Hey everyone, had to take a break from hiatus to talk about Oden! Will probably be a bit before I go back to more frequent uploads, but hope you all can enjoy this vid for the moment at least
Also, Oden's great flaw is Nami's great flaw. She refused Luffy's help and the protected her village all by herself until Arlong betrayed her and the villagers decided they had to fight for themselves. Then finally Nami asked for help. Oden's flaw is that he took everything upon himself and Wano's flaw is that they let him, and they let their spirit get crushed. They should have protected him the same way he did them. Now Momo who has Oden's will has asked Luffy for his help. Oden and Nami actually parallel each other really well. She made a deal with the person who took control of her home to protect her people. Oden danced for 5 years, Nami raised 100 million berries, but Arlong never truly intended to honor their agreement, he sent that marine to collect her money. Orochi never planned on honoring his agreement with Oden, Kaido just new he couldn't beat Oden right then. Nami became an Arlong pirate and became hated by her people for her betrayal, and Oden became a fool and hated by his people for disappointing them and betraying their faith in him. And then Luffy came along and defeated the evil oppressing her freedom. Oden knew he needed to open the borders for 20 years into the future. But he died. But now Luffy is their to defeat the evil oppressing Oden's people's freedom and open their borders himself
The thing is, Nami had no chance, she was weak and had no strong friends to trust in. Oden, on the other hand, was capable of defeating Kaido and had his own ninjas and samurais following him. It's easy to sympathize with Nami's self-deception, but Oden is just stupid, and Oda is attempting to portray stupidity as noble.
@@federicoarmada8775 that still doesnt mean Oden had things on the line. Orochi had hostages and if Oden harmed him he would have killed the hostages. Other hand Nami did have a choice to tell the reason why she joined Arlong but didnt because she knew they would have fought back and helped her and would of gotten killed.
@@federicoarmada8775 It's not about making stupidity seem noble. It's about sticking to your convictions because it's those that can make a change or inspire others. Oda never has made it a point to clearly state these "stupid" decisions as the right thing he still leaves it for the reader to decide. Tbh he's called out these flaws in the characters multiple times Oden, Otohime, Fisher Tiger, Nami, Vivi, even Luffy etc. but the point of the matter is they stick to those ideals they believe in unwaveringly because it's who they are as individuals and for some they wouldn't be who they are if they didn't.
Federico Armada We don’t know if they would have won, they had a much better chance before the five years but they still could have lost and now you have half of wano dead
Micah Twombley “Kaido just knew he couldn’t beat Oden right then.” Umm no, Oden took the liability of risking a battle even though he wasn’t sure he could actually defeat Kaido, but also claimed that wouldn’t be a better chance as he had reached his limit whereas, Kaido hadn’t. Not to mention, Kaido was confident he could, he expressed the notion it be more difficult to beat Oden with the few numbers they had....
In a way, by not relying on his scabards and not caring if people really understand him, him closing himself might be a parallel to wano being closed off to the rest of the world. And as himself needed outside support to succed, so does wano to survive and prosper.
Oden did anything, Luffy would never do. In his own words, Luffy doesn't want to be a hero. His motto is, i will not fight for you, but with you. Oden on the other hand, tried to solve all the problems in the world on his own. He makes a great hero ... but not a good leader. I hope Oda will shine a light on this difference between them.
I don't think he doesn't make a good leader though. Just, Luffy is a better leader *because* he trusts her friends with his problems. While Oden didn't. I would think Luffy would also protect others not caring if they knew or not, but the difference is he wants to choose when, how and for whom he fights, yet Oden wanted to protect everyone just because he was like that, altruisic, a hero who could chare his food with others in Luffy's terms xD That was his best trait and the one which "killed" him :c
@@sakura5sango6 I firmly disagree, Oden's biggest flaw is only because he stood to his ideals. He was a lone wolf, it's not like he didn't accept the help he just felt that he could take the burden himself. He agreed like Nami vs Arlong with Orochi that if he did this no one would die and at the beginning of the flashback it was shown that he doesn't care about his reputation only that people are safe and peaceful. Also, people seem to forget that his own Father the Shogunate disavowed his name due to him being a drunken disgrace to the Kozuki name, Did that bother Oden? Nope, he kept doing his own thing even when he got Kin'emon and the rest of the Samurai. He even hated being admired by them...remember that? Also, if he was not "A Good Leader" why would he even take all of his "Retainers" and get them Education, Training, and even give them Power within his own Daimyo? He just didn't want them to be Subordinates...like Luffy, he wanted them as Friends and Equal to him. It's just they wanted to put him on the pedestal above them which he hated! Lastly, the whole situation with Orochi and Kaido is completely out of context...IMO Oden kept to the full base of his character...he saw that Orochi would harm more people of Wano, He is the Shogunate now and Orochi can't be dethroned due to how the country is being run. He decided to take the burden himself...if he even TOLD his scabbard they would be in disgrace like him...they can't do anything to Orochi since he is Shogun and also Oden committed Treason! He left the shores of Wano when he wasn't supposed to...and left his children with Toki there to follow Roger to Laugh Tale...he ignored his Retainer's words about staying and fixing Wano to go on one final Journey to find out the truth about his Ancestors Poneglyphs and what do they mean...He found out the truth but that the cost of Wano. He took the burden of making a fool of himself and be set in disgrace. He still set out to see if Orochi kept his word and left the country in peace but only found out that It was for naught. The Battle against Kaido and the Beast Pirates shows that if Oden did fight them Kaido would've lost...his men would be destroyed and Kaido would be probably dead...Go back to that last exchange between Kaido and Oden...if it wasn't for Orochi's Cousin changing into Momosuke I guarantee that Kaido would be Dead or very well close to death because his face after that was almost horror that He was close to death knowing how much power Oden was about to dish upon him and that was AFTER he got sliced by Oden... I disagree that Oden is a horrible Leader or not a good leader he just kept to his own character it was just situations that I presented that he made bad errors but he still was a good leader. He didn't know how bad the situation was and left it to his Retainers to handle it since they are powerful enough to do something about it. The problem was Kin'emon and the rest of them just didn't do what Oden would've and took on Orochi and got Toki and his Family out of Wano first to find Oden or find Whitebeard so she is protected. Highly doubt that Kaido would try to go after Whitebeard for 1 woman and 2 Kids...Whitebeard would protect them easily if it's for Oden and we know that if anything happened to them under Whitebeard's care and Edward didn't do anything to protect them Oden would massacre the Whitebeard Pirates with no hesitation. (But that is speculation).
@@Silverdevilruga Nami didn't win... and so he did. Being alone is the exact point Luffy knows is a way of losing. That is one of the things OP is actually showing, you know? We're humas. Oda knows. We can't be on our own and survive. So yeah... it's a pretty philosophical series after all, jit just shows it through actions but there are learnings to make.
@@Silverdevilruga You're right. Oden was the son of the Shogun but he never wanted to be treated as such. He always treated everyone equally even if he was basically a "prince" and the next person to rule Wano. And he was also a good leader in the same way Luffy is. They both motivate people with their charisma and speeches. Oden turning Kuri into a peaceful paradise for the citizens is the best example of this, he beat every bandit there in a single night, rounded them up, and turned the region into a place for the citizens while also giving the bandits Redemption and make them follow him, showing Oden's charisma. Orochi and Kaido knew this and that's why they blackmailed Oden with the hostages and citizens so that Oden makes a fool out of himself so that the people of Wano lose their trust in Oden. Oden knew that but didn't care since it didn't matter to him as long as he saves every innocent person involved in the situation. And the funny is that even with Oden having lost most of his supporters throughout the 5 years of humiliation, he and the Scabbards alone were still about to win against Kaido and the Beast Pirates. Oden was that much of a beast. Too bad that the Kurozumi witch had to ruin everything.
You mentioned the parallel between Oden and Zoro, taking on all the pain and suffering to protect those they cared about and didn't tell them anything. However, I see this as a broader theme of One Piece, because so many of the straw hats, not just Zoro, have done this. Examples: Nami suffering alone for 10 years to buy back her village, and telling no one there about it. Again, with Franky protecting the city of Water 7 while pretending not to, which was highlighted when he joined the crew. Yet again with Robin, when she left the crew and sacrificed herself without saying anything to protect her newfound friends. Given these numerous parallels, I don't know if I can believe this ties to Zoro specifically.
