Here's the deal: We are looking to hyper-critique a character to try and pinpoint what makes them great and what makes them terrible. After enough people respond, I will organize what are the best and worst traits of the character, and compile an evaluation post later. Also, don't worry if you have the same answers as others, the point is to figure out a common denominator for the character.
Love and Loathe #1
We will start the series with the man of the hour: Donquixote Doflamingo
So the two questions for you are:
What one thing do you consistently love about Doflamingo?
What one thing do you consistently loathe about Doflamigo?
And give Doflamingo a rating of between 1 and 5, with 5 being the highest (.5's are acceptable - ex. 1.5 or 4.5). I will tally these.
Also, really quick I would like to say that this post was inspired by/ripped off from Doors Hate MMA Fighters – an analyst and writer over at cagesideseats.com who uses the above template to analyze professional wrestlers. It seemed like fun to apply it to One Piece.
Enjoy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Currently evaluating: Zeff (pg 68)
ARLONG PARK EVALUATIONS
! #1. Doflamingo / pg. 1 / 4.48 (20 votes)
! >! Doflamingo's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Family man – Dofla is a good boss and seems to care a lot about those who work closely beneath him.
- Vicious – However, he is utterly ruthless to anyone else; including the Tontatta Tribe, King Riku and even Bellamy. He'll torture you with a grin – the crazy bastard.
- Intellect – He always has a plan - and control over the situation and his subordinates. Doflamingo is a smart cat.
- Strength - We haven't seen too much of it yet but he seems to be very powerful and he has a cool, unique devil fruit ability
! Favorite comment goes to Pachylad:
! “He's an interesting character, especially considering the relationship with his crew. The interactions with Monet and Vergo, and later Baby5 and Buffalo when they are "beheaded", does show some benevolence on his part towards members of his crew that at least have shown competence (haha sorry Bellamy).”
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Arrogance – Doflamingo's most obvious and potentially fatal flaw is his ego. Hubris will likely be his undoing. He doesn't seem to like getting his hands dirty as he trust so completely in his family…and his own massive strength only adds to the problem.
- Jerk – Be it him being a “dick” or an “asshole” there is no denying that Dofla is kind of a jerk.
- Scared of Kaido – He is undermined a little because he is so clearly terrified of Kaido. This could make him look weak…or Kaido really strong.
! Favorite comment goes to Shadowgreed:
! “the faith he puts in his subordinates, I understand those are the guys that never fail a mission but you're dealing with a 'D' those guys are all about luck and you seem to have some sort of knowledge on theme, so get the fuck out of that room and go finish the job.”
! Finally, the poll! With 8 votes,Doflamingo's average score is 4.63. Not bad.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the hint: love hurts.
! Until then.
#2. Garp / pg. 1 / 3.86 (11 votes)
! Garp's Arlong Park Evaluation
!
! What you loved:
! 1. Vice Admiral Lifer – this was brought up over and over again by you guys. You love his individuality and that he simply will not accept a promotion. Be it because he enjoys his freedom, wants to spend time with his grandchildren or simply doesn't want it – you guys like this about Garp.
- Fisticuff Fighter – a close number two is Garp's strength and fighting style. He is amongst the strongest physical characters in the series and he doesn't even have a devil fruit power. Just haki. Total badass.
- Eccentric – Garp just doesn't give a fuck - he sleeps when he wants, talks mad shit to Sengoku's face and bursts through walls for fun. He's crazy.
- Subordinates – He is grooming Coby, who will hopefully have a very positive influence on the Marines in the future.
! Favorite comment goes to King Cannon:
! “Love:His general eccentricity. Bursting through walls because it's cooler than using doors, falling asleep while beating the crap out of his grandson, laughing in the face of his superior about his criminal grandson's deeds…”
! ________________
! What you loathed:
! 1. Grandfather Approach – The guy clearly has no idea how to raise children. He wants Ace and Luffy to be Marine's so he leaves them with…mountain bandits?
- Abusive – He also hits them both a lot. “Tough love” or “fist of love” is basically a nice way of saying child abuse when its applied to Garp.
- Marineford – Some of you wish he would have reacted better either at Marineford or after the war.
! Favorite comments go to KageKageKing:
! “Loathe:If you're gonna make your grandsons navy soldiers, WHY THE HELL DID YOU MAKE THEN LIVE WITH MOUTAIN BANDITS!?”
! Finally,the poll! With 8 votes, Garp's average score is 3.88.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. It's going to be our first flashback character!
! Until then.
#3. Norland / pg. 2 / 4.19 (13 votes)
! Norland's Arlong Park Evaluation
!
! What you loved:
! 1. Badass – This word came up six times. Norland is a badass, plain and simple. If his crew is hungry, he will dive into the ocean and kill a sea king and drag its carcass to the surface for food. He will kill a god in order to save an innocent girl. Just badass.
- Botanist – This is one of the cooler and more unique trades a One Piece character has shown and you guys appreciate it. Words like "doctor" and "scientist" were used quite a lot as well. Many of you appreciate that he is a forward thinker.
- Friendship with Calgara – One of the manliest and most profound friendships in all of One Piece…maybe all of Shonen manga.
- Flashback – His flashback is amongst the most beloved in the series. And for good reason. It is certainly one of the most tragic and most beautiful.
- Explorer – Norland has proven himself a pure explorer, one who caries the spirit of exploration very well. He even draws some comparisons to Luffy.
! Favorite comment goes to The Daz:
! “Love:He's a badass, rational humanist. He stands opposed to harmful superstition and stagnation, and is 100% motivated by embettering the lives of others. He is everything a scientist should be. ”
! –-----------------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Loyalty to the Crown – Many of you felt that no good could have come of him telling his king about Shandora. It could have potentially led to the genocide of the Shandian people.
- Poor Communication – Some felt that he should have attempted to speak with Calgara more when he was angry with him and that his inability to communicate led to unneeded tension.
- Disrespectful – His progressively minded ideals weren’t a positive for all of you, some find him disrespectful of others traditions and culture.
! *I just wanted to note that The Daz came to Norland's defense on many of his bigger flaws and I thought he did a fine job of it.
! Favorite comment goes to El-Matematico:
! “Hate:That he's just a flashback side character.”
! Finally,the poll! With 13 votes (!), Norland's average score is 4.19! Really good considering he had a couple of low scores weighing him down.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. HINT:It will be our first female character and…ugg...I am feeling a little depressed already.
! Until then.
#4. Perona / pg. 4 / 3.71 (19 votes)
! Perona's Arlong Park Evaluation
!
! What you loved:
! 1. Unique Design – Let's face facts, Oda's 'pretty girl' look isn't one of his most imaginative character designs. Perona is a unique flower in the rose-bed of monotony. Her gothic inspired apparel and 'Lolita' imagery was well liked by you guys. Even the unique touches Oda added to her face were touched on by you guys several times (her eyes specifically). She is not another Nami but she is still pretty.
- Ghostly Power – Her devil fruit was also mentioned many times by you guys. It was a close number two (third was relatively distant). There is really nothing like it in One Piece and with it she was able to take out almost the entire SH crew. Many also liked her fight with Ussop and her DF power was clearly a setup for that encounter.
- Carries Herself Well – Many noted that she spoke with Kuma, Mihawk and Zoro with little intimidation. She even put Zoro and Sanji in their place.
- Humor – Not only is she funny but almost everything she does is to amuse herself. Her devil fruit powers were humorous and the entire reason she was on Thriller Bark was to have fun and play with cute things.
! Favorite comment goes to black-leg jax:
“Love:i like her design. Her outfts are nice and her face is unique in onepiece which is nice. It's definitley the eyes that do it. I also really like her ability. Like some other DF it is really unique. It'snot just some generic ghost DF, it makes people who touch the ghosts depressed which had some hilarious outcomes with straw hats. I also like that she got to stay in the series with her role with zoro. Ialso appreciate that she gave usopp his first proper fight since alabasta, and his first proper fight on his own since arlong! (i'm ignoring the luffy fight obv)“
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Whiny Little Bitch – She whines a lot. Not Cute.
- Annoying – this went pretty hand-in-hand with her being whiny. Some mentioned her laugh, and some thinks she treated her subordinates (Kumacy mostly) poorly. She was also mentioned to be “spoiled” and “bratty.
- Abandoning Her Post – several of you mentioned that she strait up abandoned Moria once she failed to beat Usopp and decided that Oars was too scary for her to deal with.
- Devil Fruit Power – Interesting, both a love and a loathe. Several mentioned that the gag got old and “tedious.” Her laugh was also mentioned in both columns, she has been the most polarizing character yet.
! Favorite comment goes Tangaroa:
! “Loathe:Her dismissiveness of Kumacy's loyalty was sad & indicative of being a brat more than any other trait. But since she was forced to stay on the island there's evidence she's changed for the better. Her clumsy attempts to help her enemy, Zoro and expressing true grief when hearing Moriah had died.”
! Finally,the poll! With 19 votes, Perona's average score is…3.71!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Our next character has some killer makeup!
! Until then.
#5. Bon Clay / pg. 5 / 4.52 (21 votes)
! What a love fest this was! This aint' no joke!
! Bon Clay's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. The Flower of Friendship – By far the number one choice. Bon is probably the best representation of friendship in all of One Piece. He has a very philosophical approach to friendship and has sacrificed himself not once but TWICE for Luffy and the Strawhats. He is all about loyalty. You couldn’t ask for a better friend than Bon.
- Okama Way – Bon is a proud Okama and he shows no shame in expressing himself. Okami way!
- Impel Deaux-wn – Bon was the true hero of this arc. Many appreciated his character transformation that took him from antagonist to protagonist, plus his internal struggle of dealing with Magellan to help Luffy was compelling (and of course, the tragic aforementioned sacrifice.) What a guy.
- Represent The One Piece – not the treasure, the series. Bon embodies the spirit of One Piece beautifully.
! Favorite comment goes to The Daz:
“Love: One Piece, boiled down into a single character”
desa gets an honorable mention.
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Nothing – Like I said, love fest for Bon. “Nothing” isn't really the kind of evaluation I want to give, but the word was used constantly. Some even joked about Bon's biggest flaws being that he was “too awesome” and some feel that loathe shouldn't even be an option for Bon.
- Dancing Fool – That said, some of you felt his enthusiasm and spinning could be tiresome. He is over the top constantly.
- The Many Lackluster Faces Of… – It was also mentioned several times that Bon does a piss poor job of applying his Devil Fruit to battle (or perhaps it is simply useless.)
- Dat Hair – When grasping at straws….some don't like his hair. It's weird. Reminiscent of Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber.
! Favorite comment goes to The Daz (you killed it):
! _“_Loathe: Dude still kind of played a big part in messing up Alabasta, but who cares its Bon-Chan”
Finally,the poll! With 20 votes, Bon Clay's average score is…4.5! Bon is currently second behind Doflamingo but he also had two and a half times as many votes.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: I've been told he has ten times the strength of a normal man.
! Until then.
#6. Hachi / pg. 7 / 2.82 (17 votes)
! Hachi's Arlong Park Evaluation
(pictured above: a visual representation of Hachi's AP evaluation)
! What you loved:
! 1. The Simpleton of Old – Once upon a time, back in the Arlong Park arc, Hachi was a dullard. A loveable idiot. He was certainly the most personable and likeable of the Arlong Pirates. You guys miss the “goofy,” “stupid” and “idiotic” persona of old.
- Kindh****earted – He seems like a nice dude. He has been involved in some bad stuff but he almost seemed oblivious to it because he was “borderline retarded.” When left to his own devices he seems like a goodhearted man and eventually became a loyal friend to Luffy.
- Transformation – He was once a villain's accomplice and has turned into a friendly (if a little dull) chef. That has been an interesting journey to see.
- AN OCTOPUS! - Out of the Arlong Pirates he had one of the coolest and most recognizable designs (you can actually tell what he is supposed to be!)
- Celestial Dragon Punch - all he did was get shot, but the payoff was glorious!
! Favorite comment goes to sinreturns**:**
“Love_:_ Hachi the octopus fishmen has a dumb and innocent side to him. Compared to other fishmen in Arlong's crew Hachi felt like he was the most open minded one. I liked how He had human friends(Rayleigh and Shakky) andstill supported Arlong and his ambition. He might look like a strange contradiction…but I think he just didn't believe in Arlong's ideology.”
–-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Epitome of Inconsistency – This was brought up A LOT. Hachi went from a loveable moron to a relatively smart “Mr. Exposition.” He went from being apart of a Fishman supremacist faction to it later being revealed that he has been friends with Rayleigh and Shakky the whole time. He followed Arlong for years only to…realize he was evil after Luffy beat him? Hmm...
- Irrelevant – Dude doesn't really matter that much. He became more of a mcguffin than anything really.
- Nami's Tears – Obtuse or not, he played a part in Nami's horrendous up-bringing; unsurprisingly some of you did not appreciate this about Hachi.
! Favorite comment goes to .accesstimeco.****:
! “Loathe:How much his changed for no apparent reason. I wouldn't complain about him being his current self if he was always like that (although his new personality is quite boring), but he was borderline retarded back in Arlong Park and now he is as smart as anyone else without any explanation. It is one of the few times I think Oda screwed with a character consistency.__”
! Finally,the poll! With 16 votes, Hachi's average score is…2.72! We have our new low score! Ouch.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: It's time! For the one-week celebration of this series we will be evaluating our first member of the Strawhat Pirates!
! Until then.
#7. Sanji / pg. 8 / 4.09 (33 votes)
! Sanji's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Black Leg Gansta - “Fighting style” was the money phrase for Sanji, it was mentioned by the majority of you. The fact that, under no circumstances has he ever thrown a punch, doesn't have a devil fruit, isn't a cyborg and only uses his legs is greatly appreciated by you guys. Diable Jambe was also mentioned more than once.
- His name is Mr. Prince – Sanji's intellect was also mentioned many times by you guys (many even saying that he was the smartest male in the crew or at least out of the monster trio). He has a way of diverging from the crew only to mess up the villains plans badly. The famous examples being his run as Mr. Prince in Arabasta and him opening the Gates of Justice during Enies Lobby. “Strategist” was used several times.
- Chef – many mentioned his role in the Strawhats. It's a pretty nifty gig and it shows his passion and helps round him out a bit as a character.
- Suit UP! – He looks good and he likes treating ladies well. Sharp mofo.
- Zoro Rivalry – Many think Sanji's gags are hilarious and specifically his rivalry with Zoro was mentioned several time. Who caught the bigger Dinosaur again?
! Favorite comment goes to King Cannon****:****
! “Love: His attitude when not thinking about women.”
