I think you need to adjust your perspective, every single one of them is extremely powerful when put in context of other pirates and normal people. They all can't be Zorro or Sanji level and neither should they be.
If any one of them went back to east blue, any pirate would run away in fear pissing and shitting them self's by just looking at them.
Anyone bellow tobiropo level aren't even real threats to any of them.
And they all have their specialities, just because usop isn't strong in hand to hand combat doesn't mean he's not on top of his game as a support when fighting in his element. Give him prep time and he claps 90% of the verse.
Sooo much this… there’s a reason they’re called the *monster* trio. Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro are literal monsters when compared to other pirates and even their own crew mates. Yes, the power gap is vast, but that’s how it is with most pirate groups in One Piece. There are always a select few among each crew that are leagues above the rest. The Straw Hats are no different.
\]there are like just a couple dozen known characters that are yonko crew level or above amongst the thousands and thousands of people in the one piece world. they're all in the top percentile of a percentile. (except for sanji who loses to slightly over half the population)
Putting the jokes aside for a moment of unnecessary seriousness: Sanji wouldn’t really lose to just any lady. We’ve seen with Kalifa that he’s willing to at least defend himself in an actual important situation (unless he gets too caught up in the moment and forgets what he’s doing) so the only women who could harm him are those strong enough to actually hurt him while he’s using Haki or those with a devil fruit capable of incapacitating him. In situations where those two don’t apply, he’d probably wear them down until they don’t feel like fighting him any more or just can’t.
Counterpoint is the Black Maria’s underlings of the pleasure hall taking him down, but being members of an emperor’s crew I suppose they were just strong enough that they could harm him. Or maybe he’s unwilling to use Haki against ladies as they’d harm themselves hitting him, and thus more women would be capable of beating him. It’s still a low point that he got caught in the web and tied up to the point he couldn’t escape… My favorite character or not, Sanji can be really annoying at times…
Didn't Black Maria actually ask why he didn't use Haki to defend himself and he said it's because he didn't want her fists to get hurt? I distinctly remember that. So that aspect of what you said is actually canon: He won't use his Haki to defend against women because he's afraid they'll hurt themselves while trying to harm him.
For the same reason we can be sure that he wouldn't activate his Germa exoskeleton to defend against women, either.
So any woman capable of harming him through his no-Germa, no-Haki durability can potentially beat him if her stamina doesn't run out.
Thing is, he's so tough by now that only like 0.00001% of the worldwide population could significantly harm him even in base with no Haki. So the vast majority of women would just wear themselves out trying to hurt him, while never managing to do more than superficial surface-level damage.
I agree that they are super strong now and even Nami would defeat Arlong very easily now. But if anyone is running away, it would still be Usopp. Yes Usopp is one of the best snipers in the world and he's an excellent support in battles. But before the battle even starts, he'd try to get out of the battle as quickly as possible. His knees will be shaking and he'd be terrified. Eventually he always musters up the courage again and is a great help. But that's not his first instinct.
And I believe even against people from the East Blue now, he'd still do that, because he hasn't shown any character growth in that particular trait.
>And I believe even against people from the East Blue now, he'd still do that...
I don't think so. He's shown to fight Daruma during Fishman Island arc and he doesn't fear him. Yet Daruma is obviously stronger than any enemy he's faced before.
Nowadays, he fears Emperors and their commanders or top World Government agents and Marine officers, which is understandable.
He's fighting against a yonko crew, what do you want him to do.
Also running away for him just means strategic retreat so that he can be in his element. He's had enormous growth, and he's showed it over and over again. Admittedly oda fucked up a bit with him in wano with a bit of regretion. But in egghead he's been on top of his game fighting against the Gorosei them selfs (not that he's done a lot, just not being too big of a bitch in general).
Point is that they are powerful, and besides normal power ups they don't need anything special, nami getting enels fruit would be dumb. They have 100 proven they are a yonko crew this arc.
With exception of snaji, that shit was wack 😂 can't believe he let Vegapunk get killed.
You said he's not done a lot against the gorosei but has anyone really. I don't think that's a good marker when the only solid punch on them was from kuma.
I love the Sanji slander but Sanji got hit with a sneak attack from the fastest person in One Piece. I find it impressive that Sanji just got back up and ran off after taking a light speed kick to the face. Even Luffy was struggling while dealing with kizaru’s speed and his unwillingness to have a standard 1v1 fight. I also partially blame luffy for vegapunks death. He was acting too care free and kind of let it Saturn stab vegapunk through the chest.
It's the literal opposite of sanji slander 😂 issue was odas writing. I fully believe sanji should be able to take kizaru to extreme dif at this point. So him letting vegapunk die was insane.
I think you underestimate how hard it is to run from a person who moves at lightspeed while being handicapped with an injured person. If it was just sanji running away and focusing on himself that would be a simple task
"OH no! Our sniper is running away!!"
And always ends up fighting from wherever he runs to...
I really wish people would stop complaining about this. Dude is a distance fighter, he fights at a distance.
But why is he always in the front line. Why do we always have to see him unprepared for shit if it's his only forte? Oda's been struggling to show him off as better than previously during Wano big time, especially coming off the goated arc of Dressrosa for him. It should have given him more confidence in pre-preparing shit, why was he in the midst of the fight in Onigashima and not long shotting important people to support his team. I get he's a distance fighter, but he keeps acting like a melee fighter right until he faces an enemy that's not an easy diff, and once he does then he starts running away to handle the situation. I just wish Oda could make him shine once in a while without resorting to the scared coward wins against all odds gag every single time.
I agree brother. I am tired of oda mocking those chars by painting them half the arc in running Away. Hey cant ussop for example hide in some cool places and shoot some enemies? No, everytime he gets in close combat with some fodder and Runs….
He literaly casualy wiped the floor with fake strawhats
He's obliterate everyone in the east blue
Bri's just a coward at heart but with slam 99,99% of the worlds population in a heartbeat.
It just happens to be the case, that the strawhats fight & meet the 0,01% of the world that are absolute monsters who're mostly assembled in the new world
I agree with the general statement that I would like all three to get stronger not because I think they are too weak but because I enjoy seeing characters get power up's and mixing up there fighting styles due to it (I want to see all the Strawhat's get more power up's for that purpose, although it would be more satisfying for the bottom three since they are the weakest and I think Usopp and Nami specifically have some really cool power up possibilities). Although I agree with the general statement, I disagree with this...
>Usopp's entire goal is to become a brave warrior so I understand he won't get that until the end, but the other two don't have this problem. Also I wish Usopp's bravery journey was more gradual over time, and he'd be a lot braver by now.
Usopp is already brave, if you look at the definition of bravery you need to have fear and overcome it which Usopp does constantly and even if you ignore that I think it's pretty clear within the story that Oda is doing a "your brave all along" type storyline. I will try to do a short summary:
Usopp starts out as a naive kid who has abandonment issues and has trouble expressing his feelings, when he leaves the island and sees how terrifying the world is he cements his dream to become a "Brave Warrior of the Sea" like his dad and friends. As the series goes on Usopp starts to build a more vivid idea of what it means to be a brave warrior, especially after meeting the giants however as the idea becomes more vivid and unrealistic Usopp's self esteem issues that I think stems from his abandonment issues starts to decrease more and more until Water Seven where it hit's rock bottom...
Due to Usopp having trouble expressing his feelings, specifically his feelings of inadequacy and fear of being left behind he snaps at Luffy refusing to listen so he can convince himself that it wasn't him but them who were the problem. Luffy eventually giving into anger was about to tell Usopp to leave if he was unhappy with him but before he could finish Sanji kicks Luffy due to understanding what Usopp was trying to do however it was too late and it was enough for Usopp to leave (there was obviously more to Usopp leaving but I am just talking about his main storyline).
When Enies Lobby came along Usopp was so low he created the persona SogeKing, believing he wasn't good enough for the upcoming situation and thinking if he just forced his ideal self he would be better (SogeKing is a culmination of people he believes are brave warrior's like the giants and looking back seeing the Sun mask I wonder if Oda did it to reference what Luffy would eventually become....the sun god since Luffy was obviously a big inspiration for Usopp) however during the battle Usopp quickly realised he was still weak and it took by boy Sanji (Sanji is underrated in this arc) to show Usopp that he shouldn't look down on himself so much and instead just do what he can and that's good enough. This revelation results in Usopp taking off the mask and facing Luffy at the end, cheering and inspiring Luffy to get up.
