face he has worn through out the last two issues. As I'm sure you can already guess I could not say enough good things about this issue Shushu's story is so sad and he id the most loyal and noble character in all of One Piece, besides maybe Luffy, when I first read this part of the story I was really hoping Shushu would join Luffy and his crew on their journey. Aside from Shushu Luffy's reaction to what happened to Shushu is only surpassed by the beginning of his later fight with captain Arlong. As I said above this is my second favorite issue and is a must read even if you hate One Piece.

Chapters 10 & 11

Chapter 10: What Happened at the Bar

This issue starts right were the last one left off with Buggy's crew rejoicing over the return of their Grand Line map. Nami plans to  get all of the pirates to pass out drunk before stealing everything they own. This works out quite well until Buggy orders her to kill Luffy with a cannon. Nami being a good person can't bring herself to do it and tries to change the subject. Buggy reiterates his orders and Nami is forced to fight his crew. As Nami fights the fuse to the cannon has been lit and it appears as if Luffy might die. Just before the cannon fires Nami puts out the fuse and is attacked from behind by a group of pirates and it looks as if all is lost. Zoro appears instantly defeating four pirates with his swords still sheathed. Zoro shows his real skill when he cuts captain Buggy into four pieces with a single attack. Nami and Luffy are amazed at how easily Buggy is defeated and Buggy's men begin to laugh foreshadowing the peculiarity of the coming battle. My favorite part of this issue was seeing Zoro's true power because this is the last time in the first 151 issues that he fights uninhibited. Zoro is an amazing character and probably my favorite, all though Luffy does have his moments. Anyway this issue was enjoyable if for no other reason than that Luffy was hilarious when he thought he was gonna die and Zoro is a total bad ass.

Chapter 11: Flee

This issue is in all reality a good issue but I am biased against it because it begins with Buggy's hand stabbing Zoro though the side with a knife. Now I know that may not seem like a big deal but this is the longest lasting wound in the history of the world. I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself heat but this wound wont heal for at least 139 issues and it also keeps him from fighting at his full strength for that entire time. Anyway back to the issue we are on. Buggy reconnects the four pieces of his body and explains that he ate the bara bara fruit allowing him to separate or recombined any part of parts of his body that he chooses and to control the separated parts individually. After hearing this Luffy exclaims, "A sectioned man? This guys a monster" ironically Luffy being a rubber man also makes him a monster. Luffy resolves to defeat Buggy a statement which Buggy laughs at. Luffy tells Zoro to run and as if its some sort of code Zoro runs to Buggy's Cannon and aims it at Buggy himself. They fire the cannon and then Zoro, Nami, and Luffy escape, Zoro carrying Luffy's cage. Once again the injured Zoro shows once again how bad ass he is when the pirates exclaim that it took five people to drag the cage he just carried off. Luffy's crew hides on a roof and Buggy declares war on Luffy to end the issue. 

Chapters 8 & 9

Back
I had a lot less free time at the lake than I had expected I wanted to get the Buggy the clown arc finished but obviously that didn't happen so I'm starting it now with chapter 8.

Chapter 8: Nami Enters

This issue begins with Zoro discovering that Luffy has no idea how to navigate on the sea and both of them nearly pass out from the thought of hunger. Luffy spots a bird and decides to eat it. So he jumps up to it and is carried away. While trying to catch Luffy Zoro saves a band of three drowning pirates. The three pirates tell Zoro the story of how they were robbed by a woman who they found dying at sea and take him to land so that he can find Luffy. An unknown voice orders The bird and Luffy shot out of the sky as a woman is chased through the streets by pirates. Luffy is shot out of the sky and lands on the pirates saving the woman. The pirates get up the woman runs of claiming that her 'boss' save her and Luffy is forced to fight the pirates. After the pirates are all down for the count the woman reappears saying her name is Nami and that she is a thief who only steals from pirates. I found this issue to be an absolute bore if it wasn't necessary to explain how Nami and buggy got involved in this whole thing I would advise against reading it. The only good part of this issue was the three pirates reaction to being saved by Roronoa Zoro.    

