Usually, when a new chapter of One Piece drops, fans celebrate with excitement. But with chapter 1172, that joy is turning into concern as Oda seems to be overusing reaction panels and recapping what everyone already knows.
Fans frustrated by “filler” pages
The biggest complaint about One Piece chapter 1172 is the severe lack of new developments. Instead of pushing the conflict forward or revealing the Straw Hats’ next move, readers are stuck flipping through page after page of characters reacting to events that happened long ago.
World-building has always been One Piece’s strength, but this time the execution feels off. This isn’t new though, as throughout 2025 the trend of “shocked faces” has become a tough pill to swallow in the manga.
Fans have long criticized the anime for its slow pace, but now even the manga seems to be falling into the same trap. Readers keep seeing repeated panels summarizing the current situation, information anyone following the story already knows by heart.
For example, in this chapter, Gaban wastes precious panels just listing the enemy’s power inside the elevator. There’s also a double map panel simply confirming something revealed three chapters ago: Nami and Robin are still in the Owl Library.
Jarul’s broadcast explaining theories fits his character, but it ends up retelling detailed flashbacks about Harald and Loki that we just read moments before.
On forums, many fans expressed their frustration: “It’s baffling how much information is repeated to the point the manga’s pace is slower than a snail’s.”
One Piece’s slow pacing becomes a major issue
The problem with chapter 1172 isn’t just that it’s slow, but that it shows Oda refusing to fix this chronic pacing issue. Zoro just kicked off a big confrontation, only for the chapter to end with him saying, “I have a plan,” leaving fans waiting another week or more to find out what it is.
This pacing might work if you read the volumes straight through, flipping pages quickly. But for weekly readers, especially after a 14-day break, getting a chapter full of recycled content feels like a punishment. It kills the excitement for truly explosive moments.
With so many characters appearing at once, Oda tries to show everyone’s perspective but ends up stalling the story. Fans don’t need to see every supporting character’s face filling pages just to understand the tension. They want to see Luffy and his crew tackling the problem!