Writer of fanfiction, lover of ships set to fail (Correlation does in fact imply causation) reading one piece for the first time and it's taken over my life
fics: should've kissed you anyway , I wanna see you in another light, ordeal of love, I think I wanna marry you, all that time (I sat alone in my tower), why are my clothes still on, maybe get some sleep tonight
first time reading one piece arc thoughts: skypiea, water seven, enies lobby, thriller bark, sabaody archipelago , impel down, marineford, fishman island, punk hazard, Dressrosa Pt 1, Dressrosa Pt 2, Whole Cake Island, Wano, Egghead
other one piece thoughts:
Sanji's Love For Nami Being Representative Of His Backstory
Whole Cake Recontextualizes Usopp and Sanji's Dynamic
Why Skypiea Is Still My Favorite Arc
one piece lists: strawhat rankings pre-time skip, post time skip strawhat rankings
I think it's super important that the scene is immediately set that most pirates are not like our protagonist and who we will be following. Other than Shanks the pirates we see early on high key are evil and suck. Because most of the pirates in the world are that way. They take advantage of weak people, they steal from those who have little, they hurt people, etc.
Alvida is part of laying that groundwork which is important for the agreement that Luffy and Koby make to each other later for each one of them to be good people at what they do. It's also important for prepping us for understanding why people like Smoker and Garp are in the marines and why they are so passionate about being against pirates.
This is why they hate pirates and want to bring an end to them.
Unfortunately this is so early on that I think people forget about that at later points in the story, but Oda really tried to make it clear here.
Zoro's Cleverness
Nothing is funnier to me than hearing about Zoro before he shows up, and seeing how clever people think he is (which of course he is) when he's still the same guy who got lost on a straight path and once thought a good plan was to cut off his own legs.
Like yes fear him, but also fear for him.
A Coffin?
Nothing to analyze here, just extremely funny. A line I didn't take note of the first time around but that I find very funny now lol.
Luffy Liberating People vs. Luffy Helping People Liberate Themselves
I actually have so much to say about this because I find it interesting the different ways that Luffy ends up seeing Liberation/freedom. For some people like Nami, Robin, and Sanji in Whole Cake it seems like asking for help is enough to "free themselves" and then Luffy is willing to take on the rest while other times like with Koby and Bonney he wants them to liberate themselves/be part of the process.
I don't know where he draws that line, it's not by gender since both Bonney and Sanji get the differing treatment, so Oda talk me through this.
I think it really shows that there are different ways to save yourself. Sometimes you can be the one to stand up for yourself and participate in the fight for yourself, and then there are times when just asking for help is freeing and letting others save you is enough too.
The Will Of D And Not Being Scared To Die
I think this right here is what makes Luffy such a big threat to the government from the beginning, and we learn much later how there are more and more people with the will of D popping out now than in previous generations.
Not being scared to die means someone is willing to go further than others around them. It means that threats, power structures, tradition, societal expectations, their own physical limitations mean nothing to them because death doesn't frighten them.
I think it's interesting that it's this that inspires Koby the most because that's what Smoker is so scared of in Loguetown, another person being inspired by that will in Roger on the execution platform that day.
I think this also ties into why we see Koby be such a force in the marines, willing to buck the structures and expectations like in Marineford to do what is right because he has been inspired by Luffy from the beginning.
(We also can assume this is why Garp gives so little shit about following protocol a lot of the time because he's Monkey D. Garp after all).
A Super Crew
YOU WILL HAVE A SUPER CREW LUFFY AND THERES A GUY OUT THERE IN A SPEEDO WHO IS SO READY TO SAY THAT WITH YOU. HE IS SUPER AND HE WILL MAKE YOU A SUPER BOAT.
Walk with me as I overanalyze One Piece Chapter 1 after finally reading the entire Manga.
(This will have spoilers for the entire Manga FYI)
Luffy's First Liberation
Obviously in the past 1.1k chapters this scene with the Sea King has taken on a whole new perspective. Shanks says later on that he lost his arm betting on the new generation, but then in recent chapters we've learned that it was also a good thing probably that he did lose that arm. Was it intentional to lose it? Unsure.
He could have cut it off himself if that was a problem, so I like to think that it was something he gave up for Luffy instead and that in that moment he wasn't just saving Luffy but Luffy was also saving him by helping him lose the mark of Imu at the same time.
We can even take it even further and see this as Luffy's first liberation of someone against Imu/the World Government, removing the mark of ownership on them just like he does at Enies Lobby with the flag without even knowing it.
St. Shanks
Firstly, now we actually have crazy context for this timeline because Shanks would have pulled up about a year after being in Mary Geoise. Which ties into something else later -
You're telling me we get Beckam saying that they aren't saints when we 1k+ chapters later get the title card of ST SHANKS? Oda is fate's favorite because so much of what he wrote almost thirty years ago lines up so well with where the story ended up going.
Luffy Learns Hard Lessons From First Mates
I find it so sweet that Beckam the first mate of the Red Hair pirates is the one saying this to Luffy because he essentially hears this from two other legendary first mates too. His own (Zoro) post Water 7 and then Rayleigh after Marineford.
One it shows how vital that role is, but I also think that Luffy it's extremely important to see from the beginning what a good right hand looks like and the understanding that their supposed to have of their captain which is why their words should carry so much weight.
The Theme Of What Is True Strength and Manhood
A major theme that we get in this first chapter that becomes such a through line throughout the series is what it means to be strong and what it means to be a man. Luffy's entire worldview ends up being shaped by this situation with Shanks and the example that's set for him.
What I think is really beautiful about this is that we see this in all of his crew members but especially in his two wings:
We see it from Zoro in Jaya where he goes along with Luffy's command about not fighting and explains to Nami this very same lesson
We see this at the heart of Sanji in Whole Cake where he can't bring it in him to leave someone for dead just because they hurt him and how much Luffy appreciates that
One Day They'll Find Each Other
Speaking of Sanji tell me why I nearly burst into tears seeing this panel of Luffy getting beat up and just kept thinking about how somewhere out there a little blonde boy in the North Blue was also getting whooped not knowing they'd find each other some day.
Luffy Never Changes
Love that we get Luffy defending Shanks all this way in Chapter 1 and then saying the exact same thing all the way in the most recent arc. Some things never change.
Luffy Knows When He Isn't Strong Enough
I think that in this single line it really highlights a part of Luffy that is sometimes forgotten because it does happen so rarely, which is he knows when he's been beat. In this chapter it says he understood he wasn't strong enough yet to go with Shanks and we see this again in Sabaody when he tells everyone to run away because they aren't strong enough to win the situation.
