Why I Love One Piece

I have always loved films, TV, and music. They are part of my blood, my DNA. I could have easily written this piece on a Danny Boyle film, Firefly, Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy, or something by David Lynch or Paul Verhoeven or why my favourite Tarantino film is Inglorious Basterds—and maybe I will at some point. There are plenty of other big names I haven’t even mentioned. But when I read Angela's brief for this challenge, I knew immediately which show I was going to write about.

One Piece.

From Dystopia to Pirates

Before One Piece, my only real experience with anime was in the '90s with the dystopian and cyberpunk visions of Akira and Ghost in the Shell. But I never really took to it—partly out of intimidation, and partly because I didn’t know where to start.

Then, during the COVID lockdowns, my son began watching anime—lots of it. While there were other shows before One Piece, that quickly became his favourite. Honestly, at first, I thought it sounded ridiculous. He kept saying with full enthusiasm, “One Piece is peak fiction.” I rolled my eyes and dismissed it. Then I watched it.

It was around 2023, before the Netflix live-action adaptation dropped. I gave the anime a try, and… I was hooked.

Brief History

One Piece is a Japanese manga and anime series created by Eiichiro Oda, adapted by Toei Animation. It follows Monkey D. Luffy, an energetic young pirate (and lovable idiot) who dreams of becoming King of the Pirates by finding a legendary treasure known as the One Piece. He has the ability to stretch his body like rubber after eating a Devil Fruit.

Devil Fruits are mystical fruits that grant incredible powers to anyone who eats them—whether human, animal, fish-man, or even inanimate object. Abilities can range from turning into fire or a mythical creature to sprouting extra limbs or manipulating souls. The catch? Anyone who eats a Devil Fruit loses the ability to swim—an ironic curse in a world full of sea-faring pirates. It’s the classic “deal with the devil” story: power at a cost.

Over the course of his journey, Luffy builds a crew—the Straw Hat Pirates—including Zoro the swordsman, Nami the navigator, Usopp the sharpshooter, Sanji the chef, Chopper the doctor, Robin the archaeologist, Franky the shipwright, Brook the musician, and Jinbe the helmsman. Each crew member has their own dream, explored through their reasons for joining Luffy and staying with him.

At its heart, One Piece is a classic shonen—manga aimed primarily at younger males, full of action and camaraderie. But like all great stories, its appeal is universal.

As the crew sails through the world’s dangerous waters, they face rival pirates, corrupt Marines, and the oppressive World Government. They explore mysterious islands and encounter bizarre characters and powerful secrets. The show’s themes of freedom, friendship, and found family are constant and profound.

Multi-Faceted Characters

One of the most impressive things about One Piece is Oda’s ability to create fully fleshed-out characters. Not just the main cast—though they’re incredible—but even minor or side characters feel like real people. There are one-dimensional background roles, sure, but every named character seems to have a history, motivation, and reason to exist.

Many characters you initially dislike grow on you. Others you admire at first may later show their flaws. It’s rare to find a story where character arcs are so consistent and rewarding.

Consistency in a Vast World

With over a thousand episodes and manga chapters, you'd expect a few plot holes. And maybe they exist. But I haven’t come across any that break the story. Tiny details from early episodes resurface hundreds of chapters later with meaning. Questions get answered. Loose ends get tied up.

Oda has built an entire world, and it reminds me of Tolkien’s obsessive attention to backstory and world-building. There are constant callbacks to earlier moments, and clever hints about what’s coming. It’s storytelling with depth and patience—and that’s rare.

Genuinely Moving

I say this with no shame: One Piece has made me cry. Multiple times.

The humour, action, and sheer absurdity of the world can be disarming—but the emotional gut-punches are real. The Straw Hats are a dysfunctional family, but a loving one. The world they travel through is fun but full of cruelty and injustice.

The series explores serious themes: death, torture, discrimination, slavery, corruption, betrayal, and abuse. It’s not as dark as Berserk or Chainsaw Man, but it’s far from light-hearted fluff. Some arcs are genuinely difficult to watch. But they’re also powerful.

Surprisingly Few Fillers

One of the issues with long-running anime is filler episodes—non-canon material used to slow the pace and give the manga time to catch up. Shows like Naruto and Bleach are notorious for this.

One Piece, despite being over 1100 episodes long, has only about 100 filler episodes. That’s less than 10%, which is almost unheard of. It helps the story feel continuous and avoids the fatigue common in other series.

Not as Intimidating as It Looks

Let’s be honest: 1100+ episodes is intimidating. Even at 20 minutes per episode, it’s a commitment.

When I started watching, I went in with cautious optimism—but I never expected to be drawn in so quickly. Now I’m in the middle of the Punk Hazard arc (part of the Dressrosa Saga), somewhere around episode 600. I’m all in. I won’t stop until I see Luffy crowned King of the Pirates and discover what the One Piece actually is.

Bonding With My Son

As I mentioned, my son is the reason I started watching One Piece. He asked me recently if I liked it, or if I just watched it because he liked it.

I told him honestly: at first, it was because of him. I wanted to understand what he was always talking about. But now? I'm a full-on fan. One Piece has become one of my favourite pieces of fiction, full stop.

I have a complicated relationship with my sons—just as I do with my wife. My sons are older now—teenagers and young adults—and they know how much I messed things up when they were younger. So any opportunity to reconnect in a natural, unforced way means the world to me.

With Luke, my youngest, One Piece is that connection. We share a love of music, sure—but this show is something truly special between us. We talk about our favourite characters, scenes, and theories (he’s ahead of me but doesn’t spoil). We geek out together. It’s honestly a joy. I love geeking out anyway—but doing it with him is even better.

Final Thoughts

I recommend One Piece to absolutely anyone. Don’t be put off by the Japanese language or the animation style. You can watch it subbed or dubbed—whichever you prefer.

If the length intimidates you, start with the East Blue Saga:

Romance Dawn, Orange Town, Syrup Village, Baratie, Arlong Park, and Loguetown. That arc introduces the main world and characters, and it’s more than enough to show what this series is capable of.

If you’re still unsure, there are websites that clearly mark which episodes are filler so you can skip them if you prefer to stick to the canon material.

https://www.animefillerlist.com/shows/one-piece

Just give it a try. Like me, you might find One Piece is more than just a show. It might even become something that helps you reconnect—with yourself, or with someone you love.

One day soon, Luffy will be the King of the Pirates - will you be there to witness it?

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Thanks for reading!

Author's Notes: I tried to write about One Piece without giving too many spoilers away, which is why I couldn't get down and dirty with the details. This is for Angela Hepworth's April Unofficial Challenge - The Magic of Media. Which you can find out more about following the link.

Here are some other things too: