Character Discussion How do you estimate the value of a character ?

For you, what matters more in a character ?


  • Total voters
    37
#1
For those who are very invested in the progression of a story, it's certainly more satisfying to see characters whose purpose is directly linked to the main plot.

Yamato is a good example.
She's familiar with important characters linked to the main plot (Oden, Kaido) and the MC (Ace, which makes her even more appealing for the main audience). She knows huge stuffs about the biggest mysteries of One Piece so there's a lot of expectations surrounding her.
But something bothers me with her character : she's only made to serve the plot. It's the plot who gives her subsistence, she can't exist by her own. It's like she's a mere plot tool that can be trashed away after she served her purpose.


Zoro is the complete opposite.
Besides being one of the very first main characters introduced in the series, he has practically no relevancy to the main plot :
- the story never focused on his natal village nor on important people of his past life in present time unlike the other Straw Hats. Even for Brook, we saw Laboon in present time interacting with the SH. He is a reminiscent of Brook's past life as a pirate and he inderectly played a role for Brook's development character while linking him emotionally to the SH. Zoro got none of that !
- the story never established a paternal figure for Zoro unlike the other SH (besides Brook and Jinbe who were already veteran pirates) who got Shanks (pirate), Bellemere (marine), Yassop (pirate), Zeff (cook and ex-pirate), Hiluluk (doctor), Saul (ex-marine and Will of D.) and Tom (carpenter). It makes Zoro even more isolated from the main story since he didn't get inspired by relevant people in the One Piece verse.
- the story never really highlight his dream to become the WSS as it should. There is no one else who share the same ambition than him, and since all his character turns around it, he becomes even more worthless story-wise.

However, despite not being story centered, Zoro is nevertheless the second most likeable character in the entire series. And I think it's precisely because he's not story centered.
His judgement, decisions and actions are genuine. They're made from his own experience of life that he choose by himself without being forced by anything nor anyone (unlike 95% of One Piece characters in their backstories) with the intent to accomplish the objectives he set for himself.
It's as if he was a real person ! And that's why there is so many people who can feel attached to him.


That was my hindsight on this matter but I want to know yours with examples.
 
#5
You're right I should have said first but I wanted to restrain my staning just a bit. Well I hope you will forgive me :blush:
Just this once lol.

Your argument for Zoro being just some dude who happened to have the will to achieve greatness on his own two shoulders is why I was resistant to the inevitable Shimotuski connection he’s obviously set to have, but I’ve come to accept it and just roll with it.
 
#12
Probably purpose imo. If Luffy doesn't want to become the PK then One Piece wouldn't be exist.
A great character always does both.

While Zoro isn’t integral to the story by his background, he is integral as a character. Same for the other SH’s who all have been given their own plot purposes even if they are side plots.

A great character serves a plot purpose and is authentic.
 
#15
Honestly, I wouldn't turn to OP if I'm looking for top-tier fights. Me and most people are here for the lore, at least imo.
No, no one came here for the lore. You could stick by the lore since the fights became bullshit garbage. One Piece peak was Enies Lobby/Marineford with the best fights/hypes for fights we ever had. People are dropping One Piece since timeskip hype have gone and the "lore" is taking place.
Post automatically merged:

Sure but there is a lot of things involved when someone fights or dedicates his life to fight.
But anyway it's not really the subject here. I just wanted to talk about our preferences character-wise.
Yamato and Zoro are just examples.
That is arc made up, not full character development made up for that fight.
 
#16
No, no one came here for the lore. You could stick by the lore since the fights became bullshit garbage. One Piece peak was Enies Lobby/Marineford with the best fights/hypes for fights we ever had. People are dropping One Piece since timeskip hype have gone and the "lore" is taking place.
I strongly disagree. If good fights were what made a series the best selling manga in the world then One Piece would not even be in the Top 5. OP fights have never really been that amazing.
  • Enies Lobby fights were full of ass-pulls and the only thing holding it together was emotional value.
  • Marineford is considered this legendary because it was the culmination of all the world-building that had been done till that point in time. Shichubukai, Admirals and the great yonko WB came together after only been talked about for so long. The war itself was a big factor, yes, but its anticipation and hype because of all the characters who were participating in it was an even much bigger one.
Do a poll and I can bet my avi that most people have always only been there for the lore/world-building and not fights. Every OP fan I know irl too finds it as the main attraction of OP. It has always been known to have one of the best world-building and lore, not fights.
 
#17
Zoro does have his own personal story. Each straw hat has their own story, with Luffy's obviously being the main one, but Zoro's story is to become the worlds strongest swordsman so its a little disingenuous to say he has no relevance to the plot, when his story is a big focus of the plot.

Yamato's problem is she came out of nowhere. Literally.
Agree on the first paragraph. With Yamato, Oda could have done himself a favor with just a simple line of foreshadowing before Onigashima but it does make sense we didn’t meet her until during the raid since she couldn’t leave the island.
 
#18
I strongly disagree. If good fights were what made a series the best selling manga in the world then One Piece would not even be in the Top 5. OP fights have never really been that amazing.
  • Enies Lobby fights were full of ass-pulls and the only thing holding it together was emotional value.
  • Marineford is considered this legendary because it was the culmination of all the world-building that had been done till that point in time. Shichubukai, Admirals and the great yonko WB came together after only been talked about for so long. The war itself was a big factor, yes, but its anticipation and hype because of all the characters who were participating in it was an even much bigger one.
Do a poll and I can bet my avi that most people have always only been there for the lore/world-building and not fights. Every OP fan I know irl too finds it as the main attraction of OP. It has always been known to have one of the best world-building and lore, not fights.
Explain currently downhill of OP sales then... Fights are the worst and lore taking many panels.
 
#20
A character that is introduced at the start of the story doesn't need any kind of background: he is the background of the story.
On the opposite hand, a character introduced way later, 1000 chapters after the start, with not a single hint of his existence pre his introduction, can have all the important bonds, can have all the important skills and knowledge, he will still look like he came out of nowhere.
 
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