Who will be the next Strawhat


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Ignored, here's why


Yup. This was before she was trapped on Onigashima. That's why it would be a new territory for her (even tho she was there when she was 8)


This was the same day. She seems to have followed the scabbards and discovered the journal while the castle was burning (note that we still don't know who saved the journal btw)

Unsure. In fact, we can assume that Yamato went on wano with Kaido and went back with him on Onigashima to never ever return

So the laps time between her seeing Oden die and being locked up.. was probably less than a few days.



I'm reading





Indeed



I agree with that too




And that's where we disagree.

Carrot's "vibe" (we are gonna call that way everything you mentionned) indeed had the feeling of a recurring character. But that's not all it had. It had also the feeling of an important character AND a strawhat potential. I talk about this in this article on my blog.

The way Carrot is portrayed during her introduction is in fact very similar to the way the strawhats are introduced. In fact on that front. Yamato and Carrot are pretty much equal. They both have a "strawhat vibe" introduction.

For those reason:

- Their introduction is "cinematically" written. What I mean by that is that their is more to the introduction that just "here is a new character". The way the character is drawn and act is very well.. "cinematic"
- The introduction is "antagonistic". Each strawhat have somekind of an antagonistic feeling to their introduction once their encounter one of the member. It can be done because of the preparation the character had or the way they interact with the strawhats.
- The introduction puts the focus on the specific character. In other word, when the focus was on other cahracter or if multiple characters are introduced.. the strawhat character will grab all the attention for a long laps of time.
- The introduction of a strawhat character often describe the characters personnality traits and characteristic.

You can check. each strawhat's introduction have that feeling of "wow.. this one is different". And Carrot don't escape that rule.. but their is a reason why Carrot's introduction MIGHT feel less impactfull than Yamato for Yamato fans. It's simple:

When Yamato's introduction was concentrated in one single place. Carrot's introduction (just like the one of Robin in fact) got split in TWO.

The first part came on chapter 804 and was push all the way to chapter 805 (when Carrot jumps) and the second one was displayed on chapter 823 (when Carrot sneaks on the ship). Each part have a specific role and each one are exclusively focusing on Carrot: The first part is there to describe Carrot's future role. This is when her lookout abilities are depicted but this is also the part where a warrior side is shown. This is the "fierce Carrot".. the second one in the opposite of that. It described the cheerful Carrot, it describes her entire personnality, her desire and her character.

I want you to understand that those two parts are in fact one big introduction. Oda knew Carrot's personnality from the start, but he choosed to wait until later to reveal her in all her "glory". The reason for that split.. on a narrative side might be simple: It's a way for Oda to split Carrot's characterisation in two in order to create an echo for her future transformation. Minks are full of duality and Carrot is the representation of that. So Oda had to split that into two parts in order to make a point. "Carrot is a warrior.. but she is also the most cheerful character there is".. and both sides combined ...

.. creates a strawhat introduction.

That's why Carrot and Yamato are on the same level on that specific front.




Yes.. but that's the thing. Yamato's development is NOW. It won't be later, it's now or never. And she is developped quite well.. as a arc character. She as the same attribute as an arc character.. but she lacks the most important development: a strawhat development:

- Being shown fighting with the crew
- Luffy's shown fighting FOR her
- Understanding the true importance of Luffy (not just as the leader of the future generation) but as a CAPTAIN.
etc..

While Carrot.. on the other side has some of that.. but lacks the pure development. The thing is.. Carrot's time has not passed yet.. she still has room for a strong development in another arc.. when Yamato does not. For Yamato.. if those things are not shown rapidely.. it will be too late, it can't be done in another arc.. it would only feel like a repetition of Wano.

Yamato needs to be developped as a strawhat now.

Now.. I'm not saying it's impossible.. but the story is not leading that character toward that pass. But to another.



