Chapters · Four Emperors (Yonko) › Wano Country

Chapter 916: Wano Sumo

Arc: Wano Country · Saga: Four Emperors (Yonko) · Released: 2018-09-23

Summary

In a Bakura Town sumo ring, the yokozuna Urashima — humiliated after Okiku spurned his offer to marry into the warrior class and cut off his topknot — readies a killing “Sumo Slap” against her, only for the disguised Luffy (“Luffytaro”) to catch the blow and challenge him to a match. Luffy dodges Urashima’s barrage (Bodhisattva Slap, Eye-/Ear-Splitter), declares he’s going to be King of the Pirates, and ends it with one “Gum-Gum Sumo Slap (Giant)” that launches Urashima clear across town, demolishing the building of the Headliner Holdem. Zoro (“Zorojuro,” already infamous as “the guy who sliced up the magistrate”) joins them, and Okiku reveals herself a true swordswoman as the trio resolve to rescue the captive Otama. Intercut, a poisoned Heart Pirate is dying after eating fish from Wano’s contaminated river; their captain Law, heard over a Den Den Mushi, warns them off Luffy and says he’s on his way. Holdem — a man with a speaking, eating lion fused to his belly — refuses to give Otama back, threatens to crush her in the lion’s jaws, and pegs the intruders as followers of the thief Shutenmaru, just as a fire breaks out and Hawkins is reported arriving at the town gate.

New reveals

• Okiku is a warrior, not a waitress. She cut off yokozuna Urashima’s topknot after rejecting his offer to “marry into the warrior class,” and now wields a sword alongside Luffy and Zoro. She calls Luffy “Luffytaro.” (pp. 3–5, 15–16)
• Urashima defeated. After his “Far Bank Slap,” “Bodhisattva Slap,” and rule-breaking “Eye-Splitter / Ear-Splitter,” Luffy ends the bout with a single “Gum-Gum Sumo Slap (Giant)” that demolishes him and Holdem’s building. (pp. 9, 12–14, 18)
• Holdem introduced — a Headliner of the Animal Kingdom (Beasts) Pirates running Bakura Town, with a lion fused to his belly that speaks and eats (“his tummy’s a lion”). He holds Otama captive and can “crush her in [the lion’s] jaws at any moment.” (pp. 10, 17–19)
• Bakura Town (in Kuri) introduced — the Beasts-Pirates-run town with the sumo ring; its gate is where Hawkins arrives. (pp. 17, 19)
• Anti-Kozuki propaganda. Townsfolk/Beasts men brand the Kozuki “the clan of evil spirits” who “tried to destroy Wano 20 years ago”; one party is said to have “dropped the name Kozuki.” (p. 11)
• Law in Wano (via Den Den Mushi). He orders a subordinate not to engage the man with “a straw hat around his neck” (“far beyond your ability… do not engage him”) and says “I’m on my way now.” A Heart Pirate who ate fish from the poisoned river is dying. (p. 11, 19)
• Shutenmaru — Holdem assumes the rescuers must be “followers of the thief named Shutenmaru.” (p. 19)

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Appears: Luffy (as “Luffytaro”; beats Urashima), Zoro (as “Zorojuro” / VIZ “Zolojuro”; “the guy who sliced up the magistrate”), Okiku (swordswoman; cut Urashima’s topknot), Urashima (yokozuna; defeated), Holdem (debut; Headliner with a lion-belly), Otama (held captive by Holdem; referenced/unseen-in-grasp), Basil Hawkins (arrives at the town gate, p. 19).
• Heard (Den Den Mushi): Trafalgar Law (“captain”; orders his men off Luffy, says he’s on his way) and a dying Heart Pirates subordinate.
• Mentioned (not shown): Shutenmaru (the thief), the magistrate Zoro sliced (off-page), a captured baboon (homie/animal the Heart Pirate offers to “give back”).
• Groups: Animal Kingdom Pirates (Holdem’s Beasts Pirates), Heart Pirates, Kozuki (slandered).
• Locations: Bakura Town (in Kuri), Kuri, Wano Country.
• Concepts: the Beasts Pirates’ SMILE animal-grafts (SMILE; not named on-page here), the poisoned river.

Notable panels

• pp. 1–2 — Color spread: “Stylish Summer.” The Straw Hats at the beach in summer wear (Nami in a polka-dot bikini, Chopper, Franky, Zoro with a fan/spray, Sanji, Luffy & Usopp with a giant watermelon, Robin in a bikini with sunglasses). Decorative; no clear foreshadow.
• p. 3 — Title drop, “Chapter 916: WANO SUMO”; Urashima’s severed topknot (“FWAP…”) and the crowd’s reaction.
• pp. 5–6 — Urashima’s killing “Sumo Slap”; Luffy catches it (“HRAAA!!!”).
• p. 8 — Gag title card: “SUMO-WAMABE PIRATE: LUFFY-NO-UMI — RECORD: UNDEFEATED VS. USOPP.”
• pp. 13–14 — Splash: Luffy’s “Gum-Gum Sumo Slap (Giant)” obliterates Urashima, who is launched across Bakura Town.
• p. 18 — Holdem revealed full-body — the lion fused to his belly (“You sumo wrestled my house to the ground!!!”).
• p. 19 — Holdem threatens Otama in the lion’s jaws; “Captain Hawkins is at the gate”; “ONE PIECE WILL BE OFF NEXT WEEK.”

Open questions raised

• Who is Okiku really, that a “teahouse waitress” outfences a yokozuna and rides with the Straw Hats — a Kozuki retainer?
• How will Luffy free Otama when Holdem can crush her in the lion’s jaws at any moment?
• Who is the thief Shutenmaru, and will the Straw-Hat side seek him as an ally?
• Why is Law keeping his distance and ordering his men not to engage Luffy yet?
• Will the spreading fire and Hawkins’s arrival blow the Straw Hats’ cover?

Cover / cover-story

No cover-story serial this chapter; pages 1–2 are a color spread instead (“Stylish Summer”).