u/BreathoftheSith

My picks are both Luffy vs Lucci fights, the whole Marineford war, and Zoro vs King

Not only did Zoro block a joint attack from both Kaido AND Big Mom, he proceeded to become the first person since Oden to permanently scar the former.

He then awakens King of Hell and defeats King, Kaido’s own right-hand man.

Besides Luffy himself, he was CARRYING the whole war at Onigashima.

Law and Kid barely gave Big Mom a ring out with their Awakened Devil Fruit powers.

Zoro was also able to fend off Mihawk’s Seraphim, the same one that made Blackbeard sweat, who previously BULLIED Law.

R1: Canon

R2: EU / Legends

One only cares about characters f*cking and the other are essentially a new variant of sports fans, when you think about it.

His only feats defeating Burgess, fighting off an obviously holding back Fujitora, and escaping from Imu and the Gorosei thanks to Cobra’s sacrifice.

In no particular order:

Spider-Man Brand New Day

Spider-Man 2

Batman Mask of the Phantasm

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises)

Captain America Civil War

Superman 1978

The Avengers

Zack Snyder’s Justice League

Avengers Infinity War

Avengers Endgame

Very random and abrupt thing to mention, but anyone remember how Madoka wasted no time in killing Mami to save Homura? In a very quick few seconds, she landed a precise shot to kill her mentor, idol, and one of her best friends without hesitation. Even though she immediately broke down in tears afterwards, the point stands that Madoka is also willing to KILL if need be. To be more precise, she was willing to make a very tough choice just for Homura. Despite only knowing her for 45 days, it goes to show that Homura grew to mean so much to Madoka within that time.

What I want to point out is Madoka’s own feelings towards Homura are pretty underrated, relatively speaking. The series largely exists because of the feelings caught on Homura’s side, but there is hardly anything definitive on how deep it goes vice versa. At the end of the original show, Madoka definitively declared Homura to be her “very best friend”. The title of the final episode is even titled as such. In context, this is her comforting Homura during what was initially their final goodbye and thanking her for everything she did after finally witnessing firsthand everything Homura has done for her.

To give a brief counter-argument for a sec tho, the actual final scene of Madoka within the original show is taking Sayaka away to be part of the Law of Cycles. Not only were the two originally childhood best friends, but a large chunk of the narrative was centered around Madoka worrying about her. Regardless however, when Sayaka went accusatory towards Homura in the third timeline, Madoka again took Homura’s side on the matter. This is just a slight theory on my part, but I believe Sayaka has developed feelings of jealousy towards Homura because of how close her and Madoka are in every timeline. We know Madoka unconsciously remembered Homura from previous timelines in the main show, so I propose Sayaka must have also unknowingly reawakened her envious feelings towards Homura as well.

But I digress, a lot of Madoka’s stated feelings are moreso stated by the cast and writers of the show rather than explored heavily, as is on Homura’s perspective. Brief side note again, but I REALLY would want WnK to give a truly stated and definitive answer on what Madoka truly feels for Homura. Going by the main show, they were depicted as unusually close compared to other characters. Homura was there to witness Mami and Madoka’s final fight with Walpurgisnacht, despite not initially being a magical girl then. Before her sacrifice, Madoka also told her that saving her was the best thing she ever did as a magical girl.

In the second timeline, Madoka almost uncharacteristically hugs and gets super touchy-feely with Homura after she destroys the Witch. To explain, Madoka is always depicted as the least excitable and most reserved girl within the cast. Even when shown as happy, she gets super jumpy, unlike Sayaka and or Kyoko. The fact she was like this with Homura means she has a specifically special place in her heart. Madoka even repeats this behavior again when she jumps on the boat in the Rebellion movie.

Cannot say much about the third timeline, beyond the whole Mami point I opened with. All that can really be said is what is seen during the end after the beat Walpurgisnacht together. Homura was ready and willing to become a Witch besides Madoka, before the latter used one last Grief Seed to save the former. If you pay attention, that Grief Seed actually appears to come from Sayaka’s Witch form. Saving Homura meant so much to her, she was willing to part with one last memento of her childhood best friend while disregarding her wanting to be a Witch with her.

