What if you drop a character?

Bounty1Berry

:puts on asbestos undies with chibi fishmen print on them:

I saw the "Who would you get rid of thread" too late to comment. It's an interesting subject, and I think it can be explored in a non-bashing manner if we look a bit deeper at it.

In OP, every major character (and most minor ones) has had a ripple effect in the plot. If there's no Nami, not only is there one less crewman, there's no reason for Luffy to knock Arlong down, his bounty might not have come until later, etc…

If you could change the plot by removing a single character, what plot developments are motivating you to do so? Let's focus on "I want to create YYY, and we can get there by removing XXX", rather than "I want to be rid of XXX"

I can see things like:

Eliminating a flashback character (Zeff, Kuina) to explore where the affected characters go without the tragic flashback ruling their lives and-or how the strawhat crew develops with these people out of play or substantially different.

Pulling minor characters (Cabaji, Ms Valentine) to tighten the pacing of battle scenes

or even removing a Strawhat in hopes to see how they'd do without a major pirate skill set.... how would they get around with no Nami, or fight a Hatchi or Mr. 1 with no Zoro...?

For me:

Khaladore/Kuro, because I want to see UsoKa work, and part of me figures that a fully-developed Usopp wouldn't just settle down with Kaya, assuming Kaya still liked him. Ensign "non-axe-hand" Morgan might be a riot, watching him grind his jaw into dust in obedience.

Luffy, because it would result in the comical scene of the (never-attacked) Arlong Pirates trashing the (never-prevented) Krieg-controlled Baratie. :D See also UsoKa love above and avoiding his interference in it.

Pearl, to drive the Krieg battle to a quicker and more satisfying conclusion. By the time the MH5 settled, I was counting the chapters til the Strawhats sailed.

Again, I'm trying for "what do you think/want to happen by removing someone"... not "who don't you want on board anymore." Kuro's grown on me a bit lately, it's not that I dislike him, it's that he does run interference on UsoKa as Khaladore and as a motivator towards Usopp leaving home.

Malintex_Terek

I think I will not answer anything of the sort; the plot's good enough as is, and even though some characters are taxing, they have a purpose, too.

@Bounty1Berry:

Khaladore/Kuro, because I want to see UsoKa work, and part of me figures that a fully-developed Usopp wouldn't just settle down with Kaya, assuming Kaya still liked him. Ensign "non-axe-hand" Morgan might be a riot, watching him grind his jaw into dust in obedience.

Unfortunetly, by brining this up, I am viewing things in the same way you are; Usopp might end up "abandoning" Kaya like Yasopp did to Usopp's mother. Man, that's not a good end.

Bounty1Berry

@Malintex_Terek:

Unfortunetly, by brining this up, I am viewing things in the same way you are; Usopp might end up "abandoning" Kaya like Yasopp did to Usopp's mother. Man, that's not a good end.

It probably depends on the sort of life they can have together.

Even if Momsopp wanted to come with Yassopp, she was sidelined by a child, then by disease.

Kaya has no such limits; I could see her as the Token Wench of the New Improved Usopp Pirate Crew (now with people over 12! )

It depends how attached Kaya is to her home; her servants can come along, but Syrup Village can't, and its charms are a little "camp" for someone who's seen the wonders of Water 7 and Skypeia.

joekido the Second

Mmmmm… Even if there is no bashing thing, I think this topic is pointless and brain-dead and I have no idea what you'er talking about. No offense, I think this topic is kind of retarded

funkyfunkyusopp

^

It's retarded if one can't be assed put some real thinking into it eh?

anywho. I also like the plot as it is but thers some fillers that could have got shot of since they didn't have much effect if any on the plot line. I think most of the Davy Back people could have been removed… like Foxy, porche etc [as much as I love them and the DBF] that arc didn't have any bigger effect that I could SEE later on…

I may be wrong...

Seta Ginny

This topic actually has some intelligent thought processing going on. Not something you see every day here. If people can play nice and not give Zio an aneurysm it stays.

