One Piece Episode 446

[Kraco]

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.

[Assertn]

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.

[DarthEnderX]

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.

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.

[Assertn]

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.

You mean just like the pre-grandline arcs, which were so cookie-cutter it was painful.

[UChessmaster]

You mean just like the pre-grandline arcs, which were so cookie-cutter it was painful.

Luffy and co. one shotting everything is better... how?

[Sentenal]

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.

[Assertn]

Luffy and co. one shotting everything is better... how?

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.

[DarthEnderX]

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.

We're not talking about regular guards though. We're talking about the officers.

The people who the World Government deems powerful enough to stand between the most powerful criminals on the planet and the rest of the world. Magellan seems qualified, and Shiryu probably was as well. But nobody else seems qualified.

Which, I guess, is why this is happening now. The WG put underpowered people in charge of keeping the most dangerous place in the world sealed up tight, and now all these villains are going to get free because of it.

End of the day, the staff of Impel Down wouldn't even be able to contain two Level 6 prisoners escaping simultaneously. Because Magellan would only be able to fight one while the other would end up soloing the entire rest of the facility.

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.

Perhaps it wouldn't be as much of an issue if it WERE a refreshing change of pace. Unfortunately, the Impel Down arc directly follows the Amazon Lilly arc, where Luffy ALSO completely outclassed every threat thrown at him.

[Sentenal]

The people who the World Government deems powerful enough to stand between the most powerful criminals on the planet and the rest of the world. Magellan seems qualified, and Shiryu probably was as well. But nobody else seems qualified.

I'd say the 3 Demon Guards are qualified to deal with all but the most ridiculous prisoners, which is all you should expect.

End of the day, the staff of Impel Down wouldn't even be able to contain two Level 6 prisoners escaping simultaneously. Because Magellan would only be able to fight one while the other would end up soloing the entire rest of the facility.

Since Level 6 Prisoners include people like the Shichibukai, and people dangerous enough to have been erased from history, so... Uhhh, no shit? Do you really expect Impel Down to have enough power to rival one of the 3 Great Powers?

Also, who is to say that Magellen couldn't take on two at the same time?

[Assertn]

Perhaps it wouldn't be as much of an issue if it WERE a refreshing change of pace. Unfortunately, the Impel Down arc directly follows the Amazon Lilly arc, where Luffy ALSO completely outclassed every threat thrown at him.

Luffy was closer to dying in this arc than ever before, because of Magellan. How can you say he's outclassed every threat? Perhaps your complain should more specifically be tailored to "Unfortunately, Luffy has yet to be weaker than, yet not so much that he doesn't stand a fighting chance against, another villain since before Amazon Lily." Although even then, the marines showed up and mopped the floor with the strawhat crew back in the Shabondy Archipelago arc.

Anyway, I don't know how it could be any more ironic for someone to honestly watch a shonen and say, "it sure would be refreshing if there was more of a convenient, tier-bracketed 1v1 battle structure in this arc."

[Splash!]

Perhaps it wouldn't be as much of an issue if it WERE a refreshing change of pace. Unfortunately, the Impel Down arc directly follows the Amazon Lilly arc, where Luffy ALSO completely outclassed every threat thrown at him.

Luffy hasn't beaten a real villain on his own since Lucci. The defeat of Moria was far from convincing and then there was Kuma, Sentoumaru, Kizaru and now Magellan. Which one of these has Luffy 'outclassed'? And now he is about to charge into Marineford where his enemies will only get stronger? For Luffy, breaking in and out of Impel Down has all been about luck, not strength. If anything, the last couple of arcs have pointed out how weak he is in the grand scheme of things.

Personally I am quite alright with him being able to easily disponse of weak enemies while still struggling against the stronger ones. Given what he has already accomplished, I would be dissappointed if he had nothing to show for it and couldnt outclass some of the less formidable folks.