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@The Hidden Island

That was a quality recent video my dude. Definitely an eye opener. I along with several people here share the same/similar sentiment that Wano is heavily flawed. But I didn't know there was so much history from Japanese culture (unironically lol) incorporated throughout the History of Wano Country and the arc itself. It was definitely a shift in my paradigm to see how Japanese readers felt directly with characters/plot. I also didn't know Oden was thaat significant for Wano and Japanese readers given his core character beliefs. At the end of the day, I guess our frustrations (as ppl non native to Japan) is simply that we can't break that cultural barrier to better understand messages the arc & Oda is trying to convey.
Thanks for shedding some light and perspective on Wano. Much appreciated. :cheers:
 
"hitting the woman" was never necessary.
Remember that there was a panel that when she showed up crying and asking Sanji to not hurt her, we saw Sanji's expression changing to a more serious note? That was more than enough. A woman crying due to a desperate situation in the middle of a battle and Sanji says "fuck off" to her? More than enough. ZERO need for a "slap".
His decisions were based on a misunderstanding. I don't feel like his decisions have any real weight on them once we learn that he wasn't even losing himself in the first place. Could this be some double bait by Oda? Making us think he changed, then no change, to eventually make a change? Shitty ass baiting if that's the case.
At least make that "serious Sanji" panel actually mean something. It's a "Chekhov's gun for dummies" if I ever seen one.
There was a sequence of chapters with no Sanji update at all. Remember that? When he left Black Maria after Robin and Brook rescued him. He went to save the Scabbards. What happened? Nothing. He went for Momo instead. More chapters with no update. Turns out he going to Momo was useless as well because someone else was going there already. Now he had to go to the Live Floor and finally, FINALLY engage in battle against a Calamity, while Jinbe and Franky were fighting Whoswho and Sasaki for who knows how long already and the ENTIRE roofpiece had happened already.

Oda's maneuvering abilities this arc are abysmal, and that's me being "nice". I don't want "gates of justice 2.0". I want new and interesting things.
If Oda decided that this arc is all about recycling other events with slightly different developments, fuck him.
I'm gonna enjoy some pretty fighting panels and that's it. Because, if we really, REALLY go the "Luffy's fruit is not actually the Rubber Fruit" so push some BS mystical prophecy stacking, I'm not looking forward to it at all.
Fuck Kaido's flashback. Gonna waste months following another sad backstory to try create empathy for a shitty ass villain. Just keep drawing pretty fight panels with Gear5 or Awakening and that's it.
Bro, think about the lore reveals in Kaido flashback:finally:
 

Akai2

🆉🅾🆁🅾 🆃🅾🅾 🆂🆃🆁🅾🅽🅺!
@The Hidden Island

That was a quality recent video my dude. Definitely an eye opener. I along with several people here share the same/similar sentiment that Wano is heavily flawed. But I didn't know there was so much history from Japanese culture (unironically lol) incorporated throughout the History of Wano Country and the arc itself. It was definitely a shift in my paradigm to see how Japanese readers felt directly with characters/plot. I also didn't know Oden was thaat significant for Wano and Japanese readers given his core character beliefs. At the end of the day, I guess our frustrations (as ppl non native to Japan) is simply that we can't break that cultural barrier to better understand messages the arc & Oda is trying to convey.
Thanks for shedding some light and perspective on Wano. Much appreciated. :cheers:
Can u send the link?

I already wrote about how Oden's basically a symbol for old boomer Japanese values. And Oda is lowkey giving them the middle finger while trying to somewhat be respectful.
No, the title is not a wisecrack about how the flashback ran for 5 months:denzimote:


Initially, I wanted to write an analysis on the multiple themes that went into crafting Kozuki Oden’s character.

Coming of age in an isolationist shogunate, societal perception against reality, self-confidence, the hunger for freedom, the flow of time, inherited will, generational grudges, character design, tribalism, the relationship between a lord and his vassals, and much more.

However, I didn’t think many readers would care for an extensive breakdown.
So I thought that focusing on the least discussed aspect of Oden characterization would suffice.

That being how Oden (symbolizing isolationist Wano) stopped the flow of time (symbolized by Toki).​

  • Toki was about to escape pirates by time jumping, but Oden stopped her.
  • She was rather offended when he suggested she travels towards her destination 20 years into the future. She later preferred to die in the present.
Oden stopped the flow of time.

Let’s look at the result of having no friction with outside philosophies in isolationist Wano:

  • Top Wano Ninja are terrified of a “ghost”. Citizens offer food to said “Ghost”.
  • Citizens attack Kawamatsu and kill his mother because he’s from a different race.
  • They still offer humans as tributes to Kaido, their guardian deity.
  • Children indoctrinated by Orochi propaganda at “schools”.
  • Being ashamed to cry or show emotion because you’re the “son of a samurai”.
  • Murdering random Kurozumi because of inherited tribal grudges.
And the cycle continues.