This is true, but there are direct connections between Zoro and Oden. If you believe that swords represent inherited will, then Zoro should play some part in completing Oden's story. Zoro has the connections with Oden, Hiyori, Yasue, and potentially with the Shimotsuki. He most likely has a part in it all
@@moses1837 Oh I'm not implying there aren't many connections regarding Zoro's role in Wano, on the contrary. It was heavily foreshadowed to be a very important arc for Zoro for a long time, and given how much focus Zoro ALONE has had this arc, as well as his connections with the people of Wano, it seems highly likely to be the case. But this particular connection is not unique to Zoro is all I'm saying, and Oda certainly has it in him to make the parallel wider than just him, and I think the story would be better for it.
Oden is more Luffy than Zoro if we're being honest. People only do the Oden = Zoro thing because they're cool swordsman. The fact is they have very little in common
And yet again, you're slicing this story wide open and pointing out things I never realized, yet make so much sense as what was going on beneath the surface to make it so interesting. It's crazy how, the way Wano viewed Oden while he was dancing also seems to parallel how Wano viewed itself as a nation at the time - not understanding at all what was going on under the surface and thinking that because it appeared one way, that was all that was going on. It's also impressive how well Oda committed to giving the readers the same experience as the people of Wano in how they viewed him - some of my own friends decided they no longer liked Oden after first seeing him dance. I feel like the implications of Oden's character will go on for the rest of the story, not just Wano as an arc, just as his backstory did. When Luffy becomes Pirate King, I think that in truth he'll be a hero who saved the world from the oppression of the marines or the chaos that would occur if Blackbeard was King, but the world won't know it. And Luffy won't care that they don't. Okay wow the Zoro-Oden parallels never even occurred to me. That actually excites me for what will happen in the rest of the arc. I always expected Wano to do a lot with Zoro's character since it'd be filled with swordsmen, but so far that hasn't felt like it was the case, and there hasn't been a major swordsman opponent for him set up. But if the story gives a payoff with Zoro's character using this idea, that's even better than if he just got a sword duel for him. Great analysis as usual, glad to have you back!
Oden lived up to the hype, in fact his character arc exceeded most of our expectations & that's all that really matters. His story is phenomenal & easily one of Oda's masterpiece's. I can't forget a character like him.
Oden exceeded the hype for me, even though I was saying from the start that Oden is probably stronger than Kaido and lost due to trickery. I straight up cried during the flashback and during Oden's death. Oden was such a tragic character. A man who tried to carry the burden of a Wano even though Wano was always willing to share that burden with him. He chose to put his trust into Orochi and Kaido's hands not because he necessarily fully trusted them, but because in his eyes that was always the only option. He never put down that burden in spite of future consequences and even in the last moments of his life he chose to carry that burden. Oden wasn't perfect and could have dealt with Kaido if he was a little pragmatic. But, those flaws are also what made Oden one of the greatest characters in the series in my opinion. He entrusted his dream to his Scabbards and the people of Wano, knowing that one day it'll be achieved.
Oden failed to assume responsibility, clearly his greatest failure of all. Had he taken 3 days to see what was happening in Wano before taking off with Rodger, Wano would have been in very different conditions when Kaido showed up. I can't see any way around this. I can't like him despite the build up to him. He never regretted his decisions, thus discarding a potential "redemption" up until his death (After having believed in Orochi after having been LIED severely at least twice). Oden was naive and foolish with no one to stop him when he was clearly in the wrong. I'd go so far as to say he is one of the worst important characters Oda has presented in One Piece for this very reason.
@@waybogus What a horrible take. Oden always took responsibility, even for things he wasn't at fault for. The Mountain God Incident is the best example of this.Kinemon stole the Mountain God's child which caused the Mountain God to destroy half of the town, then Oden came, took it down without killing it, and took the blame even though it was Kinemon's fault. Oden had no time to deal with what was happening in Wano. Roger already told Oden that he has to make the time he had left count. Roger was sick and Oden couldn't just take a 3 day break before arriving to the last island. Also, Orochi and Kaido were already there at that point and had hundreds of hostages and threatened the lives of them and the citizens. You think Oden and the Roger Pirates starting a conflict of against the Kaido, Beast Pirates, and Orochi would've been a good idea? Thousands of innocent people would have died. Whitebeard didn't avenge Oden because he was afraid of all casualties that would happen if he started a war against Kaido and the Beast Pirates. And mind you, Oden wanted to stay in Wano with Toki and his family once he learned that Toki was sick and Toki had to threaten Oden with divorce if he stopped the journey before arriving to the last island. Oden never regretted his decisions? What did you read? He regretted being away from Wano and not being there when his father died. And what do you mean "Redemption", Oden was a good person, he needed no Redemption and he sacrificed himself for all those hostages, his retainers, and the citizens of Wano. Oden had no choice but to trust Orochi with the deal. Either he believes in the 1% chance that this could end with nobody dying, or he starts a war and countless of innocent people die. How are you gonna blame Oden for choosing the option where he saves all the innocent people and lets nobody die? Going by your logic, Whitebeard is one of the worst important characters as well since he was aware that Oden got killed and that Wano is ruled by Orochi and Kaido, yet didn't do anything about it. Your take was really bad and it shows that you didn't understand Oden's character at all. He's literally the best flashback character with Corazon and generally the best Post Timeskip Character. He's one of the few S Tier Characters and I could write an entire paragraph as to why.
In your Wano Country analysis, you mentioned the theme of leaders, which I totally agree on. I find Oden to be a positively regarded leader, but not a perfect one. His greatest flaw was his inability to rely on his subordinates echoing Luffy's character arc throughout the Grandline. In the two page spread of him carrying the red scabbards one of the characters explicitly say that a leader is someone that should supported by their followers and not the other way around. Now, compare that to Roger, Whitebeard, and even Kaido. Each of them knew the value of support: Roger begging for Oden, Whitebeard relying the division commanders during the war, and Kaido even mentioning how important it is to have soldiers.
About Zoro's future role in Wano; Zoro has been the Strawhat seen interacting with Wano's citizens, especially Yasuie. Zoro usually is not the guy who gets involved with the suffering of others and encourages action on other's behalf. But this time seems different. I don't think Zoro will be squaring off against Kaido, but he might be compelled to lash out against Orochi sooner or later.
@@GH-iz6bc He already did, after Yasuie's execution he went balistic and attacked Orochi but was blocked by Kyoshiro. But oh boy is he waiting for a second chance.
I will say the same here that I have said elsewhere. I DREADED going into this flashback. I mean honestly, the people we keep meeting in the New World just wont shut up about him. Oden. Oden. Oden. It's all I keep hearing. And then after a cheeky cliffhanger from Oda regarding what happened to the plan to take on Orochi, we get flipped into the very flashback about Oden. Oh no. Oh, no no no no. Not this. Please no. Why Oden? I don't caaare! .... *sigh* Well, there's very little I can do moaning about it. Let's just read on. What I got, was an absolute delight of an experience. I have thoroughly enjoyed witnessing Oden's worldwide adventures. Becoming a brother to Whitebeard (Did NOT expect that), having the future Pirate King bow to him and beg for his assistance. Just who IS this man?! "Larger than life" just doesn't quite cut it, he truly is a DON incarnate. I've grown to love Oden. I truly enjoyed his story more-so that most other characters in One Piece. And yet, I knew that day was still to come. He had the Corazon-effect. Someone that we knew was not with us anymore in the present day and was doomed before we even met them. But Oda didn't just go ahead and kill my boy, he tortured him. Pulled away at his mind and his body until there was nothing left. Nothing, except his Will.
Thats an interesting perspective, dreading to see the flashback after everyone keeps on talking about him I was the opposite in that regard, what about him makes people keep on talking about him? Well it was clear to see now its because of how larger than life he was and everything he has experienced and went through. It was really nice build up to someone who was every bit the person everyone said he was.
Oden being "misunderstood" is an understatement as huge as his life story! I swear, since we love talking about parallels so much, the ridiculously clueless townspeople in-universe are parallels to half the readers of this story sometimes.
Oden was a massive disappointment. He disregarded his responsibilities for adventures and paid the ultimate price for it. He is the best example of "This could have been avoided" that I have ever seen and probably will ever see.
@@iamnotinvolved1309 No y'all just on the wrong side of the One Piece community 💀💀💀i swear there are many more people just like Morj or even better if yiu know how to look
Characters with no character arc actually create a character arc for those around them Oden and Luffy are like that. They are always the same person but change the perspective of those who surround them That is their arc
Yeah it's called the Flat Character Arc. Very unique style of character arc. Just goes to show that not every character needs the typical Positive Change Arc to be a good character.
