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Titled Better Off Dead in This World, volume 108 of One Piece will be available for purchase in Japan on March 4, 2024. With the release of a new volume of One Piece, it’s also time to take a look at the new SBS featured in it.
The SBS question corner is a special column that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda uses to delve into topics that he hasn't covered in the manga due to lack of time or other reasons. The SBS section has a question-and-answer format, which allows fans to interact with Oda as well.
Readers send their questions about a certain subject, and the mangaka replies, revealing unknown details or clarifying misconceptions about the concerned topic. This article will look at every revelation included in the newly-released SBS of volume 108.
Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1109.
Complete list of all information revealed in the SBS of One Piece volume 108
Hailed as the World’s Strongest Swordsman, Dracule Mihawk is among the most powerful characters in the entire One Piece series. Mihawk is a fighter as strong, if not stronger, than even “Red Hair” Shanks, with whom he shares a rivalry characterized by mutual respect.
As is the case with some other big names of the One Piece world, such as Monkey D. Dragon or Sakazuki “Akainu”, not much is known about Mihawk’s past. It’s only known that Mihawk overcame all his opponents, one after another and that not even Shanks could beat him.
In the latest SBS, Oda was asked if Mihawk’s former moniker, “Marine Hunter,” had anything to do with his decision to become a Warlord. The mangaka explained that Mihawk held a grudge against the Marines as he experienced a major betrayal.
Oda didn’t disclose any further information about these events but mentioned that they led Mihawk to become a loner who doesn’t trust others, much like Crocodile. He also added that Mihawk’s past experiences made him weary of life, as a result of the disillusionment he went through.
Oda added that Mihawk accepted to become a Warlord as that role would allow him to live in peace, without being bothered by the Marines. This was why, after the disbandment of the Seven Warlords, Mihawk decided to use Buggy as a facade leader for Cross Guild, the new organization he and Crocodile had created.
This SBS raises more questions than it answers, but it’s understandable. Since the very beginning of the series, Mihawk has been set as Roronoa Zoro’s greatest and most important opponent. With this in mind, it’s quite clear that the author is saving the full disclosure of Mihawk's backstory for the actual manga.
It’s possible that Mihawk was trying to help someone, but that person sold him to the Navy. As a result, he began to distrust people, and decided to take revenge on the Marines, whom he slaughtered, earning himself the reputation of “Marine Hunter."
To stop Mihawk’s rampage, the World Government offered him the position of Warlord. Tired of always being on alert, and lacking the motivation to do anything else, Mihawk accepted the the role, knowing that it would allow him to live in peace.
While no one ever managed to beat Mihawk in combat, someone was evidently able to hurt him from an emotional point of view. That event marked him deeply enough to make him lose interest in life.
This portrayal is consistent with how the series has depicted Mihawk to this day. He reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship to the point where he forged his sword into a Black Blade and surpassed all other swordsmen. Despite it all, Mihawk is one of the very few One Piece characters who don’t have a goal to pursue.
After Shanks, his greatest rival and the closest thing he had to a friend, lost an arm, Mihawk lost interest to continue fighting him. However, a new light was lit in Mihawk’s life when he met Luffy and Zoro. He recognized their potential and decided to see if they were worthy of his expectations.
Having decided to put his faith in the new generation that Luffy and Zoro represent, Mihawk only wants to live in peace, keeping any unwanted attention away from himself. For this reason, he openly rejected becoming a Yonko even when he had the easy chance to become one. Instead, he told Crocodile to use Buggy as the figurehead leader for their Cross Guild organization.
Roger’s sword Ace personified as a human
As the only person ever to have earned the coveted title of King of Pirates, Gol D. Roger is probably the most notorious individual in the One Piece world. In combat, Roger wielded his sword Ace, a cutlass with a slightly curved blade, a yellow hilt, and a golden handguard.
Ace was one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades, meaning that it was a particularly fine weapon. Empowering the sword with his formidable Haki, Roger made it even stronger. For example, he imbued Ace with Conqueror’s Haki to perform Divine Departure, a sword technique that overpowered a fighter of Kozuki Oden’s remarkable caliber.
Shortly after, Roger coated Ace with Advanced Conqueror’s Haki and Armament Haki to clash against Whitebeard’s own weapon, the naginata Murakumogiri. The collision between the two Haki-enhanced weapons unleashed enough power to part the heavens and blow away the surrounding area.
In the SBS of volume 108, a reader asked One Piece author Eiichiro Oda to draw Roger’s sword personified as a human, like he once did with Zoro’s swords. The mangaka complied with the request, which he said he had already received many times in the past.
Oda’s anthropomorphized version of Ace consisted of a bald man with an “A” tattooed on his deltoid. In addition to a tank top and a pair of sunglasses, the humanized Ace was wearing a handguard as a hat.
In the SBS, Oda described Ace as “Roger’s beloved sword”, likening it to Enma and Ame no Habakiri, which were established as Oden’s beloved swords. Indeed, Roger achieved all his extraordinary accomplishments while wielding Ace, and was fond of the sword to the point of naming his son after it.
