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One Piece (Beware, spoilers)
- Thread starter FelixSH
- Start date
Seems like this is the Rubber devil fruit awakening to its 'true' nature, which the World Government hid by re-naming it the Gum Gum Fruit, and is tied to the Joyboy prophecy somehow"
FelixSH
(He/Him)
Well, that was a really good call, Pombar. What a fun reveal. It makes me immediately think of Luffy now, maybe, being too overpowered, but we are reaching the end. And he just wasn't on the level to beat someone like Kaido.
I wonder if this will be a permanent situation, the way he looks now. Or if this is some kind of power-up, that he can achieve at will (or still has to learn, how to get there again). I do like the design, though.
Well, that is one mystery solved. It was one that I didn't even know existed, but still, nice. Looking forward to the rest of the fight, and to the end of the arc, after such a long time.
I wonder if this will be a permanent situation, the way he looks now. Or if this is some kind of power-up, that he can achieve at will (or still has to learn, how to get there again). I do like the design, though.
Well, that is one mystery solved. It was one that I didn't even know existed, but still, nice. Looking forward to the rest of the fight, and to the end of the arc, after such a long time.
The mystery here about the renamed devil fruit was only mentioned very very recently, kind of out of nowhere - quite unusual for Oda, who usually plants these seeds way in advance. This is the closest something has come to being an asspull basically in the entire series. Still, I guess it's meant to be a big secret even up to the very highest level, but maybe some hint as to the Gorosei taking an unusually keen interest in Luffy for an unrevealed reason would've made it land easier.
But yeah, a very One Piece power-up, making even a serious fight still very silly. I'm a fan, and it'll be good to reach the post-fights portion of this arc soon too. Love the world-building that usually happens there.
What real-world year did the Wano arc begin? It's the longest arc in the series already, but I can't quite remember for how much of my actual life it's been going on haha.
But yeah, a very One Piece power-up, making even a serious fight still very silly. I'm a fan, and it'll be good to reach the post-fights portion of this arc soon too. Love the world-building that usually happens there.
What real-world year did the Wano arc begin? It's the longest arc in the series already, but I can't quite remember for how much of my actual life it's been going on haha.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
Random idea: The One Piece is a really, really stupid joke, that Luffy (and Gol D. Roger) find hilarious, and which will make everyone else groan in embarassement. Except for Blackbeard. With how Raftell, the final island, seems to be actually named Laugh Tale (at least that's what I have heard it pronounced over the last few months, or so), and me not thinking that it is gold or a weapon, it would fit fairly well, I think.
It does seem to be "a funny story" from the name and Roger+co's reactions. But also seems maybe connected to Luffy's "ridiculous" dream that everyone has laughed at and which was shared by Roger.
Seems like the arc's climax is wrapping up at last, I guess the next few months will be one of those lore dump debriefing arcs like we got after Eneis Lobby and Marineford. Those are usually pretty interesting.
Seems like the arc's climax is wrapping up at last, I guess the next few months will be one of those lore dump debriefing arcs like we got after Eneis Lobby and Marineford. Those are usually pretty interesting.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
Yep, I think that's it. Kaido is down. Finally, was about time. I mean, really liked the arc, but it went on FOREVER. And that includes the fight - Kaido just wouldn't go down. But this felt good, seeing him get crushed.
You know, while I liked the arc a lot, Kaido feels like a lackluster villain to me. He never became much more, than a beast, to me. With people like Crocodile or Arlong, still probably my favourite villains in the series, they had so much fun in being the worst. Kaido seems so emotionless, like his plans are mainly driven by intellect, I think? I did always enjoy my time with Big Mom, though, something about her really worked for me.
I would really love an arc like Enies Lobby or Marineford, something that goes a bit more into the meta story. Maybe something about the revolutionaries, maybe something about the missing century, maybe we finally get some information about what Robin learned during the timeskip a million years ago.
Also, I would really, really love to see Crocodile or Enel again, in the regular story. I know, they might not reappear, but still. Especially Crocodile made a thing out of him moving to the New World, so I can't really imagine him not playing a part, once more. Also, Buggy. Show me Buggy, and his Emperor Haki.
Damn, there is still so much I want to know and see. Show me Elbaw. I don't even need a proper arc, just let the Strawhats have fun there, for a few chapters. It looked like it could be a relaxing place.
Also, considering that two Emperors are now down, I wonder who will fill the void. Probably Luffy and either Law or Kid, right? I mean, they were the ones who defeated them, and Luffy already has a ton of people who are indebted to him (indebted is the wrong word, but you know what I mean), and he has suddenly become really powerful (thankfully, not so much that he is invincible, he still had to push himself to the limit here). Law is one of Luffys allies, so maybe it will be Kid? I mean, depends on what they say, it's not like this is a position that will get filled automatically.
Damn, every time I write in here, I can't stop. I guess I really love this series, and it HAS been part of my life for nearly 20 years now. Crazy.
Also, I was yesterday reminded that Gecko Moria was once a rival of Kaido, which, uh, ok.
You know, while I liked the arc a lot, Kaido feels like a lackluster villain to me. He never became much more, than a beast, to me. With people like Crocodile or Arlong, still probably my favourite villains in the series, they had so much fun in being the worst. Kaido seems so emotionless, like his plans are mainly driven by intellect, I think? I did always enjoy my time with Big Mom, though, something about her really worked for me.
