Next Straw Hat Crewmates (Vol. 8 - Onigashima)

[Chams]

Lul why does Nami with horns have so many votes?

I feel like with everything that happened at Reverie, Vivi may have to come back to the crew and that'll complete it.

None of this girl Chopper, Nami with horns, apprentice garbage.

Vivi coming back would be great. Except we just had a major arc about the Reverie and she barely did anything in it. She could have been the mini-arc protagonist, instead it was Shirahoshi. The only thing Vivi did was appear in a panel with Rebecca and confuse everyone because they looked so similar.

[Berry Rich]

What is Vivi's best quality that a current Strawhat is not better at? Nothing I can think of.

Her addition as the last Strawhat would be underwhelming to me. She is weaker than Usopp, has no notable skill or ship position, and was Miss Wednesday to Robin's Miss All-Sunday which overlaps joining themes. Plus if Vivi joins as number 11 does that mean Karoo is 12??? I guess they are a package akin to Doc Q and Stronger but it just feels to me both of Vivi and Karoo bring little value to improving Luffy's crew in character interactions and combat prowess.

Vivi's Peacock Slashers are the only thing she has going for me. I would like to see how Oda expands her combat abilities with them.

[Cockycent]

Wouldn't refer to Vivi's treatment before joining as an anomaly because she didn't take as long as Jinbe, but received similar treatment. Enemy - guide - friend - nakama with responsibilities elsewhere. Being a nakama that isn't on the ship is more peculiar.

It's interesting that one could acknowledge that side characters weren't treated like Carrot, but turn around and also state that she was treated the same as them. There's some conflicting sentiments there.

Yamato being allocated by the captain to Momo duty was what I was looking to see in Carrot. I was waiting for Nami or Luffy to do that to Carrot. Carrot takes initiative tho. So if she does that, I think she goes on her own volition. The fact that Luffy sees Yamato similar to Shinobu, says something for now. Carrot could've stayed with the other Minks and Momo, Oda could've put her with Momo and Tama earlier. Why hasn't she been setup with him? She's more suited for Momo's retainers than the Dressrosa exclusive Grand Fleet.

I'm still waiting for the moment she takes more interest or is just set up with Momo. Her recent disappearance is an indicator. If she ends up with the crew still, the retainer gig seems way less likely.

[Robby]

I just think anything post-Wano is frankly too late to have "personal" relationship with the crew on a fundamental level: and that being time spent with them.

Brook was with the crew for all a single day before they were scattered for two years, and he still came back as a dedicated forever crew member.

For the crew at least, the amount of time doesn't matter much. For the readers, that's a bit iffier, because yeah just a couple years with the last character instead of 15 feels like a cheat, but we've always had someone joining later than others, and post timeskip especially the crew has been split in half for ages so we haven't gotten focus on lots of them for a while. Zoro and Nami joined in the first few chapters of the series but there's still been a solid 5 years of series one or the other wasn't weren't really in.

The sheer size and reputation of the crew after Wano makes things harder, but its never too late, long as Oda makes them interesting. Even when the series ends its not as if there won't still be anime filler and movies afterwards. Whoever shows up will still get time in the franchise, even when the series ends. Like Mr. Satan, Videl, Goten, and Buu in Dragonball, for instance. They joined in the last 7 volumes, the final two years of Dragonball, (and young Trunks sorta) and they've still gotten exposure for 25 years since. Compared to say Launch, who was around at the start of the series and was just completely forgotten.

Plus, for all that Oda wants to finish in 5 years, its probably not going to be that quick. Long as whoever it is joins *soonish* they're still going to get a few years and a couple of adventures before the end.

What is Vivi's best quality that a current Strawhat is not better at? Nothing I can think of.

Negotiator and diplomat.

That aside, we haven't seen her in action since the timeskip. She may not have had motive to train as hard as the the other crew members did, but she still had two years to reflect on "I couldn't protect my country from Crocodile." Plus whatever time she spends on the run. She could have beefed up her skill set in any number of ways. Different weapon, haki,(Bellamy managed it) devil fruit, physical training, CP9 forms (If Coby can do it so can she) ... old Vivi doesn't have to be new Vivi. Oda can give her literally anything he wants to catch her up.

Heck, Coby beefed up in a few weeks in-universe, let alone years.

[Deicide]

So, with the chapter out, does the "X" mark the spot?
Is this the Xth crewmember?

(No, IMO, but it will be inevitable discussion for some time).

[BobLoblaw]

So, with the chapter out, does the "X" mark the spot?
Is this the Xth crewmember?

