User blog comment:JustSomeDude.../761- Let's talk about Chapter 595!/@comment-10543621-20140922051958

There's one thing that really struck at me in this latest arc. The fact that One Piece as a story is truly far FAAARRRR from anywhere near the end. In fact, despite having travelled half way through the Grand Line, it doesn't even feel like they're halfway there.

We've seen tremendous improvement from Luffy and the Strawhats. Yet, this arc clearly shows that they're STILL leaps and bounds away from the real powers.

We've seen Doffy shrug off Luffy's direct supposedly fatal attack. Before that, we had a glimpse of his power by how easily Sanji was overpowered. We've seen the political mileage Doffy has managed to possess. We've seen how a truly experienced pirate, with connections normal pirates would never have, functions and behaves.

Yet, we are also shown that Doffy himself knows he's far from being truly up there yet. He still has to deal with Kaido and demonstrates a certain fear for him, which means he is aware that in terms of power and influence, he still pales in comparison to a Yonkou.

Luffy and the strawhats still have a looong way to go. Sure he stands a much better fighting chance now than he did during the Marineford war, but he definitely still has a good journey ahead. And it's not just about raw fighting abilities. The top pirate crews have way more than that. They have influence and hordes of followers. Luffy definitely needs that.

The Dressrossa arc is definitely the entry into a much grander scheme of things in the One PIece world. To me, there's no need to argue which of the top mangas are the best. OP is the only one that can re-ignite excitement after having been running for more than a decade.

People are saying that they're afraid George R.R. Martin will kick the bucket before Game of Thrones finishes? I'm waaaaaaay more afraid of Oda's health and well-being. I always say that he should take as many hiatus as he needs to get his health back on track. Honestly, if One Piece were to ever end prematurely, I think I'll feel a hole in me emptier than Ace's hole in the chest.