One Piece Features Brilliant Color Spread Re-imagining Strawhats As Highschoolers

Due to the story containing hundreds of characters, the One Piece manga tends to let readers know about events happening parallel to the main storyline through cover stories.

Currently, One Piece’s cover stories are exploring the adventures of Gang Bege and Chiffon as they attempt to get in touch with her long lost sister.

Chapter 972, however, takes a break from the cover stories to show a color spread based on a ramen advertisement from Nissin. The advertisement, titled “Hungry Days,” envisions the crew as highschoolers, during the events of the Alabasta arc.

The advertisement shows the events of the Alabasta arc from a new perspective, mixed with many easter eggs regarding the storyline. The video starts with the crew on the roof of a building, with Vivi amongst them.

The advertisement is narrated by Vivi herself, who is leaving high school, and the events of the advertisement are her memory.

“So much has happened since I first met them all. These days, which will never come again, were my youth,” Vivi thinks to herself. “If we ever get to see each other again, will you call me your friend, one more time?”

Robin asks, sitting on the train that’s taking her away from her friends.

That is when she receives a video showing the high school version of the iconic scene at the end of the Alabasta arc, proving to Vivi, that no matter how far she is from them, she will always be their nakama.

About One Piece:

The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, is Gol D. Roger. The final words he said at the execution tower were “My treasures? If you want it, I’ll let you have it. Look for it; I left all of it at that place.” These words sent many to the seas, chasing their dreams, headed toward the Grand Line, in search of One Piece. Thus began a new age!

Seeking to be the greatest pirate in the world, young Monkey D. Luffy also heads toward the Grand Line in search of One Piece. With his diverse crew joining him along the way, consisting of a swordsman, marksman, navigator, cook, doctor, archaeologist, and cyborg-shipwright, this will be one memorable adventure.