For me seeing Luffy’s backstory in the Grey Terminal changes the context of the “I want to live!” Scene in Enis Lobby. Spandam goes on about how powerful the World Government is, and Luffy just matter of factly says “Yeah, I know who Robin’s enemy is.” Because he does know. Not just because he’s a pirate. But because he grew up in a country where the Government can burn away it’s citizens just to hide some trash. Luffy knows exactly how dangerous and oppressive a corrupt government is, and that’s why he won’t let Robin be shacked by it any longer. “Sogeking, shoot down that flag..”
YES! This is one of my favorite bits of recontextualizing??? (Spelling that out I’m realizing that it may not be a word. Anyway.) that’s one of my favorite bits too look back on. Luffy is such a smart character when you find out his backstory. Hell there’s so many lines in the backstory. that show how luffy is always listening. He’s taking in what he wants to take In. Learning and growing UGH I love one piece lmao.
Dadan didn't actually make Luffy and Ace steal or do any banditry, aside from asking for help around the house with laundry and cleaning(which our boys never did anyway though they did help with catching food.) It was more just her trying to scare Luffy into being respectful of bandits because he hates them due to the events of the first chapter. TBH it's more like a household than a bandit den.
Agree, I definitely ended up loving them and glad she didn't actually force Luffy and Ace and even Sabo to do the really bad bandit stuff, but just enough to earn their keep (and maybe teach them a lesson about the world in the process?)
@@GavinReadsItAll tbh I think they were bandits only in name, and didn't do much except live on the mountain. especially not after Garp got involved with them LMAO
Luffy used to cry very easily as a child, enough that Ace called him crybaby. However, after Sabo's death he stopped crying as much, in order to be strong.
Gavin after Ace's death: The only thing that will make me feel better is reuniting with the Strawhats. Luffy after Ace's death: I still have my crew, I want to see them. Strawhats after Ace's death: Luffy is in so much pain right now, we need to be with him. If you haven't realized yet, you have the same mind as everyone in the Strawhats crew. We're part of the crew! Nakama!
This saga was a fucking ride when I first read through it. Saobody Archipelago showed it had a knife, Amazon Lily gave you a false sense of security and hope, Impel Down takes the knife out, Marineford stabs you slowly in the heart and Post War Arc twists the knife before taking it out and kissing it better
There's a thing I recall, at Marineford, when Ace is dying, and Luffy tells him "You said you would never die, isn't that what you told me, Ace?", he replied "Yeah, it reminds me of Sabo. If I didn't have a little brother that needed to be taken care of, I would have given up then." Those panels of the manga both foreshadow Sabo, but also explain that if Sabo hadn't written that letter asking for Ace to take good care of Luffy before he died, then Ace might have given up his life even before starting his own journey. Just a thought to process.
Ace’s tattoo says ASCE but with the S crossed out. Additionally in a frame where Oda showed Luffy and Ace’s sake cups, you can see the shadow of a third cup on the corner. These are some small details difficult to catch on the first read, but then easily dispels a lot of doubts about when Oda came up with Sabo!
One clue that nobody seems to talk about is that there is tattoo removal technology in One Piece (as mentioned by Nami's tattooist in the wrap-up of Arlong Park arc). There is even less reason in-universe for Ace to get his ASCE tattoo. However, at least, from an out-of-universe view, Ace was always fated to die by Oda.
this arc made jimbei one of my most fav characters ever!! his presence made all the difference to luffy when he needed it the most. so glad this arc made you feel less numb by the end!
I believe Whitebeard very much intended to die at Marineford. He is older and rather sick and was having to he constantly hooked up to IVs and having nurses look after him. He left all that stuff behind at Marineford and even allowed himself to be stabbed by Squard (no idea if I spelled that right) Basically I fully believe Whitebeaed knew his time was ending and was willing to go out if it meant getting to try and save Ace. And in his final moments helped re spark the Pirate Era just like Rodger did over 20 years ago.
Great reaction analysis as always. "I have my crew" is still one of the most touching moments for me. Sabo's dead was impactful to me because of Ace's reaction. This arc did make me cry.
Here's the thing, I've watched One Piece when I was a child. I painstakingly try to watch them every morning or every weekend in thr weekly replays. That is until I learned Ace died. I was so shocked and hurt that I stopped watching. Blocked any information regarding One Piece. I just never looked back. More than a decade later, I started One Piece again in the quest to find a good story. I forgot everything about Ace so when I met him again at Alabasta, that's right, I adored him all over again. Until I got into Impel Down and got this eerie feeling that I've seen it before. Long story short, Gavin, you're not alone. And I think you're really brave to continue even after that devastating heartache which took me more than a decade to face again. There's a saying I saw in One Piece community that death is when you get forgotten. So as long as we're here, I believe, Ace is alive and well.
Luffy is a really interesting character to me. He's simple and stupid, but we never see his thoughts and occasionally he does something surprisingly profound - like the time he told Vivi that the only way to resolve the crisis is to go for Crocodile - so he's not as simple as a character as you'd think from first impression. This arc puts some things into perspective. Like that time in Enies Lobby where he said, offhandedly, that he knows Robin's enemy. I didn't think much of it at the time, but after this flashback... I think Luffy really does understand. He knew what he was doing, giving the order to burn the flag.
*Interesting fact: for week to week readers, the time period for which we were separated from the straw hat crew was for whole freakin' 2 years. Be grateful you had to endure it only for 3 weeks (just kidding/ maybe not either way just jealous ) so oda was also making luffy wait for 2 years as also a nod to the fans reading. So the two year time skip essentially played out in real time while we were following Amazon Lily, Impel Down and Marineford.
I'm so glad you didn't take a break before doing this arc. The last one is real rough, and Oda definitely intended this arc as a way to cool down and process the war. Hope you have a great break from One Piece, and can't wait for you to continue this adventure!
