FR I felt this way with Wano and Egghead too. So many new characters are being introduced, way too late in the story IMO, which then completely nerfs established characters backstories..e.g. Ace being (powerful enough to travel to and survive) in Wano makes no sense, but it was done to try and give the whole Tama storyline some weight.
Brook having even more of a tragic backstory that he's never even mentioned doesn't make any sense, but it was done to try and make the Shuri character compelling.
Luffy coming across Loki and taking an interest in him was forced to insert Loki into the story as quickly as possible, just like with Shirahoshi, Rebecca and other "princesses in distress".
I do miss when the storytelling seemed more organic, and less forced. It's very formulaic and repetitive, down to Luffy always being indisposed and then boom, appears just when all hope seems lost……..while the rest of the crew just kind of hang around doing sweet FA. takes me sad 'cus like you I have loved OP for years.
I know you’re gonna hate me for this, but I just can’t bring myself to care about the princess or Loki, like I don’t know what it is about arc but I have been reading one piece since I was 12 and this is the first time ever where I’ve just been almost uninterested in an arc, I think I just need to come back to it when the arc is over and complete and read in one go because it just isn’t hooking me this arc at all, I guess I just expected Elbaf to be different and I am holding my breath EVERY chapter for ussop to do ANYTHING AT ALL