But yes.. it was. Not all the strawhats of course.. Sanji, Brook, Nami and Luffy had more important storylines.. but Carrot was more treated with more importance like for example.. Chopper.

And you can see that with the way Oda developped her during that arc to create a climax for her cahracter on chapter 888. I can't stretch enough how important it is for Oda to have focused almost an ENTIRE chapter (entire if you count 889) to Carrot as a character..

You really need to understand how important the notion of Shining Nakama Action (to really understand that) is for the strawhats. It's a narrative deal breaker. It's not something invented. It's a shonen tool that Oda has used with all the strawhats.

In fact you can compare the moment of Carrot and Jinbe and you will see that they are very similar in term of impact and narration. More! Carrot's moment is even more larger and impactfull that Jinbe's moment.

Again.. I know you guys don't trust me.. but the Shining Nakama action is real and - by it self - it proves that Carrot's treatment granted subtile, is on a complete other level that regular character or Arc character.

And that's why Carrot's case is so strange. That type of narration and all the lore and treatment Carrot received can only be narratively explained if Carrot is a latent character for a future strawhat recruitment.

--

Now.. notes that this doesn't negate in anyway Yamato's chances, in fact yamato could get the same treatment in the future.. it's still possible.. but the fact is.. right now.. She didn't.

Yamato indeed had a strong development and a priviledge position as Ace's friend which could easily make everyone think she is close to the strawhat flag.. but her actual strawhat treatment.. the precise occurence of her desires, her interactions with the crew.. are not on par with what is expected of a future strawhat.

I understand the overwhelming hype around her character and that her close relationship to the theme surrounding joyboy makes her look like the best candidate.. but Oda NEVER plays this obvious game.

The reason I can see that, is not because I'm a Carrot fan, it's because i've analysised Carrot's journey for years to try to understand the profound narrative reasons for the odd choices Oda made.

--

On one hand.. Yamato's personnality is more the one of a fan and observer rather than a Nakama or someone who would put her life for Luffy on the line. On the other.. You may not feel that Carrot "fits" the strawhat. but in the facts. She does. And Oda has been adamant on this multiple times by showing Carrot interact with them, fighting with them, helping them, laughing with them.

In fact you can check in the story. It's very rare for a character with a development like Carrot to have that kind of bond with the strawhat.. More!The relationship between Chopper and Carrot is unique in the serie. All the character who had interactions with the strawhat had one gag, sometimes repeated or one similar interaction.. Most of them were just background character character but almost NONE had such a relationship with them. Carrot was entire with the strawhat, with them, she passed through every emotions and the strawhat respounded to that by passing through every emotion as well, to quote a few shared emotions between Carrot and the strawhat:

- The death of Pedro (Despair)
- The discovering of Whole cake (Joy)
- The sweats (Bliss)
- Seeing Luffy died with the poison (The Goofy scare)
- The meal (Disgust)
- Pedro is dead (The grief)
- Sanji is coming back (The relief)
- "We are putting down Big Mom" during the banquet (determination)
- The plan failed (Surprise)
- We are taking the mirror world back (Teamwork determination)
- We must keep moving forward (Acceptation and resolve)
- Is Luffy ok? (Worries)
- Tell him thank you (Acceptation and sadness)

And many more..

I want you guys to understand one thing. A character sharing that much emotions with the strawhat.. is unprecedented.

The reason why that precise factor is passing under your radars is because.. yeah.. it's logical in a story to share those emotions with the characters..

But no.. no no no no no no no... no no no.

In One Piece, it's not "normal". In One Piece, sides character and even arc characters DON'T share that many emotions with the strawhat. Mostly they share one.. two or even three.. (Shiraoshi's desire / Rebecca's nostalgia / Wiper's determination /) . In fact only arc characters like Momo or Vivi or Yamato or Kinemon or Kyros have a BIT of shared feellings like that.. but that many and for a background character on top of that..

