King was pretty cool, the anime has made him look better but Oda really did waste his character.
Since Oda admitted Kaido took only King when he went to Marineford, this would have been perfect to hype up King somehow but Oda still wont even tell, never mind show us how Shanks stopped Kaido from going to MF too.
King hasn't felt like a YC1 to me tbh, Katakuri was far more of a threat and presence and Oda hid Kings identity for too long too. Since Luffy never faced him and Jack too, it didn't help either character get potential hype by being his opponent temporarily either.
But in defense of King too, even as a Zoro stan, I found it absolutely awful writing tbh, (like peak Erza Scarlet tier writing with 99% of her bones broken or w/e destroying a meteor), when Zoro with 30 broken bones after tanking hakai, just took mink steroids and was able to mid diff King after a major CoC powerup too.
King not having CoC himself was the icing on that shitty cake too.
King deserved much better and the fact he's not even involved to see his race being disgustingly weaponised post humously/post genocide of said race, as child android soldiers or w/e is just staggering too.
Oda put so much effort into Kings design both before and especially after the reveal if his face and race but squandered him a lot.
I enjoyed the parallel of him and Zoro with their loyalty and respect for their captains but the fight felt forced and rushed.
Didn't feel like a Yonko Commander fight, especially a YC1 and this was the 1st SH aside from Luffy ofc, to fight a YC solo and win too especially.
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The lack of awakened Zoans in a Beast Pirate themed Yonko is crew is truly unforgivable.
Not a single ancient zoan awakening either ffs as you said too.
I'm vainly coping Drake will get one but I doubt it too.