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One Piece: Who Is Zunesha And What Is Their Connection To Joy Boy

As seen in One Piece's most recent episodes, Monkey D. Luffy's Gear 5 form has drastically altered the landscape of the Grand Line, officially elevating the Straw Hat Pirate to the same level as the other Emperors of the Sea. However, prior to his groundbreaking transformation, Luffy was seconds away from defeat. The World Government — and, more specifically, CP0 — intervened in his clash against Kaido, distracting the series' protagonist and thereby allowing his opponent to land a devastating blow. Thankfully, as Luffy lay on the brink of death, an unexpected figure arrived to herald the Awakening of his Devil Fruit: Zunesha.

Excluding the mysterious shadows seen in the Thriller Bark Arc, Zunesha is the largest creature to appear in One Piece. The ancient elephant stands over 20 miles tall and has lived for over 1000 years, simultaneously making it the oldest living being in the franchise as well. Because of its age, Zunesha has a direct connection to the Void Century and the era's most prominent figure — Joy Boy. When Monkey D. Luffy breaks through and achieves his Gear 5 form, Zunesha loudly proclaims that Joy Boy has returned, signaling that their relationship should finally be explored in the near future.

Related:
One Piece Finally Confirms Zoro's Family Heritage And His Connection To Wano

The Origin of Zunesha


When Monkey D. Luffy, several members of his crew, and Trafalgar D. Water Law leave Dressrosa, they depart for the island of Zou in an attempt to reunite with the remaining members of Straw Hat Pirates. Unbeknownst to them, this island is found atop the back of the ancient Naitamie-Norida elephant known as Zunesha, which has served as the home of the Mink Tribe for several centuries. At first, the creature seems to simply be another example of the strange geography that characterizes the New World, but as its history is slowly revealed, Zunesha's connection to the history of One Piece and its most significant figure becomes evident. Thanks to Kozuki Momonosuke's knowledge and ability to speak the Voice of All Things, he reveals that Zunesha is over 1000 years old, immediately establishing the elephant as a potential source of information regarding the Void Century.

While Momonosuke and the Straw Hat Pirates are exploring the island of Zou, Zunesha is attacked by a dangerous enemy — Jack the Drought. Rather than defend itself as would be expected of a creature of its magnitude, Zunesha is forced to ask for permission to repel Jack and his Beast Pirate subordinates. After giving the command to attack the enemy forces, Momonosuke explains that Zunesha is forced to wander the seas as punishment for a crime committed many years ago, unable to perform any other actions unless directed by a wielder of the Voice of All Things. This fact brings Zunesha's origin into question and begs two questions: what was Zunesha's crime, and who could impose such a punishment? Given recent revelations that occurred in the Raid on Onigashima, a single character seems to hold the key to answering these questions.

Zunesha's Mysterious Connection To Joy Boy


While the Raid on Onigashima rages above the land of Wano, Zunesha unexpectedly arrives in the waters near the island, prompting Yamato and Momonosuke to discuss its relationship to the most important historical figure in One Piece — Joy Boy. According to the journal of Momonosuke's father, Kozuki Oden, Zunesha was an accomplice to Joy Boy during the Void Century. This is the first direct connection to the legendary character since his apology to the Fish-Men was found by Nico Robin in the Sea Forest, and it also provides the first clue regarding the unknown crime committed by the ancient elephant several centuries prior to the events of the series. During Momonosuke's conversations regarding Zunesha, he hints that the elephant's punishment stems from actions that it committed during Joy Boy's life, further establishing a bond between the two.

As Monkey D. Luffy and his allies battle against the combined forces of Kaido and Big Mom, Zunesha's exact reason for arriving in the seas of Wano remains unclear. However, as soon as the Straw Hat Pirate Awakens his Devil Fruit, Zunesha's eyes spring to life for the first time since appearing in One Piece, reignited by a familiar feeling that the elephant hadn't experienced in centuries. Zunesha loudly heralds the return of Joy Boy as Luffy seemingly rises from ashes, creating an undeniable parallel between the historical figure and Luffy's brand-new Gear 5 form — this parallel is further established when Zunesha compares Monkey D. Luffy's loud heartbeat to that of his former ally. Although fans can only speculate as to the nature of Joy Boy's connection to Zunesha, the elephant's repeated comparisons between his former ally and Monkey D. Luffy are more than enough to establish that Zunesha was intimately familiar with the legendary figure.


