(no subject)
There's this raging debate going on at the AP forums, about why Usopp is a terrible character. It's really upsetting. The chief argument seems to be that Usopp didn't 'develop' as a character in the Enies Lobby arc. In fact, that he reverted to his former cowardly self, after a show of courage displayed in both Arabasta and Skypiea.
I don't know where these people got it into their mind that this show is at all about character development. Usopp is a coward, and he will remain as such. Even when this manga ties up, and he has achieved his 'Brave Warrior of the Sea' dream, he will still be a coward. All of these Usopp naysayers would be just as pissed off if he made a complete about face and trashed Jyabura in that confrontation. There would be a long, irritated thread of posters questioning the logic in Usopp taking down an immensely powerful, werewolf/martial artist assassin.
As for character development, no one in this series has developed in any way. [insert joke about Nami's bust here] They're all /exactly/ the same as they started, albeit stronger. Zoro is the same guy that Luffy helped out in those first couple episodes, 'cept he has a few more scars, and has given himself a kind of immortality [can't die before he fights Mihawk again...]. Nami is the same scheming, greedy, sneaky wimp as when she joined- the main difference being that after the Arlong saga, we now know /why/ she is scheming, greedy and sneaky. Chopper continues to underestimate his own might. Sanji has had probably the least amount of character development in the entire series- of all the mugiwara, he's the one I really feel I know the least about. I'm even more comfortable with Robin, who is the only one who's had any life-changing personality-warping event. And Luffy... Luffy is Luffy. He has learned nothing but new techniques as the show as progressed- and you know why? Because Luffy came on board with all of that nakama-loving, we can do it!! hurrah he demonstrates. He's now just better at expressing it is all. ^_^
This leaves Usopp at an incredible disadvantage. Usopp started out as a coward- he's a goofy, scrawny, easily spooked 17 year old boy with warped esteem issues and a father-complex. [not the squicky kind] The fact that someone doesn't like him, should not be reason enough to demand his character to change. Ya follow? That Usopp is not your cup of tea, doesn't mean he should be remolded so /you/ like him better. Usopp has fans, who like him for exactly the way Oda depicts him. Oda himself obviously likes Usopp. Say, someone doesn't like Sanji's ridiculous fawning over girls- would it make any sense for their to be a thread with people complaining 'Why hasn't Sanji stopped acting like that? Why hasn't he developed into someone who doesn't freak out over pretty woman? Oda's not doing his job!'
A lot of people complain that Usopp, as the series' underdog, should follow the path of an underdog, in conjunction with all other shonen manga. Okay, guess what kids? That's not what Oda's doing with him. This isn't every other shonen manga. Oda did not sketch Usopp for the first time and think 'Ah, yes, now I implement my underdog character...' He just made Usopp. And when Usopp reaches the end of the journey, and he kicks ass in his own special Usopp way [ie: he does the best he can, and is REALISTIC about his abilities], he will be exactly the same guy as when the story started. Because even if he gains some confidence, some new weapons, and some new techniques, he's just Usopp. If Usopp ended this story as a god among men, I would flip out. I think most people would.
The conundrum of Nami: Nami is at the same level, or weaker than Usopp. She is smart, but that's it. Nami has shown remarkable ingenuity in ALL THREE of her major battles, and she did this with THE WEAPONS USOPP MADE HER. Shut up fans, you've officially stopped making sense.
I don't know where these people got it into their mind that this show is at all about character development. Usopp is a coward, and he will remain as such. Even when this manga ties up, and he has achieved his 'Brave Warrior of the Sea' dream, he will still be a coward. All of these Usopp naysayers would be just as pissed off if he made a complete about face and trashed Jyabura in that confrontation. There would be a long, irritated thread of posters questioning the logic in Usopp taking down an immensely powerful, werewolf/martial artist assassin.
As for character development, no one in this series has developed in any way. [insert joke about Nami's bust here] They're all /exactly/ the same as they started, albeit stronger. Zoro is the same guy that Luffy helped out in those first couple episodes, 'cept he has a few more scars, and has given himself a kind of immortality [can't die before he fights Mihawk again...]. Nami is the same scheming, greedy, sneaky wimp as when she joined- the main difference being that after the Arlong saga, we now know /why/ she is scheming, greedy and sneaky. Chopper continues to underestimate his own might. Sanji has had probably the least amount of character development in the entire series- of all the mugiwara, he's the one I really feel I know the least about. I'm even more comfortable with Robin, who is the only one who's had any life-changing personality-warping event. And Luffy... Luffy is Luffy. He has learned nothing but new techniques as the show as progressed- and you know why? Because Luffy came on board with all of that nakama-loving, we can do it!! hurrah he demonstrates. He's now just better at expressing it is all. ^_^
This leaves Usopp at an incredible disadvantage. Usopp started out as a coward- he's a goofy, scrawny, easily spooked 17 year old boy with warped esteem issues and a father-complex. [not the squicky kind] The fact that someone doesn't like him, should not be reason enough to demand his character to change. Ya follow? That Usopp is not your cup of tea, doesn't mean he should be remolded so /you/ like him better. Usopp has fans, who like him for exactly the way Oda depicts him. Oda himself obviously likes Usopp. Say, someone doesn't like Sanji's ridiculous fawning over girls- would it make any sense for their to be a thread with people complaining 'Why hasn't Sanji stopped acting like that? Why hasn't he developed into someone who doesn't freak out over pretty woman? Oda's not doing his job!'
A lot of people complain that Usopp, as the series' underdog, should follow the path of an underdog, in conjunction with all other shonen manga. Okay, guess what kids? That's not what Oda's doing with him. This isn't every other shonen manga. Oda did not sketch Usopp for the first time and think 'Ah, yes, now I implement my underdog character...' He just made Usopp. And when Usopp reaches the end of the journey, and he kicks ass in his own special Usopp way [ie: he does the best he can, and is REALISTIC about his abilities], he will be exactly the same guy as when the story started. Because even if he gains some confidence, some new weapons, and some new techniques, he's just Usopp. If Usopp ended this story as a god among men, I would flip out. I think most people would.
The conundrum of Nami: Nami is at the same level, or weaker than Usopp. She is smart, but that's it. Nami has shown remarkable ingenuity in ALL THREE of her major battles, and she did this with THE WEAPONS USOPP MADE HER. Shut up fans, you've officially stopped making sense.