9/11/2023 0 Comments Warship island arc![]() Saying something is always better than staying quiet, even if it doesn’t change anything in the moment. I know my words technically “don’t matter” given it’s been 20ish years-give or take-since One Piece came out with the arcs I’m on, but I wanted to call it out anyway. The hyper sexualization doesn’t change going into the Sky Island Saga either-it’s a lot less in my opinion-but let’s talk about that story in general first. I loved Nami in the beginning, and seeing her get fan-serviced on a regular basis hurts-her backstory is still honestly one of my favorites, and I hate that her sex appeal is being prioritized more than her actual character development. Nami is the biggest victim of this approach, with her design going from average “not hyper sexualized” in the beginning of One Piece to following the hyper sexualized formula the most out of all the female characters especially during the “Alabasta Arc”. Like having a template emphasizes how much he doesn’t care enough about making unique designs for his female characters. While I understand this is just something anime and manga will always do no matter what I say, but how Oda does female character design-three circles and an “x”-is lazy and formulaic. Well, at least the “beautiful” characters have this specific design. The one major downside to One Piece right now though, is the sexualized female characters and their same hour-glass, big boobed figures. Do what’s best for the people of your country, not what your country can do for you. Think Thor: Ragnarök if you need another example. Some things are just worth fighting for, and the fight doesn’t end if the corruption is seemingly defeated-the fight will always continue to save one’s country, and how one must always remember that the country is not a place but it’s the people living there. I found the Alabasta Saga very inspiring for what it taught me from those emotional character interactions, how Alabasta became corrupted through manipulation of the common people and making them turn on each other, and how Luffy and the crew were willing to risk it all to save Vivi’s country simply because they’re friends and helping each other out-asking them to risk their lives-is the least Vivi can do. It’s selfish that she’s the only one risking her life. While Crocodile called her foolish and naïve for holding onto such silly notions, Luffy gave her a wake-up call-saying it was offensive to not ask for help from the crew or anyone else because they’re also willing to risk their lives to help a friend out. Her naïve idealism is challenged throughout this Saga by both allies and enemies alike. ![]() Vivi is a Princess and the most caring person in this arc-someone who’d rather die to save her country if it meant nobody else had to. ![]() Those relevant themes were tied nicely together through the significant characters involved in this arc: Vivi, her father, her childhood friend, and Crocodile-the main antagonist of the Alabasta Saga. This arc came out in 1999 and ended in 2002. ![]() Based on the dates I listed, you could figure I read this arc during the stressful 2020 Presidential Election-sorry for getting political here, but it’ll connect to how I felt about the 20-year-old story. Riots and rebellions were also used in this Saga to create distractions. The themes on war, corruption, fighting for your country, what it means to have a country, and the relevance those themes still has on today’s times made the reading experience feel essential. Overall, I had an amazing time with this Saga, finding its amazing world-building, great humor, stellar character development, and the dynamics between heroes and villains being quite terrific. The Baroque Works Organization-the main antagonists-are doing whatever they can though to ensure the pirates don’t make it there in time. The Alabasta Saga follows Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates helping Princess Vivi reach her homeland of Alabasta to prevent an all-out war from breaking out. ![]()
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