SBS Volume 33

SBS
R (reader)

O (Oda)

'''R: Hello Oda-sensei, with your beautiful smile and all. I have fun reading One Piece. Speaking of which, I looked real hard and tried to count how many times your alter-ego "Pandaman" appeared in the Sky Island arc... nonstop, no breaks for food...The envelope please!! Pandaman appears...Brrrrrrr-bap! 17 times! Am I right?'''

'''R: Oda-sensei!! When I looked for Pandaman from volume 5-30, I found him ninety-two times!! You're almost at a hundred!!'''

O: Wow, good work, guys. But I can't tell you the correct answer. (<- doesn't remember)

'''R: I have a question. If Wapol ate Luffy and Nami and Sanji and Zoro and Chopper and Usopp and Robin and performed the "Miracle Combination" like he did in Volume 17, what would it look like? Please draw it. And what would its name be??'''

O: Note: in first picture (left side top-down) Luffy, Chopper, Nami and Zoro - (right side top-down) Sanji, Robin and Usopp

'''R: Greetings, Oda-sensei. I enjoy your work. Now here's my question. In Chapter 299 of Volume 32, when the "monsters" are explained, was this inspired by the "Brocken Effect" that appears on Mt. Brocken in the Harz Mountains in Germany? I'm sorry if I'm wrong... Well, take good care of yourself!'''

O: Yes, the Brocken Effect. Also known as "Brocken Spectres" or "Brocken Monsters. It's caused by the same reason as in the story, and you can even see the same things happen in Japan. Also, around the head of the shadow you can see a beautiful ring of rainbow light, which is known as a "goraigoh," or "glory" in English. I'd like to see one with my own eyes, once. It must be cool.

'''R: Greetings, Oda-sensei. I have a question. In Volume 28, Luffy sang songs about "Southern Islands" and "Northern Islands". Does that mean there are songs about Eastern and Western Islands, too? Please tell me.'''

O: Well, let's have him sing the rest!! Take it away!!

Luffy: Hey. What, you want to hear me sing? OK then.

"Hmmmm-hmhmhmhmm

Eastern islands are early in the morning, makes you get all hyper and duuuumb

Western islands are late at night, makes your body all crazy and duuuumb

Aaaaahh ah ah ahaaaa, that was a yawn

Everybody's feelin' all smiley and duuuuuuuuumb!"

''And that's how the song goes!! Bye everybody!!''

O: And there you have it. I believe I have just lost my will to live. Next question.

'''R: Good day to you, Odacchi! By the way, I'd like to know the birthday of our idol, Tashigi-chan. Since she's so clumsy (toroi), how about if its October 6 (to = 10, ro = 6)?!! OK, that's awesome!! Wonderful!! ...and so, Sergeant Major Tashigi's birthday is officially announced to be October 6!! Anybody got a problem with that?! Bring it on!! (Eeek, I'm sorry!! I love Tashigi. Please give her a birthday!!)'''

O: Yeah, that's fine.

'''R: Hello, Oda-sensei. I have serious suspicions, so forgive me if I pose a serious question. It's about the names of Enel's special attacks. It seems to me like many originate from the names of Scandinavian gods and Indian spirits. Can you please tell us what they all came from originally?'''

O: Yes. Well. The names came from a variety of sources. I can't tell you a whole lot of in-depth information, but in general it's pretty simple.
 * "El Thor" -> Thor -> God of War and Lightning in Norse mythology.
 * "Hino" -> Hino -> Giant Lightning Bird of the Iroquois natives of North America.
 * "Kiten" -> Kiten -> Japanese lightning beast.
 * "Julungul" -> Jagtjadbulla -> One of the Lightning Brothers in Arnhem Land (N. Australia) rock art
 * "Mamaragan" -> Mamaragan -> Lightning God of Central Australia
 * "Amal" -> Amaru -> A play on "amoru/amakudaru", which means "to descend from heaven". Japanese lightning-fall
 * "Kari" -> Kari -> Lightning God of Malay pygmy tribes

That should cover it. Also, "Volley" came from the sound of lightning "vari vari". So it was pretty much random. Didn't come from any existing language.

'''R: Oda-sensei, I have a question. On p. 71 of Volume 30, Conis says, "I have to bring them back!!" and then "Bellybutton!" If "bellybutton" is supposed to mean "hello", then this doesn't make much sense... What exactly does it mean? I've been wondering so much that I finally wrote this postcard. Please tell us the answer.'''

O: "Bellybutton" can be thought of as the stock term for all Skypieans greetings. There's no one word/phrase in Japanese/English that completely relates to it. It could of course mean, "good morning", "good day", "good evening", or "how are you feeling", "goodbye", "take care", among others. It really depends on the circumstances. When they say "bellybutton", you answer "bellybutton". It's all in the context.

'''R: Hello, here's my question! If Tonjit-san was on those stilts for ten years... How did he go to the bathroom?! W... was it...? Please answer in TONJIT-SPEAK.'''

O: IN HIS PAAAAAAAANTS. And now, to wrap things up...