From there, she asks Homura to save her before her having to shoot her. Madoka also had tears of joy in Homura finally calling her by her first name. Prior to this in the previous timelines, Homura only referred to her as “Kaname-san” or “Ms. Kaname”. On Homura’s end, she embraced her position as a best friend to Madoka and took it as a vow to save the girl she loves. For Madoka, it was her only remaining friend finally accepting that they were equals.

All the way to near the end of the main series, stated by Homura and even the Magical Quartet (writers of the series), Homura essentially became little more than a stranger for Madoka. Throughout the main show however, there were multiple instances where the emotional gap between briefly was closed, here and there. It was not until Episode 11 where Homura finally comes clean to Madoka about everything. Behind the aurafarming and cold demeanor she has embraced for so long, Homura Akemi is just a scared young woman desperately trying to save the girl she loves who was also “her one and only friend”. It was has broken her heart how much she has had to emotionally distance herself from the only person that understands her across so many timelines.

Above all else, she holds no blame and declares it to be fine that Madoka has no way of fully understanding her now. All she is begging of her now is to let her be protected by her. The next scene cuts to the day when Walpurgisnacht arrives while Madoka is in the shelter with her family. This here somewhat implies that Homura’s words got to her just enough to allow Homura to act as her protector. It was not until the fight was declared hopeless and Kyubey explained how far gone Homura is down her path that Madoka decided to step in.

Then, of course, what happens in the final episode and Rebellion. Since the latter movie is mainly written and shown from Homura’s POV as the protagonist, a lot of Madoka’s feelings are unfortunately again more stated than fully shown with Homura. Case in point, the flower field scene where Madoka declares she would never want to do what Homura describes in her “dream”. There is also the litney of statements either fully justifying / exonerating Homura’s own actions at the end of the movie, while also making the story based around her potentially becoming Madoka’s enemy. What I am getting at is Walpurgisnacht Rising going to have A LOT to answer for.

Focusing on just Rebellion for now, the writers did confirm Madoka’s words were her own true feelings at that moment. It was also confirmed that the plot of Rebellion was largely caused BECAUSE Madoka wanted Homura specifically to remember her. Again, to briefly throw a wench in that argument, Madoka was mind-wiped within Homura’s isolation field and could not remember the circumstances behind her sacrifice. Also, it technically was Homura’s own fault for discussing the previous universe with Kyubey, to begin with. This part of the story goes in tandem with what was originally planned for Rebellion and what changed.

The movie was actually originally written to end with Homura ascending to the Law of Cycles with Madoka. However, some of the writers opposed this and wanted to expand the franchise. To compromise, as well as free Madoka from the burden of godhood, it was decided to have Homura “become Madoka’s enemy”. As for the VA statements, Aoi Yūki (Madoka’s Seiyuu) said this would be Madoka’s reaction to Devil Homura: “No matter what form you take, Homura-chan is Homura-chan. Falling in love with someone is wonderful, so don't call yourself the devil. I love you. (I think that's what Madoka says...!!!)”.

I am not exactly sure how to end this discussion or rant, so I will just preface. Going into Walpurgisnacht Rising, I imagine it will be culmination of Madoka and Homura’s entire relationship, thus far. Above all, it will finally (at least hopefully) give a definitive answer for the fandom as to whether Madoka truly reciprocates Homura’s feelings. Again to remind everyone in the sub, I owe y’all $50 if these things happen EACH in WnK:

- Madoka says she loves Homura and or become a confirmed couple

- Madoka and Homura kiss

- Sayaka and Kyoko kiss

- The Holy Quintet all have a happy ending by the end of the movie

1. Luffy

2. Zoro

3. Sanji

4. Yamato

5. Law

6. Kid

7. Sabo

Zoro, Sanji, Law, Kid, Yamato, and Sabo?

This manga spread keeps being used in current narrative scaling arguments that I feel need to be shut down.

First off, Buggy is obviously fodder. The main joke behind his character is that most people believe him to be an OP genius, when he is just East Blue fodder.

