I would just like first to add that This thread will contain spoilers through the current events in One Piece

you have been warned.

(an image for filler. I'm totally serious, turn back now before total spoilage)

Yes, my friends, Eichiiro Oda has taken the drastic turn of providing a time skip for One Piece. Now for some series, this move would not seem so drastic, but if we can take a quick look at how things have gone down in One Piece before, by my estimation, the entire events of One Piece to date have taken only about 90 days (One Piece wiki provided info on the gaps between islands and i counted out the days of arcs in my head). For a further 730 days to pass by is astronomical given how much happened in those 90 days, and will basically entail a total reset of the series.

The straw hats have dispensed to train in those two years, and the possibilities are mind-boggling, given that each is exactly where he or she needs to be.

Luffy trains with Silvers Rayleigh, second-in-command to Gol D. Roger himself, who will give Luffy control over his Haki so that he can fight the Logia titans.

Zoro trains with Dracule Mihawk, the one man he wants to defeat. Who better to learn from?

Nami, previously dangerous with her weather-controlling Clima Tact, will now learn to weaponize weather in a whole new way in the meteorlogical island of Weatheria

Usopp will get badly-needed survival training so that he can truly become Sogeking

Sanji will learn from the okama (transvestites), the secret of 99 superpowered recipes that make people stronger

Chopper learns unknown medicinal secrets in the deceptively-primitive Torino Kingdom

Robin has made contact with the Revolutionaries, whose goals she shares

Franky has been left on the futuristic island of Dr. Vegapunk, so that he can study the technology of the man who made the Pacifistas.

Brook is developing new songs while in captivity as a freak show, held by the Longarm Tribe

Up next come Post time skip spoilers!

Another filler image is in order:

Currently, the crew find themselves on Fishman Island after reuniting at Sabaody Archipelago, all much stronger, and making their descent into the ocean. After mishaps with a volcano, a Kraken, and The Flying Dutchman, they make it to the island, but are separated. Sanji gets horrible nosebleeds now, the Straw Hats capture a dangerous logia-fruit-user named Coribou and accidentally bring him to the island with them.

On the island, a Fortune-Teller gets a vision that Luffy will destroy the island in the future, and Coribou escapes and starts kidnapping mermaids (though the Merfolk are unaware of him, and think the Straw Hats are doing it). This causes the Mermaids/Fishmen, who were grateful to the Straw Hats for rescuing the princess' shark from the Kraken, to decide to capture the Straw Hats, starting with Zoro. They lure Luffy, Usopp, Nami, and Brook to the palace, where Luffy ends up meeting the Mermaid Princess, who has been targeted (quite literally) by an evil suitor for ten years, and has been unable to leave her palace tower. Luffy decides she should get out and see the outside world. The Straw Hats see through the trap and decide to flee, but Zoro takes it too far and ends up taking the entire Palace hostage, with the demand of free passage off the island.

The evil suitor, Captain Van Der Decken IX of the Flying Dutchman, has made an alliance with Hordi Jones, Captain of the New Fishman Pirates and spiritual successor of Arlong, to overthrow Neptune, King of the Sea. Hordi Jones wants a more militantly racist regime in control of the island, and Van Der Decken wants the Princess. The match is set (as of Chapter 6/14, February 11th, 2011)

But anyone who is really HYPED about One Piece already knows this, so we will launch into the glory of speculation!

My bets (for the current arc):

Sanji will end up fighting Coribou as he wants to save the Mermaids
The Mermaid Princess will end up being a case of Crouching Moron Hidden Badass, probably not too far off given how frickin' huge she is.

They will come way from Fishman Island with the 10th Nakama. Who exactly i can't tell (short list candidates are the Kraken, Van Der Decken, Jinbei, and the Mermaid Princess)

Who else is HYPED around here? Shout out and place your bets

fricking disappearing images...

Can't wait.

Physically and maturation-wise, I hope that they don't change all that much. Much of the humour stems from their maturity level (as well as the series' light-heartedness), while I simply like the character designs and am hesitant of a design change.

I think that neither character will drastically change their fighting style; meaning that there will be no new physical weapons. Obviously, there will be the obvious inclusion of 'haki' - perhaps by even Zoro, too!

As for the marines, other than the Buggy as Shichibukai and Ao Kijiji as Fleet Admiral, I'm fining it difficult seeing anyone else pick up those replacements. Though Coby will obviously play a larger role, it just seems as if it's far too sizable a gap for him to fill. Admittedly, I may be underappreciating how long this time skip is relative to how much time had already progressed.

I haven't actually formally written or even thought much about what is going to happen. I'll be sure to do that and revisit the thread later.

Any idea when the relaunch starts? i cant wait to see the results of their training.Of course with this gap in time law,kid and the other rookies will have gotten stronger as well.

Can't freakin' wait!

I'll re-read the entire last arc so some of the events can stay fresh.

I agree with pearljammer, I hope they don't change that much especially the humor. If there was indeed design changes, which will be, I don't care and I'm all for it.

I think it's this week or the next. the sooner the better.

Hype!

Buggy shitibukai... yeah.

Buggy receive a letter from Marine because now he is world famous... yes Shichibukai title coming.

Some people are stronge... other just influential.

And Buggy is more stronger than Ussop... it is not as weak as everyone thinks.

It will be awesome! Now I'm really curious how these characters will develop physically and mentally.