I've been trying to get this message out to the community for a few months now. I've seen this case coming for years (since the time skip, to be exact). 

I think Oda is a victim of his own writing system (preparations / Pay-Off): As the story has progressed and his arcs have become more and more packed with plot since the departure of the new world, there has inevitably been more and more use of this preparation system. 

All this has led to a twofold phenomenon: extreme expectations for the major storylines on the one hand, and impatience on the other for those in a hurry. This “hype disease” is nothing new. It really began to take hold during the month-long break in September 2010, and since then has only increased with the explosion of the internet and youtube.

It's not for nothing that we usually hear in reviews: “at the beginning of the arc, it's a bit slow ... but at the end, it's great” - it's totally due to this meticulous preparation that unfolds gradually to finally explode with a bang.

But here's the thing ... Oda's plots haven't changed! Or rather... they haven't become less good with time. They simply take much longer to develop, because they're all more numerous and detailed. 

This is one of the reasons why I often recommend that impatient people read the volumes rather than the scans. With a block read, this illusion of slowness disappears completely. 

As a result, today we're starting to hear people say that they enjoyed the Dressrosa arc far more than some of those who used to read it on a weekly basis in the run-up to theories or expectations.

Well, the more it goes on, the more Oda takes a malicious pleasure in adding plots and characters. That's cool, because it brings his universe to life ... but when you add to that the fact that Whole Cake's ending is based on a countdown system using alternating montage, that Luffy has taken a beating over the last 15' chapters and that we know that an epic Arc is on the horizon.... then, inevitably, impatience, expectations and therefore disappointments are at their peak. All that was missing was the spark to make it all explode!

It's exploding, but that's no surprise to me. In a way, I'm even glad, because it's allowing videos like yours to emerge. Videos that will - I hope - burst this bubble  that's been swelling for years.  

The community needs to learn to step back and enjoy the journey. Theory is fine, expectations are fine, but we must never confuse what we want with what can happen. 

The community needs to learn to take a step back and enjoy the journey. Theories are fine, expectations are fine, but we must never confuse what we want with what can happen (edit:or what is needed).

And we're all victims of this phenomenon!I first!I can't even explain the state I was in in September 2010... I flooded a chat box on a trad site with theories for days on end at the time.  Then one day I rewatched the whole story in anime .. and I saw Luffy yelling at Usopp about One Piece....It was like a slap in the face from Oda!

Since then, not a single chapter has disappointed me. Of course, some are better than others, but I've never questioned the voyage or the captain. I also know that almost nothing is left to chance, that Oda, before being a mangaka, is above all a genius writer (innate? the question really arises) and that, in any case, in the end, it's all going to be good! 

In the end, what scares me about all this isn't so much the debates and internal conflicts within the community.If it stopped there, there wouldn't be any problems. What worries me, however, is the impact our expectations can have on Oda's work. 

You've probably noticed the controversy surrounding the new Star Wars trilogy, haven't you? Well, it's exactly the same phenomenon on a slightly larger scale: enormous expectations and impatience pushed to the limit. It's easy to underestimate the impact a fan base can have on the author. Some take it upon themselves to try and please it, others don't. All I can hope is that Oda will keep the course against all odds. Fortunately, he's not alone and some of us can tip the scales. 

If you've made it this far, bravo and thank you!Sorry for the long-windedness, I took advantage of the contact to try and get things moving at my level, because I think it's necessary...

The end of the arc and Wano is coming... The fate of One Piece may be decided this year...