#and thriller bark and marineford arc?

[biscuitboba]

Some thoughts about zolu (again)

Thinking about punk hazard and how serious zoro really was when he asked for luffy to be more careful, like he just wanted his captain to be safe:(

And luffy's reply?? The usual careless carefree luffy, choosing to take his first mate's words seriously. He even genuinely apologized (for acting rather carelessly) and assured zoro that he would not let his guard down with a pretty reassuring smile!!

Idk how to explain it, but this moment means a lot to me, like the way they interacted with each other at this particular moment? It's like when a lover (or love interest) usually scolds their beloved and asks for them not to act too recklessly.

Still thinking about zoro's words and well... after what happened in thriller bark and marineford, it's only natural that zoro would say something like that to luffy. As the first mate, compared to the other strawhats he was probably the most affected by those two events (experiencing luffy's pain and about his incapability to be there for luffy during the summit war saga)

Like, the whole thing about how zoro becoming a more serious person after the timeskip (less smiling and laughing), he may seem 'rougher' after the timeskip, but truthfully? It's obvious that he has the best interest of his captain and the SHC at heart💔

but GOD DO I MISS HIS pre-TS CAREFREE SMILE (usually caused by luffy)

Genuinely thinking about how most of his smiles from back then till now ere caused by/directed at luffy, and im sick to my stomach

[nenehyuuchiha]

[monthlymanga]

One Piece moments in my gallery that left me devastated

Some are understandable others might not be to y'all

Seeing Chopper in this state - ch.143

Tom's speech about loving your creations, bc at the very least if you don't love the things you make, who will? - ch.356

When Merry spoke her final words - ch.430

Brook regaining his will to live - ch.489

The beginning of their separation - ch. 512

Bon Clay in impel down - ch.536

Whitebeard and his fatherly love - ch.563

Whitebeard and Ace - ch.573

Universally agreed most devastating scene - ch. 574

The abducted kids from Punk Hazard - ch.688

[cuntyglam]

How far into one piece are you?

Reblog for a higher sample size!!

i’m genuinely so curious!! i’ve wanted to make this poll for a while :3

[lilnasxvevo]

I MISS BON CLAYYYYYY WHEN DO I GET TO SEE THEM AGAIN

[sa-bo]

Genuinely need a break from this arc real quick why does One Piece delve so deep into the ethics of war this arc, like holy shit I'm gonna fucking die

[greyhavensking]

I haven’t read through Thriller Bark in years which is probably why I think this is the height of hilarity lmao

[n3on-graveston3s-calling]

It is time.

[awdsadasdasdasd]

What's the best One piece arc In your opinion

[opshizt]

LUFFY OF EVERY ARCS IN THE NEWEST OPENING

Romance Dawn Arc - Whiskey Peak Arc and Drum Island Arc

Arabasta Arc and Post-Arabasta Arc

Jaya Arc - Skypiea Arc and Long Ring Long Land Arc

Water 7 Arc - Enies Lobby Arc and Thriller Bark Arc

Sabaody Archipelago Arc and Amazon Lily Arc

Impel Down Arc and Marineford Arc

Return to Sabaody Archipelago Arc - Fishman Island Arc and Punk Hazard Arc

Dressrosa Arc (Corrida Coliseum) and Dressrosa Arc (VS Doflamingo)

Whole Cake Island Arc (Chocolat Town & Seducing Woods) and Whole Cake Island Arc (VS Katakuri)

Wano Country Arc

Meeting Otama - Udon Prison and Onigashima Arc and Egghead Arc

[hoippu]

Chronological ZoLu Fanfic Masterlist [improved]

Guide for people who want to avoid anime spoilers

you can check out the google doc for more updates on this list (There is a total of 53 fanfics on the google doc so far)

Hey Lover! by clouddq

-takes place when zoro is recruited -soulmates AU (pre-timeskip)

I’ll Take This Piece of You by lucerile

-One Piece Live Action -Pre-arlong park but post baratie -(pre-timeskip)

