This is the same experience I had. It really feels like the story is directly from the heart, even if it has some flaws. I particularly liked how the author seemed to gain a deeper understanding and respect for transgender people and reflected that in the series. He writes an island full of essentially awful trans stereotypes initially, but later goes on to write some really wonderful trans representation during the Wano arc. However the way he draws women in general is so bad to this day, all identical extreme hourglass figures, lol.