Comics / Manga

One Piece: Volume 54

By Leroy Douresseaux
July 11, 2010 - 10:19

One Piece Volume 54 cover image is courtesy of barnesandnoble.com.

Rated “T” for Teen

Since he was a boy, Monkey D. Luffy has dreamed of becoming King of the Pirates.  When he was a child, the enchanted “Devil Fruit” gave Luffy the ability to stretch like rubber while taking away his ability to swim.  Luffy was undeterred and set out to sea, gradually enlisting a motley crew.  Known as the “Straw Hats”, they are Zolo the master swordsman; Nami the treasure-hunting thief; Usopp, the lying sharpshooter; Sanji the high-kicking chef; Chopper, the walkin’ talkin’ reindeer doctor; the secretive archeologist, Nico Robin; shipwright and cyborg, Franky; and skeleton warrior with an afro, Brook.  They sail the oceans aboard their new vessel, Thousand Sunny, searching for the legendary treasure known as “One Piece.”

One Piece, Vol. 54 (entitled Unstoppable) opens to find Luffy and Boa Hancock, the Snake Princess and captain of the Kuja Pirates, on their way to the naval prison, Impel Down, the world’s most secure, underwater prison.  There, Luffy plans to rescue his brother, Portgaz D. Ace, who is awaiting execution.  Sneaking into the prison is one thing, but escaping is another.  Luffy’s chance reunion with a trio of former enemies imprisoned at Impel Down just may be what Luffy needs to succeed.

THE LOWDOWN:  One of the reasons that I’m looking forward to the 55th volume of One Piece is the appearance of a drag queen character.  I honestly can’t imagine what the character will look like, but I’m sure that I’ll be delightfully surprised times two.  Even in what passes for average volumes of One Piece, the ingenious character and creature designs of creator Eiichiro Oda boggle the readers’ minds.  He’s probably the best creator of comic book characters alive today.  On top of that, I wonder if anyone can design landscapes, cities, edifices, and other environments like Oda, even the great Sergio Aragones?

One Piece, Vol. 54 follows Luffy’s race through the amazingly conceived Impel Down, and it’s like a comic rescue mission on steroids.  It’s an amazing read and the art and graphic storytelling are candy for the mind’s eye.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers looking for rip-roaring action comedy and wildly imaginative characters will find it in the excellent One Piece.

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Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12