@Fanservice:
1. New character interaction is a given with Franky since uh…he's actually new to the crew.
Yes, but it stills means that the "no chance" guarantee you gave is wrong.
2. I hardly call those 'developments'. Luffy is still the same old goofball with new attacks. He gets bad-ass and learns the weight of being a captain during the Usopp fight, and he reverts back to his old self in the recent chapters. Zoro is always "…". Sanji is still a sucker for women. Etc..etc...IMO, I can pretty much say that the major significant developments were for the sidecharacters since we're not seeing them that often and when we do, we get to learn new shit about them.
There have been changes, but it's very minimal, at least, for the main crew, IMO. Stop shoving your opinion on me.
You want there entire personalities to change? Of course some parts of them stay the same, what do you expect? Luffy still knows the weight of being a captain, it doesn't mean that he forgot how to kick back and have fun. You're confusing personalities changes for character development–that drastic of a change rarely happens. The minimal changes are the changes, why should people change so much so easily?
Take Chopper in Alabasta. In Skypiea, he was running around like a coward. In Enies Lobby, he runs head first to fight Kumadori. So, that's a change and maybe a development. That and, Nami seems to trust Luffy more since Skypiea. Maybe we wont notice the chagnes until the next arc.
As for shoving my opinions, well..I just don't get what you want. Some things don't change without becoming a new character, so your expectations seem impractical, and it bugs me. Sorry.
3. Yeah, he needs to kick ass next chapter. Oh wait, I thought you guys said that he wasn't suppossed to be a fighter? (Or was it the other guys) People keep on arguing that he should be the crew's sniper and I'm still not seeing it in a bigger context of things (for the new world adventures)
I never argued that, though some people might confuse it. Sniping is his fighter style…which is pretty much the same as he's always fought, but maybe with more focus on the long range combat part.
Take Chuu. Usopp lost close range, Usopp made distance, and owned Chuu. That's probably the archetype for the perfect Usopp fight. Basically, we want Usopp to fight better, bottom line.
As for well, who knows. It depends on the nature of the arc. If it's goofy like the Davt Back fight, then no. Otherwise, let's see. Who fights in each arch isn't static.
4. Uh, maybe Oda suddenly jumped from the Ace/BB fight/confrontation because….?
To focus on the main characters. I won't deny that it's a decision I don't like.
Some people have acknowledged the wierd pacing he had these days. Luffy meeting his grandpa –-> WB/Shanks ---> BB/Ace ----> Luffy + Crew new ship, Usopp rejoining, Franky joining, them escaping.
Like the other guys said, Franky's joining could have been done in a few panels. Another thing was, Usopp's rejoining should have been > than Franky's since, IMO, he's the 'more important crewmember' given the context of things, but Franky's joining had more 'screentime'.
Yeah, nothing wrong here. However, some people get too hung up on expectations. This is very bad habit in a manga that by it's very nature is unpredictable.
Bottomline is, I don't see the need to see what has happened with Vivi and co if it wasn't going to contribute anything to the story. Smoker's and Tash's appereance was justified because clearly, Smoker is still in the hunt for Luffy and to show how they have climbed ranks. What's the point of showing Vivi and the others? Their opinion about Luffy letting Robin join the crew <<<<<<< what happened between WB/Shanks and Ace/BB, IMO.
Now, this seems logical, but consider this: will Vivi have anything to do in future stories? With Smoker is obvious, but with Vivi you have to remember her position. Maybe she could use political influence to help the SHs in future adventures? Alabasta seems to have placed influence on how powerful of a nation it is. A powerful nation has a lot of options.
But that's speculation. But it's not impossible either.