Edit - To stay on the topic, I agree with Funky and think removing anime filler is a given. As for other things…Hmm. It's hard to say, because I think the manga is better paced then the anime. Like, for instance, had the anime started with Shanks as the manga did, I think it would have been better. But that's not exactly what this is about. I'll think about it and add some thoughts after work.

Bounty1Berry

@joekido:

Mmmmm… Even if there is no bashing thing, I think this topic is pointless and brain-dead and I have no idea what you'er talking about. No offense, I think this topic is kind of retarded

What I'm saying is "don't remove a character because you don't like him, remove him to cause the plot to play out differently." Who would you remove, and what plot change are you hoping for by doing so?

It's exploring our desire to change the story. I could see generalising it to "How would you tweak the plot", but I originally wrote it as a response to a closed thread which inspired me.

Roronoa Zolo

@Bounty1Berry:

It probably depends on the sort of life they can have together.

Even if Momsopp wanted to come with Yassopp, she was sidelined by a child, then by disease.

Kaya has no such limits

What are you talking about? Kaya is sick as a dog. Plus Yassop probably didn't want to take her along because it is a dangerous job.

I would like to see Shanks taken out. Then Luffy wouldn't want to become a pirate and none of that stuff would have happened.

I would also like to see the major enemies taken out. If any of them were taken out Luffy wouldn't have a crew.

Captain Morgan: No Hellmeppo means Zoro isn't tied up so he never meets Luffy and if he does it's to kill him.

Kuro: Luffy wouldn't have seen Ussop in action and he wouldn't have wanted to take him with him.

Don Kreig: Luffy wouldn't have seen Sanji in action so he wouldn't have wanted to take him with him.

Arlong: Nami would have no reason to leave Cocoa village so she would have never met Luffy

Wapol: There would be plenty of doctors in the town so they wouldn't have had to get help from Chopper so they would have nefver met him.

funkyfunkyusopp

^

Wasn't her illness just all in her mind though? brought on from the depression of losing her parents? I can't remember but I know by the end of Kuro she was alot better then Pre-Kuro.

CosmicDebris

@Bounty1Berry:

It probably depends on the sort of life they can have together.

Even if Momsopp wanted to come with Yassopp, she was sidelined by a child, then by disease.

Kaya has no such limits; I could see her as the Token Wench of the New Improved Usopp Pirate Crew (now with people over 12! )

I don't think Kaya is really up to living the pirate life, and I don't think Usopp would want to put her in that kind of danger. And that's assuming that Usopp would start his own pirate crew. Some people think that maybe he will because he always wants to be called the Captain, but I don't know if that's got to be true. Personally, I root for the Strawhats staying together as long as they possible can. It makes me sad to think otherwise.
BTW, Usopp's mom's name is Banchina, which is Italian for dock, incidentally. See? Usopp is Italian!

@funkyfunkyusopp:

^
Wasn't her illness just all in her mind though? brought on from the depression of losing her parents? I can't remember but I know by the end of Kuro she was alot better then Pre-Kuro.

Yeah, she said herself that her illness was caused by her depression over her parents death, and she can get over it now.

CaptainAWB1

I'd like to see what happens without Vivi. Little Garden wouldn't be changed too much, but the Drum Island arc may have never happened, meaning they never would have meet Chopper. And they might not have gone to Alabasta. And if they did go there, they would do so without the knowledge of the war going on. So what would the the reason of their visit be in Alabasta?

EDIT-
Usopp's mom is named Banchina? When was she reffered to by her actual name?

funkyfunkyusopp

^

I think it was in a profile book? but god.. what a name.

CosmicDebris

Yeah, one of those log books, I forget which one. Strange names seem to run in the family. What kind of name is Yasopp?

Cap'n Carter

It's probably in the Data Files.

I always wanted to drop Vivi… It'd be interesting to see what would happen if the gang never fought Crocodile.

funkyfunkyusopp

Yeah I'd liked to have dropped Vivi…. I think they would have done ok without being in Arabasta.

Sandai Mera

If you removed Luffy there'd be no story period I mean that's the equivalent of removing Goku from DragonBall.