I did cry again with this arc because you can just feel Luffy's pain.😭 Also the heartace is still so fresh after what happend at Marineford. And Oda knows how to make it even worse by revealing they already lost their other brother Sabo. And it makes me sad every time again.😢 And the last few chapters made me happy to see what the straw hats were doing and Jimbei and Rayleigh are just amazing I love them.❤
I dont know if you noticed, but look at the volume 61 cover compared to the very first volume cover! They're parallels (if thats the word to describe it)
Ya know typically with Marineford peoples care for Ace mostly stems from being concerned for him as Luffy's brother. And not as Ace himself since we don't really know him that well at that point. And then here during Post War is when we get to spend time with and come to know Ace. And this is when the personal attachment comes in. But given how much u just. Adored Ace off the rip and how desvistatd you were after losing him im excited to watch your reaction to Post War
The opening theme of this arc on the anime, "Fight Together", is my all time One Piece opening song. It is so emotional 😭 Also a trivia: the point from the department from sabaody up to post war was serialized in about two years. So from the point of view of the reader, both the reader and luffy hadn't seen the other straw hats in two years. A neat coincidence. That made the reunion even more satisfying.
I always mention this on every Marineford video. In the dub whitebeard says, "Although my days are numbered, I can see tomorrow blazing through this battlefield." Then it cuts to Luffy. It's my favorite part :)
13:04 I was so void of emotions too. I was definitely tempted to just go on hiatus with One Piece after Marineford 17:54 crybaby mini-Luffy is so cute 37:11 so cruel of Oda 38:57 Oda needed a way to tell his fans that the strawhats are not ready for the New World, and he did 40:23 we love Jimbei in this fandom! Remembering who you have left that you love and love you back when grieving is such a healthy coping mechanism. I was so surprised how fast you knew what Luffy needed (his crew) when Ace died in Marineford, so Kudos to you! 42:40 remember, if you're struggling, take a breather. The goal isn't to catch up but to join the adventure in One Piece 43:43 in Impel Down Sengoku told Garp that he would've killed Garp for being Dragon's relative, but since Garp is a Navy hero, he can't. In Marineford we also get the info that the Navy was eliminating any potential children of Roger. In Post-War (and Post-Ennies Lobby) Garp has told his grandchildren to join the Navy. There's a popular-ish theory that if Luffy and Ace would've become bigshots in the Navy, they would be spared, too, hence Garp is trying to get them to join. In a way, he did try to save them! 53:50 we all need such a good friend group! 1:06:13 this is also why it's such a good stopping point! The strawhats need to take a break from adventuring to get stronger while we can take a break to absorb more One Piece pre-timeskip! Glad you liked Post-war, it's my second fav arc or in my top 3! Mini-Luffy is so adorable, and I loved the brotherhood and Jimbei's suppotive role!
Dadan was never able to make the boys do anything they didn't want to so don't worry about that😂😂 Also did you notice Zoro and Kuina in chapter 589? Ps. When you visit Japan you can visit Ace and Whitebeards graves🌷
I don't know if you noticed, but in the panel of the close up of the Straw Hat when Luffy temporarily retires it for his training, there are three lines on the top, that of course was the damage Buggy did during his first fight with Luffy. Nami stitched it back up after the fight and that was hundreds of chapters ago. Like, it doesn't actually mean anything plot-wise, but Oda's attention to detail is just astonishing.
I this also goes back to Ace inviting Luffy to join Whitebeard. He hasn't seen Luffy's progress or strength over some years but believes in him enough to ask anyway. Also the theme of family in Whitebeard's Crew. I really believe Ace wanted to share that with Luffy. And of course they would be a lot closer again.
Promising not to cry over One Piece is probably the most useless promise you can do 😂 it's nothing but a tears train. I thought if I rewatched it, knowing what will exactly happen, would stop MY tears but it didn't. It made them stronger!! 😅
Ringing the bell was closing the old era and opening up the new one, the 3D2Y was so awesome to me it looking like Aces tattoo but also being code that they all understood.
I love this arc. Like Post Enies Lobby, it works great to calm everything down after so much action. And with the flashback of Luffy, Ace and Sabo 💔. Also so much more worldbuilding and things getting set up for later here already. Which obviously is more noticeable on re-read. I hope you enjoy the break, it's obviously a great point in the story to do so! Can't join for this week's live show, but I'm happy to have other one Piece themed videos/streams coming up!
The fact that Ace’s word to Jinbe ends up saving Luffy is so beautiful. MarineFord and post war recontextualizes OnePiece and explains luffy’s want of ultimate freedom. Gavin MarineFord and Golden Age are some of the best arcs in manga.
Now imagine how it was for those of us who literally had to wait _years_ for the Straw Hat crew to reunite. I actually stopped reading week-to-week around this time when I started university, and picked it back up once I graduated and the new chapter was basically the one right before Oda took his first break in the series - which was around 2 months or so.
Nice to hear some healing. :) I do very much believe that after stating that there was no ship to carry him into the next era that Whitebeard decided to lay down his life at Marine ford.
this arc really helped me heal after the pain of marineford. seeing luffy remember the straw hats and that giving him strength to keep going made me cry so much :') congrats on reaching halfway through the One Piece series, gavin! :) thanks for bringing us along on this ride
49:13 That's probably one of my favorite panels because of how much Franky's face made me laugh at the time. Like, I spent some solid minutes on that page just looking at it and devolving into silly giggles. I still doodle it sometimes XD
I love this arc, and I feel like it can sometimes get overlooked in some ways. I think the single most important page of the entire series is the "I have my crew" moment. I feel like it defines the series as a whole, the idea of overcoming anything as long as you have help from those you care about. It's the single strongest message of One Piece, and I believe it marks the halfway point of the series, narratively speaking. Though Oda's estimates do all tend to put One Piece ending around chapter 1200, so it's halfway in terms of length too I guess. By the way the bits with the UFO-looking thing and the island of lightning with the lady offering the umbrella and the mention of "paradise" is Oda setting up the second-half of the grand line, the New World. Basically, it's so crazy in every way, that the first half that we've just completed could be considered "paradise". It's very interesting that Oda kind of foreshadowed this back in Baratie when Luffy says that Chef Zeff called the Grand Line "paradise"!
