Chapter 387: Gear

Arc: Enies Lobby · Saga: Water Seven · Released:

Summary

On the Enies Lobby courthouse grounds, Spandam takes a panicked status report from his subordinates — the invading pirates have smashed through the giant stone doors and overrun the central freeway and the square (“Status: The Worst”). Zoro, Sanji, Nami and Tony Tony Chopper tear through the World Government guards inside the courthouse, racing to reach Luffy at the top where Nico Robin is held. Zoro and Sanji bicker and take off in different directions; the Franky Family arrives to hold off the three-headed Chief Justice (the “Cerberus”/Baskerville) so Chopper and Nami can press on. On the courthouse roof, Luffy fights Blueno, who attacks with the Six Powers — Tempest Kick (Rankyaku), Finger Pistol (Shigan), Iron Body (Tekkai) — but is shocked that Luffy now matches his Shave speed and can warp the path of his Tempest Kick. Luffy declares he can no longer beat Blueno “like this,” recalls his crushing loss to Admiral Aokiji and his vow to grow strong enough to never lose his friends, and then his body begins steaming as he pumps his own blood — debuting the technique he names “Gear… Second!!”

New reveals

• “Gear… Second!!” — Luffy’s new technique is named on-page for the first time (p. 20). He self-pumps his blood at high speed; his body emits steam (“His body is steaming?!”; “FWOO… FSS… PUFF”); “all my abilities have evolved to the next level” (pp. 19–20). This is the first appearance of any “Gear” technique in the series.
• Pre-Gear baseline: Luffy can already match Blueno’s Shave (Soru) speed and force Blueno to change the path of his Tempest Kick (Rankyaku) — Blueno: “He can match my speed, forcing me to change the path of my Tempest Kick… His physical abilities are unbelievable” (p. 18). Luffy nonetheless says “I can’t beat you… like this” (p. 18), motivating the upgrade.
• Aokiji-loss motive made explicit: “When I lost to Aokiji… I thought… if I was going to meet others just as strong out at sea… I had to grow stronger… to protect my friends… I’ve got to be stronger than everyone… or I’ll lose them!! …I came up with a way to fight at top strength so I won’t have to lose to anyone!!” (pp. 18–19). Gear is framed as the deliberate answer to that loss.
• The Franky Family declares itself the opponent of the three-headed Chief Justice (“We’re your opponent, Cerberus!!”; “Franky Family!!”, pp. 12–13) so Chopper and Nami can advance toward Luffy.
• Spandam’s status report: pirates have cut through the giant stone doors, breached the central freeway and the courthouse square (“Status: The Worst”; pp. 4–5). Spandam reports to “Chief Justice Baskerville” and frames the courthouse as “a sacred chamber of the law.”

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Notable panels

• Pages 1–2 — Color title spread “Chapter 387: GEAR”: Luffy and Tony Tony Chopper in medieval jousting armor astride striped-caparison horses, lances couched, charging in a tournament-list setting. Caption “Is he strong? watch off!” The sun-petal motif on the wooden barrier recurs. Decorative; cataloged as a Color-Spread note (see queue) for the wardrobe/joust framing that rhymes with Luffy “charging” into a power-up this chapter.
• Page 3 — Spandam in his bull-horned helm, sweating, “HUH?” — first courthouse-grounds panel.
• Pages 4–5 — Spandam takes the status report; “Status: The Worst.” The courthouse interior overrun by pirates.
• Pages 12–13 — Franky Family arrives: “We’re your opponent, Cerberus!!” / “Franky Family!!” — they wall off the three-headed Chief Justice.
• Page 13 — “COURTHOUSE ROOF: LUFFY vs. BLUENO” caption; Blueno in silhouette amid his Air Door rings.
• Pages 14–17 — Blueno’s Six Powers exchange: Tempest Kick, Finger Pistol (“He flew!”), Iron Body, Bullet; Luffy uses Shave and Gum-Gum.
• Page 18 — “I can’t beat you… like this.” Blueno: “He can match my speed… His physical abilities are unbelievable.”
• Pages 18–19 — The Aokiji-loss monologue and the “fight at top strength” resolve.
• Page 20 — “Gear… Second!!” — Luffy crouched and steaming; the debut panel.
• Page 21 — Bonus page: “Fan Favorite Moves Contest Results” (Lion Song 10th, Gum-Gum Pistol 9th, Onigiri 11th, Usopp’s Rubber Band of Doom 12th, etc.). Non-canon reader bonus.
• Page 22 — Next-chapter title page: “Chapter 388: GEAR TWO” with the cover serial “Ms. Golden Week’s Big Plan, A Baroque Reunion, Vol. 22: ‘Mr. 3 Surrenders?!’” (belongs to ch. 388, not 387).

Open questions raised

• What are the costs/limits of Gear Second? (steam, blood-pumping — the price is shown next chapter; not stated here.)
• Are there further “Gears” beyond Second? (The name implies a numbered system; only “Second” is shown.)
• Can the Franky Family hold off the three-headed Chief Justice, and what is Baskerville’s true strength?