Episode 340

"The Man Called a Genius! Hogback Appears!" is the 340th episode of the One Piece anime.

Short Summary
Usopp, Nami, and Chopper traverse through the forest of Thriller Bark, where they are attacked by a platoon of zombies before finally reaching the mansion of the bizarre surgeon Dr. Hogback and his female assistant Cindry. While immediately hospitable, the doctor starts acting strange after it is mentioned that Brook has arrived on the island. The Thousand Sunny, meanwhile, gets caught in a giant spiderweb.

Long Summary
Usopp, Nami, and Chopper take up Hildon's offer in accompanying them to the mansion while they traverse through the forest via carriage. Inside the carriage, they discuss about the strange creatures in the forest with Hildon telling the three that it is dangerous at night and that the mansion is the best place to wait for the rest of the crew. Chopper excitedly asks if they can really meet Dr. Hogback, a doctor whom he idolizes, and explains to Usopp and Nami who he is, telling them that he is a renowned surgical genius who suddenly disappeared without a trace. While Hildon is telling Chopper that Dr. Hogback is in the mansion, Nami is shocked when she looks through the window and saw a lion with a man's face, and started screaming, scaring Usopp and Chopper as well. Usopp asks what she was screaming about. When she told about the lion he didn't believe her so they looked out the window again only to find many strange creatures, but after blinking the creatures were gone, prompting there to become more scared.

Nami and Usopp wants the carriage to stop and go back but Hildon explains that what they saw were possibly just illusions made by the fog. Chopper is saddened by their decision to go back, but Usopp managed to convince him. When the three made up their mind to go back, Hildon told them to stay put inside while he talks to the carriage driver. However, after a few minutes of waiting, Usopp decides to check on Hildon and ask what's taking so long, only to see that there was no one there and that they are in the middle of a graveyard. The three freaks out and tried to calm themselves, but then zombies started to rise from the earth. The three tried to hide in the carriage but a zombie grabbed Usopp and dragged him out, while other zombies turn over the carriage, forcing Nami and Chopper out. Nami hear Usopp scream and saw him getting bitten by zombies. As Nami try to get to Usopp, she is grabbed by a zombie that suddenly popped up from underneath her, causing here to fall on her knees as the zombie try to bite her while a platoon of zombies surrounds her.

Chopper run towards Usopp in his Heavy Point, helps Usopp and knocks the head of a zombie, but is shocked when the zombie put his head back. Nami screams for help, and Usopp used Hisatsu Kayenboshi to start a fire, startling the zombies making them let go of Nami. They used this to run away from the zombies, with Usopp telling the two that zombies move slow, making running impossible, which got the zombies mad and run after them at a fast pace, shocking the three. However, the zombies soon run out of stamina giving the three pirates a chance to escape.

Meanwhile, on the Thousand Sunny, the rest of the crew tries to steer the ship but the helm is stuck because of the current causing it to run into a gigantic spiderweb, entangling it and making it hard to get out.

Nami, Chopper, and Usopp continue into the forest, eventually arriving at the gate of the mansion. Having no other choice, they decide to go in where they are welcomed by Cindry. She then starts throwing plates at Usopp stating that he cannot enter the mansion while the other two can. Eventually, a man came out and greeted them, saying that they are welcome inside and explains that Cindry was once engaged to a man whom she tested his love for her by breaking his most valuable plates, causing him to abandon her, thus making her negative. He introduces himself as Dr. Hogback. Cindry invited the three inside and locks the door, leaving Hogback outside.

In the dining room, Hogback ask why they came in his mansion. Chopper says he wants to talk to Hogback while Nami and Usopp tells him that they were chased by zombies. Hogback is surprised to see them escape the zombies and tells them that he had no idea what they are, and says that they are the reason why he is living here to study them. Chopper, amazed by Hogback, roots for him and asked for his autograph, which Hogback willingly give. However, when Chopper asked if he can see Hogback's lab to which he angrily stated that he, Chopper, will never see his lab. Afterwards, Cindry came back, serving them flans without plates, and telling the three that the bath is ready for them to get clean. Usopp then ask Hogback if he saw a skeleton man pass by the mansion, to which he answered nervously with a "No".

Anime Notes

 * When the undead come out of the ground and start to move towards some of the Straw Hats, a Pandaman zombie can be seen at the back of the group.
 * This is Dr. Hogback and Cindry's first appearance.
 * When Cindry's makes her appearance, she does something similar to 'The Dish Manor at Bancho' tale in which a servant girl rebukes a samurai's advances, only to have the samurai to hide a single plate from a set of ten plates, only to go the wrong way and the servant dies and become a vengeful ghost, she is quelled when a priest when counts to ten before she starts to scream. The difference is that Cindry's is throwing the plates, instead counting them.
 * It is hinted towards the end that Hogback knows Brook from the past.

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Episodi 340 Tensai to Yobareta Otoko! Hogback arawaru!