@@alonedownthere47 from that perspective, it definitely doesn't feel like much. But also keep in mind that even wano, which was abnormally long, was just under 150 chapters. Even if the final saga happens to be just as exceptionally long, at 150 chapters, that would still put it ending at chapter 1207
Saboady to Post War Arc really made me realize that the Straw Hats are in dire need of strength. I loved this set up and it just got me so much more excited for everything coming. Can’t wait for you to tackle the next HALF of the series!
You picked such a good time to get into One Piece- the story has just switched to Main Story mode- by the time you catch up, world shattering events will have happened. I am such an old fan that the only way I can experience that joy I felt a decade ago is by watching you fine people go through it. I am so glad people are getting into the series that has inspired me to be creative this entire time.
It’s ok to cry, it’s even manly to cry. Crying and expressing emotions means you’re human. It’s ok, we’re here with you and you’ll make it to the end and that’s always the greatest thing about this series. The journey we’re living through this story
Kuma asked a question, no one responded, but everyone tought of the same answer... Get stronger and everyone got in a place were they can become stronger
Here's something fun for ya Gav, hold up volume 61 next to volume 1. You'll see 😉 You're now at what I'm predicting will be half way through the series by the time it's all finished~ And if you wanted you can read the Ace light novels either now or after Fishman Island arc, either way you won't have to wait long for them 😁
The previous arcs were so good but the team kept losing so much for so long. Defeat after defeat yet they kept going forward only for ace to lose anyways. I thought it was the best for the plot but we seriously needed some catharsis and starting it with Luffy realizing he still has his crew after hundreds of chapters far from them was amazing and then the childhood flashback and back to sabaody archs were the great catharsis we needed so much. Amazing story progression from oda.
Seeing kid Luffy and Ace is always heart warming. This arc was needed to highlight exactly why Ace was so important to Luffy. Like we could assume he was important because Luffy said so but we didn’t know why and this covered the why. Oda sets up so much and there is always a why. Like think of Thriller Bark. That whole thing was to set up how strong a warlord can be. And think of Long Ring Long Land. That set up how strong an Admiral can be. The SH crew could barely beat Moria (the weakest of the warlords), the SH crew had 0 chance against Kuma, and the SH crew had less than 0 chance against Aokiji and Kizaru. While so much was going on, those characters set up the insurmountable odds of rescuing Ace.
These recent saga reviews will be remembered as "How to weep your Gavin" hehe' But seriously, love your honest and sincere reviews. Felt every heartfelt emotions' Thanks for being real!
I love how in this reaction you are mentioning the namedrops Oda left 🙈 Seems like you learned how important they are for you to keep a note about them
Last time I re-read One Piece, the whole speech Luffy had with Vivi about people dying hit so differently knowing how Luffy experienced Sabo’s death as a kid. Oda is truly a master writer.
It's ok Gavin in the words of an emperor "By experiencing both victory and defeat, running away and shedding tears, a man will become a man. It's okay to cry, but you have to move on" - Shanks
You know, after this part of the story, going back and reading Luffy telling Ivankov to use the hormones on him AGAIN because Ace is "the only brother I have" 💔
I’m so glad to see you recovered from that traumatic stress devious arc! Oda knows how to break us down to our fibers and wreck us emotionally, and in the same stroke lift us up and instill hope! Post war arc is a fantastic breathe after the chaos which was marineford
"By experiencing both, victory and defeat, running away and shedding tears, a man will become a man. It's okay to cry, but you have to move on." ~Shanks~
@@merytale yes but I think @PyroMaestro means two years passed in real life from when the end of Sabaody Archipelago published to when Post-War first published (I think), thus it was 2 years the straw hats had actually been separated in our time
@@GavinReadsItAll oh yeah, you're right! I never knew that myself, and i just checked and it's true, the gap from Sabaody to the return to Sabaody published is between september 2008 to october 2010. I was a binge watcher myself circa 2015 😅
I miss them... I haven't seen them in so long... Dude... Dude...😂 3 weeks... Imagine how we felt back then... It was like what 2 years missing the crew... 😭
Post War is great. My heart broke for Luffy again but I loved him even more after it. And finally seeing the Strawhats again. Finally! I miss them every time I read this!
I you feel up to it, I'd love if you could make a video watching the openings from the anime that cover everything up to the timeskip? For those general One Piece videos you mentioned. Just a suggestion. My favorite OP opening would be the last one of those, the one that runs during the Post-War arc ✨I think the song fits really well with the calming down vibe of the arc, and it always makes me a bit emotional.
As always, nice review Gavin. Watched this review while im at my afternoon snacks. I’m currently at the latest chapter for the xx amount of years and wanted to re-read the whole series again. But thanks to you, it’s like i’m the one re-reading it with the bonus of watching your reactions 🎉 keep it up and more power. Thankfully, you’re not being spoiled
Lmao I love Rayleigh, absolutely daddy material fr🤣 I adore your honest reactions and tears! Oda knows how to hit the feels. I adored this Arc, it was really bittersweet but I liked the flashback and what the crew was up too after not seeing them all together
As someone who is fully caught up and reads week to week, the "I still have my crew" scene is still my favorite moment in the series after all this time, so congrats, you made it to my favorite part! This arc in general was more emotional than Marineford for me. I always liked Ace, but to be honest I never loved him, we just never spent enough time with him for me to get attached. We had a couple chapters with him in Alabasta, a couple more after Enies Lobby, and the Marineford happened and he died, and his death alone was sad but not THAT sad for me, but you know which character I do love? Luffy. And seeing this boy who until now has been the living embodiment of optimism, just entirely crushed and mentally destroyed over what happened. That shit got me bawling the first time I saw it. And it still gets me choked up everytime I re-read it or someone talks about it.
A lot of people always say they would have liked the flashback before Marineford but I've always loved this arc and the placement of it because it manages to convey Luffy's grief so well. Going through Luffy's memories with Ace knowing what happens to me always captured that feeling of grief. Because you do keep thinking about the person and the good memories with them but at the same time it just also hurts to remember knowing they are gone now. I often see stories capture the shock of someone dying, but I feel this gets that time afterwards so right, which is more rare.
it's an oda trademark to hit us with the flashback once we know full well how it ends, it mixes all the beautiful moments inside with a gnawing sense of dread and suspense
I first recognized it with another reactor but Sabo's death influences the argument between Luffy and Vivi in Alabasta where Luffy tells Vivi that "people die". Without any further knowledge about the story he recognized that Luffy must have experienced loss to act like this.
