One Piece Discussion (Spoilers)

[Myoti]

442 Update:

I'm not totally sure what to think yet. Brooke seems to be a potentially interesting character, but it opens up a new area of questioning, namely "How are there living skeletons?" and "Will Brooke be a true member, or just a temporary joiner (like Vivi/Johnny and Yosaku)?"

Either way, I'm still excited to see where this could lead.

[uc pseudonym]

I've just skimmed (and I do mean skimmed) a translation. But I doubt he'll join up permanently for one basic reason: Luffy has had to work for basically all his crew members. They've either been involved in something or antagonistic to him first. This guy seems like Johnny and Yosaku to me... he joins (or at least agrees to join) much too quickly to be permanent. I predict he'll be a "helper" character for the next arc, as he seems likely to know what is going on.

Brooke seems to be a potentially interesting character, but it opens up a new area of questioning, namely "How are there living skeletons?"

Or, more importantly, Luffy's question. One Piece doesn't make me laugh very often, but the absurd abruptness of this line succeeded.

[MasterDias]

442 Update:

I'm not totally sure what to think yet. Brooke seems to be a potentially interesting character, but it opens up a new area of questioning, namely "How are there living skeletons?" and "Will Brooke be a true member, or just a temporary joiner (like Vivi/Johnny and Yosaku)?"

Either way, I'm still excited to see where this could lead.

I've only skimmed a bit of it as well.
He certainly seems to have the uniqueness factor that all of the StrawHats have, but I do think it's premature to guess if he will actually join or not. Franky just joined a few chapters ago after all...
Although, a talking skeleton probably has one heck of a backstory...

As for the fact that he is a skeleton, well, I see two possibilities. He really is some sort of undead(and really, in a world with fishmen, giants, and devil fruit, I don't see this as being really shocking) or his "condition" was caused by a devil fruit.

[Myoti]

It does seem likely to be as UC said, unless it ends up being similar to Nami's situation (join early on, but doesn't "officially" join until later). And yes, I loved Luffy's line here. XD

I'm sort of helping he really is some sort of undead instead of a DF user, simply since it could give a bit more "uniqueness" to this. It could be that the Florian Triangle simply causes situations like this or such (or possibly be as someone from the AP forums suggested: the skeletons can only be like this inside of the Triangle, so Brooke may not be able to truly join with them after all).

[MasterDias]

Well, I've read the latest chapter, and Brooke's potential to join increased in my mind. He's a musician (something Luffy always wanted), has hints of a tragic past, and is in some trouble that prevents him from joining that Luffy intends to help him out of..
But I guess we'll see. Every one that Luffy was this insistant about eventually joined.
Don't know what I think of him however. A good portion of his lines in the chapter consisted of randomness and over-the-top speeches. I was right that his "condition" was caused by a devil fruit.

[uc pseudonym]

That was essentially my analysis as well - the fact that he seems to carry a sidequest with him makes him more likely to join permanently. However, I also wish that he had been a normal skeleton instead of another Devil Fruit user. Has the series ever established how many of those there are?

To be honest, it wasn't fun to read this chapter. Half of it seemed to consist of someone saying something random and not particularly funny and having other people spaz about it. The writing felt stilted and jumpy. "To be continued" had potential to be a funny line, but crammed into a small panel it didn't have much effect.

[Myoti]

Incidentally, I reread that chapter awhile back and felt differently; I thought it was like any other One Piece chapter. Quite random, yes, but still held the typical feeling of the series.

These latest ones interest me in the way it sort of explains other 'undead' creatures, almost like Frankenstein meets The Island of Doctor Monroe (is that how it's spelled?). I'm still wondering about the invisible creatures, though.

EDIT: Actually, after the latest one, I get the feeling it's likely just one invisible person (another DF user?).

[Tommy]

I considered quitting the series, and I think I have.

I'm pretty much not into anime/manga that much anymore at all, and One Piece just seemed to be getting extremely repetative as far as arcs go and the fighting schedule and I haven't seen any cool characters as of recent. Franky just creeps me out to me honest. XD

If some plot twist of sheer importance takes place, let me know.

So far, my favorite arc is probably Skyeia and Water 7/Enies Lobby to me, wasn't that good.

Let me know if I'm spouting blasphemy.

[uc pseudonym]

To be honest, I've more or less done the same (skimmed the last few chapters and only got half-way through the most recent). To be honest, I don't enjoy the average conversation in One Piece and its humor fails for me, which severely impacts how I view the manga overall. I'll probably hover in this thread and start reading again during the next gap between arcs, though.

[Tommy]

I agree.

It's almost like the characters are sugar high the entire show and can't have a normal, civilized, conversation.

[Tommy]

Well, I'm a sucker.

I got back into it considering one chapter takes up five minutes of my week.

It's alright I guess, but I wouldn't contribute a lot of time into it.

[Kawaiikneko]

What happens for me with most Shounen Jump titles is that I catch up and for a few weeks keep up with it, and then let the series go for awhile. Then one boring weekend afternoon I think to myself, "Gee, I feel like re-reading OP/Naruto/Bleach" and end up re-reading most of the series. I'm so into it by the end that I download the volume or so that I am behind the scanlation releases and do a catch up. I actually like it better that way b/c then I can get the whole picture better...

I actually like the current OP arc though so I'm keeping up with it. Brooks, the skeleton guy, seems like a much more interesting character than Franky (who I would like so much better if he just put some pants on....). It seems to be heading in the direction of him being the crew's musician.