SBS Volume 49

D (Dokusha means Reader)

O (Oda)

Chapter 471, Page 28
O: Hello!! How are you all doing?!! Hi, I'm the author. And I'm first, this time! No one's taking over my corner THIS time!! Now, I'd like to get the questions started! So! Start the-!! Ess Bee Eyys...!! I screwed that up... It's "Ess"... It ends with ESS! Oh, man, I'm a wreck. If I get reborn, I'd wanna be... the wall of a girl's bath... (&lt;- very optimistic)

'''D: I believe that with Usopp's straight man powers and my humorous antics, we could aim for the very pinnacle of two-man comedy. Please let me form a combo with Usopp.''' P.N. Sensei can think of our combo name

O: Okay! Go be stars in the comedy world! Your combo name is... "Deserting Under Enemy Fire".

'''D: My entire family is huuuuge fans of One Piece, and we all follow it faithfully. Now, my question is this: in Volume 48, Chapter 460, Robin called Nami "Nami-chan". But before she had always called her "Navigator"!! Has Robin had a change of heart?! Please tell me. By the way, my mom's morning hair looks JUST like Brook's!!''' P.N. Bear in the Forest

O: Your mom looks like Brook... THAT'S AMAZING!! Gotta love the funk. Now, about Robin. I've noticed that a lot of readers picked up on this, which makes me very happy. In Chapter 475 of this volume, Robin says "Are you all right, Nami?!" It appears she'll be calling her "Nami" from now on. She also started referring to the other members by name. Perhaps this is a consequence of Robin truly opening her heart to her friends and crewmates after the events of Enies Lobby. Despite the huge size of this story, I still hope to depict the little, human things, like this.

Chapter 472, Page 48
'''D: Oda-sensei! What would Kalifa look like if she had eaten the Ushi Ushi Fruit, Model Giraffe instead, at the Judiciary Tower?''' P.N. Shiranchon

O: Over on the right. It's not too bad, if I say so myself.

'''D: This is my first letter (okay, postcard)! Here's my question. In Hogback's flashback scene in Chapter 468, is that stuffed animal Perona's holding actually Kumashi?!! If so, how did he get to be so freakin' huge??''' P.N. Tonton

'''D: I have a question about Thriller Bark's super-super cute Perona! In the cover page serial that ran around the Skypiea arc, entitled "Wapol's Omnivorous Banzai", he used his Baku Baku Fruit to create a toy called KABASHINSHI (Hippo Gentleman). Does this have anything to do with the Hippo Gentleman that answers to Perona? Is Perona a fan of Wapol's toys?''' P.N. Mizuki

O: I've got two questions here. Very well spotted, in both cases. First, the Kumashi plushie. He did not grow up to be that size. Perona simply likes having Hogback create zombies based on her plushies. She got Wapol's "Kabashinshi" somewhere along the way, so it's quite likely that she had Hogback create his own version for her.

Chapter 473, Page 68
D:

O:' ...Hmmm... He's all, "I'm gonna do it". But do what? A futureman... does it...DOES WHAT?!! (GRR!!) ...Sorry, I got mad. That was childish of me. Next postcard.

D: I'VE STARTED A VERY DISCERNING SOBA SHOP. By Kimuchi-maru

O: GET OUTTA HERE!!! (GRR!!) ...Huff... huff... Sorry, that was childish of me.

'''D: Oda-sensei, here's a very serious question. If Shanks was a deck hand on Gold Roger's ship, does that mean the guy who hit him and Buggy when they were fighting in Volume 3 was the captain of the ship? Or maybe an officer?''' by Sonoe-san

O: Ah yes, the story of Buggy and Shanks in their swabby days. That would mean the captain of their ship was none other than the Pirate King, Gold Roger. The man who scolded the two boys was the first mate. I've had that set in stone since the very start, so I even made sure the anime staff knew that.

'''D: Oda-sensei, hello!! Here's my question. Oars might be very big, but is he a giant?? If he IS a giant, does that mean he's from Elbaf? Explain the background, here!''' P.N. Nara Nara

O: You know how there's always one REALLY BIG guy in your class? Oars is a giant, but he's even huger than normal, among them. He's not a warrior of Elbaf. There are multiple islands around the world with giants living on them. He's just a big huge, evil giant from one of those islands. That's Oars!

