Characters and Groups Who is the traitor?
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I'm going to settle on Toki being the main flashback traitor, with several betrayals occurring in the modern day.
- I'm thinking Wano as a whole will serve as a foreshadowing of what eventually transpired in the past on a global scale, so mass civil war, splintering, and power grabs are to be expected; various factions each stabbing each other n the back for their own reasons. Conspiracy, deceit, and political plays abound right now. Luffy and the Strawhats' challenge will be reuniting all these disparate, feuding elements to avoid a total breakdown ( culminating with a literal breakdown in Wano's structure as the result of a volcanic eruption ). In other words, Luffy and Co. will have to unite a bunch of people betraying and wanting to kill each other, essentially following ( and surpassing ) the precedents set by the likes of great unifiers like Oden and Rocks.
METAPHORS. PARALLELS.
- The issue of hostage taking has certainly led to characters like Oden and Kamazo -- and Sanji before them -- being coerced into taking actions against their will throughout the arc, so I wouldn't be surprised to see at least one Alliance member being hamstrung under such circumstances.
We've seen the theme of necessary sacrifice crop up not just with Pedro, Jimbe, Oden, the captured Heart Pirates, but also during Isshou's conversation with Sakazuki, so I imagine Oda has plenty left to say on the topic of fighting a revolution whilst hostages are at play...all tying back to the struggle between selfishness and selflessness, and where to draw the line, as explored through the lens of Oden's precarious dealings with Orochi's bs. Does there come a point when sacrifices are inevitable? But what is the "right" or "wrong" way to go about deciding as much? Or does it simply come down to a matter of making selfish choices and dealing with the regret ( or lack thereof ) afterwards?
- I'm banking on there being at least one or more turncoat Minks, the reason for their defection partly attributed to learning a bit of the Mink's true history and relationship to the Kozuki: the Minks of the past were indeed a human-hating, violent lot who were ultimately subjugated and "tamed" by a past user of Tama's kibi dango fruit. Some of the Minks may have been made aware of such revelations at some point and come away mighty pissed off to say the least...would be quite the dramatic punch to see some of the uber-loyal Minks suddenly lash against their Wano "brothers" out a feeling of betrayal, especially in light of what they went through at their expense on Zou.
On the subject of Yomo the sheep Mink being a possible suspect, I'd find it hilarious if he blatantly announced his intentions to become the new King of the Minks in such a scenario...only to get backstabbed by Sicilian, who balks at the prospect of a herbivore being king, goes all "KING OF THE BEASTS, BABY!" Infighting breaking out amongst the traitors themselves would tie in nicely to the theme of anarchic chaos.
Some potential herbivore vs. carnivore gang violence erupting amongst the Minks would also lend itself well to a momentous return from everyone's favorite, fittingly dual-natured Lion Turtle, Pekoms. "CARNIVORE? HERBIVORE? WHO CARES? MY DAD'S A MONKEY AND MY MOM'S S BEAR!" lol
Not saying this will happen, but it'd be fun and square nicely with what's occurring at the moment.
All that said, if we are to get at least one irredeemable sonuvabitch traitor out of all the various betrayals I see unveiling....I'm going with Kanjuro, cuz he was the one who volunteered to arrange Yasuie's burial. Yes, the notorious thief who made brushes from stolen locks of hair. WhatI'm saying is one should be prepared for the possibilty of Kanjuro wielding a new brush sporting a certain spiky afro at some juncture.
ULTIMATE HEEL MOVE
Also, Kanjuro is actually bald and wears a wig.
- I'm thinking Wano as a whole will serve as a foreshadowing of what eventually transpired in the past on a global scale, so mass civil war, splintering, and power grabs are to be expected; various factions each stabbing each other n the back for their own reasons. Conspiracy, deceit, and political plays abound right now. Luffy and the Strawhats' challenge will be reuniting all these disparate, feuding elements to avoid a total breakdown ( culminating with a literal breakdown in Wano's structure as the result of a volcanic eruption ). In other words, Luffy and Co. will have to unite a bunch of people betraying and wanting to kill each other, essentially following ( and surpassing ) the precedents set by the likes of great unifiers like Oden and Rocks.
METAPHORS. PARALLELS.
- The issue of hostage taking has certainly led to characters like Oden and Kamazo -- and Sanji before them -- being coerced into taking actions against their will throughout the arc, so I wouldn't be surprised to see at least one Alliance member being hamstrung under such circumstances.
We've seen the theme of necessary sacrifice crop up not just with Pedro, Jimbe, Oden, the captured Heart Pirates, but also during Isshou's conversation with Sakazuki, so I imagine Oda has plenty left to say on the topic of fighting a revolution whilst hostages are at play...all tying back to the struggle between selfishness and selflessness, and where to draw the line, as explored through the lens of Oden's precarious dealings with Orochi's bs. Does there come a point when sacrifices are inevitable? But what is the "right" or "wrong" way to go about deciding as much? Or does it simply come down to a matter of making selfish choices and dealing with the regret ( or lack thereof ) afterwards?
- I'm banking on there being at least one or more turncoat Minks, the reason for their defection partly attributed to learning a bit of the Mink's true history and relationship to the Kozuki: the Minks of the past were indeed a human-hating, violent lot who were ultimately subjugated and "tamed" by a past user of Tama's kibi dango fruit. Some of the Minks may have been made aware of such revelations at some point and come away mighty pissed off to say the least...would be quite the dramatic punch to see some of the uber-loyal Minks suddenly lash against their Wano "brothers" out a feeling of betrayal, especially in light of what they went through at their expense on Zou.
On the subject of Yomo the sheep Mink being a possible suspect, I'd find it hilarious if he blatantly announced his intentions to become the new King of the Minks in such a scenario...only to get backstabbed by Sicilian, who balks at the prospect of a herbivore being king, goes all "KING OF THE BEASTS, BABY!" Infighting breaking out amongst the traitors themselves would tie in nicely to the theme of anarchic chaos.
Some potential herbivore vs. carnivore gang violence erupting amongst the Minks would also lend itself well to a momentous return from everyone's favorite, fittingly dual-natured Lion Turtle, Pekoms. "CARNIVORE? HERBIVORE? WHO CARES? MY DAD'S A MONKEY AND MY MOM'S S BEAR!" lol
Not saying this will happen, but it'd be fun and square nicely with what's occurring at the moment.
All that said, if we are to get at least one irredeemable sonuvabitch traitor out of all the various betrayals I see unveiling....I'm going with Kanjuro, cuz he was the one who volunteered to arrange Yasuie's burial. Yes, the notorious thief who made brushes from stolen locks of hair. WhatI'm saying is one should be prepared for the possibilty of Kanjuro wielding a new brush sporting a certain spiky afro at some juncture.