Definitely, Spontaneously by croissantmusain

-One Piece Live Action and regular one piece anime/manga -no spoilers -pre-timeskip

last year i abstained by Augment

-part 1 of a series -(pre-timeskip i think) -No major spoilers

this year i devour by Augment

-part 2 or companion fic of last year i abstained -(pre-timeskip i think) -No major spoilers

I Don’t Talk (I Kiss Things) by lostmagician

-One Piece Live Action -I guess there aren’t any major spoilers -(pre-timeskip)

to fail you would be to fail myself by yinyu_ink

-One Piece Live Action -(pre-timeskip) -takes place after Arlong Park

Found in the Crack of your Palm by The_Furthest_City_Light

-(pre-timeskip) -takes place from the beginning until somewhere after alabasta

catching butterflies by aquietdin

-(pre-timeskip) Takes place sometime between Skypiea arc but before Long Island arc. -You should also watch the G-8 filler arc because I think it’s referenced, but it’s okay cuz it is honestly the best and only filler arc worth watching. (G-8 is right after skypiea)

Gold-Tinted Days by needchocolatenow

-indefinite time period but brook’s there. there’s no spoilers

Ode to an ocean by novks (thychesters)

-(pre-timeskip) -Takes place right before water 7.

Chimes by drcalvin

-(pre-timeskip) Contains spoilers from Water 7/ Post-Enies Lobby.  -Takes place shortly after marineford I think. Maybe wait until the timeskip begins before reading this one just in case.

Unable Are the Loved to Die by BasicallyACat

-(pre-timeskip) post Enies Lobby up until sabaody -part 1 of a series

a Losing Game by Angelgotchi

-right after water 7 probs pre-thriller bark -(pre-timeskip)

greed by species_baby

-(pre-timeskip) Thriller Bark

Feelings, what a mess! by drcalvin

(post-timeskip) Very early into the timeskip. I’d say you can read when they’re on the way to fishman island.

Let me carry your scars by arkhamsjason

-DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK UNLESS YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH MARINEFORD BECAUSE TAGS CONTAIN SPOILERS -(post-timeskip) at some point after return to sabaody arc

Heliotrope by LostInClouds

-(post-timeskip) -As long as you reach the timeskip and have made it more or less to when they are sailing to Fishman Island, you should be fine.

The Things we do for Love by LostInClouds

-(post-timeskip) - It’s recommended that you reach the timeskip for this one too and probably before fishman island is also good enough

Feed your plants a little sunlight by swordsmans

(post-timeskip) indefinite time period tho i think Inspired by this comic

Of First Mates and Duty by Whatev3rs

-(post-timeskip) takes place at an indefinite point in the timeskip after return to sabaody arc. -kind of part 1 of another fic

Look at this! by nuftda

-(pre-timeskip and post-timeskip) takes place from the beginning up until some indefinite point in the early timeskip

‘Til You by Whatev3rs

-Post-timeskip -no real spoilers -it’s KIND OF a continuation of Of First Mates and Duty by Whatev3rs

Kizuna by YokoHogawa

-(post-timeskip) after fishman island

His Captain, Captivating by jirachi

-a sequel to Unable Are the Loved to Die -(post-timeskip) takes place up until the end of dressrosa i think

The Five Times Luffy Kissed Zoro, and the One Time Zoro Kissed Luffy by EclecticIsMyMiddleName

-This one takes place throughout the story up until the end of Wano arc. -It’s preferable that you’re fully caught up because it’s so good you might wanna binge it.  -see google doc if you want a more detailed description of where each chapter takes place in case u cant wait that long

To the ends of the earth (I'll follow you, worship you, love you) by lunarblossoms

-(post-timeskip) occurs when luffy awakens gear 5

Carnelian and Gold by kermit_coded

-Post timeskip  -No major spoilers

I Do the Dumbest Things for You by it_is_i_a_simple_nerd

-(post-timeskip) -Takes place somewhere between wano and egghead

Loyal Till Death Do Us Part by StygianHeart

-(post-timeskip) -takes place after wano and does have some spoilers at the beginning -it takes place in a fictional arc n stuff so its cool

I'm gonna make another masterlist later for the AU fics or maybe add them to this list but you can still find them in the google doc

[opbackgrounds]

Chapter 459 is the turning point between the first and second half of Thriller Bark. Oda often splits his arcs between a mystery/ investigation phase and a fighty/plot resolvy phase. The split between the two is usually a flashback which explains the established mystery and drives the emotion of the fights.