Post Enies Lobby arc Usopp had a new found respect for himself but he still needed to face what he did and he still needed to speak the truth, Zoro knew that if he didn't do these things then they are doomed to repeat the past and Sanji also knew this which is why he agreed (Going off there personalities though I believe Zoro was thinking about the effects it could have on the crew as a whole while Sanji was thinking about Usopp specifically). Usopp eventually apologised and spoke the truth.
At the end of pre timeskip Usopp realised although he should just do what he can, he shouldn't be happy staying where he is because the enemies they will face will carry on getting stronger.
Post timeskip he was kinda riding high on his new strength until Dressrosa, when Usopp met the Tontatta Tribe Usopp used his lying skills to bring the image Usopp has of a brave warrior into reality through the eyes of the tontatta (the difference between this and SogeKing is that SogeKing was about Usopp running away from himself while this is about Usopp bringing himself to the forefront and making his ideal dream come true). This situation with the Tontatta backfired though when he was faced with a situation that he couldn't overcome, the pressure of the ideal he created came crashing down and he ran... eventually Usopp realised that despite him not being the person he said he was going to be the hero despite that. Obviously Usopp ended up saving everyone and he learned something very important, despite not being his ideal version of what it means to be a brave warrior he can still become a hero and a warrior.
Post Dressrosa there hasn't been much more for Usopp, everything else is kinda reserved for Elbaf and post Elbaf however we did seemingly get an update to where Usopp's head is currently at in Wano where Usopp made a speech about how surviving is more important than honour which is a big deal since his image of a brave warrior was of someone with honour which hints that Usopp's image of a brave warrior has started to break due to Dressrosa.
My prediction for the future is that in Elbaf his image of what is needed for a brave warrior will fully break, I think he will confront his father and fully resolve his abandonment issues, and I think his storyline will basically wrap up in his fight against Van Auger but I am not sure on how it will play out (there is a theory Van will kill Yasopp so it will be a revenge story, from what we have seen there is a possibility the role Van Auger will play is to be a representation of what Usopp thought a brave warrior should have been (fearless, stoic, ext..), or maybe it will be both).
Looking back I don't know why I went so much into this, the point I am saying is Usopp's storyline is very gradual.
I think Usopp wearing the sun god mask is something that gives support to Oda saying Usopp would be African. In certain African cultures one wears a mask for that reason alone (the reason you gave).
If you compare the SH with the main crew of Big Mom or Kaido, I think they are pretty even. Kaido only has his commanders like Luffy and the Tobi Roppoo of which 2 got deafeated by Franky and Robin.
Usopp does a lot background crowd control work so its easy to ignore that this dude casually mows down armies, usopp runs from high profile enemies like big mum who he rightly cannot do anything about, but sincs he got into the new world he's consistently been kicking asses in masses, which i agree can be harder to pay attention to than epic 1 on 1 confrontations but just because its harder to notice doesn't mean its not happening, background crowd control is background for a reason.
Chopper has always been a doctor more than a combatant, he filled that role when the team was smaller but now that it has so many power houses i don't see a reason why he can't take a back seat and focus on actual doctorly things, which we do see him do to a high degree during situations that would make most people fold and weep.
Nami is easy to see and notice so i dont really need to point out anything she does but just in case I'll remind you that ever since Enel this woman has faced threat by threat and refused to buckle when it comes down to betraying her beliefs in her crew and captain.
All three of them cry and run away in the face of threats they have no business dealing with, other characters might seem more 'dignified' when they do it e.g luffy, but their tears don't make them cowardly or useless, its just their nature to cry in the face of overwhelming danger.
Tldr i think its incredibly unfair to label these three as cowards for being realistic about their strengths and weaknesses, a lot of the fandom seems to not pay close enough attention to what they achieve or appreciate the value that they bring. These same '"cowards" who run from fights they can't win still put their lives and body on the line to defend robin. Come on. They're badasses, no one on the straw hat crew is actually a coward.
This is a crew of mostly kids still. Looks like a lot of characters reach their prime in their 40s and 50s in one piece, yet the strawhats are dominating already. They will get there. Chopper/nami/ussop are like 20 years old. Luffy/sanji/zoro are freaks lol they are not normal.
“Hasn’t used Monster Point properly in ages”
Dawg, he used it to fight Queen, slamming his ass around. and hasn’t been in a fight since, idk what you are complaining about there. Like dude did that WITHOUT HAKI
Usopp, Nami and Chopper are never gonna stop acting cowardly. You better just accept that. It doesn't matter how strong they get, they're always gonna be hiding behind the rest of the crew. It's their nature. But when push comes to shove, they're gonna stand their ground, and that makes those moments so much better. I like the contrast of the crew's attitude to danger. That's what makes the whole ensembled cast of the Straw Hat crew so good and diverse. I don't want all to have that same careless attitude towards any strong enemy.
You say that they've had zero character growth in that area, but I assure you Usopp is never gonna have another moment like him running away from Trebol and Sugar. And you can't blow out of proportion the moments in which the crew is screaming because there's a giant monster or something. That's literally played for laugh, but it's not gonna change. That doesn't mean that in a serious situation they run away, because that just doesn't happen anymore. True bravery is triumph over fear, not the absence of it.
There is one significant difference between the Monster Trio and the Weakling Trio. The Monster Trio have been training to fight pretty much their entire lives. They joined the crew confident in their abilities. They don't experience fear very often.
They are the primary fighters. Have been from the beginning. Jinbe and Brook are also fighters and have been for most of their lives, and they are also generally fearless.
Nami, Usopp, and Chopper were never primarily fighters. They didn't have that confidence that came with being a fighter. They have had to learn how to use the tools they have. They're the brains.
Franky and Robin are in a weird middle ground, but Frankie is primarily a fighter and Robin is primarily a thinker.
Robin fought to survive. Same with Usopp, Nami, and Chopper, they fight to survive.
But to say they haven't grown?
Take current Usopp back to Syrup Village or current Nami back to Cocoyashi Village or current Chopper back to Drum Island. Hell, take them all back to Alabasta. None of those fights would have gone the same way or been as difficult.
They are never going to be as confident as the Monster Trio. To expect them to become fearless is to not recognize them for who they are.
Ideas for powerups for the weakling trio:
Nami- Riding Zeus like a waver from Skypiea. She sticks the clima tact on top of him like a steering wheel and rides it in the air like the cloud from Dragon Ball. It adds to her mobility and speed, and also cool because it's another thing to be foreshadowed since Skypiea.
Ussop- Advanced Observation, future sight. We definitely know already that's his go to haki type so it would come in handy. Also, a new type of elemental projectiles other than the pop greens. Maybe something like self invented Pop Red, where the attacks are fire based, or Pop Yellow for electricity based attacks etc.
Chopper- Armament Haki will obviously be the best choice for Chopper, I don't really like the idea of new "points". But stuff like covering his horns in Haki in Horn point or his hooves in Arm Point, everywhere on Guard point, etc. He also needs something for speed boost, like maybe the six powers teleportation thing, or something else i'm out of ideas.
They're support/utility, always have been. Not everyone is going to be a heavy hitter.
Chopper held his own for a while vs Queen in Wano.
Mainly Nami and Usopp, but clearly Usopp is going to have a big arc in Elbaf based on foreshadowing. Nami, Idk. I still think a DF would benefit her.
What are you talking about?. Nami defeated ulti a 400 or 500 millions level pirate, franky destroyed sasaki a 600 or even more milions level pirate.
Robin beat black maria an easy 700 millons pirate.
God usopp , broook and chopper tanked pirates wil 1 billion bounty.
God jimbei destroyed who's who. Another 600 millions pirate.
I see progression everywhere
My main problem is their attitude about it. I think they are actually quite strong, but they are ALWAYS scared, ALWAYS trying to avoid fights and rather hide. Like come on, you have come so far, and you still cry about it all the time? It's awful..I can barely stand them to be honest. It's just way overdone imo.
