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Chapter 636: General from Futureland

Arc: Fish-Man Island · Saga: Fish-Man Island · Released: 2011-07-04

Summary

The battle at Conchcorde Plaza becomes a showcase of the Straw Hats’ two-year power-ups. The tamed Kraken Surume now fights for the crew; Luffy entrusts it with guarding “Wimpy-hoshi” (Shirahoshi), to Hody’s fury (p. 2). Commander Chopper rolls a tank into the New Fish-Man Pirates’ lines; Usopp’s “Super Daruma Drop” honeycombs the plaza with tunnels and sends the officer Daruma flying (pp. 3-4, 11). Franky docks the Black Rhino FR-U IV and the Brachio-Tank V together into GENERAL FRANKY, the “Iron Pirate” — a combination robot built of a shape-memory alloy (“Wapometal”) from Vegapunk’s technology — and unleashes Sword of the Pillager, General Weight, and the Franky Cannon (pp. 5-9). Nami wields the Sorcery Climate Baton (Weatheria weather science), Usopp fires Pop Greens (Green Star, Bamboo Javelin) honed in the Bandit Forest under Master Heracles, Zoro fells officers with Gust Sword, and Chopper demonstrates his upgraded seven-point transformations — only one form (Monster Point) still needs a Rumble Ball (pp. 9-13). A New Fish-Man officer forces Surume to nearly crush Shirahoshi by threatening its brother, held hostage at the North Pole; Luffy realizes the coercion and offers to protect the brother too, freeing the Kraken (pp. 14-16). Luffy then blasts through the officers blocking him and lands a furious punch on Hody Jones (“I’m burning with rage now!!”, pp. 16-17). The chapter ends as a colossal ancient ark — the NOAH — begins to move; King Neptune panics, calling it “the ark of prophecy” that “must never be moved until a certain day has arrived” (pp. 18-19).

New reveals

• GENERAL FRANKY (“Iron Pirate”) — Franky’s combination battle robot, formed by docking the Black Rhino FR-U IV (Soldier Dock Channel 4) and the Brachio-Tank V (Channel 5). Built of a shape-memory alloy Franky calls “Wapometal,” developed from Vegapunk’s technology: “Esteemed genius, Vegapunk! Your dream has come true!” (pp. 5-6). Attacks named this chapter: Sword of the Pillager (“Franken”), General Watch-Your-Step, Shoulder Cannon / Franky Cannon, General Weight (pp. 6-9).
• Nami’s Sorcery Climate Baton (Sorcery Clima-Tact) — her upgraded weapon runs on Weatheria’s weather science: “Don’t underestimate Weatheria’s weather science!” (p. 9).
• Usopp’s Pop Greens — plant-seed projectiles (Green Star, Bamboo Javelin) grown from his two “death-defying years in the Bandit Forest” under Master Heracles; he frames it as “the second chapter of the Great Adventure of the Great Man Usopp!” (pp. 10-11).
• Chopper’s upgraded transformations — “I renewed and improved my seven changing points over the past two years! There’s only one form I need the Rumble Ball for now!”; the other six (incl. Horn Point) are now at-will (pp. 12-13).
• Surume’s coercion explained — the Kraken served Hody only because the New Fish-Man Pirates hold its brother hostage at the North Pole (“Remember your brother at the North Pole?”); Luffy frees it by promising to protect the brother too (pp. 14-16).
• The Noah is “the ark of prophecy” — King Neptune: “We mustn’t allow any harm to come to the ark!! It must never be moved until a certain day has arrived!!” — and the colossal ancient ark begins to move at chapter’s end (pp. 18-19).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Straw Hats (shown fighting): Luffy (punches Hody), Zoro (Gust Sword), Nami (Sorcery Climate Baton), Usopp (Super Daruma Drop, Green Star, Bamboo Javelin), Tony Tony Chopper (“Commander Chopper,” Horn Point, upgraded transformations), Franky (General Franky), Nico Robin (Gigantesco Mano support; “he’s got too many tricks… but I still think you’re pretty cool”).
• Surume — the Kraken; now guards Shirahoshi, coerced via its hostage brother, then freed by Luffy’s promise.
• Shirahoshi — “Wimpy-hoshi”; entrusted to Surume; nearly crushed under coercion.
• Hody Jones — captain of the New Fish-Man Pirates; furious the Kraken switched sides; punched by Luffy.
• King Neptune — senses the Noah move; names it “the ark of prophecy.”
• Daruma — sent flying by Usopp’s Super Daruma Drop; other unnamed New Fish-Man officers coerce Surume.
• New Fish-Man Pirates — officer corps fighting at the plaza.
• Noah — the ancient ark begins to move (climactic spread).
• Thousand Sunny — its Soldier Dock vehicles combine into General Franky.
• General Franky — the Iron Pirate combination robot (first appearance).
• Referenced (not shown): Vegapunk (credited for the Wapometal/tech), Heracles (Usopp’s Bandit-Forest teacher), Weatheria (Nami’s training island).
• Cover story: “From the Decks of the World, Vol. 20: Drum Island – Cherry Blossom Kingdom Peacekeepers” — the Sakura/Drum Kingdom peacekeeper corps (foreground figure read as Dalton; inference).

Notable panels

• Page 1 — Title page carries the cover-story installment “From the Decks of the World, Vol. 20: Drum Island – Cherry Blossom Kingdom Peacekeepers” (Sakura Kingdom peacekeepers; one figure marked “016”). Cover-story art, not a color spread.
• Pages 5-6 — GENERAL FRANKY reveal: the Black Rhino + Brachio-Tank dock into the Iron Pirate; “shape-memory alloy — Wapometal”; the salute to Vegapunk.
• Page 9 — Nami’s Sorcery Climate Baton (“Weatheria’s weather science”); Zoro’s General Weight / Gust Sword.
• Pages 10-11 — Usopp’s Pop Greens (Green Star, Bamboo Javelin) + “two death-defying years in the Bandit Forest” / Master Heracles.
• Pages 12-13 — Chopper’s renewed seven-point transformations; Horn Point; “only one form I need the Rumble Ball for now.”
• Pages 14-16 — Surume’s hostage-brother coercion; Luffy’s promise to protect the brother frees the Kraken.
• Pages 16-17 — Luffy blasts through the officers and punches Hody Jones (“I’m burning with rage now!!”).
• Pages 18-19 — Climactic spread: the NOAH begins to move; Neptune names it “the ark of prophecy” that “must never be moved until a certain day has arrived.” (mirror flag.)
• Pages 20-21 — Volume 64 back-matter SBS (“Our Very Own Musician, Cho!” — Cho/Shigeru Nagashima, Brook’s voice actor). (SBS specialist material, not chapter plot.)
• Page 22 — “Coming Next Volume” teaser for Vol. 65 (Luffy vs. Hody underwater; water as his greatest weakness).

Open questions raised

• What is “the certain day” the Noah awaits, and what is the prophecy attached to it?
• Why does the Noah begin to move now — an outside hand (Vander Decken?) or the prophecy itself?
• Can Luffy actually defeat a fish-man underwater, where water is his greatest weakness (Vol. 65 teaser)?
• Will the New Fish-Man Pirates make good on the threat to Surume’s brother now that the Kraken has defected?