Chapter 654

Gam
Chapter Info
Volume:	66
Chapter:	654
Japanese Title:	GAM（ガム）（小群）
Romanized Title:	Gamu (Shōgun)
Viz Title:	A Gam of Whales
Pages:	19
Release Date:	January 30, 2012
WSJ Issue:	2012 Issue 9
Anime:	Episode 574 (p. 2-19)
Chapter Chronology
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Chapter 654 is titled "Gam".

Cover Page

From the Decks of the World Vol. 36 - "Water 7 - Bartenders Mozu and Kiwi".

Short Summary

On the way to the surface, Nami is taking a bath while Luffy and the others start fishing. They catch a large fish which is eaten by another larger fish which is in turn eaten by an even bigger sea creature. After catching it they get too close to the White Strom and get caught in it. Shortly after that they hit a pod of Island Whales and stop. Brook is overwhelmed and confused by his joy, thinking one of the whales to be Laboon. He soon calms down, begins playing Binks' Sake, and because they like the music, one of the whales decides to give the crew a ride to the surface on its back. They soon reach the surface, where they are sent flying and can clearly see the conditions of the New World.

Long Summary

Nami is taking a shower while the Thousand Sunny is ascending to the surface of the New World, having put the ship on a current that will bring them to the surface.

Usopp and Luffy are on the deck, where Usopp is fixing up a rope, saying a weak rope knot would be useless against a giant fish. The rest of the crew is on deck with them, intending to catch a deep sea fish for Sanji to cook for them once they reach the surface. Usopp hooks a fish with the rope and hook he had just made, but as soon as the giant fish is hooked it is eaten by another, much bigger fish. Just as the crew react, that fish is eaten by another, even bigger fish. Zoro decides to resolve the matter himself, using his new technique, 360 Pound Cannon, a stronger version of 36 Pound Cannon to kill the biggest fish.

Usopp then notices that the ship appears to no longer be moving forward, but instead be sinking before spotting something that resembles a giant sea snake. Robin appears greatly shocked, telling the crew that it is not a sea snake, but is White Strom, a gigantic white whirlpool that resembles a dragon which appears without warning on the sea floor. She then goes on to explain that ships caught in the White Strom are generally found days later, in waters incredibly far away, with no crew left on board. Nami runs out of the bathroom to take command, and tells them they need to cut the fish loose at once as it is getting caught in the whirlpool and dragging them in. Her next idea is to use Coup De Burst, but Franky tells her it is way too late, as the fish is almost entirely in the whirlpool now. Everyone appears resigned to entering the whirlpool, as they are all seen clinging on tightly to various parts of the Thousand Sunny.

The ship spins along the inside of White Strom, before suddenly stopping, as they have hit a gigantic object which appears to be blocking the whirlpool itself. The object is then shown to be one of a huge pod of island whales. Upon asking Nami for further orders, she replies they are fine where they are.

Nami tells the crew that the movement of the school of whales has created a new current, so they need to open the sails and follow this current, as to go against it would be even more dangerous. The sails are then opened and they catch the current the whales are creating. Nami says that traveling like this is just as good as riding the rising current, and before long the Straw Hats can see the surface of the sea in front of them.

The whales all emerge onto the surface of the New World, and Sunny is propelled out of the water. Chopper notes the fact the sea around them appears red, which Sanji describes as a sea of flames, and Zoro describes it as looking like the entrance to hell. Luffy, upon seeing all these conditions, merely describes the sea as perfect.

Quick References

Chapter Notes

• Mozu and Kiwi, Lola, and the Risky Brothers are shown for the first time after the timeskip.
• A gam is a group of whales that do not share a familial relationship.
• The Rolling Pirates have reached Water 7.
• Nami reveals a new technique: Shower Tempo.
• Usopp reveals another slingshot, one bigger than the Kuro Kabuto for his new technique: Hokaku Boshi, which was used to hook a giant fish.
• Zoro has upgraded his one sword style 36 Pound Cannon to the 360 Pound Cannon, suggesting his other versions of the Pound Cannon have been upgraded as well.
• It appears that Laboon is not the only giant whale with scars on his head.
• Brook plays Binks' Sake to the whales and in return they help bring the Straw Hats to the New World.
• The Straw Hat Pirates finally enter the New World.
• This is the first chapter of the Punk Hazard Arc and the Dressrosa Saga.

Characters

Pirates		Citizens
Straw Hat Pirates Monkey D. Luffy Roronoa Zoro Nami Usopp Sanji Tony Tony Chopper Nico Robin Franky Brook	Rolling Pirates Lola (cover) Risky Brothers (cover)	Water 7 Mozu and Kiwi (cover)

Author Comment

Author Comment
Translation Original I thought "Ue Kara Mariko" was the title of a movie called Ue Kara Mariko ga Ochitekuru. Not only is it a song but I got the title wrong too. 上からマリコは上からマリコが落ちてくる映画だと思ってた。違うし歌だし。 —Eiichiro Oda
English translation by Greg Werner. For comprehensive translation credits, see here.

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