Last edited by DarthEnderX; Tue, 04-13-2010 at 06:55 PM.
Once again Buggy is making this arc into an embarrassment.
I liked Hannyabal's enthusiasm. It serves as a nice reminder that, even though the guards are antagonists to Luffy, most of them are there to make the world a safer place. Then Blackbeard shows up to challenge Hannyabal's suggestion of a dichotomy between the two.
10/4/04 - 8/20/07
That is...not a great place for Blackbeard to be.
I know he's badass and all, but the entire team of escapees is there.
Not much actually happened this episode though.
[yibis] One Piece 446 [720p] [94787732].mkv
[yibis] One Piece 446 [400p] [7F7A516D].avi
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I want to see more of this Olive. <3
True, that and the sub par animation quality are really making these last few episodes annoying to watch
But it can't be helped, they need to "fillerize" these episodes a little since they're getting too close to the manga and the epicness of what's to come needs them to lighten their budget for these less important episodes
If they wanted to add filler, maybe they could do it to some of these actual battles. They barely even showed Ivan vs. the bondage chick fighting.
Like the Blueno vs. Luffy battle was some of the best example of filler ever. They stretched out that first usage of Second Gear beyond two attack, and it was one of the most awesome scenes in the anime.
They stretched out the fight with the 3 guardian beasts. The power-rangersesque group of newkama that tried frantically to beat them for 10 minutes weren't in the manga. Instead the beasts showed up and were instantly mowed down by Luffy and the schichibukai.
10/4/04 - 8/20/07
The problem with stretched fights is that they shake the real power levels. Somebody who should be beaten in a matter of seconds will take minutes of repeated efforts to mow down. Of course it's not always a bad thing but often it cheapens the heroes.
I love characters that get built up only to be knocked down instantly. It keeps the viewing audience on their toes.
10/4/04 - 8/20/07
You must love this arc then because so far, out of all the staff at Impel Down, Magellan seems to be the only one that's a credible threat.
Kind of makes all the time spent on them seem pointless. They spend the majority of the arc introducing these characters, only to have them steamrolled on the way out.
It's not pointless at all even if it happens. Only a stupid story would make the world so equal and fair that when the main characters get stronger, they only meet stronger and stronger adversaries as well. People need to be as strong as would be reasonable to expect due to the setting and circumstances. Impel Down is filled with seastone so in theory normal people should be able to handle things. However, they have a few tougher staffers looking after things as well. Any more than that might be improbable because only a person with a special sort of mindset would want to work and live in a place that dreary. Most would use their skills and abilities to find better jobs and opportunities elsewhere, for sure.
A character's worth doesn't lie solely on his fighting prowess. So, saying developing characters that won't last for two eps at minimum against monsters like Luffy is like saying they shouldn't have included Nami in the crew at all.
Actually, the only thing I regret about the characters in this arc, is that we see hundreds of prisoners, yet the only ones who seem to have any devil fruit ability (or any real fighting power, for that matter), are the prisoners we've known since before this arc, and then the new major characters. But technically, ANY prisoner from say, level 4, should be stronger than Bon Clay, Buggy, and Mr. 3.
However, I love seeing people wig out when Luffy effortlessly defeats an overhyped character.
10/4/04 - 8/20/07
And only a boring story would have characters become stronger than 99% of the people in the world, and still constantly throw those weaker people in their path 99% of the time.
I was under the impression that the whole reason that Luffy freeing up these former characters of increasing strength on his way down was so that, on his way out, his escape crew would be ordered by strength just like his normal crew, and each character would end up facing a different member of the staff that is the appropriate strength. Just like ever other One Piece arc ever.
Instead, Luffy, Croc, Jin and Iva are obliterating everyone while the other characters are just following behind doing nothing.
You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end each of us must work for his own improvement, and at the same time share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful. -Marie Curie
Impel Down isn't even the meat of this arc. These guys are just what are standing in the way of whats to come: Luffy chasing Ace to Marine Ford. Do you think that they will be simply obliterating everything they come into contact with when/if they reach their goal? Plus, even right now with Blackbeard. I imagine Blackbeard alone wouldn't be able to take on Luffy/Croc/Jimbei, but he has his entire crew there as well. So its not like there are no challenges for them in Impel Down, and its not like this arc will have no challenges for Luffy's group.
Because it'd be lame if Luffy could singlehandedly defeat 2 schichibukai, the god Enel, and the main CP9 guy, yet struggle against a bunch of jail guards. Having the schichibukai outclassed by guards would be lame too... they're supposed to be strong enough to represent one of the triad balance of powers in the world.
Contriving villains of incremental strength is one of the biggest shounen cliches that have been played to death, and, more often than not, receive a rather bitter response from an increasingly disbelieving audience. I don't understand how you could broadly prefer that. Don't worry your little self, though, there are still plenty of people in the One Piece world that would give Luffy a run for his money if he confronted them in person.
10/4/04 - 8/20/07
Impel down has been hyped by the anime/manga itself for eons by now, amount of worth challenges = 2, yet you`re fine with this?
I`m not saying they should outclass the shichibukai, but SOME worthy challenges from the hellish prison for our friends wouldn`t be bad.
Dragon Ball Z gave me enough of the alternative, thanks.Originally Posted by Assertn
You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end each of us must work for his own improvement, and at the same time share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful. -Marie Curie
Also, people need to take into account the people who are breaking out here. Impel Down has been hyped up. If it was just Luffy, he would have gotten defeated just like what happened when he tried to break in. But now, its not just Luffy. Its Luffy, and two Shichibukai. And a two high ranking people from the Revolutionary Army. And many prisonners released from level 4 (and 5?). And people on those two levels have bounties higher than most of the Strawhats. Impel Down has been hyped up as the place where all the worst villains in the world end up when they are captured, right? So what logically happens if the worst villains in the world all end up trying to stage a break out?