I would really love an arc like Enies Lobby or Marineford, something that goes a bit more into the meta story. Maybe something about the revolutionaries, maybe something about the missing century, maybe we finally get some information about what Robin learned during the timeskip a million years ago.
Also, I would really, really love to see Crocodile or Enel again, in the regular story. I know, they might not reappear, but still. Especially Crocodile made a thing out of him moving to the New World, so I can't really imagine him not playing a part, once more. Also, Buggy. Show me Buggy, and his Emperor Haki.
Damn, there is still so much I want to know and see. Show me Elbaw. I don't even need a proper arc, just let the Strawhats have fun there, for a few chapters. It looked like it could be a relaxing place.
Also, considering that two Emperors are now down, I wonder who will fill the void. Probably Luffy and either Law or Kid, right? I mean, they were the ones who defeated them, and Luffy already has a ton of people who are indebted to him (indebted is the wrong word, but you know what I mean), and he has suddenly become really powerful (thankfully, not so much that he is invincible, he still had to push himself to the limit here). Law is one of Luffys allies, so maybe it will be Kid? I mean, depends on what they say, it's not like this is a position that will get filled automatically.
Damn, every time I write in here, I can't stop. I guess I really love this series, and it HAS been part of my life for nearly 20 years now. Crazy.
Also, I was yesterday reminded that Gecko Moria was once a rival of Kaido, which, uh, ok.
Elbaf is coming for sure. I wonder if its name (Fable backwards) also ties into Laugh Tale somehow, both being stories? But yeah, with Big Mom's arc we had Oda renewing the importance of Elbaf and the giants in the wider story, so it feels like the series will do a big stop there - either as the site of a big climax or as a lore-building setup arc like Zou.
Pretty good finale, even if it took ages to get there. Luffy's reasoning for wanting to be on top is simplistic and completely in character. Kaido's reasoning for staying on Wano (if Joyboy exists he'll someday come to defeat him) is frankly inane, but it feels like Oda never quite knew what to do with this particular Emperor. I remember the first time we saw him was him plummeting to the ground from some absurd height, and being disappointed it didn't kill him. Maybe that was him getting sick of waiting? Or Maybe Oda had a totally different idea at the start (Big Mom seemed quite different in her first appearance at the end of Fishman Island to how she ends up being), who knows?
Anyway, he seems totally and truly defeated now, leaving a nifty dragon-spiral hole in the ground. Hopefully we'll get some plot content now assuming something doesn't come along to screw everything up ala Kuma at the end of Thriller Bark.
Speaking of, I'm getting pretty certain Gecko Moria being a rival to Kaido was just bluster at this point. Dude clearly wasn't even Warlord material when push came to shove.
Anyway, he seems totally and truly defeated now, leaving a nifty dragon-spiral hole in the ground. Hopefully we'll get some plot content now assuming something doesn't come along to screw everything up ala Kuma at the end of Thriller Bark.
Speaking of, I'm getting pretty certain Gecko Moria being a rival to Kaido was just bluster at this point. Dude clearly wasn't even Warlord material when push came to shove.
Didn't we hear Moria being Kaido's rival from Moria himself? An over-inflated opinion of himself is pretty in-character there. And he was crushed so completely that he was basically traumatized into never having a real, living crew again.
Kaido's suicidal urges certainly have yet to be explained, unless we are meant to believe that he was so sad at not being Joyboy that he has been trying to end things ever since. I assume we'll get a more thorough flashback for him still, because there's a lot of unknowns with him right now, and it would be another way of explaining more about the Rocks situation.
Kaido's suicidal urges certainly have yet to be explained, unless we are meant to believe that he was so sad at not being Joyboy that he has been trying to end things ever since. I assume we'll get a more thorough flashback for him still, because there's a lot of unknowns with him right now, and it would be another way of explaining more about the Rocks situation.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
I read theories about Kaido yesterday, after being reminded of his entrance here. At least some people think, that he is basically someone, who wants to be recognised as one of the Greats of this world, to be remembered, similar to Roger and Whitebeard. And for that reason, he wants a big, glorious death, as this is the thing that, according to his thinking, made these people stay in the heads of the world. Which is, of course, flawed nonsense, their deaths only meant something due to their lives. But it fits kind-of well, I think. Having an antagonist, even as big as him, doing the horrible things he does for such pathetic reasons. Like, it's kind of interesting, that one of the Yonko is, with all his power, such a loser.
Still possible, that plans changed. And I agree, Oda never got quite a handle on Kaido. Maybe, considering how short the flashback was, we will get a bit more, and he will give us something interesting later on? Weird comparison, but Buggy worked better, too, as a side character, than as a main antagonist.
About Moria, yeah, partly it was probably that Moria himselfs was way stronger at this point, while Kaido probably wasn't as powerful as he is now. Considering how Moria has spent decades on Thriller Bark, he probably didn't train and became pretty weak. So, there is some leeway here, but yeah, there is probably some bragging of Moria happening here. I like the idea, that he had basically the same thing happening to him as Don Krieg, who entered the Grand Line, being a powerhouse in the East Blue and very promising, but simply met the wrong person at the very start of entering the next part.
There is still things to do, for sure, before the Straw Hats get to savety, especially with the CP0 still around. Didn't they mention, that they planned to take down the winner of this big battle? The world government probably has some plans for Wano, so, stuff is likely to still go down. And considering where we are, with two Emperors down, that stuff might still be huge, even if it hopefully doesn't take too long. I could easily imagine a Kuma-like situation, except that no one should be left, who is so superior to these crews at this point.
