General & Others Is there any better manga than One Piece?
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So being a writer is the only way to level any genuine criticism at a legible work?? If so, as a published writer, I think that’s a completely asinine take. Art is so subjective that anyone can form an opinion without being a creator, because the message you take from something is a matter of personal perception. You don’t need to study something for years just to form a feeling about it.
OT: Many mangas are better written or have more intriguing stories than OP (Berserk and Rurouni Kenshin immediately come to my mind), but the staying power of this series raises its reputation by a lot. Oda’s not a master of his craft, but he’s good enough to keep this shit going regardless of all logic, so that counts for something.
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OT: Many mangas are better written or have more intriguing stories than OP (Berserk and Rurouni Kenshin immediately come to my mind), but the staying power of this series raises its reputation by a lot. Oda’s not a master of his craft, but he’s good enough to keep this shit going regardless of all logic, so that counts for something.
Hmmm... the only two series I enjoyed MORE than One Piece are Gintama and Hajime no Ippo
Note: I may consider few other series better written than One Piece, but I still enjoy One Piece more... cause "better written" doesn't mean more enjoyment..
Those series can be things like:
- Vagabond
- Vinland Saga
- Monster
- Rainbow
- Steins Gate
Maybe some others I don't recall
Point is I care more for enjoyment than being better written... I'm not a journalist who's job is to criticize, I only care about having a good time
Note: I'm talking about a series in general, not specifically as a Manga, cause I'm the type that watches Anime over manga if Anime is good and available
Note: I may consider few other series better written than One Piece, but I still enjoy One Piece more... cause "better written" doesn't mean more enjoyment..
Those series can be things like:
- Vagabond
- Vinland Saga
- Monster
- Rainbow
- Steins Gate
Maybe some others I don't recall
Point is I care more for enjoyment than being better written... I'm not a journalist who's job is to criticize, I only care about having a good time
Note: I'm talking about a series in general, not specifically as a Manga, cause I'm the type that watches Anime over manga if Anime is good and available
One thing I like about boku no hero above One piece is that Izuku isn't nearly as much of a chosen one as Luffy.
While Izuku undoubtedly is a chosen one and will be the strongest hero by the end of the series, Its not to the same level as post-skip Luffy.
Oda has made it to where Luffy has no real rivals apart from the admirals and the yonko. His longtime rival from pre-skip, smoker, was reintroduced just to be fodderized twice in punk hazard. And despite the portrayal Eustass Kidd has, Oda hasn't done nearly enough for him to keep him on Luffy's level.
Even Roger had Whitbeard but Luffy has no such Whitebeard counterpart.
For deku on the otherhand, while he is the user of one for all, he continuously has to prove his worth as the successor as even though he is the successor, several characters are stronger than him. There was mirio, who would have been the perfect successor. Then you even have characters within his own class such as bakugo and Todoroki, who are on par with if not stronger than him.
Even if we talk about EoS, I think bakugo and todoroki could still keep up. While there will undoubtedly be a gap between them and izuku, it will be nowhere as wide as the gap between all might and endeavor. Both Bakugo and todoroki showed final moves which rivaled one for all 100% in terms of power.
then you have shigaraki, who started off as a minor villain and grew to be the worst villain in the entire series. I guess what it is is that Izuku's rivals are relatable to izuku and grow along with him, whereas Luffy's rivals are these middle aged men who are the top tiers of his world.
While Izuku undoubtedly is a chosen one and will be the strongest hero by the end of the series, Its not to the same level as post-skip Luffy.
Oda has made it to where Luffy has no real rivals apart from the admirals and the yonko. His longtime rival from pre-skip, smoker, was reintroduced just to be fodderized twice in punk hazard. And despite the portrayal Eustass Kidd has, Oda hasn't done nearly enough for him to keep him on Luffy's level.
Even Roger had Whitbeard but Luffy has no such Whitebeard counterpart.
For deku on the otherhand, while he is the user of one for all, he continuously has to prove his worth as the successor as even though he is the successor, several characters are stronger than him. There was mirio, who would have been the perfect successor. Then you even have characters within his own class such as bakugo and Todoroki, who are on par with if not stronger than him.