What Were You Scared Of Shanks?
This is literally such a throwaway line, but now with so much more added to the story it could be a million things. Was it knowing that he was well known and powerful so someone could attack the village? Was it because he had just let Mary Geiose not long before coming here and was worried the world government would look here? Is it because Luffy ate the fruit he stole from the government?
Most of those things weren't created yet, so really I get to just decide what that answer is but not even in my own headcanon can I decide.
Shanks Giving Luffy The Hat
Gosh is this just an all time favorite of a scene. The bedrock of the entire series, the foundation of the whole story, and there's more to it now in hindsight than there even was then.
Shanks gets to see the man who raised him, his Captain, the man who made him who he is again in this little boy. He gets to see that Roger is still alive in people like him. He gets a glimpse of what he lost.
We know that meeting Luffy is special to Shanks because he talks about it with Rayleigh in a flashback we get in Sabaody which is adorable, and it must mean EVERYTHING to him to give this hat to Luffy in this moment.
Shanks and Buggy
One thing I'm always going to want to talk about is Shanks and Buggy, and this line by Shanks here I think is actually the crux of the later fight we see in flashback of why they went their separate ways.
Shanks was the one that had all the potential and the drive as a child, the one who said he was going to be like Roger only to say not yet when Buggy was relying on that expectation the most. Buggy saw this version of Shanks that he sees in Luffy and then saw him not follow through.
That's why he hates him so much too at the core.
The Threat of Ten Crew Members
Please, I see every new character as a threat because of this line. LETS JUST LET IT BE VIVI AND CALL IT A DAY PLEASE. I can't handle another new character here to take up more page time. I can't do it. Literally nothing to analyze here, only a prayer to let out into the universe to hear. PLEASE LETS SAY ITS HAPPENED ALREADY.
Reading One Piece For The First Time - Straw Hat Rankings Post-Time Skip Up to Present Day
Sanji
Sanji is quite frankly one of the most well written characters I've ever read and I have a whole post I'll write eventually about anyone saying he fell off post-time skip being ridiculously wrong because the stuff he's gotten since the time skip has been wonderful.
All the things I loved about his character Pre-Time Skip still exists here and only actually further develops. He is the person that protects the people who need it most even if it isn't as epic of a fight. He plays an incredibly vital role to the crew, and Oda has other characters recognize that.
Everything that we get about his backstory only richens what we already know about him. It expands on why he is the way he is and it makes moments we have had with him previous stand out even more. An excellent example of this is him stopping Luffy from telling Usopp to leave in Water Seven which I wrote about here, his backstory makes that moment all the richer.
He's cool. His fighting style is unique and creative. He has so much heart in his interactions with other characters. He's a WING of the future King of the Pirates. He is a kind, funny, and yes flawed character. And I love him for it.
2. Luffy
LUFFY. Luffy has shined so much more for me Post Time Skip. I think that Oda does an excellent job of balancing making Luffy still feel like himself while also developing him into a symbol of liberation through the reveal about his fruit and onward. He's still the same Luffy that I've adored before, but there is so much more official weight now to him.
Luffy I think has been permanently changed through the time-skip. It's clear that his determination, his priorities, and his efforts have been reignited because of the loss that he experienced. He's now a character who truly understands what it means to LOSE which makes him all the more compelling post time skip.
Oda does such an amazing job of characterizing Luffy through his actions like walking past Kaido and Big Mom in Wano or through the things he chooses to do in Whole Cake. Every single panel, every single joke, every single arc only resolidifies what we love about this character and takes it even further.
Rarely ever do I think the main character of a show is even close to the top of the best characters in that story, but Luffy is an exception to that rule. HE is the main character, but he also has all of the traits that would normally make me love a side character.
3. Nami
I think that Nami has gotten SO much Post-Time Skip that just continues to develop her into an amazing multi-faceted character that just really shines amongst the others. We start off the Post-Time Skip actually with an arc that has a lot of focus on Nami in Fishman-Island and since then it's only continued.
Nami, has I think really found her combat footing even more Post-Time Skip through gaining Zeus and having these really large moments that are drawn to emulate the type of moments that Sanji and Zoro often get too. She has stood up against her own crew even like in Punk Hazard when it came to saving the children. Overall, Post-Time Skip just feels like she's come into her own even more.
She may still be a bit of a glass cannon in strength with Zeus, but I think her emotional strength which was a highlight of her before is also still such a strong through line in this one too. We see it through her reaction to Jimbei at Fishman, we see it in Wano when she stands her ground, and we see it in her determination to get Sanji back in WCI even after being upset with him.
Nami also feels like a character that has deep relationships with multiple of the Straw Hats which makes her a wonderful heart to the crew. She has so many meaningful interactions with Luffy, with Sanji, with Robin, with Jimbei, with Usopp, etc that it does a lot of heavy lifting to represent the entire crew's bond even if they can't be present.
4. Brook
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT? I never would have guessed that I would have loved Brook this much after his intro in Thriller Bark, but oh my gosh do I LOVE him. Brook gets so many amazing moments Post-Time Skip and just feels like he has melded into the crew even after having like no time with them.
He became such a clutch character in multiple arcs Post-Time Skip being the one now to come in at the most important moments and be the key to making it out/getting what's needed. Oda seems to have so much fun with using his abilities in creative and clever ways, and through that Brook gets some amazing panels that just feel epic in scope even if he isn't considered a heavy hitter.
I also think that Brook adds a positivity to the group that is needed Post Time Skip where some characters have become more serious while still being able to bring about really emotional moments too. I really love his moments with Robin in Wano for example where he joins her for the Black Maria situation and we see them both have their hallucinations of the past, as well as his moment talking about Sanji to Big Mom in Whole Cake.
He's so funny, I never know how he's going to use his abilities next, and I think he is such a bright spot in every arc he gets featured in. I love me some Brook, and I'm so happy that he's gotten so many moments.
5. Robin
Robin is a character that I think has emotionally shined a lot more in the later half of this post time skip era, and then in the beginning of the post time-skip she was also a great comedic character that brought levity to thing at Punk Hazard for example. She is SO well rounded in that regard.
I think that Robin has grown so much in her time as a Straw Hat, you see how badly she needed them and how as she's spent more time as part of them how she has gotten more comfortable. Her deadpan humor is as great as ever, but there's another part of her character that I love.