–-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Nosebleed Bonanza – By far the number one loathe. Some of you found this endearing and it was even in some of your love sections but the vast majority of the time this was brought up – it was a loathe. Most agree, this got a little out of hand during Fishman Island. I mean, he almost died!
- The Misogynistic Gentleman – Some of you think that Sanji's treatment of woman is borderline disgusting and perverted. Most state that it is a trait that has gotten much worse with time – especially post timeskip. It was also mentioned many times that his inability to attack a female, even if he or his friends are in mortal danger, is a major flaw in Sanji's character. His interactions with Kalifa at Enies Lobby and the way he acted in Nami's body on Punk Hazard were both mentioned several times. Again, many of these things showed up in peoples love section, it just goes to show how polarizing Sanji is.
- Where is the Love People? - Some of you bigger Sanji's advocates think Sanji doesn't get the correct amount of love for what an awesome character he is. Thems the breaks.
! Favorite comment goes to King Cannon**:**
! “Loathe: His attitude when thinking about women.”
! I also want to shout out kouch_lee who put in some work with his(her?) very interesting evaluation.
! Finally,the poll! With 32 votes, Sanji's average score is…4.09! Very impressive (both score and vote quantity) for our first Mugiwara.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the **HINT:**To kick off our second week of L&L I thought I would…ahem...I thought I would...coughcough...ugg...sorry, dry throat. Can someone get me some water? You should always carry water on you.
! Until then.
! #8. Crocodile / pg. 10 / 4.54 (25 votes)
!
! Crocodile's Arlong Park Evaluation
(Robin knows)
! What you loved:
! 1. The Best of the Bad – It's clear that, to many of you, Sir Crocodile is the definitive villain in all of One Piece. He almost killed Luffy multiple times. He set rebels and royals against one another (while making both think that they were the ones saving Arabasta) in order to instigate war. He is also considered by many to be the first of the truly daunting villains in the series. He was a Shichibukai at the time. He was the first logia villain and he was the final boss of a saga that spanned eleven volumes (five in Arabasta alone). He hasn't been the primary villain for fifty volumes, and he is still second to none.
- Backup Plans for his Backup Plans – Because most of you simply loved everything about him it was a little hard to break your loves into sections. Still, Crocodile’s intellect and ability to meticulously plan was commented on many times over. Had the Strawhats not intervened it is very likely that Operation Utopia would have gone off without a hitch.
- Swag – Another off-stream from love #1. His look was mentioned many times. You guys love the hook, the coat, the cigar, the way he caries himself and just everything about him. He is stylish and smooth and it takes a lot to get under his skin and even when you do he still looks damn cool. Sexy motherfucker. One reviewer likened Croc to a Bond villain, I loved that.
- Master Logia – His strength and ability to have complete mastery over his Devil Fruit was also mentioned many times. Crocodile is iconic and was the first villain of his sort in the series, his logia devil fruit added a lot to his mystique.
! Favorite comment goes to Tangaroa:
! “Love: Hidden depths. One of the greatest strengths of Oda's writing is at some points during Alabasta you don't think of this as Luffy's story.It's Crocodile's, Luffy just wandered into it. He wants to ruthlessly destroy a country but does he plan to build something maybe better.He's abandoned his deepest wish of being Pirate King for this. What drove him to this point? Why is he so bitter, so driven? In his final face off against Robin we see he's prepared for treachery from even those closest to him. We never find out why he hates Whitebeard but know he's prepared to ally with the man who broke his dream and face the entire navy for a chance to save him or kill him himself.Crocodile's motivations have never fully been laid out for us and it's these points that hint at a life we've not seen that make him a truly three-dimensional antagonist.“
–-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Marineford Weirdness - While many commented on what a stone cold badass Crocodile was during the war, it was also mentioned a lot that his action's during Marineford were inconsistent with his character up to that point. Pre-war he couldn't handle Luffy before he had gears (because plot) but during the war he stood up to…Doflamingo, Akainu and Whitebeard? Why did he save Luffy again? Did he really think he could kill Whitebeard right in front of all of his division commanders?
- VS. Luffy, Round III – This always bothered me. I know he was frustrated and flustered by WHY didn't he use his devil fruit during this fight? They were under(freaking)ground! Gahh! So happy some of you mentioned this.
! Some other slightly notable trends were that he does some awfully stupid things for such a smart character and….well, a lot of people said nothing.
! Favorite comment goes to Counterdose:
! “Loathe: The weird fact that he’s actually a moron. “Let me just slide inhere and kill WHITEBEARD, in the middle of his armada - that’llhappen.” And he lost to Luffy in a collapsing underground tomb thathe probably could’ve turned into a sinkhole and buried everyone inAlubarna - with Alubarna!”
! Finally,the poll! With 23 votes, Crocodile's average score is…4.57! Crocodile is our new second place.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Quack quack ribbit ribbit.
! Until then.
! #9. Dr. Hiriluk / pg. 12 / 3.98 (23 votes)
! Dr. Hiriluk's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Ha! What a life it was! – Hiriluk's death scene is one of the most heart wrenching in all of One Piece. His “When Does a Man Die” speech specifically was mentioned many times. Who didn't tear up when he sacrificed himself? Something I always loved about this scene was Hirluk's joy at seeing that all the Drum Kingdom doctors were not, in fact, sick. He was trapped and he genuinely did not care - all he cared about was that people weren't sick. I am sure you have all read it a million times, but I simply couldn't say it better so make it a million and one ““When do you think people die? When they are shot through the heart by the bullet of a pistol? No. When they are ravaged by an incurable disease? No. When they drink a soup made from a poisonous mushroom!? No! It’s when… they are forgotten."
- The Raccoon Dog's Father – Hiriluk's relationship with Chopper was so touching. Chopper was the ultimate outcast. He had been abandoned by his fellow reindeer and attacked by humans. None of that mattered to the good doctor, all he saw was an innocent child – and in himself he found a willing father. Beautiful.
- A Doctor's Heart - while he did not have the brain of a doctor (more on that later) he certainly had the heart of one. He was a good man, he really cared about people and he made it his life's work to heal the hearts of the people of a crippled nation. Posthumously, as the cherry blossoms fell on the snowy island with no name, he succeeded.
! Favorite comment goes to Light Bro:
"Love: His compassion. The guy works 30 years in creating pink snow, just because he thinks it makes people of his country happier. Now that's some appreciation on the little things! Even when he was he lured to die he was just happy that doctors weren't really sick and could still treat the ill. Not to mention he blew himself up just to avoid Chopper feeling quilt of killing him. Speaking of that, is death was definitely one of the saddest and most beautiful in the series. And his final speech was one of the best in all fiction and history."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. What does the Duck say? – Dude was a quack. There is a very real possibility that he kinda-sorta maimed people for life. He might have even killed many, it's hard to say. We mostly forgive him because he was so charming (and he was only doing it because he felt that he had not other choice – there were no other doctors) but eccentricity has its limits. Putting patience lives at risk because of your own incompetence and ignorance is pretty counter intuitive to what it means to be a doctor.
- The Mushroom Troll - Some were angry with him for him allowing Chopper, his son, to poison him. I mean, Chopper loved him and wanted to be a doctor, meaning the last thing he would ever want to do is poison anyone. So the argument can be made that this move was more cruel than selfless.
! Favorite comment goes to Mr. Luffy:
! "Loathe: As much as his faults are sugar-coated, the man was a complete quack. Not just because he's not a licensed medical practitioner (Chopper is also technically a quack as well) but because Hiriluk's efforts apparently more often than not turned out worse for the patient. We may never know how many patients may have died because of him. His well-meaning assistant Chopper poisoning him in an identical manner of blind faith was poetic justice in a way (though absolutely heartwarming and tragic, don't get me wrong)."
! Finally,the poll! With 22 votes, Hiriluk's average score is…4.11.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Our next character is weaker than most yet still incredibly powerful.
! Until then.
#10 Spandam / pg. 15 / 2.86 (35 votes)
! Wow,that was fun.
Spandam's Arlong Park Evaluation
(yea "fun")
! What you loved:
! 1. The Sword-Elephant – Funkfreed was the number one most mentioned loved thing about Spanda. His faithful pet weapon was far more charming and likeable than the man himself. It was a cool design addition by Oda and it always feels special and baffling when we have objects that have devil fruit power. Funkfreed is pretty unique.
- Love to Hate – Spanda was about as incompetent, cowardly, clumsy and despicable as possible. He abused Robin with a sadistic satisfaction. He was basically a spoiled child in a grown man's body. He even treated his subordinates poorly. You guys loved it. It's fun to hate someone so absolutely. He is a heel with the right kind of heat.
- Just Desserts – All that said, it made it all the sweater when he finally got what was coming to him. Robin slapping the shit out of him was so great…and she snapped him in two. That felt right.
- Gags – if there was anything legitimately redeeming qualities for him, it is that he provided the laughs at times. Gags like being called Spanda and accidentally setting off the buster call were mentioned several times. A personal favorite was him spilling hot coffee on himself.
! Favorite comment goes to The Daz:
"Spandam is over-the top exaggerated cartoon evil. And that is entertaining as hell to watch. Can you imagine the colossal drag W7 would have been had Lucci been the sole primary antagonist? One Pieces premier Bleach villain? Spandam picked up that fucking slack and CARRIED the whole climax on his scrawny weak shoulders. Lucci was a roadblock Luffy needed to traverse. Spandam was the asshole you wanted to see get beaten to a pulp. He made every major emotional blow of that arc possible. Would Frankys flashback have been as fun had Spandam not been a total dick? No! Would Robins rescue have been as epic had Spandam not abused her as a total dick? NO! Spandam poured cowardly dickishness upon cowardly arrogance until Oda deemed him worthy of 4 consecutive beatdown moments- shot by Sogeking, slapped silly by Robin, crushed by an elephant, and then clutch'd. THAT is how good a villain Spandam was."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Hate to Hate – In this series we have touched on a couple of polarizing characters, Perona and Sanji notably, but they have absolutely nothing on Spandam. The amount of vitriol that he inspires is extraordinary and yet many also argue that - that is exactly what makes him so great. Off the top of my head I can't think of a more fanbase dividing character. The Celestial Dragon's are as hated but not as easy to defend (not yet at least). Basically, everything about Spandam is hated by a lot of you guys. He is stupid, unfunny, indifferent inspiring, the benefactor of nepotism and unsettingly abusive. Just so much hate!
- Robin's Struggle – As a beloved Strawhat, many found her relationship with Spandam to be pretty disturbing. He physically and verbally abused her. He drug her by her hair and hit her. He gloated about the destruction of Ohara. Dude was just a total dick to her.
- A Disturbance in the Ranks - it was noted several time that Spandam's very position makes other looks bad. It makes the Gorosei look bad for putting him there, it makes Aokiji look bad for trusting him and it makes the CP9 look bad for having to answer to him. He gives the wrong type of rub off onto other characters.
! Favorite comment goes to Mr. Luffy:
! "Loathe: His stupidity also encourages a callous, cruel nature though this could also been inevitable because his father seems to have been an absolute prick. He gloats about his father wiping out an entire island population and equally revels in taunting and brutalizing Robin when she becomes her prisoner. Unlike other marines with a stone cold sense of duty, Spandam is pretty much without honor or sense of duty, carrying out selfish acts of corporal punishment against any prisoner unlucky enough to be of interest to him to hopefully use the war on outlaws for his own political aims. He owes his rank entirely to his high ranking father and makes a very poor argument for nepotism in the WG ranks at that. Even his spectacular failure at Enies Lobby only led him to pass the buck to CP9 and evade any consequences of his gross incompetence. He's just scum even if he has the mentality of a spoiled child."
! Real quick, I just wanted to point something out. I try to stay out of the comment sections a little bit because I want to be an object observer so this is the place for me to talk to you guys. There was some discussion about how, as reviewers, you should approach someone like Spandam. Someone who is an effective character but a shitty person. It reminds me of a statement by JK Rowling regarding Snape. She said that he was an absolute delight to write but that she wouldn't want to sit down and have a drink with him. I like that. So basically, if you want to evaluate a character based on their effectiveness in the plot or based on how much you like them personally as a human being – it is up to you. That's what makes this fun.
! Finally,the poll! With 35 votes (!), Spandam average score is…2.86! Not only is Hachi still the lowest score but Spanda broke Sanji's record for the amount of votes cast. Very interesting.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today.Here's the HINT: I'll bet our next characters knows what a splitting headache feels like.
! Until then.
! # 11 Vergo / pg. 19 / 3.30 (25 votes)
! Vergo's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. The Bamboo Wielder – Vergo carries one of the most unique weapons in One Piece. More than just that, a lot of you guys just love his fighting style. His CoA, the fact that he has no devil fruit and impressive showing against the likes of Smoker, Law and Sanji (he cracked his fibula!) all helped you guys appreciate what a stone cold badass Vergo was.
- Something's On Your Face – Plenty of you mentioned his gags and quirks as being some of his most endearing qualities. His stoic personality, coupled with him constantly having food one his face made for some fun scenes and interactions. Also his forgetfulness was touched on many times.
- Look – A lot of you appreciate that he is an understated, realistic looking villain. There is really nothing too outlandish about his style (which in modern One Piece makes him quite the outlier). His coat, glasses and facial hair all got their fare share of love.
- Mingo's Right Hand – He was one of the first members of the Donquixote family that we met and his loyalty to Mingo was touched on by many of you. Also, many are looking forward to a flashback that can flesh out their relationship.
- The Spy – His successful infiltration and rise in the ranks to Vice Admiral was pretty admirable and impressive. He has also been one of the stronger Vice Admirals we have met, which is actually pretty sad.
! Favorite comment goes to Tofu:
! “Love:One of the strongest characters to not have a DF. Rokushiki + Haki atit's best. Cool fighting moves, interesting support weapon that matches his abilities (the bamboo flexibility should make it a much stronger hit than an iron weapon when used with Haki). Extremely loyal to the point of even earning Doffy's highest respect. It seems to me, also, that prior to the Punk Hazard incidents, Doffy was keeping the Mera Mera no Mi to his strongest man, Vergo. This fruit would automatically put him as one of the strongest vice-admirals, ifnot THE strongest (Garp is VA no more). He's Doffy's top man, match up to Law, and bested Sanji, hinting he's somewhere between Law's and Zoro's level. He doesn't like napkins.“
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Law Jobber – Ultimately, Vergo just feels like he was a device to hype up how cool and strong Law is. For a character with so much potential, a lot of it feels like it was left on the table. “Anticlimactic” was used several times.
- The Robot – Vergo lacked a distinct personality. Aside from a couple of gags he was pretty plain, “soulless” was used and someone even likened him to the Terminator.
- The Unknown – I admit, it might have been too early for an L&L on Vergo. A lot of you wish that he was fleshed out more and many expect him to be before Dressrosa closes out. The air of mystery was liked by some but was more often mentioned as a loathe.