ULTIMATE HEEL MOVE
Also, Kanjuro is actually bald and wears a wig.
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For now my top candidates for Traitor
If Traitor of past and present time is the same and not one of the Scabbards:
Tenguyama is Hitetsu
If it have to be one of the scabbards, my suspects are in following order:
Yomo
If Traitor of past and present time is the same and not one of the Scabbards:
Tenguyama is Hitetsu
If it have to be one of the scabbards, my suspects are in following order:
- Kiku
- Raizou
- Kanjuro
Yomo
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Chapter is out on ********** I am 10,000,000,000,000% sure of who the traitor is now.
Throughout all of this it has struck me how different Kinnemon and Kanjuro and Raizo all seemed. I don't know if its just me projecting, but Kinnemon has always seemed to have a lot more visibly at stake than the others. I dunno, like, especially after this flashback I get that they all care. I just have always got the feeling that Kinnemon cared more somehow. Seeing him in this new chapter tell Asura and denjiro to leave Neko and Int--followed by the incredible tense and pained expression in the panel where he curses as the others keep running with him--I am convinced Kin is the traitor.
Not only does it have the most emotional impact on the reader. Revealing it after revealing that Kyoshiro=Denjiro and that his appearance was changed so dramatically by how much rage he was filled with, sets the two up as foils of sorts.
This also makes me think that there will be a fight between Kinnemon and Kyoshiro.
Think about it! How epic would that be? The man who we have all seen in a positive light, who took on the alias of being Momonosuke's father, who has been leading the alliance from the limelight--and the man who was introduced as a villain and a drunken gambler and gangster, who took on the role of protector to Hiyori and did so diligently from the shadows, who wouldn't stop at just that and also took on the role of protector of the poor and taken advantage of in Wano as The Witching Hour Boy, the man who has lived the past 20 years being called the "Lap Dog" of the one person he despises more than anything....
I have two questions.
How do we think Denjiro, the man who's very appearance became unrecognizably transformed by his bottomless rage, will respond to the Scabbard who betrayed Wano?
Where is O-tsuru (not in any of the flashback scenes as far as I can telllll)?
Not only does it have the most emotional impact on the reader. Revealing it after revealing that Kyoshiro=Denjiro and that his appearance was changed so dramatically by how much rage he was filled with, sets the two up as foils of sorts.
This also makes me think that there will be a fight between Kinnemon and Kyoshiro.
Think about it! How epic would that be? The man who we have all seen in a positive light, who took on the alias of being Momonosuke's father, who has been leading the alliance from the limelight--and the man who was introduced as a villain and a drunken gambler and gangster, who took on the role of protector to Hiyori and did so diligently from the shadows, who wouldn't stop at just that and also took on the role of protector of the poor and taken advantage of in Wano as The Witching Hour Boy, the man who has lived the past 20 years being called the "Lap Dog" of the one person he despises more than anything....
I have two questions.
How do we think Denjiro, the man who's very appearance became unrecognizably transformed by his bottomless rage, will respond to the Scabbard who betrayed Wano?
Where is O-tsuru (not in any of the flashback scenes as far as I can telllll)?
denjirou isn't the traitor
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I just think he isn't malicious you know? Have you seen Season 2 of Castlevania?
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No, but I am sure Castlevania ≠ One Piece.
Oda would have hinted "Kin is the traitor" something like trying to stop Law and Luffy Formung an alliance against Kaidou.
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Well what I'm saying is Kinnemon was probably convincingly tricked into betraying Oden (similar how oden was tricked into dancing), who he believes in more than anything, during a lapse in judgement where he had been lead to believe by Orochi and Kaido that it was in the best interest of Wano. (textual 'hints' Kinnemon is only one visibly still angry with Oden when he finally returns to Wano for a second time, everyone else simply praises Toki and is happy Oden is back) Kinnemon felt totally betrayed by Oden, Oden literally turned his back on Wano! (textual hint: when Oden stops by Wano to drop off Toki and the kids, Kinnemon is literally shown begging Oden to not go and to face his responsibility to their home and people. his final words to Oden as he sails away are him and Kanjuro shouting "SCUM!").
When you want to trick someone into betraying their team and then trapping them as your true 'Lap Dog' (someone that has to do your bidding no matter what)--you get them to make what might seem like a rational 'choice' which immediately implicates them into a much grander scheme they were initially ignorant of when making the 'choice' which makes them an 'accomplice'. This way, you can always use the way the first betrayal laid the foundation for further betrayals and say "You chose your side the minute you did this and that! They will never forgive you and we will kill your loved one if you try to double cross US!"
I think that Kinnemon became Orochi's true 'Lap Dog' during the time oden was away and Wano was already going to shit.
This is the timeline I am proposing:
Oden leaves wano the first time: everyone is pretty annoyed at him
Oden leaves the second time: Kinnemon sees this as a betrayal and selfish
Orochi and Kaido approach Kin: a deal is struck and made to look like Kin is taking responsibility that Oden discarded to help Wano in a bad situation that is only getting worse
Oden returns again: At this point we see Kin genuinely invested in fighting back with everyone as soon as Oden finally breaks after dancing for years
The Original Raid on Onigashima is planned: Kin at this point would be made aware of the fact that he has been used, but the circumstances of his becoming an unwitting accomplice in Orochi's scheme will be used as leverage against him to leak information about the raid to Orochi--possibly under threat of O-tsuru's life, possibly his previous 'betrayal' leveraged against him, probably a combination of the two (I can just imagine the pained looks on his face as he sits there breaking his brain and heart over what the hell he is supposed to do).
Ultimately Kin leaks the plans: most likely holding onto the hope that it will make no difference and Oden will prevail no matter what happens.
They are defeated and imprisoned: Kin is utterly demoralized and filled with shame and regret--he believes he deserves to be boiled alive for his sins.
Oden saves them all and dies: Kin escapes with Momo and Kanjuro and Raizo into the future.
20 years later at some point Kin ends up on dressrosa: Doflamingo is made aware of samurai from Wano in his country and makes Orochi and Kaido aware of this fact, describing Kanjuro and Kin to them.