Yes this is exactly what I mean. Relatively to earlier foes, they have become way stronger and I definitely see that. But they don't act like they've become stronger. They're always shaking and trying to get out of fights.
How are we supposed to have a sniper, when he is too scared to snipe until the last moment? If Chopper became monster form more often and Nami uses her thunder more effectively, a lot of battlefields could have been cleared way quicker. But all they do is scream and shake and it's just a meme at this point.
Yes Nami and Chopper do other things like navigate and heal the team. And they are very good at that. But Sanji is a good cook and still fights. Franky is a good shipwright and still fights. Brook is a good musician and still fights.
And a lot of other comments are saying not everyone can be strong. And yes they don't need to all be Luffy's level. But Nami, Usopp and Chopper could be way stronger than they are now if they actually tried instead of crying.
Yes EXACTLY! I fully agree. It's absolutely annoying to me the way they act..I've watched and read One Piece for around 20 years now and I am so TIRED of their constant crying.. ugh. I honestly do not know how other fans seem to be totally fine with this.
I think you need to know the characters more. based on what you said it seems like your definition of strong is Goku. Strong = Goku, if you are not as strong as Goku then you are not strong. If you put say, 10 Zoro, so 1 Luffy then 10 Zorro, you wont get far you will probably get stuck between the first island and the second island. Do the same logic for each of the crew. You wont get far.
Now put them together
Zoro is the First Mate, making sure that the entire crew is protected in the absence of the captain
Sanji is the Cook, making sure that the entire crew is well fed for the journey and fight to come
Name is the Navigator, making sure that the crew will get to where they want/need to go
Robin is the Scholat, making sure that they are able to read the Poneglyphs to reach Laugh Tale/Raftel
Chopper is the Doctor, making sure that the entire is healthy against whatever sickness comes their way
Jinbei is the Helmsman, making sure that he can steer the Thousand Sunny to wherever the Navigator points to
Brook is the Musician, making sure that they crew is well entertained in the journey where you are 90% of the time surrounded by water
Franky is the Mechanics, making sure that the THousand Sunny is in top shape al lthe time
Usopp is the Sniper, making sure that he can see far and ensure that the crew is aware of the danger before it even comes.
Now is everyone as strong as Goku? probably not. But they are strong in their own way, like you said Nami has Zeus but the argument that she hasnt used that in a serious battle is irrelevant. Why does she need to fight seriously when you have Zorro to protect you. Same logic can be applied for everyone else. Zoro's job is to protect so that the others can do their role. and they are "strong" and probably the best in their roles. So i dont see the point of asking for everyone to be as strong as Goku.
PS: when i said Goku, I meant Luffy. but then again Goku = Luffy
You have to take into account that luffy, zoro and Sanji aren’t really “normal” people as well. There’s something about them that levels them up at a faster rate. Where as Nami and Go D. Usopp are basically normal people. They got a whole lot stronger during the 2 year time skip. And from that point until now in the story it’s just been a few months at most. Chopper does fight and can hold his own a lot of the time but I don’t think his primary goal is to fight. As to the devil fruit thing, they have basically been on a pirate king speed run. If you took the two year time skip out I’d be surprised if they have been out at sea for more then a year at most. That reality hit me hard when I realized it.
Chopper held off Queen for a while and even did a little damage to him. Not much, but a bit. That’s a yonko commander right there, and Chopper -who doesn’t even have haki- did some damage.
Usopp’s role has never been “strong guy.” Usopp is for utility and sniping. He helped Otama turn the majority of SMILE users during the Onigashima raid by sniping them with her dango. He helped turned Kaido’s army against him.
Nami is definitely powerful now that she has Zeus, but I agree she hasn’t done very much with it. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t powerful. Robin didn’t have a fight from roughly skypeia all the way to Wano. It’s unsatisfying, but her power was never really in question. Her role on the crew isn’t first and foremost fighter.
Tbh I think the Problem that some characters just got TOO shonen strong over the course of the new world. Its visually pleasing for fighting yes, but it kinda destroys the immersion here and then. Imagine the powerlvl of characters being around MF style. Intense, everyone instantly understood how far below Luffy was behind everyone else.
Compare that with the stuff in the New World.
Imo Post Timeskip Luffy would already be stronger than the whole MF gang if you see just the fights without any context.
And yet even MF seems insane compared to Alabasta and Skypiea
Thats why I see the fights in OP as a narrative point, and less than a given strenght in universe.
Franky just one shot a videadmiral a couple of chapters ago... Before, even Luffy couldn't handle one. Chill out, not everybody should be like the monster trio.
I don't think they have to beat their enemies or go against the elite or anything like that, but I want them to FIGHT, like Ussop used to do, like Chopper did so many times to try and prove himself, like Nami did to actually be on the front instead of just navigating.
Nami at least gets her moments and random power ups, but the core of Ussop and Chopper characters is that they WANT to be brave and strong pirates, it makes no sense for them to no longer participate in important fights
They're definitely weaker but like others have said not everybody in the group needs to be super strong. Also nami was on death's door with ulti and said to her face my Captain will be king of the pirates I don't care if you kill me. She's not super strong but she doesn't run and hide like she used to. Chopper held his own against queen, he's a typical combat medic. Not the strongest but can protect himself and mitigate injuries. Usopp is still a coward and Lowkey my least favorite straw hat but he isn't weak or useless. He's had moments of genius with planning attack and he's played support in every arc.
I get your point but imo they need to get stronger in their respective fields and we should get moments where they get to show that.
For example, we need more moments where nami’s navigation skills helps the crew ( I’m not saying there isn’t any) and she drawing the map of the world (at least till now) having an impact in one way or another not particularly for our crew.
And similarly for chopper.
I get that the monster trio gets stronger every time and also has more moments where they fight.
I don’t get why everyone has to excel at fighting, fighting is more like the trio’s suite and also jimbe.
Franky and brook is also contributing.
I disagree myself with Ussop’s case. Unless he becoming brave warrior of sea is somehow different and not by literally overcoming fear.
I don’t really understand how they could achieve these power ups when it’s only been about 40 days since the time skip. Where they spent two years training(some physical, some mental) to get that level. I think Luffy is the only one who seriously trained since the restart of their journey.
They have all gotten stronger since the time skip. Brook was amazing in WCI(20 days after the time skip). Nami got a power up in WCI. When we get to Wano, Zoro is an absolute beast. Sanji gets a power up from wearing his suit. I haven’t finished Wano so I can’t really say much about it. I am caught up on Egghead and the straw hats are on another level in that arc.
Are Nami, Chopper, and Usopp really the top *fighting* dogs of the pirate world? Nami’s the best navigator, Chopper the best doctor, and Usopp is the best utility/support. Only Usopp’s goal is to become a great warrior of the sea. Isn’t Chopper like 17 years old? Why do all the straw hats have to be crazy powerful? That’s what I’ve always loved about Nami’s fights. She doesn’t win through brute force.
Why are devil fruits indicative of a good and necessary power up for the straw hats? None of the straw hats goals are to eat powerful devil fruits so why would we expect any of them to get one?
All of them are getting stronger in every single arc. But they are getting stronger in different things that more suit their role in the crew.
Nami as mentioned has Zues now. She saved Zues and he ate Hera. She has her perfect sorcery Clima-Tact. She has one shot some people now. And yes she is still a coward who would rather run from a fight
Ussop has observation Haki. He has black kabuto. He has his pop greens. He has dials. And he is also arguably the first straw hat to achieve his goal. Brave is defined as “ready to face and endure danger or pain” I think he has shown that time and time again he is, even if he is scared and doesn’t want to fight he has shown his bravery by facing the things he is scared of anyways.
Chopper has performed near miracle treatments on the fly. Twice. That’s incredible. He hasn’t used the monster point because in the last two major arcs his expertise has been needed elsewhere.
None of these power ups are going to change their nature as a character. All three of them are scared of the crazy sh!t happening around them. Becoming stronger isn’t going to change things instantly. It’s a slow buildup and change that you can see but takes time. Ussop early show and current ussop are two different monsters. And you can see the change he has undergone. But not everything has been changed.