Think about Arlong Park. The Straw Hats roll up knowing nothing about Nami's past, fumble around until Nojiko spills the beans, and then as a group renewed in their purpose they go to Arlong Park to rock Arlong's shit. While Oda doesn't always follow this exact formula it's one he's gotten a lot of mileage out of in part because the sheer weight and emotion he rings from his flashbacks gives the energy needed to carry chapters upon chapters of fights.

Brook's flashback is the only Straw Hat flashback other than Usopp (written when the series was new and Oda was still figuring out his formula) and kind of Luffy's (with Marineford serving a very different purpose) not to happen somewhere in the middle of an arc. We learn all the principle facts in the abstract, but we don't actually get to see it until later.

But as I'll dig into later on when we get there, Brook's backstory isn't about solving mysteries or establishing characterization, it's about closure. It happens at the end of the arc because that's when Brook gets to properly say goodbye to his previous crew and fully embrace the new.

[general-cyno]

apparently it's the 15th anniversary of zoro's sacrifice in thriller bark (not sure if manga or anime though) so yknow. time for more zolu of course

one of the many things about zoro and luffy is that despite how their approach to certain situations might differ at times, they're still pretty similar at their core, sometimes to a comical degree (see: their definition of what a hero is back in fish man island arc). and this understanding of how the other works is what leads to moments like jaya,

this little one in water 7/enies lobby,

and follows consistently all the way to wano arc.

and I was thinking the other day about how their childhoods too kinda mirror or parallel each other's in a way that emphasizes (to me, at least) how special zoro's particular protectiveness toward luffy is, and why luffy relying on zoro that way is just as special.

the specifics of their childhood stories are different but both luffy and zoro have a turning point of sorts that's marked with the grief and loss of sabo and kuina, respectively, which leads them to say these:

(I cropped the panels, but luffy's also crying here)

it's important to note zoro and luffy had dreams/aspirations before this, to become the greatest swordsman and luffy's secret thing that we've yet to learn about (that ace, sabo and the crew now know). however, losing kuina and sabo is what prompts them to, on top of that, strive to become stronger for other people's sake. for zoro, it's his way to honor his friend and fulfill their shared dream. for luffy, it's to avoid losing the people he loves.

throughout the story, zoro and luffy end up expressing similar frustration and sentiments due to this. there's zoro innerly chiding himself for being too weak as he trains in the aftermath of arcs like little garden, alabasta and thriller bark, where the crew get stuck in situations in which zoro isn't able to help as he wishes he could (the wax cake, the sea prism stone cell, kuma). there's luffy swearing he won't lose a single member of his crew even if it kills him (the davy back fight) and reproaching himself for not being able to save any of the straw hats in sabaody, with the worst of it right after losing ace in marineford.

(and man do I have thoughts about bon turning into zoro, out of all the straw hats, back in impel down.)

anyway. as to why all of this is meaningful - when zoro agrees to join luffy, he mentions that his goal to become the greatest swordsman is all he has. yet as the straw hats go from journey to journey, and with a certain emphasis in luffy, you can see how zoro's view slowly shifts. he's now driving himself to become strong to protect them as well, to the point he's willing to set aside his ambition and offer his own head in exchange for luffy's, if it means he can ensure luffy's life and safety. that's huge. as mihawk inwardly points out, zoro has something, someone he values even more than his ambitions and pride. and it's through his adventures with luffy and the crew that he becomes closer to achieving that initial dream of his.