Kin is confused and torn--caught between a rock and a hard place--but he would never hurt momo now or ever, but Orochi and Kaido have enough on him to keep him reluctantly leaking just enough information to them--BUT NOT enough to betray Oden's sacrifice further (textual 'Hints': Orochi says he knows that Hiyori survived--he doesn't know she is komurasaki, he doesn't know Momo is alive)
Another easter egg to me is this:
Textual 'Hints': Orochi brings up only Kin when mentioning the Scabbards at his banquet and calls him their 'leader' and 'an excellent strategist'
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Reasons why I am not believing in Kin being traitor
- Oden saved the life of O-Tsuru after Kinemon himself put her in danger
- Oden saved Kinemons life
- Kinemon ashamed for Toki getting wounded
- Kinemon getting saved by Oden like all.other Scabbards followed by Kinemon crying remembering the Moment with Oden
- Kinemon crying reunited with Momo at PH
- Kinemon crying mentioning Oden in Zou
- Kinemon crying telling Strawhats the story of Oden
- Kinemon crying Standing together with the other Scabbards reay to throw their lifes away
Doubt Kinemon would fall for Orochi lies after hearing about how Orochi tricked Oden.
O-Tsuru taken hostage would only work with Kinemon having an implented Transponder snail. Otherwise He could have told Others about his misery while not being in Wano.
(On top of that Kinemon should have checked if O-Tsuru is allright before infomring Orochi about Zou)
Kinemon end up being traitor has far too many "Errors" for me.
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See to me all these emotional responses from kin just speak to how conflicted he is by everything—you don’t have to be a bad faith actor to be forced to trick friends. Anything is possible with flashbacks.
I’m not trying to convince anyone—just making an observation
As someone who has recently entered into a really terrible rough patch in a friendship over a single disagreement that has boiled over and escalated into so many bigger issues than the original disagreement which in hindsight seems silly to have been unwilling to reconcile when it was just that—a single disagreement... I know how emotional and not black and white these things can be—I think it’s that sorta thing...
....cuz one piece is about me
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At this point, I'm going with everyone being a traitor in some way haha. Or at least unwittingly have done something to undermine the Kozuki cause in some way, unwittingly or otherwise. Everyone done fucked up somehow.
[automerge]1583528510[/automerge]
Sure would fuel some bad thoughts on Kin's part.
Only thing I could see possibly hinting towards this: Tsuru's tearful reaction to Tama's plight early in Wano. Granted, could be simply read as Tsuru feeling sympathy for a poor child's suffering...or maaaaaybe a painful recollection of the past...
Anyway, speculation for speculation's sake.
[automerge]1583528510[/automerge]
Here's a baseless bit of conjecture on my part, but what the hey: kinda curious that Kin and Tsuru never had any kids, no? Or perhaps they did, only...something bad happened owing to the terrible living conditions in Wano.
Sure would fuel some bad thoughts on Kin's part.
Only thing I could see possibly hinting towards this: Tsuru's tearful reaction to Tama's plight early in Wano. Granted, could be simply read as Tsuru feeling sympathy for a poor child's suffering...or maaaaaybe a painful recollection of the past...
Anyway, speculation for speculation's sake.
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i like the way u rumble
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Yeah, upon further consideration, I think I'm gonna cash all my chips on EVERYONE on the Kozuki side -- ie Toki, Hiyori and the Scabbards -- ALL being traitors. No joke lol!
A better way of putting it is that each and every one of them will have done ( or will do ) something to betray the trust of their fellow comrades, though the degree to which their actions constitute clear-cut treason may be difficult to gauge upon closer inspection. As we saw with Orochi, in what's been a clear core driving message throughout One Piece in general, few things are ever clearly black and white and one should be wary of jumping to conclusions.
More to the point, I've a feeling Oda's going to be exploring the subject of betrayal here in depth using the scope of the Scabbards' individual "traitorous" actions, in itself a sub-branching of the overall theme of Division and Discord set to heavily impact the Strawhats and their allies' battles and tribulations coming up shortly imho. As such, we're probably going to bear witness to a roundtable series of accusations and recriminations amongst the gathered Scabbards at one point, revealing just how each and every one did something or other to fuck up their cause, valid or not; predictably quite similar in tone to the oft volatile, acrimonious meetings of many of the great nations during Reverie, what a koinkydink. But yeah, as stated, we'll get a crash course in the various complex shapes betrayal can take.
A better way of putting it is that each and every one of them will have done ( or will do ) something to betray the trust of their fellow comrades, though the degree to which their actions constitute clear-cut treason may be difficult to gauge upon closer inspection. As we saw with Orochi, in what's been a clear core driving message throughout One Piece in general, few things are ever clearly black and white and one should be wary of jumping to conclusions.
More to the point, I've a feeling Oda's going to be exploring the subject of betrayal here in depth using the scope of the Scabbards' individual "traitorous" actions, in itself a sub-branching of the overall theme of Division and Discord set to heavily impact the Strawhats and their allies' battles and tribulations coming up shortly imho. As such, we're probably going to bear witness to a roundtable series of accusations and recriminations amongst the gathered Scabbards at one point, revealing just how each and every one did something or other to fuck up their cause, valid or not; predictably quite similar in tone to the oft volatile, acrimonious meetings of many of the great nations during Reverie, what a koinkydink. But yeah, as stated, we'll get a crash course in the various complex shapes betrayal can take.
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i've never seen this spelled out before lol. now i can too
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I've dragged Kanjuro's name through the mud a lot, but upon careful consideration, maybe I should follow my own advice and give Mr. Kabuki the benefit of the doubt here and play a lil game of devil's advocacy. Orochi has his own sob story, so why not Kabuki Zoidberg?
So let's once again employ a lil baseless conjecture backed by a minimal amount of info, a whole lotta hunches. and an overactive imagination to attempt putting together some possible motivations painting everyone's favorite suspect Kanjuro as either the traitor or possibly one of the most antagonistic of the whole lot of 'em.
There're traitors everywhere....but while They Live, Kanjuro may soon not have that luxury, as he could be running on borrowed time.
Anyways, here're a number of inspirations that may've informed Oda's vision and plans for the character
tldr summary:
- Kanjuro may be sick and dying from some incurable disease, probably something akin to cancer or lead poisoning.
- The paint or ink he uses is probably to blame, but Kanjuro incorrectly believes he contracted after buying some shitty product from a shifty foreign toad salesman like Usopp, maybe Dr. Hiriluk even.
- It caused his hair to fall out, so he's been wearing wigs throughout his life. Further explains his actions robbing hair, he used it to make not just brushes but wigs too.
- He had grievances against both Yasu and Oden -- probably more against Yasu due to some past incident -- which tie into the whole open borders sub-plot.
Miscellaneous:
So let's once again employ a lil baseless conjecture backed by a minimal amount of info, a whole lotta hunches. and an overactive imagination to attempt putting together some possible motivations painting everyone's favorite suspect Kanjuro as either the traitor or possibly one of the most antagonistic of the whole lot of 'em.
There're traitors everywhere....but while They Live, Kanjuro may soon not have that luxury, as he could be running on borrowed time.