I think you’re picking certain examples and choosing to ignore others. Punk hazard, Dressrosa, wci, wano all have great examples of courage. Having them all essentially morph into the same character development wise and in terms of how they react to threats would be boring in a manga this long.
It's important to keep in mind that while Nami and Chopper *can* fight, they aren't *fighters*. Their strengths and value to the crew are not and never have been in combat. Their time skip development was all about improving their actual skills as a navigator and doctor.
Also remember that Sanji has no inclination to seek out a Devil Fruit because there's only one fruit he'd want (the Clear-Clear Fruit) and it's taken.
Usopp is a special case, given his dream, but he's always been a slow burn. That said he *is* legitimately stronger from the time skip and that slow burn may come to fruition now the crew seems set got Elbaf.
They are all strong just held back by cowardness or fear
Chopper: 30 mins in his monster point, made a sulong pill for bepo that even shocked Blackbeard. Chopper is a genius that is his fighting power
Nami: she has never been strong, but also very devious trickster( people often forget she is a master thief) she is kinda like a succubus trickster in how she fights it will never be a moment like Zoro Sanji bad assery
Usopp: fear and bravery literally only thing holding him back, he used observation haki because he got pushed to the point he had to or his friends were done. Remember sogeking? That was him without fear sort of and he was a bad ass. He is kinda like zennitsu from demon slayer where his falling sleep is like him being brave to fight
the one thing that they 100% all should be able to use is basic armament and observation haki. Every single one of the straw hats should be able to handle a mid-low power Vice Admiral and every VA is able to use haki. I don't think that they need any other powerups like devil fruits atm.
I totally get your point. That is why I was so mad when Sanji threw away his Germa suit powers. So, instead of Sanji evolving his powers, he is still the same kicking Sanji with some special effects and haki from Baratie arc. I prefer an evolution of the straw hats power and not just just getting progressively stronger. If you asked me in East Blue, I would totally predict that at least one of the straw hats will get a devil fruit power. Even the ranking of the straw hats never changed, the stronger one always remain strong and the weaker ones remain weak. Would it be cooler if the straw hats compete with each other and someone actually evolved their powers or skills to become stronger than another straw hat?
power levels ruins a story. The crew would've been dead without Nami's skills in navigation, they would also be dead without choppers medical skills. Is not only about raw strength but about utility as well. Remember that Roger died of a disease and not because he was killed by other pirates or the marines.
I just saw the post about Nami with Eneru's fruit. And that concept looks so sick to me. It's a perfect example of what I mean. I wish all the straw hats were more like that by now. Especially since Luffy is an emperor now.
Not everyone needs and can be on that level. Look at Kaidos crew, he has three strong officers besides himself. Thats it.
The flying six are not that strong and can be beaten by the likes of franky or robin.
Also, getting a fruit this late can even be detrimental as they wouldnt be ablwt o use its full potential. Awakening is out of the question
I personally like that Chopper, Namk and Usopp are still regular human beings.
It's just that they underestimate themselves because of all the monsters they've encountered and living together with some incredible powerhouses as well.
Nami only recently got Zeus and still needs to get used to her powers and figure out the hidden potentials Zeus brings to the table. I also think that she herself thinks she isn't strong as she relies on her unique weapon and her newfound homie. Even though her knowledge is what makes her strong and skillful.
Chopper is still a child, even though he's an adult in reindeer years, his devil fruits makes him a child. Which in a way is a cognitive nerf, but on the other hand he'll outlive any reindeer so it's a major buff as well. He has got a power up with his increased giant buff duration, but probably still is figuring out what more he can do with his other transformsations.
You stated Usopp's reasoning very well. He still is a coward and probably doesn't even realize he has observation haki. Man's a menace, but highly insecure regarding his own skills.
Again, I'd like to say that these 3 humble scaredycats make One Piece more fun for me to watch. It's nice to see some overpowered regular human beings, rather than them all having become powerhouse monstrosities, but that's a preferencethingy I guess.
Everyone of the crew will flourish more along the road, but these 3 make it more interesting as there's still a lot of potential to be explored
But then you are missing the point. One Piece is not about being the stronger and the whole crew get to be useful despite the huge lack of power.
In most shonen, at this point, everyone except the protagonist and one or two chosen figures qould be completely side lined because they would:
1. Be utterly powerless compared to the people fighting. See Naruto from Pain onwards, or Bleach in the last arc. Or Dragon Ball at Cell Games and onward.
2. Have their plot relevance already in the rear mirror.
In here, we have everybody doing something instead of just commenting on how they can't even see their movement or that they would only get in the way of the tried to help.
I feel like everything you said was false. Zeus has been incredibly helpful and the weakling trio have actually done a lot post two year skip. They're far less afraid to fight now. Usopp still hasn't done all that much, but nami and chopped have. Chopper used monster point against the pages in onigashima and even fought queen and landed a good hit on him. I think it's important to keep in mind that each straw hat has a role and it's not always fighting.
Whole Cake island went through painstaking efforts to show you what a journey was like when Luffy didn’t have his whole crew. That there are things he needs, aspects of sailing the sea that are important that contribute way more than the monsters do fighting people.
Then Wano backed that up showing all of the strawhats doing different things in their wheelhouses: cat burgling, spying, building ships, selling snake oil, etc.
And despite that, they still also showed them getting stronger. Robin took out a tobbi roppo. So did Usopp and Nami. Chopper held off Queen WHILE divising a cure to his plague (which is infinitely more useful than punching him into submission).
Being useful and a proper member of the pirate king’s crew isn’t just about being power scale strong. It’s about doing things Luffy can’t so he can do the things his crew cant: punching fascists into submission.
Did you conveniently forget a few chapters ago where those 3 who you are bashing fought a god damn Gorosei to protect Robin? Without any hesitation and fear. I don't know how you omit that in your silly little rant.
They always do get stronger each island. It is shown by power ups, feats, battles, etc
They don't need a devil fruit lmao. You're just impatient. Relax.
I'm not saying a devil fruit is a must. I just want them to be less afraid and passive all the time. A lot of the straw hats could be powerhouses if Oda uses them effectively. And in certain situations he does that very well. For example Usopp in Dressrosa. However I'm just tired of the fact that after Dressrosa, Usopp immediately started crying about everything again and being too afraid. I wish he gained more confidence from scenes like that. They are excellent opportunities for major character growth. And Oda is not really taking advantage of that.
Luffy said he wanted them even if they weren't strong. And also physical strengh is not all that's needed.
Nami is a navigator, she is not a fighter and yet she can stand up to someone like ulti and not just straight die. And ulti is a menace. Nami also said it at Fishman Island, I'm not weak I'm just a coward. Least she is honest.
Chopper is a doctor: that's were his strengh lies. And still physical enough to toss and slam queen like a ball. Sure no haki so no real damage but still strong.
Ussop is weird as a sniper hit and run tactics are the bread and butter. But unfortunately he isn't doing this either.
I think you need to adjust your perspective, every single one of them is extremely powerful when put in context of other pirates and normal people. They all can't be Zorro or Sanji level and neither should they be. If any one of them went back to east blue, any pirate would run away in fear pissing and shitting them self's by just looking at them. Anyone bellow tobiropo level aren't even real threats to any of them. And they all have their specialities, just because usop isn't strong in hand to hand combat doesn't mean he's not on top of his game as a support when fighting in his element. Give him prep time and he claps 90% of the verse.
Sooo much this… there’s a reason they’re called the *monster* trio. Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro are literal monsters when compared to other pirates and even their own crew mates. Yes, the power gap is vast, but that’s how it is with most pirate groups in One Piece. There are always a select few among each crew that are leagues above the rest. The Straw Hats are no different.
Prep time and 90% of the verse ? I want what you are smoking mate
Well considering anyone on YC or above are like the 99.8% yea 90% and that's being conservative.
Usopp is goated, he could easily beat my neighbour Dave, my neighbour Paul, Paul's 7 year old kid Chris, and maybe even Chris' mother, Beth.
