Home Artists Posts Import Register

Downloads

Files

Comments

jahschwa

"survive far more grievous injuries" that one's a bit weird to me... getting shot through the heart at point blank range seems pretty grievous. In D&D terms I'd consider that a coup de grace. "was Bellemere just weak" yes. Don't forget her perspective while she was fighting Arlong... "these guys are ACTUAL monsters... I can't win". Bellemere didn't have supernatural strength or durability, unlike most of the Strawhats. We do have the convo between Nami and Usopp about them being "regular joes" but keep in mind Usopp doesn't believe in himself and constantly sells himself short in his own mind (despite his constant and egregious overselling himself to OTHERS). But, as others have said, physical results are conditioned on emotional ones; people die in flashbacks because that's what the present characters need to have happened. "Ussopp is weak" max Dex and (maybe oddly) Con... dumped Str. Zoro and Usopp (and Luffy) are dumb durable. That's just part of their "superpowers"; their Con is through the roof. Though, that being said, people in general seem to be more durable in One Piece than in the real world. "they're not in danger" yeah the stakes generally aren't meant to be physical. Someone said this in a comment above, but the stakes are pretty much always going to be emotional. However, I have a very long rant I like to give about physical stakes in One Piece; but let's keep it brief, and I'll just ask: Do the CHARACTERS think they might die? If the answer is yes, then: Does it matter if WE meta-know they won't die because they're the main characters? I think the answer to that second question is one of the things that separates One Piece from other Shounen for me; I'm willing to accept that in this series where as others I'm absolutely not because it doesn't feel earned. All that being said, I do think Oda did only an okay job of setting up the stakes for the side fights in Alabasta, and though the anime pacing made the fights "cool" the back to back to back didn't really sell the emotional beats. The main characters being durable isn't changing anytime soon; but I do think Oda handles side battles better in future arcs. (Though admittedly I enjoyed them just fine, certainly didn't resonate with most of your criticisms).

A85Ramos

I super appreciate you giving your honest thoughts so far, it's honestly kind of refreshing. While many might disagree to it, (probably me too) it's nice that you are not open mouth shocked that Zoro can cut steel, you understood that he learned a lesson he didn't understand when he first heard it as a child.