Chapter 1,009: Naraku

[Joy Boy]

I hate how Kaido and Big Mom failed to even knock one worst gen member out. I hate how Luffy will just shrug off Ragnarok because "guts" or some other crap like that. I hate how in this arc the big bads have failed to do anything significant aside from getting beaten around. I just hate how this arc is progressing right now.

[Monquito]

Orochi should be thankful this is a Japanese arc.

imagine if it was based on France during the revolution, the citizens would be carrying Multi-Blade Guillotines to get rid off all heads at once.

[All Fiction]

If you weren't so hard to satisfy you'd see that Sanji is stil great and that Big Mom is the GOAT Yonko. It's also obvious to me that Oda really loves both characters.

Wow, someone who doesn't measure a character purely by whether or not they win a fight or how cool and badass they look. What a dying breed in today's One Piece community where it is filled to the brim with shallow people who see the series through the same lens that they see Dragon Ball Z with.

[RoronoaZorosan]

This was a fantastic chapter and all but I'm ready to get back to the other Strawhats and see what they're up to. Maybe I'm in the minority opinion on this but I feel like that Robin fight was going to be incredibly hype and I swear it feels like it's been a full year since I've seen Jinbe. The question still lingers, "Who's Who's Who."

[astagadragon]

Wow, someone who doesn't measure a character purely by whether or not they win a fight or how cool and badass they look. What a dying breed in today's One Piece community where it is filled to the brim with shallow people who see the series through the same lens that they see Dragon Ball Z with.

My concern regarding is a valid one IMO. This is a war against Yonko, to contribute means to prove your usefulness against the Yonko's crew in battle. How could you hope to defeat a Yonko without a battle?

Sanji is like Yua in Zero-One (which is your avatar), she didn't even do anything in the series despite she's supposedly the third Rider (even Izu contribute more lmao). Likewise, Sanji's the third strongest member of Straw Hats but all he did in the raid is running around without purpose...

[MrPecans]

This was a fantastic chapter and all but I'm ready to get back to the other Strawhats and see what they're up to. Maybe I'm in the minority opinion on this but I feel like that Robin fight was going to be incredibly hype and I swear it feels like it's been a full year since I've seen Jinbe. The question still lingers, "Who's Who's Who."

I'd like to think that all reasonable and cultured One Piece fans are waiting to get back to that Robin fight with bated breath.

Wow, someone who doesn't measure a character purely by whether or not they win a fight or how cool and badass they look. What a dying breed in today's One Piece community where it is filled to the brim with shallow people who see the series through the same lens that they see Dragon Ball Z with.

I'd blow ya a kiss if I could, All Fiction.

My concern regarding is a valid one IMO. This is a war against Yonko, to contribute means to prove your usefulness against the Yonko's crew in battle. How could you hope to defeat a Yonko without a battle?

Sanji is like Yua in Zero-One (which is your avatar), she didn't even do anything in the series despite she's supposedly the third Rider (even Izu contribute more lmao). Likewise, Sanji's the third strongest member of Straw Hats but all he did in the raid is running around without purpose...

But it's not without purpose? And it's literally not over yet. You're acting like the arc ended and Sanji is unaccounted for. That's like someone at a magic show getting mad half way through a trick. (Sorry, illusion.)

Sanji has done plenty throughout the series, you're just champing at the bit to have a reason to lose faith in Oda's ability to write him.

[desa]

I really like the flow of this fight. Mama makes for good banter making Kaido less boring. Luffy seems to be having the time of his life. Kidd and Law do some good cooperating and bickering. Zoro is being the MVP with his support game saving people's ass left an right while still being a danger to the the duo.

Really the only lame one is Killer who is discount Zoro and with no partner to get some fun chemestry going since Kidd is busy with Law.

The scabbards part I give so little f about. Am I supposed to be invested in the rivalry between Raizo and the head spy? Cause I'm not. The more subplots they get the more I realize how little I care and non japenese I am. But since we are breaking them up hopefully Neko get a cool thing to do since I like him.

[Rean]

It's an indication that Kaido started changing tactics because his endurance was starting to falter.

Before he was just tanking everything. That was sending up a message of invincibility. Now that he's dodging, the message now is "he's not that invincible".

Oda is slowly stripping away Kaido's aura of invincibility.

The scabbards proved that it's possible to (briefly) scare him, and Luffy is now proving that it's possible to hurt him if you have persistence, know what you are doing and are sufficiently prepared.