(No, IMO, but it will be inevitable discussion for some time).

I'd consider Drake a better bet to leave Wano with the SHs than Yamato (not as a crew member, but as an ally). I wonder how many people regret picking Yamato. Lol

[Gia Sado]

Brook was with the crew for all a single day before they were scattered for two years, and he still came back as a dedicated forever crew member.

For the crew at least, the amount of time doesn't matter much. For the readers, that's a bit iffier, because yeah just a couple years with the last character instead of 15 feels like a cheat, but we've always had someone joining later than others, and post timeskip especially the crew has been split in half for ages so we haven't gotten focus on lots of them for a while. Zoro and Nami joined in the first few chapters of the series but there's still been a solid 5 years of series one or the other wasn't weren't really in.

The sheer size and reputation of the crew after Wano makes things harder, but its never too late, long as Oda makes them interesting. Even when the series ends its not as if there won't still be anime filler and movies afterwards. Whoever shows up will still get time in the franchise, even when the series ends. Like Mr. Satan, Videl, Goten, and Buu in Dragonball, for instance. They joined in the last 7 volumes, the final two years of Dragonball, (and young Trunks sorta) and they've still gotten exposure for 25 years since. Compared to say Launch, who was around at the start of the series and was just completely forgotten.

Plus, for all that Oda wants to finish in 5 years, its probably not going to be that quick. Long as whoever it is joins *soonish* they're still going to get a few years and a couple of adventures before the end.

Kind of a weird comparison to make for Brook. He's been a character for nearly 600 chapters.

Let's say OP ended after Marineford and the strawhats were all involved. If Brook joined when he did and the series still ended at Chapter 598, then he'd barely even have the presence, in story, to be a good crew member.


This is the point im making now. I assume OP will at least still run another 7-8 years (if not more), but we are at a point where having someone join during or right before the final arc really does not work well narratively. Thats why I think the last crew member should someone from this arc (Carrot/Yamato/whatever)

They need to be a part of those penultimate adventures before things reach their definitive end. I personally wouldn't want a final strawhat joining right before the final war, only have barely any growth and be overshadowed by a 100 other final arc characters who will be a part of the same war.

Its only fair we get a full arc or 2 with the completed crew, before things take a turn for the worse.

[Cockycent]

Negotiator and diplomat.

This is kind of what Jinbe does. Being a princess does make it easier and she's naturally good at it like Otohime. Jinbe is helped establish the Capone meeting, but Vivi has already became friend with other princesses naturally. Yeah, she wins

[Dragon D. Luffy]

Franky's, Brook's and even Jinbei's characters were clearly defined in their first few chapters lol. so that statement is just wrong.

Were they?

Brook's design and gags were defined, but the story about his crew and laboon which is what really makes him feel like a person wasn't. I remember at the time people thinking Brook was just a gag character and had no chance of joining, until his flashback happened.

Franky looked cool but we didn't know he wanted to be a carpenter (which he wasn't at the time) or that he liked ships or that he wasn't evil.

Jinbe was the most defined of the three but we still hadn't gotten stuff like him befriending Ace, hadn't gotten to see the extreme degrees his loyalty can take him to, or the context of Fishman Island's history that greatly plays into his motivations.

Yamato isn't any worse than Brook, at the very least.

[Cockycent]

The carpet was rolled out for Brook. This is why I say that preference way is irrelevant. Oda doesn't care that I prefer no one after Brook. So why do some think their preference or any other's from the past holds weight here? I've seen post being brought back from years ago where someone details why they thought Jinbe would join based on what they've seen and they get responses that are rooted in "I don't want Jinbe". That is not a rebuttal whether you are hiding your intentions or saying conflicting statements. They aren't refuting the perspective or the speculation. Just, "yeah, that happened, but I hope that's not what Oda is doing". A rebuttal would show something that person is using was interpreted incorrectly or was anime only. Pointing out things that were missed is a rebuttal. Preference doesn't fit the bill.

There are crew members that fit what you don't like or don't prefer. Did it stop Oda then?

Luffy asked Brook and he said ok. Of course he needed all that other stuff, but it was right there. It can't be compared to Luffy chasing after the zombies or Punk hazard victims.

Franky was not right away. I would say he was possibly top 3 for Oda stringing the audience along. I would put him up there with Jinbe. Franky was antagonistic from the start and as weak as Paulie's case was, he still was worth questioning. So there was another side character and Franky being a full blown enemy for a while. Once he started to have that discussion with Usopp, I felt like he was worth suspecting.

