It’s biggest selling manga in Japanese history. You know it, you love it and it might be wearing you out. Maybe not, but a recent poll shows that some readers are getting tired of the series. Most, however, are not.
One Piece debuted way back in 1997. But, according to the manga’s editor, creator Eiichiro Oda isn’t yet close to finishing the series. The series looks like it will wrap up at around 120 volumes (it’s currently at volume 81).
Website Sirabee polled 271 men and women across Japan, asking them if they thought that One Piece‘s quality has gotten worse as a result of its long serialisation.
[Image: Sirabee]
Out of those polled, 28.8 per cent said they thought it had gotten worse because of that. Another way to spin that data, however, is that over 70 per cent thought that it had not!
According to Sirabee, recent complaints against One Piece are things like, “The story is too long,” “Because it’s kept going on and on, I’ve lost interest in the story,” and “It’s exhausting.”
Though, over on My Game News Flash, many commenters wrote things like, “To be honest, One Piece is still interesting” and praised the recent Volume 81. Some also pointed out that other popular manga like Dragon Ball and Naruto have continued in various forms for a long time.
You can please some of the people some of the time, but you cannot please all of the people all of the time. Or, rather, 120 volumes of the time.
[Image: Toei]
Comments
12 responses to “Poll: Has One Piece Gotten Worse? Most People Say ‘No’”
Oh wow, I just realised that Naruto pretty much started at the same time but ended years earlier.
well it didnt exactly end, they stopped took a year”ish” off and started shippuden, its only about 100-150 episodes behind one piece, but atleast that filler fest is nearly over, Naruto as the title of this wouldve completely worked cos that show is a massive pain to watch now days
I like one piece, but it has the same problem that Dragonball z had and what bleach manga has, is that fights are take FAR too long. You think he/enemy has been defeated, but has an ultra ultimate form. Why I like One punch man, the fights are short, quick, exciting and end decisively.
I’ve only watched the anime, so that could explain the difference, but I find it frustrating how long it takes to *get* to the fights, not the fights themselves. Luffy spent about 12 episodes in one arc running across a plaza.
LOL the Marine Ford arc. You have to admit although he spent a lot of time running (Seems very Dr Who to say that) he fought a lot of small fry on the way there.
Personally still loving the arcs (manga and anime), and unlike Naruto the anime filler arcs generally feel like they add to the current story lines rather than shooting off into some flash back or random nonsense, best one i think was after the skypea arc where they fall into the marine stronghold.
(though there was those 2 arcs with Noro Noro nuisance that i always skip when i rewatch it :S)
I would enjoy the arcs more if the characters weren’t so one dimensional from introduction. The main characters were introduced more fully, but eventually got shallower and shallower
Eh, One Piece have had its highs and lows through its history. It’s not a new thing and it’s expected to happen in such a long form story. Right now is quite good.
My biggest issue with One Piece these days is probably the characters. The pacing is a big issue, certainly, but every character has become a parody of themselves, with little to no depth. Even characters who are introduced straight away.
I mean, I get it, you have so many side characters that to keep them interesting and individualized you need to focus on a certain thing. But when you introduce a character for an arc, and straight away their gimick is revealed and their personality is pretty much limited to that one dimension, there’s a problem.
But even worse is that this happened more and more to the main characters. Zoro’s now that really cool swordsman who literally can’t tell left from right while someone is yelling at him. Sanji will do anything if a woman manipulates him, to almost no restrictions. Chopper and Brooke are the scared ones who’s going to stay behind, eventually get attacked or forced in to the fray and show that they have enough strength to defend themselves. Luffy is going to be single minded and stupid, but that’ll be forgiven because he’s idealistic and has the power to force that ideal on people and the charisma to get people to follow them.
Like, in the current (ish? It’s been a year or two since I watched, but I think it’s still the arc on the toy island, right?) arc you had the blind guy. Who you could tell in an instant would be kind of blind, but not really (in a daredevil style), his cane was very obviously going to be his weapon and he was going to be one of the strongest people in the arc. The only question was who’s side he was on. This was before they actually showed him doing anything.
It’s just… the characters are predictable and boring now because they’re so shallow, and I no longer care what happens to any of them because they’re not people, they’re just a single trait/gimmick that can talk.
I’ve always considered the key to enjoying characters in shounens is that: training = character development. I agree that the characters have not evolved much past their original archetypes, but they’ve changed in capability (yes to get the same ‘win the day’ results).
It’s not perfect, but it helps. These shows are all about wacky action to me, so all I need is an excuse to escalate things.
I agree that they’re getting stronger, and some of their interests have been more fleshed out in the process, but it’s not that they haven’t evolved beyond their archetypes, it’s that they’ve gotten more and more entrenched in to them. Zoro was never *that* bad with directions in the beginning. He might get a bit lost, but he could tell left from right. Sanji would be a womanizer, or someone who wanted to be, but he had his limits. Chopper would be a big scared, but not *this* scared. Maybe Nami and Usuop haven’t gotten worse, but Franky for example just doubled down on his robot thing 100%. And on the one hand, that’s fair. That’s exactly how he got stronger, on the other hand holy shit did he get even more one-dimensional.
