One Piece Podcast/Discussion 11 DRESSROSA ARC
Added 2026-01-07 10:31:23 +0000 UTC(Uncut version)
Comments
A comment in comparison with Manga pacing vs the Anime: if you ever watch the Fishman Island Remaster you will likely agree, that while it is possible to shorten arcs by dropping certain elements, one thing that makes One Piece the type of show that feels bigger, are the reactions of everyone when events happen. If an emotional moment needs breathing room with the audience then it needs to give a moment the same energy, whether it be comedy requiring laughter or jumpscare requiring a scream, certain moments need to be longer than is typically in manga format. It also goes for when certain characters provide comic relief in order to balance the emotional energy of the scene. While I did appreciate the animation upgrade of the remastered version I still will constantly rewatch the original for those emotional moments.
Nicholas Smith
2026-01-31 22:34:53 +0000 UTCHonestly I find that this is just a very silly way to look at things. When you are talking about "narrative math" you are already to far gone in terms of actually being able to process the information being presented in front of you at the moment. As you mentioned the majority of the "issues" you pointed out are a result of the anime adding incredible amounts of padding to each fight when in the actual written version of the story, and the intention of the story, is that most of this is happening simultaneously. If you want the layered, vast, expanding world that One Piece clearly tries to go for, you have to be able to cover and flesh that content out when you make it important to the core plot and themes of the arc at hand. Calling it an "issue" is not only shortsighted, but indicative of your inability to understand how certain forms of storytelling HAVE to be in order to make the story have weight. If that isn't the type of story you like, that is completely okay. But praising one aspect and criticizing the direct result of that aspect of the story is a pretty shallow examination of the story. It's like you want to have your cake and eat it too.
C
2026-01-16 06:55:33 +0000 UTClmao lindsay is laughing out loud at this comment
BOLDcast
2026-01-16 01:04:24 +0000 UTCAmnesia/Dementia, I have been laughing my ahh off the whole day for that mix up lmao.
EOussama
2026-01-15 12:04:22 +0000 UTCi had so much fun re watching this arc with your reactions, loved the podcast
beannie
2026-01-09 04:28:25 +0000 UTCHe clearly meant up to the point where they are.
Ty
2026-01-08 23:54:47 +0000 UTCWow, Dressrosa is not even close to the longest arc. That guy has some serious agenda trying to frame things that way.
Isaac Sato
2026-01-08 22:32:35 +0000 UTCyou huy should watch the 3D2Y special. it takes place during the time skip while luffy was training.
StrawHatX
2026-01-08 20:26:03 +0000 UTCFor power scaling I would keep in mind location. Mihawk near the begining mentioned the east blue is the weakest of the seas. We find out the grand line is where the insane people stay, mihawk stomped people just entering it and followed them fleeing out of bordom. The second half is noted as the new world, and it is a whole new world. The most dangerous people and crazy conditions reside there. Location is a factor. The majority of the most proficient devil fruit users and haki users reside in the new world, second of the grand line. If we went back to the east blue we would be like mihawk finding zoro for the first time, no matter the devil fruit the enemy would have most likely. Power scaling in one piece is absolutely funny, but it is important to keep our location in mind in terms of what people can do with their devil fruits or haki.
FoxfireEspresso
2026-01-08 05:51:47 +0000 UTCWhat studio would you have wanted to do weekly one piece episodes?
Ty
2026-01-08 04:54:11 +0000 UTCDamn, Carson really going in on the sound production and animation direction. You love to see it!!!!! Dressrossa truly made me into a Toei Animation hater. they are just milking these billion dollar franchises while being cheap af. Especially during this era. As a matter of fact, it was during this time when Dragon Ball Super was airing and they were putting such badly animated episodes that people started trashing Toei. Toei eventually had to rework the DBS episodes. Sound design and production is just as horrendous.