Anyways, here're a number of inspirations that may've informed Oda's vision and plans for the character
YOKAI WATCH
The Scabbards all blatantly various Japanese yokai on one level, and Kanjuro is no exception, likely being based on the vaguely arthropod-like hair-snipping Kamikiri. According to some legends, these yokai would often target people on the cusp of making the error of unsuspectingly getting hitched with a yokai masquerading as a human, thereby functioning as preventative ill omens.
http://yokai.com/kamikiri/
Notable take-away 1: a scissor-clawed yokai
Notable take-away 2: A yokai that seeks to dissuade people from improper relationships could help prop up theories surrounding Kanjuro not being open to the idea of open borders, as some suspect certain comments he's made in the past may hint towards this.
The Scabbards all blatantly various Japanese yokai on one level, and Kanjuro is no exception, likely being based on the vaguely arthropod-like hair-snipping Kamikiri. According to some legends, these yokai would often target people on the cusp of making the error of unsuspectingly getting hitched with a yokai masquerading as a human, thereby functioning as preventative ill omens.
http://yokai.com/kamikiri/
Notable take-away 1: a scissor-clawed yokai
Notable take-away 2: A yokai that seeks to dissuade people from improper relationships could help prop up theories surrounding Kanjuro not being open to the idea of open borders, as some suspect certain comments he's made in the past may hint towards this.
KRUSTY KRAB
If you've seen me discussing how the Orochi's evil fruit and character likely tie into the myth of the Greek Hydra, then note also that the serpentine monster actually has a partner in crime in many versions of the myth -- a monstrous giant crab sentby Hera named Carcinus. Its efforts to hamper Hercules in the latter's legendary battle with the Hydra would avail to little, getting promptly crushed beneath the hero's boot. But recognizing it tried at least, Hera would nonetheless grant Carcinus a generous Participation Prize by transforming the creature into the famous Cancer constellation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_(constellation)
Notable take-away 1: Kamikiri --> Crab monster --> snippy snips
Notable take-away 2: Recall how many of Oden's early feats alluded to those of Hercules' in many ways, and how their first intro went.
Notable take-away 3: Carcinus as Hydra's flunky --> Traitor as Orochi's goon
Notable take-away 4: As any Saint Seiya reader would know, the Cancer constellation has long been associated with death and the entrance to the Underworld.
You've seen me joke about the possibility Kanjuro actually wearing flamboyant wigs to cover for his baldness. Well, perhaps it's no simple joke; adding possible references to CANCER, regardless of any distinction to be made between the disease and the constellation, nonetheless suddenly adds a whole other layer of context to this scenario, as Oda may intend. May sound farfetched, but hear me out.
Apropos, consider the heavy thematic presence of death throughout this arc and its pervading presence in the lives of many of the Wano characters; quite blatantly so with respect to several of the Scabbards, with Kanjuro's connection to death laid bare through his theft of hair from corpses. Only fitting then that the traitor would be someone with an especially deep link, and by that I mean potentially suffering from a terminal disease and thus currently dying as we speak. In other words, Kanjuro the Krab's horoscope may signal he's already got a foot in the grave.
If you've seen me discussing how the Orochi's evil fruit and character likely tie into the myth of the Greek Hydra, then note also that the serpentine monster actually has a partner in crime in many versions of the myth -- a monstrous giant crab sentby Hera named Carcinus. Its efforts to hamper Hercules in the latter's legendary battle with the Hydra would avail to little, getting promptly crushed beneath the hero's boot. But recognizing it tried at least, Hera would nonetheless grant Carcinus a generous Participation Prize by transforming the creature into the famous Cancer constellation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_(constellation)
Notable take-away 1: Kamikiri --> Crab monster --> snippy snips
Notable take-away 2: Recall how many of Oden's early feats alluded to those of Hercules' in many ways, and how their first intro went.
Notable take-away 3: Carcinus as Hydra's flunky --> Traitor as Orochi's goon
Notable take-away 4: As any Saint Seiya reader would know, the Cancer constellation has long been associated with death and the entrance to the Underworld.
You've seen me joke about the possibility Kanjuro actually wearing flamboyant wigs to cover for his baldness. Well, perhaps it's no simple joke; adding possible references to CANCER, regardless of any distinction to be made between the disease and the constellation, nonetheless suddenly adds a whole other layer of context to this scenario, as Oda may intend. May sound farfetched, but hear me out.
Apropos, consider the heavy thematic presence of death throughout this arc and its pervading presence in the lives of many of the Wano characters; quite blatantly so with respect to several of the Scabbards, with Kanjuro's connection to death laid bare through his theft of hair from corpses. Only fitting then that the traitor would be someone with an especially deep link, and by that I mean potentially suffering from a terminal disease and thus currently dying as we speak. In other words, Kanjuro the Krab's horoscope may signal he's already got a foot in the grave.
BLACK MARK
It's been speculated by some that both Whitebeard and Roger -- two prominent characters who factor heavily into the current ongoing story arc -- both may have been suffering from forms of cancer. If so, same may hold true of one other major character deeply related to a certain Strawhat...one who may've unknowingly contributed to Kanjuro's hypothetical pro-isolationist bent, thus involving said Strawhat crewmember in the traitor/Kanjuro subplot on a more personal level.
Picture this: a stricken, desperate Kanjuro getting duped into buying a bogus "miracle cure" from a travelling snaketoad oil salesman who'd managed to sneak into Wano to sell his bogus wares, similar to what happened to poor gullible Toko. No, not talking about Usopp.
This guy
Talk about suffering poetic karmic retribution if it turns out the incurable disease plaguing Dr. H was same likewise cancerous in nature, tying all four of these men's narratives together in a way. Would also explain where Dr. H stumbled upon those cherry blossoms that led to his apparent psycho-sematic recovery ( tying into the whole mind-over-matter dynamic of Denjiro's own fantastic transformation? )
Then again, assuming this holds any weight, it needn't have been something as egregious and damning to Hiriluk's characters as selling fake cancer medication. Their interaction could've simply amounted to Hiriluk swindling a perfectly healthy Kan ( at the time ) by selling him some kinda faux hair dye or shampoo that made his hair fall out lol. Only problem was when Kan's hair started suddenly falling out years later, and his body began showing serious signs of severe illnesss…leading Kan to ultimately ( and mistakenly ) pin the blame on Hiriluk's concoction.
Cue a dramatic confrontation which sees Chopper enlightening Kan to the truth behind his ailment, leading him to realize the bitter irony of it all; Wano's centuries-long closed doors policy has precluded any advancements in the field of medicine making its way into Wano society. Hell, they probably possess little to no knowledge of said..*robo voice*... i-n-c-u-r-a-b-l-e d-i-s-e-a-s-e.
Can't outright call it cancer, right, Oda?