Following the Straw Hat Pirates' defeat of Kaido, Momonosuke asserts that he is not quite ready to open the borders of Wano, which ultimately prompts Zunesha to part ways with the series' protagonists once again. Presumably, the Naitamie-Norida elephant will go back to wandering the seas of the New World. That being said, its undeniable connection to Gear 5 Luffy and Joy Boy has many fans wondering if the ancient, island-carrying creature will start to play a more active role in One Piece's narrative, especially with an all-out war against the World Government looming on the horizon.

As Kozuki Momonosuke prepares to serve as the shogun of Wano Country, Zunesha patiently awaits his command in the nearby seas of the New World. One Piece's final saga is primed to uncover the secrets of the Void Century, so the bond between the land of Wano, Monkey D. Luffy's Gear 5 form, Zunesha, and Joy Boy is sure to be explored soon — likely at the expense of the Celestial Dragon's vice-grip on the Grand Line.
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One Piece Finally Confirms Zoro's Family Heritage And His Connection To Wano


One Piece's author Eiichiro Oda finally answered one of the biggest questions that fans had about his record-breaking manga, concerning Zoro and his family that spawned countless theories. Through the SBS (Q&A section) of volume #105 of One Piece, Oda confirmed that Zoro is indeed a descendant of the Samurai of Wano.

In the SBS of volume #105 of One Piece, shared and translated by many online sources, including Artur - Library of Ohara, Eiichiro Oda takes the chance to clarify once and for all Zoro's ancestry, revealing that he is, indeed, a descendant of the Shimotsuki clan from Wano. Shimotsuki Kouzaburo, a legendary swordsmith who forged Oden's sword, Enma, left the secluded land of Wano 55 years before the current events in the series, with a group of 25 people. Among them was Shimotsuki Furiko, the elder sister of Shimotsuki Ushimaru, who would later become the Daimyo of Ringo and die fighting Kaido after his takeover of Wano. After arriving in East Blue, ten people from Kouzaburo group settled there and founded Shimotsuki village. Furiko married a fellow Wano native called Roronoa Pinzoro. They gave birth to a son, Roronoa Arashi, who married a woman from East Blue and became Zoro's father.

Eiichiro Oda Confirms That Zoro Is a Descendant Of The Shimotsuki Clan From Wano


Fans always suspected that Zoro could have a connection to the land of Samurai, and these suspicions grew even more after Yamato's flashback revealed the aspect of Shimotsuki Ushimaru, who looks identical to Zoro. Another flashback then revealed that Kouzaburo lived in Zoro's village and gave him his first swords, unleashing all sorts of theories and speculations. However, Oda said that, while there was definitively a story about Zoro's past, he was probably not going to address it in the manga. In fact, despite being one of the best arcs in One Piece, Wano left fans disappointed for not addressing the mystery of Zoro's connection with Ushimaru and his ancestor, the legendary samurai Ryuma, known as "the god of the blade".

Zoro actually met Ryuma, or rather his corpse, in Thriller Bark, where he had been reanimated by Gecko Moria's powers to serve as one of his zombie generals. After being defeated by Zoro, Ryuma gave him his sword, Shisui, which the Straw Hat dutifully returned to Ryuma's grave in Wano. This revelation of Zoro's family tree makes the character even more interesting. Zoro is not only the great-nephew of Ushimaru, one of the last Daimyo of Wano, and a direct descendant of the legendary Ryuma, but he is also a distant relative of Kuina, his childhood friend whose tragic death inspired him to become the strongest swordsman in the world.

Zoro's Ancestry Shows That Destiny Is A Powerful Force In One Piece


It is understandable that Eiichiro Oda decided to leave Zoro's family backstory out of the manga. One Piece is currently in its final saga, and there is already a huge number of plot threads, mysteries to unravel, and characters taking part in the action. Considering Zoro's personality, and the fact that his parents died when he was young, he must be completely unaware of his heritage. However, destiny is a powerful force in One Piece, and thus Zoro got the chance to meet his legendary ancestor and also free his country of origin from Kaido's tyranny, fulfilling his duty as a descendant of the Shimotsuki clan.

