The character work in this arc is phenomenal. Just about every flashback makes me cry, and Nami’s are really something else. As always, I know part of this is genre conventions, but I’d like a few more believable stakes for the other characters. Nami’s financial troubles and the safety of her fellow townspeople is such a good piece of writing, I completely could see things going either way for her, and it’s fascinating to follow. Usopp’s conflicts are also low stakes enough to be believable, and even while the actions are absurd, the emotional truth is so present it’s all still tense. But Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji all seem equally immortal. It brings the specialness of Luffy’s powers down, and means that whenever any of the three look like they’re in peril, I just roll my eyes. Of course they’ll be up and fighting the next day, even if horrifically injured.