She's such an instigator and pot-stirrer. She is still a responsible character, but she is so down to be part of the chaos and to do crazy things with the others. She'll egg them on too. She gets so much joy from their adventures that she's more like Luffy now than some of the others.
In Wano and in Elbaph she's gotten some AMAZING stuff that I think just propelled her higher than other characters I normally love more, I just feel like Oda is cooking on her again finally and I'm so excited to see where that goes.
6. Usopp
LET ME BE CLEAR. Usopp is not a bad character that's not why he's dropped so drastically in my rankings. Overall, he is still one of my favorites and I love him deeply and will not stand for slander. He simply just hasn't had as many shining moments in this Post Time Skip era, but you know what I know they're going to come because there's been some legwork.
Usopp continues to be one of the funniest characters to me that we have on the crew. You can tell that Oda has so much fun drawing and writing him because he gets some of the best facial expressions and dynamic body movements that make him continue to be an iconic character. He is easily recognizable and memorable.
We have gotten some awesome moments for him like using Haki in Dressrosa to get an impossible shot, I just want more of them. I really want to see him taken to the next level like Nami has been taken. He is that great comedic relief still, but I can't wait to see him be a focus again down the line.
Usopp has such a good heart, and I think that his dynamic with Luffy and Nami will always be highlights. You can see how much Luffy means to him and vice versa because they still get background moments together even as those have become less and less. You see him interact with members of the crew across the board that shows you how intertwined and important he is even when not at the forefront.
7. Zoro
It's odd. I feel like Zoro has had a lot of epic moments Post Time Skip, but I feel more disconnected to him than I had before. He emotionally has lost me in comparison to other characters like Brook that have only grown in that regard.
Zoro has lowkey become kinda mean. He has some brutal lines about Vivi/Ace and then Vegapunk in these later parts of the story, and I feel like we see him have less meaningful dynamics with other crew members that aren't Luffy. That friendship still feels real, and we actually have gotten some great moments between him and Sanji too that are extremely important to me (but wow was his reaction in Zou lousy too not that I think about it), but they are kinda overshadowed from how distant he feels with that coldness.
I still love Zoro, I feel the weight of responsibility he puts on himself. I know that he does care about the people around them and the ones they try to help. He does still have moments where his heart shines through again, they just aren't as common to me. I miss that older Zoro, but I can still appreciate the great moments that we get from him.
Zoro is such a strong character internally and its that inner strength that he has with himself that ends up inspiring others and creating greatness in the arcs he's part of. It's just that it's seeming like he's more isolated from everyone else in those moments, and I want him back with his people.
8. Franky
I think that Franky has been consistently underutilized since he's joined the crew, yet I still have a deep love for him. I want MORE for him, I want him to get a focus, I want him to get a moment, I want him to just shine a little brighter. I have to celebrate any Franky panel like it's a win, but I want him to have QUALITY appearances.
Franky has an amazing heart, he has an amazing personality that I think differs and stands out from other crew members. His abilities are underutilized, his backstory is ignored and relegated to an SBS, he rarely gets fun moments with others. I want him to be a PARTICIPANT in the story.
Thankfully, my man has personality in spades so it's hard to forget him even when the story does. He is so quirky and fun, but still has such a beautiful heart at his core that shines when he does get page time like in Dressrosa. I think that is some of his best stuff all around.
I also have been adoring his relationship with Bonney and seeing those two interact. He had some funny moments in Punk Hazard. It's just that his moments haven't been given any gravitas and I'm waiting for that to happen still. ODA LET HIM SHINE.
9. Tony Tony Chopper
This pains me. I hate to see my boy so low, and if I really sit on it he probably could be one higher but his fall has been so hurtful to me that it can't be helped. When I first asked my husband about Chopper before I even watched the live action he said "It's sad but he becomes a bit more of a mascot later than a character of his own", and I hate to say it by my husband is right.
Chopper used to have so much more to him, he felt like a real character that was growing and changing and being impacted by the world around him, and some of that has gotten lost in this post time skip era. I miss his weird little guy look, I miss the dynamic relationships that he had with the other crew members, I miss that complexity that he had.
He still does great things like in Punk Hazard and Wano especially, but even in Whole Cake where there are only 5 Straw hats for a majority of the story he gets NOTHING really. Even when there's less people, he gets less moments to be a full character again.
Obviously, Chopper is sweet, adorable, smart, dependable, brave, etc. I love him like I love every single Straw Hat. My issue is with his lack of use for a majority of this second half of the story so far. I would have wanted to see him take more of highlight in Egghead for example. Give him the space to embrace things that have been tied to his story before!! JUSTICE FOR MY BOY
10. Jimbei
I think that Jimbei is a character that has been robbed of a purpose. Every time we saw him before he joined the crew, I loved him. I was excited to see him again. He was such a strong character who even though he's more calm and collected than the others still felt like he was well characterized.
Since joining the crew I think he's been pushed to the wayside and not given anything to work with. I still like him, like I like all of the Straw Hats, it's just that he hasn't had a moment to shine or find his place amongst them yet and as the arcs become more third party focused that means he has even less time to get that.
What Jimbei gives to Luffy is important though, and I think he is such a vital mentor character for him. His interactions with the crew of learning their dynamic like in Wano is very funny or with Nami's anger after Wano. It makes him a joy when we do see him, I just want something more substantive for him.
I just never want someone's best moments to be before they joined the crew.
Arc Ranking List - Reading One Piece For The First Time
Now that I have finally read through the entire Manga for the first time ever and had time to think about the story as a whole for a while, I wanted to finally rank all the arcs and where they landed for me.
I watched the Live Action first before I ever touched anything else One Piece, so that does sway two of my opinions which I will note down below.
*I think that the Live Action did Reverse Mountain and Loguetown better, so that's why those two rank so low. I just think the changes made were improvements on the weaker parts of those two arcs. (While for example on the other hand LA Arlong Park was a downgrade from the story I eventually got to read)
Also my husband is a lifelong watcher/reader who is the one who got me to watch the Live Action with him, so here is his in case anyone wants to see how we defer:
Rank your own here: https://tiermaker.com/create/all-one-piece-arcs-includes-egghead-13178
Arc Ranking List - Reading One Piece For The First Time
Now that I have finally read through the entire Manga for the first time ever and had time to think about the story as a whole for a while, I wanted to finally rank all the arcs and where they landed for me.
