@city_lights31:
Fishman Island needs to be added to the poll. It was probably the most disappointing major One Piece arc ever.
The setting was gorgeous (if a little incoherent) and it was great to see the crew together again but the pace was awful, the flashback was sadly underwhelming and (most damning of all) the villains were badly lacking in what makes a good villain.
The New Fishman Pirates never seems threatening to the crew and therefore the entire arc lacked tension. Didn't Oda even go as far as calling Hodi a 'hollow villain' or something in one chapter? I remember thinking that that kind of felt like his realization and an apology to all the readers who were so pumped for this arc that had been years in the making.
How can you possibly dislike Water 7? I think it has Oda's best writing to date. There is just so much going on in that Arc.
~Robin Missing (and possibly a villain)
~Tension between Usopp and Luffy (and their fight)
~Franky's into and the Franky family running amuk
~Going Merry's unknown fate
~CP9 mystery (and the reveal of who they really are)
~Aqua Laguna
~The Gallery La Shipwrights
On top of all that it's one of Odas most beautiful and imaginative settings. It's his take on Venice. Also, the Puffing Tom.
I understand when people say they don't particularly love Enies Lobby (even though I am a fan) but W7 was perfect.
Yea, it was totally pointless until it wasn't.
~Learned about navigation on the Grand Line
~We met Crocus (Roger's former crew member)
~Met the first members of the Baroque Works
~Specifically, we meet Vivi whom plays a sorta kinda big role in the next few arcs
~Obviously we meet Laboon and he is a big part of why Brooke is with the crew now
I am not in love with the Laboon arc either but it sure as hell isn't because it was pointless.
I agree with a lot of stuff in there, but anyways, here's my take:
I don't hate the Fishman Island arc, maybe because I, for one, wasn't hyping it like hell. There were a number of inputs that should've cooled down everyone's enthusiasm, the main being "the crew just got back from a 2 years-long training from hell to get exceedingly strong and face the New World" = does not compute with "they face a real challenge with a bunch of drugged up fishman racist fanatics". And well, that's what happened.
Overall, the arc felt weird, like Oda didn't exactly know were to take it or how to make its full potential explode, with both highs and lows, with the final arc chapters delivering some awesome exposition and character introductions, but the rest feeling sub-par for One Piece standards.
Fortunately, the promise of a FI part 2 is there: Shirahoshi/Poseidon being discovered by Cariboo won't go to waste; Noah being repaired was also hinted, and that might give Den the protagonism he was denied during the arc. Shirley's prediction "might" come true in a future, who knows? And the conflict with Big Mum will have to be solved somehow, thus showing us the aftermath in the island, with the candy factory being destroyed, the Sun pirates emerging from the shadows, etc etc. . .So, this arc can still be redeemed with a part 2.
FI is pretty underwhelming going by OP standards, but, even with that, it still manages to be a pretty decent and entertaining arc in itself. I always think of it as: when one of your manga's weakest arcs is something like Fishman Island, it means you are doing it RIGHT.
Oh, and while we're at it. . .yeah, Water 7 is bliss. Ennies Lobby got some things wrong, but I can get over them and still greatly enjoy the arc. But Water 7 has none of those wrongs: everything there feels right. Best arc along with Skypiea and Sabaody so far.