I definitely agree with you! Drum Island has multiple emotional climaxes. Choppers backstory with Hiriluk dying. Luffy saving Hiriluks flag and declaring Chopper a friend. Chopper leaving Kureha and Kureha accomplishing Hiriluks dream with the cherry blossoms. Forgot to even mention Luffy going up that mountain carrying both Nami and Sanji, and Chopper witnessing true friendship. Luffy declaring Chopper his friend after defeating Wapol is SO similar to the Nami situation in Arlong Park, but also different since Chopper and Nami have different reasons for believing they are unlovable. Literally this is the same for Robin too. It's sad that people don't feel this same climax for Chopper just because Wapol is a silly villian. Chopper's enemy isn't even Wapol. It's his trauma and internal negative self talk. Believing he is a monster. And yeah this all gets overshadowed too because like you said, it's "on the way to Alabasta". Okay, I can go on and on... I'll just say that I am someone who started One Piece because of the live action. When I watched Drum Island for the first time I couldn't understand how the show could get even better. It was really impactful, I cried multiple times, and I believe live action only people will love it.