In any case, easy to see how such a bitter experience could potentially skew Kan's view of foreigners, and likewise lead to potential growing resentment in light of Oden's abandonment of Wano and subsequent insistence opening the borders.
Addendum: Just think, it'd add a whole new insidious layer of meaning to Kanjuro's guise as fishmonger in the Flower Capitol; effectively doing onto others what was done onto him years back by selling fraudulent wares to the people, consumption of which would most likely lead to sickness ( as Kinemon can personally attest )
Addendum 2: Also kinda makes for some ironic juxtaposition if you buy into my Orochi theory, meaning you've got a terminally ill Kanjuro playing crony to a pair of nigh-unkillable villains.
It's been speculated by some that both Whitebeard and Roger -- two prominent characters who factor heavily into the current ongoing story arc -- both may have been suffering from forms of cancer. If so, same may hold true of one other major character deeply related to a certain Strawhat...one who may've unknowingly contributed to Kanjuro's hypothetical pro-isolationist bent, thus involving said Strawhat crewmember in the traitor/Kanjuro subplot on a more personal level.
Picture this: a stricken, desperate Kanjuro getting duped into buying a bogus "miracle cure" from a travelling
This guy
Talk about suffering poetic karmic retribution if it turns out the incurable disease plaguing Dr. H was same likewise cancerous in nature, tying all four of these men's narratives together in a way. Would also explain where Dr. H stumbled upon those cherry blossoms that led to his apparent psycho-sematic recovery ( tying into the whole mind-over-matter dynamic of Denjiro's own fantastic transformation? )
Then again, assuming this holds any weight, it needn't have been something as egregious and damning to Hiriluk's characters as selling fake cancer medication. Their interaction could've simply amounted to Hiriluk swindling a perfectly healthy Kan ( at the time ) by selling him some kinda faux hair dye or shampoo that made his hair fall out lol. Only problem was when Kan's hair started suddenly falling out years later, and his body began showing serious signs of severe illnesss…leading Kan to ultimately ( and mistakenly ) pin the blame on Hiriluk's concoction.
Cue a dramatic confrontation which sees Chopper enlightening Kan to the truth behind his ailment, leading him to realize the bitter irony of it all; Wano's centuries-long closed doors policy has precluded any advancements in the field of medicine making its way into Wano society. Hell, they probably possess little to no knowledge of said..*robo voice*... i-n-c-u-r-a-b-l-e d-i-s-e-a-s-e.
Can't outright call it cancer, right, Oda?
In any case, easy to see how such a bitter experience could potentially skew Kan's view of foreigners, and likewise lead to potential growing resentment in light of Oden's abandonment of Wano and subsequent insistence opening the borders.
Addendum: Just think, it'd add a whole new insidious layer of meaning to Kanjuro's guise as fishmonger in the Flower Capitol; effectively doing onto others what was done onto him years back by selling fraudulent wares to the people, consumption of which would most likely lead to sickness ( as Kinemon can personally attest )
Addendum 2: Also kinda makes for some ironic juxtaposition if you buy into my Orochi theory, meaning you've got a terminally ill Kanjuro playing crony to a pair of nigh-unkillable villains.
IXNAY ON THE CANCER
Then again, rather than include nay real-world diseases, Oda could simply once again opt for some fictional disease that simply alludes to such without mentioning outright, e.g. the Amber Lead Syndrome of Flevance that made life hell for Law and his people, likely derived from real life afflictions such as white lead poisoning or cadmium poisoning, notable cases of which plagued a good many people in Japan in particular.
Red Flag 1: Now, I dunno about you, but the instant I considered the mere possibility of some kinda lead poisoning playing into Kanjuro's plot, my focus immediately shifts to the fact he's...a painter. Need I say more about the checkered history of lead-based paint and the many health issues connected to such materials?
Red Flag 2: Again, recall Kin mentioning how eating Kan's art-based food made him sick. I'm sure many of us simply didn't read too much into it, thinking, "well duh, it's made of ink/paint lol." Might that's precisely what the kind of reaction Oda wanted, as any potential reveals about Kan suffering some kinda disease may force us to revisit this scene and consider the implications.
Case in point: Kin may have passed on Kan's offerings, but Kan clearly has no qualms about eating paint-derived food. In fact, he was surviving exclusively on the stuff during his time hiding away in Dresrosa. So if he does turn out to be suffering some kinda Amber Lead type disease, it suddenly sheds another ominous layer of context in hindsight; Kanjuro himself may be partly to blame for his own worsening condition.
Red Flag 3: Another possible hint that should be ringing alarms? Just look at the sorry state of Kan's creations. One may again simply overlook as yet another innocent bit of humor, chalking it up to Kan being a shitty artist and all, but it could be another morbid instance of a darker truth being hidden beneath the surface.
Consider the rather worrying ( but deceptively downplayed ) minor sound effects associated with the animals he drew; it's been pointed out in the past that Nuke Suzume and Co. were constantly making utterances along the lines of "ouch" and such, as if simply moving about was causing them pain. In light of the manner of their creation, it was pointed out that it may've been Oda's reference to a rather notorious affliction which hit Japan hard in the early twentieth century, counted amongst the worst outbreaks in the country's history of sickness stemming from man-made contaminants.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itai-itai_disease
With this is mind, looking back on Ryuunosuke and Co. feeble, pained movements suddenly take on a whole new meaning. Makes one shudder really. Also poses the question then: if this is the conditions these pitiful creatures find themselves in, what about their creator, who's been working with the very tainted paint/ink that led to their faulty existences all his life? Might not they be hinting at Kanjuro's own burdens? Perhaps the sad truth is that Kanjuro truly was a fantastic artist at one point...before the encroaching pain began creeping into his limbs, leading to the deterioration of his drawing skills mirroring that of his overall health.
Certainly adds another tragic layer to all those scenes depicting his colleagues shitting all over his artwork, doesn't it?
Red Flag 4: It's probably nothing worth looking into all on its own, but when taking all the above into consideration...perhaps Kanjuro's white skin isn't just another natural quirk typical of the kooky nature of One Piece universe, solely a nod to the character's Kabuki roots; maybe it's a tell-tale symptom further indicating he's currently suffering the effects of a disease similar to ( or may in fact be ) Amber Lead syndrome, same as how Law's own experiences left him with a pale complexion of his own.
If so, you now have not only Chopper but potentially Law as well also getting heavily invested in Kanjuro's story as well.
Then again, rather than include nay real-world diseases, Oda could simply once again opt for some fictional disease that simply alludes to such without mentioning outright, e.g. the Amber Lead Syndrome of Flevance that made life hell for Law and his people, likely derived from real life afflictions such as white lead poisoning or cadmium poisoning, notable cases of which plagued a good many people in Japan in particular.
