One Piece: What is a Buster Call? Explained

With the release of recent chapters for author and illustrator Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece manga series, those readers who are weekly have seen the climax of the Egghead arc excitingly begin. As exciting as the start of the climax is, so is the context in which it’s starting, with the action and unexpected appearances of certain characters being enthralling to fans.

The One Piece manga has also brought back several popular concepts and previous storylines to intertwine them within the Egghead arc, such as the Oharan genocide and Jaguar D. Saul’s fate. More specifically, for the climax, the Marine and World Government directive known as the Buster Call has reared its ugly head in the series once more for the third time total. This is also the attack’s first canon appearance in the post-time-skip series outside of a flashback.

Likewise, with it having been so long since a Buster Call appeared in the series, some fans are confused on exactly what the act involves. Furthermore, the Egghead Buster Call being of a much larger size and greater strength makes matters even more confusing for fans who can’t quite remember exactly what a Buster Call is.

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One Piece’s Buster Call is one of the most deadly known demonstrations of force in the series

What is a Buster Call? Explained

Within the world of the One Piece series, the Buster Call is considered the “ultimate form of military attack” utilized by the Marines. Typically, the Buster Call is ordered via a Golden Transponder Snail, which connects the enactor to an Admiral who mobilizes the forces. It’s also said to be a symbolic result of the Marine doctrine of Absolute Justice, which is the philosophy that the eradication of evil must come at all costs, including civilian deaths or immoral acts.

Likewise, the initiation of a Buster Call essentially spells certain doom for the island which it is called on and all those present on it. The aforementioned doctrine of Absolute Justice even ensures that innocent civilians who escape on refugee ships aren’t safe. This is shown during the Oharan genocide and its Buster Call, where non-researches with no knowledge of the Void Century are killed nevertheless.

Generally speaking, a typical Buster Call in One Piece consists of a fleet of ten battleships led by five Vice Admirals. This force alone is said to be able to equal that of the average military force of an entire nation. This also equates to 10 thousand soldiers present, with in-series discussion of the act claiming each battleship used housed one thousand soldiers.

Egghead’s Buster Call, however, is unique in that it consists of 30,000 soldiers led by nine Vice Admirals, Admiral Kizaru, and Gorosei member Saint Jaygarcia Saturn himself. It’s also been said that there were originally 100 total ships sent to Egghead, but the siege combat which preceded the Buster Call being enacted likely dwindled this number significantly. Of these original 100, 20 were specified to be “giant warships.”

The latest Buster Call to be enacted in One Piece is also unique in what the island it’s set to destroy represents. Even with Dr. Vegapunk’s betrayal, Egghead Island is still home to a plethora of technology with both civilian and military applications. Despite this, Saint Saturn considers the eradication of Dr. Vegapunk and his research on the Void Century a much higher priority than these technological assets.

In essence, the Buster Call is representative of the full force of and ideology of the Marines and the World Government. Neither friend, foe, nor innocent civilians are spared once the attack is enacted, as has been seen time and time again. While the Straw Hats have proven themselves capable of surviving the attack, it’s typically a death sentence for the island it’s called on and all those present.

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