All the volumes of One Piece are available from Viz Media.

Source: Artur - Library of Ohara.
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Luffy's First Meeting With The Five Elders Shows The Straw Hats' True Power


Warning: Spoilers for One Piece chapter #1089

Luffy and his crew have finally come face to face with the leaders of One Piece's world, the Five Elders, and by instantly getting the better of them, the Straw Hats have proven how powerful and dangerous they are. The World Government has sent the largest fleet that any pirate has had to face to shut down Luffy's newly awakened Gear 5th powers and Dr.Vegapunk's research, but right when the Five Elders believed they had already won thanks to their spy on Egghead Island, it was revealed that they have been fooled by the formidable Straw Hat Pirates.

The last time the Straw Hats were shown in the manga, they had a lot of trouble to deal with. Vegapunk's nearly invincible Seraphim, the return of the Rob Lucci along with other World Government assassins, and the betrayal of Dr. Vegapunk's Satellite of Greed, York, all created a dire situation for Luffy and his crew. However, in chapter #1089 of One Piece, series creator Eiichiro Oda decided to show how far the Straw Hats have grown by showing them having already conquered York and even getting the upper hand on the Five Elders.

Luffy And The Straw Hats Finally Face The Five Elders


York was willing to betray and destroy all of Dr. Vegapunk to become a Celestial Dragon. Her plan almost worked with her gaining control of the mighty Seraphim on the island, but she underestimated the Straw Hats. It is notable that, even if it happens via Den Den Mushi (snail phone), this is the first meeting between Luffy's crew and the Five Elders, the group of Celestial Dragons who apparently run the One Piece world (but actually answer to Imu). Considering how powerful and untouchable the Five Elders are, the fact that not only their plans involving York have been foiled, but they have also been tricked into revealing the truth, is a humiliation they won't forget soon.

The fearsome reach and devastation the Five Elders are capable of were recently displayed with the erasure of the Lulusia Kingdom and the murder of Alabasta's King Cobra during the Reverie. It is significant, however, that Oda decided to skip showing how the Straw Hats beat the Seraphim and got control of the Labophase. This was likely meant to create a strong and effective contrast between the dire situations the Straw Hats were in and their cool, triumphant attitude in the final panel of the chapter, further reinforced by the use of an epic double-page spread, showing the Straw Hats in control of Egghead Island with Vegapunk safe while showing zero fear or worry.

Even Usopp And Nami Look Ready To Fight 30,000 Marines


This is a significant sign of the whole crew's newfound confidence and shows have far Luffy's crew has grown. With one hundred battleships surrounding Egghead Island, led by Elder Jay Garcia Saturn and Admiral Kizaru, the current arc was setting up the possibility of ending like Thriller Bark with the arrival of a powerful enemy that outclasses Luffy's crew as Kuma did back then. However, a lot of things have changed since then. Chapter #1089 of One Piece proves how much Luffy and the Straw Hats have grown by showing them confident and in complete control of the perilous situation they were left in, starting their inevitable clash against the Five Elders on the right foot.

The latest chapter of One Piece is available on the Shonen Jump App and from Viz Media.

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What Is the Will of D in One Piece?


For over 25 years, Eiichiro Oda's One Piece has been keeping both manga and anime fans enthralled. Its often zany antics combine with intrigue, emotional and physical trials and, of course, mystery. One of the greatest mysteries of One Piece, apart from the nature of the One Piece treasure itself, has been the ongoing appearance of the D initial in a number of character's names. From Luffy D Monkey to Gol D Roger, it's definitely not a coincidence for all these pirates to carry the same mysterious middle initial. Often referred to as the Will of D, it suggests a unique connection between some seemingly unrelated people, and the strangest part is that many of those who carry it don't actually know what the D means.

Oda assured fans long ago that the D does have significance, noting that it would reveal itself in time. Some information has been made clearer over the years, but there haven't been a lot of concrete revelations defining the Will of D. With the little information peppered throughout both manga and anime, some conclusions have been drawn, but do they lead fans any closer to answers about the Will of D? First, it's important to take a look at everything that's been revealed so far.


