#maybe oda saw ppl were still on the z0san train and was like

[chaos0pikachu]

I actually disagree in re: to the anime being better. The earlier episodes of the anime are pretty rough imo which isn't surprising the earlier manga chapters are also pretty...not bad just not as well done as later chapters in the manga. That's not a knock on Oda, he was new, and one thing I think people forget is Oda didn't know with 100% certainty that One Piece was going to become, well, One Piece. It's why Luffy, Zoro's, and Ussop's backstories are pretty thin in comparison to Sanji, Nami's, Choppers, etc etc Oda was just getting to the meat of his story (I'm pretty sure the main thing he had planned in those earlier stages was Nami's backstory, and getting to the grandline which would have been a decent stopping point for the manga had shounen jump not chosen to renew). I think Oda took OPLA as a chance to do some things he didn't do and/or couldn't in his early stages of making the manga (like Ussop/Kaya and not mentioning the stairs for Kuina lol but also expanding on who Zoro was before his first appearance).

All that said, I think whichever version of their first meeting people prefer, the core of Zoro and Luffy's relationship is unwavering loyalty and trust. Which both meetings emphasize.

Also why Luffy chooses Zoro in the first place. I think the scene with the little girl was better done in the animanga but I'm glad they kept it in the show at all. That scene where Zoro eats dirty food in order to make a little girl happy, to repay her kindness is the reason Luffy chooses Zoro specifically.

I like that in the show Luffy sees this moment, and that's why he wants Zoro to join his crew. It emphasizes how others - Baroque Works and the Marines - wanted Zoro solely for his physical strength, while Luffy wanted him for his kindness and honor (and b/c he was hot whaaaat)

What I really like about OPLA!Zolu is they take the subtly that animanga!Zolu have (and that has gone overlooked for SO LONG) and bring it more to the forefront for viewers.

Zolu is my favorite OP ship b/c it is so subtle, it exists in a collection of small and large moments, that speak of loyalty, trust, and deep companionship. Luffy can fall asleep during a battle because Zoro is by his side, Zoro will bow his head to the man he wants to defeat if it's for Luffy. And I love that for them.

Watching the reactions of people familiar with the anime, I noticed that many of them didn't like how the meeting between Luffy and Zoro was changed. People say that in the original story, Zoro had more motivation to become a pirate and join Luffy's crew since his life depended on it. Luffy is basically blackmailing him into joining him, and what they did in the adaptation supposedly deprived Zoro of all motivation.

But I just can’t understand why people don’t notice the obvious: yes, in the anime this moment was more emotional, but in the adaptation it becomes clear why Zoro so quickly saw Luffy as his captain and swore himself to him “until death do them part.”

Someone already said here that before Luffy Zoro had only met those who wanted to use him, and when Zoro refused or fought back, they actually wanted to kill him. Luffy, despite the refusal, still selflessly saves Zoro, and it is in this case that the scene of Zoro joining the crew is more… soft, gentle… and fully explains how Zoro became devoted to Luffy in such a short time. Luffy was the one who didn't want to take advantage of him, he just helped him. This does not mean that Zoro would swear allegiance to anyone who was kind to him, it does mean that Zoro wouldn't have met someone like Luffy. Luffy not only literally became Zoro's sun, he became his hope and literally the only one he could trust like no one else. I still think the original scene is stronger than the adaptation, but I have no complaints about it either. In my opinion, a relationship that began with trust and loyalty is better than a relationship that began with blackmail, although in the canon Zoro literally was ready to give his life for Luffy just the same day or so, which is jus as adorable.