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On Portugas D. Ace and why his hat is made of win
Recently, a question was posed at Romance Dawn concerning Ace and why everyone seems to love him. Being a fan, I took on the challenge of answering this question, but not only was I dissatisfied with my own response, I was further interested in the subject, beyond just Ace. Though I will freely admit, he was still 90% of my interest.
Basically, the discussion was focused on Ace and the amount/type of “fangirls” he had procured over the years. The argument stated that, in all reality, he has only appeared in about 10 chapters (not including chapter starts), so there was really no founding for his “popularity” aside from his physical appearance and Logia ability.
This was interesting to me. How long should a character have to appear before he is ‘established’? And once this is done so, what determines whether a character should be popular or not? Do they have to have complete arcs focused entirely around them? Do they have to have a distinctly unique ability? What about an OMGSCAR or an unsurprisingly dramatic history? Hero or villain? Male? Female?
In truth, there are hundreds of factors that play into exactly why a character is popular and who supports him. Yes, for those that appear less regularly than others, physical appearance might be a deciding element, normally, but with Oda, there is so much more available. We are a gifted fandom in that our God Mangaka is one of the most creative in the business. With Oda, we are constantly guessing and constantly surprised. Nothing is ever stale or monotonous and we never have to base why we like a character solely on physical appearance. This is the very core of why the secondary (and major) characters in OP are so amazing: because we are given so much in such a short period of time. Within pages, a new character is established as different and unique. Oda takes the time and care to give everyone their own personality and allow all the characters to make a lasting impression on we, the reader. People in the fandom, to this day, still cite Laboon as one of their favorite characters and arcs.
He was a whale, who appeared in 3 chapters and it happened years ago, but he is still popular. Why?
In that short amount of time, we were introduced to a character that was unique (hello, whale), fresh, and heartfelt. How many people felt their heart twinge just a tad everytime he rushed his head against that wall? It’s okay to admit it. Everyone did. Why? Because Laboon was different and believable. We connected to him as the reader through Oda’s work and portrayal of emotions. That has a huge impact on people.
So what does this have to do with Ace? Well, I’m getting there.
First, let me define a secondary character in the context of OP.
A character that does not appear often, or might have at one point, but now does not, that has some kind of direct effect on the main characters and/or storyline.
I have always considered Ace a secondary character, if just for his relationship with Luffy, but there are many who still believe him to be of minor standing. Ever since we learned Shanks was searching for Ace – he became full-fledged secondary because Shanks is directly tied to the storyline and, whoa, he’s looking for Ace. Why, we don’t know, but he still is. It is even more prominent now, with the recent chapters. This is an important aspect of the OP secondary character: they play an integral part in whatever they are involved in.
We recently found out that Ace is the cause (or rather, a major one) of larger events in One Piece that have yet to unfold. Oda literally writes, “The two’s battle would be spoken of as the trigger for a greater incident that would occur later (REF: Chapter 441)” and while Ace’s fate is currently unknown (through speculated), it cannot be denied how much of an impact he has had. This fact alone makes him awesome.
But what about the original question, you say? Why do people love Ace?
Well, to state the obvious, he is a rather attractive man. But this is not the only, nor primary reason that one is drawn to him. People argue that this and the fact that he’s Luffy’s brother are the only reasons that he’s popular. While I disagree with that, I have to wonder why these are not credible reasons? When it comes down to it, people are fans for whatever reason they chose. The above should not be discounted, nor should people be frowned upon for liking a character simply based said reasons.
Personally, I was drawn to Ace because he was Luffy’s brother, since Luffy is my favorite character. While this was the reason for my initial interest, it is not what fully sold me on the character. Ace’s personality is fully exposed right from the start, and at the time of his introduction, he was incredibly unique. People were calling him a “polite version of Luffy” and though this may be true, I have to contest the phrasing. Yes, Ace is polite and yes, they are brothers, but Ace is not a “version” of Luffy. He is his own, fully functional entity.
On the whole, Ace can be quick and witty (in some instances), a little less innocent and wise to the ways of the world. Where as his brother started out later and approaches things from the wide-eyed prospective of a boy on his first adventure, Ace knows the nature of people and has experienced the cruelties they are capable of first hand. Even staying that, he is still just and fair; he knows the horrors men are capable of and he does not yield in his vigilance.
Here is a character that cares deeply for his younger brother, enough to risk capture by the Marines, but knows and accepts that they will eventually be at odds. He is a man that supports his brother, while simultaneously holding an unwavering devotion and loyalty to Whitebeard, a man he admires above all others. Ace is a man that’s extremely powerful and widely revered, but still on the modest side and a little narcoleptic. A man who holds honor and duty high above anything else. And this is all established within those 10 or so chapters.
While this is all my opinion and my personal view/analysis of Ace’s personality, it is still based off those few appearances he’s made. That’s just how much there is to work with and that’s why One Piece secondary characters rock so hard. They are vibrant and energized, they are respectable, and they are stand-alone. To put it briefly:
The reason secondary characters in OP are so amazing is because Oda doesn’t treat them like secondary characters.
While we know that is the correct label for them, based upon appearance times, Oda treats each of his creations with the same care and dedication. I don’t’ know any other mangaka that would actually go back and show you what other characters are doing, including minor ones, on a consistent basis. That’s something uniquely One Piece and it’s something I’m quite thankful for. Every character is treated as if they are part of the main cast.
So now you know why Ace is amazing and why all secondary characters are love. As his hat indicates, he is a Dramatis personae – a character of an incredible piece of work.
Let me close by saying, it’s okay to like less popular characters or characters that are popular for reasons some might not understand. It’s okay to support a character because you like the way they look – Oda’s a fan-flippin’-tastic designer and artists. It’s okay to love a character that’s only been in 2 chapters – Oda makes them so awesome in those 2 chapters that it’s like they’ve been in 200. The important thing to do is show your support for those characters that are underappreciated. I still feel Ace is not as popular as he should be and he’s been in his own chapter starts! So go to a forum, talk with fellow One Piece fans, join a fanlisting, make a fanlisting, whatever you want, because it’s okay to be a fan of secondary characters and it’s even better to show it.
And the next time someone questions why you like a character in OP, just ask them why Shanks is so popular. He’s appeared in fewer chapters than Ace!
They’ll tell you it’s the scar.