What Is the Will of D Meaning and Mystery?
Across the seas of One Piece, there have been a number of characters revealed to have a D in their name. One of the most well-known has been the series' main protagonist, Luffy D Monkey. Early on, the recurrence of the D in other character names had fans wondering how, if it all, these characters were related

For some, like Luffy, the D has been passed down through the generations, but that doesn't necessarily seem to be the case for everyone. As the mystery surrounding the Will of D began to unfold across hundreds of episodes, it became obvious that even if these characters didn't share a family tree, they did have commonality. All were leaders in their own right, with a knack for expressing their deep desire for personal freedom and following one's dreams.

Gol D Roger and the Roger Pirates knew the deeper meaning of the Will of D, and when asked by Whitebeard what it meant, he agreed to explain. Unfortunately for fans, the flashback scene faded before they could get the answer, too, which seems to be Oda's way of trying to express the need to discover the answers on their own. This has been a repetitive theme in One Piece, with Luffy especially refusing to simply be given answers to the great mysteries. Where's the fun and adventure in that?

In Episode 703, Former Celestial Dragon Donquixote Rosinante told Trafalgar Law that he came from the fated D family after discovering he had the initial in his name. In Rosinante's childhood country, parents were often known to tell misbehaving children that they would be eaten by "D" if they didn't straighten up. He also noted that the elders were fearful of the "storm" members of the secret D family were known to cause, saying that they were often referred to as the Natural Enemy of God, or rather, Celestial Dragons, which are known to be gods. It was also noted later by Imu that the D were considered enemies of the Great Kingdom during the Void Century, suggesting that they have long been the active opposition against oppression and domination.
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One Piece Manga Based on Ace's Story Receives 2024 Release Window


Portgas D. Ace, the older brother of Monkey D. Luffy, will get his own One Piece manga spinoff in 2024.

The iconic supporting character from Eiichiro Oda's legendary series will take to the page once again as the English translation of his light novel series manga adaptation will have a Spring 2024 release date, as confirmed by Sportskeeda. This manga will bring the two-part One Piece: Ace's Story novels, written by Sho Hinata and Tatsuya Hamazaki, to life with an official English translation. Boichi, the artist behind the popular Shonen series Dr. Stone, illustrates the spinoff. VIZ Media's account revealed all of this information in a tweet, featuring a look at the cover art.
One Piece's Spinoff Manga Will Follow Ace's Adventures
This supplemental miniseries is a prequel to the mainline One Piece manga and follows Ace as he leads his first pirate crew, the Spade Pirates. It also delivers the origin of his discovery of the Mera Mera no Mi Devil Fruit, which grants the character his fire powers, earning him the nickname "Fire Fist" Ace. As the story progresses, it falls into the events of the official manga and has been confirmed as canon by Eiichiro Oda.

Ace is a popular figure in the One Piece franchise, known for his powerful Devil Fruit abilities, his role as an inspirational figure to Luffy and his compassion. The character is not biologically related to the protagonist but still takes the position of a "sworn brother" to him and Sabo. While incredibly powerful, Ace still has many flaws, leading to an infamously heart-wrenching moment within the story.

One Piece is a hectic series at the time of writing, as the prolific anime adaptation from Toei Animations is currently receiving a boatload of praise for its latest season. The newest One Piece episodes adapt the "Wano Country" arc and have been proclaimed some of the strongest in the anime's history. The franchise will also become a live-action as a Netflix series is in development. Fans have already seen the live-action version of the Going Merry and hope the company will adapt the property well. Eiichiro Oda has confirmed that it will only be released once he is happy with it.

One Piece's Hiatus for Eiichiro Oda's Health
While the adaptations are thriving, the manga is set to take a break as it's currently on a four-week hiatus. This is due to Oda preparing for eye surgery, which many hope will allow the artist to manage his health struggles better.

The mainline One Piece manga is available to read through Viz Media, with the One Piece: Ace's Story novels' English translations purchasable at most participating bookstores.
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One Piece Episode 1065 Release Date & Time

Luffy and Kaido’s fight in One Piece is getting more and more intense as each episode airs. With the anime continuing its string of excellent episode, fans should be in for a treat when episode #1065 airs this weekend.