Removing Kuro would basically mean not having Usopp as a crewmember and later on no Sogeking and I know the fangirls & fanboys alike couldn't imagine
that.

No Zeff equals no Sanji coming to work on the Baratie and if you removed Pearl you probably would've never found out about Sanji's past.

I don't think there's a character I'd remove even if it's somebody like Arlong or Wapol who are ginormous bastards.

funkyfunkyusopp

@Sandai:

If you removed Luffy there'd be no story period I mean that's the equivalent of removing Goku from DragonBall.

Removing Kuro would basically mean not having Usopp as a crewmember and later on no Sogeking and I know the fangirls & fanboys alike couldn't imagine
that.

No Zeff equals no Sanji coming to work on the Baratie and if you removed Pearl you probably would've never found out about Sanji's past.

I don't think there's a character I'd remove even if it's somebody like Arlong or Wapol who are ginormous bastards.

but a SEXY bastard.

I don't think theres any bad guys you could remove without doing SOME damage to the plot… other then like I said.. Foxy n co. Almost everyone has some kinda knock on effect.. big or small..

if you removed Pepper, Carrot and Onion, Kaya would have been killed.

Carly

Oh come on guys ! If you drop Luffy, he will bounce !

crickets

funkyfunkyusopp

…oh that was bad...

shocked no one else said it XD

warp

this thread is intresting but why are we talking about it if it happened already
unless some character has the abilty to go in the past and change things.

tho without roger there would maybe be another pirate king

joekido the Second

Screw it. If you remove Franky, I wonder what would happen to Usopp? Will that means Usopp would die out in the ocean?

If you remove Helmeppo, Luffy would never meet Zoro which mean

1. Luffy would be killed by Buggy's cannon ball

2. Usopp would never Kaya on time

3. Nami would be killed by Buggy

4. They would never visit the Baratie

If you remove Iceburg, Nami would not be able to know why Robin betray them and they may never save her on time

And FunkyFunkyUsopp, that was a very cold and disgraceful comment you post to me, is that an insult? I did not even flame Bounty1Berry, got it?

EDIT: No offense

funkyfunkyusopp

@joekido:

Screw it. If you remove Franky, I wonder what would happen to Usopp? Will that means Usopp would die out in the ocean?

If you remove Helmeppo, Luffy would never meet Zoro which mean

1. Luffy would be killed by Buggy's cannon ball

2. Usopp would never Kaya on time

3. Nami would be killed by Buggy

4. They would never visit the Baratie

If you remove Iceburg, Nami would not be able to know why Robin betray them and they may never save her on time

And FunkyFunkyUsopp, that was a very cold and disgraceful comment you post to me, is that an insult? I did not even flame Bounty1Berry, got it?

EDIT: No offense

It wasn't meant to be an insult you just seemed brash and fast to judge a topic that has turned into a pretty good debating topic. Which I think was cold too? and a bit disgraceful also.

anyway.

your number 3. Nah Nami would nto have been killed cus she'd possiblely not even know Luffy to stick her neck out for to save in the frist place.

daRk26

If you drop Vivi, there'd be no Robin, so no SkyPiea and Ennies Lobby. Water 7 maybe…

rice-a-roni

@Bounty1Berry:

:puts on asbestos undies with chibi fishmen print on them:

I saw the "Who would you get rid of thread" too late to comment. It's an interesting subject, and I think it can be explored in a non-bashing manner if we look a bit deeper at it.

In OP, every major character (and most minor ones) has had a ripple effect in the plot. If there's no Nami, not only is there one less crewman, there's no reason for Luffy to knock Arlong down, his bounty might not have come until later, etc…

If you could change the plot by removing a single character, what plot developments are motivating you to do so? Let's focus on "I want to create YYY, and we can get there by removing XXX", rather than "I want to be rid of XXX"

This was the same Idea that I had when I posted the topic "if you could get rid of one charecter" thread I ment some deep discussion like this

and I would like to see how the plot would change if there was no Robin, I think that would be interesting to see if she remained a villian

funkyfunkyusopp

@rice-a-roni:

This was the same Idea that I had when I posted the topic "if you could get rid of one charecter" thread I ment some deep discussion like this

and I would like to see how the plot would change if there was no Robin, I think that would be interesting to see if she remained a villian

I always liked her much more as a villian..

rice-a-roni

@funkyfunkyusopp:

I always liked her much more as a villian..

glad someone shares my opinion=)

funkyfunkyusopp

@rice-a-roni:

glad someone shares my opinion=)

I think its cus she just did so much more as a bad guy, and it suited her all over.

