General & Others When Did One Piece Fall Off For You?
- Thread starter Phoenix D. King
- Start date
I don't think it ever truly fell off, I'm still fully in love with the manga but it definitely had a lot of low points. The timeskip kind of changed the vibe of the story for the worst in some aspects, which seems to be slowly coming back with the introduction of G5. Obviously Punk Hazard was a little bit mediocre and Wano had crazy pacing issues on top of unresolved plot threads, which was also disappointing. That being said I wouldn't say it ever truly "fell off" 
Last edited:
I suppose it depends on when you caught up. Personally I caught up during Water 7. Ring Ling Dong or whatever it was called (Foxy) was horrible. Thriller Bark equally dross. Marineford, Sabaody and Impel Down was peak. Amazon Lily so and so, OK for transitional arc. Fishmen Island terrible.
I really enjoyed Skypiea and Alabasta as I read them in one fell swoop but I guess I might have viewed it differently if I read it weekly, characters like Mr4... Same with Little Garden, a rather dull transitional arc.
I really enjoyed Skypiea and Alabasta as I read them in one fell swoop but I guess I might have viewed it differently if I read it weekly, characters like Mr4... Same with Little Garden, a rather dull transitional arc.
It's just that Oda wastes too much panel time on side characters like Tama running or Hiyori crying and finds himself in a hurry to end the arc which leads to rushing the fights and skipping panel time which makes SHs shine.
That and some illogical things like Separating the crew to go to WCI served zero purpose as Team Zoro did nothing in Wano till Luffy and others arrived.
Other than that One Piece quality did not fall too much
That and some illogical things like Separating the crew to go to WCI served zero purpose as Team Zoro did nothing in Wano till Luffy and others arrived.
Other than that One Piece quality did not fall too much
Each arc has its high and low points and then mediocre points. I think Oda’s average story telling started reaching a lower plateau after dressrosa. I find that most parts about most of the marines parts are lower quality than the other elements. Smoker, Tashigi, Garp, Sengoku, and Aokiji being exceptions. BM and Kaido’s subordinates were much less interesting than Doffy’s crew or earlier arcs’ lesser characters. Also, Wanonresulted in losing Carrot, Momo, and Yamato. 
Dressrosa left a very nasty taste for me that I quit for 4 years. I nearly dropped the manga after reading that but I love one piece and thought it was ending in wano. The only thing that bought me back was chapter 1000. Kinda regret it, but if the quality doesn't pick up to at least thrilla bark level, i'm taking another long break
Honestly? People have a lot of hindsight bias. One Piece, at least "storyline" wise, has pretty much always been fairly consistent. And this includes both the good and the bad.
I swear, people were not around for Enies Lobby. I see people commenting here about how great of an arc it was all the time, and Im telling you that if you read it essentially weekly like me, youd hear mostly the same complaints as Wano:
- Too long (especially in conjunction with Water 7, its the 2nd longest arc in the series, nearly 120 chapters)
- Out of the ass powerups after everyone lost literal hours before.
- Absolutely zero deaths with tons of fakeouts.
- Usopp getting cucked out of a fight
...and so on. And i can also tell you that even aside from all of that, people didnt really bitch and moan the same way they do now, or at least they didnt on APForums. They gave their criticisms and either continued to enjoy the series or just dropped the manga.
Thriller Bark was even "worse" UNTIL the Oars fight started and then ended with Kuma. Marineford only got the praise it did because it showed actual stakes (i.e. death) and showcased a slew of upper characters and their powers (Whitebeard, Marco, Joz, Akainu, Sengoku, Blackbeard and his crew, etc) the likes of which the series had never seen before.
And thats also precicely the problem, people's expectations of this series have changed and grown, almost unfairly in some cases, to pretty high standards.
But imo, pacing truthfully has never changed. What HAS changed is the number of characters. That has has become a problem, even this arc, with essentially 9(!) other focal points aside from Luffy's 10 person crew. Egghead already has 19 (20 if Sentoumaru plays a role) protagonists lol. Thats not including Lucci, Kaku and the whole group Kizaru is bringing.
So yes, what ends up getting sacrificed are core strawhat moments, and imo, this started with Dressrosa, but only really became an issue with Wano. It continues to happen in Egghead. But what has happened is now Oda creates more characters to world build.
Do I think the quality of One Piece has dropped since Dressrosa then? It depends imo. If you value direct Strawhat interactions and moments, then yes it has.
For me, it really hasnt. I have enjoyed the SHF. I have enjoyed the Scabbards personally. I am enjoying the 7 Punks. I spent 10+ years with the crew talking to each other. Im fine with the series taking a more grandiose approach to its world building at this point.
As we near the end, its going to get more intimate. Many of the characters that are left are Pre-TS, and that number will start to tick back down as plotlines are resolved. It honestly has already started to with 2 Yonko assumedly gone.
I swear, people were not around for Enies Lobby. I see people commenting here about how great of an arc it was all the time, and Im telling you that if you read it essentially weekly like me, youd hear mostly the same complaints as Wano:
- Too long (especially in conjunction with Water 7, its the 2nd longest arc in the series, nearly 120 chapters)
- Out of the ass powerups after everyone lost literal hours before.
- Absolutely zero deaths with tons of fakeouts.
- Usopp getting cucked out of a fight
...and so on. And i can also tell you that even aside from all of that, people didnt really bitch and moan the same way they do now, or at least they didnt on APForums. They gave their criticisms and either continued to enjoy the series or just dropped the manga.
