Highlights

One Piece: East Blue 7-8-9 is the third collection of One Piece volumes. This volume is similar to the last two presentation-wise (keeping all the chapters, title pages and extra pages from each volume) but each time it feels like a better and better bargain.  The further the story gets, the better the chances you're reading it for the first time.

Last volume, Luffy and his crew finished off Captain Kuro and his Black Cat pirates.  This volume, Captain Krieg's pirates continue their assault against the ocean-going restaurant, Baratie (in my opinion, the most interesting set piece yet, with it's giant fish head on the front and pop-up outer battle deck). Nami's run off with their ship and their gold, and Usopp and a wounded Zolo leave to find her, with Johhny and Yusaku. This leaves only Luffy to help Sanji and the fighting cooks of the Baratie defend themselves. Will it be enough?

I'll say it right out; Don Krieg is my favorite pirate captain they've encountered so far.  His very name means "war" in German and he's equipped with an entire arsenal of weapons; a mace, a flamethrower, numerous guns. One of his most prized weapons, the "Mighty Battle Spear" is a giant spear that causes an explosion when you strike something with it.  During the entire fight with Luffy,  he pulls out one weapon after another; even though the battle goes on for some time, easily the longest climactic battle yet, I'm never bored.

It's worth noting that especially in a longer arc like this one, the three-in-one format is fantastic for moving things along. In the original serialization, the Baratie arc took well over half a year to complete.  As a result, it did drag a little in parts due to his henchmen (who, despite Gin going through his own crisis of conscience as a result of having been saved by Sanji in the last volume, aren't nearly as interesting as say, Buggy) appearing, and the long flashback that works so well in this volume felt like a diversion from the main story.
 

Speaking of the flashback in this arc, it's one of two in this volume that practically redefine the One Piece flashback. The first one, detailing the secret history of Sanji and Red Shoes Zeff, as well as their shared bond, was considered too extreme for TV and actually censored in the original Japanese version of the anime. It made me go "ouch", when I read it, that's for sure. The second covers Nami's secret history with Arlong's fish-men pirates. It involves corruption and betrayal, from pirates and naval officers alike.
 

Arlong's pirates are the most aggressively developed "evil" villains thus far; while Buggy and Krieg seem more cartoonish (Krieg reminds me a bit of a pissed off Cobra Commander with a suit of armor), the fish man has developed into a cruel, money-worshipping fiend.  He was once as strong as one of the Seven Warlords of the sea –  a group of seven powerful pirates actually sponsored by One Piece's world government that often hunt down other pirates. This is the start of the detail about the world of One Piece that makes it so interesting; their adventures so far have just been in the "East Blue"- one sea among all the others. You get the taste of a larger world in this volume; Oda is to be commended for bringing it in, although some might say it's done a bit casually, since this is volume 9 already.

Overall

The creative character designs keep coming (Hatchi, the octopus man for example) giving One Piece a very unique appearance even among other Shonen manga.  Sanji, the usually cool as ice (except when ladies or food are involved) chef is my favorite new addition to the cast. It's no wonder they removed his cig in the US version; it's guys like him who make smoking look awesome; I'm forced to admit it. Sanji joins the cast of heroes with his own unique dream; searching for the All Blue, an ocean with fish from all over the world.  It's simple, but it's also charming the way they all are defined by their goals. Sanji lights up with such a cheerful smile when he talks to Luffy about it that it's difficult not to root for him, and his likable friends. By contrast, the villains believe in power (Krieg) and money (Arlong); these sound like more typical pirate pursuits, and it's a somewhat unspoken question as to what made Luffy decide to become a pirate in the first place. His kind of pirate is more about adventure and freedom; a romanticised pirate beating up ones that are decidedly less so.
 

One small complaint is that at this point the arcs inflate to the point that they may go on a bit too long for their own good. They begin to separate into two distinct halves; the half where Luffy and crew race around like idiots, and the second half where they beat the heck out of the guys who were asking for it. Arlong's pirates, as I mentioned above, really ask for it.

This volume ends with the saddest moment yet; what Luffy and the crew learn about Nami in this volume caused me to finish this volume with a tear in my eye. I admit it. The last scene in this volume is more dramatic than I recall it being, but wow.

One Piece has always been about people wearing their emotions on their sleeve.  Huge dreams, huge tempers, and now huge tears.  Oda doesn't put emotions in by half measures; Luffy himself has the moods of a dog (and the attention span of a small terrier)and it's hard not to get caught up in it. One Piece is simple enough for the kids to follow, but heartfelt, creative and packed with enough fun to interest the most cynical of us. At the price these volumes go for (less than buying two whole volumes now that Viz sells 'em 9.99 a pop) there's no reason for shonen manga fans who haven't experienced  One Piece to miss the boat this time.

                                

ComicsOnline gives One Piece: East Blue 7-8-9, 4.5 out of 5 corrupt navy officers.