The last guide I made was too elaborate and explained arc by arc. This one is to-the-point and the quickest guide to watching or reading One Piece. Here I will only mention where to start from, which medium is better (manga/anime) for which arcs, & most importantly where to skip to if you find the starting a bit slow. Note that, a slow start is not a bad thing in terms of storytelling. A story needs to start from somewhere. It’s just some people see it differently. Some like in-your-face and bang-boom-like intro, some like a buildup-like story that pays off in something much bigger. I will also include what movies to watch as well since some of them have made quite the impression.
Check out this post if you need the long version. In any case, let’s get started.
Best medium to experience One Piece
The best would be the manga because that’s how to experience the story as the author intended. Also, you don’t have to deal with fillers.
For those interested a bit
Watch film Gold. It’s around 2 hours. It introduces all the main characters and what they can do right at the beginning. It shows a bit of world-building and builds curiosity toward the newcomers. The plot is great, the villain is intriguing, and the fight scenes are the cream of the pie. It’s a great start for those who want a little “One Piece” experience.
If you find it hard to get into
You can always skip ahead and start from where things get serious. The character introductions won’t be a problem as you will see them in action. If you find One Piece interesting after that, then you can start from the very beginning.
The Water 7 arc (cp 319/ep 227) is where everything gets cranked up to 110. It has a lot at stake, the crew is put up against the biggest adversary yet that becomes big later on, and the story reaches a new height. Check wiki or my post to watch out for fillers.
Best anime moments to check out
- Reverse Mountain arc (ep 61-63) because it’s cool and hilarious
- Loguetown arc (ep 45 48-53) because of its laid-back approach
- Episode 147: The dreams of a pirate… will never end!”
- Drum Island arc (ep 78-91) since the manga had a few hiccups with this arc and the anime handled it better
- G-8 arc (ep 196-206) since it’s the best filler in the history of anime
- Water 7 arc (ep 227-263) because how it handled the scenes with great visuals and voice acting
- Halfway from episode 278 coz it’s that epic moment from the Enies Lobby arc and episode 309 that finalizes Luffy’s epic battle from the same arc
- Episode 377 coz it’s Zoro’s last stand at the end of Thriller Berk arc
- Sabaody Archipelago arc (ep 385-405) coz the animation has a tone change that fits the story theme
- Episode 726 from Dressrosa arc coz the animation looks great in a long time
- Zou arc (ep 751-779) go completely blind in this in anime because it’s worth it
- Episode 870 from Whole Cake Island arc (ep 783-877) coz it’s a new height that the anime reaches that surpasses the manga
- Wano arc (ep 892-) check out the whole in anime because it looks great and refreshing
Best Movies to Watch
- Gold. As mentioned before, it’s a good place to check out for those who are interested.
- Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island. It’s a horror and you won’t know unless you’ve watched.
- Z. Due to some of the characters and locations, this may feel a bit strange to newcomers. But it has a heartfelt story that everyone can enjoy.
- Dead End Adventure. This is where the staff started taking the theatrical releases seriously. It was released in 2003 & some interesting animation was done at that time.
- Strong World. This is kinda beginner friendly coz the plot is simple and characters are introduced.
- Stampede. Toei just flexing their new animation technique and it is visually pretty impressive. The plot isn’t any good though.
- Red. The newest movie released pretty recently. Check it out if possible.
3D2Y. It’s a TV special, not a theatrical movie, but worth checking out. It shows an event that takes place in the 2 years time-skip and Luffy’s growth during it. It was released in Blu-ray other than TV airing.
Something to take note of
The Sky Island saga (ch 218-302, ep 136-206) and the Long Ring Long Island (ch 303-321, ep 207-219) had been the “boring” part for many. They are the 3rd saga and 1st arc of the 4th saga respectively. Agreed that they are not presented in an entertaining way, but they have some concepts that are making major impact on the story in later arcs. Every arc have something significant that are used in some way that are truly interesting. So, even though they seem “boring”, they not to be neglected. What they brought have generated many internet discussions and fan theories that are still talked today. Best way to get past them is through the manga.
There are some other arcs as well that some people may find them not very interesting. Thriller Bark saga (ch 442-489, ep 326-384), Fish-Man Island arc (ch 603-653, ep 523-541 543-574) and Dressrosa arc (ch 700-801, ep 629-746) are some of them.
Share this if you find it useful in any way. Thank you for reading.