The weird features of “Big News” Morgans
The president of the World Economic Newspaper, Morgans was able to carve out a prominent position in the One Piece world despite not being a particularly powerful fighter. Throughout the series, this extravagant journalist has always been shown as a tall humanoid bird, with small eyes and a large beak.
His body is covered in white feathers, and he has big wings, which resemble human arms, as well as a huge tail. In the recent SBS, Oda was asked if Morgans was a humanoid bird from the Mink Race. The mangaka answered that there aren’t birds among the Minks, as this race is only composed of mammalian humanoids.
Oda explained that Morgans ate the Bird-Bird Fruit Model: Albatross, a Zoan Devil Fruit that allows him to transform into an albatross. He has never been seen with different features as he is constantly in his hybrid Zoan form. Probably, he never shows his human appearance because he wants to hide his real identity.
One of Tsuru’s subordinates is Vice Admiral Hototogisu
The SBS has also disclosed that one of the female Marines who serve in the retinue of Tsuru is a high-ranking n officer in her own right. In a flashback featured in One Piece chapter 1088, Garp told some Marine recruits that the Navy should protect the future of people, and thus prioritize the survival of the young.
For his words, Garp got scolded by a Marine officer, who told him that all lives are equal. The SBS revealed that the concerned officer is Vice Admiral Hototogisu, a subordinate of Tsuru. As a member of Tsuru’s squad, Hototogisu accompanied her superior in several missions, as seen in Trafalgar Law’s flashback and during the Dressrosa Arc.
Ivankov with Kaido’s Mythical Zoan Fruit
Revolutionary Army member Emporio Ivankov owns the powers of the Horm-Horm Fruit, but things could have been different. Thirty-eight years before the present narration, Ivankov, alongside his friends Kuma and Ginny, was among the slaves involved in the human hunting game that the Celestial Dragons organized in God Valley.
The Celestial Dragons had put several Devil Fruits as the prizes for the hideous context’s winners. Knowing that Ivankov, Ginny, and Kuma devised a plan to generate confusion on the island.
Among the Devil Fruits at stake was the Fish-Fish Fruit Model: Azure Dragon. Ivankov attempted to get his hands on it but was stopped by Charlotte Linlin, who, at the time, was a member of the Rocks Pirates. Linlin took the Mythical Zoan from Ivankov, and would eventually give it to Kaido.
In the latest SBS, Oda, upon request of a fan, drew how Ivankov would look like if he ate the Fish-Fish Fruit Model: Azure Dragon on that fated day. Needless to say, the result was quite comical.
“Red Hair” Shanks has a special admirer
Right before Shanks confronted Eustass Kid in the fight that resulted in the latter’s annihilation, a young woman hugged him. One Piece author Eiichiro Oda revealed her name, Linaria, and her backstory.
When Linaria was a child, Shanks saved her life. Since then, she has been idolizing him. Inspired by Shanks, Linaria became a pirate, eventually gaining the moniker of “Kindled” for her habit of firing ignited things.
Other minor revelations from One Piece SBS 108
The latest SBS revealed the name of the ship of the Cross Guild, which is “Big Top Blaster”. First shown in One Piece chapter 1082, this huge vessel was carefully finished by Buggy’s subordinates. They chiseled the ship’s mast in the shape of Buggy’s face, a feature that left Mihawk and Crocodile understandably disgusted.
In One Piece chapter 1066, it was disclosed that Saul survived the Ohara Incident, and protected the books of the Ohara scholars with the help of a group of Giants, who brought them to Elbaf. In the recent SBS, Oda explained that the Giants who assisted Saul were Gerth, Goldberg, and Hajrudin.
The SBS also divulged the hobbies of the Marines that are part of the SWORD unit:
- X Drake: Reptiles and astrophysics
- Prince Grus: Dancing and solo camping
- Kujaku: Taming others and making sweets
- Koby: Training and sea fishing
- Hibari: Photography and pouch collecting
- Helmeppo: Fashion, walking, and eating
The Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights, Saint Figarland Garling, is rumored to be a close relative of Shanks, if not his father. However, Garling is also quite famous for his quirky hairstyle. Currently, Garling’s hair-and-beard combo strikingly resembles a forward-facing crescent moon.
As a fan asked him what would Garling look like if he grew his hair and beard further, Oda revealed that they would end up forming a ring, basically reproducing the shape of a full moon. Oda also confirmed that the bear ear-like protrusions that come out of Kuma's head are just his hair, which he deliberately shapes like that.
Finally, the mangaka spoke about the Four Head Chefs, an elite group of cooks who work for the Marine Headquarters. One of them, "Winter Cuisine" Komakkov, was selected as the chef for Admiral Borsalino “Kizaru” and Saint Jaygarcia Saturn during their trip to Egghead.
Keep up with all the anime, manga, and live-action news as 2024 progresses. Check out our other One Piece articles here:
Chapter 1109 first spoilers || Chapter 1109 full summary || The secret of Imu and Mihawk's eyes || Why Mihawk and Shanks make the best duo in One Piece