- Underwhelming - many felt left out in the cold when it was revealed that Smoker wasn't serious, and then Law one shots him. Vergo ends up feeling more like hype than substance.
! Favorite comment goes to The Daz (pretty sure you're the all time winner):
! “Loathe:Most of that potential wasn't capitalized on. He arrived on PH too late in the game and didn't really get to do much. His fighting style turned out to be Rokushiki again+armament Haki again,only he's like super special at it! What could've been a good fightfor Smoker ended with a cop out excuse for Law to flex his smug Haxxness some more, and the fight turned out much like Vergo himself: anticlimatic.”
! Finally,the poll! With 25 votes, Vergo's average score is…3.30.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today.Here's the HINT: Our next character leaves puddles in their wake wherever they go.
! Until then.
! #12 Shirahoshi / pg. 21 / 2.84 (25 votes)
! Shirahoshi's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Passive Massive Weapon – Most seem to agree, the unveil that Shirahoshi was the Ancient Weapon Poseidon all along was handled very well by Oda. With that, the Fishman Island arc gained a lot of weight and relevance to the overall plot of One Piece and Shirahoshi will certainly play a major role as the story comes to its climactic close. The fact that an Ancient Weapon was also a sentient creature was a major twist as they had always been presented as weapons of mass destruction prior to this unveil.
- Creature for the Cute Lagoon – Her design was touched on many times. As a child she was very cute and she had a nice relationship with her Mother and siblings. As a young Woman her design is much more ladylike. She has a beautiful color scheme, her scales are attractive, her hair is unique and she has adorable expressions. She suffers a little from Namiface but she is the loveliest dame in the seas, all the same. Plus bewbs.
- Otohime's Will – Words like “brave” “willpower” and “determination” were used in describing Shirahoshi's ability to not hate her mother's murderer. In a way, it's hard not to admire such strength.
- Megalo – Mentioned more than once was Shirahoshi cute Shark companion. I always love that he was wearing a Criminal shirt, super funny.
! Favorite comment goes to Zar:
! "Her being poseidon came as a genuine surprise. I never thought the weapons to be living things, much less that we would actually see one so soon. I considered them end-game. Her design is also very pretty, and to some extent I like her innocence and kindness. In a way I like the contrast she had towards Hancock - both considered to be the most beautiful women in the world, yet their type of beauty and personality was complete opposites."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Wimpahoshi Sobs – The obvious number one choice. She cries constantly, it gets old quick and can be very grating at times. While some find it cute all (and it is a pretty big factor in gauging her chemistry with Luffy) it seems as though it was just too much for the majority of you. It doesn't help that she is bound to come back into the fray as the series continues, many noted that the irony of such a wimp being a living death weapon was not lost on them…and not always appreciated.
- Over-sexualized – She is a sixteen year old girl, yet she is presented as the most desirable woman in the whole world (even more so than Hancock). Many of you found this more than a little unsettling.
- Foolish Forgiveness – While it is commendable that she managed to fulfill her mother's dying wish there are limits to these things. She potentially attributed to the deaths of countless merfolk and fishpeople by holding the secret of her mother's true murderer in abeyance. Admirable, but stupid all the same. “Naive” was also said many times.
! Favorite comment goes to Mr. Luffy:
! "Loathe: At times too naive near the point of denial. Her being cooped up all those years made her pretty divorced of the realities of what's happening on the island, and her plan to reason with Hody was doomed from the start. She also withheld bombshell evidence that could have prevented Hody's coup from ever taking shape, knowing that Hody killed Otohime, over the notion that she didn't want anyone (including the assassin) to get hurt over it. That kind of saintly idealism is a bit too hard to take seriously, though only because most readers would have a very hard time understanding how anyone could forgive the murder of a parent."
! Finally,the poll! With 25 votes, Shirahoshi's average score is…2.84!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today.Here's the HINT: Blast from the past!Our next character debuted within the first 50 chapter.
! Until then.
! #13 Rayleigh / pg. 23 / 4.02 (24 votes)
! Rayleigh's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. The Geriatric Top Teir – The most oft mentioned favorite attribute of the Dark King was that for a man his age, and for one who has been retired for as long as he has, he still kicks all kinds of ass. He has been loafing around for twenty years yet he was the first character we have ever seen who can hold their own with an Admiral. An Admiral, mind you, who was stomping the Supernova's and was mere seconds away from killing fucking Zoro! He saved Zoro's life by reacting to a man who can move at the speed of light! He freaking swam through the calm belt to Amazon Lilly – much to the dismay of any Sea Kings he encountered on his trip. Ray is a monster, no doubt.
- Luffy's Obi Wan – He also took Luffy under his wing, no questions asked. My guess is that Ray's knowledge of the Void Century and how the Will of D plays into it swayed him a bit – but everyone loves Luffy….and Luffy act's a lot like a young Roger and is friends with Shanks. There union just works so well on so many levels. one reviewer (Palpitoad93) compared Ray to Obi Wan, I thought that was awesome. Props.
- The King's Vice Captain – It's just really cool that we got to meet (or rather, watch the Strawhats meet) such a legend. His connection with Roger was mentioned many times, it's nice to finally have a gauge for how strong Roger really was (turns out, the answer is very). Many are clamoring for a flashback where we can explore their relationship further. A personal favorite One Piece quote is attributed to Rayleigh, as he discusses the day his friend was executed. "I've never laughed more than on that day… I've never cried more than on that day. Never drank more, either. Our captain... was a magnificent man!"
- A Veteran’s Composure – The guy was cucumber levels cool at all times. Be it being imprisoned, enslaved, facing giant sea monster are when being attacked by Borsalino, Ray's composure never wavered.
- Sorrow for the Demise of Edward Newgate – More than once you guys mentioned that you thought it was touching and poignant that Ray shed a tear for his formal rivals death at the Marineford War. Touching moment for sure. RIP Whitebeard.
! Favorite comment goes to Bond en Avant:
! "Love: His carefree nature is the most standout thing to me. The way he nonchalantly goes about his daily life, gambling and losing everything, getting captured to be auctioned off as a slave, then just pulling off Caimie's collar like it's the most natural thing ever. His friendship with Hachi and Caimie also shows that he holds no prejudice and can see the good in others regardless of race."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Mass Indifference – I have to admit, this was troublesome and a little surprising. While the word “nothing” was used many times – the connotation did not feel particularly positive as it has in the past when the same word was an obvious motif of the loathe section (Bon Clay being the best example of this). Rather, many find him to be a little dull and bland. There isn't really a lot of bad to say about Ray but that might be because he feel's a little safe and lacking in a creative edge rather than because he is an exceptionally inspired character.
- Tired Trope – Expanding on the number one loathe, many felt that he was a little too much of a wise Shonen mentor archetype. He just hasn't brought enough to the table to warrant him being very interesting.
- Moar! - However, for those that do love him they wish that there was simply more of him. Let's hope we get our wish.
- Manglaze – uhhh….usually coupled with Ray being called “overrated” is this world. I guess it's an old tournament campaign that still hits a sour spot with some of you.
! Favorite comment goes to The Daz:
! "Loathe: He bores me. He is more a walking collection of Strength Feats than a character, and his fighting style isn't even particularly interesting. He has no quirks, and not much personality on display; most of his appeal is that "he's really really strong!". He reminds me a lot of a generic George Clooney character; you don't see an character, you just see a "Cool" guy with a "cool" personality, and a "cool" status. Just Cool is boring, and Rayleighs trademark for me has always been how little emotional response he provokes. When overpowered Superman Rayleigh swoops in to save the day, dramatic tension evaporates like ice cubes on the surface of mercury."
Finally,the poll! With 24 votes, Rayleigh's average score is…4.02!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today.Here's the HINT: No HINT!
We did it! Two weeks of L&L! To round out week two we will be heading back to the Thousand Sunny to evaluate our second member of the Strawhat Pirates! And for the first time ever we will be holding a vote for the next L&L. The contestants will be the remaining eight Strawhats (meaning technically correct entries like Merry, Vivi and Jinbei won't be counted.) I will leave the poll open for between 2-3 hours. To vote just write VOTE - followed by the character name.
! ex. VOTE - Sanji.
! Cool? Cool.
! Until then.
14 Brook / pg. 26 / 4.28 (29 votes)
!
! Brook's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Skull Joke! Yohohoho! - You guy's love Brook's silly jokes and his laugh. His skeleton puns were mentioned many times. Brook's humor is endearing in a unique way because we know why he acts the way that he does. He developed a defense mechanism in order to keep his sanity during all those decades of seclusion. Brook is funny while inspiring pathos at the same time ~ much like Charlie Chaplin before him. 45 degrees!
- Stylish – Brook always looks good. As the gentleman swordsman his top hat and tattered suit got a lot of love and as the Soul King his rock star style is the envy of many. Brook always looks memorable and he knows how to make an entrance. Brook really is a great example of Oda at his most creative and colorful. Also dat Afro!
- Laboooon! – His back story is such a tear jerker! When Brook is playing music with the remaining Rumbar Pirates and they start collapsing around him - the “quartet, trio, duet, accompaniment” line always gets me. And the big reveal that he is old friends with the Island Whale from the Twin Capes was great. Bink's Sake was mentioned many times also.
- Yomi Yomi no Creative – Oda has done a great job of expanding upon a a devil fruit power that was nothing to write home about pre-timeskip. All it really did before was keep Brook from swimming (and allow him to live) but now he can use it to release his soul from his body and freeze stuff or whatever. It's awesome.
! Favorite comment goes to Syphin:
! _"_Love: even though he is the most recent Strawhat, I find him to be one of the most enjoyable and entertaining to watch. The positive attitude he has after everything he has been through is incredibly admirable, especially the dream he has held onto for 50+ years. And those skull jokes of his….I love them, how unbelievably amusing.
! His.Afro.Is.Amazing."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Shining Moment Void – Brook is the newest member of the Mugiwara Pirates and unfortunately he has come around in an era when panel time is more competitive because of the amount of members and….unfortunately he has not had as many moments to shine as a lot of you would like. Be it solo fights or simply seeing him being awesome and interacting with his fellow crewmates, we need more. Many also noted that this wasn't really a problem pre-timeskip. He got a lot of attention during Thriller Bark but since then his interaction with the crew have seemingly diminished and he has become more of a bag-of-gags type character. Sad.
- The Oddball – As mentioned above, Brook is the newest member and because of that some of you still feel that he has not meshed with the rest of the cast that well yet. Hopefully his chemistry with the rest of the crew will feel more organic in time.
- Rock Star – Not everyone is a fan of Brook's new look. You guys miss the gentlemanly skeleton.
- The Age Old Conundrum - This is an interesting trend I didn't expect. Several of you think that Brook being so old and having lived on the waters that existed well before the series began should play a bigger part of Brook's character and perhaps the plot. He probably knows a lot of interesting facts about the history of the One Piece world but he hardly ever mentions anything (I remember him refering to Gol D Roger as a rookie during his time). Trippy.
! Favorite comment goes to Zar:
! "Loathe
A serious lack of screentime. Granted, he is the newest member, but he still feels a bit… out of place. He hasn't had his shining moments or big fight.
The skulljokes and pervertedness can get a bit annoying at times.
Pre time-skip, his fighting style felt a bit underwhelming. He will always be overshadowed as a swordsman thanks to Zoro. So him fully exploring his devil fruit after the time skip was a welcome change.
And lastly, It feels like his age could be used more in the story. How were the seas and the world when he sailed them?"
! Finally,the poll! With 28 votes, Brook's average score is…4.29! Yohohohohoho!
! Thanks to all that responded! I WON'T post my next pick later on today. Here's the NO HINT:
! Arlong Park REEvaluation Evaluation #1
! The king is dead, long live the king. Arlong Parks REEvaluation Evaluation#1
! Here are the score changes for all the characters mentioned by you guys.
! * Doflamingo (previously with 8 votes and a score of 4.63) now has 20 votes with a score of 4.48
- Garp (previously with 8 votes and a score of 3.88) now has 11 votes with a score of 3.86
- Bon Clay (previously with 20 votes and a score of 4.50) now has 21 votes with a score of 4.52
- Hachi (previously with 16 votes and a score of 2.72) now has 17 votes with a score of 2.82
- Sanji (previously with 32 votes and a score of 4.09) now has 33 votes with a score of 4.09
- Crocodile (previously with 23 votes and a score of 4.57) now has 25 votes with a score of 4.54
- Hiriluk (previously with 22 votes and a score of 4.11) now has 23 votes with a score of 3.98
- Brook (previously with 28 votes and a score of 4.29) now has 29 votes with a score of 4.28
! The only notable new trend that I found in the comments was that Doflamingo was perhaps evaluated too soon and that his true evaluation should not have happened until after Dressrosa.
! Some notes here. Crocodile is our new number one! Awesome! Bon has also moved up to #2 as Mingo has fallen to #3. Hiriluk fell quite a bit from a single low score. Hachi is still last.
! I will post Moriah's APE later (voting is still open btw).
15 Moria / pg 29 / 3.22 (18 votes)
!
! Moria's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. The Shadow Fruit – Moria's Devil Fruit is one of the most interesting and unique in all of the One Piece canon. Oda has a way of taking simple ideas and expanding on them to be something that none of us would have ever expected (Kuma's DF is also a prime example of this.) Moria's Shadow ability allows him to make zombies by stealing someones shadow (which knocks them out) and put the shadow inside a corpse to animate it, he has an indestructible shadow clone that he can transfer his own body with at any time. He can use brick bat to defend, trap or attack opponents. He (or others) can absorb shadows to enhance his own personal strength or talents. The possibilities seem endless and Moria uses his ability in a very creative way. Also, giant scissors.
- What Even is He? – These two loves were neck and neck. Moria is unlike any other character we have ever met in One Piece, visually. Many wondered if he is even human. He is a twenty foot tall lizard vampire man with horns and pasty white skin. His clothes were mentioned many times also, people like them shoe buckles. By extension, the Thriller Bark is one of the coolest ships in the series and his laugh is one of the most memorable as well.
- Kaido's Rival – Moria has a very intriguing past, one that includes the Yonko Kaido. Many noted that they would like to learn more about it and some even managed to feel sympathy for Moria's loss (meaning, the death of his entire crew).
- Colorful Support – Some of you guys found Moria's Zombies to be hilarious. Perona, Hogback and Oars also all got some love (none for Absalao though).
! Favorite comment goes to Light Bro:
! "Love: He's fucking Moria!
! But if I must further elaborate his magnificence, I'd first go for the design. Oh, my, God! What is he even supposed to be? Aside from having really creative one you can't even tell whether he's a human or not. It's that crazy!
