One Piece Chapter 1163 Review: God Valley’s True Villain Is Even Worse Than We Expected

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Since Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece manga first came out in 1997, now is arguably the best time to be a fan. As Monkey D. Luffy and his crew get closer to their dreams, recent events—particularly the flashback about Rocks D. Xebec in the Elbaph Arc—have revealed more about the biggest mysteries in the series, including the important historical conflict known as the God Valley Incident.

Chapter 1163 of One Piece, titled “Promise,” shows Imu arriving at God Valley. As expected for the debut of what appears to be the series’ ultimate villain, Imu is incredibly intimidating. Even Rocks D. Xebec seems weak in comparison, and Imu’s powerful presence is making this flashback one of the most exciting and action-filled arcs in One Piece yet.

One Piece Uses the God Valley Incident to Unveil Its True Villain

As a long-time One Piece fan, we all pretty much thought Rocks D. Xebec was the big bad of the God Valley Incident, right? For years, that’s all we had to go on! The details were super mysterious – we didn’t know about the slave-hunting contest or even that the Five Elders were there until recently. So, we spent ages theorizing about how Roger and Garp teamed up to take down Rocks. We knew there had to be more to the story than what Sengoku originally told us back in Chapter 957, but honestly, finding out that Imu was actually fighting the strongest guys there? That was a total shock and completely changes how we look at everything moving forward!

Before chapter 1163 of One Piece, it would have seemed impossible for anyone within the World Government to withstand a combined attack from legendary figures like Roger, Garp, Rocks, Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom – let alone fight back immediately. After nearly 30 years of One Piece being released weekly, it’s rare to see something truly surprising, but Imu’s recent display of power feels like completely uncharted territory for Eiichiro Oda and his manga.

Chapter 1163 of One Piece not only shocked fans by showing that Imu was completely untouchable by pirates like those we saw—and even Garp—but it also helpfully recalibrated the story’s power levels. The Straw Hat crew had become incredibly strong, making the World Government’s forces seem less and less threatening, particularly after Luffy’s group easily overcame the Five Elders and powerful Marines on Egghead Island. Now, with Imu’s powers shown to affect even figures as legendary as Rocks D. Xebec, the recent strength gains of the Straw Hats don’t feel quite as impactful.

Considering how the Davy Clan changed in chapter 1162 and knowing that Rocks was defeated at God Valley, it wasn’t entirely surprising to see Rocks transformed as part of Imu’s Domi Reversi ability. However, Imu’s ability to withstand attacks from the strongest characters in One Piece was a monumental achievement that could change the entire story. Unless this mysterious figure shows a clear weakness soon, it doesn’t look good for Luffy and his crew.

One Piece Chapter 1163 Is the Perfect Parallel to the Elbaph Arc

The latest flashback in One Piece has uncovered incredibly surprising events from the Grand Line’s history, overshadowing what’s currently happening. Right now, Luffy and his crew are about to battle Imu and a massive army of Giants, including Dorry and Brogy. While this group might not be as powerful as the terrifying form Rocks D. Xebec takes in a recent chapter, the situation on Elbaph could become dangerously similar to the devastating God Valley Incident.

Even with Dorry and Brogy’s strength, the similarities between the God Valley Incident and what Luffy is going through now are striking, making the current events even more important to watch closely. The fact that Luffy’s predecessors – including Shanks, Roger, Dragon, Garp, and even the Rocks pirates – were all involved in the fight against Imu creates a strong connection to Luffy’s own journey, even though this battle happened almost fifty years before he’ll confront the World Government himself.

Eiichiro Oda’s masterful storytelling is really on display with the reveal of the God Valley Battle Royale. The fact that this information was held back for so long makes it particularly impactful for what’s happening with Luffy now. But that’s just one reason Chapter 1163 is so good – it’s arguably one of Oda’s best chapters since 2010.

Eiichiro Oda Saved His Best for God Valley

After over two decades since its debut in 1997, One Piece has a fanbase that includes many who weren’t even alive when the series started. The manga’s style has changed over the years, moving away from spacious panels and slower pacing. However, every so often, creator Eiichiro Oda delivers a chapter that truly showcases his artistic talent, and chapter 1163 is one of those instances. While the art is consistently good throughout, the highlight is the stunning depiction of the joint attack between Roger, Garp, and the Rocks Pirates against Imu.

This impressive two-page spread might be a standout moment in the current Elbaph Arc of One Piece, but it clearly shows that Eiichiro Oda understands how crucial the God Valley Incident is to the story. After building up for decades, the God Valley Incident deserves the author’s full attention, and so far, it’s getting it.

The rivalry between Eustass Kid and Shanks, which previously seemed minor within the larger story of One Piece, now appears more significant thanks to Chapter 1163. The chapter reveals that Captain John’s Devil Fruit power – the ability to control magnetism – was responsible for separating Shanks and Monkey D. Dragon when they were fleeing. While surprising reveals are common in One Piece, the way this incident connects to the larger God Valley storyline is one of the series’ greatest strengths.

However Eiichiro Oda ends the Rocks D. Xebec flashback, the Elbaph Arc has already been incredibly revealing for One Piece, answering many long-standing questions through the story of the notorious pirate. But the events unfolding on God Valley aren’t finished yet, and knowing Oda’s history, he likely has many more surprises in store.

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2025-10-27 06:40