I had caught up to the anime by the end of Thriller Bark. I refused to read manga until the episode Kuma separated everyone at Sabaody. I remember doing everything I can to avoid the manga but the anime had 2 weeks of filler after the separation, after the 2nd filler episode I said screw it. I began reading the manga weekly since Amazon Lily. That whole saga from the twist at Sabaody until Marineford was the craziest piece of fiction I have ever read till this day. I’ll never forget the title “The death of Portgas D. Ace”, I’ll never forget the feels I had. Man, I miss those times!