One Piece: 10 best story arcs ranked
Toei AnimationFrom Arlong Park to Water 7, here are our rankings of the 10 best story arcs in One Piece.
Like most anime, One Piece contains its stories by using what are called “arcs” where the story is broken up by using a framing device presented in the series. In One Piece’s case, it uses the location of the adventure when referring to its story arcs.
The appeal of One Piece is the characters on larger-than-life adventures on the high seas of the Grand Line and New World.
Said adventures may vary in quality so today we’re ranking what we consider the 10 best story arcs in One Piece. Fair warning – Spoilers ahead!
Top 10 One Piece story arcs ranked
Here are our picks for the best story arcs in One Piece. We’re only considering completed arcs – otherwise, we would be talking about Egghead Island all day.
10: Skypiea
CrunchyrollThe Skypiea arc often gets overlooked because it only maintains a little relevancy across the series until the time skip. Skypiea literally removes itself from the world of One Piece to a new land of foreign technology and religion where the Straw Hats feel out of place, a true adventure where the crew has as fresh eyes as we do. It also introduces what later becomes Haki, a mainstay in modern One Piece.
As a self-contained adventure, Skypiea performs well with the memorable antagonist, the lightning-wielding Enel, being a pure villain with no redeeming factors. Luffy being the only person in the world who can take him down for a gag reason, while heroic, is very fitting for the tone of One Piece. Rubber doesn’t conduct electricity, after all. Though some consider it forgettable, Skypiea deserves a lot of credit for moving the series forward.
9: Wano
CrunchyrollWano is full of such “ooh” story moments, from time-traveling characters to Oden’s backstory, revealing much about Whitebeard and Gol D. Roger. Luffy has lost fights before but not as severely as his losses against Kaido, almost killing poor Straw Hat until he unleashes the Looney Tunes action of Gear 5, introducing a “destiny” aspect to Luffy’s character.
While the arc in the anime unfortunately falls victim to the infamous post-time skip pacing where the anime simply struggles against reading the manga, Wano does a fantastic job of putting the stakes on the table with a complex situation with memorable villains, giving all the side heroes opportunities to shine.
8: Thriller Bark
When you think of Thriller Bark, you may think of the low-stakes, fun Halloween-themed antics that make up the arc. Then you think a bit harder, you’ll remember the emotional whiplash that is Brook’s backstory, the hilarious fights, and Bartholomew Kuma suddenly appearing.
The catharsis of Brook finally singing “Binks’ Sake” again with friends after being alone for so long is easily one of the greatest moments of One Piece. While Thriller Bark doesn’t have much long-lasting effect on the series outside of Brook joining the crew, it again has that self-contained adventure feeling that One Piece thrives in.
7. Jaya
Many fans forget about Jaya since it’s associated a lot with Skypiea, but the Jaya arc contains enough memorable moments to stand on its own. While the story of Jaya isn’t much to follow, the most interesting part of Jaya is the parallel between Blackbeard and Bellamy, who both leave a lasting impact on Luffy.
While pirates are often presented as jaded cutthroats who just live for the loot, much like Bellamy, there’s the idyllic dream of adventures on the high seas. However, their goals and preferences are vastly different; that’s how Blackbeard and Luffy are similar in their principles when it comes to following your dreams.
6. Arlong Park
The climax of the East Blue saga works so well as a finale to the start of the Straw Hats’ adventure; the first major villain that poses a genuine threat while also being tied to a character past, Arlong is exceptionally cunning and powerful, covering all bases against Nami, it’s the first instance of thinking “maybe they can’t win.”
Arlong Park deserves so much credit because the entire crew came together against a threat instead of solely relying on Luffy. They break up the combat and fight in their own ways. Zoro’s loss against Mihawk has a lingering effect, and Usopp gets a chance to be brave and really stand out. Of course, we can’t forget to mention Luffy’s declaration that Nami finally has her freedom and trustworthy friends.
5: Arabasta
Since entering the Grand Line, the crew gets roped into helping Princess Vivi to Arabasta and save her country from Baroque Works, a criminal organization. This makes Arabasta more interesting because it introduces a third party outside of pirate crews and the Marines, opening more complex organizations in One Piece.
Arabasta deserves a lot of credit for introducing the concept of fighting creatively against Logia-type devil fruit users. Though Smoker is the first Logia user we meet, Crocodile steals the show as the first really imposing villain where Luffy must use his not-so-tightly-screwed-on rubber head until “Haki” comes into play later in the story.
4: Marineford (Summit War)
CrunchyrollWhile clashes between the navy and pirates in One Piece are as common as water in the ocean, a full-scale war with the entire world watching a story-changing situation unfold is a dramatic setting change for One Piece. It also wins points by pulling together a memorable all-star cast of new and returning characters outside the Straw Hat crew.
The entire theme of arcs between Saboady Archipelago and the time skip is “consequence.” The world of pirating is not all fun and games; while the Straw Hats have nothing but good intentions, you’re still going up against a government with laws and a navy that hunts you for a living.
3: Drum Island
Incoming with the most adorable character in One Piece is the Drum Island arc. This arc has so much going for it; Nami needing immediate medical attention puts real stakes on the situation, and the villainous Wapol, while imposing during Chopper’s emotional backstory, being played for gags in an actual fight not standing a chance against Luffy is a classic good versus evil story.
If there’s a single One Piece arc that cements Luffy’s dedication to his friends, it is the Drum Island arc; the near-verticle climb up that frozen mountain is visibly painful as the captain carries his unconscious cook and navigator, sticking with Chopper as soon as they meet becoming genuine friends. Luffy heavily benefits from some character development in this arc.
2: Sabaody Archipelago
CrunchyrollJust saying the name of this arc will send a shiver down any One Piece fan’s spine. Sabaody brings a lot to the table for the series besides general pain and heartbreak. While the Marines are generally the villains, the aspect of a government-allowed criminal underworld to appease the pathetic Celestial Dragons lording over everyone gets fans raring for hatred.
The climax of the crew being split up, the general hopeless feeling against the threat of the Marine forces, and the infamous Bartholomew Kuma stays with you with every rewatch. The “Worst Generation” cast of pirates leaves a lasting impact, with Trafalgar Law being the fan favorite, so much so that they are heavily involved in each story arc following the two-year time skip.
1: Water 7/Enies Lobby
CrunchyrollWe’re technically combining two arcs here, but many fans consider this one big arc because it both begins and ends in the very wet town of Water 7. So much is compacted into this arc, and it’s all tremendous for one reason: One Piece gets serious. While the soul of One Piece is heartfelt adventure and comedy, the serious tone of this arc is what gains its fame.
Nico Robin’s declaration to live, Franky starting as a villain with his over-the-top bombastic attitude mixing well with the crew, Luffy’s Second and Third Gear, the incredible fight scenes between CP9 and the Straw Hats, the emotional fight and reunion between Luffy and Usopp. Water 7 is the very best arc One Piece has to offer.
Those are our rankings of the top 10 best arcs in One Piece. Do you agree with our picks or have a different pick for number one? In any case, all One Piece fans will want to know when the next episode is released, and readers will want to see when the next chapter is heading their way.
