Many One Piece fans found the series’ early villains to be underwhelming, but they played an important role in the story when compared to Shanks.
Some fans watch a lot A pieceThe original villains are relatively obscure, but they actually all share an important thematic connection to Shanks. Author Eiichiro Oda loves to create similarities and contrasts between the characters in his series and this is clearly shown in East Blue Saga. Viewing One Piece’s early villains through this lens will hopefully help fans appreciate them more.
Shanks is one of the earliest important One Piece characters introduced, appearing right from the first chapter of the manga. He has an incredible influence on Luffy’s goals and worldview, as he was the only pirate captain that Luffy knew well as a child. He also saved Luffy’s life from a giant sea monster, sacrificing his arm to do so. Although Shanks did not appear much in the series for a long time after his introduction, his presence was felt even when he was not on screen and he became a of the most famous characters in One Piece thanks to that.
One Piece’s first villains were the complete opposite of Shanks
It is through this heavy influence that the purpose of the first villains in One Piece becomes clear. Alvida is the first pirate that Luffy meets, and she is basically the complete opposite of Shanks, being an arrogant and cruel captain while the red-haired captain is humble and kind. The Marines’ Ax Hand Morgan also lost a hand like Shanks, but he felt the need to replace it with a weapon. He also stands on the opposite side of the law as Shanks and is the protector of order while Shanks practices freedom. Finally, there’s Buggy, Shanks’ teammate on Roger’s ship and representative of what Shanks could have become if he had lived his life differently.
These connections with Shanks help shape Luffy’s and the reader’s view of the world of One Piece. Alvida reveals that not all pirates are as kind as Shanks. Ax-Handed Morgan shows that not every authority figure in One Piece cares about others, and the way Shanks handles his injuries is also unusual. And Buggy shows that Shanks is actually much more special than he seems. Other villains in the East Blue Saga also have some more tenuous connections to Shanks, but as the story continues, the focus shifts from establishing the world of One Piece to establishing new characters such as Usopp and Sanji.
Many fans consider these characters, especially Alvida and Ax Hand Morgan, to be too shallow, and this is a legitimate complaint. But this problem comes from the fact that the purpose of these characters is to provide extreme contrast instead of holography. Hopefully, by looking at this perspective, A piece Fans who criticize East Blue’s villains can appreciate these characters and their relationships with Shanks a little more.