Red Flag 1: Now, I dunno about you, but the instant I considered the mere possibility of some kinda lead poisoning playing into Kanjuro's plot, my focus immediately shifts to the fact he's...a painter. Need I say more about the checkered history of lead-based paint and the many health issues connected to such materials?
Red Flag 2: Again, recall Kin mentioning how eating Kan's art-based food made him sick. I'm sure many of us simply didn't read too much into it, thinking, "well duh, it's made of ink/paint lol." Might that's precisely what the kind of reaction Oda wanted, as any potential reveals about Kan suffering some kinda disease may force us to revisit this scene and consider the implications.
Case in point: Kin may have passed on Kan's offerings, but Kan clearly has no qualms about eating paint-derived food. In fact, he was surviving exclusively on the stuff during his time hiding away in Dresrosa. So if he does turn out to be suffering some kinda Amber Lead type disease, it suddenly sheds another ominous layer of context in hindsight; Kanjuro himself may be partly to blame for his own worsening condition.
Red Flag 3: Another possible hint that should be ringing alarms? Just look at the sorry state of Kan's creations. One may again simply overlook as yet another innocent bit of humor, chalking it up to Kan being a shitty artist and all, but it could be another morbid instance of a darker truth being hidden beneath the surface.
Consider the rather worrying ( but deceptively downplayed ) minor sound effects associated with the animals he drew; it's been pointed out in the past that Nuke Suzume and Co. were constantly making utterances along the lines of "ouch" and such, as if simply moving about was causing them pain. In light of the manner of their creation, it was pointed out that it may've been Oda's reference to a rather notorious affliction which hit Japan hard in the early twentieth century, counted amongst the worst outbreaks in the country's history of sickness stemming from man-made contaminants.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itai-itai_disease
With this is mind, looking back on Ryuunosuke and Co. feeble, pained movements suddenly take on a whole new meaning. Makes one shudder really. Also poses the question then: if this is the conditions these pitiful creatures find themselves in, what about their creator, who's been working with the very tainted paint/ink that led to their faulty existences all his life? Might not they be hinting at Kanjuro's own burdens? Perhaps the sad truth is that Kanjuro truly was a fantastic artist at one point...before the encroaching pain began creeping into his limbs, leading to the deterioration of his drawing skills mirroring that of his overall health.
Certainly adds another tragic layer to all those scenes depicting his colleagues shitting all over his artwork, doesn't it?
Red Flag 4: It's probably nothing worth looking into all on its own, but when taking all the above into consideration...perhaps Kanjuro's white skin isn't just another natural quirk typical of the kooky nature of One Piece universe, solely a nod to the character's Kabuki roots; maybe it's a tell-tale symptom further indicating he's currently suffering the effects of a disease similar to ( or may in fact be ) Amber Lead syndrome, same as how Law's own experiences left him with a pale complexion of his own.
If so, you now have not only Chopper but potentially Law as well also getting heavily invested in Kanjuro's story as well.
JUDAS CONTRACT
Here's another big one.
Some have already pointed out that Kanjuro's potential treason may ultimately be grounded in the tale of an infamous real life historical figure by the name of Yamada Emosaku -- a painter and Japanese Christian who ultimately betrayed his fellows to the Tokugawa forces during the failed of the Shimabara Rebellio, consisting of disgruntled peasants and Christians led by the famous Amakasa Shiro in response to the religious persecution and generally oppressive policies enacted by the shogunate and some rather incompetent, tyrannical daimyo at the time.
https://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Shimabara_Rebellion
https://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Yamada_Emosaku
Notable takeaway 1: A traitor who's a painter is an obvious one.
And since I foresee there being multiple traitors being revealed, it'd only make sense that Oda would including references to several notable traitors throughout Japanese history ( e.g. Akechi Mitsuhide, Minamoto no Yoritomo's betrayal of his famous brother Yoshitsune, etc...). In short, the likelihood of Kanjuro being a traitor is extremely high regardless.
Notable takeaway 2: Recall Oden's note on Kanjuro suffering from past persecution. Upon reading that, one of the immediate thoughts that entered my mind was that Oda would tie the character to in-story allusions to Japan's sordid history of religious persecution againt the "Kiri-shitans," something I knew he'd eventually be depicting in some form throughout this arc.
And we've seen just that: crucifixions, persecution of non-humans, Yasuie's own Jesus overtones...and when you consider Hiriluk's own cross motif, it suddenly ups the chances of his inclusion into the plot, don't it?
Doesn't end there tho. Denjiro's "Dozing" Inemuri Kyoshiro's identity is itself a likely reference to the famous "Sleepy Eyes of Death" film franchise centered around the eponymous Nemuri Kyoshiro aka the Son of the Black Mass, fathered by a fallen Christian foreigner during a Satanic ritual, leading to the character developing a rather bleak, cynical outlook on life and a particular distate for Christianity in general. Fittingly enough, the role in the most popular series of films was played by a famous kabuki actor. Ichikawa Raizo VIII
https://glitternight.com/tag/sleepy-eyes-of-death/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichikawa_Raizō_VIII
But wait, there's more
With Gecko Moriah likely to return to Wano to settle the score with Kaido as many have been predicting, I believe it's but a given that Oda's gonna throw in a tribute to this other notable franchise: the Makai Tensho series of novels, film, anime, and manga. Some might be familiar with the popular film starring Sonny Chiba with the alternate title of "Samurai Reincarnation", and others more through the "Ninja Resurrection" titled anime/manga form.
General summary: vengeful Shimabar survivor Mori Soiken plots revenge against Japan by using black magic to resurrect an undead of famous warriors and figures, notably with fallen Shimabara leader Shiro Amakusa taking the lead in all the various canon, now transformed into a vengeful force of evil. Notable Christian convert Hosokowa Gracia would likewise add to the "vengeful Christian" element in the film version.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai_Reincarnation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makai_Tensho
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amakusa_Shirō
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosokawa_Gracia
So yes, big ties the history of Christianity in Japan.
Bonus: spiraling down the rabbit hole of rampant conjecture here, but given Kanjuro's hair-collection habits and the whole Christianity theme, I wouldn't be surprised if certain legends ( more a likely hoax really, but anyways ) concerning Jesus having not only travelled to but lived out the remainder of his life in Japan, bringing along with him a lock of the Virgin Mary's hair.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-little-known-legend-of-jesus-in-japan-165354242/
Bonus trivia: What with Kanjuro being a painter and all, I'd be remiss in not pointing out that one other notable keepsake Jesus brought with him in the above legend was the severed ear of a twin brother named Isokiri who'd sacrificed himself by taking Jesus' place on the cross. Yeah.
