This episode is mostly about Katakuri for me. The first 10 minutes are the best 10 minutes of anime I've ever seen. Oda did incredible work here.
Kati has lived nearly his entire life hiding his face because he looks like a monster, maintaining an incredible reputation. Kati elevates himself for his family and they take GREAT pride in their "perfect" brother/child/commander/friend. Out of respect for his family he does his best to maintain this exalted status. He eats alone at EVERY meal, not for himself, but for his family. We see Kati as a child, he doesn't care when others make fun of his face. Kati doesn't care about people laughing at him, he cares about his face negatively impacting the reputation of his family. He has never lost a fight, and what's more, his family claims he never lays on his back; which we know is false. He is a billion barry man, an extremely rare breed in the one piece world, and commands respect.
When Luffy and Kati begin this fight (several hours ago) Kati considers himself to be superior to Luffy in every way. He is faster, stronger, more experienced, has better haki, and is generally unthreatened by Luffy; However, Luffy continues to fight. Not only does Luffy continue to fight, but he manages to catch Kati off guard and land a series of blows, a feat Kati admits to being impressive.
Kati notices throughout this fight that Luffy is improving his observation abilities, at times mimicking his own future sight ability. This is never stated, but we can tell Kati thinks this is impressive.
Just as Kati realizes Luffy can keep up with his observation haki and is seeing into the future, Luffy's foot appears to slip, resulting in a hard blow from Kati's spear (the spear is called Mole) into Luffys stomach. A rookie mistake. This infuriates Kati because he knows Luffy can keep up with him, suggesting that he (Kati) himself is no better than a mere amateur.
In this episode, Kati finds out that Luffy slipped because Kati's sister interfered using her paralysis darts. This changes EVERYTHING.
What unfolds onscreen is a beautiful depiction of respect and admiration between the two characters.
There are so many things to unpack here. Kati feels relief that Luffy didn't slip. Respect and admiration for Luffy because he continued to fight despite the unfair circumstances. Frustration at the audacity of his sister to interfere in his fight. RAGE because his family not only interfered, but laughed at Luffy afterwards.
It's about Kati's frustration with his family. He hides his face for them, to save them their own embarrassment of him, and yet they laugh at someone he considers worthy.
Kati not only impales himself to make the match fair, he removes his mask in front if his family.
The removal of the mask indicates Kati respects Luffy more than his own family. He would rather tarnish his families perfect image of their beloved Katakuri, an image he has spent his life protecting, than allow Luffy to be mocked by them.
It's a freeing moment for Katakuri and the world fades away for him. His family starts to take pictures of his beastly face, but he doesn't care.
Kati returns to face Luffy. They look at each other with a crowd laughing hysterically.
They stare into each others eyes, literally looking into the future of their battle. Luffy and Katakuri are done with pretentious observes.
Conquers haki is on the horizon, and the observers "wont be able to stand after this."
This marks the start of end.
MORE SPOILS from the end of the fight.
At the end of Luffys fight with.
Kati has lived nearly his entire life hiding his face because he looks like a monster, maintaining an incredible reputation. Kati elevates himself for his family and they take GREAT pride in their "perfect" brother/child/commander/friend. Out of respect for his family he does his best to maintain this exalted status. He eats alone at EVERY meal, not for himself, but for his family. We see Kati as a child, he doesn't care when others make fun of his face. Kati doesn't care about people laughing at him, he cares about his face negatively impacting the reputation of his family. He has never lost a fight, and what's more, his family claims he never lays on his back; which we know is false. He is a billion barry man, an extremely rare breed in the one piece world, and commands respect.
When Luffy and Kati begin this fight (several hours ago) Kati considers himself to be superior to Luffy in every way. He is faster, stronger, more experienced, has better haki, and is generally unthreatened by Luffy; However, Luffy continues to fight. Not only does Luffy continue to fight, but he manages to catch Kati off guard and land a series of blows, a feat Kati admits to being impressive.
Kati notices throughout this fight that Luffy is improving his observation abilities, at times mimicking his own future sight ability. This is never stated, but we can tell Kati thinks this is impressive.
Just as Kati realizes Luffy can keep up with his observation haki and is seeing into the future, Luffy's foot appears to slip, resulting in a hard blow from Kati's spear (the spear is called Mole) into Luffys stomach. A rookie mistake. This infuriates Kati because he knows Luffy can keep up with him, suggesting that he (Kati) himself is no better than a mere amateur.
In this episode, Kati finds out that Luffy slipped because Kati's sister interfered using her paralysis darts. This changes EVERYTHING.
What unfolds onscreen is a beautiful depiction of respect and admiration between the two characters.
There are so many things to unpack here. Kati feels relief that Luffy didn't slip. Respect and admiration for Luffy because he continued to fight despite the unfair circumstances. Frustration at the audacity of his sister to interfere in his fight. RAGE because his family not only interfered, but laughed at Luffy afterwards.
It's about Kati's frustration with his family. He hides his face for them, to save them their own embarrassment of him, and yet they laugh at someone he considers worthy.
Kati not only impales himself to make the match fair, he removes his mask in front if his family.
The removal of the mask indicates Kati respects Luffy more than his own family. He would rather tarnish his families perfect image of their beloved Katakuri, an image he has spent his life protecting, than allow Luffy to be mocked by them.
It's a freeing moment for Katakuri and the world fades away for him. His family starts to take pictures of his beastly face, but he doesn't care.
Kati returns to face Luffy. They look at each other with a crowd laughing hysterically.
They stare into each others eyes, literally looking into the future of their battle. Luffy and Katakuri are done with pretentious observes.
Conquers haki is on the horizon, and the observers "wont be able to stand after this."
This marks the start of end.
MORE SPOILS from the end of the fight.
At the end of Luffys fight with.