Aces death is a legitimate tragedy. Luffy and everyone's effort were not in vain, it had worked and we had saved ace but because of who ace was.. because of who his father was and the enemies knowledge of this they were able to manipulate him into jumping into the mouth of death itself, which put Luffy at risk, forcing ace to give his life for his.
Ace says to Luffy that he didn't know what or who killed Sabo but that it was the opposite of freedom, and Luffy's reaction to Robin's situation in Enies Lobby and the Celestial Dragons and their slavery in Sabaody hits really different on a reread when you know about Sabo. I think Luffy even says something like "I know who (Robin's) enemy is now" before burning the flag, and I would bet real money that he was thinking about Sabo. (also unrelated: Jinbe, my beloved)
The crew & Luffy needed that wakeup call,they have been pushing & pushing and somehow won a lot but for them to fully understand the world this was needed.Imagine then reaching the new world without any clues and what the outcome might have been.
After Marinford, it was clear that Luffy, on the world scale, only amounts to a C-tier fighter. The path to Pirate King means having to go up against the worst of the worst, and if you fail, you end up like Moria. A strong will comes first, then you must strengthen your body to match.
In the chapter 558 where ace screams at Luffy that he does need his help and that he should go home but Luffy refuses it because they are brothers. You can see a small flashback of the sakecups of how they became brothers. In a little corner of the panel, you can "indications" of another cup, that lead a few fans to theorize that there is a third brother.
When we all thought Luffy had suffered the biggest defeat of his life, having his whole crew torn from him with nothing he could do to intervene - to see him jump back into that fire immediately after, without even his true crew to help him, and seeing him make such a big difference in the war but only to suffer an even greater defeat than before... there's no shame in crying.
I love jimbei for this hahaha. And that Panel of luffy with i am sooo weak haha. Also rayleigh my goat hahaaa... also the crews reaction amazing hahahahaaaa
Some promises were just made to be broken, especially when every tear shed over One Piece is a well-earned one 🥲 I think I've subconsciously always thought of Luffy as an emotional person since his first intro, but before this he's been mostly shown to harness his emotions into determination to get stronger. Then having this after Marineford, before returning to the present with all Luffy's lost and gained really hit HARD. He's so so so loved!! Now that we've arrived at the mid-point of the series, I wonder if there's a chance you'd react to the first 14 openings of the OP anime (or enjoy them in your own time)? They're really great at making you feel things while the events are still fresh in mind... never let it be said that OP fans aren't masochists.
Yeah, the grief after Marineford is real and runs so deep. It's been over 10 years for me when I read Marineford and it still hurts. Also, when you said in the last video that you'll nor cry again in One Piece I knew it was not gonna last long xD No need to hold back your emotions, we all ugly cry with One Piece ;)
56:55 we've met Killer before he's Kidd's right hand man and one of the supernovas. In fact all of the other pirates in these chapters are supernovas who we met at sabaody, just thought to mention it since it seems like you forgot they existed
For me seeing Luffy’s backstory in the Grey Terminal changes the context of the “I want to live!” Scene in Enis Lobby. Spandam goes on about how powerful the World Government is, and Luffy just matter of factly says “Yeah, I know who Robin’s enemy is.” Because he does know. Not just because he’s a pirate. But because he grew up in a country where the Government can burn away it’s citizens just to hide some trash. Luffy knows exactly how dangerous and oppressive a corrupt government is, and that’s why he won’t let Robin be shacked by it any longer. “Sogeking, shoot down that flag..”
YES! This is one of my favorite bits of recontextualizing??? (Spelling that out I’m realizing that it may not be a word. Anyway.) that’s one of my favorite bits too look back on. Luffy is such a smart character when you find out his backstory. Hell there’s so many lines in the backstory. that show how luffy is always listening. He’s taking in what he wants to take In. Learning and growing UGH I love one piece lmao.
Dadan didn't actually make Luffy and Ace steal or do any banditry, aside from asking for help around the house with laundry and cleaning(which our boys never did anyway though they did help with catching food.) It was more just her trying to scare Luffy into being respectful of bandits because he hates them due to the events of the first chapter. TBH it's more like a household than a bandit den.
Agree, I definitely ended up loving them and glad she didn't actually force Luffy and Ace and even Sabo to do the really bad bandit stuff, but just enough to earn their keep (and maybe teach them a lesson about the world in the process?)
@@GavinReadsItAll tbh I think they were bandits only in name, and didn't do much except live on the mountain. especially not after Garp got involved with them LMAO
@@pickthestickup nah they stole all the time from that junk yard place so they are partial bandits, right?
Luffy used to cry very easily as a child, enough that Ace called him crybaby. However, after Sabo's death he stopped crying as much, in order to be strong.
Gavin after Ace's death: The only thing that will make me feel better is reuniting with the Strawhats.
Luffy after Ace's death: I still have my crew, I want to see them.
Strawhats after Ace's death: Luffy is in so much pain right now, we need to be with him.
If you haven't realized yet, you have the same mind as everyone in the Strawhats crew. We're part of the crew! Nakama!
We are all true straw hats
This saga was a fucking ride when I first read through it. Saobody Archipelago showed it had a knife, Amazon Lily gave you a false sense of security and hope, Impel Down takes the knife out, Marineford stabs you slowly in the heart and Post War Arc twists the knife before taking it out and kissing it better
Agree agree agree
Jeez, that was a really nice comparison there. Love the way you worded that.
Damn, that is incredibly accurate
There's a thing I recall, at Marineford, when Ace is dying, and Luffy tells him "You said you would never die, isn't that what you told me, Ace?", he replied "Yeah, it reminds me of Sabo. If I didn't have a little brother that needed to be taken care of, I would have given up then." Those panels of the manga both foreshadow Sabo, but also explain that if Sabo hadn't written that letter asking for Ace to take good care of Luffy before he died, then Ace might have given up his life even before starting his own journey. Just a thought to process.