Even if we talk about EoS, I think bakugo and todoroki could still keep up. While there will undoubtedly be a gap between them and izuku, it will be nowhere as wide as the gap between all might and endeavor. Both Bakugo and todoroki showed final moves which rivaled one for all 100% in terms of power.
then you have shigaraki, who started off as a minor villain and grew to be the worst villain in the entire series. I guess what it is is that Izuku's rivals are relatable to izuku and grow along with him, whereas Luffy's rivals are these middle aged men who are the top tiers of his world.
This is facts ^^
Personally, as much as I dislike current OP, Oda managed to do such a good job in immersing readers into the journey of the series that it really becomes something that's connected with you. The length of the series no doubt helps towards creating this effect. It's also why so many people get ridiculously defensive when OP is criticised because it can feel like a personal attack.
Overall, after everything's said and done OP will still most likely be one of my favourite series even with how things are declining, and despite there being series that do a lot of other things significantly better.
Personally, as much as I dislike current OP, Oda managed to do such a good job in immersing readers into the journey of the series that it really becomes something that's connected with you. The length of the series no doubt helps towards creating this effect. It's also why so many people get ridiculously defensive when OP is criticised because it can feel like a personal attack.
Overall, after everything's said and done OP will still most likely be one of my favourite series even with how things are declining, and despite there being series that do a lot of other things significantly better.
You also hit the nail on the head, man...think the reason a lot of us are less interested in OP (or at least more critical of it) than we may have been in the past is that we’ve literally grown up with it over the years. I was 13 when I started reading it, and I’m almost 30 now, so my tastes/preferences/expectations are all wildly different than when I first fell in love with this series. It used to be goofy AND dramatic in equal measure, but now it seems like the former has increased at the expense of the latter, and while the kid in me appreciates that kind of thing, the adult part of my brain is getting a little tired of it.
For me it was really just the fact that it has become all about Luffy, pacing being very questionable since the timeskip and that we're so deep into the story and there are still hardly any consequences.
Those Pound/Pell/Pagaya etc. situations happen time and time again and at least for me it kills any feeling of danger or high stakes. I need that thrill of characters possibly being in mortal danger in the kind of story that OP is.
Final nail in the coffin was when I finished reading HxH and Berserk recently. I don't know, maybe it is because I've also grown up over the years, but I just like those stories and the writing style more.
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy reading OP and it's still a good manga, but I'm not really emotionally invested in it anymore.
Those Pound/Pell/Pagaya etc. situations happen time and time again and at least for me it kills any feeling of danger or high stakes. I need that thrill of characters possibly being in mortal danger in the kind of story that OP is.
Final nail in the coffin was when I finished reading HxH and Berserk recently. I don't know, maybe it is because I've also grown up over the years, but I just like those stories and the writing style more.
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy reading OP and it's still a good manga, but I'm not really emotionally invested in it anymore.
DBZ taught me not to expect any permanence in death when it comes to shonen series, but it is a true cop out for Oda to constantly feign killing someone off just to bring them back. Ace and WB’s deaths only worked because they actually worked; if he’d given any indication over the years that they could feasibly be alive, I would have given up on this shit immediately.
The pacing has always been a bit of an issue, but I think it took until Dressrosa (and then the entirety of WCI) for me to really be bothered about it. Wano has been so up and down in that regard, I wonder if Oda knows that this is a problem and now he’s trying to overcorrect...
Also, the narrowing focus on Luffy specifically is really sad. He and his crew are supposed to be Yonko level when they leave Wano (in terms of power AND pathos), but outside of him and his much ballyhooed trio of Zoro/Sanji/Jinbe, the rest of his crew would rightfully be obliterated by any YC3 at this point. I’m supposed to believe that Usopp and Brook are ready to go to Laugh Tale and learn the True History?? Nami’s gonna be able to hold her own against top tiers?? How will he justify bringing the Straw Hats into the upper echelon when most of them have barely gotten any panel time in the last decade??
The pacing has always been a bit of an issue, but I think it took until Dressrosa (and then the entirety of WCI) for me to really be bothered about it. Wano has been so up and down in that regard, I wonder if Oda knows that this is a problem and now he’s trying to overcorrect...