What Time One Piece #1065 Releases


One Piece's episode #1065, titled "The Destruction of the Alliance?! Fire up, the Will of the New Generation!", will release on Sunday, June 11 at 9:30 am Japanese Standard Time (JST). It will then be simulcast on Crunchyroll on June 10 at 7:00 pm Pacific Time, 9:00 pm Central Time, and 10:00 pm Eastern Time in the US. It will air on Sunday, June 11 at 3:00 am British Summer Time for One Piece fans in the UK. Fans of the English dub will have to wait for that version to premiere on Funimation at a later date.

What Happened in Episode #1064 of One Piece?

Episode #1064 featured a major escalation in Luffy’s fight with Kaido, as the Yonko unleashed his new Drunken Fighting Style. This made the battle much tougher for Luffy and also reignited fan debate over whether Kaido’s darkened scales indicates that he has awakened his Devil fruit. Their fight seems far from over however, despite the pummeling that Luffy received. The episode also cut to the five elders on Mariejois as they discussed the situation unfolding in Wano. They also mention a mysterious Devil Fruit that the World Government had to rename and that hasn’t been awakened for a very long time. As they have this discussion, the giant elephant Zunesha appears at Wano for unknown reasons.

One Piece #1065 Will Ramp Up the Action Even Further

Episode #1065 is sure to continue Luffy’s climactic fight with Kaido. Given Kaido’s newfound strength, One Piece will have to show Luffy coming up with a new technique to defeat him or else risk losing to him again. The episode will also likely feature more of the five elders’ mysterious discussion about this dangerous Devil Fruit. Of course, it will also likely explain why Zunesha has come to Wano and what it intends to do there. While the giant elephant would potentially be a great help to Luffy’s forces in the battle at hand, its gigantic size might make it too unwieldy to help in a meaningful way.

The name of the episode also provides some potential clues as to its plot. The Alliance mentioned could either be the Alliance between Luffy’s forces or the Alliance between Kaido and Big Mom, but if either faction dissolves then it will greatly change the whole dynamics of the battle. The “New Generation” likely refers to Luffy, Kidd, and Law, who are part of the up-and-coming generation of pirates seeking to replace the old guard of Big Mom and Kaido. So if their will is getting fired up, the next episode could feature more of Law and Kidd’s battle against Big Mom. All of these fights will hopefully be on a similar quality level as Zoro and King's epic fight. To find out for sure what happens in One Piece Episode #1065, fans will need to watch it when it airs on June 10th!
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One Piece Episode 1063 Release Date & Time

After an absolutely stellar episode #1062, One Piece fans are anxiously awaiting the anime's next installment. But after the week-long delay of the previous episode, these fans may be wondering whether episode #1063 will air in its usual time slot and where they will be able to watch it. Luckily, with episode #1063 One Piece's release schedule is returning to normal.


What Time One Piece Episode #1063 Releases


One Piece's episode #1063 titled "Luffy is on the Move! A Turning Point to a New Era!" is set to release on Sunday May 28 at 9:30 am Japanese Standard Time (JST). It will then be simulcast on Crunchyroll on May 27 at 7:00 pm Pacific Time, 9:00 pm Central Time, and 10:00 pm Eastern Time in the US. This also corresponds to Sunday May 28 at 3:00 am British Summer Time for fans in the UK. Fans of the English dub will have to wait for that version to premiere on Funimation at a later date.

What Happened in Episode #1062 of One Piece?

One Piece's episode #1062 featured the culmination of Zoro and King's epic battle, in what is undoubtedly one of the best anime fights of all time. Zoro was able to unleash the full potential of his legendary swords with an incredibly powerful King of Hell Three Sword Style attack which was enough to overwhelm even King's Lunarian offensive and defensive capabilities. The animation on this fight even outdid all the stellar animation from previous episodes of the Wano arc. Outside the fight itself, fans also were treated to a flashback showing how King and Kaido met, which was cool to see and added some much-needed details to their story in the manga.

