@Kizuchan:
The funny thing is according to your logic, Skypiea shouldn't be much better.
It starts from a "dead end" with a new story, then "stalls" quite a bit and then ends with back on the "main journey" with another "dead end" and a new story to start.
Turns out it is just as pointless as Punk Hazard is, or as a matter of fact any other OP arc because all of them have a formula like that.
Especially if you looked at it in terms of sagas, not lone arcs.
–----
In Punk Hazard the only things that could've been made shorter is the running and some of the stuff with the kids(that is maybe around 2-3 chapters of content that could've been scrapped). The rest is fine.
In Skypiea, so far only the dials, Robin's revelation and the foreshadowing of haki and Merry were important. The whole arc essentially could've been cut by half or even more.
Unless you mean of course that you really don't like the story itself, that is Doflamingo and his broker's network, the alliances, ties to a Yonkou and Wano being set up, more mystery with devil fruits thanks to SAD and SMILE, a lot of plot thread and character introductions this arc in general; well, in the end it all comes down to an opinion, I guess.
Skypiea had more relevance to the overall story than most arcs. And it's not just about being that. The arc itself should be good. In fact, an arc doesn't even have to be related to the overall story to be good (that's the point of multi-arc series… variety), but it's nice to have it so while maintaining it's own plot. I mean here's how it goes:
1. Was the arc good? Yes? Great
2. No? Then is it at least going to serve the overall story? I mean we had to sit through it for nothing?
Sure, FI and PH do have stuff that will be explored later but I feel like these could have been put anywhere at anytime. With Skypiea it's different. The arc had it's own good story, and an amazing backstory with Kalgra and his people while ending up being ACTUALLY related to the Ponyglygh story and even Roger in an indirect way...that's how you tie things in...not just "oh i'll just give you a spoiler now and talk about it in the next arc lol"....the foreshadowings now are pathetic, more like teaser trailers for TV shows.
So no, i'm not saying something is instantly crap/dead end because it was independent on the main plot, i'm saying it's a dead end because it sucked while being so :P
I mean crack babies are nothing I wanna deal with. I swear to god South Park told a better story about those than OP tbh
Damn they're annoying so were most people in PH though
--- Update From New Post Merge ---
@RomanceDawn:
Yeah I figured as much. Your One Piece reading comprehension hasn't matured yet. That and/or you go in with the mindset of "why is this considered to be so good? X series did something like this way better."
To not see the clear and obvious value that this arc will have on the rest of the series is just laughable.
And judging your reading comprehension by the most simple-minded MANGA…MANGA isn't laughable?
Dude go read a book -.-
Also as I said above, the value of this arc, the crack babies and all the SH did is pointless. None. The SAD stuff is a glorified teaser. It didn't even play a part in this arc...it was just there. Like some mortal kombat background... shit. copy-paste it anywhere and it's no diff.
And again, the arc itself was lame. If you liked it, good for you.
And you're right about the "why is this good" mindset...I do have it, but with every series I watch. And without comparing it to x series unless it has a similarity of course. :P
And what's wrong to being into OP for a year :/