this isn't a sabo thirst post by any means i just like to think about body shape/physiology differences in blorbos
i know a lot of people tend to draw sabo as athletic as ace? in that. wide sense? broad chest and shoulders, thick thighs etc etc and i get it and i appreciate it. but please consider calisthenics sabo? who trains for agility and endurance and to know the physical limits of his body perfectly? who focuses on building muscle that's less about looks and more about pure functionality, which results in a much more slender build, compared to... ace, for example.
i'm not saying ace isn't agile or doesn't have stamina because of course he does, it's just their preffered way of fighting seems different in that aspect? ace tends to fight in a more flashy way, that probably uses a lot more energy at once, and honestly, don't tell me he wouldn't flex in front of people and enjoy them admiring his gains. also don't tell me WB pirates didn't organize weightlifting competitions (when drunk, probably) where they squatted and bench pressed each other for fun. i also think ace would generally have much more fat/subcutaneous tissue than sabo, which would also contibute to that "wide"/"solid" look of his.
meanwhile sabo does have that... relentless predator feel to him? like he'd stalk his prey for hours, tire them out, and then strike, using only as much force as necessary and saving the rest. he also uses an actual weapon (the pipe, enchanced by haki) in combat which also requires activation of additional and often very specific muscle groups, in opposition to ace who seems to rely mostly on his DF and his own body.
alright, maybe this is the thirst aspect, but about sabo's haki... with all of the above in mind, sabo's forearms are probably like these... uh, nurse/phlebotomist wet dream memes? pale, thin skin, with very little subcutaneous tissue and well-trained muscle underneath, with all the veins and tendons clearly visible from the outside. dude probably has insane grip strength (crushing skulls in the palm of his hand?? hello??? i know he uses haki, but still. please) and it definitely has to show in the way his forearm muscles are developed.
and lastly, when it comes to sabo, i just love when people add more layers to his burn scars that make them go beyond just a cool visual thing? I LOVE how most of you have already picked up on the fact that he doesn't see that well with his left eye (or at all!), or that the scars reach further than just his face. but please also consider - sabo relying heavily on his right side/right arm during combat, because surely all that scar tissue on his left arm inhibits full movement in his joints, as burned and healed skin becomes really thick. actual burn survivors often have to undergo years of rehabilitation to avoid contractures, because the skin is just not elastic enough to allow full movement. idk i think it's a really cool aspect to include with a character like him? who went through such a life-altering (and almost life ending) injury. and it's such a great thing to to have it actually influence his daily life and not just be a like a visual design thing.
alright lol frankly i have no idea what was the purpose of this post other than i wanted to somehow include my hcs about sabo's forearms and his burn scars. but thank you for coming to my ted talk.