It's UNIQUE.
All I am about to say is that Yamato's Dream is to be free like Oden and go on adventures like him and was waiting on Luffy so if you think that Yamato is about to give up on her dream in a show where dreams always come true no matter what depends on the characters idk what to say to your delusional and keep on pushing carrot for Nakama where episode 1015 say something different but I guess you were blind during the episode that why u think Yamato is going to stay in wano.
Good luck trying to prove something for carrot to make her join the crew cause you carrot fans are desperate that's why you cling on being friends with the crew and the So-called made up “WILL” that y'all use to bring something for carrot as a character who needs a good development(Since WCI) 😩
 
guys guys guys... come on you forget about the one and only:


CARIBOU

He appears multiple times already, and fact that he has a powerful crew under himself might bring Strawhats even stronger members of the grand fleet where he would be a part of the crew and his brother will lead the hair of the fleet :finally:
Caribou's chances is just as good as Carrot's... If one of them joins, the other joins as well... Both won't join...
 
Unsure. In fact, we can assume that Yamato went on wano with Kaido and went back with him on Onigashima to never ever return

So the laps time between her seeing Oden die and being locked up.. was probably less than a few days
Oden returned from his journey with Roger and was in wano before he was executed for 4 years and was dancing during that time. Roger was executed 24 years ago Oden 20 years. 4 years time difference and during that Kaido was staying in the capital with orochi and Yamato was not a prisoner.
but their is a reason why Carrot's introduction MIGHT feel less impactfull than Yamato for Yamato fans. It's simple:
the importance of an introduction also depends on the situation. I argue that the most impactful one was Jimbes, for the reason that Aces life was in question and the escape from impeldown. The introductions of Zoro, nami, usopp, Sanji in east blue didn’t feel that exiting compared to later on.
But I(for myself) don’t feel like Carrot had that kind of Introduction. I read your post and some of the articles in your blog. Not all yet.
and I’m trying to understand your logic. But honestly, not trying to sound rude, it seems to me much more of somebody fighting for their favorite character. And I can understand that, as I do myself. But when facts are facts I accept them.
I’m gonna take and example. As characters for me it always was Sanji>zoro.
I like Sanji way more than zoro(although I like all strawhats). But it makes no sense to argue with Zoro fans of who is stronger, or who is portrayed in a better light. It’s clear that Zoro is stronger, that he is always portrayed like next to Luffy, that he is offior unofficial the Vice Captain.
The same applies here, I tried but I still don’t see Carrot the way you do. And please don’t ask me to trust you. I only trust concrete evidence and my instincts.
yamato on the other hand gave me strawhat vibes straight away and as said before I trust my instinct, as it has never disappointed me.
One more question. Can you please explain why Carrot is being ignored in Wano. But please don’t come up with the response “it’s not her time”
If she is a future SH than it is always her time like it is with the rest of them. It never happened that a strawhat was ignored during and arc where they were present on the island. Excluding Usopp on enis lobby, but we had sogeking in his stead so that’s fine.
 
All I am about to say is that Yamato's Dream is to be free like Oden and go on adventures like him and was waiting on Luffy so if you think that Yamato is about to give up on her dream in a show where dreams always come true no matter what depends on the characters idk what to say to your delusional and keep on pushing carrot for Nakama where episode 1015 say something different but I guess you were blind during the episode that why u think Yamato is going to stay in wano.
Good luck trying to prove something for carrot to make her join the crew cause you carrot fans are desperate that's why you cling on being friends with the crew and the So-called made up “WILL” that y'all use to bring something for carrot as a character who needs a good development(Since WCI) 😩
Ignored, here's why


the importance of an introduction also depends on the situation. I argue that the most impactful one was Jimbes, for the reason that Aces life was in question and the escape from impeldown.
Well that is a bit subjective.


it seems to me much more of somebody fighting for their favorite character.
I understand that it might feel like it. After all the theory is called "CarrotForNakama" not "YamatoForNakama" so I'm bound to fall into a bit of confirmation bias. That's why I'm really trying to direct my argumentation on three axes:

- Trying to find the most objectives common parameters between the strawhats
- Analysing the story of Carrot under a strict storytelling lens (with the usage of concepts like "Subversions/Planting/character Inertia" etc.
- And giving the best analysis I can on the character, the odd choices surrounding it and it's potential. (this is what I'm doing here mostly, it has yet to be written on my blog)

The thing is.. There is a lot to talk about concerning Carrot.. and the fact that most of that stuff is in the subtext doesn't help me in making the whole thing believable. So I will add one article in defavor of Carrot before the end, just to show that even if there are good indications, everything here stays a theory and can be proven untrue.

My goal is just to be as close as the choices of Oda as possible. Like I said, Carrot is not even my favourite character, it can become one (of them) but it's a work in progress.. the moment I see a mere glimps of Yamato having what I'm waiting for her.. I will root for her the same way I root for Carrot.

If you really pay attention to what I'm saying with a storytelling lens, the whole thing will start to make more sence. Start with those article first, they are the most neutral ones and are mostly focusing on explaining storytelling concepts that can be important to analyse One Piece:

Here, here and here (I'm proud of that last one, this was a very difficult thing to conceptualize as there was almost no viable ressource on the subject).

I like Sanji way more than zoro(although I like all strawhats). But it makes no sense to argue with Zoro fans of who is stronger, or who is portrayed in a better light. It’s clear that Zoro is stronger, that he is always portrayed like next to Luffy, that he is offior unofficial the Vice Captain.
That's the thing.. in storytelling, there is a way to quantify this without falling into the trap of "That guy's development is the best"

In art there is no "best" or "worst" it's subjective.. But what is not subjective. is the technique. In the case of Sanji VS Zoro (for example) there is a huge difference in term of treatment. One character has a lot more develpment than the other. It doesn't mean that the portrayal is the best.. it just means that Oda is using different tools with the character. The love for Zoro comes primarly from two things:

- His strong values as a warrior
- His strong actions

For sanji on the other hand it's different:

- The strong development
- And the feats.

In a way.. there is a lot more work put into Sanji, but that doesn't mean that Zoro is a bad character, they are just treated very differentely. Oda don't need all that work with Zoro, his actions speak for himself.

It's very similar to our dillema. On paper, Yamato looks like she has a lot more development than Carrot, because Oda is using strong actions, strong words, strong mindsets, and strong relationships.. but in practice it's not that simple. All the work Oda is putting on Carrot lies in the subtext. In the little actions, in the subtle interactions and treatment. Oda made us believe that Carrot was a normal background character.. but when we look closer.. there are glitches:

- Normal background characters don't have that much interactions with the crew, only arc characters have that and with Luffy mostly
- Normal background character don't have such a range of emotion. In One Piece, it's reserved to important characters like Momo, Vivi, or Yamato
- A normal background character should not get to experience such a dramatic journey and development
- A normal background character should not have access to that kind of chapters treatment and focus(I'm talking about chapter 888/889)
- A normal background character should not have a focused introduction, let alone TWO
Etc.. Etc..

I knew already in 2015 that Oda was very structured and maniac concerning the roles of his characters.. because that's how I want to write in the first place! So.. Those glitches are the things that made me say in 2015and 2016.. "wait.. that treatment is abdnormal, I must look into this!". I became a real defender of this theory and a Carrot "enthousiast" (I'm not really a fan) on december 2017, chapter 888. That treatment was not only abnormal.. it's was completely unique for a background character.

The most important thing to understand concerning Carrot is not something I wrote on my blog yet: Carrot's treatment is not narratively logical.

In fact, if we discover that Carrot don't get on the ship at the end of Wano, the next most logical way to explain her treatment would be to say that Oda created Carrot for a personnal purpose or on a personnal whim (maybe for one of his daughter), he then choosed to give that character the spotlight because of that same reason and decided very late between Whole Cake and Wano that it was going too far and retconed himself on that character.