@@heyarnold7256 I'm surprised at the amount of people that don't know about Flat Character Arcs. Either they're too used to the usual positive and negative change or they didn't pay much attention in reading classes.
Please do more chapter review. I find the quality u put in your videos so much better than most TH-camr and you give so much insight and better perspective.
This is why Luffy "doesn't have any character development". He does, obviously, but Luffy is steadfast in his ways. At the very beginning of the series Luffy tells Koby that he's pathetic because he's too afraid to fight for his freedom from Alvida. In this arc Luffy is telling the prisoners of Udon that they aren't the Samurai they're supposed to be, that they should be willing to die for their freedom. Oden has never changed and neither will Luffy. Edit: At the beginning of the series Luffy gave Koby the courage to fight for his freedom from Alvida. Now Luffy is giving a nation the courage to fight for their freedom from Kaido and Orochi
Luffy has has had plenty of development in my opinion. He's one of the most emotionally intelligent characters in the series and most of his development as a character is driven by this.
I think at this point, they just want an MC to change just for the sake of change cos it's similar to 'development'. No regards for how it'll fit the character, the story or just the flaws of a character that actually what makes him the character that he is.
Great Analysis as always Mr. Morj. I for one never saw Oden’s trait of disregarding people’s perception of him as long as he knew he was doing the right thing. It is indeed a theme that is persistent throughout the series and Oda executed it well by also managing to manipulate the reader’s perception. This is why a lot of fans who look at the surface level hate Oden, a character who in my opinion deserves all the love and respect afforded to the likes of Hiluluk, Calgara, Mont Blanc etc. Also, a lot of the people who hate Oden keep saying that he was stupid for believing Orochi and that his actions caused an even greater downfall for Wano. He was certainly stupid, but wasn’t all the other past heroes the same? This argument stems from the fact that people are analyzing Oden in hindsight after knowing how much Wano has suffered. Oden at that time never knew what the state of Wano would be like in the future and he never knew if he would even win against Kaido. All he ever knew was the moment he made the choice to either fight and cost the lives of many, or suffer in silence, save hundreds and keep the peace. THAT’S ALL HE KNEW. And knowing Oden of course he would make the choice of saving lives. He only acted after five years when he realized that after Orochi’s actions against Hyogoro, the situation could no longer stand. He knew it was a risk to go up against Kaido and that there was no guarantee of him winning, but it was already at a point where he NEEDED to take the risk. Again great Analysis and thanks for taking a break from your hiatus to give an insight into this great character. I hope a lot of people view this and change their perception of him.
So the difference between Oden and Luffy is that Oden wants to protect everyone on his own, and Luffy needs help from his friends. When you said it seems so obvious, but it never crossed my mind.
The best part about this is that Luffy actually _was_ just like Oden. He constantly told himself that he needed to be the strongest out of all of them to keep them safe. But then Marineford happened, and that’s when Luffy realized his sort of “mistake”.
@@MrSkme Luffy would've been never able take down Orochi as long as Kaido was there and as long as the man with the barrier fruit was protecting Orochi. Oden may be naive but he wasn't stupid enough to still attack Orochi after Orochi showed him the hostages and threatened the citizens. If Luffy still attacked Orochi no matter what, thousands of innocent people would have died because of Luffy's selfish wish to bring Orochi down.
I think why Oden decided to prolong the dance is that he wanted to get closer to the 20 year prophecy since he couldn't do anything else that didn't involve so many casualties
Great analysis. While it seems honorable to try and do everything by yourself and not caring what others think of you and suffer for the sake of others, it can be detrimental because closing yourself to your loved ones is rarely a good thing and can leads to misunderstandings. It can also be seen as selfish or arrogant because you don't care about their feelings or perspective on the matter and are rejecting their help.
Brilliant as always morj. You, ohara and tekking are my favorite one piece tubers. The pot metaphor never hit me until you mentioned it. You REALLY understand odas writing. The oden flashback is Oda at his absolute best. The subtlety is mind-blowing.
13:32 Mr Morj: "it didn't really move me to tears from seeing a character i loved die" Me: having tears in my eyes the entire video lol................
Maybe Oden is Wano and Oda is telling us that you need friends in order to win/achieve your goal and Wano needs to open its borders in order to be freed.
I think the purpose of this flashback is to show Oden and Luffy are similar in nature but there’s a fundamental difference that separates them. Luffy knows he can’t do things alone and inspires others to fight for their own cause while Oden has always been willing to bear the burdens of others. Oden refuses the help of Whitebeard, Roger, and even the samurai of Wano. Oden will simply fight for you, while Luffy will fight with you.
Ya luffy will take all the help he got.. the strawhats, the supernovas, the 9 scabbards, the straw hat grand fleet and the samurais of wano..even the remaining whitebeard pirates may be unlike oden. it will be epic.
Whitebeard never offered Oden help though. And he refused the help of his retainers at first when he came back to Wano because he was afraid for their lives. Kinemon told Oden how they stood up to the Beast Pirates but how Momonosuke was attacked and how Toki had to protect him and got injured in the process. That caused Oden to not ask them for help at first nor tell them about the hostage situation. You're right that ultimately Oden always took the burden upon himself but I feel like if it wasn't for Kinemon telling Oden how they and Oden's family were attacked, Oden wouldn't have taken all the burden upon himself. Or maybe I'm wrong but it feels as if Toki getting injured is the main trigger for Oden not asking his retainers for help cause he feared that they would get injured like Toki or even die. The retainers are like Oden's family so the reaction Oden had was completely fair, yet many readers called him stupid for not asking them for help even though he was afraid for their lives and knew that a conflict would only cause casualties.
I understand Oden's naïveté as a mirror of his way to live: he doesn't care about his own reputation, and he doesn't care about other people's reputations. It's 2 sides of the same coin, Oda can't portray one positively and one negatively
Im always amazed at how good you are at putting your thoughts into words. For the past few weeks, I saw so many fans complaining about Oden character and it didnt make sense to me. Unconsciously, I had already thought about many things you mentioned, but I could never argue my point online because I didnt know how to explain it.
Excellent analysis of a misunderstood character and some of Oda's most uniquely opaque storytelling! On the subject of characters who die due to noble flaws, I would add that Oda is showing what the world does to these great individuals who have high ideals. Showing why this age in the world of One Piece needs to bring about a great change and why we as readers need to do better in our own world.
I honestly grew to love Oden as a character, he's not in my top of favorite characters or anything but he is pretty great. Those noble flaws he has realy make him for me. Also awesome video as always Morj!! You're really able to make me appreciated this series even more than I already do with your analysis.
Mr.Morj is right about Oden and Zoro potentially having connections. I was rereading the manga and realized that Zoro was first introduced through his reputation as a famous pirate hunter. We were lead to believe he was dangerous and even a criminal but we learn through that first arc that he is not that. He is a kind and caring person with him protecting the young girl that fed him. And I think this even circles back to what you said about the theme of reputation in One Piece.
FAM So in that moment where Oda took the information of why Oden did what he did... We were either in 2 camps.. The Scabbards..whom stayed loyal to Oden like some ride or dies.. Or the villagers, whom understandably do not know what's going on with this dude.. Oda truly put ME at least in the story real deep like so i'm really satisfied with the flashback. Thank you for the work m8.
It's refreshing to hear some actual discussion from Mr. Morj. A lot of the OP twitter community is toxic af and filled to the brim with dumbos/trolls. Need to get that filthy taste out of my mouth. *spits*
You don’t upload videos so often, but when you do they are so perfectly crafted that they are worth the wait. I absolutely love your videos man. Keep them coming!
After months of Morj teasing us with hints at a video on the Wano report it's finally here. It must be a blue moon tonight or some type of eclipse set to happen.
low tier OP fans: "Oden sucks! He's stupid and makes no sense! Terrible character!" Mr Morj an actual Top Tier: "Hold my Hiatus. I'm bout to explain this Man's whole career."
Oda is GOAT!!! Also I think part of the reason people misunderstood Oden is his wasn't connected cause we all had to wait each week for a chapter which had parts of Oden's story so if people re read the chapters together one immediately after the other will see it probably flows and connects together better.
Great work, Morj. You catch so much detail and nuance than I ever do. I look forward to rewatching this whenever I just want to sit back and think about how great One Piece is; like I do with all your videos. Welcome back.
Amazing analysis i think it's very important to reread the arcs once they're finished in order to capture the essence of it. Love your work. Greetings from Argentina!
