Comparing Page1 and Ulti to Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Xmas is a fkin joke. The latter actually gave us fun and awesome fight with the totally iconic Usopp moment. But Page1 and Ulti are just a setup fodder for Big Mom. We COULD had one awesome tag time moment between good ol' partner Usopp and Nami but nooo… imo one of the most embarassing moment in Wano.

Looking back, the fight I enjoyed in Onigashima were Robin vs Black Maria and Kid & Law vs Big Mom. Overall the Beast Pirates are a joke. For a supposedly strongest Yonko crew they lost without many difficulties. Last time we fought a Yonko crew, we almost get wiped out and two of the commanders alone gave Luffy himself such a hard time, even fighting him for HOURS.

Zoro gonna beat the reaper 1 vs 1 and then acquired Mangekyo Sharingan as it is revealed that the reaper is actually the spirit of his dad, visiting him in the mortal realm to test his convictions.

Imo the biggest factors going for Yamato is her inclusion in chapter 1000 AND cover of volume 100. Appearing as a vocal character on both of them. Those were huge… sign for anything, really.

@Shiebs:

I still need another flashback before I’m all in

Same tbh. Hence why Kaido's flashback on 1049 feels flat for some people, they want to see Yamato there. Instead Kaido only namedropped her.

IF there is another Kaido flashback AND Yamato is really being set up as the next nakama, then we will see her there (maybe even Kaido's lover/Yamato's mother). The oni thing Kaido namedropped back then is still not explained, right?

Who were born in Sake Country in the Mead Village, who ate the fermentation fruit that can instantly ferment starch into alcohol. Kaido married her to fulfill his endless thirst of sake…

Kaido flashback was on and there was no Yamato whatsoever in it (only on quote by dear daddy). IF Yamato is really destined to be something more than ally (or even a nakama), let's just pray that Kaido's flashback is NOT over…

Glad the fight is FINALLY over. Kinda weird that in the end I only want for it to end no matter what the process is… and well, it was very meh. For a god fruit with an imagination-based power the finisher is very lacking in creativity imo. Literally the same finisher as Doffy, but only BIGGER. Also the coreography is just... not there.

As for the flashback, it was VERY lacking imo. Big Mom had that 2 awesome yet disturbing flashback, and Kaido is... again, just there. Very disjointed all over, interceded by yet FILLER pages and people running around. I think Oda is forced to insert Kaido's flashback but he had so little pages to plan... which is easily avoided IF ONLY he cut unnecessary filler pages.

At least it's over, so thank every deity above for it.

@Kishido:

And act 4 will have hoe may chapters until 5?

Easy. Act 4 is 25 ch, act 5 is closing up and epilogue, 15 ch. Wano ends on 2023 baybee!!

Just get on with it!

What a waste of chapter (again). Almost 70% are informations we already knew. Alright Wano is suffering… yeah we knew that since 2018! Alright Orochi is a piece of shit... yeah we knew that since 2018! Alright Kaido attacked Oden's castle... yeah we knew that since 2018! Etc etc.

Just... go on with it, goddammit.

I know that Oda want to reiterate the toughness of Kaido with multiple chapters of Luffy still struggling despite literally claimed the power of god... BUT if he focused the chapters elsewhere instead of showing Kaido tanking Luffy's godly attack, then what is the point?

Instead we saw Orochi which is more durable than the Calamities and Tobiroppo.

Sigh... what a waste.

@electricmastro:

I mean nothing stopping others from saying needing a lookout is a stretch when others like Usopp do the role just fine.

I don't think the crew barely getting to know Yamato at this point is a con, because again, most of the crew barely knowing Robin before Vivi left.

For that matter, Franky barely "bonded" with Luffy before the Straw Hats got the Sunny. Luffy was mostly focused on trying to rescue Robin and was mad at him most of the time because Franky hurting Usopp. I don't think that would count as the "bonding"/"getting to know" prerequisites some people deem as necessary.

–- Update From New Post Merge ---

Well again, if the answer is just to buy it, then why resort to getting alcohol from an alcohol making device?

You're also prob stretching it if thinking that Zoro wouldn't want homemade/high-class booze as if he doesn't value it.

Lol. Everyone talks about alcohol and alcohol brewing like its super important to the crew. It's… really not.
Only Zoro drinks sake regularly (and even then not in every scene he has), everyone else drinks when its on a party. And still you consider it vital for a seafaring journey.

Oh and do remember sake making is a lengthy process, the fermentation alone could take months even years. You talk like brewing sake is easily done in 1-2 hours like cooking a dinner... no it isn't. Does the crew has such a long free time for waiting?

Lookout is more important... but you know Oda does not even focus on that.