The One Piece fandom is split right now — and the debate isn’t just about power levels or plot twists. A growing wave of fans are criticizing Gear 5 Luffy’s tone during the Egghead fallout, arguing that his constant laughter and “cartoon chaos” feels jarring when the story is dealing with something as heavy as Vegapunk’s death.
Across social media, the complaint keeps coming up in different forms: Gear 5 is fun, but is it too fun for moments that are supposed to hurt? And with One Piece currently riding the emotional high of the God Valley flashback, the contrast is only making the criticism louder.
The “Gear 5 Problem” Gets Louder After Vegapunk
Gear 5 was introduced as a game-changing transformation — not just in strength, but in vibe. Luffy’s fights became bouncier, more exaggerated, and filled with that “laughing through battle” energy that symbolizes freedom.
But now, fans are questioning what happens when that same energy spills into tragedy.
For some readers, seeing Gear 5 Luffy still grinning and laughing during a period where Vegapunk is dying (or has died) doesn’t feel like “Luffy being Luffy.” It feels like the story is undercutting its own emotional stakes, especially for a character as important as Vegapunk — someone tied to the series’ biggest mysteries, the World Government’s cruelty, and the future of the world itself.
The core argument fans keep circling back to is simple: there’s a difference between Luffy staying hopeful and Luffy looking detached.
God Valley Has Taken Over the Fandom — And It’s Not Even Close
At the same time, One Piece is currently deep in what many are calling one of the most captivating storylines in the series’ history: the God Valley Incident.
Oda’s long-awaited exploration of this legendary event has brought together some of the most mythical names in the franchise — Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger, Monkey D. Garp, and even the looming presence of Imu — turning the flashback into something that feels less like a detour and more like a full-blown historical epic.
Fans are obsessed because God Valley delivers what the community has begged for for years:
- massive lore reveals
- ruthless power struggles
- long-hidden context about the Celestial Dragons
- a “true history” vibe that connects generations of pirates and marines
In other words: it’s heavy, it’s dark, and it feels monumental.
And that’s exactly why some fans say returning to present-day Straw Hats — especially into a Gear 5-heavy tone — could feel like whiplash.
“If We Return to the Straw Hats Now, It’ll Feel Like Waking Up From a Dream”
One of the most repeated sentiments on social media is that the flashback is currently so gripping that fans aren’t emotionally ready to leave it. Some have even described the God Valley chapters as the most thrilling stretch of One Piece in years — not because Luffy isn’t the heart of the series, but because the flashback delivers a different kind of intensity.
As one fan put it on X (formerly Twitter), returning to the Straw Hats now would feel like “waking up from a dream.”
That line keeps resonating because it captures what’s happening in the fandom: the past is stealing the spotlight from the present. And when readers are immersed in an arc dripping with tragedy, betrayal, and history-defining violence, the idea of snapping back to Gear 5’s slapstick energy makes some people uneasy — especially with Vegapunk’s death still fresh in the story’s emotional timeline.
A Testament to Oda’s Storytelling — And a Real Test for Gear 5
Whether you love Gear 5 or feel conflicted about it, this moment proves one thing: Oda still knows how to control the fandom’s pulse.
The God Valley flashback is reminding fans why One Piece became legendary in the first place — mystery, world-building, emotional weight, and the sense that every chapter is connecting threads from decades ago. Even after more than 20 years, Oda continues stacking revelations in a way that makes the world feel alive and endless.
But that’s also why the current criticism matters.
For some readers, the “Gear 5 laughing” debate isn’t about hating the form — it’s about tone management. They want One Piece to keep the freedom, the fun, and the absurdity of Gear 5… without sacrificing the gut-punch moments that made arcs like Marineford, Enies Lobby, and Whole Cake Island hit so hard.
What Happens Next?
If the God Valley flashback continues, the fandom may stay locked into lore mode a bit longer — and the Straw Hats can “wait” without fans feeling impatient. But whenever Oda finally pivots back to present day, the emotional landing is going to matter.