Anyway, only reason I bring it up is because it instantly brought to mind everyone's favorite emo painter, Vincent Van Gogh, famous for severing his own ear after a dispute with a fellow artist and offering it up as rather strange token of love to a prostitute.
https://qz.com/823588/why-vincent-van-gogh-cut-off-his-hear/
How would this all weave into Kanjuro's tale? I'm not even going to touch that one yet lol
Notable takeaway 3: It's recorded that Emosaku was trained as painter by European missionaries. Multiple different ways this could play out under Oda's pen in this hypothetical scenario, but it further lends weight to the possibility that Kanjuro's interaction with some foreign party selling black market goods could factor heavily into his story.
Notable takeaway 4: Like his fellow Three Great Unifiers, Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugaw Ieyasu actively engaged in persecuting Christian minorities in Japan, though initially not to the same brutal extent as the other two. Whatever relative restraint he may've demonstrated early on would eventually evaporate in light of the threat he perceived Christianity as osing in the wak eof Akamakusa's rebellion.
Needless to say, it's obvious that Shimotsuki Yasuie and Kozuki Oden are blatant ( if ersatz ) analogues to the real life Ieyasu and Nobunaga, albeit predictably reconfigured and flipped around as Oda enjoys doing. So then, if Kanjuro is presumably the One Piece incarnation of Yamada Emosuke, it thus further points to Kanjuro potentially having a rather complicated relationship with not just Oden but Yasu as well.
Everything I've outlined about Kan potentially being involved with outside goods and/or traders suddenly starts sounding more credible when you consider that Yasu was in charge of the only open port at one point in time in Hakumai, further connecting the two. And as I pointed out, it was Kanjuro who ultimately volunteered to bury Yasu, leading me to suspect he has some shady intentions for Yasu' afro..
Hell, just for the hell of it, I'm gonna baselessly speculate that one scene in which Kan and Shinobu failed to recognize Yasu isn't the first occurrence of one failing to discern the identity of the other; I'll go out on a limb and postulate that Yasu had already once met Kanjuro before prior to his fateful introduction to the young Scabbards. Their first meeting was probably a rather rocky one, and Yasu failing to recognize Kanjuro in light of the changes wrought by the latter's ( again, purely speculating here ) sickness probably didn't improve matters...
In short, Kanjuro may've once held a grudge against not just Oden but Yasu as well.
Here's another big one.
Some have already pointed out that Kanjuro's potential treason may ultimately be grounded in the tale of an infamous real life historical figure by the name of Yamada Emosaku -- a painter and Japanese Christian who ultimately betrayed his fellows to the Tokugawa forces during the failed of the Shimabara Rebellio, consisting of disgruntled peasants and Christians led by the famous Amakasa Shiro in response to the religious persecution and generally oppressive policies enacted by the shogunate and some rather incompetent, tyrannical daimyo at the time.
https://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Shimabara_Rebellion
https://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Yamada_Emosaku
Notable takeaway 1: A traitor who's a painter is an obvious one.
And since I foresee there being multiple traitors being revealed, it'd only make sense that Oda would including references to several notable traitors throughout Japanese history ( e.g. Akechi Mitsuhide, Minamoto no Yoritomo's betrayal of his famous brother Yoshitsune, etc...). In short, the likelihood of Kanjuro being a traitor is extremely high regardless.
Notable takeaway 2: Recall Oden's note on Kanjuro suffering from past persecution. Upon reading that, one of the immediate thoughts that entered my mind was that Oda would tie the character to in-story allusions to Japan's sordid history of religious persecution againt the "Kiri-shitans," something I knew he'd eventually be depicting in some form throughout this arc.
And we've seen just that: crucifixions, persecution of non-humans, Yasuie's own Jesus overtones...and when you consider Hiriluk's own cross motif, it suddenly ups the chances of his inclusion into the plot, don't it?
Doesn't end there tho. Denjiro's "Dozing" Inemuri Kyoshiro's identity is itself a likely reference to the famous "Sleepy Eyes of Death" film franchise centered around the eponymous Nemuri Kyoshiro aka the Son of the Black Mass, fathered by a fallen Christian foreigner during a Satanic ritual, leading to the character developing a rather bleak, cynical outlook on life and a particular distate for Christianity in general. Fittingly enough, the role in the most popular series of films was played by a famous kabuki actor. Ichikawa Raizo VIII
https://glitternight.com/tag/sleepy-eyes-of-death/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichikawa_Raizō_VIII
But wait, there's more
With Gecko Moriah likely to return to Wano to settle the score with Kaido as many have been predicting, I believe it's but a given that Oda's gonna throw in a tribute to this other notable franchise: the Makai Tensho series of novels, film, anime, and manga. Some might be familiar with the popular film starring Sonny Chiba with the alternate title of "Samurai Reincarnation", and others more through the "Ninja Resurrection" titled anime/manga form.
General summary: vengeful Shimabar survivor Mori Soiken plots revenge against Japan by using black magic to resurrect an undead of famous warriors and figures, notably with fallen Shimabara leader Shiro Amakusa taking the lead in all the various canon, now transformed into a vengeful force of evil. Notable Christian convert Hosokowa Gracia would likewise add to the "vengeful Christian" element in the film version.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai_Reincarnation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makai_Tensho
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amakusa_Shirō
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosokawa_Gracia
So yes, big ties the history of Christianity in Japan.
Bonus: spiraling down the rabbit hole of rampant conjecture here, but given Kanjuro's hair-collection habits and the whole Christianity theme, I wouldn't be surprised if certain legends ( more a likely hoax really, but anyways ) concerning Jesus having not only travelled to but lived out the remainder of his life in Japan, bringing along with him a lock of the Virgin Mary's hair.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-little-known-legend-of-jesus-in-japan-165354242/
Bonus trivia: What with Kanjuro being a painter and all, I'd be remiss in not pointing out that one other notable keepsake Jesus brought with him in the above legend was the severed ear of a twin brother named Isokiri who'd sacrificed himself by taking Jesus' place on the cross. Yeah.
Anyway, only reason I bring it up is because it instantly brought to mind everyone's favorite emo painter, Vincent Van Gogh, famous for severing his own ear after a dispute with a fellow artist and offering it up as rather strange token of love to a prostitute.
https://qz.com/823588/why-vincent-van-gogh-cut-off-his-hear/
How would this all weave into Kanjuro's tale? I'm not even going to touch that one yet lol
Notable takeaway 3: It's recorded that Emosaku was trained as painter by European missionaries. Multiple different ways this could play out under Oda's pen in this hypothetical scenario, but it further lends weight to the possibility that Kanjuro's interaction with some foreign party selling black market goods could factor heavily into his story.
