Oh you mean Noda Skywalker , he is not fan btw he is English editor working for Viz i think its Greg ? I am not sure ?
Ha, cheers, very good to know.
Confirms what I think Oda's been playing at: on one level, the author, the work, and the readers are all
connected and
informing one another in a way that speaks to the dynamics, literal and figurative, of quantum mechanics; the flow of ideas is affecting each in turn, imagination becoming reality, with various ( often contradictory ) possibilities existing side-by side. For instance, Oda isn't exactly lying ( or telling the full truth ) by declaring these to be fan-submissions, even though there's plenty of underlying, understated context here. This is just one of many colorful means by which Oda will explore the oft-ethereal nature of truth, fate, and other major topics that demonstrating how basically everything in the OP universe can be open to interpretation, as all possibilities are potentially valid in some way, shape, or form.
Anything truly is possible, nothing truly is impossible...but exceptions exist to every rule, even this one. Rofl
By the same token, a great many fans will be pleasantly surprised to see Oda validating several popular, long-running theories they may've given up on in light of some reveal or another that presumably debunked their assertions.
Not so fast, said Oda.
Don't give up so easily...you may not have been 100% right in trying to predict what I was planning....but you weren't 100% wrong either, so chin up.
Here's a prediction: Queen being a "sea scorpion," as per a very popular theory from a while back, will ultimately prove true, albeit not something manifested through his devil fruit but rather his soon-to-be-revealed Fishman heritage; fucker's a crustacean-type, perhaps literally that of an ancient Sea Scorpion bloodline. In fact, perhaps all the Calamities/Tobi Roppo possesses some ancient/special Fishman heritage beyond the norm, ie hybrid sea creatures such as the Fighting Fish and what not....lots of surprising reveals to come, I'm sure.
Anyway, back tot he main topic here, these supposed fan-submitted chapter covers aren't just fun window-dressing. They truly do provide hints at certain things to come. Case in point: Reiju interacting with a creature from Strongworld.
In addition, Reiju set against a desert, cactus-laden background...like the kind you'd see in Oda's one-shot Cowboy manga
Wanted!...is another glimpse into One Piece's relative upcoming future. Just as the Italians managed to simulate the American Wild West setting in the cinematic spaghetti western genre, we're going to see something similar when Oda introduces us to the Wild, Wild West...of China/Kano's Gobi Desert equivalent, home to the northern "Horse People" who plagued ancient China for generations....in the world of One Piece, that means we'll be seeing American-style Cowboys and potentially literal Horse People ( ie centaurs and...others ) popping up in upcoming Kano arc/mini-arc ( my theory, anyways ).
Look at it as Oda tying together two cultures that share many elements in common, for realworld northern China/Mongolia truly did/does possess populations of its very own "Cow" and "Horse" people, albeit not the traditional gunfighters and what all one might associate with the American West. Here's where Oda gets up to his usual funny tricks and combines the two, thereby also throwing in references to
Wanted!, and even....Billy the Kidd. Or should I say Eustace the Kidd?
Another prediction: by the time the Kidd pirates reach Kano, Kidd will have eaten a SMILE -- a show of solidarity w/ Killer in the wake of some shitty developments to come -- granting him a pair of funny lil baby goat ( ie kid ) horns. Eustace the Kid/Kidd/however people wanna spell it indeed.
Bonus teaser: remember that spider crab we saw giving Jinbe a haircut from another of the recent cover fan submission pages?
We're going to see a certain somebody possessing Spider Crab blood or some analogous approximation also doubling as a "barber" of sorts; a femme fatale with a knack for "emasculating" men by chopping off their precious locks, similar to Kiku's metaphorical castration of Urashima...and a pronounced allusions towards Delilah's infamous ( and literal ) act of enfeebling Biblical strongman Samson.
Looking at you, Black Maria.
Also, Nami/Robin/Kiku fans are going to be hating, HATING Oda very soon. Not only does Black Maria not discriminate against shaming men with her brand of haircuts, she and others won't be satisfied with chopping off hair, let's put it that way. For one thing, ever wonder what would happen if Robin had one of her dupe hands cut off?
Also, RIP Nami's left boob...Zoro's arm...Sanji's leg ( and life )...Zoro and Sanji's right/left eye...Franky's heart...Brooke's afro...Usopp's nose...Luffy's arms/legs/20/20vision/everything...Chopper's horn(s)....Jinbe's entire body....Call me crazy, but....hell is coming for the Strawhats. Don't worry tho, the One Piece version of senzu beans, albeit much slower-acting, are on the way. The Strawhats have yet to meet plenty of new friends who specialize in prosthetics and miracle healing.
One of which is this guy...
Pardon, I ramble like a madman.
Which scorpion are you referring is from strong world need context on Shiki ? We know Shiki has funny business with underworld its entirely possible he knows Germa .
That twin-stinger scorpion is one of the
Younger Black Bros.
Shiki is making his glorious return as a major villain very soon imo. He is the lurking legend Oda was referring to, in certain ways much more dangerous than even Kaido and Big Mom, considering he's not only keen on reviving the Rocks but mounting a global revolution in his bid for power that'll basically start off a World War in OP...an even more nightmarish scenario that goes beyond the threat of two former Rock Yonko joining up. Blackbeard will also be getting in on the fun, as are a number of familiar names and faces.
Shiki returning to the fold would also highlight another major development that plays into very important themes going forward: he won't be the only anime/movie-centric ( generally, manga one-shots aside ) character who'll be making a redbut/official canon appearance. Everything and everybody counts, including guys like Z. Patrick Redfield, and a host of others.
I agree but Law is no longer threat to Luffy's race to PK because he no longer has ambitions . Thats why i think Kidd and luffy will likely be Admiral level when this arc ends .
Pretty much. Though I would say Law is destined to become an independent Admiral or sorts, enforcing Admirality Law on the high open seas; the one who
balances the scales between all parties involved. As a man who rides around in a sub, whose totem is an aquatic mammal, who's deeply tied to both pirates and navy alike, he's always had a foot in another world....including that of the worlds of the living and the dead.
And while he poses no real threat to Luffy's ambitions, I do think his and Kidd's upcoming betrayals ( imo, and kinda sorta a desperate gamble/ruse on Law's part ) will teach Luffy some valuable lessons about how overly trusting and reckless he can be. Law's may hurt more on a personal level...Kidd's will hurt on a very visceral, physical sense, setting off a blood feud between the two ( and Zoro and Killer...shit's not over by a longshot ).
