Luffy Vs. Sanji + Natsu Vs. Gray

Original post: March, 2019

Several One Piece readers, at least those who are up to date, may remember this scene its aftermath…

And in another post, we had an analysis on a highly underrated concept: Context. Some groups of fans disregard it for the sake of their premise, but when it comes to potent relationships, context matters, for they involve consistent bonding and actual chemistry.

So, in this particular case, what do we have as context? Sanji not only physically assaulted an already worn out Luffy, he also “bad-talked” his dreams of becoming PK. Nami tried to remind Sanji Luffy was already in bad shape due to fighting a strong opponent all night long without actual rest, all in an attempt to stop Sanji’s assault. But, she couldn’t stop this…

She even begged claiming they would leave the place if Sanji stopped his attack. This chapter may help perceptive readers to spot a few differences between the manga and anime. When the fight “started” the manga had Nami’s main concern being Luffy’s condition and the damage he was taking; in the Anime, Nami was only partially focused on Luffy. But, regardless of the version, the ending remains the same…

Nami’s first response was rushing to Luffy’s side, backed up by the manga, her second reaction…

A strong slap along with some sarcasm that played along with Sanji’s act delievering a verbal “punch.” We usually focus on her concern for Luffy, but what makes that slap + cutting words combo so relevant?

Let us remember Sanji was physically and verbally beating Luffy. First, Nami saw how Sanji was hurting the same person she fought side by side all night, the same person she knew was already hurt and weakened. Second, Sanji insulted Luffy and talked trash about his dream and his strength… some chapters before this whole drama, Nami’s confidence on hers and Luffy’s victory over Cracker was based on the fact Luffy was going to be the PK:

Sanji just bad-talked that same faith Nami has on Luffy. All of this somewhat remind us of when Oda wrote SW; the big twist at the end of the movie was that Nami always had a remarkable faith/trust in Luffy, and we had a little comedy in how embarrassed Nami was at the prospect of Luffy finding out how strong she felt about him…

…so in response to Sanji’s attack on Luffy, Nami delievers a physical and verbal slap to the cook. Some people discussed if Nami was in the wrong for slapping Sanji, but as we examine the context, we find out her actions were more than justified. It was the closest thing to to an “eye for an eye” she could deliver as retribution

Nami would later describe the abuse Luffy suffered as something unacceptable, and with good reason.

The man that had been her emotional anchor for so long, and the hope they share were brutalized in front of her. So, Nami staying faithfully by Luffy’s side while reprimanding Sanji’s actions was something consistent and true to her character; it also gave us a deep insight on how many levels she values and appreciates Luffy

BONUS: Mashima did it first AKA Slap-Slap-Kiss?

Original post: June, 2020

There’s one odd thing that some fans of both Fairy Tail and One Piece may have noticed in this blog.

While I debunked the hype behind an overhyped slap scene from One Piece in another post, there’s no analysis here doing the same for the similarly overhyped slap scene from Fairy Tail. And I have an excuse for that…

In the Luffy Vs. Sanji analysis, I could find some LuNa in it, so I could make a post out of that particular aspect while debunking shippers’ claims. But, when it comes to the Fairy Tail slap scene, things are somewhat different because I couldn’t make a NaLu analysis out of it.

So, I decided to go for another route for this one, and now we have a rebuttal based on the worst enemy of overhyped premises: Context

In previous analyses we briefly mentioned how Natsu not only got motivated by Lucy to bring back the guild, but he also reassured her along the way when doubts seemed to get the best out of Lucy.

Lucy feared the guild she saw as a family was all gone, that everyone moved on with their lives, and I explained before the story and character showcases it…

…when they finally arrived to Magnolia those same fears and doubts started to overwhelm Lucy, and this is after two significant victories along the way. How did she manage to keep fighting until that moment? It was Natsu, after knowing how much she actually missed the guild, who did his best to keep her doubts at bay.

Now, going back to the Avatar arc, it seemed Gray, a close friend to both her and Natsu, joined a dark guild.

To sum it up, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy infiltrated Avatar’s HQ looking for Gray. And when they found Gray in devil mode, Natsu and his friend/rival clash…

…after trading a few blows Natsu tries to remind Gray that Juvia is still waiting for him, and that they need him to bring the guild back. Natsu mentions that even if people say the guild got disbanded, the memories and the ties that bind them together are still there.

Gray seemingly dismissed and disregarded that sense of camaraderie that made Fairy Tail a family. And then this scene happens…

Needless to say, several fans (including NaLu shippers) overhyped this scene as proof of romantic development and even a sign of sexual tension. But, as a perceptive reader put it: “Lucy slapped Gray as a reaction to what he said to Natsu about their family bonds, their friendship and that he is done with Fairy Tail. She further replied saying how their friendship was never fake and she truly believes in it.”

At this point, nobody knows Gray is a double-agent, but his act made it seem like a betrayal “towards FT and everyone in it, not towards Lucy specifically.”

During his act, Gray deemed the values the guild stood for as meaningless, and seemingly confirmed Lucy’s fear: “Fairy Tail is no more”

And then people overhyped the subsequent apology after Gray dropped the act, and went as far as taking what supposed to be a joke to lighten the mood as another sign of sexual desire.

The point is that this slap does not lead to kissing or anything implying romance. And Lucy’s tears are not about an itch between her legs, they’re about that guild so dear to her, which she fears is gone.

It’s kinda impressive how such scenes taken out of context and fanhype gets compared in impact and meaning to signifcant NaLu moments…

…that add up and actually solidify the bond between Natsu and Lucy as something stronger.

But, as we’ve seen in the story so far, actual bonding and solid chemistry overcome fanhype.