Sabo in the fandom genuinely grinds my gears. People genuinely put him above Zoro, Law, and Kid despite so many of his showings being out of context and or just wrong. I would even argue that he is still currently the weakest of his brothers.

As for Dragon, the only definitive info is that he should logically be stronger than Sabo, Kuma, and Ivankov. Any other arguments towards his power level is mere conjecture. His status as the “World’s Worst Criminal” is mainly attributed as being the leader of the Revolutionary Army, the faction that directly challenges and seeks to topple the World Government, unlike general pirates. Using this as a narrative scaling argument would unironically put him on even ABOVE Prime Roger and Whitebeard’s level. Compared to every other showing from the Revolutionary Army thus far, there simply nothing that should hype Dragon up as one of THE definitive top-tiers within the series.

Koby is an interesting case, as he is directly set up to be the Worst Generation’s Garp to Luffy’s Roger. Currently, I would not have him above Doflamingo or Katakuri tbh. At most, if and or when he unlocks Conquorer’s Haki, that is when he finally enter the big leagues of the strongest.

Not to mention this spread is also missing A LOT of other characters that will have to be important in the Final Saga. Key among them being Zoro, Sanji, Robin, the rest of the Gorosei and Admirald, Vivi, Shirahoshi, Rebecca, and Doflamingo.

One of Sabo’s feats is literally from the Obama administration against Fujitora, which Luffy performed better against while injured and holding back.

Also, he only survived his encounter with Imu and the Gorosei because of Vivi’s dad sacrificing himself.

Meanwhile, his baby brother’s right-hand man / best friend as well as his two rivals from the Worst Generation were putting up Wilt Chamerblain numbers in Wano onwards.

Law and Kid gave Big Mom her hardest fight in decades and eventually defeated her with their Awakened Devil Fruits.

Law was able to go toe-to-toe more competitively with Blackbeard (main contender for final villain and Luffy’s archenemy) than Sabo did against Imu and or the Gorosei.

Despite being clowned on for his loss, Shanks had to oneshot Kid the way he did since his Future Sight alerted him to how much of a threat he was to his fleets.

As for Zoro, he was the main star of Wano besides Luffy himself tbh. He awakened his Conquorer’s Haki, got and eventually mastered Enma, blocked a joint attack from Kaido AND Big Mom, gave the former yet another permanent scar, and created his King of Hell Three-Sword Style to defeat King, Kaido’s Lunarian First Mate.

Sabo, on the other hand, can seriously be argued as currently being the weakest of his brothers.

Homura’s SIMP feats:

- Selling her soul to travel back in time so you can become Madoka’s protector

- Engaging in domestic terrorism by building bombs at home at stealing weapons from both the Yakuza and Japanese Defense Forces

- Having generational beef across multiple timelines against an invasive alien race using young women for thousands of years

- To save Madoka from Walpurgisnacht and from ever being a magical girl, repeat the past 45 days you know roughly 100 TIMES (as confirmed by the writers of the show), which also equates to essentially 12 years of reliving the past month and a half to save your only friend / crush.

- Become an emotionally closed-off aurafarmer

- Then in Rebellion, forcibly rob Madoka of her godhood with your power and remaking the universe to “make her happy” by giving her back a normal life.

- Said power, which came from her corrupted Soul Gem was born from “love”, unlike Curses that cause every other Witch in the franchise.

- Proceeds to enslave said alien race she was beefing with and forcing them to fend off all of the universe’s Curses.

- In this new Labyrinth-verse, you made Madoka the new transfer student at school that you have to guide and befriend. Which is extremely messed up when it was reversed in the very first timeline where you two met, heavily implying a very suggestive power dynamic between you two, regardless of any interviews and statements explaining to borderline justifying her actions.

Currently still watching the whole series for the first time and again, I LOVE Dressrosa so much. I would genuinely regard it as my current favorite arc in the whole series and of the Big 3, as a whole.