Also, still really happy with the Joy Boy upgrade, and that it didn't make Luffy completely dominate the battle. He still could have lost, it just made to battle winnable for him. He is probably still way too much of a force for most antagonists now. Like, I imagine he would beat someone like Crocodile with relative ease now, but the upgrade is thankfully not just a straight-up "more power" thing. But then, that wasn't to be expected from this manga.
Maybe it's time for the Revolutionaries to act? Helping the crews out of Wano, or maybe just defend it from the Marines? With the world obviously on the edge of a new era, this seems like a good time for them to help.
Still possible, that plans changed. And I agree, Oda never got quite a handle on Kaido. Maybe, considering how short the flashback was, we will get a bit more, and he will give us something interesting later on? Weird comparison, but Buggy worked better, too, as a side character, than as a main antagonist.
About Moria, yeah, partly it was probably that Moria himselfs was way stronger at this point, while Kaido probably wasn't as powerful as he is now. Considering how Moria has spent decades on Thriller Bark, he probably didn't train and became pretty weak. So, there is some leeway here, but yeah, there is probably some bragging of Moria happening here. I like the idea, that he had basically the same thing happening to him as Don Krieg, who entered the Grand Line, being a powerhouse in the East Blue and very promising, but simply met the wrong person at the very start of entering the next part.
There is still things to do, for sure, before the Straw Hats get to savety, especially with the CP0 still around. Didn't they mention, that they planned to take down the winner of this big battle? The world government probably has some plans for Wano, so, stuff is likely to still go down. And considering where we are, with two Emperors down, that stuff might still be huge, even if it hopefully doesn't take too long. I could easily imagine a Kuma-like situation, except that no one should be left, who is so superior to these crews at this point.
Also, still really happy with the Joy Boy upgrade, and that it didn't make Luffy completely dominate the battle. He still could have lost, it just made to battle winnable for him. He is probably still way too much of a force for most antagonists now. Like, I imagine he would beat someone like Crocodile with relative ease now, but the upgrade is thankfully not just a straight-up "more power" thing. But then, that wasn't to be expected from this manga.
Maybe it's time for the Revolutionaries to act? Helping the crews out of Wano, or maybe just defend it from the Marines? With the world obviously on the edge of a new era, this seems like a good time for them to help.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
I decided to reread the whole manga. Wanted to do this forever, but also wanted to wait for it to end. But, considering how long the manga will still be going (I can't imagine a way to wrap this story up in two or three years), that is probably still a few years in the future.
I'll come back in, uh, a year, I guess. Wish me luck. It's just...let's see...102 volumes. Ok.
I'll come back in, uh, a year, I guess. Wish me luck. It's just...let's see...102 volumes. Ok.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
Have read up to the end of Buggys little arc. It's crazy, how much this manga changed, and how much it is still the same.
The start is nice and short, but already includes so much. Really neat, how Luffy only seems to become a pirate, because he has the incredible luck to be surrounded by one of the few pirate crews that aren't awful garbage. I don't remember the later backflash for Luffy too well, so I'll for now accept this as the only thing that exists. Like him seemingly having no actual parents (similar to Coby never mentioning them). And it's great, how much he learned from Shanks' example. It's just so weird, to see him get so agitated about small stuff, when he is so chill about most things, later on.
That Shanks would lose an arm to this sea creature is, of course, ridiculous, considering who he is, but whatever.
I love, how the little arcs are so non-standardized. We get, at the very start, a super-short meta-arc, where Coby comes along, to get somewhere else. And then replace that with Namis meta-arc. Always loved, how these arcs intertwined a bit, with Vivi, Alabasta and Crocodile as my favourite example. I also completely forgot, how Zorro was known as this terrifying Pirate Hunter. Neat introduction - you immediately see, how much of a good person he is, when he not only eats the disgusting rice cakes, but tells Luffy to tell the little girl, that they were delicious.
Namis introduction is great, she is a very fun character at the start. I really miss her mischievous side. It's so enjoyable, to see her cheat her way through the situation, and tricking Luffy into getting captured by Buggy. She's smart. Also, Oda clearly played with the idea of giving her some weather-based powers - the part, where the three pirates tell Zorro about how she basically summoned a cloud, that rained strong enough to destroy the small boat, makes this very clear. Probably for the better that she didn't get them, though. It would have been really overpowered, giving her tools is more fun, I think.
It's so weird, how the East Blue is this place full of small places, where most people have never seen a Devil Fruit user. Like, they really think of the devil, when speaking of them. Even when Buggy uses his for the first time, it isn't clearly shown what his power is. The floating hand is hidden, and only after Zorro cuts him, does the power get revealed. Really strange, considering how normal it is by now, that people have some kind of Devil Fruit power. I guess even One Piece has power creep, in some way.
Also, the world of One Piece is a hellhole. Even in such a calm place as the East Blue, pirates are everywhere to terrorize the people, and if it's not pirates, it's shitty Marines, who abuse their power. It do like, how the seeds of the Marines as a force that can do good, but also has a lot of bad apples in there, are planted so early.
It's really nice, to get back to where it all starts, with these super-short arcs. I always liked East Blue a lot. The drama was already there, even if the way of showing it got strongly developed.
