From what I can gather in this board, it seems that more and more people seem to lack interest and are disappointed with the current CP9 arc. They say that fights are boring and too rushed, and they are starting to think low about One Piece.
But I'm excited about this arc. The fights are very awesome and I can't wait to see what's happening next? I just want to know why people aren't feeling to happy about it.
well, actually i really like this arc… but the only problem is that the fights are too short: sanji won the fight in two chapters!!! oô that's too fast for me... hope that the luffy vs. lucci fight will be awesome xD and i don't think that one piece is low... and i also can't wait to see what the next arc will be...
so still One Piece 4ever!
I know that for me personally, my interest IS kind of fading - I'm way more interested in what is going to happen after Luffy beats Lucci, because there are still alot of unknowns beyond that (despite the fact that Luffy may not even beat lucci in one round here, which would just suck…). What is Usopp up to? How will they escape/defeat the buster call? How are they gonna get off the island? Will Franky join the crew?
Fights are fun, but atm imho, the plot itself is more fun.
I still love the arc, and the fights are awesome, but besides Luffy vs. Blueno and Chopper vs. Kumadori, there is no dramtic tension is these fights like there was in nearly ever other fight in the series. Franky, Nami, Sanji, and Zoro(so far) have remained completley confident in their ability to win in thier respective battles, and they have each been fairly unharmed. They each didn't seem to have a moment where they though they might not win. There is no suspense in how they are going to win. Everyone just seems to confident, which ruins the drama. At least in Chopper vs. Kumadori, you wondered in Chopper would be okay and how in the world he would eventually win.
However, I will forgive Franky's fight, since he is new, and Zoro's fight, since it is more of a comedic fight which Zoro hasn't gotten in a long while.
I think people will be interested in this arc when it's animated and subbed.. right now everyone lacks knowledge of the future and everyone is on edge like a druggie that hasn't slept in 3 days because they hate every other character except for thier own favorite and want to attack anyone that speaks up against that character.
Quite honestly I think because of the spread out nature of OP when Oda released the BC it left too much time till we all go boom and thus the climax of the story was then. Beyond the climax we start having meaningless fights from the characters we once thought to be Gods that had owned Zoro and Luffi with one hand
Hm IMO I'm glad that the fights are just rushing forward. I LOVE this whole arc, but at some point I only wanted to know, how it's going to end. I was really awaiting the fights, but now, I'm glad they are almost over. The fights are also IMO NOT boring or something at all, but I'm eagerly waiting for an conclussion of this fantastic arc
Well, I can't say my interest has waned, but during these last chapters I haven't really posted much. And that's mainly because… they're fighting chapters. Posting "great chapter, loved the fight, generic Strawhat was awesome" doesn't really do it for me. It seems like the only thing we can do lately is wonder how the new techniques work while we wait for the real action, the Luffy vs. Lucci fight, saving Robin and seeing what the WG will do next.
Right now, I just want Zoro to get over with it.
I think it's just the calm before the storm.
There are so many unbelievably exciting things coming up during/after the Luffy-Lucchi fight that the current fights are somewhat dull in comparison. Yes, the 1 on 1's are necessary, but essentially predictable. It'll end with all the Strawhats winning and the CP9 losing.
But after… after! Spandam and Robin heading for the gate, Usopp's chance to shine, Franky getting past Lucchi, Gears 2 and 3, Buster Call, the Luffy-Usopp reunion, Franky joining or not... and of course the surprises we'd never be able to predict.
This is the most excited I've ever been for One Piece. So I think it's understandable for people to be a bit restless about the current fights. I'm also a bit torn between making them great and just getting them over with.
So I think the lack of interest may just be because of the intense build-up to the upcoming events.
i thought Nami's fight was really dramatic. When she first go in there, she didn't even know what would affect Kalifa. It took some time. Sanji had to break through Tekkia (however you spell it) to beat Jyabura.
I wonder when Chopper will wake up.:sad:
I think for most people (including myself) this is the first series of fight-after-fight weeks on end that they've gone through, correct? The only exceptions are those of us who were reading OP every week back during Alabasta, a number that I'm guessing is very small. As such, needing to wait week after week for these fights might make them seem worse, but I bet that once Enies Lobby is over and people re-read, they'll like these fights a lot more.
