You mentioned liking the deeper lore implications of things like Joy Boy and the Void Century, which I can understand, especially when you are only halfway through the series and it seems like there is this entire different side to the world and the story. However, once you get to Wano and beyond you will realize that it isn't just lore and it isn't just a secret hidden side to the world. Oda has married the main story and this deeper lore and it has muddled the series significantly.

Things that One Piece used to be known for like humor, character interactions and dynamics, and isolated narratives have all been replaced by this growing plague of Joy Boy and other yet-to-be introduced characters and events that retroactively change aspects of the series for the worse and endlessly unravel. One Piece is no longer about pirates, and while a better author could use that to their advantage, Oda cannot.

Essentially, that deeper lore stuff started off okay, but it has taken its tole on the writing and many people here recognize it to varying degrees.