[theackwardstation]

Yamato is honestly barely a character at this point. What even is his personality beyond 'wants to be Oden'? Is he stoic or is he emotional? Low-key or over-the-top? I have no clue because the vast majority of her screentime has been spent on exposition. Yamato is only interesting in concept, since there's just so much to her background, but not as a character.

There's almost too much background there, actually. Like, if I had told you six months ago that the next big SH candidate would be Kaido's genderfluid (or whatever the hell the deal with this is) kid who is an Oden fanatic because he has his journal, and also was friends with Ace, you would have told me to make my fanfic characters more realistic next time.

Yamato is all ideas and no character.

Wow, perfectly said! I was waiting 10 chapters from Yamato's introduction before giving my opinion on the character, but you just stole my words and spared me of the effort. Yamato's character has been like reading a databook file instead of a proper character.

I was really interested in him when he showed up full of potential, but then the lack of characterization started to bother me. I even had predicted some of possible gags with Momo and stuff, but the delivery of the jokes was just so weak compared to what I had in my mind. And it should have been a little more emotional when he discovered about the scabbards and Momo being alive.

[Deicide]

Yamato feels to me like something Oda decided fairly late in the arc. IMO, he may have a reason to exist and an arc to fulfill, but he is nowhere as important as people give him credit for.

[TheGarc]

Yamato doesn't deny his name. He seems to be perfectly fine being called Yamato and when Luffy called him Yama-O he didn't correct Luffy to call him Oden but Yamato. Also if we count the volume title as a point for Yamato then Carrot gets also one for Volume 88 "Lion". I would be fully supporting Yamato if everything around him just wasn't this rushed without any kind of setup (and if Carrot didn't exist). Yamato has not really done anything so far. Sure he has only been around for a few chapters but besides his introduction chapter nothing really happened concerning him. He just keeps repeating the Oden thing with everything he says and now he is even moving away from all the Straw Hats without interacting with any of them besides Luffy.


People keep repeating that they want a crewmember that isn't just there for the last few arcs and here we have Carrot who has been with the crew for three arcs already. She has connections to many of the crewmembers already (yes she needs more with Luffy, lets not go down that route again) and she has witnessed all the important things concerning the journey to Laugh Tale and was part of the first full on confrontation with two Yonko crews. If OP ends around Volume 110 - 120 then she will have been part of the story for 30-40 volumes (so around 1/3 of the story).


Vivi is a Straw Hat even if she doesn't sail on the ship with them. In the OP world she will never be officially recognized as a Straw Hat. I think it is highly likely that she ends up with the Revolutionaries for now until the end of the story. After that Vivi, Momo, all the Straw Hat allies and the Revolutionaries will form a new world government that has a council like the EU or something like that. Vivi will never abandon her country, that was the whole point of her not joining the ship in the first place. Her father is probably going to die (or is already dead) so she will be the new Queen of Alabasta (with the protection of the Revolutionaries for now). It just wouldn't feel right to me if she were to sail for the final arcs with the crew and after the final battle she leaves them again because she now has to take care of her country again.


So good to see Jinbei in those very early crew concepts! Not really much to add to this new information. I always liked the idea of 10 + Luffy more than the 12 + Luffy (4 from each sea) etc. because it mirrors Blackbeards Crew. Not really much space left in that original concept art but I could see somebody fit into the space behind the Klabautermann and next to the Botanist guy.


Also with chapter 990 released I can't wait to read all the "X Drake for new nakama. He will infiltrate the Straw Hats as a marine but over the journey change his mind and fully join the crew" theories.

[All Fiction]

Regarding what OP Magazine says about the crew member count, I think we should take Greg's post into account here.

I'm still on the boat that Jimbe is the last member of the crew. Vivi might travel along later on, as an honorary member.

[Berry Rich]

Negotiator and diplomat.

Isn't Sanji, aka Mr. Prince, technically fill the role of diplomat? Sanji rejects his royal name but is still looked by the WG as a Vinsmoke.

Negotiatior??? Like coming to some compromise with enemies? Even if Vivi had some chance to strike a deal, Luffy would most likely ruin her work with his impulsiveness. And we all know when money is the topic, Nami will be the one negotiating.

I don’t see how a diplomat and negotiator will play a vital role to Luffy obtaining One Piece. Those roles seem more like secondary roles rather than primary roles.