Roger said: “As long as people search for freedom: man’s dreams, inherited will and the flow of time will never stop
He said The Pirate King is the freest man on the sea. Luffy said the same.

Luffy said: “I can't use a sword. I can't cook. I can't navigate. I can't even lie.”
He told Sanji he could never be the pirate king without him.
You can’t truly seek freedom in the One Piece world alone.

Being different from his compatriots, Oden tried to break the cycle of closed off Wano and its enslaved population.
His hunger for freedom from the “cramped” Wano gave him the dream to sail the seas and see the world.

However, he never had a chance to succeed. He sought freedom Wano’s way.
Wano doesn’t seek outsiders’ assistance. Wano shoulders the entire burden regardless of its situation.
Wano was born to Boil. Oden is Wano.



He’s the logical conclusion to Wano’s isolationist doctrine.
Someone from Wano could never open the borders of Wano.
Wano isn’t equipped to save itself. It was born to fail.

Even after learning of all of the world’s secrets, Oden still refused Roger’s help to Open Wano.
He’s a Wano man. His generation and environment breed naivety and gullibility.
Oden’s naivety was stupid. Oden was stupid. Just like Wano.

While some readers were befuddled by Oden’s decisions to still go along with Orochi’s offer, I could relate.
As someone who works with a lot of immigrants, many who came of age in more closed off societies have no awareness to being manipulated. I could tell you about helping out people that got taken advantage of in the most shockingly simplistic ways.

If you seek freedom alone in the One Piece world, you won’t pass on your will. Oden never willingly inspired his vassals.
He never even told them why he danced for 5 years, he never asked them to join him.
They all joined of their own accord. They accepted the mission of opening Wano’s borders without being asked.

He stopped the flow of time.

Nonetheless, he died smiling as he knew Joy Boy was to return, even if he never had the capacity to open Wano for him.

This time, to prepare for Joy Boy’s arrival, his vassals didn’t go at it alone. And this is why they’ll succeed.

Luffy summed it up perfectly “Who cares if I’m an outsider? I’ve heard all about Oden, when he was killed by Kaido 20 years ago this country stopped moving, Right!?


Even if I enjoyed Toki’s symbolic role, I’m still underwhelmed with other parts of her arc.
Nevertheless, I don’t want to make it more long winded that it already is.

Still, I’m very excited to see how this super saga concludes.
It’s really ambitious and unique how this 8-year long buildup has been established.
And it’s ultra-impressive how Oden’s story neatly threads all setup plotlines together.

The strawhats’ arc ceased being the narrative focus since Doflamingo’s “Justice” speech in Marineford.
The story structure completely changed since Punk Hazard building up to this showdown.

This war is the start of the endgame, where the giant world of One Piece will finally be realized.
Prepare Yourselves, Joy Boy Is Coming!

Was just talking about it in the chapter thread too.
  • This dialogue was very interesting
Kaido knows Wano samurai perception is a mere exaggerated legend. Just like Oden. The marines are afraid of the unknown. Oden was a closed off idiot. Solely carrying burdens he never had to. Just like Wano. He continued to live on as folklore of embellished tales. Wano citizens need to move on from trying to emulate Oden. Opening up Wano’s borders might be too on the nose, but it’s perfect symbolism for rejecting that boomer samurai ideology. Which is why Momo, Kaido and Yamato’s self-actualization arcs have been introduced in the first place. In the One Piece verse, trying to become someone will always fail. Yamato and Momo will never become “Oden”. And unlike Luffy, Kaido will never become Joy Boy.

 

Doggo

Welcome to the House of Hope
The Sanji portion is completely understandable. I thought the fake "slap" fulfilled its purpose. But I get why you thought it was sloppy.

The rest of your soliloquy is concerning me tho :josad:

Have you thought about taking a break from Wano, and coming back fresh? Because what you said about Luffy and Kaido is exactly what's about to happen :josad: I hate seeing friends not enjoying reading OP :josad:
Meh.
My hatred towards the arc flourishes when I try to see it from a bigger scope.
Following weekly chapters with my standards dropped actually allows me to enjoy these chapters somehow.
:P
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Bro, think about the lore reveals in Kaido flashback:finally:
I did.
No thanks.
Reveal them without Kaido's flashback please.
It's like Oden's.
I hate that flashback.
EXCEPT the part that was actually a Roger flashback more than Oden's.
:P
 
Meh.
My hatred towards the arc flourishes when I try to see it from a bigger scope.
Following weekly chapters with my standards dropped actually allows me to enjoy these chapters somehow.
:P
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I did.
No thanks.
Reveal them without Kaido's flashback please.
It's like Oden's.
I hate that flashback.
EXCEPT the part that was actually a Roger flashback more than Oden's.
:P
Oh...:beckmoji:
 
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