! Also, his lazy attitude. Unlike other One Piece baddies he doesn't fight himself, he has his zombies and shadow do all the dirty work for him. This also gives him very interesting perceptive compared to rest of them who rely on their own fighting abilities. Why bother to work yourself when you can just take credit from other's achievements? This is actually very realistic approach that mirrors today's corponational business culture quite well. He's very smart too, considering his utility with Kage Kage No Mi and strategies he used with Straw Hats."
–-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Sloth – While some liked this about Moria, most were quick to mentioned Moria's extraordinary laziness as their biggest loathe. Moria wants to become pirate king off of the backs of his subordinates – and unfortunately this is a really stupid and unrealistic plan. Moria's ever growing fat ass was also mentioned more than once.
- DF Inconsistency – As fascinating as his power is, there don't seem to be as many definitive lines and boundaries with it as there are with many other DF powers. Several of you mentioned that you didn't like that his ability has too many ambiguities.
- War Letdown – More than one of you said that Moria felt weak – and while this may have seemed the case during Thriller Bark it became very apparent during the war where Moria became the whipping boy of several more powerful characters. For a Shichibukai, Moria just does not seem very threatening.
! Favorite comment goes to desa:
! _"_Loathe: His plan is pretty stupid since they are people out there who knows about the salt."
! Finally,the poll! With 18 votes, Moria's average score is…3.22
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Our next character is one of the best mother figures in One Piece.
! Until then.
#16 Bellmere / pg 31 / 3.78 (25 votes)
! Bellemere's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Surrogate Mother – Bellemere, along with Dadan and Otohime, is easily one of the most iconic mother figures in One Piece. She took Nami and Nojiko in when they were very young (infant and toddler respectively) and she mothered them the best she could with her very limited funds. The facts that she is not blood related to either child was mentioned many times. You guys like that she “adopted” the girls. She really didn't have to raise those two girl but Bellemere had a big heart. Her last words are a testament the affection she felt towards her daughter. While facing down the barrel of a gun she said “Nami, Nojiko, I love you.” Beautiful.
- Ex Marine – The term 'badass' has not been such an obvious theme of the love section since Garp (also an ex marine). Bellemere's instinct was to attack freaking Arlong. She faced death without flinching, with unwavering certainty. Her butchy hair was also badass. She was a rough and tumble lady and frankly, One Piece could use more of that.
- Not overly Sexualized - Something else that separates her from the rest of the female character fray in regards to One Piece. Bellemere is clearly very pretty (her body was mentioned a couple of times as well) yet she isn't a sexual object, if anything her attitude exudes bmf. She is like a likable motherly Ronda Rousey caricature, which is pretty cool. I should note that this was a distant third behind the first two loves.
! Favorite comment goes to Panda Bear(though not really from a love section):
! “As a short aside, I'm going to echo something Daz said, but more strongly; here, I'm afraid, I actually do intend to be somewhat judgmental. Blaming Bellemere for what happened to her children is disgusting. Blunt, I know, but if anything it understates how I feel.The one at fault was Arlong, and his crew. You can argue that Bellemere's actions contributed to what happened, that she could have made things better by acting otherwise; you could argue, too, that this is not the case. All irrelevant. Bellemere was a victim, along with everyone else in the village, and laying any sort of blame at her feet is the core of what I find to be some of the most hurtful,damaging, and just plain wrong thinking that exists in the world.__“
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Hairdo? Hairdon't! – While some liked it and thought it added to her identity and attitude it was still the first and most often mentioned loathe. It's a strange look that doesn't do it for everyone. One reviewer likened it to Bellmere losing a fight with gardening tools. I personally like it, but I can understand why it throws people off.
- Vain Sacrifice – This loathe made the comment section explode. Still, some of you felt that Bellemere's last stand was “stupid” and “selfish.” Some very compelling cases were made that Bellemere's sacrifice really just doomed her daughters and peers to a grueling and disastrous future. Many seem to think that Bellmere
- Fist of Love? - Here is another interesting parallel Bellemere has with Garp. In Garp's evaluation many felt that he was too physical with Luffy and Ace. Similarly, many noted that Bellemere was the same way with Nami and Nojiko. I've never noticed the similarities before – and they are both ex marines. It makes me wonder if that was a conscious decision on Oda's part.
- Pull the trigger! - as pictured above, as cool as the scene was when she attacked Arlong many noted their frustration at Bellemere's choice to monologue rather than blow that psychopaths brains out.
! Favorite comment goes to Meh:
! “What I loathe about her is that she exemplifies the tragic hero/heroine:over-confident and more than occasionally overbearing. Two chapters of her are endearing. Twenty chapters of her would require enduring.__“
! Finally,the poll! With 25 votes, Bellmere's average score is…3.78!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: I'll bet our next character gives the best hugs.
! Until then.
#17 Whitebeard / pg 35 / 4.47 (33 votes)
!
! Whitebeard's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. The Treasure of a Family – The easy number one choice, you guys love that Whitebeard was all about his family. He exemplifies what it means to be a father perhaps better than anyone in One Piece and his love for his children and his want for their happiness seems endless. What a guy. Whitebeard's ferocious attack on Admiral Akainu directly following Ace's death was not just a battle between two rival forces, it was a father grieving the loss of his son with all the destructive power he could still muster.
- A Standing Death – In a series filled with epic moments, Whitebead's death scene can go toe to toe with any of them. His sacrifice was beautiful, and the unveil of his back, free from a cowards wound, was as poignant a moment as any. One Piece is really about exaggeration and grand gestures and in that vein few moments compare to Newgate's final stand.
- Strong Old Bastard – Whitebeard is really a monster from the previous generation. Within him we see both a man weathered and fragile from time and yet he is still an incredible warrior and a man who, even in his compromised state, is still possibly the worlds strongest. Whitebeard had a lot of hype to live up to coming into Marineford and, most would agree, that he lived up to it.
! Favorite comment goes to The Daz:
! “_Love:Remember how I dismissed Rayleigh as a boring character, because he was just the "old man, who is cool and really strong"stereotype and nothing else? How having limited panel time is no excuse for being boring?__I present thee: Whitebeard._Whitebeard was the strongest man in the whole world, and he had tonnes of strength feats- but thats not why we remember him. Thats not why we love him. The reason those moments had the impact they had was thatt hey were fueled by Whitebeards burning, fatherly compassion.Throwing an Admiral around is neat and all, but when you do in silent fury at your sons death, it becomes something special. A quake-punch is only as cool as the raw emotion powering it.Whitebeard only had one real arc to show off, and he used his time extremely well.“
–-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. The Rogue Son – the only loathe that was truly consistent was the way in which Newgate handled Teach. Many feel that, had Whitebeard simply gotten his hands dirty, he could have prevented Ace's capture and thus the War wouldn't have happened (sparing countless lives). Whitebeard was accused of being a poor planer by some, I would argue that hindsight is 20/20 and that Whitebeard was dealing with some internal struggles. Still, at the end of the day, Teach has been unleashed on the New World and, conceivably, Whitebeard could have prevented that.
- Too Trusting – This one overlaps a bit, except the example of Squardo stabbing him was used more than examples including Blackbeard.
- The One Piece Exists! - Now, this wasn't really a pattern so I am going against the idea of L&L to even really put it here. Still, Darth brought up that Whitebeard commenting on the One Piece was a selfish act that would only cause more chaos throughout the world and he defended his point endlessly (some even found it valid, which is enough for me to put it here.)
! Favorite comment goes to Darth:
! “The"One Piece is real" speach. I hate it. And I know it'sharping on man's romance, I really do, but it comes off, to me at least, simply as mean spirited. It actually worsens the situation ofhis people, worsens the situation of Islands he protected, worsens the situation of Fishmen island and Jimbei signitificantly, cause countless deaths across the globe… when Blackbeard acknoledges that you've done well, you should probaly rethink your actions.__“
! Finally,the poll! With 33 votes, Whitebeard's average score is…4.47!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Our next character wants us to bring it back!
! Until then.
18 Wiper / pg. 44 / 3.10 (24 votes)
!
! Wiper's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. The God Killer – Wiper's extraordinary determination to kill the man who belittled his people was appreciated by you guys. His use of the reject dial, which he used to eventually kill Enel (momentarily) was mentioned many times by you guys.
- The Pride for his People – Wiper is a proud Shandian with very close ties to his past. His involvement in the much loved Norland/Calgara flashback was also mentioned many times.
- Moral Ambiguity – One Piece has many characters that live within the realms of black or white, good or evil. In that world Wiper is a refreshing hue of gray.
! Favorite comment goes to Lao G:
! "Love: His badasness. Probably the most proud and cool looking character of all times (rivaling only probably Zoro), who knows how to get things done. When he "killed" Enel, a shiver went down my spine on how terrifying this guy can be. Of course I didn't even think of Enel going down so easily, but it still felt as the best try amongst all of the "contestants" of Enel's game. His resolve to save his hometown - that is what made me think of him so highly. His will to live and deliver the message to Cricket, that was the probably the life source of his coolness.
His fighting style. It really felt good to see a fighting style, completely different from any other styles we've seen in the story (swordsmanship, fists etc.) up to that moment in time. His Burn Bazooka was monstrously strong (yet I'm disappointed in it not burning through the snake's belly) and Axe Dials were also great. Using Reject 3 times and actually surviving is a feat, only one with a strong desire to protect something he loves, can hope to pull out. "
–-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Unrelenting Violence - Wiper was a little one-note. Some found it boring. Some just found his constant hostility (towards the Skypieans, Strawhats and even his own people) off putting. This one was by far the number one choice. “Asshole” “Stubborn” and “Extremist” were all used.
- Easy Redemption – There was not a lot of patterns to be found in the loathe section since most of the loathes were variations of the above. Still, some didn't like that his horrible actions and attitude led to little consequence and that he was eventually forgiven easily.
! Favorite comment goes to Crossword:
! _"_Loathe: I remember someone here once describing him as having all the personality of an angry potato and that's certainly true. His barely-restrained and misplaced anger were one of the defining aspects of his character, but that didn't do much to make him a likeable one. Him using the Reject Dial a third time also strained my suspension of disbelief given that it seemed to outright kill two of its targets earlier."
! Finally,the poll! With 24 votes, Wiper's average score is…3.10!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post Chopper's APE later on tonight. First, let's start our new L&L.
! #19 Chopper / pg. 46 / 4.42 (25 votes)
!
! Chopper's Arlong Park Evaluation
!
! What you loved:
! 1. A Hero's Journey – Chopper's personal character journey has to be one of the most interesting and expansive in One Piece. He has gone from the character with no home, isolated and abandoned to a character with friends that eventually embraced his bizarrely monster-like appearance.
- Doctor Who? - Doctor Chopper. That's who. As with the previous Strawhat members that we have evaluated you guys appreciate Chopper's place within the crew. He is smart and compassionate, he truly cares for those that he is tending to and he caries the spirit of the doctors that he has learned from proudly. Add to that that Chopper uses his medical knowledge to enhance his devil fruit and you guys love this about him.
- Transforming Cute Monster – Transformations are cool. A lot of you guys like his look. He is cute, terrifying and strange all at once. It is one of Oda's crazier character concepts yet he makes it work.
- A Real Mugiwara – This was interestingly juxtaposed to Brook's evaluation. While many feel that Brook has yet to truly mesh with his fellow shipmates many feel that Chopper felt as though he was part of the family strait away. He has a very unique dynamic with all of the strawhats. My personal favorite interactions are always the ones he has with Zoro.
- His Father's Son – Chopper's flashback is one of the most loved in the entire series and that has everything to do with his relationship with the love-able Dr Hiriluk.
! Favorite comment goes to Kirk:
! “Love: The old Chopper”
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Sugar-Coated Cute Mascot – Far and away the number one loathe. Chopper was once a “ugly fat dog” lined with cuteness. Now, he is a full blown big headed uber cute mascot. It's a little sad to see the bottom line highlighted so clearly in something as pure and fun as One Piece but there it is.
- Brain Point Default - A lot of you guys wished his typical look was something other than brain point, or that he at least switched it up more. This goes a little hand in hand with loathe #1.
- The New Transformations – Many of you guys miss the old batch of transformations and arent too fond of some of Chopper's newer looks, like Kung Fu Point.
- Why So Scared? - Some of you felt that Chopper was a little too much of a bitch about things sometimes. He is far physically stronger than Usopp and Nami and yet he is labeled as a member of the weakling trio with them. It is unfortunate.
! Favorite comment goes to Kirk:
! “__Loathe: The new Chopper_“_
! Finally,the poll! With 25 votes, Chopper's average score is…4.42! Chopper is our new highest rated Strawhat and 5th overall!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: It's Buggy! Keep the Buggy comments coming and I'll see you soon.
! Until then.
#20 Buggy / pg. 48 / 4.31 (24 votes)
!
! Buggy's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Comedy Dynamo – Far and away the number one love was the consistent amount of humor that Buggy brings to the series. Virtually all of you mentioned this. Buggy is one of Oda's craziest and zaniest fully realized concepts and many feel that (like Bon before him) he represents the spirit of One Piece beautifully because of this. Buggy is flashy and don't you mention his big ugly red nose!
- A Clown Amongst Kings – The ties that Buggy has to an impressive cast of characters is pretty vast. Notables among them are Shanks, Rayleigh and Roger. many noted that they would like to see more of their interactions in a flashback down the road.
- Rags to Royal Shichibukai – Many of you pointed out that Buggy is one of the most consistent side characters in the series. We met Buggy in volume two and he is arguably more relevant now than ever. He was something of a medium sized fish in a small pond when we met him, he had a wacky chibi adventure, teamed up with Alvida and headed to the Grand Line where he was imprisoned eventually breaking out, gaining infamy and Warlord status. In the world of One Piece lore, there is no one like Buggy.
- A Fool's Luck – one of Buggy's more interesting qualities is that he succeeds over and over again in-spite of himself. As a comedy character, this makes for many golden moments.
! Favorite comment goes to .accesstimeco.(partially because of your avatar):
! “Oh,Captain Buggy!!!
Love:Well, Buggy is my favorite character in One Piece. Not after Marineford, not after Impel Down. He has been my favorite ever since I first read East Blue.
His humor is light and funny (except his "Mr. Satan-ish gag. I will mention it later), I simply love reading any scene he is in. Even though I didn't like East Blue arc at first (it took me four atempts to finally making through it), Buggy's arc was pure love because his presence made the chapters just that pleasant.
Also,I like how Oda manages to sneak some serious scenes into him (likethe time when he decided to enter Grand Line again. There almost looked badass), hinting that there is more than a clown waiting to be developed in the right time.”