I just caught up with OP (again, bc I first read it in like 2015 I think, but fell around the beginning of Whole Cake) and I love your channel so guess who's gonna binge watch everything I haven't watched ;D that's right, this gal right here
Great video dude, it really shed some light on the flashback for me. This stuff would probably take me multiple re-reads in a row to catch, and i'm only reading them from a week to week basis, so its easy for me to miss these things.
I could see the element of Oden, "his reputation and he as a person aren't the same, could be a running theme in the arc." We've seen hints of this in Kaido, with his characterization coming as a surprise to readers the more we learn of him, and I think this could end up being the case with him as well. With our perception of Kaido continuing to be obfuscated until the end. This is also likely to be the case with Kyoshiro. Many speculate he's actually Denjiro, and is actually working undercover to support Wano, which if the case would mirror Oden's steadfast desire to benefit Wano while taking all the burden unto himself. Considering how much Denjiro idolized Oden, i could see him emulating him flaws included in this way. There's also the matter of the traitor, someone who could be taking the inverse, letting their good reputation shield them from harm to their own selfish benefit. Or even to an extreme extent, maybe even Orochi himself. While I think it's a bit unlikely, it could always be that Orochi, along with the Oniwabanshu (or just the Oniwabanshu themselves). It's possible they've positioned themselves the villains to Wano so as to inevitably motivate the country to save itself. Shinobu intentionally allowed to "defect," so as to allow the public to know of Oden and Orochi's true nature. They could be taking the burden of being a villain to be defeated, so as to invite a hero to save everyone else.
Rather than just naivety it's more like Oden prefers to take a chance regardless of the unfavourable odds, kinda like how Sanji always gives women a chance. Similarly, after discovering the lost truth, on his return to Wano his new priority is ensuring the borders open at the right time and not too early (hence why his pirate bros couldn't help his cause at that time). To open the borders he doesn't need to be shogun, only to welcome Joyboy & change the citizens so they'll be open to recieving him. So as long as his dream (Wano's forgot mission) is inherited he's accomplished the goal. Even with this mentality he tried to protect the citizen whilst atoning for his clan's failings regarding the overzealous persecution. But after this was unsuccessful, he goes to ambush Kaido with his retainers whilst preparing a backup based on 'his conclusion' regarding his journey, entrust it to Toki. Knowing failure meant death but death wouldn't be the end.
This was such a great analysis! Made understand and respect Oden so much more. I had the basic idea of Odens character but some of his actions were kinda confusing.. This explained it very nicely. And its great you mentioned how he is flawed because obviously his choice to dance for 5 years wasn't the best but it still saved lives. But there is one thing related to Oden that I didn't fully understand. Its about his 9 scabbards and their loyalty. Throughout this whole flashback Oden seemed like a guy who only did what he felt like. He left his samurai to selfishly join Whitebeard and have a great adventure while back in Wano Orochi was taking over.. when he returned he turned his back on them literally and went back to adventure while Wano was clearly suffering. When he finally came back he ended up dancing for 5 years and doing nothing about Wanos condition (from the prespective of the scabbards).. Why then were they so loyal to him? The way they described Oden before the flashback made him seem like this amazing man. And sure he is amazing and I understand his character more now but some of his actions were very selfish and not so amazing.
And let's not forget, even til the moment he was about to get in the pot, Oden told Kaido and Orochi to give him 1 last chance because "I must stay alive no matter what", but when he finally realizes just how impossible that is, how there's no way he won't be killed, he gives in and bestows his dream upon his followers. Luffy since New World started has also been trying to learn not to take all the pain upon himself, in Fishman Island with him trying to battle the Noah all alone, in Punk Hazard and Dressrosa where he allied with Law and put trust in his crewmates to clear up the way for him to take down Doflamingo, etc. and I think that will culminate in Wano with Oden's backstory serving as a way to view Luffy before we head to the finale of Wano and (as you mentioned in the Wano analysis video) see our captain a fully realized leader, a conqueror to stand above the other conquerors. Oda said after Wano, the end of One Piece will be in sight. And before we head to the crew's last voyage(s), Luffy will be realized and ready for everything.
Morj, what do you think about the theory that Kaido witnessing Odens death contributed to his desire to die, that he finds death appealing because he saw Oden pull it off with splendor? And remember his words about whitebeard managing to die, maybe he meant that whitebeard also managed to die in this "magnificent" style, and that is what Kaido is perhaps trying to emulate in his own way?
Your posts are always worth the wait. I really appreciate the work you put in to your analyses. I teach rhetoric and pop culture at a university and would totally use your videos if I were ever able to teach a special topics course on OP (though it’d be tough for one semester)
Don't forget Franky. Franky literally took in hooligans and helped organize them so they had a community and family. It could be better stated, but Franky's position of being a do-gooder was like it because he also didn't care to be seen as a good guy, but that's arguably because he was helping "bad" guys.
Mr morj back again with brilliant analysis video. I think oden back story was amazing, oda foreshadowing for the end game of wano and end game for one piece also
Hey everyone, had to take a break from hiatus to talk about Oden! Will probably be a bit before I go back to more frequent uploads, but hope you all can enjoy this vid for the moment at least
Take your time man, these vids are a treat no matter when the come out. Goda bless
Whenever I hear Burnin’ For You by Blue Oyster Cult I’ll think of dat boi Oden and smoke a bowl of remembrance and respect
Looking forward to many more vids! I think it's great that we've heard from you in the Wano Report so frequently. It's been awesome.
Oden and spandine look so similar
You rock, man, glad to see a new video here. Take your time and do your thing, you’re doing it right. Cheers!
Also, Oden's great flaw is Nami's great flaw. She refused Luffy's help and the protected her village all by herself until Arlong betrayed her and the villagers decided they had to fight for themselves. Then finally Nami asked for help. Oden's flaw is that he took everything upon himself and Wano's flaw is that they let him, and they let their spirit get crushed. They should have protected him the same way he did them. Now Momo who has Oden's will has asked Luffy for his help. Oden and Nami actually parallel each other really well. She made a deal with the person who took control of her home to protect her people. Oden danced for 5 years, Nami raised 100 million berries, but Arlong never truly intended to honor their agreement, he sent that marine to collect her money. Orochi never planned on honoring his agreement with Oden, Kaido just new he couldn't beat Oden right then. Nami became an Arlong pirate and became hated by her people for her betrayal, and Oden became a fool and hated by his people for disappointing them and betraying their faith in him. And then Luffy came along and defeated the evil oppressing her freedom. Oden knew he needed to open the borders for 20 years into the future. But he died. But now Luffy is their to defeat the evil oppressing Oden's people's freedom and open their borders himself
The thing is, Nami had no chance, she was weak and had no strong friends to trust in. Oden, on the other hand, was capable of defeating Kaido and had his own ninjas and samurais following him. It's easy to sympathize with Nami's self-deception, but Oden is just stupid, and Oda is attempting to portray stupidity as noble.
@@federicoarmada8775 that still doesnt mean Oden had things on the line. Orochi had hostages and if Oden harmed him he would have killed the hostages. Other hand Nami did have a choice to tell the reason why she joined Arlong but didnt because she knew they would have fought back and helped her and would of gotten killed.
@@federicoarmada8775 It's not about making stupidity seem noble. It's about sticking to your convictions because it's those that can make a change or inspire others. Oda never has made it a point to clearly state these "stupid" decisions as the right thing he still leaves it for the reader to decide. Tbh he's called out these flaws in the characters multiple times Oden, Otohime, Fisher Tiger, Nami, Vivi, even Luffy etc. but the point of the matter is they stick to those ideals they believe in unwaveringly because it's who they are as individuals and for some they wouldn't be who they are if they didn't.
Federico Armada We don’t know if they would have won, they had a much better chance before the five years but they still could have lost and now you have half of wano dead
Micah Twombley “Kaido just knew he couldn’t beat Oden right then.” Umm no, Oden took the liability of risking a battle even though he wasn’t sure he could actually defeat Kaido, but also claimed that wouldn’t be a better chance as he had reached his limit whereas, Kaido hadn’t. Not to mention, Kaido was confident he could, he expressed the notion it be more difficult to beat Oden with the few numbers they had....
In a way, by not relying on his scabards and not caring if people really understand him, him closing himself might be a parallel to wano being closed off to the rest of the world. And as himself needed outside support to succed, so does wano to survive and prosper.
Goda.
Amazing point.
bem observado
Ironically, for someone who long for freedom, he shut other people out of his life.