I watched the Live Action first before I ever touched anything else One Piece, so that does sway two of my opinions which I will note down below.
*I think that the Live Action did Reverse Mountain and Loguetown better, so that's why those two rank so low. I just think the changes made were improvements on the weaker parts of those two arcs. (While for example on the other hand LA Arlong Park was a downgrade from the story I eventually got to read)
Also my husband is a lifelong watcher/reader who is the one who got me to watch the Live Action with him, so here is his in case anyone wants to see how we defer:
Rank your own here: https://tiermaker.com/create/all-one-piece-arcs-includes-egghead-13178
I publish One Piece fanfiction every week, and I (as someone who writes) love reading other people's process when writing so wanted to share mine in case anyone else's brain works the same way as mine.
Overall Tracker
This is my Google Sheet where I keep track of where I am in a fic's progress along with it's working title, expected length, and a logline summary of what the story is planned to be.
I update this, as I move projects to different stages. This especially helps since I will jump between projects depending on how stuck one has me and if inspiration hits me hard for something else.
I also like to highlight the cells once something is published because I play a lot of grindy video games and like to see my progression once I've completed something.
Brainstorming
Anyone who writes knows that ideas come to you randomly and sometimes extremely half-baked while other times they may be full-fledged and ready to be written.
A lot of my messy brainstorming will happen just in my Goodnote app on my IPad where I can scribble in my own messy handwriting without the possibility of misplacing it or losing it.
This is a vital part of my creation for stories since it's where I begin to flesh out what is usually a scenario, title, song lyrics, scene etc into something more concrete.
Here is an example of my notes for some of the stories I've already published (Ordeal of Love and I Wanna See You In Another Light):
Plotting
When it comes to plotting the intricacy of what I do ahead of time will vary by the number of POV's, the length, and also how complex the story is working out to be.
For a one shot sometimes it's just sections with bullet notes of basic ideas like with Maybe Get Some Sleep Tonight.
Other times when I think a story has more moving parts to it (like balancing the relationship development with other friendships, plots, etc) then I will do a chapter by chapter scene by scene breakdown that catches all the things I'm excited about. I did this for all that time (I sat alone in my tower):
Next month I will be starting to publish my first ever completely plot driven 40 chapter long multi POV fic that is essentially an entire One Piece arc, for that I did a complete spreadsheet with POV, point in the timeline of the story, which subplot focus that scene has, and also the summary of the scene:
This has been hugely helpful for me as I can mark down each scene's status and keep track of how often certain subplots get mentioned to ensure I am ignoring or forgetting one in the shuffle of the story.
Drafting
I am a Google Docs girl simply because I can use it on my desktop and my IPad for free, so I can work on drafts from anywhere I am. Would I like to use something else? Probably, but this works for now.
I have also drafted things in my phone app in the middle of the night. What is especially embarrassing and odd about this is that I don't even separate them into different notes. I literally just put a - and then start a new draft of something.
There are segments of fics in this one singular note that I have forgotten the context of completely and others where they've been moved to the tracker or the IPad once the light of day came so I do not recommend this necessarily, but it is part of my drafting process.
Overall,
I have loved publishing fanfiction every week and this is the process that has really helped me flesh out my ideas and keep track of all the little snippets that come to me throughout a day!
Princess Nami is forced to marry Prince Sanji in a political deal to save her people. Upon arriving in his father's kingdom she finds the people in dire straits. Her betrothed is an intriguing figure. Can she resist him, save herself, and her new people?
Summary: the four times Nami invited herself into Sanji's bed and the one time she didn't have to
“Now, you’re going to sleep!” She announced.
The food was the priority problem, but the lack of sleep was also going to be a major issue. She pictured him up all night gathering ingredients and doing math. He needed to rest.
“Oh Nami, I can’t right now. I promise I will later, I just need to -“ Sanji’s eyes were locked on the fridge while he talked.
“You’re sleeping in your bed right now, and there will be no promising. I’ll be making sure you do sleep in it by…sleeping in it with you,” She said, already pulling him out of his seat by the fabric of the shoulder of his suit.
all that time (I sat alone in my tower) | Nami x Sanji Fanfic
5 Chapters | 58k Words | Mature | Completed
Was everything about this girl adorable?
He slid his way around her, letting go of the staff as he did so. It wasn’t gentlemanly behavior to not let the lady have her fighting chance.
“Now Nami - what a beautiful name for a beautiful girl - what’s a woman as lovely as yourself doing in Arlong’s crew?” He asked, taking a few steps back out of her reach.
Sanji put his hands in his pockets, and started to pull out a cigarette. He was barely getting it out of his pocket when the end of a red staff smacked him across the stomach. The impact knocked the wind out of him, and he bent over at the waist with a groan.
“That,” the woman smirked down at him.
He grinned. What a woman.
“I think I’m in love,” he wheezed.
She rolled her eyes with a sneer, rearing back to take another hit at him.
This time though Sanji was paying attention, he righted himself and leaned out of the way of her swing with deliberate precision. This earned him a growl from her that made him nearly light headed. She was too perfect.
He leaned again out of the way of her next frustrated swing.
“Who”
Another swing.
“Are”
He sidestepped a rather erratic kick in his direction.
“You”
She finished her question with a grunt, as she missed another hit at him. She was going to tire herself out eventually Sanji knew, but he hoped he could keep dodging her attacks for a bit longer. It kept her here with him after all.
Summary:
And if you'd never come for me, I might've drowned in the melancholy
Sanji and the rest of the crew meet Nami for the first time in Cocoyashi Village as the navigator of the crew that stole their map to the Grand Line. While everyone else sees this orange haired girl collecting money as the enemy, Sanji notices there has to be more to her than meets the eye.
As much as he wants to save this girl of his dreams, it seems she wants anything but to be rescued.
But when has something as small as that ever stood between him and love?
My Top 5 Favorite Arcs - Reading One Piece For The First Time
(Spoilers for the entire Manga series - I've barely started the anime, so I this is based solely off the Manga)
Honorable Mention:
Arlong Park
This goes back and forth with the current number five, but I'm leaving it here for now. This is just an incredible arc that is where One Piece truly cements itself as a legendary story. It gives new depth to every single character and develops them through both action and through the emotional choices that they make.
Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp all settle into some of the most important parts of their characters here and even Nami in Whiskey Peak acknowledges them for being special after what they do here together.