whenever people wonder why zoro's as loyal as he is to luffy, aside from all the reasons why luffy as a character has earned that loyalty through his actions, I also remember that one line koushiro said to zoro in a flashback: "the pinnacle of swordsmanship is the power to protect what one wishes to protect and cut what one wishes to cut. a blade that injures all that it touches isn't really a sword." while sure, it works in the context of later power ups like haki, imo it perfectly captures zoro's character growth too and what luffy's given him. the current zoro isn't lost or directionless with only one purpose in mind or to live for, bounty hunting as a means to survive. he has a home to return to, people to cherish, to protect and keep getting stronger for, people who nurture him in turn. kuina's death is something zoro couldn't have prevented, and losing people in accidents like those is something that could happen again, but still within the limits of what's preventable - zoro can protect his friends now.

as for luffy... zoro kinda steals the spotlight when it comes to grand gestures of loyalty/devotion and being the MC of the story means luffy fights for different people (both crew and non crew), carrying their wishes and hopes as if they were his own. he gets help and learns from others as well and all members of the crew are important for luffy to achieve his dream one way or the other, but the way he relies on zoro specifically is so subtly meaningful to me. we don't get as much insight on luffy's inner thoughts, still, we do have context.

for someone like luffy, who is at his innermost genuinely terrified of being alone and losing the people he loves, the fact that he trusts zoro to protect and keep everyone safe (even luffy himself) is so good. as shown above, luffy vowed to become strong in the first place to ensure he'd never go through loss like sabo's again and this vow is all the more renewed after ace's death. luffy has to be strong for everyone but... the fact that he can trust zoro to follow his lead even when others might not understand his reasons to do x or y, that he's so unwavering in his faith that zoro will protect the others when luffy can't, entrusting the people he cares about to zoro, whom luffy also cherishes - it's all pretty special. everyone in the crew has their strengths and zoro may not be the only fighter, but all of them, including sanji, fall under his protection whenever it's needed.

it's not only about raw strength though. zoro's also there to set luffy straight and remind him of what's important when the circumstances arise, like in water 7 or punk hazard. and even when they don't necessarily agree, like wrt vivi's situation after the reverie in marijoa, luffy knows when zoro's right and acquiesces (albeit grumbling a little) because, once again, he's also aware that zoro wouldn't just risk everyone's safety. luffy listens to him. and their reunion in wano too, luffy's sheer happiness at the sight of him again, is a very clear example of how much luffy adores zoro even beyond all that.

although luffy isn't aware of what happened in thriller bark (that we know of), zoro's actions are proof of why luffy trusts, has faith in, and relies on zoro as much as he does and why it's so important for luffy to have him by his side, considering how afraid he is of being unable to keep his loved ones safe. this is more on a speculative note, but I can imagine how comforting that must be for luffy - to not shoulder that on his own.

happy anniversary!

[moongothic]

The more I think about it, the more fucking sus the exclusion of Crocodile in the "Luffy is Dragon's son" scene becomes in my mind

Because like. No look at it, look a the double-page spread again

(Chapter 558)

Now keep in mind, this is the entire scene, these are all the reactions we get to the revelation. Next page we're moving on to the next scene, and we don't come back to this subject aside from Akainu being like "grrrr Dragon's son >(" (but he already knew appearently)

And like, really, look at whose reactions to the news we get to see

There's Koby, Helmeppo and Garp reacting to the news being revealed to the whole world (makes sense; these are familiar characters to us and their reaction to this huge revelation going public is fair to show)

Smoker (makes sense; he must've been confused about what happened at Loguetown, so his reaction is interesting)

Random ass marines and Sabaody's news reporters (makes sense for plot reasons)

Random ass Whitebeard pirates ?????????

Buggy The Fucking Clown (arguably makes sense; Buggy has """hanged out""" with Luffy, so it is an interesting, shocking revelation to him too)

All of the original Shichibukai except Crocodile

And even with the Shichibukai, there's like. Levels of interest here. Like Kuma is interesting because we already knew that he knew Luffy was Dragon's son, and after what he did at Thriller Bark and Sabaody, and for the incoming "Kuma is Dead"-revelation, showing his non-reaction is interesting. Doflamingo has the most thoughtful reaction as he's putting things together out loud, Jinbei may not be adding much but he's taking the news in anyways, and Hancock's reaction is a wonderful reflection of her character. Moria and Mihawk have nothing to really add here, but they sure are there, reacting anyways.