Also, the narrowing focus on Luffy specifically is really sad. He and his crew are supposed to be Yonko level when they leave Wano (in terms of power AND pathos), but outside of him and his much ballyhooed trio of Zoro/Sanji/Jinbe, the rest of his crew would rightfully be obliterated by any YC3 at this point. I’m supposed to believe that Usopp and Brook are ready to go to Laugh Tale and learn the True History?? Nami’s gonna be able to hold her own against top tiers?? How will he justify bringing the Straw Hats into the upper echelon when most of them have barely gotten any panel time in the last decade??
It really depends on what you're looking for and how well the intended elements are executed.
One Piece is a grand epic. There's no manga that is as large and interconnected as it is. Even manga with galactic level scope feel smaller than the world One Piece has crafted, and for that, its lore and world building are unsurpassed. Bare in mind, this was thought up by only one man. Even if you aren't fond of One Piece, what Oda managed to do is commendable.
What I look for in a manga most are rich character dynamics and growth. The Strawhats have typically been my main reason for reading the manga, and seeing how they've all changed and overcome throughout their journey is rewarding. I'm motivated to continue the quest with them. The well crafted world is icing on the cake, but it would mean little to me if I didn't have an engaging cast of characters to follow. And there is why One Piece is so great to me, these amazing characters we got to venture with are but a piece in this vast world. There is far more to it, and if Oda decided to shift the perspective to another set of characters, like the marines, there's enough potential there to tell interesting stuff on their end, because One Piece has active and interesting characters almost everywhere.
However, for as great as many characters in One Piece are, I still prefer the work done in my two favorite mangas, Rurouni Kenshin and Full Metal Alchemist.
The character work, themes, smaller and more focus cast made it easier for me to connect with them on an emotional level. And they still provide a healthy dose of world building, juxtapose in some real world history, and how those real events affect the characters presented in the story.
One Piece is a grand epic. There's no manga that is as large and interconnected as it is. Even manga with galactic level scope feel smaller than the world One Piece has crafted, and for that, its lore and world building are unsurpassed. Bare in mind, this was thought up by only one man. Even if you aren't fond of One Piece, what Oda managed to do is commendable.
What I look for in a manga most are rich character dynamics and growth. The Strawhats have typically been my main reason for reading the manga, and seeing how they've all changed and overcome throughout their journey is rewarding. I'm motivated to continue the quest with them. The well crafted world is icing on the cake, but it would mean little to me if I didn't have an engaging cast of characters to follow. And there is why One Piece is so great to me, these amazing characters we got to venture with are but a piece in this vast world. There is far more to it, and if Oda decided to shift the perspective to another set of characters, like the marines, there's enough potential there to tell interesting stuff on their end, because One Piece has active and interesting characters almost everywhere.
However, for as great as many characters in One Piece are, I still prefer the work done in my two favorite mangas, Rurouni Kenshin and Full Metal Alchemist.
The character work, themes, smaller and more focus cast made it easier for me to connect with them on an emotional level. And they still provide a healthy dose of world building, juxtapose in some real world history, and how those real events affect the characters presented in the story.
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One Piece is the best for me. It has its faults, but where it's strong, it's firmly strong. It's so rich in characters and worlds, we probably won't even find out the majority of things we are interested in. Which speaks volumes about how good it is, the fandom's interest in details.
I love many others, but they don't come close overall. I'm sure part of it is that it's around with me for so long. But sometimes I seriously think it must be a joke that this is the imagination and hard work of one person.
I adore Naruto and Bleach, but both had points where they dropped the ball (I don't mind it, but alas it's true). And they are overall one-dimensional compared to OP. I don't understand the craze over My Hero Academia, I'd put it as average at best. FMA, Tokyo Ghoul, Death Note, Code Geass and Attack on Titan are brilliant each in their own way, so I can't compare them. The level of attachment to them will never reach the one for One Piece though.
Like............... We cried over a ship. No other manga can do this.
I love many others, but they don't come close overall. I'm sure part of it is that it's around with me for so long. But sometimes I seriously think it must be a joke that this is the imagination and hard work of one person.