Thriller Bark was even "worse" UNTIL the Oars fight started and then ended with Kuma. Marineford only got the praise it did because it showed actual stakes (i.e. death) and showcased a slew of upper characters and their powers (Whitebeard, Marco, Joz, Akainu, Sengoku, Blackbeard and his crew, etc) the likes of which the series had never seen before.
And thats also precicely the problem, people's expectations of this series have changed and grown, almost unfairly in some cases, to pretty high standards.
But imo, pacing truthfully has never changed. What HAS changed is the number of characters. That has has become a problem, even this arc, with essentially 9(!) other focal points aside from Luffy's 10 person crew. Egghead already has 19 (20 if Sentoumaru plays a role) protagonists lol. Thats not including Lucci, Kaku and the whole group Kizaru is bringing.
So yes, what ends up getting sacrificed are core strawhat moments, and imo, this started with Dressrosa, but only really became an issue with Wano. It continues to happen in Egghead. But what has happened is now Oda creates more characters to world build.
Do I think the quality of One Piece has dropped since Dressrosa then? It depends imo. If you value direct Strawhat interactions and moments, then yes it has.
For me, it really hasnt. I have enjoyed the SHF. I have enjoyed the Scabbards personally. I am enjoying the 7 Punks. I spent 10+ years with the crew talking to each other. Im fine with the series taking a more grandiose approach to its world building at this point.
As we near the end, its going to get more intimate. Many of the characters that are left are Pre-TS, and that number will start to tick back down as plotlines are resolved. It honestly has already started to with 2 Yonko assumedly gone.
That's an interesting take, I never thought how the most beloved arc was perceived on a weekly read, and indeed One Piece is a lot better when you don't have to wait weeks between chapters, because you can skim through the less interesting parts and focus on what you like (which is different for everyone, like I generally give less attention to fights, but I like the world building and the adventure feel).
So most likely what brought OP to decline, are our expectations and hype we're creating in our own heads, because the story indeed had its ups and downs every arc, and maybe Egghead keeps me so interested because rn I don't expect too much of the story.
So there are several factors for the perceived decline: usual problems with pacing and too many characters, so SH don't get enough time, and switching to weekly reading kinda enhances the pacing problem, plus high expectations and headcacons become stronger when you read weekly. Like if you read about Carrot in Wano in one go, it's crystal clear she's not going to join. But if you read weekly and hope for her to join, then every week you think "ok next chapter she's going to get focus for sure", and when it doesn't happen, you feel more disappointed, because you spent months in vain hope (which would've been a week or two if you binge-read the arc and are less emotionally invested then).
So most likely what brought OP to decline, are our expectations and hype we're creating in our own heads, because the story indeed had its ups and downs every arc, and maybe Egghead keeps me so interested because rn I don't expect too much of the story.
So there are several factors for the perceived decline: usual problems with pacing and too many characters, so SH don't get enough time, and switching to weekly reading kinda enhances the pacing problem, plus high expectations and headcacons become stronger when you read weekly. Like if you read about Carrot in Wano in one go, it's crystal clear she's not going to join. But if you read weekly and hope for her to join, then every week you think "ok next chapter she's going to get focus for sure", and when it doesn't happen, you feel more disappointed, because you spent months in vain hope (which would've been a week or two if you binge-read the arc and are less emotionally invested then).
Marineford being shorter than wano automatically becomes better fighting wise but i do believe that if someone can create a wano highlights arc will be better than everything.
Hancock was in trouble, Vivi is kidnapped and sabo was hurt and exploded along with an island.
Will any of the three die? I am almost certain that none will die. Does affect me as op reader? Certainly no because i know that in op people hardly die and i like that. If you don't op is not for you.
I find kaido's defeat as a combined effort result and not just Luffy's punch but even if we give credit only to Luffy, he literally became a God who can bend reality in order to beat kaido.
To clarify my self, i don't want to prove you wrong or change your mind, i am just answering your points as one piece enjoyer, if you find one piece that bad drop it man.
There is absolutely no reason for you to lose time of your life for something that is meant to used as a hobby.
Sorry for my English
Hancock was in trouble, Vivi is kidnapped and sabo was hurt and exploded along with an island.
Will any of the three die? I am almost certain that none will die. Does affect me as op reader? Certainly no because i know that in op people hardly die and i like that. If you don't op is not for you.
I find kaido's defeat as a combined effort result and not just Luffy's punch but even if we give credit only to Luffy, he literally became a God who can bend reality in order to beat kaido.
To clarify my self, i don't want to prove you wrong or change your mind, i am just answering your points as one piece enjoyer, if you find one piece that bad drop it man.
There is absolutely no reason for you to lose time of your life for something that is meant to used as a hobby.
Sorry for my English
If One Piece "Fell" for you but you are there in every spoiler discussion thread, posting like everyday on OP related thing here on W, then you're either trying to act cool by hating it for no reason or dont have anything good to do at life. I hated Boruto, never have seen even a video of something related to it after I left it for good. So its time to drop it and move on because talking shit about it and being involved with it every week is a very big L. You become a fallacy.
I was so burnt out after that arc, I got a life. Only person I cared about for the whole thing was law and I wasn't curious about his future. Kinda the opposite I'm having with Wano. Hate nearly every single wano character but I'm more interested in their futures given the world's context. Dressrosa ending made me give no berri about anyone from there.