Ace’s tattoo says ASCE but with the S crossed out. Additionally in a frame where Oda showed Luffy and Ace’s sake cups, you can see the shadow of a third cup on the corner. These are some small details difficult to catch on the first read, but then easily dispels a lot of doubts about when Oda came up with Sabo!
Ahhh that's cool!!
@@GavinReadsItAll Oda almost never pulls stuff out of his bum. At least not important stuff.
Almost never.
One clue that nobody seems to talk about is that there is tattoo removal technology in One Piece (as mentioned by Nami's tattooist in the wrap-up of Arlong Park arc). There is even less reason in-universe for Ace to get his ASCE tattoo. However, at least, from an out-of-universe view, Ace was always fated to die by Oda.
@@davidwilson6577 well except for the supernovas, still baffles me that Law and the others were just a random idea Oda had in Sabaody Archipelago
@@pingucrimson750 Not the one I had in mind, but for that matter the Warlords were an on-the-spot thing too.
this arc made jimbei one of my most fav characters ever!! his presence made all the difference to luffy when he needed it the most. so glad this arc made you feel less numb by the end!
Jimbei is fast becoming a favourite for me, can't wait to see him again when we get to Fish-Man Island!
Same here
I believe Whitebeard very much intended to die at Marineford. He is older and rather sick and was having to he constantly hooked up to IVs and having nurses look after him. He left all that stuff behind at Marineford and even allowed himself to be stabbed by Squard (no idea if I spelled that right)
Basically I fully believe Whitebeaed knew his time was ending and was willing to go out if it meant getting to try and save Ace. And in his final moments helped re spark the Pirate Era just like Rodger did over 20 years ago.
100% agree, Whitebeard knew his time was up and wanted to go down fighting to the very end
You spelled it right!
Because it's just a phonetic translation of Japanese so whether it's what the official went for or not, who cares?
Great reaction analysis as always.
"I have my crew" is still one of the most touching moments for me.
Sabo's dead was impactful to me because of Ace's reaction. This arc did make me cry.
"I have my crew" will forever be a treasured moment for me, and it sounds like for you too!
Here's the thing, I've watched One Piece when I was a child. I painstakingly try to watch them every morning or every weekend in thr weekly replays.
That is until I learned Ace died.
I was so shocked and hurt that I stopped watching. Blocked any information regarding One Piece. I just never looked back.
More than a decade later, I started One Piece again in the quest to find a good story. I forgot everything about Ace so when I met him again at Alabasta, that's right, I adored him all over again. Until I got into Impel Down and got this eerie feeling that I've seen it before.
Long story short, Gavin, you're not alone. And I think you're really brave to continue even after that devastating heartache which took me more than a decade to face again.
There's a saying I saw in One Piece community that death is when you get forgotten. So as long as we're here, I believe, Ace is alive and well.
Luffy is a really interesting character to me. He's simple and stupid, but we never see his thoughts and occasionally he does something surprisingly profound - like the time he told Vivi that the only way to resolve the crisis is to go for Crocodile - so he's not as simple as a character as you'd think from first impression. This arc puts some things into perspective. Like that time in Enies Lobby where he said, offhandedly, that he knows Robin's enemy. I didn't think much of it at the time, but after this flashback... I think Luffy really does understand. He knew what he was doing, giving the order to burn the flag.
*Interesting fact: for week to week readers, the time period for which we were separated from the straw hat crew was for whole freakin' 2 years. Be grateful you had to endure it only for 3 weeks (just kidding/ maybe not either way just jealous ) so oda was also making luffy wait for 2 years as also a nod to the fans reading. So the two year time skip essentially played out in real time while we were following Amazon Lily, Impel Down and Marineford.
I'm so glad you didn't take a break before doing this arc. The last one is real rough, and Oda definitely intended this arc as a way to cool down and process the war. Hope you have a great break from One Piece, and can't wait for you to continue this adventure!
I'm also super happy that I decided to read this arc
This arc shows that Luffy actually knew what he was talking about when he said that he understood who Robin's enemy really was in Enies Lobby.
Also when he called Vivi naive for nor wanting anyone to die in a fight/war showing he´s always been more aware of danger than we give him credit for
I did cry again with this arc because you can just feel Luffy's pain.😭 Also the heartace is still so fresh after what happend at Marineford. And Oda knows how to make it even worse by revealing they already lost their other brother Sabo. And it makes me sad every time again.😢 And the last few chapters made me happy to see what the straw hats were doing and Jimbei and Rayleigh are just amazing I love them.❤
Hugs Judith, the pain we have gone through cuts so deep
@@GavinReadsItAll thank you, you also a big hug❤️ I know how you feel, it still hurts to see even after all those years.
Yo gav, do u spoil urself when makin those 🔥 thumbnails? lol just curious
I dont know if you noticed, but look at the volume 61 cover compared to the very first volume cover! They're parallels (if thats the word to describe it)
OH WOW you're right!! Love that!
Dadan was first mentioned in Ennis Lobby arc when the Mayor of Luffy's hometown is reacting to his bounty. He said "Does Dadan knew about this".
Ya know typically with Marineford peoples care for Ace mostly stems from being concerned for him as Luffy's brother. And not as Ace himself since we don't really know him that well at that point.
And then here during Post War is when we get to spend time with and come to know Ace. And this is when the personal attachment comes in.
But given how much u just. Adored Ace off the rip and how desvistatd you were after losing him im excited to watch your reaction to Post War
Hope you enjoyed!!
@@GavinReadsItAll i very much did! Glad u were able to feel better by the end of it!
The opening theme of this arc on the anime, "Fight Together", is my all time One Piece opening song. It is so emotional 😭
Also a trivia: the point from the department from sabaody up to post war was serialized in about two years. So from the point of view of the reader, both the reader and luffy hadn't seen the other straw hats in two years. A neat coincidence.
That made the reunion even more satisfying.