Oden did anything, Luffy would never do. In his own words, Luffy doesn't want to be a hero. His motto is, i will not fight for you, but with you. Oden on the other hand, tried to solve all the problems in the world on his own. He makes a great hero ... but not a good leader.
I hope Oda will shine a light on this difference between them.
I don't think he doesn't make a good leader though.
Just, Luffy is a better leader *because* he trusts her friends with his problems.
While Oden didn't.
I would think Luffy would also protect others not caring if they knew or not, but the difference is he wants to choose when, how and for whom he fights, yet Oden wanted to protect everyone just because he was like that, altruisic, a hero who could chare his food with others in Luffy's terms xD
That was his best trait and the one which "killed" him :c
@@sakura5sango6 I firmly disagree, Oden's biggest flaw is only because he stood to his ideals. He was a lone wolf, it's not like he didn't accept the help he just felt that he could take the burden himself. He agreed like Nami vs Arlong with Orochi that if he did this no one would die and at the beginning of the flashback it was shown that he doesn't care about his reputation only that people are safe and peaceful.
Also, people seem to forget that his own Father the Shogunate disavowed his name due to him being a drunken disgrace to the Kozuki name, Did that bother Oden? Nope, he kept doing his own thing even when he got Kin'emon and the rest of the Samurai. He even hated being admired by them...remember that? Also, if he was not "A Good Leader" why would he even take all of his "Retainers" and get them Education, Training, and even give them Power within his own Daimyo? He just didn't want them to be Subordinates...like Luffy, he wanted them as Friends and Equal to him. It's just they wanted to put him on the pedestal above them which he hated!
Lastly, the whole situation with Orochi and Kaido is completely out of context...IMO Oden kept to the full base of his character...he saw that Orochi would harm more people of Wano, He is the Shogunate now and Orochi can't be dethroned due to how the country is being run. He decided to take the burden himself...if he even TOLD his scabbard they would be in disgrace like him...they can't do anything to Orochi since he is Shogun and also Oden committed Treason! He left the shores of Wano when he wasn't supposed to...and left his children with Toki there to follow Roger to Laugh Tale...he ignored his Retainer's words about staying and fixing Wano to go on one final Journey to find out the truth about his Ancestors Poneglyphs and what do they mean...He found out the truth but that the cost of Wano. He took the burden of making a fool of himself and be set in disgrace. He still set out to see if Orochi kept his word and left the country in peace but only found out that It was for naught.
The Battle against Kaido and the Beast Pirates shows that if Oden did fight them Kaido would've lost...his men would be destroyed and Kaido would be probably dead...Go back to that last exchange between Kaido and Oden...if it wasn't for Orochi's Cousin changing into Momosuke I guarantee that Kaido would be Dead or very well close to death because his face after that was almost horror that He was close to death knowing how much power Oden was about to dish upon him and that was AFTER he got sliced by Oden...
I disagree that Oden is a horrible Leader or not a good leader he just kept to his own character it was just situations that I presented that he made bad errors but he still was a good leader. He didn't know how bad the situation was and left it to his Retainers to handle it since they are powerful enough to do something about it. The problem was Kin'emon and the rest of them just didn't do what Oden would've and took on Orochi and got Toki and his Family out of Wano first to find Oden or find Whitebeard so she is protected. Highly doubt that Kaido would try to go after Whitebeard for 1 woman and 2 Kids...Whitebeard would protect them easily if it's for Oden and we know that if anything happened to them under Whitebeard's care and Edward didn't do anything to protect them Oden would massacre the Whitebeard Pirates with no hesitation. (But that is speculation).
@@Silverdevilruga Nami didn't win... and so he did.
Being alone is the exact point Luffy knows is a way of losing.
That is one of the things OP is actually showing, you know? We're humas. Oda knows. We can't be on our own and survive. So yeah... it's a pretty philosophical series after all, jit just shows it through actions but there are learnings to make.
@@Silverdevilruga You're right. Oden was the son of the Shogun but he never wanted to be treated as such. He always treated everyone equally even if he was basically a "prince" and the next person to rule Wano. And he was also a good leader in the same way Luffy is. They both motivate people with their charisma and speeches. Oden turning Kuri into a peaceful paradise for the citizens is the best example of this, he beat every bandit there in a single night, rounded them up, and turned the region into a place for the citizens while also giving the bandits Redemption and make them follow him, showing Oden's charisma. Orochi and Kaido knew this and that's why they blackmailed Oden with the hostages and citizens so that Oden makes a fool out of himself so that the people of Wano lose their trust in Oden. Oden knew that but didn't care since it didn't matter to him as long as he saves every innocent person involved in the situation. And the funny is that even with Oden having lost most of his supporters throughout the 5 years of humiliation, he and the Scabbards alone were still about to win against Kaido and the Beast Pirates. Oden was that much of a beast. Too bad that the Kurozumi witch had to ruin everything.
You mentioned the parallel between Oden and Zoro, taking on all the pain and suffering to protect those they cared about and didn't tell them anything. However, I see this as a broader theme of One Piece, because so many of the straw hats, not just Zoro, have done this. Examples: Nami suffering alone for 10 years to buy back her village, and telling no one there about it. Again, with Franky protecting the city of Water 7 while pretending not to, which was highlighted when he joined the crew. Yet again with Robin, when she left the crew and sacrificed herself without saying anything to protect her newfound friends.
Given these numerous parallels, I don't know if I can believe this ties to Zoro specifically.
I want a scene of all the SHs protecting Luffy
This is true, but there are direct connections between Zoro and Oden. If you believe that swords represent inherited will, then Zoro should play some part in completing Oden's story. Zoro has the connections with Oden, Hiyori, Yasue, and potentially with the Shimotsuki. He most likely has a part in it all
@@moses1837 Oh I'm not implying there aren't many connections regarding Zoro's role in Wano, on the contrary. It was heavily foreshadowed to be a very important arc for Zoro for a long time, and given how much focus Zoro ALONE has had this arc, as well as his connections with the people of Wano, it seems highly likely to be the case. But this particular connection is not unique to Zoro is all I'm saying, and Oda certainly has it in him to make the parallel wider than just him, and I think the story would be better for it.
Craftdwarf made a incrdible video about this called "the limit of selfleness"
Oden is more Luffy than Zoro if we're being honest. People only do the Oden = Zoro thing because they're cool swordsman. The fact is they have very little in common
And yet again, you're slicing this story wide open and pointing out things I never realized, yet make so much sense as what was going on beneath the surface to make it so interesting.
It's crazy how, the way Wano viewed Oden while he was dancing also seems to parallel how Wano viewed itself as a nation at the time - not understanding at all what was going on under the surface and thinking that because it appeared one way, that was all that was going on.
It's also impressive how well Oda committed to giving the readers the same experience as the people of Wano in how they viewed him - some of my own friends decided they no longer liked Oden after first seeing him dance.
I feel like the implications of Oden's character will go on for the rest of the story, not just Wano as an arc, just as his backstory did. When Luffy becomes Pirate King, I think that in truth he'll be a hero who saved the world from the oppression of the marines or the chaos that would occur if Blackbeard was King, but the world won't know it. And Luffy won't care that they don't.
Okay wow the Zoro-Oden parallels never even occurred to me. That actually excites me for what will happen in the rest of the arc. I always expected Wano to do a lot with Zoro's character since it'd be filled with swordsmen, but so far that hasn't felt like it was the case, and there hasn't been a major swordsman opponent for him set up. But if the story gives a payoff with Zoro's character using this idea, that's even better than if he just got a sword duel for him.
Great analysis as usual, glad to have you back!
No, Oden sucks 🙂
@@winchester9840 i swear to god winch
Winchester 😈
yeah I'm not reading that lmao
Oden lived up to the hype, in fact his character arc exceeded most of our expectations & that's all that really matters. His story is phenomenal & easily one of Oda's masterpiece's. I can't forget a character like him.
Oden exceeded the hype for me, even though I was saying from the start that Oden is probably stronger than Kaido and lost due to trickery. I straight up cried during the flashback and during Oden's death. Oden was such a tragic character. A man who tried to carry the burden of a Wano even though Wano was always willing to share that burden with him. He chose to put his trust into Orochi and Kaido's hands not because he necessarily fully trusted them, but because in his eyes that was always the only option. He never put down that burden in spite of future consequences and even in the last moments of his life he chose to carry that burden. Oden wasn't perfect and could have dealt with Kaido if he was a little pragmatic. But, those flaws are also what made Oden one of the greatest characters in the series in my opinion. He entrusted his dream to his Scabbards and the people of Wano, knowing that one day it'll be achieved.