That said, I've liked all of the fights so far a lot and I think people are just tired of waiting every week for more of the same even though in a couple months when the volumes come out, people will think they're great.
well mainly people are losing interest because they are saying that the fights were too fast but they forgot that it was supposed to be like this considering the buster call will be there in a few minutes.
I still like the story and feel the fights to this point have been paced rather well. Like others have said though, I am anxious to see where the story goes from here now, it has been almost 100 chapters since the crew reached Water 7. That doesn't mean I think Oda should rush to any conclusion here though. He should take his time and finish with the great dramatic conclusion we all know is coming.
The fights may be a little short for my tastes. But right now I really don't care, right now I'm really looking forward to what Luffy's fight will be like.
Then we have what sogeking is gonna do.
The incoming buster call.
How're they gonna get away.
And the aftermath of everything going on right now.
In no way whatsoever is this arc boring to me.
I just think the Sanji fight is too rushed and that Zoro's fight should of lasted more than that many chapters. It's gonna finish next chapter (Tomorow). So I just hope Luffy vs Lucci rules. Otherwise I might think a bit little of this arc.
Apart from that One Piece is the best manga on the planet.
I think for most people (including myself) this is the first series of fight-after-fight weeks on end that they've gone through, correct? The only exceptions are those of us who were reading OP every week back during Alabasta, a number that I'm guessing is very small. As such, needing to wait week after week for these fights might make them seem worse, but I bet that once Enies Lobby is over and people re-read, they'll like these fights a lot more.
That said, I've liked all of the fights so far a lot and I think people are just tired of waiting every week for more of the same even though in a couple months when the volumes come out, people will think they're great.
I agree. Waiting week after week for the fights is getting tiresome. When we read everything at once, then it will just feel so much better.
Aside for that, I think a lot of people build high expectations for these fights, and as we all know, expectations may lead to disappointment (remember a lot of people wanting to see Usopp vs. Jabura?). We were led to believe that CP9 were almost unbeatable, and not everyone wants to see every character gaining some weird upgrade, so some improvements may not appease to everyone.
I think people will like these chapters more when the arc is over and we can review everything since the beginning of W7 until the end of EL.
I know that for me personally, my interest IS kind of fading - I'm way more interested in what is going to happen after Luffy beats Lucci, because there are still alot of unknowns beyond that (despite the fact that Luffy may not even beat lucci in one round here, which would just suck…). What is Usopp up to? How will they escape/defeat the buster call? How are they gonna get off the island? Will Franky join the crew?
Fights are fun, but atm imho, the plot itself is more fun.
I agree about the post Lucci defeat. However, I'm certainly still excited; it's just the fights seemed to last for a real long time. But that may have something to do with the fact that this is the first time I've been waiting for chapters every week (when I first finished reading the manga the newest chapter was I think 389). Also, going along with what Deicide said, it is much better to read it all at once. For example, I just re-read from chapter 400-416 for the sake of reading with a bit more solidity and concreteness (?).
I haven't lost any interest. This is still one of my favorite arcs.
If anything, I'm tired of everyone's bitching.
the bigot who thinks being an asshole is actually worth shit
I haven't lost interest, I'm just tired of waiting to see how this arc will affect the future of One Piece. And the fights are too short.
Thanks God the fights are "short". I would hate to wait five weeks to see a fight, let alone wait over 40 weeks for all the fights, and yet wait for 4 compiled volumes (8 brazilian issues) just to see it all together.
The fights are long enough as is. If the fights were bigger, some characters would not fight, since it would take too long and be very boring.
Only real discussion that comes out of these fights is who is stronger between Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy. Which most people are tired of seeing in every thread. Other than that, I don't think interest has waned, just not as much to discuss I guess.
If all my talents and powers were taken away from me by some inscrutable Providence, and I had my choice of keeping but one, I would unhesitatingly ask to be allowed to keep the Power of Speaking, for through it, I would quickly recover all the rest.
–Daniel Webster
I think the problem is that that outside the Buster Call, the arc is just going through the motions. After seeing the SH change so much over the last two years, it is time for them to show where they've come from their match with Ao Kiji and the first fight with CP9. Oda usually does seem to have a structure of building plot up for about a good chunk of time, throwing in a flashback, then a smackdown to the conclusion. By this point, its less about "Will the SH win" and more "How will they win and what the repercussions will be for them and throughout the rest of this world…let alone where they end up next".