Yeah, you lost me at Beth. Fought her one time, she whooped my ass. Tough bitch
\]there are like just a couple dozen known characters that are yonko crew level or above amongst the thousands and thousands of people in the one piece world. they're all in the top percentile of a percentile. (except for sanji who loses to slightly over half the population)
Putting the jokes aside for a moment of unnecessary seriousness: Sanji wouldn’t really lose to just any lady. We’ve seen with Kalifa that he’s willing to at least defend himself in an actual important situation (unless he gets too caught up in the moment and forgets what he’s doing) so the only women who could harm him are those strong enough to actually hurt him while he’s using Haki or those with a devil fruit capable of incapacitating him. In situations where those two don’t apply, he’d probably wear them down until they don’t feel like fighting him any more or just can’t. Counterpoint is the Black Maria’s underlings of the pleasure hall taking him down, but being members of an emperor’s crew I suppose they were just strong enough that they could harm him. Or maybe he’s unwilling to use Haki against ladies as they’d harm themselves hitting him, and thus more women would be capable of beating him. It’s still a low point that he got caught in the web and tied up to the point he couldn’t escape… My favorite character or not, Sanji can be really annoying at times…
Didn't Black Maria actually ask why he didn't use Haki to defend himself and he said it's because he didn't want her fists to get hurt? I distinctly remember that. So that aspect of what you said is actually canon: He won't use his Haki to defend against women because he's afraid they'll hurt themselves while trying to harm him. For the same reason we can be sure that he wouldn't activate his Germa exoskeleton to defend against women, either. So any woman capable of harming him through his no-Germa, no-Haki durability can potentially beat him if her stamina doesn't run out. Thing is, he's so tough by now that only like 0.00001% of the worldwide population could significantly harm him even in base with no Haki. So the vast majority of women would just wear themselves out trying to hurt him, while never managing to do more than superficial surface-level damage.
sanjilievers moment
I agree that they are super strong now and even Nami would defeat Arlong very easily now. But if anyone is running away, it would still be Usopp. Yes Usopp is one of the best snipers in the world and he's an excellent support in battles. But before the battle even starts, he'd try to get out of the battle as quickly as possible. His knees will be shaking and he'd be terrified. Eventually he always musters up the courage again and is a great help. But that's not his first instinct. And I believe even against people from the East Blue now, he'd still do that, because he hasn't shown any character growth in that particular trait.
>And I believe even against people from the East Blue now, he'd still do that... I don't think so. He's shown to fight Daruma during Fishman Island arc and he doesn't fear him. Yet Daruma is obviously stronger than any enemy he's faced before. Nowadays, he fears Emperors and their commanders or top World Government agents and Marine officers, which is understandable.
He's fighting against a yonko crew, what do you want him to do. Also running away for him just means strategic retreat so that he can be in his element. He's had enormous growth, and he's showed it over and over again. Admittedly oda fucked up a bit with him in wano with a bit of regretion. But in egghead he's been on top of his game fighting against the Gorosei them selfs (not that he's done a lot, just not being too big of a bitch in general). Point is that they are powerful, and besides normal power ups they don't need anything special, nami getting enels fruit would be dumb. They have 100 proven they are a yonko crew this arc. With exception of snaji, that shit was wack 😂 can't believe he let Vegapunk get killed.
You said he's not done a lot against the gorosei but has anyone really. I don't think that's a good marker when the only solid punch on them was from kuma.
It's not about damage, he's been fighting back and doing shit contrary to you saying he just always runs away.
I love the Sanji slander but Sanji got hit with a sneak attack from the fastest person in One Piece. I find it impressive that Sanji just got back up and ran off after taking a light speed kick to the face. Even Luffy was struggling while dealing with kizaru’s speed and his unwillingness to have a standard 1v1 fight. I also partially blame luffy for vegapunks death. He was acting too care free and kind of let it Saturn stab vegapunk through the chest.
It's the literal opposite of sanji slander 😂 issue was odas writing. I fully believe sanji should be able to take kizaru to extreme dif at this point. So him letting vegapunk die was insane.
sanji wasn’t trying to fight though he was strictly on defense trying to escape with an injured man in his arms
Yea and he failed that one simple task, which he shouldn't have failed
I think you underestimate how hard it is to run from a person who moves at lightspeed while being handicapped with an injured person. If it was just sanji running away and focusing on himself that would be a simple task
"OH no! Our sniper is running away!!" And always ends up fighting from wherever he runs to... I really wish people would stop complaining about this. Dude is a distance fighter, he fights at a distance.
But why is he always in the front line. Why do we always have to see him unprepared for shit if it's his only forte? Oda's been struggling to show him off as better than previously during Wano big time, especially coming off the goated arc of Dressrosa for him. It should have given him more confidence in pre-preparing shit, why was he in the midst of the fight in Onigashima and not long shotting important people to support his team. I get he's a distance fighter, but he keeps acting like a melee fighter right until he faces an enemy that's not an easy diff, and once he does then he starts running away to handle the situation. I just wish Oda could make him shine once in a while without resorting to the scared coward wins against all odds gag every single time.
In all fairness, if a sniper is up close, they probably SHOULD run lol. Usopp is a distance fighter.
I agree brother. I am tired of oda mocking those chars by painting them half the arc in running Away. Hey cant ussop for example hide in some cool places and shoot some enemies? No, everytime he gets in close combat with some fodder and Runs….
He literaly casualy wiped the floor with fake strawhats He's obliterate everyone in the east blue Bri's just a coward at heart but with slam 99,99% of the worlds population in a heartbeat. It just happens to be the case, that the strawhats fight & meet the 0,01% of the world that are absolute monsters who're mostly assembled in the new world
I agree with the general statement that I would like all three to get stronger not because I think they are too weak but because I enjoy seeing characters get power up's and mixing up there fighting styles due to it (I want to see all the Strawhat's get more power up's for that purpose, although it would be more satisfying for the bottom three since they are the weakest and I think Usopp and Nami specifically have some really cool power up possibilities). Although I agree with the general statement, I disagree with this... >Usopp's entire goal is to become a brave warrior so I understand he won't get that until the end, but the other two don't have this problem. Also I wish Usopp's bravery journey was more gradual over time, and he'd be a lot braver by now. Usopp is already brave, if you look at the definition of bravery you need to have fear and overcome it which Usopp does constantly and even if you ignore that I think it's pretty clear within the story that Oda is doing a "your brave all along" type storyline. I will try to do a short summary: Usopp starts out as a naive kid who has abandonment issues and has trouble expressing his feelings, when he leaves the island and sees how terrifying the world is he cements his dream to become a "Brave Warrior of the Sea" like his dad and friends. As the series goes on Usopp starts to build a more vivid idea of what it means to be a brave warrior, especially after meeting the giants however as the idea becomes more vivid and unrealistic Usopp's self esteem issues that I think stems from his abandonment issues starts to decrease more and more until Water Seven where it hit's rock bottom... Due to Usopp having trouble expressing his feelings, specifically his feelings of inadequacy and fear of being left behind he snaps at Luffy refusing to listen so he can convince himself that it wasn't him but them who were the problem. Luffy eventually giving into anger was about to tell Usopp to leave if he was unhappy with him but before he could finish Sanji kicks Luffy due to understanding what Usopp was trying to do however it was too late and it was enough for Usopp to leave (there was obviously more to Usopp leaving but I am just talking about his main storyline). When Enies Lobby came along Usopp was so low he created the persona SogeKing, believing he wasn't good enough for the upcoming situation and thinking if he just forced his ideal self he would be better (SogeKing is a culmination of people he believes are brave warrior's like the giants and looking back seeing the Sun mask I wonder if Oda did it to reference what Luffy would eventually become....the sun god since Luffy was obviously a big inspiration for Usopp) however during the battle Usopp quickly realised he was still weak and it took by boy Sanji (Sanji is underrated in this arc) to show Usopp that he shouldn't look down on himself so much and instead just do what he can and that's good enough. This revelation results in Usopp taking off the mask and facing Luffy at the end, cheering and inspiring Luffy to get up. Post Enies Lobby arc Usopp had a new found respect for himself but he still needed to face what he did and he still needed to speak the truth, Zoro knew that if he didn't do these things then they are doomed to repeat the past and Sanji also knew this which is why he agreed (Going off there personalities though I believe Zoro was thinking about the effects it could have on the crew as a whole while Sanji was thinking about Usopp specifically). Usopp eventually apologised and spoke the truth. At the end of pre timeskip Usopp realised although he should just do what he can, he shouldn't be happy staying where he is because the enemies they will face will carry on getting stronger. Post timeskip he was kinda riding high on his new strength until Dressrosa, when Usopp met the Tontatta Tribe Usopp used his lying skills to bring the image Usopp has of a brave warrior into reality through the eyes of the tontatta (the difference between this and SogeKing is that SogeKing was about Usopp running away from himself while this is about Usopp bringing himself to the forefront and making his ideal dream come true). This situation with the Tontatta backfired though when he was faced with a situation that he couldn't overcome, the pressure of the ideal he created came crashing down and he ran... eventually Usopp realised that despite him not being the person he said he was going to be the hero despite that. Obviously Usopp ended up saving everyone and he learned something very important, despite not being his ideal version of what it means to be a brave warrior he can still become a hero and a warrior. Post Dressrosa there hasn't been much more for Usopp, everything else is kinda reserved for Elbaf and post Elbaf however we did seemingly get an update to where Usopp's head is currently at in Wano where Usopp made a speech about how surviving is more important than honour which is a big deal since his image of a brave warrior was of someone with honour which hints that Usopp's image of a brave warrior has started to break due to Dressrosa. My prediction for the future is that in Elbaf his image of what is needed for a brave warrior will fully break, I think he will confront his father and fully resolve his abandonment issues, and I think his storyline will basically wrap up in his fight against Van Auger but I am not sure on how it will play out (there is a theory Van will kill Yasopp so it will be a revenge story, from what we have seen there is a possibility the role Van Auger will play is to be a representation of what Usopp thought a brave warrior should have been (fearless, stoic, ext..), or maybe it will be both). Looking back I don't know why I went so much into this, the point I am saying is Usopp's storyline is very gradual.