This Opening theme stills make me cry bc of what it means to Luffy after being left alone 😭
I always mention this on every Marineford video. In the dub whitebeard says, "Although my days are numbered, I can see tomorrow blazing through this battlefield." Then it cuts to Luffy.
It's my favorite part :)
13:04 I was so void of emotions too. I was definitely tempted to just go on hiatus with One Piece after Marineford
17:54 crybaby mini-Luffy is so cute
37:11 so cruel of Oda
38:57 Oda needed a way to tell his fans that the strawhats are not ready for the New World, and he did
40:23 we love Jimbei in this fandom! Remembering who you have left that you love and love you back when grieving is such a healthy coping mechanism. I was so surprised how fast you knew what Luffy needed (his crew) when Ace died in Marineford, so Kudos to you!
42:40 remember, if you're struggling, take a breather. The goal isn't to catch up but to join the adventure in One Piece
43:43 in Impel Down Sengoku told Garp that he would've killed Garp for being Dragon's relative, but since Garp is a Navy hero, he can't. In Marineford we also get the info that the Navy was eliminating any potential children of Roger. In Post-War (and Post-Ennies Lobby) Garp has told his grandchildren to join the Navy. There's a popular-ish theory that if Luffy and Ace would've become bigshots in the Navy, they would be spared, too, hence Garp is trying to get them to join. In a way, he did try to save them!
53:50 we all need such a good friend group!
1:06:13 this is also why it's such a good stopping point! The strawhats need to take a break from adventuring to get stronger while we can take a break to absorb more One Piece pre-timeskip!
Glad you liked Post-war, it's my second fav arc or in my top 3! Mini-Luffy is so adorable, and I loved the brotherhood and Jimbei's suppotive role!
Dadan was never able to make the boys do anything they didn't want to so don't worry about that😂😂 Also did you notice Zoro and Kuina in chapter 589?
Ps. When you visit Japan you can visit Ace and Whitebeards graves🌷
“I remember when my younger brother pushed me infront of a car” IM SORRY?!!!?
Don't worry about keeping your promise not to cry. We are no better. Most of us also cried with you.
I don't know if you noticed, but in the panel of the close up of the Straw Hat when Luffy temporarily retires it for his training, there are three lines on the top, that of course was the damage Buggy did during his first fight with Luffy. Nami stitched it back up after the fight and that was hundreds of chapters ago. Like, it doesn't actually mean anything plot-wise, but Oda's attention to detail is just astonishing.
I this also goes back to Ace inviting Luffy to join Whitebeard. He hasn't seen Luffy's progress or strength over some years but believes in him enough to ask anyway.
Also the theme of family in Whitebeard's Crew. I really believe Ace wanted to share that with Luffy. And of course they would be a lot closer again.
Promising not to cry over One Piece is probably the most useless promise you can do 😂 it's nothing but a tears train. I thought if I rewatched it, knowing what will exactly happen, would stop MY tears but it didn't. It made them stronger!! 😅
Ringing the bell was closing the old era and opening up the new one, the 3D2Y was so awesome to me it looking like Aces tattoo but also being code that they all understood.
I love this arc. Like Post Enies Lobby, it works great to calm everything down after so much action. And with the flashback of Luffy, Ace and Sabo 💔.
Also so much more worldbuilding and things getting set up for later here already. Which obviously is more noticeable on re-read.
I hope you enjoy the break, it's obviously a great point in the story to do so! Can't join for this week's live show, but I'm happy to have other one Piece themed videos/streams coming up!
Yep I couldn't just leave you all high and dry without fresh OP content in the reading break, thank you for sticking with me on this journey!
Congratulations on making it to the midpoint of one piece! It only gets crazier from here!
I fully believe you, I haven't even seen crazy yet have I haha
The fact that Ace’s word to Jinbe ends up saving Luffy is so beautiful. MarineFord and post war recontextualizes OnePiece and explains luffy’s want of ultimate freedom.
Gavin MarineFord and Golden Age are some of the best arcs in manga.
Now imagine how it was for those of us who literally had to wait _years_ for the Straw Hat crew to reunite. I actually stopped reading week-to-week around this time when I started university, and picked it back up once I graduated and the new chapter was basically the one right before Oda took his first break in the series - which was around 2 months or so.
the navy really said "do these public executions ever work?" "no, no, they never do... but they might work this time"
Favorite is Luffy lashing out in frustration and then counting his fingers and saying I still have my crew
Nice to hear some healing. :) I do very much believe that after stating that there was no ship to carry him into the next era that Whitebeard decided to lay down his life at Marine ford.
this arc really helped me heal after the pain of marineford. seeing luffy remember the straw hats and that giving him strength to keep going made me cry so much :')
congrats on reaching halfway through the One Piece series, gavin! :) thanks for bringing us along on this ride
49:13 That's probably one of my favorite panels because of how much Franky's face made me laugh at the time. Like, I spent some solid minutes on that page just looking at it and devolving into silly giggles. I still doodle it sometimes XD
At this point for week to week readers, we had been away from the Strawhats as a whole for basically 2 years.
I love this arc, and I feel like it can sometimes get overlooked in some ways. I think the single most important page of the entire series is the "I have my crew" moment. I feel like it defines the series as a whole, the idea of overcoming anything as long as you have help from those you care about. It's the single strongest message of One Piece, and I believe it marks the halfway point of the series, narratively speaking. Though Oda's estimates do all tend to put One Piece ending around chapter 1200, so it's halfway in terms of length too I guess.
By the way the bits with the UFO-looking thing and the island of lightning with the lady offering the umbrella and the mention of "paradise" is Oda setting up the second-half of the grand line, the New World. Basically, it's so crazy in every way, that the first half that we've just completed could be considered "paradise". It's very interesting that Oda kind of foreshadowed this back in Baratie when Luffy says that Chef Zeff called the Grand Line "paradise"!
Oh yes great callback! And thanks for the heads up on that, can't wait to see this New World and discover it fully.
