no senpai, no life

~ Firstly, I think that Nahum Hughes did an amazing job – I didn't realize until after I watched the episode how much prosthetic makeup/latex he had to wear, let alone the wig! The costuming and makeup department did a phenomenal job, as per usual.

~ The scream that I screamed when I saw him, I think i scared my brother in law.

~ They got him so spot-on to his pre-time skip design, i also love how long and crazy they made his hair, in some shots from the back you can see just how long they made it.

~ God, he's handsome, and the tattoos??? (but im so glad they still made him look unhinged, and a little fucking scary, with the lack of eyebrows and thick brow bone, his jagged teeth and his high hairline – he looks almost exactly how I would picture Barto in real-life.)

~ The costuming, again, just *chef's kiss* And are those leather jeans?! Okay, ill stop.

~ Look, I know some fans weren't happy with how big of a role he played in this episode, but you've gotta understand how limited they are fighting against real time, and how the actors are going to age and grow faster than they can produce the show. I know they have to take some liberties, and choosing to give us a "what-if" scenario in this alternate universe, I just love the choices that they made. Plus, there's no way they could actually get to Dressrosa in the live action, so he's almost like a walking easter egg for the long-time fans.

~ The fact that they chose to give him an actual role almost makes Barto's admiration for Luffy that much more believable. He didnt just witness this great act of adventure and freedom, he was part of the chaos, part of the story, he had an actual hand in it. No wonder he ends up revering Luffy after all this.

~ Y'all, dont forget: before Luffy, he's a loser. He's a thug. He's an everyday criminal just struggling to get by. In the Manga, he's much more vicious and violent, but in the live action, he's portrayed as being alone. He doesn't have his friends or his mob minions or any support.

So, of course, he reluctantly takes advice from Nami, because he needs all the help he can get.

`` And dont even get me started on this, you WILL see fanart very soon... this episode alone has fuelled so many more ideas, I cant even begin....``

~ Seeing them together, Bartolomeo being all smug while Luffy is genuinely just happy to be there, its so fucking cute, Inyaki is a literal cherub, I can't.

~ Those fucking teeth, anywayyyyy...

**side note, him tipping his hat to Roger***

~ Anyway, back to Barto, he is so lost, he's aimless, he doesn't think beyond surviving through the week, he doesn't have any long term goals or ambitions. He's simply there, playing the cards he's been dealt, but not striving to change the game. Also, another note, he doesn't have his devil fruit yet, so it makes sense if he also doesn't have it during Loguetown/pre time-skip in the Manga as well.

~ He's genuinely confused/at a loss for words when Luffy asks him if he has a dream of his own. He says he's never thought about it before.

~ He says it himself, he's a nobody. Also, Buggy just downright flirting with Bartolomeo was a pleasant surprise, Jeff Ward is the absolute perfect choice for Buggy, no notes.

~ OKAY but Bartolomeo actually *handing* Luffy's hat back to him, I dont think I can get over it.

~ fucking phenomenal. Barto mimicking his wanted poster?!

~ You can see the wheels turning in his head, his mind is racing, he's completely out of it from all the excitement. But in this moment, he's thinking, "Can I be like that, too?"