Then again.. there is also the problem of the lookout post. Oda choosed to focus a little too much on that post to be just a fluck. So there needs to be an explanation also to why he did that. The most convoluted answer would be that he was preparing the post to be taken by someone else down the line.. but then, why giving a entire backstory and a torch passage between Carrot and Pedro.. it make no sence...

Really... the best and simplest answer to all of that is this one:

As a writer Oda had two goals concerning the last strawhat (I can say that because it would also be my primary concerns as a writer):

- Making the character feels natural despite the late place in the story
- Creating a good revelation with the character joining the crew

So.. he decided to build the next Nakama very early. That way, he would have time to build the character slowly until wano arrives thus covering the first point.. then make it subtle enough to create the premiss for a good "revelation" down the line.. thus covering the second point..

For that, all he had to do, was to developp the character enough in the Totland arc to be relevant and natural enough, and completely shut them down during Wano.. To end on one of his creation (yamato) luring the readers away from even thinking about the character.

So what would be the result, if Carrot do end up sneaking up on the Sunny at the end of the arc?

- Carrot joining would feel pretty logical and her interactions with the crew perfectly natural
- Oda wouldn't need to reintroduce the character so he would have full freedom to developp her in the next arc
- The "revelation" would be a ground breaking surprise for the fanbase (you just have to look how much this theory is laughed at here)

And like that, Oda would be creating the best possible revelation for a future strawhat.

It's still a theory.. but as I said.. i'm just trying to stay as close as possible of the probable and reality. Carrot being the next Nakama might feel counter intuitive, but it's the best explanation to understand why Oda made so odd choices with her in the first place and why he is still not giving Yamato all the needed parameter to becoming a full future strawhat.

And please don’t ask me to trust you.
I won't, just trust the story.


yamato on the other hand gave me strawhat vibes straight away and as said before I trust my instinct, as it has never disappointed me.
Did your instinct told you that Raizo was safe with the minks ? That Laboon was related to Brook ? That the carpenters of Water Seven were traitors ? That Ace was Roger's son ?

Still.. everything was in the story.. the only thing missing was the connection. That's what I'm making with Carrot. It's counter intuitive to most fans (even for some Carrot fans) but that's the best explanation for what Oda gave us... At least.. if I trust my own knowledge and my instinct...


One more question. Can you please explain why Carrot is being ignored in Wano. But please don’t come up with the response “it’s not her time”
To create the best revelation possible. Invisibilizing Carrot on Wano doesn't have any effect on the character, Oda already created bonds, he created her personnalities, her story, her desire.. so IF his one concern was to make a good revelation, putting Carrot under the radar for the entierity of Wano was the best move.

If that's not what he planned, it would most likely be because he stopped himself from pursuing that whim between Whole Cake and the beginning of Wano but it would leave more questions.. than answers..

It never happened that a strawhat was ignored during and arc where they were present on the island
Carrot is not completely ignored.. she was just put under the radars.. very deep in the storylines.. making her "arc" a very short one. Oda never ignores his characters.

Robin was also put under the radar in Alabasta while being still relevant, Carrot was just burried a lot deeper during Wano but her story is still relevant.
 
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- Carrot joining would feel pretty logical and her interactions with the crew perfectly natural
It's not... Because she's irrelevant, it will feel very much forced... ZERO buildup... ZERO reasons... ZERO logic...

So what would be the result, if Carrot do end up sneaking up on the Sunny at the end of the arc?
Then Caribou will be there as well, sneaking...

Did your instinct told you that Raizo was safe with the minks ? That Laboon was related to Brook ? That the carpenters of Water Seven were traitors ? That Ace was Roger's son ?
My instinct tells me that Raizo will join the crew...
 
It's not... Because she's irrelevant, it will feel very much forced... ZERO buildup... ZERO reasons... ZERO logic...