But it was FOR her. That is what gets me the most about this arc is that Luffy is there for Nami from the beginning, Sanji never doubts her and stands up for her honor the entire time, Zoro nearly dies multiple times in this even if he doubted her at times, and Usopp even in his moments of cowardice thinks about Nami as part of what gives him strength and bravery.
This is the arc that just cements their connections and weaves them deeply together as a proper crew (which makes sense considering Oda puts down this as where Nami officially joins rather than in her introduction arc). This is where it all begins and that means the world to me even beyond the amazing backstory, side characters, and of course the evilness of the villain that also just shines in this arc.
This is the first arc where it is the Straw Hats that save the day.
5. Marineford
This is a masterpiece of writing in my opinion. From start to finish from action to emotion. While I prefer other arcs, I think this is probably objectively the best written one.
What Luffy does here feels like an epic in the truest definition of the word - it feels like a grand scale mythological epic of the singular hero going against the impossible odds of history and fate and tragically losing. It's something that at the time of reading I didn't expect to happen, but is now such a fundamental part of what makes the world and characters what they are going forward.
We get every single character every introduced almost, we see every type of matchup and fight, we see progress to Ace stalled a million times yet it never feels stagnant. Every single moment feeds the greater narrative, world-building, and characters. We see that from barely named Whitebeard Officers all the way to Koby.
It's an arc that has purpose, and you feel that in every panel and word written.
The thing is that this is also a tragic epic for every character that is there. From Ivankov coming face to face with a Kuma that is no longer himself, to Oars Jr and the flashback we get of him and Ace, to Garp who nearly does throw everything away he's spent a lifetime trying to do. Every single person who is at Marineford is having their own personal tragedy and at the center of all of them we have one teenage boy trying to save his brother.
I think that this arc does an amazing job of raising the scales and truly shifting the world through what happens but keeps it still locked onto our main character and the way that it impacts them in particular which is what I love most.
4. Dressrosa
Dressrosa is to me what I see Wano is for other people, it's the liberation story in the series that gets me so deeply and makes me care about this country of people that I truly feel through the drawings are appreciative and getting a new lease on life.
This is an arc that introduces so many characters and has so many moving pieces and subplots yet still manage to have a steady heartbeat that intertwines them. Even when my favorite characters are gone for half of the story I was invested and locked in on the story being told. It does an amazing job of using these newly introduced characters to further the characters we already love and to use them as symbols rather than drawing out the time we get on them unnecessarily like I find other arcs guilty of.
The grander story of liberating this country, of showing it's people the world they were secretly living in, and of making them hope for something more being told through a Law revenge story is just the perfect way to do this.
Doflamingo is the hardest villain they had faced at that point, and the characters have to truly work to defeat him, the entire country needs to work to survive what he is doing, and that makes it special. I feel like the people of Dressrosa went on a journey with the crew and that makes me so touched by the happy ending that they receive.
Every action sequence in it (in which there are many) serves a greater purpose while also being different, dynamic, and tense enough to keep me holding my breath to see how it's pulled off and it made me see Luffy the way the rest of the world was now seeing him.
3. Thriller Bark
Thriller Bark I think is a perfect example of how not all arcs have to be telling the deepest of themes or the grandest of stories to be amazing. What makes One Piece so special to me now is not just the amazing deeper themes and allegories going on in it, but all the silly joy that is supposed to be personified in Luffy. The JOY is just as important as the rest of this and this arc brings me nothing but joy.
It is a hysterically funny arc that has some of the funniest jokes in the entire series. Luffy pushing a zombie back into it's hole is truly the hardest I've ever laughed in this series that is full of great gags and jokes. Pirates Docking 6 is a legendary moment as well that hurt my stomach muscles from how hard I laughed. That comedy and feeling of laughter is vital to One Piece too and it's an arc full of moments like that until the end where we then get the deep emotional stuff that balances the series.
We get so many fun groupings and dynamics in this arc and because the heavy hitters are taken out so early it leaves characters that normally don't take lead to try to make their own way through the adventure. It introduces a ninth crew member that somehow doesn't make the story seem overstuffed because of how easily he falls into the dynamic and feels like he's always been there.
Thriller Bark shouldn't have to justify it's existence because to me it's actually pure One Piece. It's funny, it's goofy, it's unique and creative, it's action packed and emotional. It's everything a One Piece arc should be and I won't be standing for slander of it.
And while Nothing Happened is an epic moment that takes my breath away, the arc was already great before that just through fun side characters, great jokes, and a fun but intimidating villain. Put some respect on the Thriller Bark name.
2. Whole Cake Island
WCI does what should be impossible and takes my favorite character and somehow elevates him even further. To me this arc is a celebration of (some) of the characters and is really a love letter from Oda to Sanji. It shows such a deep appreciation and understanding of his character, highlighting all the things that people like me love about him. You can read how much Oda love this character he has spent decades creating and that people have loved for decades in return.
That's a beautiful thing.
It develops Sanji further but also uses him to develop Luffy as well.
We see one of the best portrayals of Luffy in my opinion through the depth of his dedication to Sanji and through his understanding of him as well. The bond between these characters (Nami included) that has gone unsaid previously become said outright and gives us some of the most beautiful emotional moments of the series. The entire arc is built on making the reader understand how important they are to each other on a level further than we've ever seen.
(Also shout out to my man Capone who stole the show for me so badly that I bring him up in normal conversation as much as I can).
There is so much amazing about WCI from Big Mom herself to the colorful fairytale world that Oda created in it, but what makes this top tier for me is how it portrays the emotions and how a character like Sanji exists despite his background not because of it.
It felt like Oda was looking right at me and telling me that my love for Sanji is perfectly valid and that I didn't even understand myself how well deserved it was.
1. Skypiea
So, I've already made a post all about Sypiea in particular and why it's still my favorite arc. So please read that if you want to read my monologue about its amazingness in detail.
Skypiea to me is an arc that has never been duplicated, it's the more piratey story of mythology, attempted robbery, and facing evil while still having fun. It's an adventure story through and through which gives all of the characters amazing moments to shine and interact with other characters that bring out different parts of their personalities.
Enel ended up being a blueprint villain (literally) that that makes this arc seem like it could have been the end of the line for the characters both in personality and in ability.
Skypiea to me is also just deeply about friendship both in the Strawhats present day timeline and in the Noland flashback that we get. It's about the deep bonds that are created between people despite differences and the trust that can develop through loving someone. It's also about the preservation of culture and about the stealing of that from others without feeling preachy or shoehorned.