1200 feels way soon... hard to imagine that considering we're at 1079
@@alonedownthere47 from that perspective, it definitely doesn't feel like much. But also keep in mind that even wano, which was abnormally long, was just under 150 chapters. Even if the final saga happens to be just as exceptionally long, at 150 chapters, that would still put it ending at chapter 1207
This arc healed you! Oda is pretty good about aftercare.
He shouldn't have done it in the first place but I somewhat forgive him
"the nightmare of Baldimore" is one of my favorite moments in this entire series
Saboady to Post War Arc really made me realize that the Straw Hats are in dire need of strength. I loved this set up and it just got me so much more excited for everything coming. Can’t wait for you to tackle the next HALF of the series!
You picked such a good time to get into One Piece- the story has just switched to Main Story mode- by the time you catch up, world shattering events will have happened. I am such an old fan that the only way I can experience that joy I felt a decade ago is by watching you fine people go through it. I am so glad people are getting into the series that has inspired me to be creative this entire time.
I'm obsessed with ASL brothers content. they deserved to be happy together! 😭
On the note of Luffy's complexities that this arc developed, it even explained why Luffy eats the way he does
Well done, Gavin. You finished paradise. Gear up cause now comes *The New World!*
It’s ok to cry, it’s even manly to cry. Crying and expressing emotions means you’re human. It’s ok, we’re here with you and you’ll make it to the end and that’s always the greatest thing about this series. The journey we’re living through this story
Kuma asked a question, no one responded, but everyone tought of the same answer... Get stronger and everyone got in a place were they can become stronger
I’m glad you got hope from it! Talk about Oda tearing you down just to build you back up and make you super excited to continue
Here's something fun for ya Gav, hold up volume 61 next to volume 1. You'll see 😉
You're now at what I'm predicting will be half way through the series by the time it's all finished~ And if you wanted you can read the Ace light novels either now or after Fishman Island arc, either way you won't have to wait long for them 😁
Fun fact, Dadan is first mentioned in Post Enies Lobby arc when we see the bounty reaction from the folks of Luffy's village
The previous arcs were so good but the team kept losing so much for so long. Defeat after defeat yet they kept going forward only for ace to lose anyways. I thought it was the best for the plot but we seriously needed some catharsis and starting it with Luffy realizing he still has his crew after hundreds of chapters far from them was amazing and then the childhood flashback and back to sabaody archs were the great catharsis we needed so much. Amazing story progression from oda.
Gavin: It's not a great like for these kids
Jack Sparrow: It be a Pirate life for me, Savy?
This series gives us some of the greatest daddies in anime. So far we have crocodaddy and rayleigh
I so look forward to these reviews Gavin, I listen to them during my cleaning shift on Friday mornings and share in your smiles and tears haha
Seeing kid Luffy and Ace is always heart warming.
This arc was needed to highlight exactly why Ace was so important to Luffy.
Like we could assume he was important because Luffy said so but we didn’t know why and this covered the why.
Oda sets up so much and there is always a why.
Like think of Thriller Bark. That whole thing was to set up how strong a warlord can be.
And think of Long Ring Long Land. That set up how strong an Admiral can be.
The SH crew could barely beat Moria (the weakest of the warlords), the SH crew had 0 chance against Kuma, and the SH crew had less than 0 chance against Aokiji and Kizaru.
While so much was going on, those characters set up the insurmountable odds of rescuing Ace.
Sabo is actually is based off the Artful Dodger with the hat and all
These recent saga reviews will be remembered as "How to weep your Gavin" hehe' But seriously, love your honest and sincere reviews. Felt every heartfelt emotions' Thanks for being real!
I love how in this reaction you are mentioning the namedrops Oda left 🙈 Seems like you learned how important they are for you to keep a note about them
Last time I re-read One Piece, the whole speech Luffy had with Vivi about people dying hit so differently knowing how Luffy experienced Sabo’s death as a kid. Oda is truly a master writer.
Moooooore Gavin! I'm so happy right now, you have such a soothing voice ❤.
Couldnt imagine having read all this weekly, having to wait like 2 years to see everyone again
It's ok Gavin in the words of an emperor "By experiencing both victory and defeat, running away and shedding tears, a man will become a man. It's okay to cry, but you have to move on" - Shanks
Even knowing the schedule work has been kicking my ass. Fully forgot and this was a nice surprise. Very nice. Now let’s waaaatch
You know, after this part of the story, going back and reading Luffy telling Ivankov to use the hormones on him AGAIN because Ace is "the only brother I have" 💔
I’m so glad to see you recovered from that traumatic stress devious arc! Oda knows how to break us down to our fibers and wreck us emotionally, and in the same stroke lift us up and instill hope! Post war arc is a fantastic breathe after the chaos which was marineford
Flashbacks were still emotional but so agree, it was a nice breather
This arc hits soooo much harder in the anime. Just like Sabaody. I have a rough time watching it every time. 😢
You did not just call doflamingo himself weak😂 that man is such a menace merphy has a whole dedicated video about him
Hey gav, just so you know - there is an ace manga written by Oda but drawn by another artist. It has Ace's adventure before this point. Def good read
I can't wait for your next video!! Man, idk what we're gonna do when you've caught up with the current arc 😅😅😅 like us... The weekly anticipation
I want all the emotional reviews always. One Piece gives the feels and it's ok to embrace it
"By experiencing both, victory and defeat, running away and shedding tears, a man will become a man. It's okay to cry, but you have to move on."
~Shanks~
The real life time the Straw hat were seperated was for 2 years ^^.
WOW that's insane, I would not have coped if I was a weekly reader back then!
@@GavinReadsItAll they meant the in-world time, the real time break that Oda took was a month, if I'm not mistaken
@@merytale yes but I think @PyroMaestro means two years passed in real life from when the end of Sabaody Archipelago published to when Post-War first published (I think), thus it was 2 years the straw hats had actually been separated in our time
@@GavinReadsItAll oh yeah, you're right! I never knew that myself, and i just checked and it's true, the gap from Sabaody to the return to Sabaody published is between september 2008 to october 2010. I was a binge watcher myself circa 2015 😅
If you need to cry, one piece... Make sure it becomes a necessity
I miss them... I haven't seen them in so long... Dude... Dude...😂 3 weeks...
