Yeah that didnt help. I loved watching Sanji beat down Absalom due to his scumminess and how awesome and badass Sanji was that arc, Sanji going "Sanji Saiyan/Super Saiyan" and being a precursor to Diable Jambe and Hells Memories even was HILARIOUS AND BADASS, but Oda went TOO far with his perversion wit h Absalom towards Nami, even way before he flanderised Sanji in that regard. Absalom, Van Der Decken, Devon and Vasco are the worst in the series for that AFAIK, theres probs others too.
I really liked Moria too, hes one of my favourite characters by far, but a LOT of people hate him and Perona too, I mean I can understand why with Perona as she can be annoying to a lot of people ofc AND Hogback is much more annoying than I remembered too, plus he was another extreme pervert, oh god....now I remember...ERGH!
Yeah Thriller Bark sucked ass for villains, I kinda feel like Mihawk should have appeared then instead with the gothic themes and was the one to contact Moriah instead of Kuma. You could establish a relationship of Perona and Mihawk there too, to build up to Perona appearing with Mihawk later for the timeskip, but that would also involve Kuma showing up anyway and teleporting her away, so maybe not then idk lol..
Kuma hard carried that arc, with one of the best moments in the series by far thanks to him and Zoro. Oars was pretty great though, very funny and gave us one of the best, most badass, funniest and epic fights ever with almost ALL the SHs teaming up against him and we've never had anything like that again. not even at Onigashima of ALL places, SIGH!
Brooks writing that arc was MAGNIFICENT too, him breaking down and crying, saying death isnt an apology, the Laboon reveal and twist, Brooks decades of regret with him and being terrified Laboon wont recognise him now, especially without his afro if he loses it, Thriller Bark is extremely underrated in that regard and it makes em extremely angry when people slander and attack it, without understanding, knowing, remembering or caring for the best parts of it especially.
Thriller Bark also setup Big Moms and Kaidos arcs heavily, despite people insisiting for over a decade that it was irrelevant, Lola is not related to Big Mom, Wano won't get an arc, Kaido will be lame/irrelevant/fodder etc LMFAO! The things I saw and were said to me many years ago before I joined this forum a few years ago, dear god...