You feel the themes of Skypiea through the personal stories being told in the arc and that makes them all the more impactful.
It introduces lore and technology that changes the game as well. It gives everything from world building to comedy to romance (if you want to read it that way and I always am happy to) to action to fantasy to a heist story basically. It gives a range of genres and themes through the range of all our cast and what more could you ask for?
It is really annoying when you come to the realization that someone is actually fucking hot.
It’s even more annoying when that person is Sanji of all people.
Or, Nami is driven to the point of attraction by a new discovery she's made about her fellow crewmate. The only thing she can think to do to get out of her system is to get a hands-on demonstration. Which is obviously how it works of course.
The Parallels Of The Wings Of The Pirate King In Zoro's Introduction - Reading & Watching One Piece For The First Time
(Spoilers for throughout the series - I recently read the entirety of the manga for the first time after falling in love with the live action and just started watching the anime.)
When watching the Romance Dawn part of the anime for the first time I literally had to pause everything to tell my husband how crazy it is that Zoro's introduction foreshadows Sanji and their dynamic so much so here's a whole post about it because it couldn't be helped.
This is not a shipping post, but if that's what floats your boat then gladly use this to feed yourself because there's juicy stuff here whether you see it through the most baseline cannon or through whatever lens you want.
Luffy Decides He Truly Wants Them Specifically Because Of Their Kindness
What gets Luffy to decide he wants to outright ask both of these guys to be on his crew is actually more about their kindness rather than their skills.
Zoro is tied up and can't show if his skills match up with notoriety, Luffy doesn't get to see Sanji go up against crazy pirates until later.
With Zoro it's after hearing Rika say that both Zoro and Luffy are good men that Luffy says he has to go speak to Zoro and makes the offer to untie him if he joins his crew.
With Sanji it's after seeing Sanji feed Gin despite everyone else saying no that he says he has found his cook and wants him on the crew.
Despite the fact that both these men end up becoming the crew's strongest fighters and whose skills Luffy relies on more than anybody, it's both of their hearts that he honestly falls in love with first and it's those hearts that he saw that make them the fighters they are for him.
When We Meet Zoro He Is Starving Which Obviously Parallels Sanji's Backstory
Wow there's actually so much to chew on with this. I think it's poignant that when we meet Zoro he is at having gone without food for nine days and is quite literally starving, which is a mirror to what Sanji went through with Zeff on his backstory.
The life structuring moment of Sanji's life is something that Zoro can actually relate to some degree. When they are fighting side by side throughout the story the two of them will have experienced something so similar even if it was to a lesser extent. It's not something that we ever see them talk about on page, but that is an undercurrent to who they are as people inherently going forward.
Let's not even get into the fact that Luffy says here he wouldn't last a week and we see him as a husk of a person in Whole Cake after literally one day without food.
Don't get me started on how Zoro's favorite food is Onigiri and that's the first thing he eats since starving, and it's what Sanji makes in Whole Cake to represent him.
Zoro Compliments The Food Not Just Eating It, Just Like Sanji
Gah. This is one of my all-time favorite Zoro moments, and it's only when watching the scene in the anime recently did, I finally see how this is such a Sanji thing to do (which really explains why I love this moment since Sanji is my favorite character).
Zoro has been starving, so him not wasting the food is given an outside reason to happen. But there is no reason for him to send his compliments to the little girl except that it is a kind thing to do, and it just truly shows his heart and his character.
I think this is the part that people miss about Zoro and Sanji - yes they fight but they wouldn't allow the other one to do what they do sometimes if they didn't share this same mentality and heart. They know the other one cares about people and the crew especially.
Another example I can think of is them both complimenting Usopp in different ways.
They do want to make others feel good - one is just more open about it than the other, but they both know that and that's why they have that unsaid trust between them.
Zoro Lives By His Own Moral Code and So Does Sanji
Guys, I get giddy about this. It just continues to show why these two characters work in their dynamic so well. While there are so many things different about them, so many of their core tenants remain the same. They have codes that they live by, and they do not change them based off of the situation or other people's opinions about them.
Zoro's actions may not always make sense to others, but they follow his own code. People don't understand why the pirate hunter joined a pirate crew, but that doesn't matter.
Sanji's moral code about not hitting women doesn't make sense to many people, but he doesn't let that stop him from sticking to it. Even when we see third party characters mock him for it in Wano.
They are both self-assured characters who know what they believe in, they know what lines they will not cross, and while they may not agree with the other's lines/code, they both still have one. And that is what's most important.
Which is why these are like some of the most important scenes in the series to me. Your honor, they really do trust the other. I rest my case.
If the other didn't have a code then they wouldn't be able to work together like they do.
Overall Thoughts:
Honestly good for ZoSan shippers that you all get this kinda meaty stuff in just one of their character introductions. As someone who just loves their cannon dynamic/friendship (and is a SaNami shipper) I already get so much out of it, so please feel free to let this feed your shipper heart.
I think that people that pit these two characters against each other are missing out on the best parts of both their characters. They are two sides of the same coin and so much of what makes them who they are at their core is mirrored in the other person. It's those things that make Luffy trust them so inherently and make them indispensable to the crew.
These are two men who fight on behalf of their people every single day essentially and carry that weight with them. It's the very things that we see in Zoro's introduction that highlight how they are able to do that both individually and as a team.
I think that Zoro and Sanji are one of the most important dynamics in the entire crew canonically and that without that dynamic the story wouldn't work as well as it does, so I will gladly opine about this at a later date when looking at other moments (literally already drafting something about the Baratie and the Mihawk fight + Sanji's reaction to it).
Reading One Piece For The First Time - Egghead Arc Favorite Moments, Thoughts, and Theories
(Spoilers up to Egghead Arc obviously, and guess what? You all can't spoil me anymore cause I'M CAUGHT UP!!! Not sure if you guys want an Elbaph so far post since it's not a complete arc but let me know and I'll do that).
Favorite Moments:
Kuma Backstory
What can be said about this that hasn't already been said? The imagery, the lore, the recontextualizing of the cannon, the heartbreak, the beauty, the tragedy. It really is something that I don't think has ever been done to this scale before in the story.
From the moment that we got the panels of Kuma's life as a slave with his family and how they tried to have normal happy family interactions even with the collars around their neck, I was sobbing.
I didn't stop sobbing - genuinely like truly no exaggerations - until an hour after my husband had us stop reading at the end of the flashback.
I truly sobbed for an hour after finishing reading because every time I tried to talk about it I found something new to cry about.
