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Chapter 754: Making Acquaintance

Arc: Dressrosa · Saga: Dressrosa · Released: —

Summary

Below the former royal plateau, in the “Scrap Heap,” Team Kin’emon’s search ends: Kanjuro — “Evening Shower Kanjuro,” a samurai of Wano — emerges alive, having hidden in the walls so long he fell asleep, and reunites with Kin’emon, who is overjoyed that his comrade is unharmed and that Momonosuke is safe. Kanjuro demonstrates his “sorcery”: a painting comes to life as the Spring Sparrow, though his terrible art leaves the bird barely able to fly. The freed toy-people — former royal soldiers and civilians, restored from toys — beg to be let out to find their families, but Kanjuro explains the grim truth: with the arms-smuggling and toy secrets exposed, Doflamingo means to kill everyone; Dressrosa is sealed off by the Birdcage and there is no way off the island alive except to defeat Doflamingo. Above, on the New Royal Plateau, the assault force climbs the steps toward Doflamingo, Bartolomeo ferrying Luffy, Law, Cavendish, Kyros, Rebecca and others upward on invisible barrier stairs while everyone bickers over who gets to take Doflamingo down — Kyros staking his ten-year grudge and sworn duty to King Riku. Meanwhile, atop the Pica statue, Zoro vs Pica rages: Pica retreats into the stone and re-forms the colossus (“Pulpostone”), Zoro keeps him occupied with the 1,080-Pound Phoenix, and declares across the battle that he will become the world’s greatest swordsman — “I’m on an entirely different level than you.”

New reveals

• Kanjuro is alive, free, and shown in the present day (his prior on-page beats were a Ch. 700 flashback and captive references). He reunites with Kin’emon in the Scrap Heap beneath the former royal plateau (pp. 2–3).
• Kanjuro’s Devil Fruit power is demonstrated on-page for the first time: he draws on a surface and the drawing manifests as a living creature — here the Spring Sparrow — but his poor art skill cripples the creation (the sparrow “can barely fly”) (pp. 4–5). (The fruit itself is not named on-page.)
• The toy-restored civilians are former royal soldiers and citizens who were turned into toys; they want to leave to find their families (p. 5).
• Dressrosa is sealed: Kanjuro states the island is now cut off from the outside world by the Birdcage, Doflamingo will let no one carry the truth out, and there is no way off the island alive except to defeat Doflamingo (pp. 8).
• Bartolomeo’s barrier as transport: his “automagraph” barrier forms an invisible staircase/platform letting the climbers “fly” up the plateau steps (pp. 14–16) — “I think I’ve got the hang of it!!”
• Pica’s “Pulpostone” — he abandons his footing, retreats into the stone, and re-animates the colossus statue against Zoro (p. 14).
• Zoro’s 1,080-Pound Phoenix — a Three Sword Style escalation used to keep Pica occupied on the statue (p. 16).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Kanjuro — first present-day on-page appearance; demonstrates his Devil Fruit (Spring Sparrow); explains the Dressrosa situation to the freed toy-people.
• Kin’emon — reunites with Kanjuro; relieved he and Momonosuke are safe.
• Zoro — fights Pica atop the stone statue; 1,080-Pound Phoenix; restates the world’s-greatest-swordsman vow.
• Pica — fights Zoro; retreats into the stone and re-forms the colossus (“Pulpostone”); Ishi Ishi no Mi.
• Bartolomeo — ferries the assault group up the plateau steps on his barrier (“automagraph”); Bari Bari no Mi.
• Cavendish (“Cabbage” in the battle diagram) — climbing; argues he’ll strike down Doflamingo / the officer.
• Kyros (the Soldier) — climbing; his ten-year grudge and sworn duty to restore the kingdom to King Riku; vows to defeat Doflamingo.
• Rebecca — in the climbing group; reacts to the Zoro/Pica clash.
• Doflamingo — referenced; the assault’s target; his army defends the steps (named, not shown this chapter).
• King Riku — referenced (“Is King Riku well?”; “returning the kingdom to King Riku”).
• Momonosuke — referenced (“as long as Momonosuke is safe, all is well”).
• Dressrosa — the New Royal Plateau / King’s Plateau steps; the Scrap Heap beneath the former royal plateau.

Notable panels

• Page 1 — Cover (B&W title page): “The Solitary Journey of Jimbei, First Son of the Sea, Vol. 4: ‘Well, good thing this sea kitten happens to live in my town.’” (Jinbei cover-story serial.)
• Page 3 — Kanjuro caption splash: “Samurai of Wano — Evening Shower Kanjuro.”
• Page 5 — “Spring Sparrow!!!” — Kanjuro’s drawing pops out of the wall; his terrible art leaves it barely able to fly.
• Page 6 — Battle diagram: the New Royal Plateau steps (Gladiators → 1st/2nd/3rd/4th Step → Palace); “Zolo vs. Pica”; Luffy, Law, “Cabbage,” Kyros ascending.
• Page 14 — “Pulpostone!!!” — Pica re-animates the stone colossus.
• Page 16 — Zoro’s “1,080-Pound Phoenix!!!” on the statue; Bartolomeo: “I think I’ve got the hang of it!!” (barrier flight).
• Page 17 — Zoro: “I will be the greatest swordsman in the entire world!!! …I’m on an entirely different level than you!!”
• Page 18 — SBS Question Corner: Oda confirms Law’s crewmates are Arctic-animal-named (Penguin, Bepo = polar bear, Shachi = killer whale; Law drawn as a snow leopard in a fan mashup); “draw Franky cute”; and alternate non-pirate jobs for the Straw Hats. (SBS cross-link refresh candidate — Vol. 76.)

Open questions raised

• What exactly is Kanjuro’s Devil Fruit (it manifests drawings as living things; not named on-page)? How far does the “art-quality governs the creation” limit go?
• Can the assault group reach Doflamingo before the Birdcage closes — and who actually gets to him (Luffy, Kyros, Cavendish all stake claims)?
• Can Zoro break through Pica’s reconstituting stone colossus to clear the path up the plateau?