Skele
2026-01-08 04:51:30 +0000 UTCDressrosa pacing is what turned me from an adamant anime-only watcher to a manga elitist
Skele
2026-01-08 03:00:19 +0000 UTCRegarding my Question: To elaborate more. I think Dressrosa’s greatest strength was its ambition, but its ultimate weakness was the 'narrative math' required to close it out. What do I mean exactly? As a first-time viewer, I found the early world-building, the Colosseum, Law’s backstory, and the underground trade, to be a rich, like a multi-faceted epic rather than a slow burn like some people claimed. The synchronization of these ideas made the world feel incredibly layered and intriguing unlike any arc I have seen thus far in this story. Maybe some of that could be my own recency bias becaues its a fresh look at a new story for me, but this is just the way i felt. I have never seen an arc 'Hook' me quite like this one did. However, the finale revealed the cost of introducing so many moving parts. To resolve every subplot while maintaining the mandatory Shonen action, the pacing suffered considerbly. The Zoro vs. Pica fight felt like a 'pacing compromise' a literally freeze clock moment, to keep characters occupied, and the Birdcage served as a literal ticking clock to stall for time. While Oda has used these 'stalling' devices before, (namely luffy getting stuck in precarious situations) Dressrosa is the first time the scope of the story felt like it was spreading him too thin. However I recognize It was a necessary bridge to establish the New World power dynamics and to setup all the things that will transpire in the future story, but it's an arc that clearly struggled under the weight of its own complexity. I just want to also make note that I have read this arc in the manga and most of the issues I claim here are absolutly refined and much better paced, but i still think is an issue specifically with oda's story telling direction, attributed to how he had to resolve everything by the end. It may seem like im just bashing this arc for all its worth but I actually truly enjoyed it, despite its inherent pacing issues in the back half of the plot.
Artemis
2026-01-08 01:55:13 +0000 UTCMy username is pronounced Luther Hola Yeah Me. The accents are just random.
Lūthér Hölâyèãhmé
2026-01-07 20:54:30 +0000 UTCYou forgot God Usopp reveal as one of the best moments of the arc 😂
Bun_s_Life
2026-01-07 18:17:19 +0000 UTCI personally think the length of the last few podcasts have been great. Maybe in the future if there is one where you really want to discuss a theory or something it can be longer but you shouldn't feel the need to make these longer if you do not want to. I also really like the rapid fire nature towards the end where you do a bunch of smaller questions!
Ty
2026-01-07 16:57:36 +0000 UTCI’ll try to remember to credit you when the edited version goes on YouTube lol
BOLDcast
2026-01-07 16:30:23 +0000 UTCA few chapter per episode rates by arc: Alabasta (1.62), Skypiea (1.53), Enies Lobby (1.22), Thriller Bark (1.07), Marineford (0.94), Fishman Island (1.00), Punk Hazard (1.00), Dress Rosa (0.86)
Gralthator
2026-01-07 15:22:02 +0000 UTCSad my questions weren’t asked, but glad I infiltrated Carson’s mind about episode-length comparisons to the Ball Ordeal and the matchups in this arc.
Monkey Vinsmoke Lucci
2026-01-07 15:16:06 +0000 UTCThe doflamingo family Are Never better than the akatsuki 😂, thats the wildest Take I have heard
n Ferrante
2026-01-07 13:35:12 +0000 UTCPersonally the main difference I don't see people talk about enough when it comes to Ace and Sabo, is regarding their role in the story as we know them. Ace is a pirate, Sabo is a Revolutionnary (pirate at heart since a kid). Meaning whatever role he'll provide in the future is intended for the benefit of the world's population and freedom in the future. Something a pirate CANNOT do or fulfill because at the end of the day the common folk would never trust a pirate, whether it's Luffy or Ace. Unless they know them personally or are affected in some way by them. Meanwhile the Revolutionnary Army's role is more broad and needs to reach the people that are actually oppressed but also those who do not yet realize what regime they're under. That trust is much more approachable when you're known as a revolutionary than a pirate. Which sets up Sabo for a possibly different path both in writing and role in the future.
Sanji Joestar
2026-01-07 12:49:14 +0000 UTCGood stuff like always, thanks for answering my question. Looking forward to all the future arcs!
100Rainy
2026-01-07 12:05:40 +0000 UTCGreat podcast overall One little thing to clarify Momo's fruit is NOT a smile, it is artificial but Vegapunk is the one who made it. Smiles refer to Cesar's devil fruits.
Sanji Joestar
2026-01-07 11:50:09 +0000 UTCIt's pod time
Sanji Joestar
2026-01-07 10:45:23 +0000 UTC