But indeed. Considdering Oda went out of his fucking way to include all the other six of the OG Shichibukai, so the fact that he left Crocodile out and instead gave those Marines, Coby and Helmeppo such massive panels, AND preferred to include Buggy and Random Whitebeard Pirates over Sir Fucking Crocodile feels incredibly suspicious man

And just to re-iterate, although we have nothing to confirm Crocodile would personally have known/met Dragon at any point in his life, again, between: 1) Dragon being The Most Famous Criminal In The Whole World That Every Fucking One Knows About, and 2) Crocodile having Beef with one of the Revolutionary Army's Founding Members (in other words; if he knew one high ranking Rev Army Member, it is entirely plausible he could know more). Yeah, Crocodile should at least fucking KNOW who Dragon is, like that name should ring a fucking bell. And surely, finding out the little brat who beat his ass turned out to be that Dragon's son would be an interesting revelation, even to Sir "I don't give a fuck" Crocodile

And yet we don't get to see his reaction

And yeah, to be fair, we don't get to see the reactions from any of Whitebeard's other crew members either. But also, those crew members don't really know or care about Luffy, and neither do we the readers particularly care about them at this point in the story. Like sure seeing Marco's reaction over the smaller pirates would've been more interesting, but again, the relationship between us readers and Marco, as well as Marco and Luffy would not be much different if switched out for the random pirates. If anything, the random pirates are more probably there to counter balance the random marines

But then there's also the fact that we don't get to see Whitebeard's reaction either. Which also feels a tiny bit sus considdering how he just had a big ol' conversation with Luffy just moments before. And considdering how important of a character he would become in this arc, not including Whitebeard's reaction does feel a little odd.

But then I have to remind us all; Crocodile came to Marineford because he wanted to fight Whitebeard. With Luffy out of the way, he could be at this point trying to resume his attack on Whitebeard if he wanted to. And he does seem to do that at some point (after getting pushed off Moby Dick off-screen). But what is he doing, at this moment, when the revelation is happening? 'Cause, as you might notice, the Big Reveal Panel is cut off perfectly so even Whitebeard's partially cut off, and last we saw Croc he was behind Whitebeard Like for all we know Crocodile could've been in the middle of flinging himself at Whitebeard again, or in the middle of a spar with some of Whitebeard's commanders, or in a yelling match with Whitebeard

We're not allowed to see either of the two men, not what they were in the middle of doing, and not what they thought about the news. Despite how important the characters would become, despite how arguably either's opinion on the news could have been more insightful than like. What Moria had to say with his "!!!"

IDK man this shit is so sus

[loseiso]

Nami's development going from learning to accept help from other people to having to put herself in danger for said friends is so fucking fire AAAAAA

Like this is a small detail but she had her weapon ready when the straw hats rushed into iceberg's room even though she didn't fight then she WAS ready to

And then her telling Sanji she'll fight Kalifa is one of my favorite moments honestly

She doesn't know shit about what her df, for all she knows the second Kalifa uses whatever she did to Sanji she is DEAD but still deciding to fight her to both avenge Sanji but also to save Robin UGHH

ANd then in Thriller Bark where Lola gets knocked out by the cunt and she heads back to fight him WHILE saying she knows her attack won't do much only to be rewarded with him instantly collapsing?? Actual fire

And that's just her development her character traits are amazing 😭 a obsession with money but still having lines she won't cross as seen in Skypiea when Enel offered her gold or how the time she spent with the straw hats before returning to Arlong meant so much to her that she was willing to stab her own hand and fake Usopp's death???

And of course her fighting style is so cool I don't expect a big Nami fight every arc but when they come I fucking ADORE them

(I'm on Marineford I normally don't make long post like this speaking about a characters development and how they have developed I miss her)