The start is nice and short, but already includes so much. Really neat, how Luffy only seems to become a pirate, because he has the incredible luck to be surrounded by one of the few pirate crews that aren't awful garbage. I don't remember the later backflash for Luffy too well, so I'll for now accept this as the only thing that exists. Like him seemingly having no actual parents (similar to Coby never mentioning them). And it's great, how much he learned from Shanks' example. It's just so weird, to see him get so agitated about small stuff, when he is so chill about most things, later on.
That Shanks would lose an arm to this sea creature is, of course, ridiculous, considering who he is, but whatever.
I love, how the little arcs are so non-standardized. We get, at the very start, a super-short meta-arc, where Coby comes along, to get somewhere else. And then replace that with Namis meta-arc. Always loved, how these arcs intertwined a bit, with Vivi, Alabasta and Crocodile as my favourite example. I also completely forgot, how Zorro was known as this terrifying Pirate Hunter. Neat introduction - you immediately see, how much of a good person he is, when he not only eats the disgusting rice cakes, but tells Luffy to tell the little girl, that they were delicious.
Namis introduction is great, she is a very fun character at the start. I really miss her mischievous side. It's so enjoyable, to see her cheat her way through the situation, and tricking Luffy into getting captured by Buggy. She's smart. Also, Oda clearly played with the idea of giving her some weather-based powers - the part, where the three pirates tell Zorro about how she basically summoned a cloud, that rained strong enough to destroy the small boat, makes this very clear. Probably for the better that she didn't get them, though. It would have been really overpowered, giving her tools is more fun, I think.
It's so weird, how the East Blue is this place full of small places, where most people have never seen a Devil Fruit user. Like, they really think of the devil, when speaking of them. Even when Buggy uses his for the first time, it isn't clearly shown what his power is. The floating hand is hidden, and only after Zorro cuts him, does the power get revealed. Really strange, considering how normal it is by now, that people have some kind of Devil Fruit power. I guess even One Piece has power creep, in some way.
Also, the world of One Piece is a hellhole. Even in such a calm place as the East Blue, pirates are everywhere to terrorize the people, and if it's not pirates, it's shitty Marines, who abuse their power. It do like, how the seeds of the Marines as a force that can do good, but also has a lot of bad apples in there, are planted so early.
It's really nice, to get back to where it all starts, with these super-short arcs. I always liked East Blue a lot. The drama was already there, even if the way of showing it got strongly developed.
It's worth it. I think I've reread it something like 5 or 6 times over the years.
Of course, it's harder to do nowadays, being much longer than it was before (and me having less free time!).
FelixSH
(He/Him)
I did too, but that is so long ago. Last time probably was in 2008, something like that, definitely before the time skip. But I love how it all comes together a bit more, and how you get these small details. I love how Oda builds the world. I'm really looking forward to revisit the start of the Grand Line, everything up to the Alabasta Arc. I mean, that especially, but everything else, too. I have never reread the post-timeskip stuff, so I'm really curious about reading that in one go, instead of one chapter at a time. It certainly helped a lot with Skypia (granted, there was the additional fact that I expected big stuff to go down, for some reason, and going up there felt like we went away from the interesting stuff - but also, I hadn't found scanlations yet, and got the volumes, and it was still so much better, at a reread), so I hope to get more out of Fishman Island, this time. I simply don't expect much from Punk Hazard.
BTW, one thing I thought about was, that I think world building might be a big reason why I like One Piece so much more than many other Shonen Manga. Just the fact that we are moving from place to place, but without forgetting where we have been, builds up the world so much better, than a manga could, where we stay at one place the whole time. Here, the world gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger, all the time. It's not the same, old characters we meet again and again, there are always so many more, with each arc. And, even if it isn't that much, we revisit older onces, and even the Straw Hats see them again.
BTW, one thing I thought about was, that I think world building might be a big reason why I like One Piece so much more than many other Shonen Manga. Just the fact that we are moving from place to place, but without forgetting where we have been, builds up the world so much better, than a manga could, where we stay at one place the whole time. Here, the world gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger, all the time. It's not the same, old characters we meet again and again, there are always so many more, with each arc. And, even if it isn't that much, we revisit older onces, and even the Straw Hats see them again.
For me one of the major strengths is the consistency in the world building. When we learn about the power structures of the world, those hold in place for the whole series. We hear about the 4 Emperors a little later than the other world powers, but perhaps understandably so as they're so focused on the latter half of the Grand Line. Otherwise Admirals and the Seven Warlords still mostly exist at the level they were introduced at.
Most shounen manga introduce new threats only to have them defeated within an arc or two, and then need to introduce more out of nowhere. Gets to feeling like they're just pulled out of the author's butt rather than an existing element of the world we've been shown up to that point.
Most shounen manga introduce new threats only to have them defeated within an arc or two, and then need to introduce more out of nowhere. Gets to feeling like they're just pulled out of the author's butt rather than an existing element of the world we've been shown up to that point.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
That is an excellent point. Totally agreed.
Have read through the next two arcs, so I stopped before we meet Arlong. Good stuff. At this point, Oda doesn't really seem to get how shitty it is to leave your child, just because you have a dream. Sure, we see the pain, but both Usopp and his mother tell everyone how great his father is, for following his dream. I mean, no idea if Odas position there changed, but I remember this bugging me for a long time. Elsewise, I like the arc where Usopp joins. It's nice to see, even though Zorro is clearly a monster, he still has to struggle, even against small fry like Captain Blacks crew.
