@Monquito:
Yamato's shallow admiration for Oden just doesn't do the trick. Oden is for Yamato what Roger is for Luffy, and we're missing Yamato's Shanks.
Yeah sorry gonna have to call this one out as it just wrong, you act like Yamato is out here being Conrad Verner acting like there Shepard when they have no business being or knowing them.
Yamato has Odens Journal thats been there since really the beginning of Odens grand adventure, its not some folklore built up, not biased statements from the propaganda of Orochis government.
Its all Oden true words, thoughts, adventures, ideals and dreams Oden isn't one to BS everything in there is the truth, its the closest one can get to knowing who Oden is without being his wife or himself.
People bring up ohh why didn't Oda introduce Yamato before, well the admiration of Oden and what they are doing wouldn't make sense without knowing Odens story without seeing, learning about him through the flashback.
We saw Oden take down the mountain bandit, we saw Oden recruit the Red Akazaya how they bonded with Oden and how Oden came to get them all, we saw Odens character with dealing with the foreign Minks and Orochi early on, we saw Oden clash with Whitebeard and grab hold of an anchor for days just for the chance to leave Wano, we heard the wonderous places he went to.
We saw his bond and admiration of Roger grow and how he had to follow Roger, we saw his trails with Roger, we saw Odens dedication to seeing it through to the end with Roger for his dreams, we saw his doubt and angst of leaving Wano knowing what was happening, we saw his and others reactions to the true history and Roger leaving.
We saw the sacrifice he made for the people of Wano his people and how Orochi spit on his back and brook the straw, we saw how Oden fell to Kaido and we saw his last hours of life holding up those closest to him.
Yamato may have only saw Oden during the Hour of Legend (maybe more earlier depending on what happened in the past), but you can see just how big, important and honorable what Oden did there, the emotions in the air from the citizens of Wano beggeging Oden to live as he was there only known hope, the anticipation, the despair Yamato witnessed that and was clearly touched emotionally.
Then when Yamato finds Odens journal, he can read all of Odens life stories see Odens thoughts on events, what had truely happened, his dreams, what he experienced with Roger and Whitebeard, his doubts, everything you could learn about Oden and his grand adventure was in that Journal the only record of Odens true journey.
When Yamato called Odens Journal his Bible, its important weither your religious or not its important to understand its meaning.
Bible weither it be true stories or not, is filled to the brim with lessons, ways to live life, how to treat other people, etc for alot of people it was a big formative aspect to peopel lives if you truely read the bible and be a true "christian" its stories of Jesus, his apostles and many others are tales/lessons to people on how to be there for your fellow peole, how to help others in times of need, sources of inspiration and solace, lessons in trying to make sense and deal with life, help to develop a moral center, etc.
So it wouldn't be a stretch to say that the bible is trying to teach people, much like a mentor would.
Yamato may not have meet Oden beyond the Hour of Legend, but yamato had odens Journal and learned about the true Oden and clearly admires oden so much so Yamato has taken on the mantle of Oden to try and fill the void left behind by Oden but in a way thats them,Yamato knows they are not Oden its clear but Yamato wants to live up to Oden to make them proud.
In a way like other characters in fiction most notably comic books.
They are called Legacy Character.
Dick Grayson knew Batman was his ward and in some stories a literal adopted son and he took on the mantle of Batman knowing there needed to be one but he did it on his own terms, he did it his way as Batman and without him Damian would not be the person he is today.
Wally West took on the Flash, etc.
Those are character we know had intimate relationships with there mentors but it doesn't just go to close relationships.
Take Jaime Reyes, he never knew Ted Cord all he had were stories he could check up online and such hell he didn't even want to take up the Blue Beetle role at first but he did and became his own hero with stories and such and thanks to Booster Gold he got to meet the one who held the Scarab last and his name sake.
Ted Cord told Jaime he was proud of him and was a worthy successor.
Hell Kyle Reiner never knew what a Green Lantern was when Ganthet choose him to be the new and Last Green Lantern, even at first he didn't know or really care about it but he learned what it meant to be a Green Latern and showed up to beat and defeat the controlled and mad Hal Jordan.
He learned what it meant to be a Green latern and did it his own way and defeated Parallax Hal, he was able to feel and overcome fear and not be destroyed or stricken by it like Hal and even in moments of Sanity was proud of Kyle to be the next Human lantern, even Gantent said he choose his successor well.
Tim Drake never knew Jason Toad, Miss Marvel was a Big Fan of Captain Marvel (and if you try to insult and degrade Kamala Khan saying they are just a fangirl you are wrong), Miles Moralas never knew Peter Parker in the Ultimate Verse or in Spider-Verse (which adds to the idea of a Legacy Character and the idea of that anyone including Luffy can be Oden).
Yet no one would try nowdays or if you actually read there stories they are not legacy characters that they couldn't learn and study there namesake in a way and learn and grow from it.
You don't need to know the person to be inspired and learn from them like a mentor would teach someone and be important.
My dad never knew his father he knows everything about his dad from journals and letter he wrote and they had a profound impact on his life.
Monquito and Deicide your speaking nonsense trying to say Oden isn't Yamatos mentor or saying that it weakens Yamato, it really isn't its a mentor in another way, another way to touch and inspire someones life.
If/when Yamato and Kaido get a flashback your not gonna see another mentor, what you will see is how Yamato was before Oden, how life with Kaido was and the lesson he tried to impart yet Yamato had Odens words and journal to help formulate the person he would become.
Yamatos mentor is Oden