Big Trouble in Little Garden
Episode 4 of One Piece season 2 starts with Miss All Sunday taunting the Straw Hats on the Going Merry. She makes short work of subduing them all and explains that Little Garden is likely to be their last resting place before they're killed.
However, she has an offer for them. All Sunday comes armed with an Eternal Pose, which is basically a Log Pose that always points to one particular island. With that, they'd be able to avoid certain islands and head for a remote one where All Sunday will be able to "protect" them.
The Straw Hats defiantly refuse, prompting All-Sunday to smirk and wish them luck before vanishing.
The Baroque Works are after Princess Vivi though, and that means the Straw Hats are in big trouble. For now though, they head into Little Garden, aware that they could be in for a big fight. The place is full of exotic flora and fauna, including life-size Venus fly traps and… real life dinosaurs and giants!
The group split up while they explore the area, with Sanji and Zoro confronted by a T-rex. Zoro manages to take it out quite easily, although Sanji argues that his stiff kicks helped finish the job too. However, they're not alone as Zoro is confronted by a new Baroque Works agent, Goldenweek.
Nami and Usopp hang tight on the ship while this is going on, with the latter very clearly afraid of what this island could hold. It doesn't take long before Usopp and Nami come across one of the giants inhabiting this island though, Brogy. He takes them to his lair, allowing Usopp to tell his tall tales about how he's known as the Lord of Destruction.
Brogy explains that he brought them over to lunch for conversation, rather than actually eating them. His words were a simple misunderstanding, allowing the pair to breathe a sigh of relief.
Miss Valentine and Mr 5 touch down on the island too and soon head over to visit another of their men, Mr 3. He has the Wax Wax fruit powers and can turn anything into wax. He's taken over the plan to grab the Straw Hats, and bargains with the pair to stop the friendly giants, who could upset his plan.
The other giant, Dorry, is actually with Vivi and Luffy, also involved in conversation too. They enact a ritual to honour Igaram's life, before we get down to brass tacks.
Turns out Brogy and Dorry have been fighting for nearly a century. It's always ended in a draw but they've forgotten why they've started fighting in the first place. However, they do this for honour and that inspired Usopp. As the two giants skirmish, Usopp realizes this is what he meant by being the bravest and vows to go and visit the home of the giants.
While all of this is happening, Nami is completely out of it, as is Zoro too. They've both been under Miss Goldenweek's spell, the partner to Mr 3.
However, there's another problem. It would appear that Brogy's drink has been spiked, as he begins belching smoke and very clearly isn't up to fighting in his optimal state. Dorry manages to take out Brogy, but of course this is all part of Mr 3 and the other Baroque Works' plan.
In the woods, Luffy comes across Miss Goldenweek, who entrances Luffy too, drawing a blue spiral on his cheek. As Luffy begins to despair, Mr 5 catches up to Vivi and knocks her out, while Dorry is determined to make Baroque Works pay. However, Mr 3 shows up and subdues him.
The Episode Review
So Baroque Works is properly in the fight now and the Little Garden showdown has been set up nicely. It'll be interesting to see if there are any changes to the manga here with the way these fights play out. Mr 3 is wonderful though and exactly how he's described and acts.
The pacing has been tidied up a bit compared to the anime with this island too, although we're obviously about to get some big fighting soon.
So far the show has done well to keep things engaging, and with Miss Goldenweek working her magic on the Straw Hats, is this one fight too many for Luffy and co to handle? We'll find out in the next episode!
Episode Rating
3.5
Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
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