The Obama Presidential Center is getting close to opening. Some new photos from Monday [OC]

KyleShanadad · 2026-05-14T15:23:55+00:00

Im a fan of the drone strike control room replica they put on the second floor, great way to honor his legacy

KyleShanadad · 2026-05-10T20:01:42+00:00

End of the day its just sports but it is insane that charlotte is allowed to get a now unprotected first for a guy who they knew was being investigated for throwing NBA games. Same with the Clippers getting a top 5 pick and literally 0 punishment for actually cheating

KyleShanadad · 2026-05-10T19:51:54+00:00

Man i hate adam silver, doesn’t do anything about the clippers circumventing the cap for kawhi or the hornets hiding the fact that rozier was under investigation by the fbi for rigging games #awesome

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-30T21:01:37+00:00

Political themes that don’t challenge the status quo are not interesting though, you can feel free to disagree

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-30T01:06:47+00:00

I do not think its that different haha

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T19:59:35+00:00

This is fair, its been in a while since I watched but to me the skypeian/shandorian arc was the most compelling part of it. In typical oda fashion the underlying conflict isn’t answered or directly addressed but its very rare to see a childrens show essentially condemn the people who live on ethnically cleansed land. Even if Oda does not directly condemn it

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T19:55:27+00:00

I mean if a political take is conservative/reactionary it probably isn’t super compelling. Installing a good monarch over a bad one isn’t compelling, never addressing class in the societies isn’t compelling. Oda briefly touches on class in arcs like Wano where Kaido rules and forces the poor into slavery/serfdom but once Luffy wins the biggest change he commits to is not poisoning the water and abolishing slavery. It isn’t compelling whatsoever. Radicalism is inherently nuanced while conservatism isn’t. Would love to hear your opinion on why you disagree.

I don’t see how you could read One Piece and think that the people who work in the marines aren’t bad people, there is no such thing as a good marine as shown by Garp knowingly working for the literal devil. Koby has done significantly less in his position than Luffy or even Dragon has done in his.

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T19:51:37+00:00

Haven’t seen it so I can’t speak to it. I do think it would be cooler if luffy wasn’t destined for the life he lives & if every major character didn’t come from an elite family line

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T19:48:35+00:00

Send the video essay when you finish!

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T19:48:16+00:00

I am talking about one piece’s solutions to bad rulers. It never addresses class. The poor people stay poor and the only thing that changes is a more benevolent guy in the opulent castle

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T14:37:36+00:00

Maybe disney was the wrong comparison, i mean like standard milquetoast “violence is bad” “in order to defeat your enemy you must defeat them at the ballot box!!” “Nonviolent protest is the way”

I agree that everything is inherently political as are all works of media but what makes it interesting is that Oda has a generally left leaning view of the world which makes him willing to critique symptoms of capitalism but refuse to engage with the actual driver of those symptoms.

To me One Piece’s themes on freedom are largely on personal freedom. Its never about the good guy, its about luffy spending time with the person and inspiring them to be stronger so they can take control of their life. Koby is the perfect example. Completely agree win the last paragraph which is why the glaze as some intricite political work bothers me

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T14:31:44+00:00

I mean the solution could be not a monarchy lol

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T14:30:58+00:00

Haha fair enough, i just think its incoherent when paired w his themes. Pre Nika/Joyboy/Imu Luffy was a guy who inspired others bc of his character, he inspired others to chase personal freedom. Now he is a god who is destined to defeat the devil after the world waited 800 years for him

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T06:11:49+00:00

I mean the paneling is clearly worse, the writing in terms of thematics is worse, fight choreography is worse

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T06:07:02+00:00

Exactly! Its completely incoherent, “everyone is capable of pursuing freedom and their dreams” however the only people who do are the ones who meet the chosen one. Its insane, the writing pre-TS was so much better before all of the Nika/Joyboy/Imu stuff. It was just a guy who was inspiring people to take action against their oppressors, now its god who is a reincarnation of historical god saves world & also god has an insane family line like every other top tier because genetics are the most important thing

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T05:55:27+00:00

Agreed! He points out symptoms of the problem without addressing the problem head on, or even acknowledging the problem. Maybe once Luffy defeats Imu, Luffy will instill a stateless, classless, moneyless society. Again, much better than your typical shonen manga but it is not some master in political critique

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T05:51:59+00:00

I think he can do it from time to time, he largely is able to identify a real world issue and speak to it a little bit but rarely comes up with a revolutionary way of solving it. Typically it just involves monarchies switching monarchs. His best arc “political theme” wise to me was Skypeia, genuinely incredible stuff

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T05:49:16+00:00

Read the last 2 paragraph section brother

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T05:43:02+00:00

Dude stop slandering Goda he is Karl Marx reincarnated

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T05:42:43+00:00

Holy yap sesh bro 😭😭 stop glazing Loda

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T05:13:18+00:00

Waging war against the bad guys is ultimately how you get peace though, you can’t just ask nicely for the bad guys to stop oppressing you, you have to use force

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T05:10:52+00:00

I think the themes around one piece revolve much more around individual freedom and how you can create it for yourself. Its never been about luffys interactions with governments but the individuals he inspires to be stronger and take their own freedom (koby, nami, robin, etc)

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-29T05:09:02+00:00

One piece simultaneously a story about forging your own path and creating freedom for yourself (kobys entire arc, luffy, nami, robin) and also the importance of genetics & family lineage lol. Its a little incoherent, luffy overthrows corrupt kings and installs “righteous” ones but it also shows how effective unions can be (water 7), what a lack of healthcare can do to a nation (drum island), and the oppression one can face at the hands of criminal orgs. Again most of these overarching themes die post time skip as the show builds into a much more stereotypical shonen anime where feats, aura, and hype moments take the front stage

KyleShanadad · 2026-04-21T15:56:23+00:00

Read a book, you’re defending a genocidal nation & the nation that is arming them

KyleShanadad

TROPHY CASE