This moment makes the Nika impact so much more powerful because it finally makes me understand what that means as a symbol to the oppressed. That there are people out there in the world that have been waiting for Luffy desperately and what it must mean for them to have seen it or eventually see it.
I think that the theme of liberation is so well executed and explored in this backstory and that it isn't just tragedy for tragedy's sake. I think that it adds so much to the world, to characters we've already seen like Ivankov, that it fleshes out Kuma's actions, and that it really shows how the struggle against the world government has existed for long before Luffy.
It really touches on how there are characters we've met who have been fighting this fight as unsung heroes for so damn long.
Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant.
2. Bonney Mimics Luffy's Nika Form And They Fight Together
Nah nah nah Oda. You don't get to write the flashbacks to end all flashbacks then have Bonney get to do this. This is like emotional waterboarding, and I hate you even more because of how well it worked.
Bonney who grew up hearing about Nika, believing in Nika, waiting for Nika, whose father is no longer himself enough to recognize Nika who he also waited so long for, turns into a Nika esque form and gets to fight alongside the guy with the Nika Devil Fruit?
The fact that Luffy's Nika form is the manifestation of chaos, joy, and fun? Something that Bonney has not been able to have in years really, that she now gets to mimic and be embraced by?
The drums of damn well liberation beating not just through Luffy but through this girl who has been a firsthand victim of the World Government? Whose life was seemingly created by the evils of that Government and has been trapped by it for years? She gets to help be the face of liberation?
Nah man. Like this is too deep. This is too insane. This is too beautiful. I think this is one of my all-time favorite moments in the series.
So much was taken from this little girl, and she gets to fight alongside Luffy as her own liberator. Nah. Enough.
3. Garp Prioritizes The Future
Babes, I am a Garp Defender. Like I'm sorry, but the depth to this character is criminal.
Garp puts his money where his mouth is. He told these younger marines to always prioritize the future, and that is what he does by sacrificing himself for them. He doesn't care about himself, he cares about the future good and people who will be saved by these younger marines existing.
This was Garp's moment to be Whitebeard coming to save Ace but this time for Koby. He was going into something fully knowing the odds and was willing to lose it all to save someone who was not his biological son but was someone he trained and cared for deeply.
It's fascinating seeing the parallels between Luffy, Dragon, and Garp. They all do believe in the protection of those that can't defend themselves, but they do it through three different systems (the marines, an organized revolutionary army, and through the freedom of piracy). Luffy and Dragon would have done the same thing that Garp did, and I think that it's a beautiful thing to see.
Anyway, someone free my man.
4. Buggy Decides To Go After The One Piece
Oh people I could write a dissertation on this and how impeccable of a scene it is.
Now here's where I admit that I don't care about Blackbeard and so to me this scene does what the Blackbeard dreams are still alive and important scene does for others. This idea of pirates still having dreams they want to follow even if they aren't on our side and that being a throughline that connects them all in the chaos of this world.
The thing is that Buggy is an apprentice of Gol D Rodgers just like Shanks is, he KNEW that man, he was RAISED by that man, he CARED about that man. We see that through the flashback fight with Shanks that Rodgers title means something to him, but he didn't think that he was worthy of it like Shanks would have been.
Seeing him say that he does want to go after it - and that it's specifically after saying that it's because Shanks is now doing it - really does mean the world to me. As Buggy says himself they are both now Emperor's, they have both found themselves in the position where they can go after it, and now they both will.
Those two characters are deeply intertwined actually, and it's poignant that it's through Shanks action that Buggy then finds his courage to finally be active himself. They were both stagnant and not working towards it before but now they're doing it together even though they are a part.
Let's go!!! Can't wait to see more of this.
5. Sanji Saving Nami
Dude why have I been so well fed lately? One, I personally love the idea of the "power of love" being Sanji's thing and it being where he draws his strength from. Any time that little detail is brought up is a good ass day for me because I think it fits his character so well. I really hope this is something that we always get throughout the series.
Also, just a cool ass scene. Him getting punched directly to the face and not even flinching? Cool man. Like argue with the wall. I feel like Sanji's character having cool ass panels has been consistent since his introduction. Each moment of his feels well earned and special whether it's a low level fight or something more epic.
There's just always gravitas to it.
I enjoy the acknowledgement as well from Robin when we cut to her and Chopper of them not having to worry about Nami because they know Sanji will come save her if he hears her yell.
This meant a lot to me personally, but I know it's not everybody's thing but I'll leave at Oda really wrote it just for me and I am eternally grateful.
Overall Thoughts:
I really liked Egghead. I thought we were getting Vegapunk a long time ago, so it was awesome getting to finally meet him and see this world he's created for himself. I was a little hesitant at first about all the different Vegapunks, but I ended up caring so much about them emotionally.
Now there were some things I was left scratching my head on.
Jimbei I have one question for you
Why was this the only thing you were given to do my man? Why are you here if this is the extent of what you'll be given? I want better for you dude, I do.
The addition of Rob Lucci is something I'm conflicted on. I enjoyed seeing everyone defend Robin and Nami trying to curb stomp him. Obviously very fun. But also was he necessary? I don't know.
Vegapunk's speech? I wanted to be like WOW but honestly Oda really characterized a genius too well because man was he yapping for a long time saying nothing before he got to the stuff that actually mattered. That stuff, okay I'm seated let's linger. But man was there a bunch of word salad before that. Once again accurate but a drag.
But there's so much good in this for me that far outweighs those annoyances.
Imu scares the shit out of me people. I'm scared shitless. The idea of an ancient being scares me and don't get me started on his whole silhouette. I am scared.
Franky got to do stuff! Yes Franky you run out there and be part of the action! Let me see that iconic face on my pages again.
(Don't get me started on how much I loved it being Franky and Sanji who were down there in the Kuma/Bonney fight against Saturn because of one being a literal Cyborg and the other having been just scared of losing all humanity just like Kuma).
Every time we cut away from Egghead I wasn't groaning, I was actually deeply excited because I was loving all the outside stuff we were getting too as much as I was loving the stuff on Egghead.
It was also nice to get the crew interacting with each other again and being more of a focus for each other. We got to see more moments like them saving Robing, Zoro and Sanji arguing, Luffy and Zoro being a more carefree fun duo again. I had missed those moments so much.
I think that this arc in particular did a great job of scaling up the story we are being told. It scaled up the villains with the Elders all arriving and then it scaled up the tragedy and the depth of what has happened to people in this world through Kuma and Bonney. It feels like we are setting up more of the epic conclusion of the story now, even if it will still take us a long time to get there.