I adore Naruto and Bleach, but both had points where they dropped the ball (I don't mind it, but alas it's true). And they are overall one-dimensional compared to OP. I don't understand the craze over My Hero Academia, I'd put it as average at best. FMA, Tokyo Ghoul, Death Note, Code Geass and Attack on Titan are brilliant each in their own way, so I can't compare them. The level of attachment to them will never reach the one for One Piece though.
Like............... We cried over a ship. No other manga can do this.
These are great questions, but I'm afraid futile. Just because Luffy will end up being the Pirate King, doesn't mean the whole crew will be able to fight top tiers ahaha. Also, it's a bit of a push to make them so. It's okay to have "weak" crew members. They bring something else to the table, Nami was never written as a fighter anyway. Kinda sucks that Robin is now in the same bag though.
Although I do miss interactions, I'm kinda okay with them appearing less. I think seeing what the supernova's are up to is for example more interesting than *enter bones joke*. The crew gags can only be interesting so long.
Although I do miss interactions, I'm kinda okay with them appearing less. I think seeing what the supernova's are up to is for example more interesting than *enter bones joke*. The crew gags can only be interesting so long.
I agree that the weaker SHP don’t necessarily NEED to be world beaters, but all indications are that YCs/vets in other crews that we’re supposed to view as their equals now are WAAAY stronger/less cowardly than half of our protagonists.
I think Robin/Franky/Brook could (and in many ways should) be portrayed as far more responsible and reliable in a fight, but the first one has all but disappeared for a long time and the other two are mostly responsible for the same gags they’ve done since their introductions. That’s where I think the writing has suffered the most - those are three unbelievably dynamic characters with so much potential, and they’re shunted to the side for unknown reasons, usually in favor of Luffy/Zoro/Sanji getting the spotlight in fights and Nami/Usopp/Chopper getting the goofy reactions outside of them. Like you said, the bone jokes aren’t funny anymore, but outside of WCI where he was the clear MVP, what has Brook even gotten to do since the timeskip?
I’m all in favor of getting to see the Supernovae and Yonkos and all the world building, that is one thing Oda has consistently done well for the longest time. The Zou and Reverie arcs have been my favorite ones since Fishman Island for this very reason. If the Straw Hats are supposed to topple the world hierarchy and become the greatest pirates on the planet, we NEED to see more of them to believe it, or at least I do.
I think Robin/Franky/Brook could (and in many ways should) be portrayed as far more responsible and reliable in a fight, but the first one has all but disappeared for a long time and the other two are mostly responsible for the same gags they’ve done since their introductions. That’s where I think the writing has suffered the most - those are three unbelievably dynamic characters with so much potential, and they’re shunted to the side for unknown reasons, usually in favor of Luffy/Zoro/Sanji getting the spotlight in fights and Nami/Usopp/Chopper getting the goofy reactions outside of them. Like you said, the bone jokes aren’t funny anymore, but outside of WCI where he was the clear MVP, what has Brook even gotten to do since the timeskip?
I’m all in favor of getting to see the Supernovae and Yonkos and all the world building, that is one thing Oda has consistently done well for the longest time. The Zou and Reverie arcs have been my favorite ones since Fishman Island for this very reason. If the Straw Hats are supposed to topple the world hierarchy and become the greatest pirates on the planet, we NEED to see more of them to believe it, or at least I do.
Those strong commanders are essentially what Zoro and Sanji will become. I don't think we can compare the Straw Hats with bigger crews because their number won't rise to what a Yonko has on a main ship for example. Oda has to let it remain a tight knit crew because it would otherwise be even harder to give anyone panel time.
The fighters fight and the gag providers provide the gags, even after two years of training. That's at least consistent. Brook and Franky were a mistake to begin with. I love them but there is simply no time and space, and most of their one-liners are just pointless :') At this point I think even he doesn't care about them. Which is fine because I prefer Law any day :D
Agreed, we'd need to see more of them being impressive, other than just Luffy.
The fighters fight and the gag providers provide the gags, even after two years of training. That's at least consistent. Brook and Franky were a mistake to begin with. I love them but there is simply no time and space, and most of their one-liners are just pointless :') At this point I think even he doesn't care about them. Which is fine because I prefer Law any day :D
Agreed, we'd need to see more of them being impressive, other than just Luffy.