Beauregarde himself is a weird case of early powers. He is just super fast, with no real reason for that. Like, later on this would clearly be a Devil Fruit, but for now, some people are just super powerful. Which, granted, is fair, considering that Sanji and Zorro too, have never eaten a Devil Fruit. I would blame it on him having Haki, but I don't think that gives you the ability to be super fast? Doesn't really make too much sense to me, that Luffy can defeat him. Always kind of bugged me, that he was just like "nope, don't care how fast you are, can still defeat you". But whatever, it doesn't matter much.
What matters more is that this guy is supposed to be some genius planner, but can't keep it in for one more day. He just can't help but brag about how next day, the girl will die, and then has to kill butler(?) guy.
Ok, for some positive stuff (as mentioned, I enjoyed the arc), there seems to be more interaction between the crew members (but maybe that just seems like it, because we have been at the end of an arc for three years, or so, where there is no time for that stuff). Really enjoy that, how they make fun of each other and how they are all kind-of jerks, but in a nice way. I wonder if Usopp, despite him being a coward, was ever supposed to be at least a bit stronger than he seems. His father is probably a very competent fighter, and while Usopp can work through stuff, he simply can't compete with the top guys of a pirate crew by now. Or maybe he could, if Oda just let him try. I mean, he is a sniper, he should be super dangerous (even with the cavaet that this is a shonen anime, where swords, fists and superpowers are stronger than guns), but still. Oh well.
Next arc is simply great. We get the introduction of Mihawk, which is probably one of the most memorable scenes of the whole East Blue part, giving Zorro his series long...let's say goal, for how strong he has to get. We also get a pretty great flashback, and I still remember that it was this one, that really grabbed me, and showed me that this manga could get pretty grim. The idea that someone would give someone else all the food, while eating his own foot (which was also his main weapon) hit me hard, 20 years ago. And Don Krieg really seems like someone, who could become a powerhouse at some point. I mean, maybe not with his armor (I completely forgot, that this wasn't some kind of Devil Fruit), I guess good equipment won't last you long on the Grand Line. Dunno, his weird exploding spear seems like a weapon that even a later character might use, maybe with some stuff added? And the whole thing about him being the leader of a fleet made me think, of course, of the Emperors. That said, even without Mihawk, there were plenty of others who could easily destroy his fleet, mainly made up of regular pirates.
I'm a bit disappointed, that we never see Gin again. It always sounded, like Oda promised the reader to let him reappear at some point. Maybe he would have made a good additional Worst Generation guy? Interesting character in any case, I like how he is introduced as someone who needs help, and to seemingly having a consciounce, only for it to be revealed, that he is a monster. Nice little arc, I really wanted to see him again.
Hmm, my thoughts seem to focus a lot on how the powers of antagonists work here. I guess the stuff that I really like about this early part is simply to small to talk much about, except to mention it in general (like the many interactions between the Straw Hats at this point, the relaxed atmosphere and the short arcs). But coming back here feels really good, the mood is already there and it feels a bit like coming home, away from the crazyness of later One Piece.
Also, in one of the pages between the chapters, Oda talked about the first One Piece movie, about this pirate Ganzack. Haven't watched it, just took a bit of a look - it has Luffy, Zorro and Nami in it, and has this weird, different artstyle - it's clearly One Piece, the characters are clearly recognizable, but look a bit more like regular Shonen characters, I think? Dunno, they are off in a way that I actually really like. It's on Youtube, if anyone wants to wacht it. It's basically just a single filler episode, being only 25 minutes long.
Anyway, next up is Arlong, which I'm very much looking forward to.
Have read through the next two arcs, so I stopped before we meet Arlong. Good stuff. At this point, Oda doesn't really seem to get how shitty it is to leave your child, just because you have a dream. Sure, we see the pain, but both Usopp and his mother tell everyone how great his father is, for following his dream. I mean, no idea if Odas position there changed, but I remember this bugging me for a long time. Elsewise, I like the arc where Usopp joins. It's nice to see, even though Zorro is clearly a monster, he still has to struggle, even against small fry like Captain Blacks crew.
Beauregarde himself is a weird case of early powers. He is just super fast, with no real reason for that. Like, later on this would clearly be a Devil Fruit, but for now, some people are just super powerful. Which, granted, is fair, considering that Sanji and Zorro too, have never eaten a Devil Fruit. I would blame it on him having Haki, but I don't think that gives you the ability to be super fast? Doesn't really make too much sense to me, that Luffy can defeat him. Always kind of bugged me, that he was just like "nope, don't care how fast you are, can still defeat you". But whatever, it doesn't matter much.
What matters more is that this guy is supposed to be some genius planner, but can't keep it in for one more day. He just can't help but brag about how next day, the girl will die, and then has to kill butler(?) guy.
Ok, for some positive stuff (as mentioned, I enjoyed the arc), there seems to be more interaction between the crew members (but maybe that just seems like it, because we have been at the end of an arc for three years, or so, where there is no time for that stuff). Really enjoy that, how they make fun of each other and how they are all kind-of jerks, but in a nice way. I wonder if Usopp, despite him being a coward, was ever supposed to be at least a bit stronger than he seems. His father is probably a very competent fighter, and while Usopp can work through stuff, he simply can't compete with the top guys of a pirate crew by now. Or maybe he could, if Oda just let him try. I mean, he is a sniper, he should be super dangerous (even with the cavaet that this is a shonen anime, where swords, fists and superpowers are stronger than guns), but still. Oh well.