That aside, we haven't seen her in action since the timeskip. She may not have had motive to train as hard as the the other crew members did, but she still had two years to reflect on "I couldn't protect my country from Crocodile." Plus whatever time she spends on the run. She could have beefed up her skill set in any number of ways. Different weapon, haki,(Bellamy managed it) devil fruit, physical training, CP9 forms (If Coby can do it so can she) ... old Vivi doesn't have to be new Vivi. Oda can give her literally anything he wants to catch her up.

Heck, Coby beefed up in a few weeks in-universe, let alone years.

Coby's dream of being a Marine gives him great motivation to be strong. And then Coby was trained by Garp! Pell is no where near the combat teacher Garp plus other Marines are that Coby has access to.

Vivi's physical training would be nowhere near Coby's. I doubt Vivi learns/ed any Rokushiki moves as who would teach her them? I don't see Vivi surpassing Usopp, something she would have to do as Usopp will always be the weakest, even if she ate a DF. Hmm...though her eating a DF would be interesting. Maybe a Peacock Zoan to match her weapons, be a bird like her partner Karoo, and be a Zoan user like her protectors Pell and Chaka. I'd be down for that.

[Shift]

Imo Carrot wishes she had gotten a quest like this, that would give her opportunities to develop, instead of staying in the main area but being censored from group shots because Oda doesn't want us to think she is important.

Yes but your post seems to imply Yamato having little character reduces their chances when the truth is that none of the more revent strawhats had any character either after 10 chapters so the point is just moot.

And I agree Yamato's introduction is a atypical. I feel like there is a twist incoming to their arc.

Well, there you go! Carrot can just as easily make something happen, and all it would take is one little twist in her presentation, one chapter’s worth.

The fact that Carrot is now just gone, unaccounted for with no excuse like Yamato and everyone else got, is the most suspicious thing of all. Oda kept her around the crew all this time, then quietly slipped her out the back. She’s coming back in a big way, I guarantee it.

Negotiator and diplomat.

Like Cockycent said, Jinbe already fills this role. It's like his whole thing, getting fishmen better treatment and a place in the sun alongside other races like Otohime wanted. Vivi could definitely help that along, especially with her friendship with Shirahoshi, but Jinbe successfully integrated the SHs into FI's good graces, so I think he can handle anything else that might come up.

That aside, we haven't seen her in action since the timeskip. She may not have had motive to train as hard as the the other crew members did, but she still had two years to reflect on "I couldn't protect my country from Crocodile." Plus whatever time she spends on the run. She could have beefed up her skill set in any number of ways. Different weapon, haki,(Bellamy managed it) devil fruit, physical training, CP9 forms (If Coby can do it so can she) ... old Vivi doesn't have to be new Vivi. Oda can give her literally anything he wants to catch her up.

Heck, Coby beefed up in a few weeks in-universe, let alone years.

Sure, and Carrot can jump back into the action, go Sulong, get Luffy up to the roof and give Kaido a good whap on the nose for good measure. The only difference in those lines of wishful thinking is that one of those characters is in prime position to show off right now, and one of them isn't.

[wolfwood]

Garps patented method of hitting people upside the head always pays off.

Regarding what OP Magazine says about the crew member count, I think we should take Greg's post into account here.

I'm still on the boat that Jimbe is the last member of the crew. Vivi might travel along later on, as an honorary member.

I'll cling to this straw too. It soothes my soul. Ah that cozy happy place where Jinbro closes the door behind him, how i missed you.

[Shift]

Regarding what OP Magazine says about the crew member count, I think we should take Greg's post into account here.

I think he was directly referencing the connection between Duval and Sanji's masks and Doffy's symbol on WB's medical equipment. But as it relates to the 10 people comment, I have a hard time believing they'd highlight something so vital this late in the game if it was just a guess. Jinbe's the 9th, title or no. There's a 10th coming, no doubt about that.

[uniaka ikuzakas]

I'm not giving up on Bonney. I need someone on the ship that eats all the food of luffy.

[Robby]

The only difference in those lines of wishful thinking is that one of those characters is in prime position to show off right now, and one of them isn't.

We've seen what Carrot can do. We literally have zero idea of what Vivi is currently capable of.

I'm not arguing for her to get any of those things, she can still use yoyos for all I care. That's on Oda. But there's plenty of *established* power up routes available, some of them like devil fruits near instant and some demonstrably learnable in a few days or weeks. And the timeskip means none of it would need to be pulled out of thin air or really explained just "I wanted to protect my country so I trained these last years as well."

If she rejoins the crew, she's going to be stronger than she was. In what way? I have no idea.

I don't think she's rejoining the main group anyway except for the final stuff. She'll be needed for the stuff at the end, though maybe not for fighting Blackbeard's crew.