Bounty1Berry

I'm intrigued… how would Robin stay a villian after the Baroque Works collapses? Would she become a freelancer, and perhaps evolve into a major villian on her own right, or glom onto someone else?

CosmicDebris

Robin always was on her own, she just used whatever means she could to accomplish her goals. I never thought she was evil, just self-seeking.

Usopp with a Pushpop

This may sound strange, but work with me here.

I think that if Arlong was dropped, Nami could've ended up being a villain. Nami always had a habit of stealing ever since she was a little girl, even before Arlong's arrival. Because of her age, she could get away with it. When Arlong and his crew took over, Nami was forced to steal for a positive cause. Take away Arlong, and Nami would most likely have continued stealing for her own selfish needs. She would've been kicked out of Coco Villiage and became a professional thief on her own.

Bounty1Berry

Interesting. Do you see her going into piracy on her own (since she'd never develop a hatred of what Arlong represents)? Given her mapping-the-world dream, I could see her leading a minor pirate crew, and ending up like a female Buggy (the obsession for treasure, not the bara-bara)

CaptainAWB1

What if there was no Shanks?

Now let's pretend that there was another pirate who was a lot like Shanks. Same attitutde, same strawhat. Different yet similar pirate crew, though. Let's say that guy inspired Luffy to become a pirate and gave him his strawhat.

I said that because I want to focus on Yasopp. If there was no Shanks, then Yasopp wouldn't have left Syrup Village to become a pirate, so he would have been there when Banchina got sick and might have saved her.

So Usopp would never have gone through the experience of his mother's death. So he wouldn't have the urge to lie, so he wouldn't have come across the soon-to-be Usopp Pirates (they found him because they had heard that he lied a lot). And would Usopp have ever met Kaya? If he didn't have the need to lie so much, would he still tell her crazy stories?

CosmicDebris

Well, without knowing exactly what Usopp's mom died from, you can't say she still wouldn't have died…it seems that she died of somethign that there wasn't any cure for, so she could very well have still died if Yasopp never left. But at least he's have one parent.

funkyfunkyusopp

also.. didn't Usopp tell fibs when she was alive anyway? and at that age you tell tall tails anyway.

Daz

Remove: Moomoo.

The Gyojin would have had to demolish Goza by themselves, propably meaning no survivors. Usopp wouldn't have met Nojiko and Chabo, and would propably have hid from the mermen. He wouldn't attack Arlong in Cocoyashi village, and wouldn't get "killed" by Nami…thsi could go on forever. I'm moving on to the next point:
There'd be noone to drag Luffy, Sanji and Yosaku, and they'd be late for all the events on the island. The villagers wouldn't be stopped from attacking Arlong, because neither the Straw hats or Yosaku and Johnny knew Namis' story.
Finally, if Luffy DID somehow ambush Arlong park he wouldn't get stuck in the ground and get tossed into the water, And the fighting would have been much swifter. Of course, due to point 1 and 2, all the villagers'd be dead by now, so there wouldn't be much to save...

So, even a very minor villain can have disastrous effects on the story if removed. This thread shows just how planned out Odas' got this series.

Strange_One

@Carly:

Oh come on guys ! If you drop Luffy, he will bounce !

crickets

…a ha ha ha XD

If you dropped Chou Chou... there wouldbe little to no change at all o.o The whole pet food thing did influence Nami's opinion of luffy a little, but not as much as the speeches.

Plus we wouldn't have gotten that disturbing SBS about the key.