This Bites!: Sea Kings, seasickness, sunburns, a 95% genocidal Navy, and more than a million and one other assorted ways to die. It's official. Being inserted into an anime sucks ass...But I guess it could be worse... Buuut I guess it could be worse. I mean, look on the bright side: At least I'm sailing with the future king of the pirates.
I won't mention anything about OP or Oda here anyway since I have past posts to do it for me.
As for Self-Inserts, I know fandom as a whole does not like them. Unless they do something new about it like this fic, SI fics are likely to be just as lampooned as any other fanfic tropes. Even when these writers are having fun and fundamentally harmless, SI fics are not going to be the epitome of plotty fanfiction that was known to be good and well.
It's a semi-serious fic like that Transformers fic Battlesleep. There are so many references to our world's media that not even OP's world of nonsense can make up for it. And that's barely scratching the surface just how cracky this fic can get. I can read crack fics but the best ones tend to the ones which have well-written mood whiplash as well as a serious plot to go with too without losing the essential plot goings. Crack is really hard to do, especially when one is consistent about its crack instead. I make this a thing: levity must happen regardless of a story. Focusing on the dark would just make things worse. I know cynicism and hatred and I know the current state of the world is less than pleasing but just a tiny piece of hope is better than the darkness.
This fic is creative, give it that at least. It started out too usual but give it time. The creativity came not just in the additional members - Vivi would prefer to live in her kingdom and act as their Queen-to-be but alas it was not to be in this fic - but also the very fact Strawhat Broadcast Station exist! I adore how outsiders reacted to the canonical events, building up support for the Strawhats. The world's adoration for the Strawhats continued when they kept saving people from oppression which would not help the Five Elder Stars' plans to turn the world against him or the Strawhats. Again, the reason I prefer outsiders who aren't involved with the mess would give their own perception of said events and reactions thereof. Seriously, the more Luffy proved to be a goodhearted fella who hates oppression and loves the freedom that he will want to have that freedom for everybody, the more almost the entire world loves him and would undoubtedly make him the Pirate King if there is a vote for it. He would be the popular choice while Blackbeard will be the least.
The Strawhats achieved 'precious cinnamon roll' status in-universe. They know they are dangerous but they are also decent people who hate oppression and loves freedom. Luffy, keep being the great man that will break the WG's chokehold.
Yeah, while I love lots of things of this fic, the Strawhat Broadcast Station is an amazing aspect. Because of the SBS, especially headed by people who might be calling Cross a prophet, there are many changes and reactions on the ongoings. Takoyaki 8 became the first mobile sports bar while many became fans of the Strawhats through their adventures and support. Fans actually called in during the Luffy and Lucci fight in Enies Lobby.
Because of these reactions, changes happened. For example, the Tontattas felt vindicated for their hero, Rebecca finding courage far earlier as a result of taking inspiration from Vivi, Sabo regained his memories way earlier, and the rest of the world finding the Strawhats' true character heroic.
Especially now that the guy that transported into an alternate dimension knows far up to Zou. I feared he is not equipped about the Yonko Saga which is starting to get worse. And Cross is well-aware of it, unfortunately.
Due to Cross' actions, things are going awry. Rebellions started well too early as a result of Enies Lobby events. Cross and Robin aired more dirty laundry than ever before, especially Cross who already made it a point to point out everything wrong with the WG. And he read the story! And that's on the big scale.
On a smaller scale, he helped Usopp's self-confidence and did not want to break him during the Thriller Bark events. If you knew canon Thriller Bark, you know what went down. He also motivated Luffy to use his brain more often. He's still dumb, but he's still better than even his grandfather. Due to Cross' influence especially in later events where he sees wits and trickery makes a lot of good, Luffy became smarter, even when it was partly because he wanted to get back on his grandpa and partly when how he sees its benefits.
Just yeah, I worry a lot about the altered timeline. Even if we are still going to have the two-year time skip, I think Cross failed to stop the Summit War/Marineford but I hope to Godoka he saves Ace. Although I think Whitebeard is still going to die though. Knowing the Biblical Jeremiah, Cross is unlikely to prevent the war. I'm sorry, Cross, but even your name points too much in that direction. And I know my storytelling, okay, and the way it's going, Marineford is still going to happen. The reason why I know this to be true? Two things: Jeremiah, the Biblical Prophet and that Cross himself referenced Marineford in a special chapter. Even without the Aokiji accidentally helping Blackbeard, I still think Marineford war will still happen regardless of Cross' intervention. Likely without Akainu to kill Ace this time because Sengoku is trying really hard with the PR at the moment and the very fact Cross broadcasted Absolute Justice, something many sane and moral people will detest, everywhere will make it worst. I think Cross would also broadcast the killing of blood that forced Ace up to including killing pregnant women and babies just to kill Ace. Probably when Ace survived, he can reveal his story via SBS about his side of the story. The backlash would be there and more people would turn against the World Government more than ever before. Cross doesn't know everything the WG did in its time of corruption and dickery - since he did not read the Reverie arc - but he would still broadcast them to his best efforts. I'm pretty sure the true ruler of WG is watching SBS as intently, given just how sane he is in comparison to the rest of the World Nobles.
Although you have many allies from defected Marines, Revolutionaries, and pirates themselves, you have lots of manpower in many good places that could help to save the lives of Ace and probably Whitebeard. I do think Whitebeard is gonna die, revealing that the treasure exists.