Next arc is simply great. We get the introduction of Mihawk, which is probably one of the most memorable scenes of the whole East Blue part, giving Zorro his series long...let's say goal, for how strong he has to get. We also get a pretty great flashback, and I still remember that it was this one, that really grabbed me, and showed me that this manga could get pretty grim. The idea that someone would give someone else all the food, while eating his own foot (which was also his main weapon) hit me hard, 20 years ago. And Don Krieg really seems like someone, who could become a powerhouse at some point. I mean, maybe not with his armor (I completely forgot, that this wasn't some kind of Devil Fruit), I guess good equipment won't last you long on the Grand Line. Dunno, his weird exploding spear seems like a weapon that even a later character might use, maybe with some stuff added? And the whole thing about him being the leader of a fleet made me think, of course, of the Emperors. That said, even without Mihawk, there were plenty of others who could easily destroy his fleet, mainly made up of regular pirates.
I'm a bit disappointed, that we never see Gin again. It always sounded, like Oda promised the reader to let him reappear at some point. Maybe he would have made a good additional Worst Generation guy? Interesting character in any case, I like how he is introduced as someone who needs help, and to seemingly having a consciounce, only for it to be revealed, that he is a monster. Nice little arc, I really wanted to see him again.
Hmm, my thoughts seem to focus a lot on how the powers of antagonists work here. I guess the stuff that I really like about this early part is simply to small to talk much about, except to mention it in general (like the many interactions between the Straw Hats at this point, the relaxed atmosphere and the short arcs). But coming back here feels really good, the mood is already there and it feels a bit like coming home, away from the crazyness of later One Piece.
Also, in one of the pages between the chapters, Oda talked about the first One Piece movie, about this pirate Ganzack. Haven't watched it, just took a bit of a look - it has Luffy, Zorro and Nami in it, and has this weird, different artstyle - it's clearly One Piece, the characters are clearly recognizable, but look a bit more like regular Shonen characters, I think? Dunno, they are off in a way that I actually really like. It's on Youtube, if anyone wants to wacht it. It's basically just a single filler episode, being only 25 minutes long.
Anyway, next up is Arlong, which I'm very much looking forward to.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
Moving away from actual books, I watched the One Piece movie Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island. Made by the same people who created Summer Wars, which is immediately obvious, just by looking at the artstyle. The whole thing felt weird and off, with more muted colors and generally a grimmer tone than One Piece is normally going for. The weird game the Straw Hats are playing is getting to them, and they get angry at each other, in a way that doesn't happen normally. It is a bit of a different interpretation of the material, but it certainly works. Even if it is not quite One Piece, more like it's grimmer, moodier cousin.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
Arlongs arc is really great. That said, I was surprised how few things actually happened in the present. Most of the relevant stuff lies in the past, aside from that, the Straw Hats mostly don't do much, before fighting. But the flashback, and the whole setup here, is excellent. The flashback is grim, and has with Bellemere a really great character. I'm, again, disapponted that, while female characters were pretty fun at the start (not all of them, but Nami, Bellemere, Vivi and Robin are pretty great), they get less great, as we carry on.
The moment Arlongs crew appears on the island is such an intense moment of "oh god". You know, what is to come. Details like the sinking of the ships, so that the islanders can't even flee, add a lot to the tension. The little intermezzo with the captain, who tries to free the people by attacking Arlong, who dies alongside with his crew, is chilling. Nearly all hope has been taken from the villagers here, and when the awful rat-guy marine takes Namis money, you can really feel how they have lost everything. Especially with how nice this town looks, and how enjoyable life seemed to be on this island, the contrast is all the more stark (but then, that's a general thing with this manga).
BTW, I love how Zorro is basically handicapped for the whole time of East Blue. Guy is just such a monster. Also, love that Usopp actually won the fight against the fishman sniper guy.
It really feels like a good, uh, final battle for the East Blue part, with Arlong threatening to take over the whole part of the ocean. Not sure how much I actually buy that, at some point, the marines would probably send an actually capable guy to take care of things. Smoker alone should be enough.
Speaking of Smoker, Logue Town is a really nice, little arc, to actually end the East Blue portion. Smoker seemed so overpowered at the time, being the first Logia user we encounter. I wonder, if Oda had already some plans for Haki, or if he planned to give Logias some kind of natural counter. Like, I assumed it was the case for a long time, when Luffy won against Crocodile by making his fists wet. In any case, it's a great introduction of Smoker, who seems like an absolute beast. Also, Tashigi seems fun, even though I wished she wouldn't be only semi-competent, with her stumbling after beating the two guys.
Seeing Buggy and Alvida again was fun, too, and we see Luffy being shown to be similar to Roger. Also, we see Dragon the first time, and I still think he is the one who can control the weather.
I also wonder, how much of the future of the world was actually planned at this time. Like, the Samurai seem to be an idea that only came when Mihawk was introduced, and the Emperors don't seem to be a thing, at this point. Aside from that, I wonder how one gets from the Grand Line back to the East Blue. This part, about it being so hard to enter with no clear way out, seemed always like a it was a random idea, to make the Grand Line seem more dangerous, without a thought about how to get out. Not too big of a deal, I'm just surprised about this little things, which might be hole in the world building, considering how careful Oda is about this stuff. Well, maybe we'll get an explanation at some point.