Episode #1063 Will Focus on Other Parts of the Raid

Now that Zoro's fight with King and Sanji's fight with Queen are both over, there is a variety of different plot threads episode #1063 could cover. The Raid on Onigashima is a battle being fought on multiple fronts involving many important characters. Law and Kid are still fighting Big Mom and many of their crew members like Killer and Bepo are joining the Straw Hats in their fight against the Beast Pirates. Usopp is protecting some of the Scabbards who were grievously injured in their fight against Kaido, while others like Raizo are engaged in fights of their own. And while all of this is occurring, Momo and Yamato are trying to prevent Onigashima from exploding and crashing into the Flower Capital.

However, while all of these are notable plot threads in their own right, the major fight fans are waiting to see is Luffy's fight against Kaido. While Kaido was initially able to knock him off the floating island into the sea, Luffy recovered and made his way back up to the roof for a rematch. Given how well-animated Luffy's initial fight with Kaido was as well as how the anime has made many of the Straw Hat's fights even better than the manga, Luffy's new fight against Kaido is sure to be a visual spectacle. However, given Toei seemingly just pulled out all the stops for Zoro and King's fight, episode #1063 may not feature much animation on that level, instead serving as a taste of things to come. So in order to see where One Piece’s epic Wano arc goes next, fans should tune in to episode #1063 when it premieres on May 27.
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One Piece Episode 1060 Release Date, Time, & Where To Watch


Episode #1060 of One Piece will release soon, and fans of the anime adaptation of Eiichiro Oda's best-selling series will be able to watch it in simulcast with Japan or later in streaming. The current season of One Piece is Season 13, Wano Kuni, and it's one of the most exciting and well-received in the franchise's long history.


What Time One Piece Episode #1060 releases


Episode #1060 of One Piece will be airing on Crunchyroll. One Piece: Wano Kuni is available in the original language (Japanese) with subtitles. The dubbed English version is only available from Funimation (but it will likely come to Crunchyroll at some point, as the two companies merged). Episode #1060, "Secrets of Enma! The Sword Entrusted To Zoro", will release on Sunday, April 30. In Japan, it airs at 9:30 am JST (Japanese Standard Time). Crunchyroll will simulcast it one hour and thirty minutes after Japan, making it Saturday April 29 at 7:00 pm Pacific Time, 9:00 pm Central Time, and 10:00 pm Eastern Time Zone. Fans in the UK will be able to watch the episode at 3:00 am (of Sunday) British Summer Time. Crunchyroll subscribers will get access to the episode as soon as it is available. The English dub version will be available on Funimation at a later date.


What Happened In Episode #1059 Of One Piece?

In episode #1059, "Zoro Faces Adversity - A Monster! King the Wildfire", the heated battle between Zoro and Kaido's second-in-command, King the Wildfire, continued. King is the last of the Lunarians, a race of incredibly powerful creatures who were worshiped as gods in the past, and this makes him one of the strongest opponents ever faced by the Straw Hats' swordsman. During the fight, Zoro reflects on the origins of his swords, remembering that his Wado Ichimonji and Enma was created by a Wano artisan, Shimotsuki Kozaburo, making Zoro wonder how that sword ended up in the East Blue. Meanwhile, Sanji's parallel battle against Queen, Kaido's other lieutenant, continues, and it's not less harsh. While the 'two wings of the Pirate King' face their opponents, CP0 is still hunting Nico Robin, and the flame monster created by Kanjuro continues on its destructive path, making Yamato realize that it could reach the armory and blow up the entire Onigashima.


One Piece Episode #1060 Will Reveal The Secret Of Zoro's Strongest Weapon

In episode #1060, Zoro will remember about an old man who lived in his village, and gave him his first swords. Readers of the One Piece manga are already aware of the identity of this man, and his connection with the most legendary sword from Wano, Enma. Zoro will finally fully awaken the power of Oden's sword, which he will have to master if he hopes to defeat King.

Fans of One Piece have always wondered about Zoro's possible connection with the land of the samurai, a mystery that was only recently unveiled when Eiichiro Oda revealed the truth about Zoro's family. Zoro's battle against King, along with Sanji's parallel fight against Queen, is one of the most significant in the entire series, and to see them play out fans will have to tune into episode #1060 of One Piece when it releases on Saturday April 29.

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