Ok, this does a better job of explaining the point than @L57's opening post. I still disagree that this diminishes the Straw Hats’ uniqueness and journey. The similarities introduced in the story fall more into the "paying homage to inherited will" category rather than "excessive/cringy" parallels.
I don’t think Roger and Luffy are all that similar beyond being fun-loving goofs. If you look deeper, Roger actually cared about the history of the Will of D, actively sought out the Poneglyphs, and even recruited Oden specifically to decipher them. He also had a strong desire for a successor to carry on the D’s mission. Luffy, on the other hand, doesn’t care about history, he leaves that entirely to Robin. He didn't saver her because she could read the poneglyphs. His pursuit of the One Piece isn’t about understanding history, it’s more about adventure and freedom. Their personality similarities are what Oda envisions as the essence of an adventure loving pirate, not necessarily a 1:1 copy or unique only to them. I could argue that characters like Kalgara and Noland were as similar to Roger as Luffy in many ways. Luffy’s also distinct in that he never set out with the intention of becoming a king/ruler, his definition of "King" isn't really the same as Roger's. Roger, while goofy, was more tactical and intelligent compared to Luffy.
Same with Rayleigh and Zoro. Zoro is more of a straightforward idiot with a simple ambition. And from what we’ve seen, Rayleigh was more intelligent and tactical. The eye scar and the "dark king" theme feel more like a tribute rather than an attempt to carbon copy the characters. Again, I don’t think Sanji’s story (Vinsmoke history, his bond with Zeff, or his journey with the Straw Hats) is diminished just because Oda paid homage by linking him to the third strongest of Roger’s crew. If anything, it elevates his role and makes me more excited for his development till EOS.
So yeah there are obviously parallels, as is a common shonen manga trope, but they aren’t excessive to the point of making the Straw Hats feel like a rehashed version of Roger’s crew imo. Also, look at their doctor (Chopper) compared to Crocus, or Franky who is literally a cyborg shipwright with crazy gimmicks lol. Brook is a skeleton musician, etc...
I think they are still unique enough to make their journey stand out, and a few tributes here and there don’t make their adventure any less their own.
Sorry for the novel but I like this topic because it's not a braindead "Woro vs Lanji" thread
I don’t think Roger and Luffy are all that similar beyond being fun-loving goofs. If you look deeper, Roger actually cared about the history of the Will of D, actively sought out the Poneglyphs, and even recruited Oden specifically to decipher them. He also had a strong desire for a successor to carry on the D’s mission. Luffy, on the other hand, doesn’t care about history, he leaves that entirely to Robin. He didn't saver her because she could read the poneglyphs. His pursuit of the One Piece isn’t about understanding history, it’s more about adventure and freedom. Their personality similarities are what Oda envisions as the essence of an adventure loving pirate, not necessarily a 1:1 copy or unique only to them. I could argue that characters like Kalgara and Noland were as similar to Roger as Luffy in many ways. Luffy’s also distinct in that he never set out with the intention of becoming a king/ruler, his definition of "King" isn't really the same as Roger's. Roger, while goofy, was more tactical and intelligent compared to Luffy.
Same with Rayleigh and Zoro. Zoro is more of a straightforward idiot with a simple ambition. And from what we’ve seen, Rayleigh was more intelligent and tactical. The eye scar and the "dark king" theme feel more like a tribute rather than an attempt to carbon copy the characters. Again, I don’t think Sanji’s story (Vinsmoke history, his bond with Zeff, or his journey with the Straw Hats) is diminished just because Oda paid homage by linking him to the third strongest of Roger’s crew. If anything, it elevates his role and makes me more excited for his development till EOS.
So yeah there are obviously parallels, as is a common shonen manga trope, but they aren’t excessive to the point of making the Straw Hats feel like a rehashed version of Roger’s crew imo. Also, look at their doctor (Chopper) compared to Crocus, or Franky who is literally a cyborg shipwright with crazy gimmicks lol. Brook is a skeleton musician, etc...
I think they are still unique enough to make their journey stand out, and a few tributes here and there don’t make their adventure any less their own.
Sorry for the novel but I like this topic because it's not a braindead "Woro vs Lanji" thread