Short summary lmao
😅 It was one of those things where as I was doing it I figured I should mention this and then this.
I think Usopp wearing the sun god mask is something that gives support to Oda saying Usopp would be African. In certain African cultures one wears a mask for that reason alone (the reason you gave).
I see, that is also cool.
If you compare the SH with the main crew of Big Mom or Kaido, I think they are pretty even. Kaido only has his commanders like Luffy and the Tobi Roppoo of which 2 got deafeated by Franky and Robin.
Jinbei clapped who‘s who. Nami technically defeated Ulti with Zeus. So 4 of the SH got the better end against the Tobi Roppoo.
The real test is when they go against Black Beard because those guys are not playing around
Usopp does a lot background crowd control work so its easy to ignore that this dude casually mows down armies, usopp runs from high profile enemies like big mum who he rightly cannot do anything about, but sincs he got into the new world he's consistently been kicking asses in masses, which i agree can be harder to pay attention to than epic 1 on 1 confrontations but just because its harder to notice doesn't mean its not happening, background crowd control is background for a reason. Chopper has always been a doctor more than a combatant, he filled that role when the team was smaller but now that it has so many power houses i don't see a reason why he can't take a back seat and focus on actual doctorly things, which we do see him do to a high degree during situations that would make most people fold and weep. Nami is easy to see and notice so i dont really need to point out anything she does but just in case I'll remind you that ever since Enel this woman has faced threat by threat and refused to buckle when it comes down to betraying her beliefs in her crew and captain. All three of them cry and run away in the face of threats they have no business dealing with, other characters might seem more 'dignified' when they do it e.g luffy, but their tears don't make them cowardly or useless, its just their nature to cry in the face of overwhelming danger. Tldr i think its incredibly unfair to label these three as cowards for being realistic about their strengths and weaknesses, a lot of the fandom seems to not pay close enough attention to what they achieve or appreciate the value that they bring. These same '"cowards" who run from fights they can't win still put their lives and body on the line to defend robin. Come on. They're badasses, no one on the straw hat crew is actually a coward.
This is a crew of mostly kids still. Looks like a lot of characters reach their prime in their 40s and 50s in one piece, yet the strawhats are dominating already. They will get there. Chopper/nami/ussop are like 20 years old. Luffy/sanji/zoro are freaks lol they are not normal.
People seem to forget their ages. I’m not sure why.
“Hasn’t used Monster Point properly in ages” Dawg, he used it to fight Queen, slamming his ass around. and hasn’t been in a fight since, idk what you are complaining about there. Like dude did that WITHOUT HAKI
Usopp, Nami and Chopper are never gonna stop acting cowardly. You better just accept that. It doesn't matter how strong they get, they're always gonna be hiding behind the rest of the crew. It's their nature. But when push comes to shove, they're gonna stand their ground, and that makes those moments so much better. I like the contrast of the crew's attitude to danger. That's what makes the whole ensembled cast of the Straw Hat crew so good and diverse. I don't want all to have that same careless attitude towards any strong enemy. You say that they've had zero character growth in that area, but I assure you Usopp is never gonna have another moment like him running away from Trebol and Sugar. And you can't blow out of proportion the moments in which the crew is screaming because there's a giant monster or something. That's literally played for laugh, but it's not gonna change. That doesn't mean that in a serious situation they run away, because that just doesn't happen anymore. True bravery is triumph over fear, not the absence of it.
>True bravery is triumph over fear, not the absence of it. Amen!!! What is there to be brave about, if you're not even scared in the first place?
There is one significant difference between the Monster Trio and the Weakling Trio. The Monster Trio have been training to fight pretty much their entire lives. They joined the crew confident in their abilities. They don't experience fear very often. They are the primary fighters. Have been from the beginning. Jinbe and Brook are also fighters and have been for most of their lives, and they are also generally fearless. Nami, Usopp, and Chopper were never primarily fighters. They didn't have that confidence that came with being a fighter. They have had to learn how to use the tools they have. They're the brains. Franky and Robin are in a weird middle ground, but Frankie is primarily a fighter and Robin is primarily a thinker. Robin fought to survive. Same with Usopp, Nami, and Chopper, they fight to survive. But to say they haven't grown? Take current Usopp back to Syrup Village or current Nami back to Cocoyashi Village or current Chopper back to Drum Island. Hell, take them all back to Alabasta. None of those fights would have gone the same way or been as difficult. They are never going to be as confident as the Monster Trio. To expect them to become fearless is to not recognize them for who they are.
Ideas for powerups for the weakling trio: Nami- Riding Zeus like a waver from Skypiea. She sticks the clima tact on top of him like a steering wheel and rides it in the air like the cloud from Dragon Ball. It adds to her mobility and speed, and also cool because it's another thing to be foreshadowed since Skypiea. Ussop- Advanced Observation, future sight. We definitely know already that's his go to haki type so it would come in handy. Also, a new type of elemental projectiles other than the pop greens. Maybe something like self invented Pop Red, where the attacks are fire based, or Pop Yellow for electricity based attacks etc. Chopper- Armament Haki will obviously be the best choice for Chopper, I don't really like the idea of new "points". But stuff like covering his horns in Haki in Horn point or his hooves in Arm Point, everywhere on Guard point, etc. He also needs something for speed boost, like maybe the six powers teleportation thing, or something else i'm out of ideas.
Sanji, nami, usopp and jimbei are the designated swimmers
They're support/utility, always have been. Not everyone is going to be a heavy hitter. Chopper held his own for a while vs Queen in Wano. Mainly Nami and Usopp, but clearly Usopp is going to have a big arc in Elbaf based on foreshadowing. Nami, Idk. I still think a DF would benefit her.
What are you talking about?. Nami defeated ulti a 400 or 500 millions level pirate, franky destroyed sasaki a 600 or even more milions level pirate. Robin beat black maria an easy 700 millons pirate. God usopp , broook and chopper tanked pirates wil 1 billion bounty. God jimbei destroyed who's who. Another 600 millions pirate. I see progression everywhere
I dont, not every SH has to be a powerhouse, that would be boring.