[Rocks]

Zoro would have soloed the Rock Pirates at God Valley

Zoro would have beaten Whitebeard

Zoro would have no sold Roger's attack

Zoro would have blocked Roger and Whitebeard's clash

Zoro would have oneshot Kaido and saved Wano

Zoro would have saved Ace at Marineford and beaten all the Shichibukai/Admirals/Garp/Sengoku

PRAISE ODA'S TRUE SELF INSERT

[phoenix_fire]

I hate how Kaido and Big Mom failed to even knock one worst gen member out. I hate how Luffy will just shrug off Ragnarok because "guts" or some other crap like that. I hate how in this arc the big bads have failed to do anything significant aside from getting beaten around. I just hate how this arc is progressing right now.

The argument here is that all five are essentially YC level and at least three of them at the upper end. If they gang up on one single person they are a force to be reckoned with.
They also are not fighting against two full emperors, as Big Mom is mostly standing on the sidelines or just throws in an attack or two.

We also have to wait for the next chapter, just how hard Luffy is affected or if someone like Zoro is actually dropping out.

Completely agree with the rest though, the other enemies are not feeling like a yonkou crew at all or any threat whatsoever; at least not against the current opponents

[Don Quichotte De Flamingo]

It's unavoidable that the henchman have to go down, so them making it as hard as possible for the alliance is the only thing they actually can do.
So not defeating the alliance now may seem weak for such a crew, but what else is an option.
Getting defeated would just mean the arc gets even longer for a second try...and that is reserved mostly for maybe the main villain.

[mr.blues]

Zoro would have soloed the Rock Pirates at God Valley

Zoro would have beaten Whitebeard

Zoro would have no sold Roger's attack

Zoro would have blocked Roger and Whitebeard's clash

Zoro would have oneshot Kaido and saved Wano

Zoro would have saved Ace at Marineford and beaten all the Shichibukai/Admirals/Garp/Sengoku

PRAISE ODA'S TRUE SELF INSERT

His dream was to be the strongest, he was addicted to the strength from the begining of the series..
You know how powerfull Mihawk is ..

[Joy Boy]

It's unavoidable that the henchman have to go down, so them making it as hard as possible for the alliance is the only thing they actually can do.
So not defeating the alliance now may seem weak for such a crew, but what else is an option.
Getting defeated would just mean the arc gets even longer for a second try...and that is reserved mostly for maybe the main villain.

It's not exactly about losing. Hyogoro should have died. The scabbards should have been down, heck Kaido could have killed a couple. Just to raise the stakes, to show that this is no joke. Instead everyone survives.

[Don Quichotte De Flamingo]

It's not exactly about losing. Hyogoro should have died. The scabbards should have been down, heck Kaido could have killed a couple. Just to raise the stakes, to show that this is no joke. Instead everyone survives.

Well, that so few die is a complain we see through the years again and again, but Oda wants to use death in his way , kinda meaningful for the story. Also don´t forget, that the side characters have to be around for the party in the end.
Be honest, how much did you care when Pedro died, do you really think you would really give a shit about Hyogoro dieing?
Everyone wants to see the stakes raised, but would you really think, yeah now with Hyogoro´s death i understand why the SHs can/have to now overcome this situation.
Honestly, i think that´s just wishful thinking that a side characters death would be that impactful for us readers.
Unless it´s a main character like a SH (won´t happen) or maybe now Law or another supernova, it wouldn´t chance that much.
After all we haven´t reached the end of act 3, so there is still a chance for something bad to happen to end this act in a drama, but like with Ashura Doji now, does it really matter that he dies here or when he comes back for the party....as long as he can´t fight right now it serves the same purpose.
Also Yasuie died and nobody is referring to that anymore, just like his death wouldn´t count for the whole situation anymore.^^

[Shiebs]

I like how Big Mom's fist is as big as Kidd's head

[Kdom]

What do you think of the fact that Oda seems to want to pair each of the scabbard with someone ?
Personnaly i'm not really pleased with it, there is already so much going on, i really don't know how he can do a satisfying job either by reducing the other fights or to extend an already very long arc. For someone who wants to finish in 5 uear those are really strange decisions :-)

All these dillutions make I'm really invested in the roof battle so I'm happy it has the focus on but i'm a bit anxious for the other subplots

[Zar]

I'm hoping the scabbards will all go the Ashura route, with each one falling behind until only Kin'emon remains facing Kanjuro and Orochi. Ideally not everyone would get a 1vs1 or even a whole chapter dedicated to them, and those that do have those fights resolved quickly and with them being injured enough not to come back up again until the arc is over. I can see some fights also combining with others, like the prediction that Sanji will team up with Inu against Jack.

That said I can't see how they'll be solved in a manner that doesn't feel dragged out or rushed. The only fight I want to see is Kin'emons.