Episode 134: I'll Make it Bloom! Manly Usopp's Eight-Shaku Ball
Air Date: 2002-11-24
Opening: Hikari E (3rd Opening)
Ending: Free Will (9th Opening)
Manga Chapters: n/a
Short Summary
The Straw Hats come to an island famous for its fireworks, and is about to have a fireworks festival. Usopp goes off to show his very own firework to a master named Odama, but finds himself out of his league. Usopp finds out that Kodama, Odama's granddaughter, isn't allowed to fire off the fireworks due to an accident involving her parents, but she plans on launching the 205 ball anyway. Usopp manages to convince her that she can launch her own someday, and so the fireworks frestival turns out great.
In-Depth Summary
Rain is pouring outside as the Straw Hats sit in the cabin of the Going Merry, bored. The Going Merry docks at an island, and Sanji, Usopp, Nami, Chopper, and Luffy get off, leaving Zoro and Robin behind with the ship. Luffy spots a town and runs ahead, with the others running after him. Once arriving in the town, Luffy spots a poster for a fireworks festival. The others come running up to it, and Sanji offers to take Nami to see them but is let down hard. A nearby man asks the Straw Hats if they came to the town to see the fireworks, saying that the town is famous for its fireworks, and another man adds that they have been holding fireworks festivals for 400 years. He then points to a tower upon on a mountain, explaining that it is where the fireworks are made. This reminds Usopp that he needs more gunpowder, so he heads off for the tower. Nami and Luffy then overhear the two men hoping that the festival won't have another incident like the previous year, raising suspicion.
Meanwhile, Usopp arrives at the tower, and he meets an old man with red face paint who introduces himself as Odama. Usopp asks for gunpowder, but Odama refuses and asks Usopp to leave. Usopp persists, but when he follows Odama into the house he gapes at the massive firework that is in the middle of the room so he hides his own firework behind his back in shame. Suddenly, the little girl from before takes the firework from Usopp and says that it is really quite good. She introduces herself as Kodama, the granddaughter of Odama. Odama then bonks her over the head, telling her that he sent her to deliver a message to the firing squad and angrily tells her to start loading firing tubes on the wagon. Kodama runs off to do so, and Odama turns on Usopp and yells at him to help. Usopp is about to leave but Kodama convinces him to stay.
As Usopp is loading firing tubes onto the wagon, Kodama says that Usopp’s firework was very well made, and should be completed soon. Usopp asks what she means by completing it, as it is already done. What Kodama means is that a firework is not complete until it has been fired and made beautiful lights in the sky. Usopp then says how he wants to see that giant firework in Odama's house fired off, but Kodama says that last year they fired one just like it. It misfired, and it killed her mother and father in the process. It then starts to rain, so they head inside.
Inside a shed, Kodama tells Usopp a secret - she plans on firing the big 205 ball. She says she has to do this, to complete her parents' dream. Usopp disagrees with the whole thing and heads to tell Odama, but Odama already knows and forbids Kodama from lighting the 205 ball. Kodama argues this, and she runs away. Later, Kodama sits sadly in front of her parent's grave, and tells them she won't be able to complete their dream. Usopp comes up to her, and pretends to be the voice of her parents, asking her if she thinks that that's the only dream they have, and that Kodama has plenty of time to make her own 205 ball that she can fire off, and that is her parents' true dream for her. He then promises that the rain will clear up, and it does. Kodama turns to Usopp in amazement, and Usopp says that he is a messenger from heaven - Usopp Angel!
That evening is the fireworks festival. The crowd, including the other Straw Hats, watches in amazement at the splendor of the show. Odama watches from a distance, and he looks to see that Usopp had built a device to haul the 205 ball into the tower. Soon, the fireworks show wraps up, and as a finale Odama fires the 205 ball. It fires into the air and explodes in a great golden show, and the crowd watches in awe, especially Kodama. Usopp is touched, and after asking for gunpowder again Odama says he can have as much as he wants.
Mumbo230's Notes
to be added
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