Komurasaki: Ugly On the Inside?

One Piece Chapter 928 Review/Recap

I said in my last recap that I was reserving judgment on Komurasaki until we knew more about her. So far, that seems to have been the right call, considering how this chapter reveals more about her. First, though, let’s go back to Luffy and Kid.

Recap

As I predicted, Luffy and Kid have become the heroes of Udon Prison for getting so much work done and beating up that hippo man. It also helps that Luffy is just giving away his extra meal tickets. Meanwhile, Raizo has managed to infiltrate Udon Prison and said he found the keys to Luffy’s seastone handcuffs, but it will take time to get them. Luffy and Kid’s escape is imminent, and when they get out of there, my gut tells me that the other prisoners will follow them.

Speaking of which, remember Caribou? He tries to join up with Luffy in order to get out, but I think Luffy remembers the trouble he gave the Straw Hats on Fishman Island.

Back in the Flower Capital, the Courtesan’s procession continues as some of the Straw Hats watch. It gets interrupted, though, by a trio of cutthroats looking to kill Komurasaki. Now, for a flashback that seemingly reveals Komurasaki’s true nature.

Komurasaki’s True Nature?

Komurasaki may act nice and sweet, but in truth, she is very manipulative and materialistic. She used her beauty and the promise of love to convince the leader of the cutthroats to give away everything he has to buy the money to free her from being a courtesan. And I mean everything, from his house to his family. Surprise, surprise, she was just playing him for a chump. She took all the money and spent it on herself.

Back in the present, the three cutthroats get beaten up by the guards, and then get thrown out of the Flower Capital as the woman tells them that she sees men without money as dogs. It then interestingly cuts to Tama’s village where Momonosuke is hiding and training. He then reveals then he actually has a younger sister named Hiyori who was left behind when their mom sent him and the three retainers into the future. He has a gut feeling that she’s still alive, but he does not want to look for her until Wano is free from Orochi and Kaido.

Couple things: first, as far as looks go, I don’t think Komurasaki is the most beautiful woman we’ve seen in One Piece. Boa Hancock, Shirahoshi, and Nami are all cuter than she is. Plus, if this is her real personality, then as far as I care, she’s a hag. But, and hear me out on this, what if that’s just an act?

A Hard Life

The life of a courtesan would have been hard, so a woman would have to do what she could to survive. That means using their charm and beauty to the fullest extent, even if it meant suckering people. That doesn’t justify what she does, though, but I have another reason. The transition to Momonosuke and him telling Tama about Hiyori may have been a coincidence, but my inner fan is already working out theories. Sometimes they’re right, sometimes they’re wrong. My theory right now: Komurasaki is connected to Hiyori somehow. But it’s just that at the moment: a theory. It’s up to Oda to decide where this all goes.

So far, Act Two of the Wano Arc is progressing slowly, like a season of Game of Thrones. All the players and pieces are moving around on the board and getting ready to make their move. The Alliance will be up against the wall when the time comes, so it needs all the help it can get, but I am not overly worried. After all, this is Luffy we’re talking about. Regardless, this is going to be the biggest arc in One Piece yet, and it’s going to get even bigger. Oda said that the final arc of the manga is going to make Marineford look like child’s play in comparison. I can’t wait!

Click here to see more animanga stuff