Even before watching it, I have had some relationship with this arc as it was airing years ago when I initially wanted to get into the show and CJ DaChamp’s video on Doflamingo (https://youtu.be/B9C2hCLlbo4?si=ZeS7VJdqn8VM_rr0) is what finally catapulted me to sit down to watch over 1000 episodes. However, I was equally cautious as I had heard prior over how especially bad the pacing around this arc was. But thank lord that as a first time anime viewer, it did not dissapoint.

An underrated aspect of One Piece I feel isn’t addressed much is discussion over each major island / location in the series. You have Wano, which is heavily Edo-Japan inspired, Egghead the futuristic city, Alabasta as a substitute for Egypt / the Middle East, and Skypiea looking like Heaven. For Dressrosa, the clothing designs and culture seems inspired from both Spanish and Roman culture. The culture around lovers as well as Viola’s whole character genuinely reminded me of old Spanish soap operas while the gladiators and overall political side of the story is definitely Roman inspired.

Another aspect of the series I feel is overlooked by the community but made more prominent as the series continues is Luffy’s connection to the islands he visits and their people. I really liked his initial side of the story where he had to sneak in and compete in the Colosseum for Ace’s Flare-Flare Fruit. A lot of Luffy’s best character moments lowkey happen away or hardly involve the other Straw Hats, in my opinion. His relationship with Rebecca is one of my favorite bonds to see him form in the show and is largely the driving force of this arc. Unlike most with everyone else, a lot of their scenes involving each other are very serious and or sincere. Despite knowing they will likely have to fight each other, they also equally help each other and cheer the other on during their fights. The scene with the two in the backrooms where she breaks down over the Toy Soldier (Kyros) is one my favorites.

She is also interesting as a parallel to Luffy: Both grew up not knowing who their fathers were but were always protected by them and forced to train by their family. Both of them were also largely ostracized and targeted to death by others simply for the actions of their forebears. Despite this, both are also greatly loved by the people actually there in their lives (Too many examples with Luffy and the other slave gladiators along with her family with Rebecca). Lastly, both are children of famous fathers (Dragon with Luffy and Kyros with Rebecca) and they were both forced to train into fighting despite wanting a different life.

This arc is also an interesting mid-series payoff to the events of Marineford. Like then, Luffy’s leadership power and ability to inspire others is a key part of the story. As “Lucy”, he became the leading star of the Colosseum and the other warriors there fought tooth and nail to help them after Usopp saved them. Speaking of, his part of the story is also a famous highlight where he singlehandedly takes out Sugar TWICE. A lot of this culminating in the formation of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet.

Sanji’s brief relationship with Viola was also one of my favorite parts in the arc and is a near little set up before his big arc in Whole Cake Island. One of my favorite scenes in this arc was where the crew were all on Transponder Snails with each other and decide to split to deal with both Doffy and Big Mom seperately.

Donquixote Doflamingo is one of the greatest villains of the Big 3 and now my personal second favorite within One Piece, behind only Blackbeard. His backstory as a former Celestial Dragon and Corazon is one of the best in the series imo. It also shows an interesting aspect behind them: Doffy was the only member of his family exactly like the other Celestial Dragons. It reveals that they CAN choose to be different from how we have seen them previously, but always choose to be rotten and believe they above everyone else.

To briefly get into theory time, something tells me that Dressrosa will be one of the BIG arcs and islands in setting up the final part of One Piece. To me, it is no sheer accident or coincidence how this is so far the only arc where Luffy and Blackbeard have interacted in anyway post-timeskip. There’s also the Tontattas connecting back to Montblanc Noland from Skypiea.

Overall, I am beyond happy and satisfied with the entire Dressrosa arc and saga of One Piece.

My honest opinion:

Luffy - His entire fight with Kaido at Onigashima + Gear 5

Zoro - Nothing Happened and King of Hell vs King

Nami - Scaring Zeus (lol)

Usopp - Awakening Observation Haki and stopping Sugar for the second time

Sanji - Bingo

Chopper - Controlling Monster Point

Robin - I WANT TO LIVE!

Franky - His fight with Senor Pink

Brook - Saving Robin and Franky at Thriller Bark

Jimbei - Leaving Big Mom to join Luffy’s crew