I'm currently in the Skypiea arc and I'm getting pretty close to tapping out. This anime has a real pacing issue where it feels like the story is developing and then it comes to a full stop. I understand this is probably to keep behind the manga but it's very frustrating to watch.

Why is it that the Luffy , Zoro, and Sanji are always trapped, lost, or otherwise incapacitated while everything important is happening?

Does Luffy every have any character development? Seems like every arc, Luffy shows up at the very end, beats up the bad guy and celebrates. Does he ever lose or experience any kind of growth? Or ever do any kind of training to improve?

I enjoyed Luffy's battle with Crocodile because he lost and had to actually think and get better for the next battle. I especially like Zoro because he lost to Mihawk pretty early on, his motivation is clear, and he's continuously working to improve as a swordsman.

Overall I enjoy the show, the characters, and the premise, but I'm getting very frustrated with how it plays out. It's like every arc nothing happens until the very end and it always closes out strong which usually keeps me engaged enough to start the next arc and repeat the cycle.

Edit I only ask because I was told by a friend that if I wasn't hooked by Skypiea then the show wasn't for me. Just wondering if any of these things do improve.