Is the Dressrosa Arc underrated?
As the arc that introduced the Straw Hats to the severe intensity of what a New World conflict looks like, Dressrosa is an arc that spans over a 100 chapters, and it is by far the longest running arc in One Piece up till Wano.
Heavily saturated with several different storylines, a huge cast of characters with their very own conflicts that are ultimately bound to converge in the grander narrative of the story, the hidden symbolism, and a build up that eventually ends with a rewarding climax.
One can say a lot of good things about Dressrosa, and yet, you’ll be surprised to see just how many One Piece fans were actually disappointed by the dragged out pacing of this arc.
It’s not that it is bad, it’s genuinely good, but fans feel frustrated at the idea that this arc could’ve been shorter, less saturated, more plot relevant.
However, is that really the case?
We are not going to talk about everything in this post, but it’ll give you an idea of what Dressrosa was ultimately about.
For starters, the arc is really stretched out, which isn’t a bad thing when you consider it’s a series about adventure and exploration, but for those who had to wait week after week for things to get serious, they obviously had quite a frustrating experience.
Which in turn interfered with the overall appreciation of this arc.
But even though the criticism centered around the pacing of this specific arc seems reasonable, rereading it from scratch can definitely give you a better impression.
Sure, the fights between the side characters could’ve been shorter but that’s only personal preference. The story isn’t just about the Straw hat pirates.
People lament Rebecca’s character, but who is to say she won’t become a prominent figure somewhere down the story? She is the granddaughter of Dressrosa’s King after all.
However, the most baseless accusation when it comes to the pacing of dressrosa is probably the idea that the “Bird cage” was unnecessary.
Of course, a seasoned One Piece viewer would find such a statement completely absurd, so let’s talk about it and see what the bird cage was all about.
Dressrosa itself is an apparently flourish country that has even been dubbed as the land of “Love, Passion, and toys,” however, what most inhabitants don’t know is the darkness that lurks behind the shadows of the apparently flourished country.
There were those who have been living their lives as respectable and obedient citizens, and yet there were also those who have been turned into toys and are forced into rigorous labor so that Doflamingo can keep mass producing weapons, which is pretty important to him considering how he is the man pulling the strings of the underground world.
The whole country was being controlled by Doflamingo, and he was doing it as if he was some kind of a puppet master.
For the longest time, Doflamingo has been going on about the “New Age” of pirates, where the weak will be swept away by the incoming storm. He isn’t aiming for the top, but he has established himself as a prominent figure.
Now, he is just ruling over the Kingdom of Dressrosa with absolute authority.
As the story goes on and we continue to learn more and more about Doflamingo, it is revealed that he was a Celestial dragon whose father willingly chose to descend from Mariejoe and live underneath, together with ordinary people.
Which of course did an irreparable damage to Doflamingo’s world view. On the other hand, we are also shown the perspective of Doflamingo’s brother, who, even after getting to see both the polar opposites of the world, was never broken.
He is the opposite of Doflamingo, but both of them believe in the idea that soon enough, the world will see an unprecedented storm.
This, of course, also made Doflamingo a highly complex villain, and no doubt, fans agree, he topped the rating polls for One Piece antagonists, and instantly became a fan favorite.
“The Marines are righteous? These terms have always changed throughout the course of history! Kids who have never seen peace and kids who have never seen war have different values! Those who stand at the top determine what's wrong and what's right!”
-Doflamingo
Furthermore, when you consider the emotional impact of Law’s backstory, and how it all concluded at the end, it was all a bitter pill to swallow. We are certainly used to overwhelmingly sad backstories when it comes to One Piece, but this one not only hinted upon the Will of D., it also laid down the foundation for Doflamingo’s, or rather, the World Government’s ultimate doom.
Was it all just a coincidence that Luffy and Law joined forces?
Another thing to note here is the considerate amount of hidden symbolism that some viewers might have failed to notice.
Doflamingo is usually a pretty composed guy, but if there is one thing that makes him lose his cool, then it’s a threat to his absolute authority.
He takes out those who dare oppose him, and always continues to rule over the country as a puppet master who is controlling the strings from behind the scenes all the while putting the upfront of a ruler.
It’s no different from what the World Government has been doing ever since the untold events of the Void Century.
The Celestial dragons are hailed as the rulers of the world, and of course, it’s not like people aren’t aware of their disgusting nature.
But the Marines are different, people have genuine faith in them, and they consider them their sworn protectors. And yet, its no secret that the Marines ultimately answer to the World Government.
So, what does the world government do when the ordinary populace goes out of the line?
They make them disappear, just like that. The annihilation of Ohara, the disappearance of the god valley, as well as the lack of attention to dark events such as the racism against the fishmen and other races, slave trading etc.
All of these events go hand in hand, and despite a fair amount of good people in the Marines, the world government is a different topic because it is ultimately under the control of the Celestial dragons, and we don’t even know anything about the person who sits on the empty throne.
So, in other words, the One Piece world as we know it, is being controlled by the World Government.
The same can be said about Dressrosa and the Donquixote family, Doflamingo was ruling it as an absolute king, he tossed those who were of no use, and used those who were bold enough to cross the line, and yet during the grand climax of the series, when the inhabitants become aware of his actions. He commences the Bird Cage, which, as it has already been pointed out by others, symbolizes the “Great Cleansing” of the world Government.
Furthermore, Doflamingo’s throne in Dressrosa was also a direct reflection of Mariejoe, considering how both of them have the same outside appearance, and are located in the middle of their total territory.
Of course, this is not all it was about. We had an overabundance of genuinely good characters like Fujitora, Bartolomeo, Cavendish. Sabo and Luffy reunited, the Will of D. was explored a little, this conflict had a major influence on the world, the Marines apologized on screen, and the arc ultimately ended with the formation of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet!
And since it was stated that these fellows will train for an upcoming event that is about to come, we will definitely be seeing all these characters in the future when Luffy needs them the most.
Seems like the greatest war in the history of One Piece isn’t that far away.
Dressrosa may have had its inconsistencies, but people often overlook what the arc stood for, and what it means in the grander narrative of the One Piece storyline.
It caused significant stirs in the world of One Piece, the Marines apologized to a powerless king because of Fujitora and Akainu couldn’t have been more pissed.
Kaido wasn’t amused, he even sent Jack to go and retrieve Doflamingo, but of course, he failed to do so.
The grand fleet became a significant element in Mr. Morgan’s big news about Luffy becoming the Fifth Emperor, although he still hasn’t gained the recognition of those that matter.
The Kingdom of Dressrosa was free from the shackles of a tyrant, and since Fujitora saw it all happen, he proposed the idea of abolition of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, which was indeed implemented because of the consensus at the Reverie.
Great deals of things changed after Dressrosa, and the “New Age” that Doflamingo so desperately wanted to be a part of, he became its first casualty.
“Inherited will. Destiny of the age. The dreams of the people. These are things that will not be stopped. As long as people continue to pursue the meaning of freedom. These things will never cease to be.”
-Gol D. Roger
Just, what is the Will of D.?
This arc may not be perfect, but rereading the entire arc definitely gives off a positive impression.
Hope you liked our Dressrosa analysis and have a good one!
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