This is the definition of a comfy read. I love the fact that this is a break between all of the big action of One Piece and focuses on the smaller moments that some of the most iconic characters go through. For me, this is a book that just consolidates the characters best traits.
Nami's story could be seen as quite superficial at the start as it has her trying to get a refund on a pair of shoes she brought. But as the story progresses it is more than that. It's not her trying to scam the man who owns the branded shoes, but it is a tale of helping a woman to realise her own self worth. She asks this character if it's worth being unhappy just to have fame, and she convinces her to find freedom even if it could be at a cost. She does steal from the man, she's a pirate after all, but it is a really nice thing to see her be a girl's girl.
The Robin storyline threw me off as I didn't think we would be getting to see any of her time in the revolutionary army, so that was a lovely surprise. But an even better surprise was seeing her relationship with Koala. Robin could have deciphered the unknown language and cracked the case straight away, but she allows Koala to learn and try for herself. She's encouraging and gives advice when asked and provides support without being condescending. The two of them work well together and this is a dynamic I would love to see more of.
Vivi's story is a little different as it is more from Koza's perspective than her own. However, I think it's such an important chapter as it emphasises the type of woman Vivi is. She is a woman who shouted over war and demanded it to stop, never backing down when she was ignored and continued to fight to be heard. In this adventure we see the other side of it as she shows that she will hear all the voices of her people, even the littlest ones. She is no longer the one shouting, but the one listening. It's a cute tale and I like to think an event like that happens often to our Princess Vivi.
Perona's tale was so much fun. The three of them together are hilarious and I really did enjoy the repetition of the mentality of "we aren't friends, nor enemies, but a secret third thing." I wish we got to know more about them in the time skip as the three of them together are really wonderful. Mihawk growing Cocao seeds just because she couldn't get them, Zoro being her unexpected ally in challenging Mihawk and diving into the ocean for the crate and Perona hesitating as she didn't want the sea to aggravate his wounds...it may have been a small chapter but it revealed a lot about them.
I will be purchasing the next one as soon as possible.