I don't understand this, when do people argue over who is stronger? It is commonly accepted, Luffy will always be strongest, Zoro second and Sanji third amongst the men.
No one argues otherwise, sometimes people say things like Sanji = Zoro or Zoro = Luffy but it keeps the general 1 2 3 in check it's never 132 or 321.
So I don't understand why people get hung up over that shit, it literally has no reason for being other than people bringing outside influence from other forums/real life into the forums and angsting it out.
Speaking only for myself, it's not sudden nor is a lack of interest, it is the feeling that the fights just didn't deliver (my reasons for this were posted on the "luffy might not win against luchi" or something topic).
Like I said in that topic, I've been waiting for the arc, or at least the fighting part of it to end so to judge it as a whole, and since there isn't much of the CP9 left (Kaku and Luchi), I think it was time to share how I feel.
So in short, I've just been waiting for the right timming, I've been feeling that it didn't deliver for some chapters now.
@Cap'n:
I haven't lost any interest. This is still one of my favorite arcs.
If anything, I'm tired of everyone's bitching.
Seconded, every chapter ends up being a Zoro fan versus Sanji fan flame war. >_>
I don't understand this, when do people argue over who is stronger? It is commonly accepted, Luffy will always be strongest, Zoro second and Sanji third amongst the men.
No one argues otherwise, sometimes people say things like Sanji = Zoro or Zoro = Luffy but it keeps the general 1 2 3 in check it's never 132 or 321.
So I don't understand why people get hung up over that shit, it literally has no reason for being other than people bringing outside influence from other forums/real life into the forums and angsting it out.
Zoro's physically stronger, but Sanji would win the harder fights ;o)
joking…or not, tune in next week for the answer on radio sabret00the.
anyway my interest in the arc hasn't really wained per-say, i think it's always been harder for me to get into Zoro fights and with all that can happen after the arc, you can't blame anyone for having an avid interest in seeing what's gonna happe then. i think a lot of people just have certain questions they want answered like now, it's not a lack of interest in the arc, it's just more of a pertinent inquisitive nature coupled with enthusiasm for what's gonna happen as a result of this arc.
oh and the fact that overt discussion gets threads closed these days, damn that thing called passion.
I'm enjoying this arc a lot, I just don't have much to add to discussions most of the time since most people are debating things I don't really care about.
I'll bite and admit that my interest has waned a bit in this arc. There just doesn't seem to be enough.. emotional desire (for lack of a better term) to win these fights. It's like 'here is your random opponent, you must defeat him in under two chapters.'
I think for most people (including myself) this is the first series of fight-after-fight weeks on end that they've gone through, correct? The only exceptions are those of us who were reading OP every week back during Alabasta, a number that I'm guessing is very small. As such, needing to wait week after week for these fights might make them seem worse, but I bet that once Enies Lobby is over and people re-read, they'll like these fights a lot more.
That said, I've liked all of the fights so far a lot and I think people are just tired of waiting every week for more of the same even though in a couple months when the volumes come out, people will think they're great.
Indeed, just as I've said before. The more new fans join in, the more whining and impatient people we'll get, which tends to only spread that feeling.
This is on of the reasons that when I go back and read the scanlations of the past few chapters, it tends to reawaken that exciting feeling I had with the series, sometimes more than when I first saw the chapter out. Seeing how everything pieces together is definetly more fun than waiting for one piece (no pun or anything intended) every week.
Hm IMO I'm glad that the fights are just rushing forward. I LOVE this whole arc, but at some point I only wanted to know, how it's going to end. I was really awaiting the fights, but now, I'm glad they are almost over. The fights are also IMO NOT boring or something at all, but I'm eagerly waiting for an conclussion of this fantastic arc
Indeed. I love the fights, yet at the same time want to see what happens later. That, to me, is what makes a great continuing epic.
Oh, and I don't mind the length of the fights. Seems like an average, decent length to me. :/
I don't understand this, when do people argue over who is stronger? It is commonly accepted, Luffy will always be strongest, Zoro second and Sanji third amongst the men.
