Chapters · Four Emperors (Yonko) › Wano Country

Chapter 976: Begging Your Pardon!!!

Arc: Wano Country · Saga: Four Emperors (Yonko) · Released: 2020-03-22

Summary

The Akazaya alliance fleet sails through a storm toward Onigashima for the raid; the scabbards rib Kin’emon for nearly leading them to the wrong rendezvous (Tokage Port), and Kin’emon, half-convinced he will die in the coming battle, accepts his fate among comrades who “served Lord Oden together.” Mid-crossing, Kanjuro reveals himself fully as the enemy mole: he reports to Onigashima that he has “completed his role,” snatches Momonosuke away from Kawamatsu (“Oh, but I will, fish-man!!”), and escapes skyward on a painted bird, vowing next to hunt and kill Hiyori. Kanjuro mocks Momonosuke as a gutless wailing child and rains an ink-arrow barrage (“Ukiyo Portrait: Evening Shower!!!”) on the ships, but Momonosuke summons courage and orders the alliance to press on and destroy Kaido and Orochi rather than rescue him — to which Luffy answers that they’ll save him anyway, “cuz we’re pals!!!” As the fleet closes on the island, the fleeing enemy ships use Wano’s high-precision weapons-factory long-range cannons to pound the alliance from a distance, threatening to sink the entire fleet. Then a fish-man-karate strike — Spear Wave!! — blows a hole in an enemy ship and a courteous voice calls out — Jinbei arrives, “come back alive just as I promised, Luffy,” and formally presents himself as the Straw Hat Crew helmsman, “Jimbei, First Son of the Sea,” bounty 438 million.

New reveals

• Jinbei officially joins the Straw Hat Pirates as the crew’s helmsman, captioned on-page: “Straw Hat Crew Helmsman — Jimbei, First Son of the Sea — Bounty: 438,000,000” (p. 19). He fulfills his Whole Cake Island promise to come to Wano alive.
• Jinbei’s current bounty is 438,000,000 Berries (p. 19 data box) — first on-page figure for his post-Warlord bounty.
• Jinbei technique — Spear Wave (fish-man karate): heralding his arrival, he strikes the nearest enemy long-range cannon-ship and punches a huge hole in it (p. 16, “Spear Wave!!”; hole shown p. 17 — “There’s a huge hole in the ship!!! …Our long-distance cannons!!”). First on-page use.
• Kanjuro acts openly as the enemy spy (the mole reveal carried into action): he secretly signals Onigashima (“I’ve completed my role!!”, p. 5), seizes Momonosuke from Kawamatsu, and flees on a painted bird (pp. 6-8). Robin and Luffy confirm “Kanjuro turned out to be a mole” (p. 8).
• Kanjuro intends to find and kill Hiyori “now that I know she’s alive” (p. 7).
• Kanjuro technique — Ukiyo Portrait: Evening Shower (浮世絵 / Yūdachi register): he paints ink clouds that rain a barrage of ink arrows down on the alliance fleet (p. 9), keyed to his “Evening Shower” epithet.
• The alliance nearly mustered at the wrong port (Tokage Port) but reached the true rally point — “We’ve won the opening battle!!” (pp. 3-4).
• Orochi/Kaido’s forces wield Wano’s weapons-factory high-precision long-range cannons, bombarding the alliance fleet from a distance the samurai ferries can’t close (pp. 14-16).
• Momonosuke’s courage beat: he orders the alliance to destroy Kaido and Orochi and protect Wano rather than rescue him (p. 11), while privately terrified.

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters: Jinbei (arrives, formal join), Luffy, Nico Robin, Sanji, Usopp, Kin’emon, Kanjuro (spy, in action), Kawamatsu, Momonosuke (captured), Kozuki Hiyori (named — Kanjuro’s next target), Kozuki Oden (referenced), Kozuki Toki (referenced — Kanjuro names her p10: “…and mother, Toki…”), Kaido (named), Orochi (named)
• Groups: Straw Hat Pirates, Akazaya Nine, Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance, Kozuki
• Locations: Wano Country, Onigashima (destination), Tokage Port (named — the wrong rally point), Ryugu Kingdom (named), Fish-Man District (named)

Notable panels

• Pages 1-2 — Color spread (two-page). Fan request: “The Tontattas helping the Straw Hat crew make shoes” by Honeylicker. Full crew + Tontatta cobblers; Luffy’s shirt reads “GOOD SHOES TAKE YOU TO GOOD PLACES.” Decorative request art — no foreshadowing read.
• Page 6 — Kanjuro snatches Momonosuke from Kawamatsu: “Oh, but I will, fish-man!!” / “Kozuki is finished!!”
• Page 9 — Kanjuro’s painted ink-arrow barrage: “Ukiyo Portrait: Evening Shower!!!”
• Page 11 — Momonosuke’s courage beat: “Destroy Kaido and Orochi, and protect Wano!!! I will find a way to escape on my own!!!”
• Page 12 — Luffy: “We’ll go and rescue you!!! …Cuz we’re pals!!!”
• Page 16 — Jinbei’s fish-man-karate Spear Wave!! punches a hole in an enemy long-range cannon-ship, heralding his arrival.
• Pages 17-19 — Jinbei’s arrival and formal introduction; data box: “Straw Hat Crew Helmsman — Jimbei, First Son of the Sea — Bounty: 438,000,000.”

Open questions raised

• Can the alliance close the distance against Wano’s long-range factory cannons now that Jinbei has joined the sea battle?
• Where is Kanjuro taking Momonosuke, and how will the captured heir escape?
• Will Kanjuro reach Hiyori before the alliance can protect her?