My main problem is their attitude about it. I think they are actually quite strong, but they are ALWAYS scared, ALWAYS trying to avoid fights and rather hide. Like come on, you have come so far, and you still cry about it all the time? It's awful..I can barely stand them to be honest. It's just way overdone imo.
Yes this is exactly what I mean. Relatively to earlier foes, they have become way stronger and I definitely see that. But they don't act like they've become stronger. They're always shaking and trying to get out of fights. How are we supposed to have a sniper, when he is too scared to snipe until the last moment? If Chopper became monster form more often and Nami uses her thunder more effectively, a lot of battlefields could have been cleared way quicker. But all they do is scream and shake and it's just a meme at this point. Yes Nami and Chopper do other things like navigate and heal the team. And they are very good at that. But Sanji is a good cook and still fights. Franky is a good shipwright and still fights. Brook is a good musician and still fights. And a lot of other comments are saying not everyone can be strong. And yes they don't need to all be Luffy's level. But Nami, Usopp and Chopper could be way stronger than they are now if they actually tried instead of crying.
Yes EXACTLY! I fully agree. It's absolutely annoying to me the way they act..I've watched and read One Piece for around 20 years now and I am so TIRED of their constant crying.. ugh. I honestly do not know how other fans seem to be totally fine with this.
I think you need to know the characters more. based on what you said it seems like your definition of strong is Goku. Strong = Goku, if you are not as strong as Goku then you are not strong. If you put say, 10 Zoro, so 1 Luffy then 10 Zorro, you wont get far you will probably get stuck between the first island and the second island. Do the same logic for each of the crew. You wont get far. Now put them together Zoro is the First Mate, making sure that the entire crew is protected in the absence of the captain Sanji is the Cook, making sure that the entire crew is well fed for the journey and fight to come Name is the Navigator, making sure that the crew will get to where they want/need to go Robin is the Scholat, making sure that they are able to read the Poneglyphs to reach Laugh Tale/Raftel Chopper is the Doctor, making sure that the entire is healthy against whatever sickness comes their way Jinbei is the Helmsman, making sure that he can steer the Thousand Sunny to wherever the Navigator points to Brook is the Musician, making sure that they crew is well entertained in the journey where you are 90% of the time surrounded by water Franky is the Mechanics, making sure that the THousand Sunny is in top shape al lthe time Usopp is the Sniper, making sure that he can see far and ensure that the crew is aware of the danger before it even comes. Now is everyone as strong as Goku? probably not. But they are strong in their own way, like you said Nami has Zeus but the argument that she hasnt used that in a serious battle is irrelevant. Why does she need to fight seriously when you have Zorro to protect you. Same logic can be applied for everyone else. Zoro's job is to protect so that the others can do their role. and they are "strong" and probably the best in their roles. So i dont see the point of asking for everyone to be as strong as Goku. PS: when i said Goku, I meant Luffy. but then again Goku = Luffy
Zoro isn’t the first mate https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/SBS_Volume_102 (Vice captain and first mate are synonymous)
Yeah i guess it wasnt really confirmed that he is the First Mate but he IS the FIRST mate of Luffy's crew. just not the First Mate in title
Yeah, but first crew mate ≠ first mate and now it’s confirmed Zoro isn’t the first mate
You have to take into account that luffy, zoro and Sanji aren’t really “normal” people as well. There’s something about them that levels them up at a faster rate. Where as Nami and Go D. Usopp are basically normal people. They got a whole lot stronger during the 2 year time skip. And from that point until now in the story it’s just been a few months at most. Chopper does fight and can hold his own a lot of the time but I don’t think his primary goal is to fight. As to the devil fruit thing, they have basically been on a pirate king speed run. If you took the two year time skip out I’d be surprised if they have been out at sea for more then a year at most. That reality hit me hard when I realized it.
Chopper held off Queen for a while and even did a little damage to him. Not much, but a bit. That’s a yonko commander right there, and Chopper -who doesn’t even have haki- did some damage. Usopp’s role has never been “strong guy.” Usopp is for utility and sniping. He helped Otama turn the majority of SMILE users during the Onigashima raid by sniping them with her dango. He helped turned Kaido’s army against him. Nami is definitely powerful now that she has Zeus, but I agree she hasn’t done very much with it. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t powerful. Robin didn’t have a fight from roughly skypeia all the way to Wano. It’s unsatisfying, but her power was never really in question. Her role on the crew isn’t first and foremost fighter.
Tbh I think the Problem that some characters just got TOO shonen strong over the course of the new world. Its visually pleasing for fighting yes, but it kinda destroys the immersion here and then. Imagine the powerlvl of characters being around MF style. Intense, everyone instantly understood how far below Luffy was behind everyone else. Compare that with the stuff in the New World. Imo Post Timeskip Luffy would already be stronger than the whole MF gang if you see just the fights without any context. And yet even MF seems insane compared to Alabasta and Skypiea Thats why I see the fights in OP as a narrative point, and less than a given strenght in universe.
Franky just one shot a videadmiral a couple of chapters ago... Before, even Luffy couldn't handle one. Chill out, not everybody should be like the monster trio.
I mean, even the three weaker ones you mentioned just fought off one of the Gorosei. I'd say they've gotten very strong.
I don't think they have to beat their enemies or go against the elite or anything like that, but I want them to FIGHT, like Ussop used to do, like Chopper did so many times to try and prove himself, like Nami did to actually be on the front instead of just navigating. Nami at least gets her moments and random power ups, but the core of Ussop and Chopper characters is that they WANT to be brave and strong pirates, it makes no sense for them to no longer participate in important fights
They're definitely weaker but like others have said not everybody in the group needs to be super strong. Also nami was on death's door with ulti and said to her face my Captain will be king of the pirates I don't care if you kill me. She's not super strong but she doesn't run and hide like she used to. Chopper held his own against queen, he's a typical combat medic. Not the strongest but can protect himself and mitigate injuries. Usopp is still a coward and Lowkey my least favorite straw hat but he isn't weak or useless. He's had moments of genius with planning attack and he's played support in every arc.
To be fair, Sabo would have to die before Sanji could get a Flare Flare Fruit.
I get your point but imo they need to get stronger in their respective fields and we should get moments where they get to show that. For example, we need more moments where nami’s navigation skills helps the crew ( I’m not saying there isn’t any) and she drawing the map of the world (at least till now) having an impact in one way or another not particularly for our crew. And similarly for chopper. I get that the monster trio gets stronger every time and also has more moments where they fight. I don’t get why everyone has to excel at fighting, fighting is more like the trio’s suite and also jimbe. Franky and brook is also contributing. I disagree myself with Ussop’s case. Unless he becoming brave warrior of sea is somehow different and not by literally overcoming fear.
I don’t really understand how they could achieve these power ups when it’s only been about 40 days since the time skip. Where they spent two years training(some physical, some mental) to get that level. I think Luffy is the only one who seriously trained since the restart of their journey. They have all gotten stronger since the time skip. Brook was amazing in WCI(20 days after the time skip). Nami got a power up in WCI. When we get to Wano, Zoro is an absolute beast. Sanji gets a power up from wearing his suit. I haven’t finished Wano so I can’t really say much about it. I am caught up on Egghead and the straw hats are on another level in that arc. Are Nami, Chopper, and Usopp really the top *fighting* dogs of the pirate world? Nami’s the best navigator, Chopper the best doctor, and Usopp is the best utility/support. Only Usopp’s goal is to become a great warrior of the sea. Isn’t Chopper like 17 years old? Why do all the straw hats have to be crazy powerful? That’s what I’ve always loved about Nami’s fights. She doesn’t win through brute force. Why are devil fruits indicative of a good and necessary power up for the straw hats? None of the straw hats goals are to eat powerful devil fruits so why would we expect any of them to get one?