Final note, for now: I think Arlong is still, maybe aside from Crocodile, my favourite villain of the series. Everything about him, his design, his power, how he seems like you can talk with him, and then he backstabs you - there is so much done right with this guy. He simply seems unbeatable, until he is finally taken down.
The moment Arlongs crew appears on the island is such an intense moment of "oh god". You know, what is to come. Details like the sinking of the ships, so that the islanders can't even flee, add a lot to the tension. The little intermezzo with the captain, who tries to free the people by attacking Arlong, who dies alongside with his crew, is chilling. Nearly all hope has been taken from the villagers here, and when the awful rat-guy marine takes Namis money, you can really feel how they have lost everything. Especially with how nice this town looks, and how enjoyable life seemed to be on this island, the contrast is all the more stark (but then, that's a general thing with this manga).
BTW, I love how Zorro is basically handicapped for the whole time of East Blue. Guy is just such a monster. Also, love that Usopp actually won the fight against the fishman sniper guy.
It really feels like a good, uh, final battle for the East Blue part, with Arlong threatening to take over the whole part of the ocean. Not sure how much I actually buy that, at some point, the marines would probably send an actually capable guy to take care of things. Smoker alone should be enough.
Speaking of Smoker, Logue Town is a really nice, little arc, to actually end the East Blue portion. Smoker seemed so overpowered at the time, being the first Logia user we encounter. I wonder, if Oda had already some plans for Haki, or if he planned to give Logias some kind of natural counter. Like, I assumed it was the case for a long time, when Luffy won against Crocodile by making his fists wet. In any case, it's a great introduction of Smoker, who seems like an absolute beast. Also, Tashigi seems fun, even though I wished she wouldn't be only semi-competent, with her stumbling after beating the two guys.
Seeing Buggy and Alvida again was fun, too, and we see Luffy being shown to be similar to Roger. Also, we see Dragon the first time, and I still think he is the one who can control the weather.
I also wonder, how much of the future of the world was actually planned at this time. Like, the Samurai seem to be an idea that only came when Mihawk was introduced, and the Emperors don't seem to be a thing, at this point. Aside from that, I wonder how one gets from the Grand Line back to the East Blue. This part, about it being so hard to enter with no clear way out, seemed always like a it was a random idea, to make the Grand Line seem more dangerous, without a thought about how to get out. Not too big of a deal, I'm just surprised about this little things, which might be hole in the world building, considering how careful Oda is about this stuff. Well, maybe we'll get an explanation at some point.
Final note, for now: I think Arlong is still, maybe aside from Crocodile, my favourite villain of the series. Everything about him, his design, his power, how he seems like you can talk with him, and then he backstabs you - there is so much done right with this guy. He simply seems unbeatable, until he is finally taken down.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
I guess the next arc will be the last? Oda announced an hiatus, to prepare for said, last arc (source).
Uh...I can't imagine in any way, shape or form, how this single arc is supposed to pick up all the loose ends that are lying around. There is so, so much left open. We haven't even been to Elban yet!
I only hope, that it will be a multi-part arc, sort of like the start of the Grand Line, up to the finale in Alabasta was all kind-of a single arc, if you squint a little. Like, maybe it's not on a single island, and more of some island hopping, or something? Elsewise, as much as I have faith in Oda, it seems really, really hard to put everything to rest, in one single arc now.
Anyway, I guess we are actually nearing the end, which is all kinds of crazy.
Uh...I can't imagine in any way, shape or form, how this single arc is supposed to pick up all the loose ends that are lying around. There is so, so much left open. We haven't even been to Elban yet!
I only hope, that it will be a multi-part arc, sort of like the start of the Grand Line, up to the finale in Alabasta was all kind-of a single arc, if you squint a little. Like, maybe it's not on a single island, and more of some island hopping, or something? Elsewise, as much as I have faith in Oda, it seems really, really hard to put everything to rest, in one single arc now.
Anyway, I guess we are actually nearing the end, which is all kinds of crazy.
Just because it's the last arc doesn't mean it can't be a long, long arc. Wano has been going for nearly four years.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
Sure, that's what I'm expecting. But still, it would need to be not bound to one island, like most arcs tend to be. Just Laugh Tale and Elban need to be visited, and...dunno, I just hope it's far from a standard arc. Certainly looking forward to it. With all I said before, I still trust Oda to bring the series to an enjoyable conclusion.
Yeah, he said a few years ago that the arc after this would be the final arc, but he seemed to be using "arc" to mean more like "meta-arc" or whatever - because he counted the Emperors Arc as including Punk Hazard till Wano, iirc.
Yeah I'm expecting more of a meta-arc for the last one. Probably not as long as Punk Hazard through Wano but almost certainly across multiple locations and smaller stories. I highly doubt Raftel/Laughtale is our very next location.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
Wow, the Water Seven arc is looooong (more than 100 chapters). I mean, the story here is really good (even though it feels like the most depressing arc, the part where Usopp decides to leave the crew and fight against Luffy feels so grim), but the whole part from where they get on the train to freeing Robin takes forever. There is a lot of good stuff in there (i always loved, how Usopp would befriend the giants - even if he isn't physically strong, he has his powers and abilities), but it does feel too drawn out. Even when having the volumes, and not needing to wait.
