第21回：数字がデカいほうが勝ち!?[ENGLISH ver.]

Luffy is many things and no matter how much we love him I think we can definitely agree that ’sore loser’ is one accurate description of him. So when it comes to numbers, Luffy, who shares many qualities with children half his age, is under the impression that ’bigger is better’. For example, back in Alabasta when Luffy shouted his powerful (and *hilarious*) line, "Then I’m the Eighth Warlord of the Sea!", when considering the original Japanese quote, it’s fairly obvious he has little notion that the number seven actually represents a *number of members*. Even though Luffy was told so by Yosaku on the way to Arlong Park, he feels that simply increasing the number makes him bigger and better.

Another example? Right after Alabasta, as the crew is mourning Vivi’s decision to stay behind, when Zoro speaks up, "If you couldn’t stand to leave her then you should’ve kidnapped her.", the crew take turns insulting him. Luffy’s submission? "Three-sword style."

….guh?

Usopp informs Luffy that calling him what he *actually is* isn’t an insult. Luffy’s new ’insult’ based on that information? "Four-sword style."

…*facepalm*

Right! So, anyway, with that in mind, let’s talk about the team heading towards to the second step. That would be Luffy, Cabbage, Law, Kyros and Farul. Their verbal bout regarding whose grudge goes farthest back with Doflamingo has led to yet another shining statement of simplicity from our fearless captain. Kyros said his grudge goes back ’10’ years, Law says ’13’ and then Luffy responds, "Then mine is THIRTY!!!" Luffy just picked up the ’3’ from Law’s ’13’ and made a number that sounded bigger ^_^; You can pretty much hear the crickets in the pause before rage-Cabbage informs him, "Oh shut up! You’re not older than me!!!" Uh yeah, as you can see in the panels between them on the page, that kind of pointless battle will create some serious tension between a rampaging group of single-minded males.

Just food for thought, but as long as we’re talking about a grudge with the Doflamingo family, don’t the Tonattas have everyone pretty much trumped? They’ve had beef with that family going back 800 years!

In Chapter 738 the Tontattas call their slave driver in the Smile Factory ’third-rate’ as if it were some kind of compliment. Thankfully, later on, the Tontattas outside convey a message which helps convince the all-too-easy-to-fool dwarves that they’ve been duped and they begin a revolt. Notice how their attitude changes in Chapter 753 when they shout, "Shut up, you third-rate chump!", and proceed to thwomp the same ’third-rate’ underling’s face. Remind me *never* to tick off a dwarf from Green Bit.

WOAH! I discussed this in a previous Japanese edition of the column but it looks like Rolling Logan really might have been based on ’Mr. America’ himself, Hulk Hogan! As Logan calls out to the crowd he cups his ear to hear their response just like Hogan famously did in the ring!

Hogan, er… Logan and Rebecca’s battle which is unique to the anime helps us see a bit more of the results from her years of training under the so-called Lightning Soldier.

Ah, one more thing! The face that Bartolomeo imagined for Sanji had me in stitches the moment I realized why he looked like that. Only the people that Sanji’s met actually know what he looks like. Everyone else can only go by his wanted poster. Well played, Toei. Well played.

I almost fell through the floor when Bartolomeo spotted Luffy and started hallucinating. In the anime one thing struck me almost immediately, how close he appears to Hancock’s perfect version of Luffy. The big difference? Luffy appears even *more* sparkly to Bartolomeo than he does to Hancock! Wut the wuuut? Check Luffy’s eyes, they’re reflecting way more sparkles than in Hancock’s imagination. Is it possible that Luffy looks even more entrancing to Bartolomeo than to someone that actually wants to marry him!? Let’s just hope those two never meet face to face. I’m afraid they wouldn’t leave anything left of poor Luffy!