Yup people did like they always do and then the VA returned in kind by being fodder like they always are.
Pre-Ts the lot of them were strong relative to the point in the series we were at but at this point in the series but they simply aren'y anymore. On the topic of Buster Call VAs, there's nothing like Buster Call VAs as far as I'm aware. Only distinction you can really make between the VAs is whether they are from Marine HQ or not with those ones being stronger than their counterparts. Regardless, Egghead was quite literally a buster call on steroids so this point is moot imo. There was 9 of them as opposed to a regular buster call which consists of only 5.
I know I didnt hype them up over the Bustercall VAs, just like not a single Marine fan was hyping up Maynard when he got introduced as Vice Admiral. People based on the assumption that the Marines vs SHPs would be getting proper fights, were pairing them up against the Strawhats.
- When marine fans say "Bustercall VAs" we're not simply refering to any VAs that do the bustercall, we specifically use that to distinguish the 5 from the OG bustercall that didnt involve a Gorosei and an Admiral being part of it. Those 5 are then are highlighted at Marineford war, with the addition of Stainless, who was powerful enough to be present in the meeting involving Warlords and higher up Marines like Tsuru and Sengoku. None of these individuals have had their prowess showcased by Oda on-panel yet. Even Onigumo who was present Egghead wasnt put against any fighter... instead new VAs that Oda wanted to use as hypetools for certain strawhats were used. Im failing to see how you would not see the distinction. Now whether you would want to give relevance to the distinction of course is up to you.
I'm well aware of the distinction between vice admirals like I've stated above. I just don't think it matters.
Marine HQ VAs are the peak you're really gonna get with them with the pick of the lot being the likes of Momonga, Smoker etc. but even then it doesn't really mean much at this point in the series. Kudos to momonga for resisting Hancock but it has very little to do with strength and more with how much you can control your sexual desires imo. Sanji will be turned to stone in a hearbeat lol but he would fck Momonga up. In the same vein Teach prolly loves his fair sheer of women

. Regardless, In the end he was still portrayed as fodder to her.
Also Vergo isn't really a standard for VAs. He's much stronger than your regular VA hence why Smoker got wrecked by him. Doubt Momonga is doing the same. Vergo was a pirate under cover as the marine.
Now we're discrediting feats to downplay the VAs, interesting interesting. Momonga himself was effected by the hax, he simply had the speed and reactions to stab himself before the petrification took place. There is no different timer for the petrification dependent on your lust level, idek where this is coming from. We can also add in the fact Sengoku sent Momonga to bring in Boa even if by force, whole acknowledging shes a strong individual that they need for the war.
Youre correct Vergo isnt the standard for VAs, because there is no standard for VAs theres a huge fluctuation in power. Momonga beating Smoker at PH? Who knows, no idea how powerful Momonga is. Especially when Smoker himself would've whooped on Vergo if we remove Law's heart out of the equation.
But the thread isnt about bustercall VAs or any VA in general. Ahahahah so idek why the VA were brought up. 😭
What do you mean they have no narrative importance? They were quite literally Rocks executives one of whom in Wang Shi was used as a hypetool to increase Teach's stock. Then there's Captain John who's been a recurrent name since pre-ts and basically tied to Buggy's dream. This is a false equivalence if there ever was one.
Yes strong characters exist in the verse but they sure as hell aren't going to be revealed as Vice Admirals can tell you that for free

. VAs just don't have that much narrative weight in the story as opposed to just being useful disposable props. With the exception of the names I mentioned of course ^^
Ahhh I see I see, by narrative importance I thought you meant actual importance to the main narrative of the story aka Luffy's journey, not simply having some importance in the general OP-world/story. Now that I know what you're referring to with "narrative importance", let's take a look shall we at "narrative importance" of these characters.
Wang Zhi, Silver Axe, Captain John:
John: was name dropped due to a treasure that Buggy wanted, because he had given up on being the PK. Then named dropped by Sengoku among others for being a subordinate to another historic pirate. Then shown in 2 panels in a flashback, doing nothing but drinking. Thriller Bark zombie among other fodder zombies.
Wang Zhi: Name dropped for being part of a crew that existed in the OP world 40 years ago, no idea who he is, no idea how he looks, no idea if he was even shown in the flashback. Hasn't uttered a word in the story. Got used as a hypetool for an event revolving around Teach/Koby/Law off-panel, aka a disposable prop ( ahah as you would nicely put it).
Silver Axe: Simply has his name dropped
Tensei:
- Oda puts actual thought into his character design, and as well the 1 scene he shows up in the story, thoughtful of his reference and such. Of course this isn't narrative importance, but character's importance to Oda himself.
- Is the one responsible for investigating on behalf of the Marine HQ, an organization introduced in chapter 96, for 2 weeks regarding the events of the Reverie. Which Oda uses to let us know what transpired at the reverie (pre-Sabo flashback).
- His introduction in the series is with Admiral Borsalino and Fleet Admiral Akainu, in a conversation where the three are discussing the events that took place and the solutions to those events. The only other characters in the entire series to have a conversation of such magnitude with the fleet admiral in his office are, Garp, Borsalino... (you've read the OP i assume so won't go into Shanks/beck -Saka/Tensei thing)
- Introduced with a special rank, that's never been seen before, oh my. VA? Nope.. Rear admiral? nope.. captain of a unit? nope.. A whole director of a branch of marines we ain't even know existed. Now of course a leader of a special organization within the biggest military in the OP world in the present, is of course, not as important as a important being name dropped in a crew from 40 years ago.
- Echiiro Oda, in his direct medium to the readers, SBS, tells us about his excitement regarding this character... and tells us that he is an equal of Sakazuki, the Fleet Admiral of the Marines. Certainly, less important than being name dropped as one of the many underlings of Rocks.
Puck, my brotha, I get you don't fuck with the VAs, completely fine. But we're not discussing a VA, we're discussing a man with a whole different position in the Marines. There's no way you truly believe those 3 have more narrative importance than the man this thread is about..