User blog comment:Ricizubi/ Is Pudding a plot device?/@comment-53539-20180510180429/@comment-53539-20180514175525

The entire Germa Army was a plot device by that definition...

Edit; I have no issue with Plot devices, as the entire concept of searching for the One Piece treasure, is pure plot device anyway. When your entire manga is built on a plot device, which hands like a lure over the heads of the story, then its fine to have other minor plot devices.

You will met yourself in your lifes' journey minor people who will influence your actions, yet never see them again (example; a teacher at school, a doctor, a dentist, your mailman, etc). As fiction is based loosely on reality, so will too characters within any fictional works meet people who appear once or twice and disappear because their only plot devices. Its not much different from those few people you meet and then they influence your life, yet are doomed to fade away in your life.

Pudding, if she is regarded as a plot device, is therefore no different. The fact remind we saw in Pudding how Sanji would react under certain conditions, i.e. arranged marriage. She was tied up to the fleshing out of his character more so can be excused for being a plot device if she lead to Sanji's development as a main character. She herself had a bit of development too don't forget as Sanji influenced her in turn.