No one argues otherwise, sometimes people say things like Sanji = Zoro or Zoro = Luffy but it keeps the general 1 2 3 in check it's never 132 or 321.
So I don't understand why people get hung up over that shit, it literally has no reason for being other than people bringing outside influence from other forums/real life into the forums and angsting it out.
Ugh… can't... stop... myself... too... much... irony.....
Phew, now that I've got that out of my system, let me just say that my interest in this arc hasn't waned at all. And it's only going to go up from here. Ever since the SH's landed on EL I've been anticipating the Luffy vs. Lucchi fight the most, far more than any of the other fights. Luffy's fights have always been my favorites. None of the other SH fights, barring the godly Mihawk vs. Zoro duel, have ever generated the same level of excitement for me as Luffy's fights. So yeah, I really can't wait until next week when hopefully we'll get more of Luffy vs. Lucchi. I'm also equally excited about what Usopp will do next. Will he be instrumental in defeating the Buster Call? How will he and Luffy reconcile? Is he really being built up as the main hero of this arc? Etc... Lot's of unanswered questions there. Can't wait to see what happens. And after that, I'm really interested in seeing how the new ship will look and function.
I think CP9 are dispensible characters. It's not as if Oda didn't have tons of potentially awesome opponents for the Strawhats already. They lack charisma, that impression of power and all around badassness guys like Arlong or Crocodile had.
I just think that the arc has been very long and that for the moment its supposed apex don't really deliver. Of course I should wait for the real end of the Enies Lobby arc to start criticizing (and not "bitching", this forum isn't Narutofan last time I checked).
That's just my personal opinion of course, I still like this arc overall and the whole manga so fanboys please don't break my balls with "if you don't like it don't read it!!!!" arguments.
From what I can gather in this board, it seems that more and more people seem to lack interest and are disappointed with the current CP9 arc.
Interest? Or just not as vocal? Honestly, what is there to discuss? Everything that Oda has been building up to for the last two years has come to a head and we're now moving towards resolution. Something of this nature hasn't happened since mid/late 2003 when Skypiea started winding down.
Two people are fighting. The fights are interesting. What more is there to say? As far as guessing where this could head, I easily see this as one of the most perplexing resolutions so it isn't even worth discussing. I think many posters here will agree that even spending more than a few minutes discussing possible outcomes is worthless since there's just SO much that could transpire.
Now compare this to two years back:
Robin left with a masked person who just said "CP9"
A new villain, Franky, had just been introduced
FREAKING USOPP LEFT THE CREW AND FOUGHT LUFFY HOLY SHIT
Merry was delcared dead
A new island with countless possibilities
Now we've got fights. Two people fight one another. One wins. The end.
Maybe you could discuss in detail whom might fight who but now that's been almost totally cleared away so little else is left to the imagination.
I totally agree that activity has been down, but that's because there's little to discuss at length at this junction and most of what is up for discussion has already been covered.
They say that fights are boring and too rushed, and they are starting to think low about One Piece.
Okay but does that mean every OP fan thought every battle in OP was perfect to this point? There are a bunch of battles I felt were totally worthless in the past. We don't need to shower Oda with praise if he doesn't write something that tickles our personal interest. I do believe that as a whole in this arc we can all find battles we liked and disliked. Saying we dislike some doesn't mean the whole story is hopeless.
i just dont like fights in general :/ i speed read them and pause at the funny moments. thats why i prefer nami and usopp's fights and fights that have more than 2 people fighting. its just my preferance. i'm still VERY excited about whats going to happen next buster call and usopp's mystery moment
People don't like the fights? I never got that impression. I've liekd most of them so far. Plus, these fights probably seem shorter because they've been getting more focus. Sanji and Zoro have gotten full chapters to fight, until Franky and Nami.
Franky: He's new, and his fight did have a kind of "will he win" moment," because he started without cola. He was slowly losing at first. But seeing him suddenly pwn a CP9 with his power was cool.
Chopper: Probably obvious, losing at first and monster point.
Nami: Overall boring fight, but good end. I wondered how she'd win seeing as she'd typically weak and was completely covered in soap. Don't forget she doesnt have that much endurance, so a few shigans means something.
