Episode 963

"Oden's Determination! Whitebeard's Test!" is the 963rd episode of the One Piece anime.

Short Summary
Oden attempts to join Whitebeard's crew but he refuses due to Oden's character. Whitebeard gives Oden a test: if he can hold onto a chain being dragged by the ship for three days, he will be allowed into the crew. Although Oden almost completed this challenge, he abandons it to save a woman in distress.

Long Summary
Oden went to the shore and instantly started a battle with Whitebeard, but was instantly defeated. Oden asked Whitebeard to let him join his crew, but he refuses, stating that he was not a loyal person and would therefore not be good at serving someone else. Kin'emon was also opposed to Oden setting sail because he had his duties as a daimyo.

Two weeks passed and Whitebeard's men finished repairing his ship, the Moby Dick. Whitebeard decided to set sail at night to prevent Oden from joining, but Oden snuck out and nevertheless attempted to board the ship. He held onto a chain tied to the ship's mast and was carried along with the ship. Izou pursued Oden and held onto him, trying to prevent him from settting sail.

Marco rescued Izou from the water and carried him onboard. Oden, however, was not rescued and was dragged through the rough waters, crashing into rocks along the way. Whitebeard promised Oden that he would be allowed into the crew if he held onto the chain for three days. Oden accepted the challenge as he rode down the waterfall, got eaten by a fish, and was dragged through icy waters.

Three days passed and one hour remained. Oden held onto the chain strongly but his body was greatly swollen from water collision. However, he heard the screams of a woman being harassed on a nearby island, Amatsuki Toki. Oden let go of the chain, swam to the island and scared off the miscreants.

Anime Notes

 * The anime adds the following:
 * A scene of Oden looking at a map.
 * Villagers spotting the Whitebeard Pirates before an official reports this to Kanjuro, a report that Oden overhears.
 * Izou running along with Kin'emon and Kanjuro after Oden runs towards the Whitebeard Pirates.
 * A scene showing initial hostility between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Scabbards.
 * Oden and Whitebeard drinking alcohol together.
 * After Whitebeard rejected taking Oden, the Scabbards dragged Oden away and later locked him in a room.
 * Oden hears Toki in trouble when he is about to grab the chain.
 * The fight between Oden and Whitebeard is extended and it ends with Whitebeard giving Oden a quake punch to the face.
 * When Toki first appears, the manga showed that she had some bruises. In the anime, Toki appears completely unharmed.
 * Unlike in the manga, Toki is starting to jump into the future, but was interrupted by Oden's arrival.