So even with the butterfly of doom, in some way or another, it seemed like it tried to correct itself with a large majority of the Summit War saga still on. If you don't get it especially if the story had not hit you on the head with it, Summit War saga will still happen. Differently but still just as worse. Things still happen as in the original, sometimes just more or less worse. Defeating Moria in canon, too bad Moria awakened his Devil Fruit that made him a stronger opponent than he originally was.
Things will go crazy. The authors admit it so really I'm buckling up my seatbelts for the updates. I'm really waiting for the actual Marineford war after all.
...Of all the arcs I look forward to tackling in TB, it's the entire Summit War saga. I'm not even looking forward to any of post-Time Skip arcs, just Summit War. Admittedly, for Post-Time Skips arcs, it's actually Reverie I'm looking forward to the most in TB's adaptation since y'know Vivi won't join the line-up of Princesses that are at Reverie. She would still become friends with them instantly, mainly through their friendship with the Strawhats.
There is minor deconstruction then and there. It's not a hit in the face deconstruction that it is annoying. For example, Cross had knowledge of OP but only up to a certain piece, leading him to make assumptions that can get deadly for his team. For example, Baron Omatsuri. Look, I haven't watched all the movies either and I certainly won't remember all the SBS trivia. I saw Gold, Strong World, and Baron Omatsuri and that's about it when it comes to OP movies. And I never even seen a single OVA of OP. I saw fillers but not one OVA of OP. So I feared so much when I wanted to tell Cross the later arcs, especially Reverie, an insanely plot-significant one which packed so many punches without being too overwhelming.
Like many things, it is not perfect and I can name the said flaws. Hey, in comparison to the really bad works I have seen especially recently in VLD and SU, This Bites look like amazing Caterpiller sushi rolls and maybe add an eel temaki with it too. Sorry but I'm craving that for the moment. VLD started with one or two nice entrees but the more dishes come out, the course isn't worth it when the quality dropped, especially the dessert course that failed to appetize in presentation and just being plain good food. SU started out like that but instead of getting increasingly worse, it's bland instead. Bland as plain white bread without any necessary toppings. Ugh, how I wish to get my hands on a Japanese sandwich...
I wonder if there would be more members joining Post Time-Skip here. We know Jinbei will but who knows if Carrot or even Pudding could join.
I hope Oda and these authors kept their promises about no romances. Ship teases are fine. In WCI alone, we got ship teases with Sanji with Pudding and Nami. And Luffy too. Hey, I found Sanji pairing with men to be much more appealing than the ladies, to be honest. Oda because he saw how it literally tore apart Naruto. The last thing the OP fandom needs is endgames when its fandom is usually very open about its free shipping precisely because there is no endgame. I want it to differentiate from much other shounen and allow people to have their own open ending for their particular ship. Unless it's a romance right from the beginning that you made it clear there will be an endgame. Sure people can ship Sanami and ZoSan and LuSan and SanPud but I have seen that nobody in that fandom hit over the head because Oda made it clear in the beginning that there are no endgames. Just keep that promise, Oda and Cross-Brain.
I need to catch up on my Kingdom Hearts. I still have 3D after all.
Ugh, just knowing Frozen is even in this game. Though from what I heard, a large chunk of Frozen had been cut out including the Han reveal which is thank god. What is bad however is sitting through Frozen's songs which is only two fortunately but I loathe Frozen more than anything Disney put out including the living action remakes which many supposed had no place to exist. Yeah, I rather choose that over Frozen any time of the week.
While my loathing had simmered in the years since Frozen's release, make no mistake that I will avoid the fuck out of the stupid movie. Place me remotely near anything close to that movie, merch or anything food or parade, I will avoid it like my cousin's fear for cats. I will grit my teeth if my little niece likes it but I refuse to have that movie near me in any physical form or shape. If I'm forced to go through it in KH, I will make sure I'll play the dang longer so that the taste of Frozen is out of my mouth. Still, the over-glorification of the movie puts what an average Disney Princess film as a golden benchmark when it shouldn't be. I won't ruin anybody's feelings of the movie especially if you still enjoy it. As for me, I don't like the damn movie and would skim through the world of Arendelle in KH as easily as eating my favorite dish of seafood. I would plug my ears as soon as I reached Arendelle and happily watched as everything goes through with no sound for the sake of my sanity. Because I would blatantly spell out everything wrong with the storytelling of Frozen if I see it again.
That would annoy everybody with me including me. So yeah, expect me to plug my ears while and probably force others to play it for me just because I can't stand the movie.
Sorry for that rant. I'll probably find better joy playing Toy Story and Pirates of the Caribbean and the actual plot of the KH than I would be playing the world of Arendelle. In fact, I'll rather watch any of those movies barring TS3.
I am glad that Zachary Levi got his chance to voice in a KH game after all. He got his wish back when he got the voice of Flynn/Eugene in the end. While I am happy to see many returning cast members from the original return including the Frozen returnees, I thought they would be too busy. Mandy Moore was very busy which is why she didn't come back.
I still need to catch up on KH and I'm starting to get into Fire Emblem due to my cousin's influence who is a huge lover of such. Her go-to in SSB is always the FE characters just as others in my family would choose Lucas and Kirby.
No comments:
Post a Comment