Chapter 9: Evil Woman

This Chapter starts with Nami offering to work with Luffy in order to take treasure from Buggy to which Luffy casually replies "No way! I'm not interested in teaming up with you". The scene then shifts to the Buggy the Clown pirate crew where captain Buggy is getting incredibly irritated at the incompetents of his crew. After hearing that they were  unable to capture the thief Nami  Buggy executes a member of his crew. Nami explains to Luffy just how powerful and dangerous Buggy is and Luffy decides that the best way to beat Buggy is for Nami to join Luffy's crew. Nami declines showing her hatred of pirates. Then seeing an opportunity to profit she pretends to join Luffy only to turn him over to Buggy. Buggy puts Luffy in a cage and Zoro arrives on the island looking for Luffy. This issue was definitely better than the last one but it still lacked action and humor so although it did well to set up the arc, overall I didn't enjoy it. That being said it is important in setting up one of my  favorite moments in One Piece.

Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Friends

This issue opens where the last ended, with Morgan and his son laid out unconscious from Luffy and Zoro's attacks. The marines cheer and then Zoro faints from hunger. After regaining consciousness and eating they have some laughs before deciding to part ways so Coby can be a marine. A group of marines come in and order Luffy to leave for being a pirate. Luffy and Zoro begin to leave and Coby is questioned about being in their group. Luffy picked that moment to tell all about Coby's time with Lady Alvida. Coby punches Luffy and they break out in a fist fight. the marine takes this as proof that Coby and Luffy aren't friends and allows Coby to join the Marines. Coby has a revelation that Luffy had told them about his past to start a fight and clear up Coby's name. As Luffy and Zoro leave they are saluted by the marines who receive no food for a week for saluting pirates. This issue was a little slow but it did well to show off Luffy's wisdom and the marines being punished for following orders was hilarious the issue is the official end to this arc and issue 8 begins the Buggy the Clown arc.

Announcement

I will be on vacation for the next week so I may miss some posts. I'm going to take my boat out to the lake and live like a real pirate for a week so wish me luck. I will try to get through the Buggy the Clown arc this week but no promises. 

Chapters 5 & 6

Chapter 5: The Pirate King and the Great Swordsman

This is a great issue. It starts out funny with Luffy dragging Morgan's son down a hallway and then using him as a human shield. In the next few panels Coby freaks out because he believes he is going to die from the gun shot wound he received in the last issue. Coby tells Zoro that Morgan's had always planned to execute him and then they are surrounded by marines. Just as the marines prepare to kill them Zoro has a flash back. He flashed back to his childhood and his training to become a swordsman. In this flash back Zoro promises to do everything in his power to become the greatest swordsman in the world. After this long and dramatic flash back the guards once again take aim at Zoro and Coby. Just then Luffy bursts onto the scene and reflects all of the bullets that had been aimed at Coby and Zoro. This is the first time outside of the pilot that Luffy is seen reflecting bullets. Overall i really enjoyed this chapter. The art work is better in this chapter than in previous chapters and there is a little more action.

Chapter 6: The First Crew Member

Sorry that once again there is no picture but it looks like most of them have a title page from here on out. This issue is the climax of the Lieutenant Morgan arc and as such is full of action. Luffy really shows off his power in this issue by taking out a huge number of marines with a single hit. Morgan shows just how evil he must be when he orders three marines to kill themselves and they actually go through with it. After beating Morgan for a while Luffy shows his more reckless side and attacks Helmeppo who is holding Coby at gun point. While Luffy has his back turned Morgan sneaks up behind him and prepares to kill him. Only then do we see just how powerful Zoro is. Zoro defeats Morgan in an instant and then having just agreed to join Luffy's crew addresses him as captain (probably the only time anyone on his crew would call Luffy that). This is a great chapter because it really showcases Luffy's power and recklessness and gives us a peak at what Zoro is capable of.