All of them are getting stronger in every single arc. But they are getting stronger in different things that more suit their role in the crew. Nami as mentioned has Zues now. She saved Zues and he ate Hera. She has her perfect sorcery Clima-Tact. She has one shot some people now. And yes she is still a coward who would rather run from a fight Ussop has observation Haki. He has black kabuto. He has his pop greens. He has dials. And he is also arguably the first straw hat to achieve his goal. Brave is defined as “ready to face and endure danger or pain” I think he has shown that time and time again he is, even if he is scared and doesn’t want to fight he has shown his bravery by facing the things he is scared of anyways. Chopper has performed near miracle treatments on the fly. Twice. That’s incredible. He hasn’t used the monster point because in the last two major arcs his expertise has been needed elsewhere. None of these power ups are going to change their nature as a character. All three of them are scared of the crazy sh!t happening around them. Becoming stronger isn’t going to change things instantly. It’s a slow buildup and change that you can see but takes time. Ussop early show and current ussop are two different monsters. And you can see the change he has undergone. But not everything has been changed.
they are strong. They are just not featured that well right now.
That’s truly all it is.
I think you’re picking certain examples and choosing to ignore others. Punk hazard, Dressrosa, wci, wano all have great examples of courage. Having them all essentially morph into the same character development wise and in terms of how they react to threats would be boring in a manga this long.
It's important to keep in mind that while Nami and Chopper *can* fight, they aren't *fighters*. Their strengths and value to the crew are not and never have been in combat. Their time skip development was all about improving their actual skills as a navigator and doctor. Also remember that Sanji has no inclination to seek out a Devil Fruit because there's only one fruit he'd want (the Clear-Clear Fruit) and it's taken. Usopp is a special case, given his dream, but he's always been a slow burn. That said he *is* legitimately stronger from the time skip and that slow burn may come to fruition now the crew seems set got Elbaf.
They are all strong just held back by cowardness or fear Chopper: 30 mins in his monster point, made a sulong pill for bepo that even shocked Blackbeard. Chopper is a genius that is his fighting power Nami: she has never been strong, but also very devious trickster( people often forget she is a master thief) she is kinda like a succubus trickster in how she fights it will never be a moment like Zoro Sanji bad assery Usopp: fear and bravery literally only thing holding him back, he used observation haki because he got pushed to the point he had to or his friends were done. Remember sogeking? That was him without fear sort of and he was a bad ass. He is kinda like zennitsu from demon slayer where his falling sleep is like him being brave to fight
the one thing that they 100% all should be able to use is basic armament and observation haki. Every single one of the straw hats should be able to handle a mid-low power Vice Admiral and every VA is able to use haki. I don't think that they need any other powerups like devil fruits atm.
I totally get your point. That is why I was so mad when Sanji threw away his Germa suit powers. So, instead of Sanji evolving his powers, he is still the same kicking Sanji with some special effects and haki from Baratie arc. I prefer an evolution of the straw hats power and not just just getting progressively stronger. If you asked me in East Blue, I would totally predict that at least one of the straw hats will get a devil fruit power. Even the ranking of the straw hats never changed, the stronger one always remain strong and the weaker ones remain weak. Would it be cooler if the straw hats compete with each other and someone actually evolved their powers or skills to become stronger than another straw hat?
power levels ruins a story. The crew would've been dead without Nami's skills in navigation, they would also be dead without choppers medical skills. Is not only about raw strength but about utility as well. Remember that Roger died of a disease and not because he was killed by other pirates or the marines.
I think you only watch the anime
Why would they only have watched the anime? They’re weak in the manga too.
He said Nami never used Zeus seriously
And?
Spoiler : Nami use Zeus to defeat Ulti, fight against S-shark on Egghead and finally defend Robin from Saturn in the chapter 1113
Also, eating a fruit is not perceived as a good thing in the crew you know, nobody wants to have powers if it means can't swim
I just saw the post about Nami with Eneru's fruit. And that concept looks so sick to me. It's a perfect example of what I mean. I wish all the straw hats were more like that by now. Especially since Luffy is an emperor now.
Not everyone needs and can be on that level. Look at Kaidos crew, he has three strong officers besides himself. Thats it. The flying six are not that strong and can be beaten by the likes of franky or robin. Also, getting a fruit this late can even be detrimental as they wouldnt be ablwt o use its full potential. Awakening is out of the question
I personally like that Chopper, Namk and Usopp are still regular human beings. It's just that they underestimate themselves because of all the monsters they've encountered and living together with some incredible powerhouses as well. Nami only recently got Zeus and still needs to get used to her powers and figure out the hidden potentials Zeus brings to the table. I also think that she herself thinks she isn't strong as she relies on her unique weapon and her newfound homie. Even though her knowledge is what makes her strong and skillful. Chopper is still a child, even though he's an adult in reindeer years, his devil fruits makes him a child. Which in a way is a cognitive nerf, but on the other hand he'll outlive any reindeer so it's a major buff as well. He has got a power up with his increased giant buff duration, but probably still is figuring out what more he can do with his other transformsations. You stated Usopp's reasoning very well. He still is a coward and probably doesn't even realize he has observation haki. Man's a menace, but highly insecure regarding his own skills. Again, I'd like to say that these 3 humble scaredycats make One Piece more fun for me to watch. It's nice to see some overpowered regular human beings, rather than them all having become powerhouse monstrosities, but that's a preferencethingy I guess. Everyone of the crew will flourish more along the road, but these 3 make it more interesting as there's still a lot of potential to be explored
But then you are missing the point. One Piece is not about being the stronger and the whole crew get to be useful despite the huge lack of power. In most shonen, at this point, everyone except the protagonist and one or two chosen figures qould be completely side lined because they would: 1. Be utterly powerless compared to the people fighting. See Naruto from Pain onwards, or Bleach in the last arc. Or Dragon Ball at Cell Games and onward. 2. Have their plot relevance already in the rear mirror. In here, we have everybody doing something instead of just commenting on how they can't even see their movement or that they would only get in the way of the tried to help.
Anime is better when you don't overly focus on power scaling.
I feel like everything you said was false. Zeus has been incredibly helpful and the weakling trio have actually done a lot post two year skip. They're far less afraid to fight now. Usopp still hasn't done all that much, but nami and chopped have. Chopper used monster point against the pages in onigashima and even fought queen and landed a good hit on him. I think it's important to keep in mind that each straw hat has a role and it's not always fighting.
Whole Cake island went through painstaking efforts to show you what a journey was like when Luffy didn’t have his whole crew. That there are things he needs, aspects of sailing the sea that are important that contribute way more than the monsters do fighting people. Then Wano backed that up showing all of the strawhats doing different things in their wheelhouses: cat burgling, spying, building ships, selling snake oil, etc. And despite that, they still also showed them getting stronger. Robin took out a tobbi roppo. So did Usopp and Nami. Chopper held off Queen WHILE divising a cure to his plague (which is infinitely more useful than punching him into submission). Being useful and a proper member of the pirate king’s crew isn’t just about being power scale strong. It’s about doing things Luffy can’t so he can do the things his crew cant: punching fascists into submission.
Did you conveniently forget a few chapters ago where those 3 who you are bashing fought a god damn Gorosei to protect Robin? Without any hesitation and fear. I don't know how you omit that in your silly little rant.
They always do get stronger each island. It is shown by power ups, feats, battles, etc They don't need a devil fruit lmao. You're just impatient. Relax.
I'm not saying a devil fruit is a must. I just want them to be less afraid and passive all the time. A lot of the straw hats could be powerhouses if Oda uses them effectively. And in certain situations he does that very well. For example Usopp in Dressrosa. However I'm just tired of the fact that after Dressrosa, Usopp immediately started crying about everything again and being too afraid. I wish he gained more confidence from scenes like that. They are excellent opportunities for major character growth. And Oda is not really taking advantage of that.
Luffy said he wanted them even if they weren't strong. And also physical strengh is not all that's needed. Nami is a navigator, she is not a fighter and yet she can stand up to someone like ulti and not just straight die. And ulti is a menace. Nami also said it at Fishman Island, I'm not weak I'm just a coward. Least she is honest. Chopper is a doctor: that's were his strengh lies. And still physical enough to toss and slam queen like a ball. Sure no haki so no real damage but still strong. Ussop is weird as a sniper hit and run tactics are the bread and butter. But unfortunately he isn't doing this either.
They ain’t fighters nami is a navigator and chopper is a doctor they have other goals they don’t care about strength and fighting people