Chapter 653

Chapter 653 is called "The Hero's Hat".

Cover Page
From the Decks of the World Vol. 35 - "White-Bay Mermaid's Kokoro-san Splendid Holiday".

Short Summary
The mermaids from the Mermaid Cafe ask permission to see the Straw Hats off and are granted it by Shyarly. The Minister of the Left introduces Nami to a new Log Pose from which she is able to tell which island is more dangerous. After a respectful and (in some cases) tearful farewell, the Straw Hat Pirates leave Fishman Island and head out to the New World, but are stopped for a brief moment by Shirahoshi making a promise with her to take her to the surface the next time they meet. After they set sail once again, a fishman child asks for a Straw Hat to play hero, but is told that there are none for sale. On the way to the surface, the Straw Hat Pirates remember and re-establish their dreams and prepare to enter the New World.

Chapter Notes

 * Kokoro and Yokozuna are shown for the first time since the timeskip.
 * Madam Shyarly broke her crystal ball in half and says she will never tell a fortune again. Even though her prediction of Luffy destroying Fishman Island hasn't happened, Keimi herself admitted that Shyarly's prediction can happen one year later and that there is no proof that the fortune is wrong yet.
 * The Straw Hat Pirates leave Fishman Island and sail toward the New World.
 * A new three-needle Log Pose is introduced, which can point to three different locations in the New World at the same time.
 * Neptune and the Minister of the Right decide not to tell the Straw Hats about the bomb.
 * Shirahoshi finally swears that she will stop being a crybaby.
 * All of the current members of the crew (excluding Franky and Zoro) make a promise with Shirahoshi that the next time they meet, they will take her to the surface.
 * After the battle, all of the children of Fishman Island want a straw hat as well.
 * Franky shows off another one of his hair styles
 * The last page mirrors the one before they were heading towards Fishman Island, where instead of the ship going down, it is going up.
 * The adults of Fishman Island are shown to understand that not all humans are evil.

Arc Navigation
Hero no Bōshi