@@victorpetrescu6586 can't wait to see the anime part , with sad music and legittt cry
Oden failed to assume responsibility, clearly his greatest failure of all. Had he taken 3 days to see what was happening in Wano before taking off with Rodger, Wano would have been in very different conditions when Kaido showed up. I can't see any way around this. I can't like him despite the build up to him. He never regretted his decisions, thus discarding a potential "redemption" up until his death (After having believed in Orochi after having been LIED severely at least twice).
Oden was naive and foolish with no one to stop him when he was clearly in the wrong. I'd go so far as to say he is one of the worst important characters Oda has presented in One Piece for this very reason.
Ironic how he ended up protecting the scabbards
@@waybogus What a horrible take. Oden always took responsibility, even for things he wasn't at fault for. The Mountain God Incident is the best example of this.Kinemon stole the Mountain God's child which caused the Mountain God to destroy half of the town, then Oden came, took it down without killing it, and took the blame even though it was Kinemon's fault. Oden had no time to deal with what was happening in Wano. Roger already told Oden that he has to make the time he had left count. Roger was sick and Oden couldn't just take a 3 day break before arriving to the last island. Also, Orochi and Kaido were already there at that point and had hundreds of hostages and threatened the lives of them and the citizens. You think Oden and the Roger Pirates starting a conflict of against the Kaido, Beast Pirates, and Orochi would've been a good idea? Thousands of innocent people would have died. Whitebeard didn't avenge Oden because he was afraid of all casualties that would happen if he started a war against Kaido and the Beast Pirates. And mind you, Oden wanted to stay in Wano with Toki and his family once he learned that Toki was sick and Toki had to threaten Oden with divorce if he stopped the journey before arriving to the last island.
Oden never regretted his decisions? What did you read? He regretted being away from Wano and not being there when his father died. And what do you mean "Redemption", Oden was a good person, he needed no Redemption and he sacrificed himself for all those hostages, his retainers, and the citizens of Wano.
Oden had no choice but to trust Orochi with the deal. Either he believes in the 1% chance that this could end with nobody dying, or he starts a war and countless of innocent people die. How are you gonna blame Oden for choosing the option where he saves all the innocent people and lets nobody die? Going by your logic, Whitebeard is one of the worst important characters as well since he was aware that Oden got killed and that Wano is ruled by Orochi and Kaido, yet didn't do anything about it.
Your take was really bad and it shows that you didn't understand Oden's character at all. He's literally the best flashback character with Corazon and generally the best Post Timeskip Character. He's one of the few S Tier Characters and I could write an entire paragraph as to why.
Now that´s a surprise!
Will you make a review/analysis for this backstory?
@@kaikujo6177 I was definitely thinking about it haha!
Is this sarcasm?
In your Wano Country analysis, you mentioned the theme of leaders, which I totally agree on. I find Oden to be a positively regarded leader, but not a perfect one. His greatest flaw was his inability to rely on his subordinates echoing Luffy's character arc throughout the Grandline. In the two page spread of him carrying the red scabbards one of the characters explicitly say that a leader is someone that should supported by their followers and not the other way around. Now, compare that to Roger, Whitebeard, and even Kaido. Each of them knew the value of support: Roger begging for Oden, Whitebeard relying the division commanders during the war, and Kaido even mentioning how important it is to have soldiers.
Good take out !
> 20 minute video on Oden
I am so ready for an hour and a half Wano arc analysis, in like two or three years.
About Zoro's future role in Wano; Zoro has been the Strawhat seen interacting with Wano's citizens, especially Yasuie. Zoro usually is not the guy who gets involved with the suffering of others and encourages action on other's behalf. But this time seems different. I don't think Zoro will be squaring off against Kaido, but he might be compelled to lash out against Orochi sooner or later.
Zoro boiled in the pot against kuma, and didn’t tell anyone either.
Yeah, he will definitely go for Orochi's head.
@@GH-iz6bc He already did, after Yasuie's execution he went balistic and attacked Orochi but was blocked by Kyoshiro. But oh boy is he waiting for a second chance.
@@Portapotty98 i dont think you can compare zoro's scene to oden's
00:00:00 ⟾ Oda’s Approach to Backstories (different for Oden)
00:02:38 ⟾ Reputation, truth of actions
00:04:47 ⟾ Actions same, Perceptions vary
00:07:23 ⟾ Who Oden Is - Oden’s choice
00:09:44 ⟾ Who Oden Is - Death scene, Born to boil
00:13:26 ⟾ Oden’s story - Shown only at end
00:13:59 ⟾ CURRENT STORY IMPLICATIONS - speculation
00:14:18 ⟾ Flaws - Trusting/Naive Nature, noble flaws, prolonged nature
00:17:09 ⟾ Flaws - Rejecting Help, final words, Straw-hats dynamic
00:19:13 ⟾ Oden & Luffy - Parallels
00:19:39 ⟾ Oden & Zoro - Parallels, Thriller Bark
00:20:43 ⟾ [Promo]
I will say the same here that I have said elsewhere.
I DREADED going into this flashback. I mean honestly, the people we keep meeting in the New World just wont shut up about him. Oden. Oden. Oden. It's all I keep hearing. And then after a cheeky cliffhanger from Oda regarding what happened to the plan to take on Orochi, we get flipped into the very flashback about Oden.
Oh no. Oh, no no no no. Not this. Please no. Why Oden? I don't caaare! .... *sigh* Well, there's very little I can do moaning about it. Let's just read on.
What I got, was an absolute delight of an experience. I have thoroughly enjoyed witnessing Oden's worldwide adventures. Becoming a brother to Whitebeard (Did NOT expect that), having the future Pirate King bow to him and beg for his assistance. Just who IS this man?! "Larger than life" just doesn't quite cut it, he truly is a DON incarnate.
I've grown to love Oden. I truly enjoyed his story more-so that most other characters in One Piece. And yet, I knew that day was still to come. He had the Corazon-effect. Someone that we knew was not with us anymore in the present day and was doomed before we even met them. But Oda didn't just go ahead and kill my boy, he tortured him. Pulled away at his mind and his body until there was nothing left. Nothing, except his Will.
Thats an interesting perspective, dreading to see the flashback after everyone keeps on talking about him
I was the opposite in that regard, what about him makes people keep on talking about him? Well it was clear to see now its because of how larger than life he was and everything he has experienced and went through. It was really nice build up to someone who was every bit the person everyone said he was.
I'm a simple man, I see a morj analysis, I click like.
Seriously by far and away the best analysis content in the community
Oden being "misunderstood" is an understatement as huge as his life story! I swear, since we love talking about parallels so much, the ridiculously clueless townspeople in-universe are parallels to half the readers of this story sometimes.
Falkuzrules amen. People should watch this video and realize how premature their judgements were.
Vivek Chahal oh Yeah some do
i cant get over people claiming to be one piece fans but still are quick to judge the story way before Oda has done his work
@@prof1185 YES!!
I hate that sm too >:(
Oden was a massive disappointment. He disregarded his responsibilities for adventures and paid the ultimate price for it. He is the best example of "This could have been avoided" that I have ever seen and probably will ever see.
Mr Morj casually low diffing the OP Community with his analysis.
Not really
@@TM-NTM Really.
Fr
@@iamnotinvolved1309 No y'all just on the wrong side of the One Piece community 💀💀💀i swear there are many more people just like Morj or even better if yiu know how to look
@@realnegajpeg9935 ok name 5 people
Characters with no character arc actually create a character arc for those around them
Oden and Luffy are like that. They are always the same person but change the perspective of those who surround them
That is their arc
Theres a great video by the channel "Just Write" about characters without arcs, in case you havent seen it I super recommend it
@@MrMorj I actually have
Thanks for a very nice recommendation though, might watch it again later
Yeah it's called the Flat Character Arc. Very unique style of character arc. Just goes to show that not every character needs the typical Positive Change Arc to be a good character.
@@heyarnold7256 I'm surprised at the amount of people that don't know about Flat Character Arcs. Either they're too used to the usual positive and negative change or they didn't pay much attention in reading classes.
The flat character arc is only looked at as bad because of Goku in DBS
Mr Morj: So, that's all for this video
Me: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😭
the next video is probably when Wano ends xD
Please do more chapter review. I find the quality u put in your videos so much better than most TH-camr and you give so much insight and better perspective.
