I actually don't get the Sabo hate. I am sorry, but the reasons from what I am reading right now being what??? He is stealing other characters' spotlight?
I sometimes want to post more on this forum to get involved, but some of this negative atmosphere and constant criticism of minute things that always happen in manga is absurd. Oda writes manga comics, originally aimed at 15 year old boys from what I have read. I know I am right but correct me if you incline to. So, when you put things into perspective, this bickering is useless unless we are all 15 or under. Luckily, Oda does the least amount of generic manga plot devices from other writers, but he is Japanese and lives in Japan, with Japanese people influencing him. He is not here to write Breaking Bad or Cowboy Bebop. His writing is mediocre at best (still better than others in his field). Come on, how many times do you read these phrases:
"Stop him at all costs",
"[person's name] is still alive?! How?"
"We are all going to die, save us [Hero's name]"
"It's no use" (Reminds me of Game Grumps playing Sonic 06 - Watch it cause it's funny)
"I am putting an end to this"
"I will defeat you at any cost"
"You killed my family"
"My powers do this because [reasons]"
And so on. Manga writing is just full of exposition and that's it. There are the parts where writers use other cultures' lores to implement it into their characters and story, but a lot of times it's just that with no real depth or reason. It's just cool they did that. Please don't justify the quality of SHONEN mangas to quality of the best tv shows ever made. They are miles apart when it comes to writing. Or maybe the English translation is vastly inferior and somehow their language is way more intricate leaving us with only those phrases -__- I am not even going to mention the power levels, deus ex machina moments, and convenient physics.
AND STILL, I LOVE One Piece, even though I watched The Sopranos, BB, Six Feet Under (watching it right now), True Detective, Band of Brothers, Dexter (Seasons 1-4) and some others. IT DOESN'T TAKE ITSELF TOO SERIOUSLY!!! It's why I can't stand American superheroes because they try to implement them into the real world and it just doesn't work really despite their box office success and fandom, but that's the way I view it and I can't prove I am the only one right. I have my criticisms too with the danger aspect being introduced (okay? Go on Oda?) and not being satisfied time and time again (If you introduce it then you have to deal with it properly). However, that's not the point of the story and it's supposed to be gritty and realistic, so I deal with it just like I dealt with all the other possibly plot breaking moments in One Piece. Also did I mention that it's a Shonen?
You guys actually ruined this chapter for me (Now I set myself for "Oh boo hoo cry baby, go home to your mommy but don't spread your snot, tears and slobber all over this forum" :p). I totally loved it and I wanted to see people's reaction to this, but I didn't expect mixed feelings and complaints. It sucks cause I know that the other forums are the same. I am not surprised when people criticise One Piece fans for being spoiled, cause we definitely seem to be. Or maybe it's the effect of other mangas' BS we had to deal with before and don't want the same thing.
I don't know guys, help me out on this one.