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Marineford Groan – Easy number one, many felt that Buggy's gag wore far too thin (and eventually became annoying) during his stint in the Marineford War. Though it was mentioned many times that Toei exasperated this problem (or created it entirely) with filler some mentioned that it was a problem in the manga regardless.
- The One Note Warlord – More than one of you mentioned that Buggy, even though we have experienced so much with him, is pretty one dimensional. He has yet to be properly fleshed out and for a character who has some considerable panel time behind him that is a problem.
! Favorite comment goes to ITaeyeon:
! “What I loathe about Buggy: His epithet. Thousand Piece, Clown Star…what? I like Red Nose Buggy more. Sometimes, after rereading theWhitebeard War Saga, I think he's a little bit overused... but he's fun.”
! Finally,the poll! With 24 votes, Buggy's average score is…4.31!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Here is our next character ladies and gentleman!
! Me: “introduce yourself”
Him: “mumble”
Me: “They can't hear you!”
! Until then.
! #21 Gedatsu / pg. 49 / 3.82 (14 votes)
! Gedatsu's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. A Plethora of Weirdness – Gedatsu is one of Oda's strangest characters (I feel like I write that a lot in this series). His “quirks” and “gags” were the easy number one. Gedatsu would forget to breath, accidentally roll his eyes in the back of his head blinding himself, forget how to fold his arms and bite his lip while he tries to talk. Funny guy. People also mentioned his 50% survival rate several times.
- Choppa Fight – He is one of the only characters to give Chopper a one on one fight. This actually makes me a little sad.
! Favorite comment goes to Medical Orbit:
! "Love: His gags are my favorite in One Piece. I can even somewhat relate, because I have forgetful/absent-minded moments like that too. One time I missed the bus to school because I forgot how to lock the door."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Kami Incompetence – Several of you mentioned that it was odd that Enel would employ such a strange, innept character.
- Impotence Importance – Some wish we had moar(!) of him and some wish we had less.
! Favorite comment goes to Tangaroa:
! "Loathe: It's lucky Eneru is the Kami because decent henchmen are pretty hard to find up there in the clouds. While Gedatsu is perfect for his role in the story and as Chopper's opponent it seems kind of a miracle nobody blasted him down into the blue sea well before this."
! Finally,the poll! With 14 votes, Gedatsu's average score is…3.82!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: One month!!!!!!!!! We made it one month!!!!!! For our one month character we will be evaluating our first Admiral!!!!!!
! Until then.
#22 Kizaru / pg. 50 / 4.67 (12 votes)
!
! Kizaru's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Looking Good – I admit, this #1 love surprised me. Kizaru has a cool look – and its a look that really sets Kiazru apart from the average One Piece character. Like his fellow Admrals Kizaru is based off of a real life actor (Kunie Tanaka). You guys love his suit and his shades. Slick mother fucker.
- Ambiguous Justice – Many noted that Kizaru neither good nor evil. He does what he wants, he follows orders but does so in a manner that is more flex able than many. Some noted that he was the perfect middle ground in this way between Aokiji and Akainu.
- Aloof Admiral – Many of you liked the way that Kizaru handles himself. He is silly, funny, lighthearted and sarcastic. Even in dire situations he never wavers. Totally cool. Many also mentioned that they like the dichotomy between Kizaru's power and his attitude. For a guy made of light he can be pretty dim.
! Favorite comment goes to Light Bro:
! “But the real__reason why he's so awesome is that he's one of the most notable middle-ground Marines. While there has been lot of individual law-enforcers with different interests and values, they still tend to lead towards two opposite sides. The "good" Marines who care about civilians but are also willing to make occasional compromises regarding less-destructive pirates like Straw Hats, and the "evil" ones who never let a criminal escape, no matter how many innocents they have to sacrifice. Kizaru isn't neither. Like Sakazuki, when he goes after pirates, he doesn't make compromises! He will capture them, dead or alive. But as far as we know, he isn't willing to go as far as to kill civilians his own troops to do his job. This makes his "mid-way" justice very unique stand among Marines.”
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Broken Ability – It's not that it's a bad ability (it made several love sections) it's that it is so powerful that it creates potential plot holes. Yes, Oda gave Kiazru a very quirky and slow personality to compensate for this, but when a guy can move at the speed of freaking light and cause massive explosions for some reason we might have a problem. Some don't like that Oda has to compromise some of Kizaru's integrity just to make his overpowered Devil Fruit believable. My favorite example brought up regarding this was Kizaru infamously shooting the key (for Ace's cuffs) during Marineford.
- The Hatless Present – Hilariously, many of you miss that sexy ass hat that we only got to see very briefly during the Fishman Island flashback. Who know, maybe it will make it's triumphant return in the current timeline.
- Underdeveloped – He is fun and all, but he is still a little flat. I, and many seem to agree, think that is a problem that will be rectified as the story continues. We can only hope, regardless, he is still very fun.
! Favorite comment goes to Medical Orbit:
“Loathe:He doesn't wear his hat anymore and he's a "walking piece of collateral damage", as wolfwood once described him. “
! Finally,the poll! With 12 votes, Kizaru's average score is…4.67! Wow, Kizaru is our new high score! I would love to celebrate this but he only got 12 votes so that kind of puts a damper on my joy. This thread is slowing down unfortunately, hopefully traffic pick up again soon.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Our next character puts Spider Man to shame.
! #23 Kaku / pg 51 / 4.44 (18 votes)
!
! No excuses this time. I just got lazy as hell. Sorry everyone. I am going to try to turn this back into a daily series since otherwise I put it off too much and the thread dies a slow death. Kaku's Arlong Park Evaluation
!
! What you loved:
! 1. Giraffe Hilarity - Many of Kaku's endearing quirks landed in his love sections for you guys, but none more than his awesome Devil Fruit power. Many liked that he defended his silly animal power vigorously, some think it was just an awesome visual spectacle and several noted that his ability to control his ability was commendable considering how green he was with it when he used it back at Enies Lobby.
- Pasta Machine - Many of you guys said this, truly one of the more hilarious moments in the EL arc.
- Peter ParKAKU! - Kaku flying around Water 7 was boss as hell. It is one of the coolest things Oda has ever done visually. The anime did a good job with this. Pure awesome.
- Shipwright Woes - Of all his CP9 peers Kaku seemed to enjoy his life as a shipwright the most and he was sad to see it go.
- Other Character Wrinkles - Several other things about Kaku were mentioned more than once, but not enough to make there own trend in the love column. Notable entries include: His nose, being both series and silly, old man mannerisms, his Zoro fight, his chemistry with Jabra and his swordsman style.
! Favorite comment goes to .access timeco.
"Love: Was I going to make a TOP5 characters in One Piece, Kaku would be there (along with his teammate Jabra). I really, really like this guy. His fight is probably the only Zoro fight I like to read over and over again simply because Kaku's stupidness is so damn fun. The way he handles his DF and try all he can to not look stupid - just making everything worse by doing so - made me love this guy.
That aside, one of the things I like about Kaku is how he could act so retard to defend his image (by trying to make his DF not look pathetic) while not being a retarded character. He is actually smart, highly competent, serious at times. Thanks to that, instead of being just another gag character, he becomes one of the few not-so-underdeveloped minor villains and one of the reasons I want to see Lucci's group back so damn much."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. A Freaking Giraffe? - Its fairly rare that the #1 love is also the #1 loathe but here it is. It is the thing that sets Kaku apart the most and therefore the first thing everyone thinks about regarding him. Some felt it was too silly, some thought it was a let down after all the build up and some just wish he could have been a monkey.
- Yawn fight - there were very few trends as far as Kaku's loathe section goes but this was one of the few. Some felt this fight was boring or too strange. Personally, I couldn't disagree more.
! Favorite comment goes to Halmetal-lich:
! "Loathe: To be honest, the Giraffe sword fighting thing just felt..weird. I know Oda wanted an animal theme with these villains, but I do think he could have gotten the same result with a more reasonable animal. A well intentioned idea that really just never worked in my eyes."
! Finally,the poll! With 18 votes, Kaku's average score is…4.44! Somehow that seems right.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: umm….power poll extend?
! Until then.
! April Fools L&L #1 Goku / pg. 52 / 2.43 (7 votes)
!
! Goku's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Luffy's Archetype - One Piece would not exist as we know it if it wasn't for Dragonball - likewise we would never have known Luffy in his current form if it weren't for Goku. The number one love is Goku's extraordinary influence as a character.
- Childhood Joy - Goku was at his most likable and silly when he was a stupid kid. Kid Goku is my personal favorite as I will always support the first 16 volumes of Dragonball.
- Morality - Though he was a little dry as an adult he was a good man how lived by a code and had a strong sense of ethics.
! Favorite comment goes to MetaMario:
! "Love: I know Goku is technically the "template" for the dumb shonen hero, but…..I guess what I love is his...interesting sense of morality. Goku doesn't throw in epic speeches of good and evil, but harm one of his friends, you'll regret it. But the flip side, he is willing to let bad guys go (Vegeta, Piccolo, Freeza, etc.)....perhaps not for very practical reasons, but he's not really the guy that kills. He's not a saint but he isn't a brat either. Goku is Goku, nuff said. Grew up in the wild, has a simple mind, and a strong heart."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Natsu's Archetype - While Goku and Dragonball influenced a lot of Shonen manga for the better it also did a lot of harm. Many of you aren't so happy with the endless stream of Goku clones that he spawned. Goku's influence is double sided, as strong a loathe as it is a love.
- …Here He Comes To Save The Day! - Goku beat most of the villains in his series, making many of the supporters feel kind of useless.
- Improper Father - Goku was…umm...absent a lot. On the bright side, this gave Team Four Star a lot of ammunition.
! Favorite comment goes to Billy Bones:
"Loathe: His influence on the shonen genre. Perhaps it's not Goku's fault in particular, but it's difficult for me to disassociate the character from the cultural wave he created at this point. Thanks to Goku, every shonen protagonist has to be a scrappy moron who loves food more than life itself. Which was fine during the "Luffy/Naruto" wave ten years ago, but when it's a decade on and we're STILL stuck in the Goku rut, I begin to (justly or not) blame the originator of what is in my opinion not an objectively great personality type anyway. In fact, even within that framework of "lovable doofus" Goku was difficult to relate to after a while. He's an irresponsible little boy trapped in a grown man's body, he basically just shows up to demonstrate how much better he is than everyone else, and it's difficult to fathom what, if anything, he actually WANTS, or why he wants it. His successors are better at this: Luffy is a romantic, Natsu an adrenalin junkie, etc. Goku seems to want to get powerful just so that he can move the plot along, and literally everyone else in DB has a more dynamic character arc at some point than he EVER gets."
! Finally,the poll! With 7 votes, Goku's average score is…2.43! Ouch. If Goku was being ranked along with the One Piece characters (he won't be) he would be last. That is a little surprising.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Our next character is clumsy as tits.
! Until then.
! #24 Tashigi / pg 53 / 3.13 (8 votes)
! Tashigi's Arlong Park Evaluation
!
! What you loved:
! 1. Moral Ambiguity and Growth - Most of the marines in One Piece are static characters. Relative to the masses, Tashigi is very dynamic. She is growing anf learning and making strides as a human and as a swordsman. She is very likable and down to earth and her concept of justice seems to be evolving with her character as the series continues.
- Smoker Relationship - They are a good team and do a good job working together.
- Adorkable - She is clumsy, cute and (compared to many One Piece females) pretty normal. She wears glasses. She manages to be attractive without being particularly sexualized (save for when Smoker is in her body - erm, his mind that is)
- The Sword Lover - Its nice to see such a fangirl in a series that continually makes us lose our fanboy minds. This element of her character probably makes her feel the most like a real human.
! Favorite comment goes to Supernova112"
"Love: Tashigi is quite fun. What's quite appealing about her, I think, is that while Smoker is the badass insubordinate guy who basically does what he wants and does it with confidence, Tashigi is still figuring it out - what her 'justice' is and so on. Her whole "Swords should be freed from bas people" thing made her interesting in Loguetown, but was turned down since. Nonetheless, her character really shone in Alabasta. Since Smoker left her in charge, they were actually her decisions, and she found them hard. Of course, she tried to stop Robin who had Cobra, and failed. But then she pointed Luffy in the right direction, had her men help the Strawhats deal with the bomb (or try to) and in the end, she refused to capture the exhausted Strawhat crew when she had the chance because it stung too much to capture them after they had essentially done the Navy's job in dealing with Baroque Works. And she hated that she ended up in that position.
! Love her clumsiness too. It's kind of endearing as a character trait, especially in contrast to Smoker. They make a great hero-sidekick type duo, and their interactions are often fun, and sometimes pretty serious and meaningful."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Punk Hazard's Distressed Damsel - Outside of this there weren't really any trends, but literally all of you mentioned this. Tashigi is weak, she promised she would get stronger but it didn't amount to anything useful. She has lost every physical encounter we ever seen her in (from Robin to Vergo) or she has needed help (Smoker, Sanji, Zoro). It's just a shame that a character with so much potential isn't being allowed to shine because she can't grow in a way that allows her to be more useful to what is happening in the story. Many of you were disappointed with the turn her character took during Punk Hazard.
! Favorite comment goes to Zar:
"Loathe
For a character who promised to get stronger, she is really weak in a bad way. Honestly one of the most disappointing things in the entire Punk Hazard arc was seeing Tashigi get kicked around, constantly shoved into the background by others. Its like everything she did pre time-skip was for nothing; she couldn't even beat a stronger opponent on her own. Smoker opening her shirt during the body-swap was rather uncomfortable as well."
! Finally,the poll! With 8 votes, Tashigi's average score is…3.13!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Our next character has insisted to be evaluated with handcuffs on, because that is more dastardly and badass.
! Until then.
! #25 Hody / pg. 53 / 2.32 (14 votes)
! Hody's Arlong Park Evaluation
!
! What you loved:
! 1. He's A Great-White-Shark Fishman..man! - Hody's badass design was the easy number one choice here. Most prefer his original look but some even like his post transformation look and his adolescent look even got some love. You guys love his scarf, hat, hair and fat belly. Expending on that, many love that he has a very vicious presence, perhaps in spite of some of his sillier accessories. If Hody had anything going for him it was swag. Respect.
- Xenophobe - Many really liked this dose of realism in the often embellished and silly world of One Piece. Many people don't have a real reason to blindly hate and in One Piece there is no one who embodies those ideals more than Hody Jones. He is xenophobia incarnate. No rhyme, no reason, no motive or pivot - just hate.
- Extremist Arlong - Admittedly I was surprised to see this trend. Many of you guys remarked that you liked that he brought the spirit of Arlong's unique brand of evil back into the series.