Notable takeaway 4: Like his fellow Three Great Unifiers, Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugaw Ieyasu actively engaged in persecuting Christian minorities in Japan, though initially not to the same brutal extent as the other two. Whatever relative restraint he may've demonstrated early on would eventually evaporate in light of the threat he perceived Christianity as osing in the wak eof Akamakusa's rebellion.
Needless to say, it's obvious that Shimotsuki Yasuie and Kozuki Oden are blatant ( if ersatz ) analogues to the real life Ieyasu and Nobunaga, albeit predictably reconfigured and flipped around as Oda enjoys doing. So then, if Kanjuro is presumably the One Piece incarnation of Yamada Emosuke, it thus further points to Kanjuro potentially having a rather complicated relationship with not just Oden but Yasu as well.
Everything I've outlined about Kan potentially being involved with outside goods and/or traders suddenly starts sounding more credible when you consider that Yasu was in charge of the only open port at one point in time in Hakumai, further connecting the two. And as I pointed out, it was Kanjuro who ultimately volunteered to bury Yasu, leading me to suspect he has some shady intentions for Yasu' afro..
Hell, just for the hell of it, I'm gonna baselessly speculate that one scene in which Kan and Shinobu failed to recognize Yasu isn't the first occurrence of one failing to discern the identity of the other; I'll go out on a limb and postulate that Yasu had already once met Kanjuro before prior to his fateful introduction to the young Scabbards. Their first meeting was probably a rather rocky one, and Yasu failing to recognize Kanjuro in light of the changes wrought by the latter's ( again, purely speculating here ) sickness probably didn't improve matters...
In short, Kanjuro may've once held a grudge against not just Oden but Yasu as well.
tldr summary:
- Kanjuro may be sick and dying from some incurable disease, probably something akin to cancer or lead poisoning.
- The paint or ink he uses is probably to blame, but Kanjuro incorrectly believes he contracted after buying some shitty product from a shifty foreign toad salesman like Usopp, maybe Dr. Hiriluk even.
- It caused his hair to fall out, so he's been wearing wigs throughout his life. Further explains his actions robbing hair, he used it to make not just brushes but wigs too.
- He had grievances against both Yasu and Oden -- probably more against Yasu due to some past incident -- which tie into the whole open borders sub-plot.
Miscellaneous:
CREEPYPASTA
Just for shits and giggles, here's another idea crossed my mind that paints a darker portrait of Kanjuro and his possible motivations. Even more baseless, but whatevs, all in good fun.
Well, scratch that, just to back it up with SOMETHING, it's a notion which popped into my head in light of some other theories I've been playing with.
Theory 1: the principle behind the creation of SMILES is the same as that that which goes into the creation of Vivre Cards -- the alchemic grounding and liquification of organic matter. Yup, straight up disturbing Full metal Alchemist shit
Theory 2: Graverobbing, SMILES, Moriah's zombies, clone armies, genetic manipulation, Big Mom's soul manipulation...these are just the opening salvo in a series of running sub-plots centered around the desecration of the dead and the toying with the forces of life itself. I predict we're going to be seeing a lot more abominations of science in the form of blasphemous experimentation in animal/human/plant hybrid mutants, legit Frankenstein-style resurrection, robotics, organic "armor," corpse dolls....all culminating with a certain pirate getting their hands on the powers of the Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit: Enma/Yama/Shinigami, granting its users the ability to truly summon and possibly resurrect the dead.
….ANYWHO, how does this all tie back to Kanjuro? Well, I mentioned lovelorn Van Gogh, and Kan did seem to be envious of Toki's devotion to Oden...and going back to the Kamikiri myth, maybe there's a subverted cockblocking angle there. It's also theorized that such myths were born from real-life incidents of pervs with hair fetishes prowling for mementoes, as long flowing locks were often the object of erotic fixation, notably in the realm of Kabuki and Noh theater, appropriately enough.
Blahblahblah but again, where am I going with this?
Well, imagine this premise: Kanjuro loves a woman but can't have her and/or she diedz. Decides he'll recreate her through art and bring the painting to life ( remember Queen making smoochies with a picture of Komurasaki? Imagine Kanjuro taking that many steps further ). Problem is that mere ink can't truly get the job done in his mind, so he gets a crazy idea: mix in something a lil more organic to breathe some real life into his creation, give it a little more permanence, make em a bit more vivid. Think something along the lines of using their actual hair as the brush, grinding up bones or whatever, mixing it in with the paint...some real macabre shit.
Pretty sure this formed the plot to some horror story somewhere haha
*/rambling*
Just for shits and giggles, here's another idea crossed my mind that paints a darker portrait of Kanjuro and his possible motivations. Even more baseless, but whatevs, all in good fun.
Well, scratch that, just to back it up with SOMETHING, it's a notion which popped into my head in light of some other theories I've been playing with.
Theory 1: the principle behind the creation of SMILES is the same as that that which goes into the creation of Vivre Cards -- the alchemic grounding and liquification of organic matter. Yup, straight up disturbing Full metal Alchemist shit
Theory 2: Graverobbing, SMILES, Moriah's zombies, clone armies, genetic manipulation, Big Mom's soul manipulation...these are just the opening salvo in a series of running sub-plots centered around the desecration of the dead and the toying with the forces of life itself. I predict we're going to be seeing a lot more abominations of science in the form of blasphemous experimentation in animal/human/plant hybrid mutants, legit Frankenstein-style resurrection, robotics, organic "armor," corpse dolls....all culminating with a certain pirate getting their hands on the powers of the Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit: Enma/Yama/Shinigami, granting its users the ability to truly summon and possibly resurrect the dead.
….ANYWHO, how does this all tie back to Kanjuro? Well, I mentioned lovelorn Van Gogh, and Kan did seem to be envious of Toki's devotion to Oden...and going back to the Kamikiri myth, maybe there's a subverted cockblocking angle there. It's also theorized that such myths were born from real-life incidents of pervs with hair fetishes prowling for mementoes, as long flowing locks were often the object of erotic fixation, notably in the realm of Kabuki and Noh theater, appropriately enough.
Blahblahblah but again, where am I going with this?
Well, imagine this premise: Kanjuro loves a woman but can't have her and/or she diedz. Decides he'll recreate her through art and bring the painting to life ( remember Queen making smoochies with a picture of Komurasaki? Imagine Kanjuro taking that many steps further ). Problem is that mere ink can't truly get the job done in his mind, so he gets a crazy idea: mix in something a lil more organic to breathe some real life into his creation, give it a little more permanence, make em a bit more vivid. Think something along the lines of using their actual hair as the brush, grinding up bones or whatever, mixing it in with the paint...some real macabre shit.
Pretty sure this formed the plot to some horror story somewhere haha
*/rambling*
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now I know that you, lemonade, are the traitorThe traitor is linked to an evil version of me: limeade
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