I probably needed to follow a +40-volume, Shounen Jump-branded shounen manga like I need a hole in the head. But really, when more than twenty volumes have passed, and I'm still not
tired of it and/or want the mangaka to cut their crap... I know there's no turning back, and unless something just outrageous happens later, I'm not going to leave the series any time soon. This is why I couldn't go on with, say, Naruto and Bleach; and this is why I have to take my breaks with DGM so I don't get fed up. Also, crying. If a manga makes me laugh AND cry, and I don't mean crying of laughter like when I watch Saint Seiya for the lulz, the mangaka has officially owned me.
It looks childish, it doesn't seem artistic, it appears to be the manga equivalent of PotC but with talking animals and genki teens. Yeah, that's anyone's first impression, but I swear to God
One Piece is hardcore. After you get used to the style (and you do, and the guys start to be pretty much hot, believe me), and the plot starts off (which takes it at least three volumes or so), you discover Eiichiro Oda is a great storyteller. Although it doesn't look like there's a huge plot like with FMA, it's more like we have gazillion subplots and arcs kneading and secrets to uncover. The arcs are somehow episodic, although there are consequences from the previous adventures and some characters are recurrent. Oda isn't afraid of PG-13 violence, like adults losing limbs for their protegees' sake. However, he doesn't kill important characters unless it's in flashbacks; also, he even develops what happens to most villains after their defeat, although sometimes it's pure crack. Speaking of flashbacks, they're some of my favorite things in OP, and a technique Oda is just awesome at. They're gorgeous, and bring so much to the characters' development. Hell, even some
animals get their tragic pasts, and I don't only mean poor Chopper. He gives attention to minor characters, which is unbelievable considering how vast the cast is.
So it's still an action-adventure manga, with batshit powers and epic fights, but it's basically a story about friendship and following your dreams even when they're farfetched. And when the punches and explosions are over, the characters have growned up a bit more, and your patience is rewarded with comedy and/or angst -and even during the fights.
And I'll tell you, some arcs are just incredible, even when you forget their links with the main characters and see them as stand-alone stories. The story of Baroque Works' conspiracies in Alabasta is so rich, and the past of Skypiea and Shandora was really interesting. And so on.
Also, CLAMP could've learned from Oda when it comes to kickass desert princesses. 4 realz. Then again, I'm biased because I adore Vivi -and pretty much everyone from Alabasta....
Actually, Kubo could've learned from Oda, uh, everything or something.In short, I'm SO glad I gave One Piece a second chance <3 The length is overwhelming and it took me ages to be up to Japan, but I don't regret it and I don't think I lost my time. If anything, it gave me more things to obsess about.
ETA:
LOL Discworld reference!
amewarashi resolves to...
