100 Times Stronger

In last week’s episode of One Piece, Luffy faces off against Admiral Kizaru. The last time they fought, Luffy and the entire Straw Hat crew were completely outclassed. They got demolished without Kizaru even breaking a sweat.

That episode first aired in April 2009.

This past weekend, Luffy saw Kizaru again. Luffy then dropped a line that’s been living rent-free in my head ever since:

“We’re 100 times stronger than we were two years ago.”

Whenever someone asks, “Why do you love One Piece so much?” It’s because I feel like I’m on this journey as part of the Straw Hat crew.

In the One Piece universe, that fight was just two years ago. In the real world, it was 16 years ago.

When Luffy first fought Kizaru I was 11 years old. I’ve grown so much since then.

Not only did Luffy and the Straw Hat pirates grow 100 times stronger since they last saw Kizaru, I too have grown 100 times stronger since then.