Cross himself. Where some people praise the fact that he has to rely on his foreknowledge of the world and tactical thinking to get by instead of getting some overpowered abilities (to the point of inspiring a Fandom-Specific Plot, as seen below), others see him as an arrogant anarchist who does not care about how the chaos he sows will affect the lives of common citizens or the future of the storyline pointing out his speech at the beginning of Marineford Misery where he outright tells Sengoku that he'd rather see the world in ashes than support the World Government's "carcass of order" (although Cross was experiencing an emotional breakdown during this part). Though Chapter 1095: A World where You're Better Off Dead, where this sentiment is echoed, makes this sentiment a lot Harsher in Hindsight. But the overall consensus among his detractors seems to be that, while he is correct regarding the WG's corruption and less than ethical methods being necessary to tear it down, he sometimes come across as a self-righteous Knight Templar who never sees the wide-ranging consequences of his actions and seems to get way too cocky at times. Not to mention how he seems to have no regard to how he is messing up a chunk of the challenges meant for the Straw Hats journey as he keeps flipping the script to make it arguably too easy for them and reliant on his meta knowledge. But it can be argued how it’s countered with the ripples that he inadvertently creates, but due to how much of them are happening at once, Kuma literally had to send Cross to somewhere to get strong enough to face the problems his actions have created without burdening Luffy.
The existence of the TWDS has been an overall mixed bag. Some people enjoy their presence and how they have helped the Straw Hats in several instances and had some legitimately good moments, such as Boss’s fight against Fukuro. However others feel they are extremely forced in, and don’t really have much necessity to be in the story beyond keeping up the animal companion trend. Which is also starting to become overrused, but the TWDS embody it the most, since while those like Su, Funkfreed and Karoo are acceptable given they are not only canon but are suitable to each character they tag along with. While it’s clear their existence is inspired by the TMNT and especially the Dugong pirate crew seen in the Breed filler mini arc, the detractors still feel they are unnecessary additions.
Two of these in Chapter 9, occurring during the crew's three week voyage to Little Garden. One has Luffy being trapped by some kind of monster with tentacles and everyone watching with amusement, and the other features the majority of the Straw Hats falling prey to various booby traps that the other two Baby Transponder Snails on the ship set up. The latter of the two is somewhat relevant to the story only because it explains how the snails got their names: Pinky and the Brain.
Another occurs in Chapter 33, involving a horrific encounter with "Magical Girl Inferno Aniki". Actually becomes an Invoked TropeIn-Universe, after Chopper, with the crew's permission, puts an memory suppressant into their dinner that night to help them forget.
The entire encounter with the Octopus Shogunate could be considered this if it weren’t for the handful of Call Backs to it.
Broken Base: Within the One Piece community as a whole. Despite its flaws, many still think of the fic as one of the very best Self Insert Fics ever written, and praise the way in which the authors manage to make even minor characters or filler arcs interesting. Others have criticized it for coming across as too moralistic, too long, or inconsistent in its logic (the SBS being a frequent example, with many believing that the Five Elder Stars or the World Nobles would have immediately sent Cipher Pol Aegis Zero after the first broadcast, considering he just indirectly caused Alabasta to secede from the World Government and that Vivi (who is part of a family the World Nobles have grudge against) has joined their crew.
CP0 not going after them is later justified because of Charloss, who (somehow) became a SBS fanboy, and he, as a result, is actively blocking CP0's deployment on that task.
With Akainu having yet to receive his just desserts in canon, him getting his arm torn off by Dragon was much-enjoyed by the readers.
For Cross's detractors, the Heroic BSoD at the end of chapter 82 was seen as long-coming Humble Pie for his arrogant attitude, if they didn't enjoy his helplessness in Omatsuri Island beforehand. Though it’s debatable if what occured will fully humble Cross and stop being so cocky in his journey.
Fandom-Specific Plot: The fic kicked off its own one. An Author Avatar is dropped into One Piece by a (possibly bored) higher power. They'll join the crew and work as either a full or part-time strategist using their knowledge of the story to shake up the plot at key points. This character will frequently be one of the more insane members of the crew and will be fond of giving either one type of speech or another. These authors are typically more dedicated to their work than most, with a few having already reached/finished Alabasta since the first of these started in late 2015.
Faux Symbolism: Unintentional, but Merry's sibling relationship with the Thousand Sunny. Merry has a sheep motif while the Sunny is a lion. How often do you see a lion being friendly with a lamb?
Growing the Beard: The quality began to improve towards the end of the Alabasta arc, where the main divergences in canon began to bear fruit. However, most agree the story didn't really hit it stride until the Water 7/Enies Lobby arc.
On Skelter Bite, Whitebeard's commander Izo has set up a Wano-themed hotel called "Oden's Cottage". Naturally, it makes sense since Oden once sailed on Whitebeard's ship, but it also becomes even more heartwarming when canon reveals that Izo is from Wano and was once a loyal follower of Oden.
In Chapter 1066, it's revealed that the Ohara incident was the catalyst that led to Dragon founding the Revolutionary Army. This puts new meaning on his interest in Cross as an ally, not just because of the windfall he had provided the Revolutionaries during the Enies Lobby incident, but also because Cross had seen to it that Ohara received justice by airing the true story of its destruction to the world at the same time.
Kuma sending Cross to the seventh hell, the Hell of Darkness, takes a more heartwarming interpretation after Chapter 1096 when Kuma witnesses Ivankov's leadership skills and Ginny's wiretapper and radio operator skills to cause a big enough distraction to escape the massacre in God Valley. Do you have the necessary skills to inspire the prisoners to seek their freedom, Jeremiah Cross?