Imagine how we felt back then... It was like what 2 years missing the crew... 😭
Post War is great. My heart broke for Luffy again but I loved him even more after it. And finally seeing the Strawhats again. Finally! I miss them every time I read this!
I you feel up to it, I'd love if you could make a video watching the openings from the anime that cover everything up to the timeskip? For those general One Piece videos you mentioned. Just a suggestion. My favorite OP opening would be the last one of those, the one that runs during the Post-War arc ✨I think the song fits really well with the calming down vibe of the arc, and it always makes me a bit emotional.
The no crying to one piece promise is one promise no one piece fan can keep
As always, nice review Gavin. Watched this review while im at my afternoon snacks.
I’m currently at the latest chapter for the xx amount of years and wanted to re-read the whole series again. But thanks to you, it’s like i’m the one re-reading it with the bonus of watching your reactions 🎉 keep it up and more power.
Thankfully, you’re not being spoiled
Lmao I love Rayleigh, absolutely daddy material fr🤣 I adore your honest reactions and tears! Oda knows how to hit the feels. I adored this Arc, it was really bittersweet but I liked the flashback and what the crew was up too after not seeing them all together
As someone who is fully caught up and reads week to week, the "I still have my crew" scene is still my favorite moment in the series after all this time, so congrats, you made it to my favorite part!
This arc in general was more emotional than Marineford for me. I always liked Ace, but to be honest I never loved him, we just never spent enough time with him for me to get attached. We had a couple chapters with him in Alabasta, a couple more after Enies Lobby, and the Marineford happened and he died, and his death alone was sad but not THAT sad for me, but you know which character I do love? Luffy. And seeing this boy who until now has been the living embodiment of optimism, just entirely crushed and mentally destroyed over what happened. That shit got me bawling the first time I saw it. And it still gets me choked up everytime I re-read it or someone talks about it.
A lot of people always say they would have liked the flashback before Marineford but I've always loved this arc and the placement of it because it manages to convey Luffy's grief so well.
Going through Luffy's memories with Ace knowing what happens to me always captured that feeling of grief. Because you do keep thinking about the person and the good memories with them but at the same time it just also hurts to remember knowing they are gone now. I often see stories capture the shock of someone dying, but I feel this gets that time afterwards so right, which is more rare.
it's an oda trademark to hit us with the flashback once we know full well how it ends, it mixes all the beautiful moments inside with a gnawing sense of dread and suspense
I first recognized it with another reactor but Sabo's death influences the argument between Luffy and Vivi in Alabasta where Luffy tells Vivi that "people die". Without any further knowledge about the story he recognized that Luffy must have experienced loss to act like this.
Gavin had a Zoro moment there with the picture of luffy
The ringing of the bell also signified 2 years because it represents both the year past and the year coming
Aces death is a legitimate tragedy. Luffy and everyone's effort were not in vain, it had worked and we had saved ace but because of who ace was.. because of who his father was and the enemies knowledge of this they were able to manipulate him into jumping into the mouth of death itself, which put Luffy at risk, forcing ace to give his life for his.
Gav, cry all ya want! We are all sadists and Masochists, so we love seeing other people suffer. Cause that's what a good story does to you
Ace says to Luffy that he didn't know what or who killed Sabo but that it was the opposite of freedom, and Luffy's reaction to Robin's situation in Enies Lobby and the Celestial Dragons and their slavery in Sabaody hits really different on a reread when you know about Sabo.
I think Luffy even says something like "I know who (Robin's) enemy is now" before burning the flag, and I would bet real money that he was thinking about Sabo.
(also unrelated: Jinbe, my beloved)
That one month we had to wait as weekly readers truly did feel like 2 wholeass years
The crew & Luffy needed that wakeup call,they have been pushing & pushing and somehow won a lot but for them to fully understand the world this was needed.Imagine then reaching the new world without any clues and what the outcome might have been.
After Marinford, it was clear that Luffy, on the world scale, only amounts to a C-tier fighter. The path to Pirate King means having to go up against the worst of the worst, and if you fail, you end up like Moria. A strong will comes first, then you must strengthen your body to match.
In the chapter 558 where ace screams at Luffy that he does need his help and that he should go home but Luffy refuses it because they are brothers. You can see a small flashback of the sakecups of how they became brothers. In a little corner of the panel, you can "indications" of another cup, that lead a few fans to theorize that there is a third brother.
When we all thought Luffy had suffered the biggest defeat of his life, having his whole crew torn from him with nothing he could do to intervene - to see him jump back into that fire immediately after, without even his true crew to help him, and seeing him make such a big difference in the war but only to suffer an even greater defeat than before... there's no shame in crying.
I love jimbei for this hahaha. And that Panel of luffy with i am sooo weak haha. Also rayleigh my goat hahaaa... also the crews reaction amazing hahahahaaaa
You almost got Luffy’s message even before they revealed!!! You noticed the tatoo!!! 🤓😁
Some promises were just made to be broken, especially when every tear shed over One Piece is a well-earned one 🥲
I think I've subconsciously always thought of Luffy as an emotional person since his first intro, but before this he's been mostly shown to harness his emotions into determination to get stronger. Then having this after Marineford, before returning to the present with all Luffy's lost and gained really hit HARD. He's so so so loved!!
Now that we've arrived at the mid-point of the series, I wonder if there's a chance you'd react to the first 14 openings of the OP anime (or enjoy them in your own time)? They're really great at making you feel things while the events are still fresh in mind... never let it be said that OP fans aren't masochists.
Yeah, the grief after Marineford is real and runs so deep. It's been over 10 years for me when I read Marineford and it still hurts.
Also, when you said in the last video that you'll nor cry again in One Piece I knew it was not gonna last long xD No need to hold back your emotions, we all ugly cry with One Piece ;)
Oda's gonna make you cry in future, whether you like it or not. But hey, who knows, it might be tears of joy.
56:55 we've met Killer before he's Kidd's right hand man and one of the supernovas. In fact all of the other pirates in these chapters are supernovas who we met at sabaody, just thought to mention it since it seems like you forgot they existed