Then Caribou will be there as well, sneaking...



My instinct tells me that Raizo will join the crew...
Seriously idk why he's trying to prove something that isn't there in the story 😭 like Episode 1015 literally shows him who will join the crew 😂 but he's trying to make up stuff that wasn't hinted 😩.
 
It is Raizo who will join because he has yet to ride the Sunny since Zou...
well at this point kin'emon is with the strawhat since Punk Hazard. It would make more sense than Raizo
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Anyway it was explicited said by Nekomamushi that Luffy's crew is a mirror of Roger crew, so...
Luffy- Roger
Zoro- Railegh (they have the same scar too lol)
Sanji- scopper gaban
Jinbei- Sunbell
Yamato- Oden
Seagull- Franky
Crocus-chopper
Nekomamushi- Carrot
Inurashi- ???
Shanks- Momo
Buggy- Tama
???- Nami (I believe nami's father was a member of Roger crew, probably Spencer, but I'm not sure of it)
Toki - Robin (they are similiar)
Jacksonbanner - Brook
 
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well at this point kin'emon is with the strawhat since Punk Hazard. It would make more sense than Raizo
Post automatically merged:

Anyway it was explicited said by Nekomamushi that Luffy's crew is a mirror of Roger crew, so...
Luffy- Roger
Zoro- Railegh (they have the same scar too lol)
Sanji- scopper gaban
Jinbei- Sunbell
Yamato- Oden
Seagull- Franky
Crocus-chopper
Nekomamushi- Carrot
Inurashi- ???
Shanks- Momo
Buggy- Tama
???- Nami (I believe nami's father was a member of Roger crew, probably Spencer, but I'm not sure of it)
Toki - Robin (they are similiar)
Jacksonbanner - Brook
When did Neko say that?
 
Well that is a bit subjective.
My fault. I didn’t explain properly what I meant. I meant am Introduction can seem more important or come over more important to the reader based on the situation.

For sanji on the other hand it's different:

- The strong development
- And the feats.
Agree, the reasons I like him more.

fact, if we discover that Carrot don't get on the ship at the end of Wano, the next most logical way to explain her treatment would be to say that Oda created Carrot for a personnal purpose or on a personnal whim (maybe for one of his daughter), he then choosed to give that character the spotlight because of that same reason and decided very late between Whole Cake and Wano that it was going too far and retconed himself on that character.
We do know that Oda has changed his mind about characters though.
as mentioned earlier Vivi.
Kid-was supposed to be the only important supernova
Law- became way more important then initially intend by oda
Other supernova were supposed to die or fail in the New world


Did your instinct told you that Raizo was safe with the minks ? That Laboon was related to Brook ? That the carpenters of Water Seven were traitors ? That Ace was Roger's son ?
That Raizo was safe. Yes
Brook related to laboon. Nothing in the story that suggested it until it was revealed. Lucci, Kalifa and Blueno, had a bad feeling about it. Kaku? No!
Ace being rogers son was something that got, again, changed later and wasn’t planned. Therefore there were no clues.

instinct doesn’t let you know or guess everything, it only helps once you have a few clues that you can connect but do not have proper evidence yet.

Robin was also put under the radar in Alabasta while being still relevant, Carrot was just burried a lot deeper during Wano but her story is still relevant
The difference is that robin was not part of the strawhats, actually she was the enemy. She joined later. Carrot has already traveled with the Strawhats.

And there is one more thing that is important. The drinks they shared with Jinbe and Carrot was not present. Why is it important? Oda would never leave a future Nakama out of it and it can’t be that he forgot. I’m gonna take for example franky here. When he fought alongside the SH against the CP9 I already new he was gonna join. As they were looking for a Carpentier anyway. But when he was placed alongside the SH on going merrys funeral it was 100% confirmed.

My only guess is that Carrot was supposed to join but oda changed it for a character that is more suitable.
 
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