Like this is a prime example to explain what I'm talking about.Sure everyone plans ahead, but Oda ties these tidbits together better than any active mangaka, nobody else comes remotely close. I agree with pretty much all of Aldaron's points. I'd also like to add in that he meticulously integrates every story angle/character backstory, whether it's significant or not, and doesn't seem to forget any details. Something as forgettable as meeting Laboon turn out to have a major role in the story. Little things like Arlong Park's parallels to Shabody Archipelago makes everything fit in so well, and the huge One Piece universe just seems so "close together". He even takes time to give someone like Kouza legitimate character development, which makes the story seem realistic (or at least as realistic as a shounen manga can get lol).
1. Manga writers aren't genius; they're artistsWHY?!
Uuuuugghhh Oda's great, sure, but you all overrate the fucking helllll out of him. He's just good at not giving us all the information he has, and drops it out like a trail of breadcrumbs giving the illusion of some long and elaborate master plan.
In reality he's just had this idea in his head for a while, which most if not all writers do. Some just aren't as clever about the breadtrails but that's all it is, just cleverness. Not some level of genius that manga writing has hitherto never known.
Think of it this way: He's thought up an overarching plot for everything (World Government and One Piece and blah) before he even started. Then whenever an idea strikes him, he thinks up an island with a theme, and an adventure that takes place there, that's for all intents and purposes a complete one shot (Every individual arc). Then he weaves these one shot sagas in and out of this one large plot which he's known forever, simply by recycling specific character ideas.
He's good, but it's not like it's all that hard.
Dude, are you kidding me? Oda created the SHs before the start of OP. They may have been different at the start(Franky was a midget, Ussop was supposed to be the first mate) but he knew roughly who they were. Also, Oda has said that he puts extra focus on coming up with the titles for the chapters and enjoys when people get them.Also, the Nakama Numbers theory has always sounded a little too elaborate for me. Maybe he just didn't pay that much attention to the titles, either not noticing it or figuring no one else would?
Gonna have to stop you right there, Bleach art isn't that good at all. Nearly all the characters have the same sad face and if a background isn't completely white it'll be completely black. Here's an example of a great One Piece scene, I don't think anything in Bleach can stand up to this.The art is simple, detailed as it is it's remarkably basic. Unimpressive compared to Fma or Death Note or even compared to the other 2 members of the big three.
I agree that Skypiea will continue to become more relevant but it also introduced Observation Haki (I'd have said Haki in general but people will talk about Shanks in Chapter 1 so fuck it) so it's more than you're giving it credit for.I'm looking forward to what he does with Skypiea because right now it's his most useless arc. It introduced Zoros pound cannon moves, but that doesn't imply that that's where he learned them. Everything in Skypiea aside from the gold had no relationship with the rest of the plot. Even the dials that Usopp obtained there are largely unimportant as they made no positive impact on his battles (he lost to luffy and lost the rowboat fight regardless). The gold could have just as easily been given to the crew by Noland and ended things in Jaya, a land that introduced Blackbeard who is shaping into the final antagonist, introduced Doflamingo, and gave Robin a sense of belonging with the crew.
Considering this I think whatever Enel is doing on the moon is going to end up being rather important. Bellamys reintroduction is already ensuring some type of relevance for the sky island
If Enel comes back he'd need to make the ancient weapon theory true, he just isn't a threat to the Strawhats otherwise. Luffy still has his instant win condition and I have no doubt the other members of the Monster Trio would be able to wipe the floor with Enel. I'd like to see Urouge vs Enel, if he returned.I think Enel could comeback, even as a movie villian. He has a god complex and has ever lasting hatred for Luffy who has topped him. Also whatever is on the moon is important as it was implied that humans (in OP) have originated from there then emigrated to the OP planet.
Either way having a broken Logia being featured in any way is good.
I tend to agree that Skypiea is the most useless arc in connection to the overall plot (ignoring Davy Back obviously), but Zoro's pound cannon moves (and the gold) are _not_ the only connection. Ignoring the recent Bellamy connection, we still had dials for Usopp's former weapon and Nami's climatact (not sure how you can say they were useless when they helped Nami win her fight and Usopp used his until the end of Shabondy), introduction of Mantra as Observation Haki, the Ponyglyph, Roger's message about tying it all together, Klabautermann for Merry Go, and an important character development for Chopper as his first major solo win.I'm looking forward to what he does with Skypiea because right now it's his most useless arc. It introduced Zoros pound cannon moves, but that doesn't imply that that's where he learned them. Everything in Skypiea aside from the gold had no relationship with the rest of the plot. Even the dials that Usopp obtained there are largely unimportant as they made no positive impact on his battles (he lost to luffy and lost the rowboat fight regardless). The gold could have just as easily been given to the crew by Noland and ended things in Jaya, a land that introduced Blackbeard who is shaping into the final antagonist, introduced Doflamingo, and gave Robin a sense of belonging with the crew.
Considering this I think whatever Enel is doing on the moon is going to end up being rather important. Bellamys reintroduction is already ensuring some type of relevance for the sky island
I personally love OP's art-- at least as it manifests in the manga (not the anime).The art is simple, detailed as it is it's remarkably basic. Unimpressive compared to Fma or Death Note or even compared to the other 2 members of the big three. Calling it underrated isn't really fair, it's rated pretty accurately. What's great about the art isn't the art itself but the sentiment that comes across the page in every scene. Luffys eyes are literally dots as are most every non female in the series, nearly every girl looks like Nami or Robin, (Violet and Robin from the Z movie look exactly the same). It'd be a huge mistake to call Oda a wonderful artist, but every sketch every plot point is entirely his own, he refuses to take someone elses idea for his work and for that he's a man of great integrity, and even the arcs I dislike I love.
So much of this. This. This. And more of this damm it. I'd like to say that it's not just a part, but the main reason. Or at least a huge reason. Naruto also has pretty boy Sasuke. Who i can safely say no matter who he fights, his perfect body and beautiful face will always be untouched.Part of what makes OP a manly man's epic manly story-- compared to BLEACH-- is the relative rarity of pretty-boy characters meant to appease the fan-girl otaku base.