Romance Dawn Arc

It was starting off One Piece with a bang. I had somewhat expected the beginning of the anime to be like the Netflix adaptation, and there were some similarities but it did start in its unique way.

One of the reasons I struggled with starting the anime was the animation style. Animation is not a make or break for me to watch a show, but something about One Piece animation has always bugged me. I am happy to report the animation didn't bug me at all. Is it my favorite? No. It is unique? Yes. Is One Piece still worth watching even if you are not a fan of the animation, yes it is!

The Romance Dawn arc is episodes 1-3 and starts by introducing us to the major characters in the show. So what are my first thoughts on the characters?

Monkey D. Luffy is the definition of dumb luck. We get the backstory on where his dream to become pirate king started and how he stumbled onto the devil fruit. A fruit that allows someone supernatural powers, With one catch. You cannot swim in the ocean, Which is devastating for someone wanting to become a pirate. He lucks upon the gum-gum fruit that turns his body into rubber. Through every trial and fight he smiles. He can be annoying at times but I found that his cheery personality grows on you quickly. His loyalty to his dream is inspiring. He goes above and beyond for his friends and after watching a couple of episodes you will wish you were Luffy's friend too.

Koby is the definition of character growth. At the beginning Koby is super fearful and obnoxious, but you can see how much he grows in the first few episodes, so I am expecting a lot from his character in the later seasons.

Shanks the captain of the red-haired pirates is already one of my favorite characters. He is calm and collected, he is an incredible leader and knows when to take action. He inspired Luffy to chase his dream and protected him with his life. He is hard not to love and I am looking forward to him getting more screen time.

Roronoa Zoro starts as an unknown character. He is a pirate bounty hunter currently under arrest for an unknown reason. We soon learn the kind act he did to cause his punishment and even in prison, he continues to show his kindness. He quickly joins Luffy as his first mate and we start to learn more about his quirks.

Nami makes an appearance, but other than just seeing her on the screen we don't know much about her in the first few episodes. All that we know about her so far is she is head strong theif who needs 100 million berries (Their worlds version of money)

What are my thoughts on the romance dawn arc? It was jammed back with characters, backstory, and progress in the main store. One piece is great at drawing you into the screen. I love that every character has their own time to have a back story, It causes you to have an emotional connection with the characters right away. The story is shockingly fast-paced, which I wasn't expecting since the show is so long. I am hopeful it will continue with this pacing.

What are your thoughts on the first 3 episodes of One Piece? Did it catch your attention or did you drop it after the first few episodes? Do you like One Piece animation? Favorite character?

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Want to watch One Piece with me? Click to read Journey into the World of Pirates for a full episode guide.

I hope you follow along for this adventure.

Bye for now!!