I love this manga.
I have 100% confidence in Oda, if anyone can pull off a succesfull several year (2y) timeskip, it's him.
I hope the characters get a lot of development, new looks and new skills. This way the timeskip feels like an actual timeskip, not just a magic trick to advance training. The world will evolve, Strawhats fame and glory will fade, enemies will get stronger, world will change.
In the end, it seems very much that part 2 of One Piece will be almost like a "reset" for the manga.
-The world we are about to enter is completely unfamiliar ("New World"), just like when manga started.
-The direction of the story is completely open, just like when manga started
-The world is filled with exciting new characters we have never seen before, just like when manga started (all old characters have gotten development, thus they are new)
-We can look forward to new powers and abilities, we have no idea what main characters have in their pockets, just like when manga started
-Yet, when we enter, we will see the familiar faces we all love: the Strawhats.
I predict that tears will be shed when the manga finally returns, tears of joy. I know at least I will.
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<--Is very exited about the timeskip. 2 years is not "too long". Remember, during the part 2 the Strawhats will have to be able to fight equally with Yonkou, WG Admirals (perhaps all of them at the same time even), Blackbeard and other supernova. 2 years actually feels very little training for me.