In Chapter 1099, it's revealed that Kuma's global knowledge comes from traveling the world as he searched for a cure for Bonney's condition. While this does explain how he knew the locations he sent the Straw Hats to (even the TB! recruits), one would probably wonder where the Never Day Isle of Nox Vestibule, where he sent Cross, fits into it. Well, Kuma was desperate to find a cure, and an island that has eternal night is a fine good place to be when your daughter can't expose herself to the light.
Bonney threatening Sentomaru after de-aging him takes on a whole new meaning after Chapter 1100 as we learn that the two of them had struck an Intergentional Friendship during Kuma and Bonney's stay at Egghead. One can't help but wonder if Bonney forcing him to retreat wasn't just for Kuma's sake, but for his as well.
Launcher of a Thousand Ships: Cross himself. So far, Cross/Robin, Cross/Conis, Cross/Nami, Cross/Vivi, Cross/Tashigi, and even Cross/Soundbite have been paired together by fans, with varying degrees of seriousness, despite the fact that the Cross-Brain has said that there won't be any pairings in This Bites!
The Engaging Conversation between Cross and Sandersonia during the Skelter Bite arc inspired a bit of LemonRecursive Fanfiction on Fanfiction.net where Sandersonia wakes up and gently yet firmly insists on getting that sex she was after. Ironically, it ends with the revelation that it was All Just a Dream on Sandersonia's part. And another such fanfic on Archive Of Our Own, which features a Cross/Sandersonia/Koala threesome during the events of Skelter Bite.
Like You Would Really Do It: The Epilogue shows a newspaper article with the headline "Voices of Anarchy" dead, seemingly showing a crucified Cross being burned at the pyre surrounded by unknown individuals. Absolutely none of the readers are fooled, especially when one of those watching has his arm raised, revealing an "X" tattooed on his forearm.
Rob Lucci is the deadliest agent of Cipher Pol No. 9. After abducting Nico Robin and Franky from Water 7, Lucci sets off explosives around the island to keep most of the people of Water 7 from helping the Straw Hat Pirates pursue his team to Enies Lobby. At Enies, Lucci fights Luffy and nearly wins. Upon being offered a job working for the New World Masons, Lucci accepts only after Captain T-Bone defeats him in single combat, whereupon he commends T-Bone as a Worthy Opponent. Lucci then begins subverting and recruiting the other Cipher Pol units, and by the Battle of Marineford, he has recruited all but CP0. At Marineford, Lucci and his subordinates help save Luffy and Ace from the Marines, and afterward Lucci agrees to put Marguerite through Training from Hell in the Six Powers in exchange for her teaching Haki to him and his men.
Vice-Admiral "White Feather" Komei is one of the most intelligent members of the Marines, having discovered the existence of the New World Masons multiple times and having chosen to let Tsuru erase his memory each time. Having been assigned to guard Sabaody and the entrance to the New World, Komei establishes a highly effective blockade, forcing the Thirteen Supernovas and dozens of other pirate crews to work together to break the blockade. Using privateers as meat shields, Komei slows down the Supernovas in order to let the weaker pirates shatter against his vanguard, forcing the Supernovas to engage the main force of the blockade with limited backup. With his blockade force only being broken by the Straw Hats' previously-unknown secret weapon, Komei simply acknowledges his failure as a learning experience and moves on from it.
Magellan is the Warden of Impel Down and the most powerful combatant on its staff. Despite being a cruel man in command of a cruel prison, Magellan's devotion to his justice is absolute; he will not break the rules of his prison under any circumstance. When Luffy breaks into Impel Down, Magellan defeats him in combat, dealing him several blows that almost kill him. Later, when Luffy and the prisoners he has recruited attempt to break out, Magellan faces them again, but chooses to let them go after Luffy survives his Poison Goetia so he can better fight Blackbeard, reasoning that they're sailing to their deaths at Marineford. Magellan proceeds to win his fight with Blackbeard, and is only prevented from killing the Blackbeard Pirates by the accidental involvement of "Wet-Haired" Caribou. Upon receiving inarguable proof that the World Government's justice is corrupt, Magellan agrees to join the New World Masons, taking a seat among the Zodiac of the Damned as a sign of independence, and begins re-evaluating his prisoners' sentences with the help of the Revolutionaries.
Merry confirms that just because a ship doesn't say anything, doesn't mean it isn't aware of everything you do on it, including top-secret snail calls to people on the other side of the law.
As Marigold puts it, she'll never be certain there's anything Cross doesn't know, including things that should be impossible for him to know.
The Scrappy: The Unluckies, Mister 13 and Miss Friday. The two of them are effectively a Goldfish Poop Gang aiming for Cross and Soundbite's heads after the Alabasta arc with little actual characterization, and they just keep coming back! And while the intent may be to make them into the Hate Sink, they just end up pissing said readers off because it gets repetitive and boring. And because of Cross's refusal to kill them, their repeated returning is all but assured, leaving many readers frustrated beyond belief. That said, they haven't been seen since the early parts of Enies Lobby, so this may yet change. A canon deleted scene during the Sabaody Revolution finally had them show up and clear the air with Cross and Soundbite, letting go of their grudge based on the fact that they had become respectable opponents instead of lucky, tricky weaklings with connections. Neither party quite apologizes, but both acknowledge their mistakes, and 13 and Friday confirm that if they clash with Cross again, it'll only be business.
Signature Scene: While there are plenty of moments in the fanfic that qualify for this, ask any reader and odds are Rock Bottom Blaze of Glory is the most memorable. As in when all Straw Hats (barring Vivi and Carue to the former's chagrin) disintegrate the World Government flag for everyone in the world to hear on the SBS.
A similar event reveals that Basil Hawkins, another Supernova, is in possession of Shichiseiken.
The appearance of the World Pirates from the 3D2Y special was hinted at during the preview for the Summit War on Spacebattles, but Caribou and Coribou were a surprise.