! Favorite comment goes to Projectelf:
"Love: I liked his look after the drugs, and I also liked how his enitre adult behavior reflected the era in what he's grown up. He was a child when the ones he looked up to, Arlong and co. were utterly destroyed by the humans, including their glorious leader, Tiger. I mean, how can you blame him? The whole OP world built around this idea. You experience something (good or bad) as a kid, then you grow up to be the person that can change what your kid self wanted to change. For example: Sanji was nearly starved to death, thus he became a cook. Zoro's relationship with Kuina then his attitude towards never losing. Luffy and Shanks, then his dream to become the PK. Usopp and his father, Franky and Tom and on and on and on. I mean, he is racist, he is an asshole, he is weak, but I can't blame him. In the OP world, you need some dramatic thing (or beating) to have a change of heart. So yeah, I liked that this characterization also works towards the bad side."
–-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. The Dull and The Empty - Fishman Island felt like an arc that should matter. It had been hyped up since the end of Enies Lobby, we had waited years for it and when it finally rolls around our main antagonist is…Hody. Many feel that Hody simply wasn't a good enough villain to carry such an important arc. He was one dimensional, he was not a physical threat and he lacked much of a peronality. A lot of you guys simply felt that he was poorly executed and that he hurts the FI arc more than he helps it.
- Lackluster Gang - His crew did not help matters either. Zeo was fun, but aside from him no one had much of lasting impression and they all ended up being fodder for the Strawhats in the end - even with their enhancements.
- Arlongagain? - A love and a loathe. Hody was a more vicious and powerful version of Arlong sure…but he was also a much worse villain. We hate Arlong for traumatizing Nami and Nojiko by shooting their mother right in front of them. He then goes on to enslave and abuse Nami while he keeps the entire island under his thumb. That is an incredible and emotionally charged story. Hody was just a douche. Which isn't quite as easy to invest ourselves in as readers.
! Favorite comment goes to Supernova112:
"Loathe: The execution was poor. The empty hatred thing was made out to be this big revelation late in the arc, which it really oughtn't have been. Worse yet is the idea that Hodi and his gang bring the entire kingdom to its knees without anyone ever having done anything about it … or be able to stop it. And the Strawhats (plus Jinbe) just destroy them pretty casually ... Hodi lacks power and charisma, and as a result is a poor avatar for all that hatred. And his general weakness cripples that arc as a whole, because it really makes the Ryugu kingdom look pathetic."
! Finally,the poll! With 14 votes, Hody's average score is…2.32! Omg! Hody is our new low score! Hachi fans rejoice! So me, I'll rejoice.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: How about the first person to PM me with a suggestion we'll do. Any canon character yet to be evaluated is available.
! Until then.
! #26 Hancock / pg. 54 / 2.94 (17 votes)
!
! Hancock's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Pathos for the Bitch - When we meet Hancock she is a strait up, no nonsense, stone cold motherfucking bitch. It was awesome. She had a face turn pretty soon thereafter (more on that in a second) which was jarring. Fortunately, this is Eiichiro Oda we are talking about here. He weaved some of his magic and actually made all of us very sympathetic to Boa's plight. Sexual abuse was alluded to during her time as a slave (perhaps more obviously than Nami's time with Arlong) and as far as One Piece goes, that is pretty a grim subject matter.
- A Strong Female - One Piece is lacking in powerful women. It doesn't get much more powerful than those that hold the title of Schichubukai. On top of that she is an Empress of a nation, her hand to hand abilities are fantastic and she is one of the top Haki users shown in the series thus far. She also has a powerful DF ability. Pre-timeskip she could one shot Pacifistas. To put it that into perspective it exhausted Zoro, Luffy and Sanji (with support from the rest of the crew) just to defeat one single Pacifista back on Sabaody.
- Funny - Many of you guys enjoy her gags. The fact that she can be so cold and callous but melt at the sight or thought of Luffy was mentioned, as was her looking-down-so-far-it-was-up and her kicking cute things ways.
- Yes, She is Beautiful - Her design is really striking. Her reputation was that of the most beautiful woman in the world and Oda managed to convey that nicely. Sexy.
! Favorite comment goes to Halfmetal-lich:
"Love: Where do I start? Aside from being a welcome inclusion to the "boys club" of the warlords. Hancock simply felt right for One Piece. Her attitude, her design, her place in the story. Everything just felt like it belonged when we met this character. She's clever, smart, cunning and able to go toe to toe with enemies that we could only dream for Nami and Robin. Her about-face romance with Luffy serves as both a welcome homage to the Goku/Chi-Chi romance from Dragon Ball, and some of the funniest comedy I've personally found in One piece for a long time, something the anime helps greatly. Coupled with a well done and tragic backstory that doesn't over-stay its welcome, and an interesting devil fruit power, Hancock fit One Piece, and she makes the story better because of it."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Smooth Sympathy for the Devil - Many noted that she got a whole lot less interesting once she fell for Luffy and because a full blown accomplice. This character turn made her into more of a gag character than anything and one reviewer even stated that it took away some of the mystique from the Shichibukai as a whole.
- Medusa's Power - This has happened before in this series. As a collective, we the readers don't seem to like Devil Fruit powers that don't have somewhat hell defined lines and limits. A lot of you complained that you don't even know what her power is really supposed to be and that it feels like Oda is just pulling things out of his ass.
- Unlikable - Many just don't care for her personality. Both her bitchy base introduction character and what she has become since caught flak in the loathe section.
! Favorite comment goes to Kalkary:
! "Loathe: I prefer her when she is kicking puppies to when she is in love with Luffy. I think Oda could have kept her as a cold hearted amazon and still kept her in love with Luffy. I find her annoying when she becomes a bimbo whenever Luffy is involved. I also found it troubling that she would die if she couldn't be with Luffy. Abusers often threaten their lovers with suicide if they try to leave. I also don't like when she gets cute to make people fall in love with her. Also she is an empress, she can have servants cook Luffy up a delicious meal. Finally, having her shoot a heart during Marineford is just silly. We get it, she's a woman!"
Finally,the poll! With 17 votes, Hancock's average score is…2.94!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: If you can't see our next character you are probably already dead.
! Until then.
#27 Kuro / pg 56 / 3.86 (14 votes)
!
! Kuro's Arlong Park Evaluation
!
(Favorite)
! What you loved:
! 1. A Foreboding First - Kuro was only the fifth antagonist in series. His predecessors were Higuma, Alvida, Morgan and Buggy - none of which were close to as terrifying as Kuro. He was our first villain that lacked any sort of humor. Kuro had a terrifying presence and many of you noted that his style and archetype was our first taste of the baddies to come (Crocodile, Lucci, Enel etc.)
- The Glasses Push Foreshadow - One of the more memorable wrinkles in Kuro's character - it was nice bit of characterization by Oda that a man that wanted nothing more than to leave his past behind showed a trait from his past almost constantly.
- The Cold and Calculating - As stated previously, Kuro was a new breed of villain. None were as smart and calculating as him. He was calm and stylish and wore multiple hats depending on the situation. He was brutally manipulative. No one came between him and his goals. Not an innocent girl and not his old crew mates. The man of a thousand plans indeed.
- Pussy Foot - This technique got a good amount of love. It was our first experience with speed of this kind. His Katana Gloves added a lot to his deviousness and this technique was ruthless. He cut down any in his area, likely killing several of his former crew.
! Favorite comment goes to Counterdose:
! _"_Love: The villain infiltrates your ranks! Gains your trust! Learns your weaknesses! But, oops, they’ve come to care for you and can’t bring themselves to kill you!
How many times are we going to see that? Not this time. "
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Where Art Thou? - So many characters from this time period still hold some relevance to the story but Kuro hasn't been heard from since the end of his only arc. This wouldn't be so bad if his character didn't have a lot of potential. My friend has a theory that Kuro is behind some of the bigger events in the One Piece world, including the Paramount War. It's a silly theory but a fun one - especially if Oda ever plans to utilize him again.
- Who? - Some of you guys felt that he was a little bland and that he wasn't particularly memorable. I mean, the dude has been gone a LONG time so…yea...
- Nakama Killa - Not all of you guys feel that his viciousness if a virtue. Some of you just think he is a douche.
! Favorite comment goes to The Daz:
"Loathe: The conclusion to his story arc is rather terrible. Yeah, I get that "Go be a pirate again!" is supposed to be his punishment, but despite all he did, he essentially gets away scot free. The marines still thinks he's dead, and nothing stops him from assuming a new identity somewhere else. Hell, nothing stops him from returning to Syrup village and murdering everyone. That is, assuming his crew didn't murder him, which would've been a great scene to see- but bizarrely, we're just to assume that they were still loyal enough to drag him with them, and thats that?
His fight with Luffy, especially the conclusion, was also rather lackluster despite a promising beginning."
! Finally,the poll! With 14 votes, Kuro's average score is…3.86! Our first tie! With Garp. Crazy.
! Thanks to all that responded!
! #28 Hannyabal / pg 57 / 3.78 (16 votes)
! Hannyabal's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Gandolf Standoff - This moment defined his character so well. After all of the silliness, all of the gags and ribs towards Magellan - Hannyabal's epic standoff against Luffy and his merry band of escaped psychopaths is an inspired scene. Earlier on, Hannyabal feels a little incompetent and as though his wish to be Warden of Impel Down blinds him to the bigger picture. By the time he makes his stand we know better. Hannyabal does his job because, to him, it is the right thing to do. It's hard not to empathize with a man with morals. More than one reviewer even mentioned that it is one of the few times in the series where we question if Luffy is doing the right thing. Luffy always simplifies what he wants and pursues his goals with an endless determination but perhaps overlooking the negative impact he could have on the world with his actions (which isn't a stretch in this scene) is a little difficult.
- Freudian Slipage - One of the funniest gags in all of One Piece is watching Hannyabal give Magellan endless amounts of shit while he tries at every turn to take his job. They have a very unique chemistry because underneath it all they respect and trust one another.
- A Pharaoh - More than one of you mentioned that Hannyabal's crazy design working so well is really what One Piece is all about.
! Favorite comment goes to Devil G.:
! "Love: This guy. THIS GUY. One of my favorite One Piece side-characters without a doubt. This over-ambitious, egyptian-like (former) vice-warden worked wonders giving comical relief in contrast to the serious Magellan, but when push came to shove, we were able to witness exactly why he holds his position. His clash with Luffy stays one of my favourite moments in the whole manga, the way he held him off with all he had, getting beat to a pulp and throwing that great speech, proving he really believes in what he does, makes me hold him in high regard.
! Also I love his pants"
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. The New Warden? - Several of your guys feel that he is undeserving of his current position. Be it because he is too weak, unintimidating, stupid or petty; some just don't feel he will be able to fill Magellan's shoes.
- Impel Down Consequences - For all the intrigue and moral dilemmas that Impel Down bring up the pay off has been non existent this far. This isn't really a knock on the guy - you guys just didn't have much to say about what you didn't like. Some did find him ugly and unfunny though.
! Favorite comment goes to Zar:
! "Loathe
I do wish he got a bit more fight than first being punched by Luffy and then finished by Blackbeard. And him actually becoming the chief warden after the time skip felt a bit out of place. What now?
! Also, and this is a complaint that goes for the entire series, it irritates me that the consequences of the prisoner's escape hasn't been shown afterwards. One of the most interesting things with the Impel Down arc was the grey boundary between good and bad, Luffy's intention is good but he is also freeing a bunch of dangerous prisoners. The guards of Impel Down are actually doing their job, trying their best to protect the civilians in the world. And then? Nothing! The prisoners go under Buggy, and even if we've heard of there being chaos, it almost feels like the whole ordeal was swept under the rug so the World Government can continue being branded as the bad guys.
! Maybe I'm just blabbering on and missing important plot points, but I wish Luffy actually had to face the consequences of releasing the prisoners so the Impel Down guards could show just why it was so important that they tried to stop Luffy and his group (even if their methods are a bit questionable)."
! Finally,the poll! With 16 votes, Hannyabal average score is…3.78!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Our next character is a ship sinker.
! Until then.
! #29 Iceburg / pg 58 / 4.13 (10 votes)
!
! Iceburg's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Tiny Tyrannosaurus – Almost every single one of you mentioned this. This is one of Iceburg's more cute and endearing quirks. When finding a small white mouse, he instantly adopts it and gives it the mega-epic name Tyrannosaurus. There are some moments in One Piece where I can't help but feel the transparency between Oda's own personality and that of his characters– this is one of those (Usopp is the usual suspect).
- The Even Keeled Spoiled Brat Mayor– The duality in Iceburg's personality made him very memorable. Upon meeting him he seems like a careless head-in-the-clouds Willy Wonka-type eccentric that did what he wanted when he wanted to (only his Chocolate Factory was really a giant Venice themed fountain island – which is even cooler) but as we get to know him better we learn just how caring he is for his people. Water 7's eminent fate does not escape Iceburg, in fact he has plans to be the savior of the Island doomed by the tidal Aqua Laguna. He also takes the use and creations of weapons very seriously, and this is one of the biggest point's of friction between Franky and him.
- Flam's Big Brother – Franky's relationship with Iceburg was special because no matter their age or the situation the two just could not seem to find a way to like each other….but they loved each other. That is one of the most realistic takes on a sibling relationship that exists within One Piece. And their dynamic is more than that. I was reading a piece by Chris Sims recently about the X-Men character Scott Summer (Cyclops). He argued that Cyclops is not fun to root for, he is too strait laced and rigid but he needs to exist for Logan (Wolverine) to exist in the way that we know him. I would argue that there is a parallel between Iceburg and Franky. Franky is the star but Iceburg is integral for him to be the character that we know. He needed that opposing force in his life. Expanding on this love past his relationship with Franky - many noted that they liked his family dynamic with Tom, Kokoro and Yokozuna as well, stating that it was one of the more subtle and realistic family approaches in the series.
- Feel Reals – More than one of you guys mentioned that Iceburg felt somehow more real than the majority of One Piece's characters. Maybe it says something about the series that a blue haired, purple lipped, lavish suit wearing, mice adopting, shipwright legend mayor rings as one of the more down to earth characters in the series. Those are superficial elements though. Iceburg feels very human because he has a nuanced personality and his relationships with the people that he cares for feel very real. It also probably helps that the title of Mayor feels more contemporary than King and that he is not a particularly powerful man (though he has some good endurance.)