Sanji: WOW, I didn't expect him to win that fast. Awesome, it was quick and devastating. I was surprised.
Zoro: Did you see the spoiler topic? C'mon, it was an awesome end. Not every fight can be as damging as the Mr. 1 fight.
Plus, I think Jyabura and Kaku were a little overhyped. Personally, I notcied that without the douriki we couldn't tell if then were any stronger then the other CP9.
As has been stated above, alot of waning interest has to do with long release time. New fans used to reading 5 volumes a day subject to one chapter a week? BLASPHEMY!
I am loving this arc, loving how the anime has handled it so far…. I feel like such a fanboy, lol
Did you see the spoiler topic?
No~ Let's refrain from talking about it here until the chapter comes out.
 
Its just a bunch of cheeky kids who havn't gotten used to waiting every week for new chapters.
Ya wanna know when I started following weekly folks? When ol Zeph got caught up?
DIRECTLY AT THE START OF THE LONG ISLAND ARC. 0_0
ME + Sympathy for you = ZERO.
This topic fails, it's already reached 2 pages soon to be 3 and I think people have proven quite vocally that their interest has not faltered.
If you seek the reason behind the forum being so (new) topic deficient you'll have to look at other data.. like the fact that it's summer or w/e
Well, I don't need to live in others opitions so to aviod living in others opitions I'll just say I like this arc, yet I'm anxious to know what will happen after the Buster Call is taken care of and what will happen after they get the new ship and sail out to an new island.
I want to know how Luffy and Usopp will make up? How will the SH pirates return to Water 7? How will they take care of the Buster Call? How will they get a new ship? Will we see Robin reading more Phoneglyph on the way? Will we see a New Age Piracy movement? Will we see Elubaf and Fishman Island?
After this arc is done, now that the SH pirates declare war on the WG so:
How will the world react? Will we see Shanks and Whitebeard after this? Will we see Buggy after this? Will the SH pirates be supported by the anti-WG people? Will the war start? How will the Gorosei react? How will they cover up the incident in EL? What will happen to Aokiji? What are the risk of Luffy getting a bounty rise? Will the SH pirates have an harder time visting some islands? What will happen to Spandam? What will happen to the CP9 group? Are we going to see Smoker after this? Are we going to see Crocodile after this? What will the 170 nations are going to do? Will some of these nations like Alabasta and Drum quit the WG? How will the SHP handle this?
I like Water 7 and Enies Lobby, but I'm waiting this arc to finish and make a new story arc.
Before the CP9 made me angery due to their justice-devoted attitude, I've always want to see them explode bloody. When 3 more CP9 were introduced, I kinda wish they were around long as the W7 CP9 agents but Oda just THREW them in the story and the only thing wrong they did was killing 23 people but we don't see much feeling in it. Now that Blueno, Fukurou, Kumadori, Califa, Jabura and Kaku are down; I'm more satified for this arc to end.
@Cap'n:
I haven't lost any interest. This is still one of my favorite arcs.
If anything, I'm tired of everyone's bitching.
Basically how I feel. I've been loving every second of these fights by the way (though some more than others).
No~ Let's refrain from talking about it here until the chapter comes out.
No kidding. Don't ruin it for everyone else 
.
the only things that have bored me regarding this arc are/were nami's fight, sogeking (i weren't the biggest usopp fan, but i can't respect what sogeking stands for, i want to smile at usopp's acheivements not a mask) and robin's flashback.
im not gonna read the whole topic but Im not bored at al with this saga. In fact it's the first one where I actually got off my butt… well.. not really, but started reading the manga because the suspense from just watching the anime was killing me. It's the first time I started checking the board daily for new manga chapters and episode releases ^_^
IIRC, the moment that I got caught up with translating the volumes and started following things weekly was between Volume 26 and 27, i.e. during the expositional stage of Skypiea.
Now, I haven't done any number-crunching or comparisons to check, but in feel, this fight sequence seems like the same pace and scope of both Alabasta and Skypiea. The secondary crew member fights are always 2-3 chapters on average, there have been roughly the same number of members in each of these arcs, and Luffy's fight will always be more elaborate and drawn-out than the others because he is the captain and his fate is indicative of the fate of the crew as a whole.