This is why Luffy "doesn't have any character development". He does, obviously, but Luffy is steadfast in his ways. At the very beginning of the series Luffy tells Koby that he's pathetic because he's too afraid to fight for his freedom from Alvida. In this arc Luffy is telling the prisoners of Udon that they aren't the Samurai they're supposed to be, that they should be willing to die for their freedom. Oden has never changed and neither will Luffy.
Edit:
At the beginning of the series Luffy gave Koby the courage to fight for his freedom from Alvida. Now Luffy is giving a nation the courage to fight for their freedom from Kaido and Orochi
Luffy has has had plenty of development in my opinion. He's one of the most emotionally intelligent characters in the series and most of his development as a character is driven by this.
Many people don't know what character development is. I gave up that fight lol. Good analysis
I think at this point, they just want an MC to change just for the sake of change cos it's similar to 'development'. No regards for how it'll fit the character, the story or just the flaws of a character that actually what makes him the character that he is.
@@CorazonLaw1 l agree. I remember someone saying that character development is overrated whilst characterization is ignored
Luffy had lots of character development throughout the story. Read the whole story again from chapter 1. This time pay attention to details
Great Analysis as always Mr. Morj.
I for one never saw Oden’s trait of disregarding people’s perception of him as long as he knew he was doing the right thing. It is indeed a theme that is persistent throughout the series and Oda executed it well by also managing to manipulate the reader’s perception. This is why a lot of fans who look at the surface level hate Oden, a character who in my opinion deserves all the love and respect afforded to the likes of Hiluluk, Calgara, Mont Blanc etc.
Also, a lot of the people who hate Oden keep saying that he was stupid for believing Orochi and that his actions caused an even greater downfall for Wano. He was certainly stupid, but wasn’t all the other past heroes the same? This argument stems from the fact that people are analyzing Oden in hindsight after knowing how much Wano has suffered. Oden at that time never knew what the state of Wano would be like in the future and he never knew if he would even win against Kaido. All he ever knew was the moment he made the choice to either fight and cost the lives of many, or suffer in silence, save hundreds and keep the peace. THAT’S ALL HE KNEW. And knowing Oden of course he would make the choice of saving lives. He only acted after five years when he realized that after Orochi’s actions against Hyogoro, the situation could no longer stand. He knew it was a risk to go up against Kaido and that there was no guarantee of him winning, but it was already at a point where he NEEDED to take the risk.
Again great Analysis and thanks for taking a break from your hiatus to give an insight into this great character. I hope a lot of people view this and change their perception of him.
Mr. Morj: "Had to take a break from hiatus......"
Togashi: "Had to take a break from reality!!!"
🤣🤷♂😂
So the difference between Oden and Luffy is that Oden wants to protect everyone on his own, and Luffy needs help from his friends.
When you said it seems so obvious, but it never crossed my mind.
The best part about this is that Luffy actually _was_ just like Oden. He constantly told himself that he needed to be the strongest out of all of them to keep them safe.
But then Marineford happened, and that’s when Luffy realized his sort of “mistake”.
Another difference is that luffy sees the lines he needs to take. He would have stopped at nothing to take down orochi.
@@MrSkme Luffy would've been never able take down Orochi as long as Kaido was there and as long as the man with the barrier fruit was protecting Orochi. Oden may be naive but he wasn't stupid enough to still attack Orochi after Orochi showed him the hostages and threatened the citizens. If Luffy still attacked Orochi no matter what, thousands of innocent people would have died because of Luffy's selfish wish to bring Orochi down.
I think why Oden decided to prolong the dance is that he wanted to get closer to the 20 year prophecy since he couldn't do anything else that didn't involve so many casualties
Great analysis. While it seems honorable to try and do everything by yourself and not caring what others think of you and suffer for the sake of others, it can be detrimental because closing yourself to your loved ones is rarely a good thing and can leads to misunderstandings. It can also be seen as selfish or arrogant because you don't care about their feelings or perspective on the matter and are rejecting their help.
The people of Wano: "What happened here?!"
Oden: "Nothing... Nothing at all!!!"
Your videos make me appreciate One Piece even more, and that is almost impossible already.
Great video this video needed to be made. I think a lot of what’s going on in Wano is still in the dark to a lot of fans.
Brilliant as always morj. You, ohara and tekking are my favorite one piece tubers. The pot metaphor never hit me until you mentioned it. You REALLY understand odas writing. The oden flashback is Oda at his absolute best. The subtlety is mind-blowing.
The ”born to boil” quote sends chills down my spine. Oda is a master at making character deaths hit hard
13:32 Mr Morj: "it didn't really move me to tears from seeing a character i loved die"
Me: having tears in my eyes the entire video lol................
Maybe Oden is Wano and Oda is telling us that you need friends in order to win/achieve your goal and Wano needs to open its borders in order to be freed.
I think the purpose of this flashback is to show Oden and Luffy are similar in nature but there’s a fundamental difference that separates them. Luffy knows he can’t do things alone and inspires others to fight for their own cause while Oden has always been willing to bear the burdens of others. Oden refuses the help of Whitebeard, Roger, and even the samurai of Wano. Oden will simply fight for you, while Luffy will fight with you.
Ya luffy will take all the help he got.. the strawhats, the supernovas, the 9 scabbards, the straw hat grand fleet and the samurais of wano..even the remaining whitebeard pirates may be unlike oden. it will be epic.
Whitebeard never offered Oden help though. And he refused the help of his retainers at first when he came back to Wano because he was afraid for their lives. Kinemon told Oden how they stood up to the Beast Pirates but how Momonosuke was attacked and how Toki had to protect him and got injured in the process. That caused Oden to not ask them for help at first nor tell them about the hostage situation. You're right that ultimately Oden always took the burden upon himself but I feel like if it wasn't for Kinemon telling Oden how they and Oden's family were attacked, Oden wouldn't have taken all the burden upon himself. Or maybe I'm wrong but it feels as if Toki getting injured is the main trigger for Oden not asking his retainers for help cause he feared that they would get injured like Toki or even die. The retainers are like Oden's family so the reaction Oden had was completely fair, yet many readers called him stupid for not asking them for help even though he was afraid for their lives and knew that a conflict would only cause casualties.
Still only like 5 mins in, but great to have you back! Gonna love this analysis, can tell already
He's back my dudes
I understand Oden's naïveté as a mirror of his way to live: he doesn't care about his own reputation, and he doesn't care about other people's reputations. It's 2 sides of the same coin, Oda can't portray one positively and one negatively
your on the same tier as tekking on how you talk about one piece. always can watch your videos without being bored
Im always amazed at how good you are at putting your thoughts into words. For the past few weeks, I saw so many fans complaining about Oden character and it didnt make sense to me. Unconsciously, I had already thought about many things you mentioned, but I could never argue my point online because I didnt know how to explain it.
VERY NECESSARY, OSO VERY NECESSARY🙌🏾🙌🏾...PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE CHARACTERS HAVE LAYERS!
Excellent analysis of a misunderstood character and some of Oda's most uniquely opaque storytelling!
On the subject of characters who die due to noble flaws, I would add that Oda is showing what the world does to these great individuals who have high ideals. Showing why this age in the world of One Piece needs to bring about a great change and why we as readers need to do better in our own world.
Oh shit! Mr. Morj and Craftsdwarf One Piece videos in the same week. My prayers have been answered 🙏
Love your content brother! Respect and appreciate the effort you put into your videos
Glad to see you back, Morj! Hope you've been well.
RETURN OF THE KING
Always love seeing your vids, something about your voice calms me
I honestly grew to love Oden as a character, he's not in my top of favorite characters or anything but he is pretty great. Those noble flaws he has realy make him for me. Also awesome video as always Morj!! You're really able to make me appreciated this series even more than I already do with your analysis.
Mr.Morj is right about Oden and Zoro potentially having connections. I was rereading the manga and realized that Zoro was first introduced through his reputation as a famous pirate hunter. We were lead to believe he was dangerous and even a criminal but we learn through that first arc that he is not that. He is a kind and caring person with him protecting the young girl that fed him. And I think this even circles back to what you said about the theme of reputation in One Piece.
Brilliant analysis as always! Good Job captain!
I really enjoy your videos all the way to the end, a very thought provoking and interesting analysis!
YESSS!!!! Welcome back your highnesses. The top one piece reviewer throne has been empty while u were away.
you are absolutly the best story analyst i have ever heard
best and fav youtuber
FAM
So in that moment where Oda took the information of why Oden did what he did...
We were either in 2 camps..
The Scabbards..whom stayed loyal to Oden like some ride or dies..
Or the villagers, whom understandably do not know what's going on with this dude..
