Many One Piece Fans Are Dissapointed With Oda, Saying He Ruined Many Characters At God Valley
The God Valley flashback was supposed to be the long-awaited payoff to decades of mystery in One Piece — and in many ways, it has delivered. But alongside the hype, a wave of frustration has swept through the fandom, with a vocal segment of readers claiming that Eiichiro Oda has “ruined” several beloved and legendary characters in this arc. From how the Rocks Pirates behaved, to the portrayal of Marine heroes, to the actions of key figures like Garling and even Dragon, some fans feel that the image they had built up in their heads for years has been shattered in a way that doesn’t match the story they imagined.
These complaints aren’t just about minor details. Many fans argue that the God Valley flashback undercuts the aura of certain legends, makes some characters look cowardly or inconsistent, and leans too heavily into shock value over coherent characterization. Others, however, see the same choices as bold and realistic, adding complexity and moral grayness to figures that used to feel almost mythical. The result is one of the most divisive — and talked about — stretches of the manga in recent memory.
The God Valley Arc Has Taken Over the Fandom
The God Valley Incident has become one of the most captivating storylines in One Piece history, and many fans aren’t ready for it to end. Oda’s exploration of this long-shrouded event has finally brought giants like Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger, Monkey D. Garp, and the mysterious Imu onto the same stage, turning a single flashback into something that feels like a historical epic.
The arc dives deep into the power struggles that shaped the modern world: the brutality of the Celestial Dragons, the rise and fall of the Rocks Pirates, the uneasy cooperation between Marines and pirates, and the secret decisions that rewrote the balance of power. For a lot of readers, this is the “true history” they’ve been begging to see since the earliest hints about the Void Century and the old era.
Ironically, it’s because God Valley is so important that the backlash hits so hard. Fans weren’t just expecting answers — they were expecting perfection. When certain portrayals don’t line up with the expectations built over 20+ years, disappointment quickly turns into anger.
“Oda Ruined Them” – Which Characters Are Under Fire?
A lot of the criticism centers on how specific characters have been handled in God Valley:
- The Rocks Pirates – Once hyped as the most terrifying crew in history, many fans feel they’ve come off as disorganized, selfish, and even cowardly. Their apparent willingness to abandon Rocks at his lowest point has sparked accusations of “character assassination,” with some readers saying the crew no longer feels legendary, just messy.
- Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido – Seeing these future Yonko prioritize their own survival or agendas instead of backing their captain has rubbed people the wrong way. For fans who saw Whitebeard as the ultimate symbol of family and loyalty, his behavior under Rocks’ flag feels like a painful contradiction.
- Garp – The “Hero of the Marines” is now being viewed through a harsher lens. Some fans think the flashback exposes how compromised his brand of “justice” really was, arguing that his actions — or inaction — at God Valley make him look more like a tool of the system than a righteous rebel.
- Figures like Garling, Harald, and Bogard – Side characters who were expected to shine are being heavily debated. Some fans think Garling’s actions are over-the-top and make him cartoonishly villainous, while others feel characters like Harald and Bogard were wasted by doing too little in such a historic moment.
- Dragon and the Marines in general – For some, Dragon’s break from the Marines is a powerful turning point. For others, it makes the entire organization look so morally rotten that it retroactively damages the image of every Marine who stayed — including fan favorites.
To those disappointed fans, these portrayals don’t just add nuance; they overwrite the respect and mystique built up over years of teases and stories.
Accusations of Inconsistent Writing and Forced Drama
Underneath the noise, a few specific complaints keep coming up:
- Inconsistency with how characters were framed before
Fans argue that certain characters are acting in ways that clash with what we’ve been told about them. Whitebeard’s old era choices, the Rocks crew’s lack of unity, or the way “heroes” like Garp tolerated certain atrocities make some readers feel like the story is rewriting history on the fly. - Shock value over subtlety
There’s a belief among some fans that Oda is leaning too heavily into shocking reveals — betrayals, unexpected alliances, brutal decisions — at the cost of long-term character integrity. They feel like characters are being shaped around the twist, rather than the twist growing naturally from the characters. - Legends losing their aura
Part of what made the old era so fascinating was how untouchable and larger-than-life it felt. By zooming in and showing everyone’s flaws, some readers feel that Oda has made certain legends too small, too human, and in some cases, too pathetic.
For those who hold these views, the God Valley arc is less a triumphant payoff and more an uncomfortable reroll of the story’s foundations.
Fans Don’t Want to Return to the Straw Hats Yet
Despite all the criticism, one thing is clear: no one thinks this arc is boring. Surprisingly, many readers say they still don’t want to go back to the Straw Hat Pirates just yet. Social media is filled with posts saying that this flashback feels like the most thrilling part of One Piece in years — not just because of the action, but because of how much it changes our understanding of the world.
While Luffy and his crew are the heart of the series, the God Valley storyline offers something completely different: a grounded look at the messy, ugly, and complicated events that shaped everything the Straw Hats are now fighting against. One fan summed it up on X (formerly Twitter): “If we return to the Straw Hats now, it’ll feel like waking up from a dream — or a nightmare — we haven’t finished processing.”
Even many of the readers who say Oda “ruined” certain characters admit they’re glued to every new chapter. Their disappointment isn’t apathy; it’s the frustration of people who care deeply about these characters and this world.
The Other Side: Fans Who Think This Is Peak One Piece
Of course, not everyone agrees that Oda has ruined anything. Another large portion of the fandom sees these controversial choices as some of the boldest and most realistic writing in the series:
- They argue that the Rocks Pirates were always meant to be broken, more like a ticking time bomb than a true family. Their flaws don’t weaken the legend — they explain why such a powerful crew could actually fall.
- They see Garp’s and the Marines’ moral compromises not as character destruction, but as long-overdue honesty about what “justice” looks like in a corrupt system.
- They believe giving old legends human weakness makes the new generation — especially Luffy’s crew — shine even brighter by contrast. If the old era was built on power without true loyalty, then the Straw Hats represent the generation that finally gets it right.
For these readers, God Valley isn’t a betrayal; it’s the moment when the series stops romanticizing the past and shows exactly why the world needs to change.
A Testament to Oda’s Storytelling and Legacy
The enthusiasm — and the backlash — around the God Valley flashback both point to the same truth: Eiichiro Oda still has an iron grip on the emotional core of his audience. After more than two decades, he’s revealing layers of history that connect pirates, Marines, and rulers across generations, and people care enough to argue about every panel.
The arc’s pacing, emotion, and sheer scope have reminded many readers of One Piece’s golden days: dense world-building, high-stakes drama, and heavy themes wrapped in a shōnen package. Even as some fans worry that certain characters have been damaged beyond repair, others insist that this is exactly the kind of uncomfortable, challenging storytelling that makes the series timeless.
Whether you think God Valley has elevated or ruined certain characters, one thing is clear: this saga has already cemented itself as one of the most defining chapters in One Piece history. Years from now, fans will still be debating whether Oda went too far — or finally told the story the world of One Piece needed to tell.
And in a way, that lasting debate might be the strongest proof that God Valley did what it was meant to do: change how we see everything.