The problem I have isn’t that they haven’t gained more depth and dimension to their characters, it’s that it feels like they’ve lost more and have retreated further in to their archetypes as a way to make them more appealing, by doubling down on one gimmick instead of fleshing them out more as people
Ah yeah I see what you mean. I do wonder which is the biggest influence though, I’m an anime watcher not a manga reader, so I don’t know if it’s the author doubling down on the basics or the show remaining shallow for its own sake. One of the difficult things though must be actually keeping it going when they achieve that depth; how can you introduce a reasonable threat or drama when the dynamics have changed? Like, Usopp (my favourite) is a notable coward who doesn’t recognise his own worth until the last moment, like every time, and it works so well because it complements others who have no fear (Luffy). So like, if we let him develop and then face him against the latest scary villain and he’s not afraid? Then why would anyone else be? How is it even an issue? It can be tough when you’ve got entrenched characters, especially when those archetypes literally define the show. I’ve seen plenty of shows where once enough development has occurred, I realised I wasn’t even watching the same show any more.
I’m not excusing it, I agree it needs more depth. I expect the same issues plague superhero comic books. I know there’s tonnes of cool development in them, however every time they do it hear about the latest controversy dividing fans about how they’ve fixed/ruined their favourite characters. So I accept the simplicity of skill and plot development (like a game almost), that as long as the characters ‘grow’ and the situation ‘changes’ then it’s enjoyable to watch. (it honestly helps too that somehow this show has not run out of originality no matter how shallow all the extra characters end up being).
I don’t think they should overcome all of their issues, but doesn’t the whole Usuop never gaining courage thing kind of make the whole Sogeking thing pointless? Rather than not being afraid, wouldn’t he rather be afraid, put on his mask and then face his enemies while still being scared? As opposed to running almost every time?
I don’t know, I suppose it wouldn’t be such an issue if it weren’t for the whole two year wait addressing most of these. Like, Usuop was trapped on the deadly island that he couldn’t run from because it was meant to teach him to charge forward even if he was scared, right? That he couldn’t just run from it all? And Sanji’s island was there to strengthen him while also making it so that he would be able to show some restraint around women?
I guess the fact that they fell in to nothing *but* their archetypes made their individual arcs feel pointless. Which would, again, be less of an issue if the arcs were shorter and we could have stories here and there showing each character forging onwards for their dream. Like, we haven’t heard jack about Zoro’s desire to become the best swordsman for his childhood friend in how many years again?
The arcs have gotten too long to let you effectively see characters pursuing their dream, reminding us about the parts that make them meaningful, but there’s more than enough time to show how they fall in to their stereotypes.
I don’t know, I still like the show, but… I guess I wish it was like how it was in the beginning. But then again, that was decades ago, wasn’t it? Meanwhile I only started watching in 2009ish, and binge watched some few hundred episodes at a time, so I guess the changes are still clearer in my memory
I think a part of it is that by now the crew has merged all into one cohesive character. No longer are they individuals, but simply facets of the same being. To change one character greatly would then change that whole being. I too want to see them grow by being able to follow up their own arcs (that made them so interesting in the first place. But unfortunately they are almost defined solely by those goals and have nothing else but the pirate crew. I mean like, when I imagine any of the characters completing their arcs, it’s at the end of the show, it’s over. So now I just enjoy the situation, like it’s a sitcom. Roaming from plot-arc to plot-arc, meeting new friends and having new villains to defeat each time. Luffy put it very well before the time-skip, that we we’re actually looking for Gold Rogers treasure, and that he was already the Pirate King as long as he was free. It’s about the journey, even though I usually hate stories about the journey.
It makes the whole ‘new skills=development’ aspect easier to swallow IMO; where characters meeting a new challenge is the fancy change over the old challenge. Also, it’s nice to just let myself remember where the show actually did bring the depth and drama and I let that flow underneath. I truly believe these characters have changed and grown, it just isn’t demonstrated continuously, or can’t be while introducing the new villain of the month. Luffy is stronger and smarter after losing some tough battles – but the villains are more beguiling. Usopp is braver thanks to his Sogeking times and his island experiences – the villains are just scarier. Sanji is an even better cook, and he can deal with women much better – but the women are sexier (and Nami is never allowed to appreciate his advances). Chopper is an even more masterful doctor and has more confidence – but the wounds are more grievous. Franky is more advanced and cooler (in his mind) – but there’s even more advanced technology. Robin is wiser and more worldly – but there’s still so much baffling uncertainty out there. Brook has overcome his skeletal existence and has become an even better musician – but his audience could be even greater.
Oh and Nami is still the undisputed best navigator and meteorologist ever known and just got better at it post time-skip, so really she could really only ever want for more cash.
Yes, someone who feels that way I do!