Chapter 474, Page 88
D: Wouldn't Franky be cold dressed the way he is, in Chopper's movie (Blooming in Winter, the Miraculous Sakura)? P.N. Freezing Water Swimming Club Tani

O: Hmm. You thought that, based on the images in the movie? I was wondering about this when I heard the anime staff's setting plan. It does seem cold, but do you use that as a chance for humor, or let it slide? After mulling it over, I had my answer. It doesn't matter if he's cold or not; he's FRANKY!! It's how WEIRD he is that's important!! So here's my answer: "Yes, that outfit's chilly." * Even cyborgs get cold.

'''D: Question! "Whitebeard Edward Newgate", "Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach", "4th Squad Commander Thatch". These three all appear to be based off the real-life 18th century Caribbean pirate, Edward Teach (or sometimes Edward Thatch), aka "Blackbeard". Can you tell us more about this figure?''' P.N. G-on King

O: All three, yes. As a matter of fact, Whitebeard and Thatch just take his name, but Blackbeard himself is completely modeled after the man. The real-life pirate called Blackbeard had many names, and one of them was "Thatch". He also went by "Drummond" and "Thache". He would braid his very long black beard and light smoking wicks hanging from his hat, and with the six pistols and three swords he bore, must have been the very figure of the Devil in battle. Countless stories exist of him shooting his own crew to teach them a lesson, and so on. There are legends that he hid a great treasure, but it has never been found. Now's your chance!

Chapter 475
No SBS

Chapter 476, Page 128
'''D: I've made a great discovery!! Despite being in a test... I managed to reread One Piece Volumes 1-48!! And my discovery was... In "The Highest Authority in the World", Chapter 233 of Volume 25, Buggy and his crew are searching for Captain John's treasure in a cave. And then in "Perona's Wonder Garden", Chapter 451 of Volume 47, there's Captain John again! Is this a super-huge discovery, or what?! Who IS Captain John? Just how cruel was he? Tell us, Ei-chaan!!''' P.S. Tosa Danji

O: Yes, you've found it. Well spotted. The man whose treasure Buggy and crew were searching for had become a zombie at Thriller Bark. Look close at Captain John's stomach. He has several slashes in his belly, and two swords sticking right out. These were the marks left when his crew killed him for keeping the treasure a secret from them. John died, and the location of the treasure became a legend, lost forever.

'''D: Please don't worry about me. Do go on.''' P.N. 15

O: Okay.

'''D: In Chapter 462, "Oars' Adventure", Brook and Ryuma had a duel. That form was very much like fencing! I could certainly tell, because I took fencing when I was in high school. And, reading further, the words coup droit, bond avant, remise... these are all fencing terms! I love fencing, so this was really great to see! So Brook is a fencer, then! That slender form is simply perfect for the style! (I die if I can't wear a mask!!)''' P.N. G-chan

O: That's right, he's a fencer!! (So that's what you call it...) He's a fencer, folks!! You heard it here, people... Brook is a fencer!! And thus, the SBS has fensed!! I mean, ended! See you next volume!!

Chapter 477
No SBS

Chapter 478 - page 168
'''D: Oda-T, good mornoon!! Sensei! I have a proposal for you. You know the little art that always appears at the top of the SBS Corner? I've noticed that the characters seem to be catching up to the main story! Might that not be causing trouble for you?! That might just be my personal opinion... But I was thinking, why not have a special part of the Usopp Gallery Pirates for SBS title art submissions, with the grand prize winner being used in the corner itself?''' P.N. Let's Make the Volumes Better Chairman, Isamu Nidoin

O: I see. SURE! Actually, many people have sent illustrations in for this very purpose, but the sizes weren't quite right. However, if you want to do them right, that saves me some time, so SURE! I'll accept them now. I hope you pick out old characters we can look back on fondly. Otherwise, well, just knock yourselves out. On the other hand, when I WANT to draw it, I'll still draw it.

Regarding the questions for the eight voice actors I mentioned in Volume 48, there's a bit of grown-up fidoodling we have to clear first, so just be patient. We've gotten plenty of questions and we'll take many more. I've noticed that it's mostly serious questions for now. You know, you can send them the weird ones you give me, too.


 * Luffy: Mayumi Tanaka
 * Zoro: Kazuya Nakai
 * Nami: Akemi Okamura
 * Usopp: Kappei Yamaguchi
 * Sanji: Hiroaki Hirata
 * Chopper: Ikue Ohtani
 * Robin: Yuriko Yamaguchi
 * Franky: Kazuki Yao

Chapter 479
No SBS

Chapter 480
NO SBS

Chapter 481
No SBS