Oda truly put ME at least in the story real deep like so i'm really satisfied with the flashback.
Thank you for the work m8.
Man one piece breaks are almost as hard to wait out as mr morj videos
Jeremie Park amen. One of the first things I do when I visit youtube is to check if Mr. Morj uploaded a new one.
Another masterclass.
It's refreshing to hear some actual discussion from Mr. Morj. A lot of the OP twitter community is toxic af and filled to the brim with dumbos/trolls. Need to get that filthy taste out of my mouth. *spits*
It’s A Real Treat seeing your Videos Mr.Moji✊🏿🤟🏿
Great video, we've missed your contribution to the community a lot.
I love you, Mr Morj.
Mr. Morj, you're breathtaking!
You don’t upload videos so often, but when you do they are so perfectly crafted that they are worth the wait. I absolutely love your videos man. Keep them coming!
After months of Morj teasing us with hints at a video on the Wano report it's finally here. It must be a blue moon tonight or some type of eclipse set to happen.
Missed u Morj
Very interesting and well explained concepts as always. Thanks Morj.
Yay long Form Mr. Morj video. 🤩
Yeyy, you're backkk!!
low tier OP fans: "Oden sucks! He's stupid and makes no sense! Terrible character!"
Mr Morj an actual Top Tier: "Hold my Hiatus. I'm bout to explain this Man's whole career."
geeze
I understand the character of Oden but I still don't like him
@@jonathannava99 Who the hell needs to understand Oden to like him?
Oda is GOAT!!! Also I think part of the reason people misunderstood Oden is his wasn't connected cause we all had to wait each week for a chapter which had parts of Oden's story so if people re read the chapters together one immediately after the other will see it probably flows and connects together better.
Great to hear your analysis of Oden Morj.
Great work, Morj. You catch so much detail and nuance than I ever do. I look forward to rewatching this whenever I just want to sit back and think about how great One Piece is; like I do with all your videos. Welcome back.
I'm glad to see you back! Welcome! Nice to see the quality of the clip as high as always!
you are the only channel I've got the bell icon on for :D
Amazing analysis i think it's very important to reread the arcs once they're finished in order to capture the essence of it. Love your work. Greetings from Argentina!
I just caught up with OP (again, bc I first read it in like 2015 I think, but fell around the beginning of Whole Cake) and I love your channel so guess who's gonna binge watch everything I haven't watched ;D that's right, this gal right here
Great video dude, it really shed some light on the flashback for me. This stuff would probably take me multiple re-reads in a row to catch, and i'm only reading them from a week to week basis, so its easy for me to miss these things.
So glad to see you back for a bit hope you come back soon with that theory video.
What a great analysis.You videos are always a treat to watch, thank you for all your work
Mr Morj is truly a literature connoisseur with the diary of a wimpy kid on the shelf. Bro got the whole series too. What a man
Say what you will about the anime but man, the soundtrack is beautiful, one of my favourite parts of your videos
JESUS MAN IVE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU EVERYWHERE THANK GOD THIS POPPED UP IN MY RECOMMENDED
Morjs visual communication probably helps with his persuasiveness. Always moving those hands. Talks really well too
mr morj upload hype!!!
I could see the element of Oden, "his reputation and he as a person aren't the same, could be a running theme in the arc." We've seen hints of this in Kaido, with his characterization coming as a surprise to readers the more we learn of him, and I think this could end up being the case with him as well. With our perception of Kaido continuing to be obfuscated until the end.
This is also likely to be the case with Kyoshiro. Many speculate he's actually Denjiro, and is actually working undercover to support Wano, which if the case would mirror Oden's steadfast desire to benefit Wano while taking all the burden unto himself. Considering how much Denjiro idolized Oden, i could see him emulating him flaws included in this way.
There's also the matter of the traitor, someone who could be taking the inverse, letting their good reputation shield them from harm to their own selfish benefit.
Or even to an extreme extent, maybe even Orochi himself. While I think it's a bit unlikely, it could always be that Orochi, along with the Oniwabanshu (or just the Oniwabanshu themselves). It's possible they've positioned themselves the villains to Wano so as to inevitably motivate the country to save itself. Shinobu intentionally allowed to "defect," so as to allow the public to know of Oden and Orochi's true nature. They could be taking the burden of being a villain to be defeated, so as to invite a hero to save everyone else.
Open my TH-cam app and this is the first video that pops up. Perfect timing I’d say 🙏🏽
Thanks for another insightful and articulate video. We'll be waiting patiently for your next drop!
Ayeeeee Morj just hit that 100K!!!
Yes I'm so happy for him!
Wow. 10/10 analysis. Glad you're back Morj❤
Rather than just naivety it's more like Oden prefers to take a chance regardless of the unfavourable odds, kinda like how Sanji always gives women a chance. Similarly, after discovering the lost truth, on his return to Wano his new priority is ensuring the borders open at the right time and not too early (hence why his pirate bros couldn't help his cause at that time). To open the borders he doesn't need to be shogun, only to welcome Joyboy & change the citizens so they'll be open to recieving him. So as long as his dream (Wano's forgot mission) is inherited he's accomplished the goal. Even with this mentality he tried to protect the citizen whilst atoning for his clan's failings regarding the overzealous persecution. But after this was unsuccessful, he goes to ambush Kaido with his retainers whilst preparing a backup based on 'his conclusion' regarding his journey, entrust it to Toki. Knowing failure meant death but death wouldn't be the end.
MISSED YOU MORJ
Finally ya drop something bro !!
Your insight & analysis's of one piece is 2nd to none ! Well worth the wait Mr.Morj man . Big fan
This was such a great analysis! Made understand and respect Oden so much more. I had the basic idea of Odens character but some of his actions were kinda confusing.. This explained it very nicely. And its great you mentioned how he is flawed because obviously his choice to dance for 5 years wasn't the best but it still saved lives.
But there is one thing related to Oden that I didn't fully understand. Its about his 9 scabbards and their loyalty. Throughout this whole flashback Oden seemed like a guy who only did what he felt like. He left his samurai to selfishly join Whitebeard and have a great adventure while back in Wano Orochi was taking over.. when he returned he turned his back on them literally and went back to adventure while Wano was clearly suffering. When he finally came back he ended up dancing for 5 years and doing nothing about Wanos condition (from the prespective of the scabbards).. Why then were they so loyal to him? The way they described Oden before the flashback made him seem like this amazing man. And sure he is amazing and I understand his character more now but some of his actions were very selfish and not so amazing.
And let's not forget, even til the moment he was about to get in the pot, Oden told Kaido and Orochi to give him 1 last chance because "I must stay alive no matter what", but when he finally realizes just how impossible that is, how there's no way he won't be killed, he gives in and bestows his dream upon his followers. Luffy since New World started has also been trying to learn not to take all the pain upon himself, in Fishman Island with him trying to battle the Noah all alone, in Punk Hazard and Dressrosa where he allied with Law and put trust in his crewmates to clear up the way for him to take down Doflamingo, etc. and I think that will culminate in Wano with Oden's backstory serving as a way to view Luffy before we head to the finale of Wano and (as you mentioned in the Wano analysis video) see our captain a fully realized leader, a conqueror to stand above the other conquerors. Oda said after Wano, the end of One Piece will be in sight. And before we head to the crew's last voyage(s), Luffy will be realized and ready for everything.
The ufo on oden`s head fits perfectly with the plank with wich he holds the nine scabbards
Morj, what do you think about the theory that Kaido witnessing Odens death contributed to his desire to die, that he finds death appealing because he saw Oden pull it off with splendor? And remember his words about whitebeard managing to die, maybe he meant that whitebeard also managed to die in this "magnificent" style, and that is what Kaido is perhaps trying to emulate in his own way?
Magnificently put together as always Morj :D
Your videos are so rare, but worth the wait. Intresting point
Your posts are always worth the wait. I really appreciate the work you put in to your analyses. I teach rhetoric and pop culture at a university and would totally use your videos if I were ever able to teach a special topics course on OP (though it’d be tough for one semester)
Don't forget Franky. Franky literally took in hooligans and helped organize them so they had a community and family. It could be better stated, but Franky's position of being a do-gooder was like it because he also didn't care to be seen as a good guy, but that's arguably because he was helping "bad" guys.
Mr morj back again with brilliant analysis video. I think oden back story was amazing, oda foreshadowing for the end game of wano and end game for one piece also
Great vid as always
Who could ever hate this air headed numb-skull fool. One of the most badass loveable character in OP so far.