Chapters · Water Seven › Enies Lobby

Chapter 375: The Supermen of Enies Lobby

Arc: Enies Lobby · Saga: Water Seven · Released: 2005-09-26

Summary

Aboard the kidnap train (the Puffing Tom, Car One), Nico Robin and the chained Franky ride toward Enies Lobby (pp. 2-4). Franky learns Iceberg survived the shooting and that he still holds “the blueprints for a weapon”; Robin lays out the World Government’s endgame — with the two keys to the Ancient Weapon’s reactivation seized, the Government can activate “a weapon that already exists” and use that excess military force to end the Age of Pirates and “grip the world and destroy it” (pp. 3-4). Robin refuses to be rescued, insisting her very existence as the only person who can read the Poneglyphs makes her a danger to anyone near her; the chapter cuts between her “I’ll hurt them just by being with them” and Franky’s roaring rebuttal — “EXISTING IS NOT A CRIME!!!” (pp. 4-5). Meanwhile the Straw Hat rescue train (Rocketman), driven by Kokoro with Nami, Sanji, Chopper, Chimney, Gonbe, and the giant frog Yokozuna, has been derailed and flung off the tracks; Nami declares herself the navigator who will get them to Enies Lobby, and Kokoro recruits the King Bulls and Yokozuna to drag the train back on course (pp. 5-10). At Enies Lobby — the Judicial Island, a “Nightless Island” ringed by an enormous ocean waterfall-hole — CP9’s Water Seven cell arrives with their captives, drawing a crowd (“Nico Robin… the one the government’s been after for 20 years”); the main gate opens (pp. 10-13). Inside the tower, CP9’s superior, Director Spandam, reads a newspaper exposing CP9’s botched assassination op (23 dead against 3 targets in a “Revolutionary Army district leader assassination plot”) and demands an explanation; three more CP9 “Masters of the Six Powers” — Jabra, Kumadori, and Fukuro — grovel, attempt seppuku, and bicker over who leaked the plan (pp. 14-17). The Rocketman, with the King Bulls now hauling, races on; the crew spots “Nightless Island” / Enies Lobby ahead and Luffy bellows: “Everyone, prepare for the decisive battle!! Enies Lobby is in view!!” (pp. 18-20).

New reveals

• Director Spandam — CP9’s superior/“Director,” introduced reading a newspaper at Enies Lobby. First appearance and first mention (p. 14, named p. 16). Long black hair, sunglasses, sword at his hip; CP9 address him as “Director.”
• Jabra — “CP9 (Master of Six Powers),” wolf-themed agent. First appearance and first mention (named in caption p. 16).
• Kumadori — “CP9 (Master of Six Powers),” long flame-shaped hair, kabuki-styled; cries “I’ll slit my belly and take responsibility!!” First appearance and first mention (named in caption p. 16).
• Fukuro — “CP9 (Master of Six Powers),” round zipper-mouthed agent; the one who “blabbed our assassination plot all over town.” First appearance and first mention (named in caption p. 17).
• CP9 now numbers eight members, all “in the same place at once” for the first time in five years (p. 15).
• Enies Lobby shown on-page for the first time — the World Government’s Judicial Island, a “Nightless Island” / “Daytime Island” (no night) surrounded by a giant ocean hole and a circular waterfall (pp. 12-14, 18-19).
• Robin restates the Government’s plan: it bagged the two keys to the reactivation of the Ancient Weapon in one stroke, can activate a weapon that already exists, and will use that to end the Age of Pirates and destroy the world (pp. 3-4).
• Franky’s defining line on his inherited burden (the Pluton blueprints): “EXISTING IS NOT A CRIME!!!” (p. 4).
• The botched op is identified: CP9 was ordered to assassinate 3 targets in a “Revolutionary Army district leader assassination plot” but killed 23, leaking the operation (pp. 15, 17).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Nico Robin — captive aboard the Puffing Tom; explains the WG’s weapon plan, refuses rescue (pp. 2-5, 10-13).
• Franky — chained captive; learns Iceberg lives, roars “EXISTING IS NOT A CRIME!!!” (pp. 2-5, 18).
• Spandam — CP9 “Director,” reading the newspaper at Enies Lobby. First appearance (pp. 14-17).
• Jabra, Kumadori, Fukuro — three new CP9 “Masters of the Six Powers.” First appearances (pp. 15-17).
• Rob Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa, Blueno — the Water Seven CP9 cell, arriving at Enies Lobby with the captives (“Lucci and the others are back,” p. 14).
• Iceberg — referenced as alive and holding the blueprints (pp. 2-3); not on-page.
• Tom — referenced as Franky’s master who died protecting the blueprints (p. 3); not on-page.
• Kokoro — driving the Rocketman; talks to Yokozuna, recruits the King Bulls (pp. 5-10).
• Nami — declares “I’m… a navigator!!” (pp. 5-8).
• Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper — aboard the Rocketman (pp. 5-10, 18-20).
• Chimney, Gonbe — aboard with Kokoro (pp. 5-10).
• Yokozuna — the giant frog hauled aboard, recruited to drag the train back on track (pp. 6-10).
• Luffy — calls the crew to the decisive battle as Enies Lobby comes into view (pp. 19-20).
• CP9, Straw Hat Pirates, Marines — factions present.
• Enies Lobby, Sea Train — settings.
• Cover: “Ms. Golden Week’s Plan, A Baroque Works Reunion, Vol. 13: ‘Hina’s Discovery’” — Hina holds three wanted/info cards (Baroque Works members) while the captured Baroque Works agents look on (Baroque Works, Marines).

Notable panels

• p. 1 — Title spread: “The Supermen of Enies Lobby.” Cover serial Vol. 13 — Hina examines cards/posters of Baroque Works members.
• pp. 3-4 — Robin’s exposition: “the two keys to the reactivation of the Ancient Weapon in one stroke… activate a weapon that already exists… grip the world and destroy it.”
• p. 4 — Franky full-panel: “EXISTING IS NOT A CRIME!!!”
• p. 8 — Nami close-up: “I’m… a navigator!!”
• p. 10 — Enies Lobby: “CP9 HAS ARRIVED!!! …The Judicial Island, Enies Lobby.”
• p. 11 — “Nico Robin… the one the government’s been after for 20 years.”
• pp. 12-14 — “THERE’S A BIG FREAKIN’ HOLE IN THE OCEAN!!!” / the Enies Lobby tower and surrounding waterfall revealed.
• p. 15 — “all eight members of CP9… in the same place at once… first time in five years.”
• pp. 16-17 — CP9 captions: Jabra, Kumadori, Fukuro (“Masters of Six Powers”); Spandam’s botched-op rant (“you killed 23!!!”).
• pp. 18-19 — “Nightless Island… they call it Daytime Island too. That’s the Judicial Island!!”
• p. 20 — Luffy: “Everyone, prepare for the decisive battle!!!! Enies Lobby is in view!!”

Open questions raised

• Who is Director Spandam, and what is his personal stake in / authority over CP9 and the Pluton hunt?
• What exactly is the “Revolutionary Army district leader assassination plot” CP9 botched, and how does it connect to Dragon’s Revolutionary Army?
• Can the Straw Hats breach the Judicial Island and reach Robin before she is handed over (to the Gates of Justice / Buster Call)?
• What are the powers of the three new CP9 “Masters of the Six Powers” (Jabra, Kumadori, Fukuro)?