! Favorite comment goes to Halmetal-lich:
! _"_Love: There is much to love about this character, but what stood out for me is that he was one of the first people to really to make Luffy think about his job as a captain and the well-being of his crew. It is Iceburg who forces Luffy to accept that the Merry cannot sail again, and reminds him that he is responsible for the lives of the Straw-hats and that pirating isn't just about fun and games, he has to make serious choices and Iceburg lays it all on the table for Luffy for the first time in this series. That affect on Luffy's character cannot be overlooked. Along with his devotion to his city, loyalty to his friends and brotherhood with Franky. Iceburg is a character that came along just at the right time in the series."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. The Fading Man – Losing relevance once the Water 7 arc turned into the Enies Lobby arc was really the only consistent complaint from you guys. It's only natural I suppose as he really existed mostly to be a counter weight to Franky, who's character began to expand even further during Enies Lobby, that we would start to move away from his big brother. Still,for such an interesting guy, it was sad to lose him so quickly.
- A Serious Turn – The only other loathe resembling a trend was this one. Several of you guys prefer Iceburg's attitude during his introduction, which was very childlike and aloof oppose to his more grown up and serious personality that takes over as the Enies Lobby saga went on to completion.
! Favorite comment goes to Light Bro: "Loathe: Sorry but it still bugs me how easily he forgave Robin's willingness to risk world peace for the sake of six people! :getlost: I try not to bring it up too much but it just does! At least in Impel Down there was Hannyabal calling Luffy out of his selfishness.
! Also I really missed his childishness later on. It was a great gag that could have been exploited a little more than three times. Guess one could argue that he had no time to be childish after being shot but he could have relaxed a little after Straw Hats returned from EL."
! Finally,the poll! With 10 votes, Iceburg's average score is…4.13!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Lets do another member of the Strawhat crew for our 30th L&L. You guys vote down below and in an hour or two I will post the character with the most votes as our new L&L for the day. Any of the Mugiwara are available to vote for except Sanji, Brook and Chopper.
! Until then.
! #30 Franky / pg 59 / 4.71 (34 votes)
! SUPPPAAAAA love fest! Wow! Franky's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. FREAKING~EVERYTHING! - I am pretty sure this is the first time I have every put this as a love. But you guys just had SO much love for all things Franky. He is a SUUUPPPEEERRR cola powered cyborg shipwright who gets emotional easily, plays guitar, strikes poses, has nipple lights, uses a robot voice, always wears a Hawaiian shirt and speedos and rocks a blue pompadour (and various other awesome hairstyles). Seriously, Franky is great. And beyond all of that Franky truly has a heart of gold. He helps those in need and takes them under his wing. Ace Ventura and Popeye references also get a mention. Many said he was their favorite Strawhat. Certain characters define the spirit of One Piece very well and in this series we have evaluated several of them. Bentham, Brook, Buggy and now Franky enters the fray with these fantastic characters.
- Mugiwara's Father - Oda sees the crew as a family. For a family of eccentric misfits to exist at all they need a particularly off the rails father figure. That is Franky to a tee. When we meet him he is essentially filling this same paternal role for his Franky Family. It's almost as if he has simply moved on and adopted a new family to care for. This is a facet of Franky's character that I particularly enjoy. Underneath all of the goofy silliness he is such a good man.
- A Surprising Intellect - Look guys, I love Franky, it's safe to assume that you love Franky. Everyone loves Franky. But on the surface the guy seems like an asshat. That's the beauty of it though, he isn't. He is actually very smart, perhaps even having an intellect that can challenge Vagapunk in some ways. He is a masterful carpenter and engineer. And perhaps more than any of those things, he is surprisingly wise. This is shown during his interaction with Robin at Enies Lobby. "Being alive is not a sin."
- Superr Kazuki Yao - Another first. It is pretty rare for me to feel as though the manga-only fans are really missing out on anything by passing up the anime… but Franky's voice actor is just so damn good and he brings Franky to life so well that I can't help but feel like those who neglect One Piece's special cousin are missing something great (this goes for Brook too imo).
- Flashback - There is something different about Franky's flashback. The family themes and dynamic were unique somehow but the tragedy was just as powerful. Perhaps even more so because dreams (which are a big deal in One Piece) were crushed.
! Favorite comment goes to Supernova112:
! "Love: He's fun and funny. He's a self-patched together cyborg powered by cola. What more need I say? His story during Water 7 was pretty powerful, and a real highlight in the series. His fighting style is all guns & metal, very much unlike the other Strawhats, and he carries it in a fun way. I love how in Thriller Bark, he brought some nunchuks … which he could make bigger using broken pieces of pillar! And those anti-monster bullets or whatever which he had over his shoulder for the whole arc before finally using them on Oars. He made that mega hose to wet Oars (or something like that). And he randomly built a bridge (and stairs that kind of fell away behind them, but let's not think about that). He's wild a crazy and gets emotionally touched by every damn sob story, and despite that is somehow always unfazed against pretty much any odds (this happens more post-timeskip). And Coup de Vent is one of the best attacks in the series. His three litre fuel limitation is pretty significant, and particularly made for a fun battle against Fukuro. In general, the fact that he used half his fuel to use a full power Coup de Vent made it costly, which is something the other characters don't much have (except Chopper)."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Juggernaut Franky - The easy number one loathe. Many of you guys don't like Franky's post timeskip design which was by far the most dramatic change of the crew. Many of you mentioned the hair changes, some of which are good and some of which are bad. More than just his design though, the way Franky has been used post timeskip has been disappointing. I mean, I feel like we hardly see him sometimes, which is a shame for such a fun, colorful character.
- The Bench Warmer - Many noted that it felt like Franky has not gotten a lot of shine since the end of Enies Lobby. This is similar to the above loathe except that some of you guys were having Franky withdraws sooner than others (post EL oppose to post timeskip.)
- Toys Toys Toys - Expanding on loathe #1, many of you guys feel that Franky's fighting style has strayed too far from where it was during his introduction. He is no longer the cyborg brawler that we loved but a beam shooting, Franky-shogun piloting mecha man…and that isn't as fun as it should be...which is pretty heart breaking.
! Favorite comment goes to kevo_koma:
! "Loathe: This might seem minor to everyone but it still bothers me that he never apologized for what he did to Ussop, he was instrumental in one of the darkest moments in the crew and its just glossed over. I would've liked a small scene where he finds Ussop alone, tries to apologize and Ussop just tells him not to be an idiot or he actually does apologize."
Finally,the poll! With 34 votes, Franky's average score is…4.71! Franky is our new high score! Amazing! Not only that but he got the second most votes ever! And out of all of his votes he only had one below a four. Wow! So great!
!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Our next character could probably tie up Harry Houdini…and we would stay tied up.
! Until then.
! #31 Paulie / pg 62 / 4.00 (17 votes)
! Paulie's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Ropes - This is a truly unique battle tactic and it was pretty cool that Oda managed to pull it off without making it seem too unrealistic or goofy. As with every reasonably strong character who does not have a Devil Fruit, Paulie got some love for being tough on his own merit. His ropes added a lot to his memorability and actually made sense in the context of his character, he was a shipwright after all. Him helping defeat the giants and, later, saving them and others were acts that were also mentioned specific to his ropes.
- Design - Paulie doesn't have a very outlandish look relative to many of his One Piece peers but he does have an effective and memorable one. You guys like the goggles, cigars and jacket. Final Fantasy character Cid, whom I know nothing about, was mentioned more than once.
- Shy Sanji Antithesis - This is one of the funnest quirks shown out of all of the Water 7 characters. Essentially, in the presence of a pretty woman who is showing too much skin Paulie will get all uncomfortable and tell her to put some clothes on (hussy!) It was really fun and a nice change of pace from all the pervy dudes that Oda normal gives us. One reviewer mentioned that Paulie not having a scene where he Sanji argued was a badly missed opportunity on Oda's part. I completely agree.
- Red Herring Nakama - Easily my favorite love, as I have had some pretty long conversations with friends regarding this. I have always felt that everything about Paulie was Oda attempting to throw us, the readers, of the scent of Franky. Paulie had a unique fighting style, an interesting quirk that seems like it could foreshadow friction with Sanji, he had differences with Usopp and Lufy early on, a unique personality and (most importantly) he was a freaking shipwright on an island where Luffy specifically stated he was looking for just that. I remember when I first met Paulie in the anime (I was an anime only fan once upon a time) I thought he was a very strong candidate to be a Strawhat, to this day he might still be the strongest to never join. He just had it all.
- Gallery La Loyalist - Several of you guys appreciated what a loyal guy Paulie was and how hurt he was when he learned that Lucci and Kaku were traitors. Iceburg also, clearly, viewed Paulie as a guy he could trust above all others. I also like that he told Zoro to tell Kaku that he was fired, that led to a cool scene.
! Favorite comment goes to Zar:
! "Love
A surprisingly normal-looking character, considering this is Oda. I loved his fighting style, his personality, even his views towards women were cute. At first I thought he'd turn into another pervert but in the end he's just shy (and the women don't hesitate to talk back at him either, which help even things out). He could easily fit in with the crew, though I do prefer Franky. He was also a key-player during the betrayal scenes; the one I felt for the most was Paulie who truly thought they were comrades. In a setting where the Strawhats have no clue what is going on and where Iceburg and Franky were a bit too tight-lipped at the time for the reader to feel for them, Paulie was the emotional anchor for the Galley-La Company. Its a small but neccesary role.
Like Iceburg, he's one of those characters I'd love to hang around and talk with."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. The Cliffhanger Asspull - Loved though it might be, not everyone loved the combat rope style. The scene where Paulie saved everyone off the side of the sheer cliff was mentioned several times and some of you mentioned that you didn't like that he had a seemingly endless supply of ropes…somewhere on his person at all times...cause how?
- Not A Strawhat / Stagnant - For a character with all the characteristics of a Strawhat, it's a little sad that he never even got very close. And he became a diminishingly important character as the Water 7 arc turned into the Enies Lobby arc. He is a strong secondary character but just secondary character all the same, which inspires indifference in some of you.
! Favorite comment goes to Kylor:
"Loathe: After Water 7, he was never challenged in any major way. He had cool abilities, and a clear conflict set out for him, but it never really went anywhere, and his role at the end was basically to be a deus ex machina for a bunch of other guys. It may just be me, but I never really felt as though he had truly earned the role of Iceburg's successor. I know the Water 7 and Enies Lobby arcs were pretty full already, but nevertheless it just seems like Oda forgot him." Finally,the poll! With 17 votes, Paulie's average score is…4.00! Cool, first time that has happened.
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: If I could I would forget our next character…and I'm not alone.
! Until then.
#32 Kokoro / pg. 63 / 3.86 (14 votes)
!
! Kokoro's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. A Mehmaid - Kokoro's number one love was that Oda beautifully hid the twist that she was a mature, and very strange looking, mermaid. This lead to many great reaction gags. Sanji's world was shattered, Luffy made a shit-stench face and Zoro refused to remember her. Great times.
- The Beautifully Bizarre Look - This is something wonderful about not only Kokoro but One Piece as a whole. One Piece characters with absolutely ridiculous and silly designs aren't automatically relegated to the one dimensional fodder bin as they are with most other Shonen manga. My favorite example of this type of thing is Bon Clay. When he is intoduced he was a silly looking flamboyant asshat that just reeked of a short term gag character. Over twenty volumes later during the Impel Down arc Bon becomes a hero and is loved almost universally by One Piece fans. That's a great thing, you just never know who will matter and/or manage to win you over in this series.
- A Strong Secondary - Kokoro was thoroughly likable. She was charming and managed to take on lifes greatest waves with grace and a light heart. A part of me wants to compare her to Dr. Kureha. Both were surrogate mother figures to future Strawhat figures sure but more than that, they had a similar air. I always got the feeling that both new more about the world and the past than was ever revealed to us (perhaps this was more overt with Kureha)
- Family Ties - For a character that many assumed would end up being very minor upon her introduction Kokoro ended up being much more integral to the Water 7 arc than most would have guessed. It was a happy misconception. Her ties with Tom, Franky, Iceburg and even (modernly) Chimney give her a very paternal and wise presence. I think it should be stated that I like that a reason was given for her tendency to booze it up like she does in the modern story. It's one of the more understated and sad things about her character but the tragedy of losing Tom drove her to the bottom of the bottle - and it seems to be the only way she can connect to her surrogate son's in the present. Sad.
! Favorite comment goes to Nitram:
! "Love: "Anyone with common sense would have surely stayed away from this island. Look closely, Chimney. Whether they live or die in the end nothing like this has ever happened in this island's several-hundred-year history. This incident will have an impact on the entire world! When the battle is over, that Strawhat boy's name will ring across the world!"
That speech was great, along with her being the first mermaid in the entire series, which hit Sanji really hard."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. uhhh….nothing - Most of you guys managed to find absolutely nothing to loathe about her. This loathe section probably has the least trends in it out of any character we have ever evaluated. Some things that were mentioned were that she is not very pleasant to look at, that she may be a poor role model to her granddaughter, that she hasn't maintained her relationship with Franky and Iceburg as well as she could have and that her relationship with Chimney was confusing. But mostly, you guys just noted that she was a strong secondary character with almost no real weaknesses. She had a limited role ans she filled that role perfectly.
! Favorite comment goes to Light Bro:
"Loathe: :sick:"
! Finally,the poll! With 14 votes, Kokoro's average score is…3.86! Kokoro is our new highest rated female character!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Chestnut.
! Until then.
! #33 Cricket / pg 64 / 3.21 (12 votes)
! Cricket's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Truth Seeker - Cricket showed extraordinary determination when pursuing the goal of finding out if his famous ancestor, Montblanc Norland, was truly the great liar that history has painted him as or if he was a good and honest man. Many mentioned him being the embodiment of "A Man's Romance." Cricket's motivation is entirely unique within the One Piece world. He is not interested in treasure, chaos, control, ancient weapons or status. Cricket just wanted piece of mind…
- For Whom the Bell Tolls - …and he got it. The scene where the bell tolls, high in the sky and the ringing reaches all the way down to the blue sea to illuminate the hearts of Cricket and his friends is one of the most touching and memorable climaxes in the series. Many of you guys mentioned that you found this scene profound, poignant and many a feels was had. It was a thing of beauty to be sure.
- Monkey Madness - Cricket's relationship with the Saruyama Alliance was hilarious and really rounded him out as a character. It showed him to be a caring and emotional man who has a surrogate family, which is a major theme in One Piece. Masira and Shoujou are two of the more strangely designed characters in the series and their personalities don't disappoint (I always loved the way Masira and Luffy got along like old friends.)
- Chicken Merry Go - A lot of you guys appreciate that he helped the Strawhats reach Skypiea and never showed an ounce ounce of regret or jealousy when it was Luffy who found and rang the bell.
! Favorite comment goes to KageKageKing:
! "Love: We need more pirates like him"
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Mr. Exposition - Several reviewers noted that Cricket felt more like a plot device than a fully fledged in depth character. Whether he felt as though he was simply there to spout exposition and help set up the major eminent arc or if he just felt like a cardboard cutout link to the past - there just wasn't much there.