I never doubted you Oda. Even through the last arc I didn't like, I knew you'd bring it back up for me.
Theories:
I'm scared to have theories now that I'm caught up. I just like everyone else is going in blind and have like months or years of waiting now to see if I'm right rather than just a couple of weeks.
(Now that I'm officially caught up my husband and I have started watching the anime so I'll be making posts about watching One Piece now and if my favorite moments differ and all that good stuff.
THANK YOU FOR NEVER SPOILING ME! I AM SO HAPPY I GOT TO READ THIS WITHOUT SOMEONE MEAN IN MY COMMENTS RUINING THINGS.)
Starting a new series of posts about songs for different characters, pulling from the cannon to show why I think it's so relatable to them. Of course had to start with my Sniper King Usopp who gets done dirty by people sometimes when he's an incredibly written character.
"And I'm fine, I am totally fine
I will stand on the side as you shine
I'm not fine, I'm not fine"
Usopp is surrounded by people who can't help but gain reputations and names for themselves in a dangerous world. He stands by the side of the man who is going to be King of the Pirates. He stands by the side of the famous bounty hunter Rororona Zoro. He stands by the side of Black Leg Sanji who always manages to save the day.
He watches them shine at what they do, and while I think Usopp manages to be fine with this a majority of the time we do see times in the series where this really bothers him and through that betters himself to never be left behind.
He wants to be okay with this. He wants to be okay with letting these other people handle the dangers.
But then we see how much he struggles to live with himself when he fails to do as much as they do or not enough in his own eyes.
We see that almost verbatim in Arlong Park!! He literally is talking through telling himself he's okay not being like them only to come to the realization that no he is going to be like them and then doing just that.
"I can't move the mountains
I can't make the flowers bloom"
Poor Usopp is a normal guy in a crew of people who have other worldly powers and abilities.
We see Zoro actually take down a man who is a mountain.
Robin can make her limbs or giant versions of herself bloom thanks to her devil fruit.
Usopp (and Nami as well up until getting Zeus) don't get either the devil fruits powers that people like Robin has or the incredible strength that Zoro or Sanji gets. He is physically incapable of doing what they do. There's no way he can get his body or abilities to where they're at.
He literally has to CREATE what gives him his ability to fight. What makes him special is manmade not inherent or gifted and is still limited by his own knowledge and ability to create.
Usopp is a character that is constantly working between limitations and still finding ways to contribute despite those limitations.
"I can't heal what's broken"
Oh you thought I was going to bring up Chopper here? Oh no people, we're bringing it back to the merry.
Luffy rarely if ever (I actually struggle to find any other moment where he's this harsh to a crew member personally about what they can't do) tells the crew they aren't capable of something directly. But Usopp's biggest failure is highlighted by his captain directly in this moment.
He could not fix the Merry. The ship he was willing to lose everything for, he could not save.
This is his lowest point of the entire series for a reason. He truly is faced with an inescapable reminder of his inadequacy and the person he looks up to the most is the one that tells him that he will never be able to do it.
Oooof. Always heartbreaking to me.
"Can't keep down the unspoken invisible pain"
Sticking with the merry and the fight that comes from that, I think all the crew members have moments of doubt or questioning themselves but it's Usopp that vocalizes it to others the most rather than leaving it to just thought bubbles. He's the one that says it out loud rather than keeping it locked in.
Zoro says he will never lose again and then we see that through his actions. We see him run himself ragged and pull himself up even when it should be impossible because that failure is still silently always weighing on him.
Usopp isn't silent about it. He lays out his insecurity pretty outright during Water 7 and multiple times in his scenes. He's so open about it unlike some of the other characters.
"All I need is a change
All I need is a chance"
But you know what? Every time Usopp is given the opportunity he will rise to the challenge. He will pull off his own impossible feats. He will do the spectacular.
We see those countless times throughout the series.
We see it in Enies Lobby and we see it in Dressrosa.
He is literally using Haki without even realizing it.
He constantly amazes people with the things he pulls off. I don't want to hear anybody say that the crew could survive without Usopp because in their own words they can't. The story itself tells us, and more importantly shows us, that they would have lost many times throughout the series without him.
"Who I am inside, so what can I do?
I'm sick of waiting on a miracle, so here I go"
Usopp is also a character we get a lot more introspection from on page. We see his inner monologue a lot more than some other characters and through that inner monologue we see how he gets himself to his brave point, how he cheerleads himself, and how he works through in his insecurities.
It's part of what makes his moments so special, we get to see every step of him thinking through and hyping himself up to do it. We see the struggle he faces with each win he gets, and I think that is part of why his character speaks so much to me and others. What is an easy win for someone else is often times like hours of anxiety and inner turmoil for me before I'm able to do it.
I would like to think that isn't a bad thing.
People often claim that Usopp is a passive character, but he is actually a constantly active character. A lot of it is just happening inside him before we see the actions take place.
"I've been patient and steadfast and steady
Bless me now as you blessed us all those years ago"
The thing is that Usopp has been a consistently brave character. From Arlong Park to Alabasta to Water Seven to Dressrosa, he has always gotten himself to stand by his friends and to survive no matter the circumstances that come.
He has faced death multiple times and not only survived through all those times but defended his friend's dreams or proven something to himself while doing it. He is a constant and reliable crew member who for all his scaredness or cowardice, will never let that stop him from being the person they need when they need him most.
Put some respect on my man's name. Put some respect on the King and the God. He is a Senior Officer of the Future King of the Pirates and he has earned his spot there through years of good service and effort.
Summary:
In summary, Usopp is a great character and I will be taking no comments, complaints, or concerns about it.
Usopp is an inherently human character both in his actual abilities and in his expression of emotion. His insecurity, his fear, his doubts. They are some of the most human experiences that we see on page.
That is not a weakness. That makes him an incredibly written and complex character that is such an amazing bridge for the readers into this fantastical world and higher stakes than we can relate too (I hope you can't relate to being a God but you can relate to not being good at something that you wanted to be at).
Usopp creates miracles just like everyone else on the crew, they just aren't as flashy as other character's moments are and come after a lot of self-questioning and reflection. The before of his moments often matter so much more than the moment themselves. The miracles he makes are manmade, but that doesn't make them any less special or spectacular.
Anyway, I love him and I'll enjoy every little miracle he gets in this series.
