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A review by bookcheshirecat
One Piece, Vol. 53: Natural Born King by Eiichiro Oda
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
5.0
➽ Volume 53 is heartbreaking, as it starts with the utter defeat of the Strawhats. They get vanished one by one until only Luffy is left and he's devastated that he couldn't save any of his friends. It was such an emotional moment and showed how the crew wasn't strong enough to withstand the dangers of the New World. Like the others, Luffy gets repelled by Kuma and is flying through the air until he lands on a mysterious island. I was worried about the upcoming volumes, as I knew I'd miss the Strawhats and their dynamics. However, I really enjoyed Luffy's solo adventure as well!
➽ Luffy's immediately getting into trouble, as is typical for him. The place he landed on is literally an all-woman island home to the Kuja warriors and no man is allowed to be there. Even worse, the Empress of the island is another Warlord of the Sea: the beautiful Boa Hancock. I loved the way she was written, as initially, she appears as a cruel, arrogant person who kicks kittens and rules the island with an iron fist. However, there is much more to her when Luffy discovers her dark secret. I didn't expect to like her at all, but seeing the horrors she had to endure and the trauma it caused, made me understand Hancock's personality. Luffy being Luffy shows kindness to her and her sisters, which is why she lets him live at all. It was heartbreaking seeing her admit to Luffy that she'll never be able to be vulnerable with anyone again for fear of being controlled. It's no wonder she's in shock of Luffy's genuine kindness and love for freedom! She offers to lend him her ship so he can get back to his crew, but just when things can't get worse, Luffy finds out that Ace is about to be executed!
➽ Luffy's immediately getting into trouble, as is typical for him. The place he landed on is literally an all-woman island home to the Kuja warriors and no man is allowed to be there. Even worse, the Empress of the island is another Warlord of the Sea: the beautiful Boa Hancock. I loved the way she was written, as initially, she appears as a cruel, arrogant person who kicks kittens and rules the island with an iron fist. However, there is much more to her when Luffy discovers her dark secret. I didn't expect to like her at all, but seeing the horrors she had to endure and the trauma it caused, made me understand Hancock's personality. Luffy being Luffy shows kindness to her and her sisters, which is why she lets him live at all. It was heartbreaking seeing her admit to Luffy that she'll never be able to be vulnerable with anyone again for fear of being controlled. It's no wonder she's in shock of Luffy's genuine kindness and love for freedom! She offers to lend him her ship so he can get back to his crew, but just when things can't get worse, Luffy finds out that Ace is about to be executed!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, and Kidnapping