- Indifference - This tends to happen with guys who didn't have a lot of panel time and have been gone from the series for a long time. A lot of you guys just did not care for Cricket one way or the other and, in storytelling, no emotional response in a bad emotional response.
- The Shadow of Another Man - Some of you felt that he was simply a less interesting version of his ancestor. Norland had the emotional flashback and everything positive that can be said about Cricket can be said about Norland several times over. Some also felt that it was foolish that he let something that happened to a distant ancestor dictate his life to the degree that it did.
! Favorite comment goes to Tangaroa (because this was a cool bit of trivia that I didn't know):
! "Loathe: That it had to be explained to me that Noland's chestnut do represented a dessert in Japanese culture. So he was wearing hair mousse. That's a terrible pun to play."
! Finally,the poll! With 12 votes, Cricket's average score is…3.21!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Our next character left a frighteningly big impression.
! Until then.
! #34 Oars / pg 65 / 3.93 (14 votes)
! Oars' Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Freaking Giant Luffy - Luffy is a brilliant simpleton. He enjoys cool things and has a single minded approach to attaining his goals. He also likes to punch things. That's all good and great because he is our protagonist, so he is all cuddley and lovable. You know what can really make that mix of characteristics bad? Putting all of those attributes into a giant that is two and a half times the size of the normal massive One Piece world giants and setting him loose to steer the biggest ship in the entire series (one the size of an island). He also slowly becomes more willing to listen to Moria which makes him a massive (in every way) antagonist to the crew. Several of you guys stated that he was the best giant in the series and that he even overshadowed Shichibukai Moria as the best villain of the Thriller Bark arc. Luffy's personality in a giant led to many memorable gags as well. He couldn't tell the difference between Sanji and his wanted poster. He broke a part off of the caste and wore it like a pirate hat, climbed the Thriller Bark mast and roared about he wanted to be king of the pirates. The first word we get out him is MEAT. And the gag mentioned most by all of you guys, he was disappointed that the Mugiwara Docking was a failure. Good stuff.
- Crew Battle - This was such a treat. It's pretty crazy when you think about it but in a series spanning 16 years, 745 chapters and 73 books the 9 main characters (mileage may vary) have never really had a fight where they all worked together. Oars was Oda's answer to this, and what a glorious answer it was. Watching the entire crew work in unison was great. I experienced this first in the anime (all those years ago when I was an wide eyed anime-only fan) and I remember thinking that Sanji really stole the show and that Zoro took some massive hits. It was nice to see Usopp be useful and Zoro use Franky's nunchucks made of pillars. I love that initial team battle so much that I never really liked Nightmare Luffy (still don't really). It was just…so very Goku of Luffy. The entire crew struggle to take on a single combatant only for the main character to swoop in and save the day. Lame. Luckily, Oda is not Toriyama and that was not the end. The real defeat of Oars came as another team effort (this time with Luffy) and Chopper's MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE WAS USED IN A FIGHT OMGAWESOME. I always loved that whole thing with Chopper where he said that not being able to feel pain wasn't really an advantage. This fight really took Thriller Bark to another level and the implication of Giant's like Oars in the OP world is very interesting for future events or perhaps flashbacks even. **Should be noted that the crew fought together again on SA against the Pascifista.
! Favorite comment goes to God of Skypeia:
! "Love: "'Gomu Gomu no… even though it's not Gomu... gatling'"
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. The Show-Stealaaa - This is a funny loathe. Basically, Oars was too good at being a fun and interesting villain. To the point that it took away from the real main villain of Thriller Bark, Gecko Moria. If anything I feel like I am just re-hashing a loathe from the old Moria evaluation as I honestly feel this falls more on Moria's shoulders than it does Oars' (and Oda's more than any of them.) I mean, Gin was a better character than Don Krieg, but that was just because the Don was a little flat. Not certain I really get this loathe all that much if I am being honest. But it was the most mentioned thing so here it is. My take is simply that a lot of you wished that some of Moria's weaknesses were shored up and that he felt more like a big important villain (as the title of Shichibukai should imply).
- It Not Really Oars Tho - I knew this would come up. Truthfully, we don't really know Oars. We know a corpse being manipulated by a devil fruit that is giving him a personality that is, very possibly, nothing like his own personality. I was hoping you guys would just take the character for what he was and what we got to see but I can see how this was a little confusing and there isn't much not to like so you guys were probably just reaching a bit. Nothing wrong with that.
- Exhausted Fight - more than one of you thought it dragged a touch. Fair enough.
! Favorite comment goes to skorpion:
! "loathe: Not something that i can put my finger on, just that we dont know anything about his past. But i have the impression that with Oars jr. we will learn about that species more in the future.
(Also side note not the mangaka's fault but there have been so many diffrent variations of his name in all the diffrent translations that its hard to know his real name. Back in the times that thriller bark came out i remember calling him Oz, its the way japanese works i guess. {My little sister still call Zoro "Lolonoa Zolo} lol)"
Finally,the poll! With 14 votes, Oars' average score is…3.93!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Hey next character. Levar Buton called. He wants his sun glasses back.
! Until then.
! #1 Arc L&L - Water 7 / pg. 66 / 4.50 (14 votes)
! Water 7's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. The Darkest Timeli…er...arc - All that delicious drama. Robin leaves and gets some fascinating (and needed) development. Sanji searches for her. The Merry is in great danger and Usopp simply can't handle it. This, of coarse, leads to the clash between him and Luffy and the temporary (though still impact) resignation of Usopp from the Strawhat crew. Usopp gets beaten badly many times in this arc. Aqua Laguna threatens to destroy everything. The likeable Iceburg lives through an assassination attempt only to blame the Strawhats and have the entire island turn on them. The mystery of who the CP9 are slowly unveils to reveal that they are a group of elite assassins whom Robin is working with for some reason. All good stuff. Really quick, I want to say that I've always made the parallel between Robin's story arc on Water 7/Enies Lobby with Nami's during the Arlong Park arc. Emotionally distant female cast member seemingly abandons and betrays our protagonist only to have their tragic past and sins unveiled and for them to finally ask for help and want to be with the rest of the Strawhats. And those are two of the best arcs in the series! Anyone else ever make this parallel or just me?
- Suppaa Introductions - So many great characters were introduced during the Water 7 arc. Franky was mentioned many times obviously but beyond him the Gallery La crew, Chimney, Kokoro, Iceburg, Franky's Family, the various CP9 members and so on. Several of you said that the side characters in Skypiea were very weak and uninteresting and that Water 7's were a breath of fresh air compared to them.
- Venice Analog – Water 7 was a beautiful setting piece. One Piece is filled with lavish, enjoyable lands but most don't measure up to the wonder and joy that Water 7 inspires. It also probably helps that Oda took his time and really let us explore the island with our cast. Also, personally, I always liked that the idea of a giant-fountain island is something that I have never imagined in any way before. I've thought of lands based on ancient Egypt, Heaven and prehistoric times…but never a lovely giant fountain island. Just super imaginative.
- A Fantastic Setup – It seems like a lot of One Piece fans (myself included) have a soft spot for Oda's set up arcs (or; arcs that exist entirely to act as rising action for the arc to come). Of these type of arcs Water 7 is probably the very best (though Jaya might give it a run and if SA falls into this category debatable it could likely win). Anyway, W7 is some of Oda's very best storytelling and in many people's opinion (your humble writers included) it overshadows the fantastic arc that follows.
! Favorite comment goes to Halfmetal-lich:
“Love: I've been a critic of Oda due to the fact that he and his editors have always tried to maintain the status quo when it comes to One Piece.However Water Seven and Enies Lobby is the moment when they decided to toss that rule out the window. This saga is the "Empire Strikes Back" of One Piece, where for the first time every thing is torn down and we don't know if things are going to go back to the way they are. They give the first real character development for Luffy, brings a new direction for Ussop, and shed some well needed light on the character of Robin who at his point seemed to be really just hanging on to the main cast. Every Straw Hat gets good screentime, the minor characters are memorable and enjoyable, the battles are fun, and the villains are both funny and terrifying. We see the curtain pulled back on the world of One Piece, and we seethat the plot is more then just one crew trying to find treasure. I think it is fair to say that after the drag that was Skypeia, an arcI still think has yet to prove it's relevance to the One Piece. Water Seven really brought the manga back to its strengths and took it intoa new direction, one that has raised One Piece to the high level of popularity it has enjoyed since.”
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Sea Train Slowdown – The Enies Lobby Saga (which includes Water 7 arc) is long. Really long; and it can feel a little bloated in some areas. Nothing feels more like unnecessary filler than the transitionary period between the waters of Water 7 and Enies Lobby when our hero's are riding the Sea Trains and fighting various scrubs. On a personal level, I simply hate Wanze. He is one of the only characters that annoy me to a point that I can hardly enjoy his chapters at all and I hate his fight with Sanji. That guy is awful. It's probably tied for my least favorite one on one fight in the series right down there with Nami vs Doublefinger.
- Mugiwara Asunder – Surprised by this one. But it makes some sense. You guys love the Strawhats together… and so do I. So watching them argue and break apart and physically harm one another is heart wrenching. And while I agree that it was tough to see I feel that it was for the greater good of telling an amazing story. Regardless, this was brought up several times. It was certainly sad.
- Various – Being that this is our first arc L&L its not surprising that the loathes were a little all over the place. There wasn't a lot of patterns to pinpoint but some other things mentioned were: Luffy and his “goku effect,” the repetition of some of the searching, the fanservice turning up a new notch, W7 merely being a set up arc and the fact that W7 is one part to a bloated, long saga. Interesting stuff.
! Favorite comment goes to Supernova122__:
_“_Loathe:The whole arc (Enies Lobby) gets a lot of cricticism for dragging.but, when I recently re-read it, I only felt that between the defeat at the Galley-La building and launching the Puffing Tom. Seems to me there were a lot of search sequences and so on which just got kind of repetitive. I suppose with the Sea Train too, we basically have a bunch of "extra" fights there (I mean Wanze and Nero in particular) which just bloated out the middle of the arc and make the whole thing so much longer … I have more or less the same complaint about the fighting (in general) on the Main Island of Enies Lobby(which together with the Sea Train forms these transitionary two volumes or so between everything on Water 7 and the big fight in the Tower).“
! Finally,the poll! With 14 votes, Water 7's average score is…4.50!
! Thanks to all that responded! I'll post our new character in an hour or so.
! Until then.
! #35 Helmeppo / pg. 67 / 2.15 (10 votes)
! Helmeppo's Arlong Park Evaluation
! What you loved:
! 1. Persistence and Redemption - Helmeppo has been around a looong time. He debuted in volume one and pretty clearly still has some charcater arc left to complete. That in and of itself is pretty respectable but more than that he has actually become a half way decent person. And considering what a massive shit-bag he was when we first met him that is actually pretty impressive. Oda finding some way to actually make that terrible character design work and make him semi-cool looking is also worth noting. I would like to add that Helmeppo really is the first of his archetype that we see in One Piece. Spandam and the Celestial Dragons (and some smaller characters of lesser note) were to follow. Oda just has a way of making some characters seem so irredeemable, self-congratulatory, irritating and pitiful. As though they have literally zero upside. And, as said, he actually has dug himself out of that hole a little. Admirable.
- Skywalker - Alright, maybe this wasn't quite as heroic a struggle as Luke's was…but all the same Helmeppo did eventually stand up to his dick-head of a father. He basically did it to save his ass but yea, all the same, it's better than nothing. I guess the seeds of Helmeppo's slow-rolled redemption were planted long ago. In a way, it's a fascinating commentary by Oda. We've seen all these surrogate-father-figures that have had positive influences on character we know and love eg: Shanks to Luffy, Zeff to Sanji, Whitebeard to Ace. It's nice to see the opposite side of that coin; a terrible father begets terrible offspring. He only started being a decent man once he stood up for himself and separated himself from his father both physically and ideologically. This is an interesting take on the normal motif; which is that many of the best One Piece families have no blood ties.
- Dat Gurkha Blade - Not much to say. Pretty sweet weapon.
! Favorite comment goes to Zar:
! Love "I like the concept of a pathetically weak villain (probably the weakest in the entire series) who tries to move on and become a respectable person. And as unlikable as he is, you got to give Helmeppo some credit for the mental pain he must've gone through. Accepting that you are a spoiled brat with no reedeming qualities, along with losing your comfortable world and falling to the bottom, and then being able to move on from that and start over - its not something that is easy to do. Looking back at the Coby-Meppo side story, I couldn't help but smile when I saw how in the first half he was always trying to slack off, and then in the second half he starts training seriously."
! –-------------
! What you loathed:
! 1. Flat - A lot of you felt that Helmeppo has been pretty one note. Not sure I agree but I do understand the feeling that he is a little uninteresting. Some of you guys also feel that he really hasn't grown much and that he hasn't gotten any scenes that have really shown him to be a much better person. He is kind of just there to show how much Coby has grown.
- Back in the Day - Both his character and design from when we first met him were so terrible. Ugg. That hair! His chin! Those suits! Fuck this guy! On top of that he plotted to kill Zoro, forced his soldiers to freaking punt a little girl after he stomped out her lovingly made rice balls and cried to his horrible father over and over again about everything. He was the worst.
! Favorite comment goes to Tagaroa:
! "Loathe: that ponytail reminds us firmly the douchebag we first met is still somewhere in there."
! Finally,the poll! With 10 votes, Helmeppo's average score is…2.15! New low score! Fishmen aren't the most hated characters in the series anymore (as they were the bottom two until now)!
! Thanks to all that responded! I will post my next pick later on today. Here's the HINT: Our next character probably has to duck down when getting through doors…cause that hat is ridiculous.
! Until then.
RANKINGS
- Franky (4.71)
- Kizaru (4.67)
- Crocodile (4.54)
- Bon Clay (4.52)
- Doflamingo (4.48)
- Whitebeard (4.47)
- Kaku (4.44)
- Chopper (4.42)
- Buggy (4.31)
- Brook (4.28)
- Norland (4.19)
- Iceburg(4.13)
- Sanji (4.09)
- Rayleigh (4.02)
- Paulie (4.00)
- Hirliluk (3.98)
- Oars (3.93)
- Garp (3.86)
- Kuro (3.86)
- Kokoro (3.86)
- Gedatsu (3.82)
- Bellmere (3.78)
- Hannyabal (3.78)
- Perona (3.71)
- Vergo (3.30)
- Moria (3.22)
- Cricket (3.21)
- Tashigi (3.13)
- Wiper (3.10)
- Hancock (2.94)
- Spandam (2.86)
- Shirahoshi (2.84)
- Hachi (2.82)
- Hody (2.32)
- Helmeppo (2.15)