User blog comment:ChiroSamai94/Hyouzou/@comment-3345720-20110119043448/@comment-3079795-20110120171723

i agree, it seems kind of sudden that BEFORE we have really seen the extent of the Straw Hats growth Oda would add more crewmates. There really needs to be one or two major battles before another crewmember. I mean look at Franky. There was 100+ chapters after he was introduced, then, only then, did he finally join the crew. (though I guess it was pretty obvious he would after all the battles at Enies Lobby. . .)