Personally, I don't care about the fights all that much. The details of how they fight and who does what aren't that interesting to me, but it's a part of the genre, it's Oda's style, and he continues to input his fun and creativity that at least make the inevitable time spent on the combat more enjoyable. I've been somewhat phased out of the discussion mode during the last few months, but I have a feeling that unlike some people on AP, I read tons of manga and I don't live or die based on what's happening in One Piece week-to-week.
We're almost at the end of the tunnel; Zoro will soon finish up Kaku and then Luffy's turn will be next. He'll win his fight in ever-dramatic fashion, and then Oda will turn up the story, and a bunch of crazy stuff will happen. And we'll love it.
I think that these fights are fine, and in way, this arc is supposed to show us how strong the crew has gotten, and set the tone for in the future for the rest of the manga's fights. I also think there are more interesting things than the fights going on, because One Piece is a shonen manga that doesn't rely on fights to tell a great story. You got the buster call, Whats behind the Gates of Justice, Whats Usopp going to do, How everyone going to escape, The ancient Weopons, The New Ship, Franky, so much good crap. Don't get me wrong I loved these fights, they all had their good points. I wished there was a little more drama, But I think going back over these chapters as a whole in the future, and not waiting week after week they will be even better. I'd like to see one person on this whole board that didn't enjoy even one aspect of these fights.
You know instead of fighting one on one like Oda always has them do DBZ style, I hope he eventually does at least once, a fight where it's strong on equal ground characters fighting in a large setting like 2 ships much like when SH take out 50+ marines/pirates on land/ships. Except rather than seeing people being KO'ed and flying in the air from a single hit, the fight would be an actual fight, with partners being traded (the SH exchanging enemies constantly) people combining attacks and SH's losing because as long as the entire crew doesn't lose some SH's can lose to improve the fight.
I can dream can't I :(
i agree with you refii, the fights are really squad based it seems. using the whole crew in the story. i really want to see oda take the series in a different direction than this story arc business. i always know the SH's will win somehow, i am entertained about how they win. but i think Oda needs them to do more Pirating, and less, well less attempting to conquor the world? it seems he's having luffy do big things so fast. id of liked to see them as loser pirates more, fighting odds and stealing stuff!
man that was a random post lol
TO– LER-- ATE LAMBO!
I haven't noticed anyone losing interest. :/ I certainly haven't. How many people here who either think people are losing interest or feel that way themselves have been reading One Piece for a long time? Or is this the first manga arc you have been caught up with weekly?
this is my first anime, that I've caught up to. I still love OP, but It's not a hyper crazy overload of excitable episodes. I now have to get my OP bit by bit. Plus, as others have said, even though the fights are exciting, how much can you say about them. Though, I'm going by the anime, so I haveh't actually hit the "fights" yet.
@Cap'n:
I haven't lost any interest. This is still one of my favorite arcs.
If anything, I'm tired of everyone's bitching.
Yeah, same here man.
Its just a bunch of cheeky kids who havn't gotten used to waiting every week for new chapters.
Ya wanna know when I started following weekly folks? When ol Zeph got caught up?
DIRECTLY AT THE START OF THE LONG ISLAND ARC. 0_0
ME + Sympathy for you = ZERO.
Yes, I caught up at 410, so the slower pace is a bit of a drawback, but I can accept it. However, I don't find the fights that much fun, and it's been that way at least back to Krieg if not Kuro for me. I recall being downright fed up with the Alabasta fights at about the time the Mr. 4 / Ms Merrychristmas fight started, although I could read through at full speed.
I like the developments BETWEEN fights way more than the actual fights, because (with the decided and fun exception of Sanji v Califa), they're almost all foregone conclusions. Oda can't surprise us with the product of the battle, only the process.
And I find the CP9 fights weaker than other fights because the dialogue is weaker.
! Jyabura's "I'm Robin's sister… psych!" line
! was a rare bright point, but it's been too much screaming of "Shigan" and "Soru" for my taste, and too little actual dialogue. Although it has given me the uncontrollable urge to scream "Shigan" every time I press a button.
! One reason Sanji vs. Kuroobi (chapter 86) is one of my favourite fights in OP is that Kuroobi's talking non-stop (and Sanji's voice-over-thinking non-stop).
If you spoiler me, I will eat you with tater tots.