To be clear, it is a very good arc. Odas main weakness was just always pacing, I guess.
Also, the whole meta-arc of Alabasta was a lot of fun, I forgot what a despicable monster Wapol was, Skypia was way more fun than I remembered (here, the length didn't bother me, strangely enough) and the short Foxy arc was really funny. Especially the last one really rose in my estimation. There is exactly no depth, but I had a lot of fun with it, and it's nice to have something, where the stakes, while not nothing, aren't as big as most of the times. That was actually the big surprise, while reading through the whole thing. Really didn't expect that.
To be clear, it is a very good arc. Odas main weakness was just always pacing, I guess.
Also, the whole meta-arc of Alabasta was a lot of fun, I forgot what a despicable monster Wapol was, Skypia was way more fun than I remembered (here, the length didn't bother me, strangely enough) and the short Foxy arc was really funny. Especially the last one really rose in my estimation. There is exactly no depth, but I had a lot of fun with it, and it's nice to have something, where the stakes, while not nothing, aren't as big as most of the times. That was actually the big surprise, while reading through the whole thing. Really didn't expect that.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
I totally forgot, that after Water 7, the next island was supposed to be Fishman Island, and then we get sidetracked by all kinds of stuff. Starting with Thriller Bark, which felt, for that reason, a bit like filler, but that feeling went away soon enough. The arc itself is fine, even though Moria is just pathetic, as a Samurai.
The real fun starts, after Moria is defeated, though. That is some of the best stuff, the manga has to offer. Everything from here to the Straw Hats being thrown to different places in the world is gold - well, maybe the short Fishman Raider stuff is just regular stuff, but seeing Okta again, meeting Rayleigh, Zorros "nothing happened here", Luffy punching that shitty Celestial Dragon jerk (god, that was one of the most satisfying momenst in the whole series) and him actually knowing what he did - there is a lot of great stuff. Plus, of course, meeting the other Supernovas, especially Kid and Law, seeing Kizaru, being introduced to the Pacifistas und seeing the Straw Hats just straight-up lose. All so, so great.
Amazon Lily, uh, it has problems, but also still stuff I really like. And then, we get to Impel Down, which is all kinds of super fun. Buggy is amazing, seeing Mr. 3 and Mr. 2 again, is great, we meet Jinbei and two revolutionaries. We see Crocodile again and watch so many strong and cool characters flee this high-security prison. And Blackbeard.
And then, there is the War, and I'm a bit sad to say, that it was disappointing (or is, I'm still in the middle). Like, it's not bad, but from the start of Sabaody, I had a hard time stopping to read. But here, knowing how it turns out kind of seems to take the joy away a bit. It's still fun, but I expected to be glued to the stuff. But, dunno, I think a problem is that the characters don't really go all out. Sure, the admirals are supposed to protect the place where Ace is held, but they also could just enter and defeat a ton of people. Like, it feels like many characters, including Whitebeard and the admirals, are standing around a lot, and like we see how these absurdly overpowered Logia fruits are just too much for a giant battle like this. Dunno, maybe that's all just me. Again, it is fun, It just wasn't as amazingly awesome as the first time I read it.
Still, can't wait to see Blackbeard appear, and steal the show.
And then, I get to the part after the timeskip, which I have only read one time. Very curious, how I feel about these arcs now, that I can read them without waiting forever, all the time.
The real fun starts, after Moria is defeated, though. That is some of the best stuff, the manga has to offer. Everything from here to the Straw Hats being thrown to different places in the world is gold - well, maybe the short Fishman Raider stuff is just regular stuff, but seeing Okta again, meeting Rayleigh, Zorros "nothing happened here", Luffy punching that shitty Celestial Dragon jerk (god, that was one of the most satisfying momenst in the whole series) and him actually knowing what he did - there is a lot of great stuff. Plus, of course, meeting the other Supernovas, especially Kid and Law, seeing Kizaru, being introduced to the Pacifistas und seeing the Straw Hats just straight-up lose. All so, so great.
Amazon Lily, uh, it has problems, but also still stuff I really like. And then, we get to Impel Down, which is all kinds of super fun. Buggy is amazing, seeing Mr. 3 and Mr. 2 again, is great, we meet Jinbei and two revolutionaries. We see Crocodile again and watch so many strong and cool characters flee this high-security prison. And Blackbeard.
And then, there is the War, and I'm a bit sad to say, that it was disappointing (or is, I'm still in the middle). Like, it's not bad, but from the start of Sabaody, I had a hard time stopping to read. But here, knowing how it turns out kind of seems to take the joy away a bit. It's still fun, but I expected to be glued to the stuff. But, dunno, I think a problem is that the characters don't really go all out. Sure, the admirals are supposed to protect the place where Ace is held, but they also could just enter and defeat a ton of people. Like, it feels like many characters, including Whitebeard and the admirals, are standing around a lot, and like we see how these absurdly overpowered Logia fruits are just too much for a giant battle like this. Dunno, maybe that's all just me. Again, it is fun, It just wasn't as amazingly awesome as the first time I read it.
Still, can't wait to see Blackbeard appear, and steal the show.
And then, I get to the part after the timeskip, which I have only read one time. Very curious, how I feel about these arcs now, that I can read them without waiting forever, all the time.