Before becoming a part of the manga fandom, as a resident of the U.S, I saw One Piece as a cartoon that was more suited for kids. The fact that Naruto and Bleach is more popular than One Piece here among the "Big Three" is mostly the fault of the American cartoon company, 4Kids, who licensed One Piece and heavily censored and edited the anime. (please, it's not even close to what's it's supposed to be) When I learned that One Piece is the best selling manga in history (the series sold over 280 million volumes sold as of the end of 2012, with the initial release of volume 61 breaking the record for the first print publishing record of all books in Japan "Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix") as well that 88% of its readers in Japan are adults, it gave me the motivation to seriously start reading it. The experience was a pure joy and it's been stuck in my head ever since. Each arc gets more and more exciting as you read on and everything from epic battles to comedy relief brings the characters to life. As one of the comments said, it's all about the journey and not the destination. And it's a very epic journey. (in fact, at one point in the manga, Luffy says he doesn't want to know where One Piece is right away or it'll make the adventure boring) That's why you have to experience the adventure thoroughly to properly understand how good the series actually is. I myself didn't really get why it was considered one of the best after reading several volumes. Continue on without question and you won't regret it. Personally I found the Enies Lobby Arc the climax of the series; after that I considered One Piece to be one of my top favorites and certainly the best mainstream shonen manga.

A lot of ideas for manga are based on real life examples with a fictional twist. One Piece brings together pirates vs. marines with mythical beasts and devil fruit powers. This allows for a lot of leverage for the design of many interesting characters. We have our protagonist, Luffy, a rubber man who's ability to stretch combines close combat with long ranged attacks (I mean seriously, who else but Oda would think of this) and his crew who goes up against a multitude of villians with their own unique devil fruit powers and developed abilities. The fights in this story become more and more epic as the challenge becomes tougher and tougher with the result of the characters becoming stronger each time as well. Not only do each individual's abilities evolve, their teamwork becomes phenomenal. The creativity put into this series is simply a blend of genius, meaning no one else could've written anything like it.

Oda Eiichiro-sensei was fully aware that his art style might put off some people (that's where some of the bias comes from in America) but as One Piece's popularity grew, his unusual art was shown to be be one of One Piece's selling points. It allowed him the freedom to draw interesting battles, funny scenarios, and bizarre characters. Rather than getting "used to the art," you'll find yourself immersed in it.

Another selling point of the manga is that although there is always the comical annoyance between the crew members, all the members loves and values their crew dearly as all of them have joined Luffy's crew because of some sort of dream; dreams that were inspired by some sort of tragedy they experienced or by some person they have met. You'll find yourself touched by the characters interactions as you see them go through hardships as well as joyful moments, with their dreams becoming the drive force that makes each individual powerful. You'll have fun with the characters as they all have their own role in entertaining the reader; comedy and seriousness is blended together perfectly in series as each one of them has their own very unique personality. This allows for a plenty of hilarious gags intricately put in each chapter. As you observe their adventures, jumping from one island to the next, you'll see the crew always getting into some wacky situation as troublemakers and how they're always ready to be heroes and save anything from a small village to an entire nation. Because of how they always meddle into the affairs of others, the tiny crew starts off as nobodies only to become infamous worldwide as the plot progresses into something enormous.

The idea of many people is that many shonen manga reach its peak at some point and only get worse if the author attempts to keep the series going on for too long instead of ending it, but One Piece has been going on for 600+ chapters and has only gotten more interesting. Oda always knows how to take the series into the right direction. (he says at chapter 597 that the series reached its half point then)

... Last updated on January 3rd, 2013, 1:21pm

The most intimidating part about One Piece is its length. Over 600 chapters and yet only halfway there. It also seems repetitive in a sense that it repeats the same formula over and over again.

I say it isn't. The overall plot may be slow, but it's story arcs are the series's greatest strength. It's about Luffy's adventure. I'm not reading this to see Luffy go straight to the last island and get One Piece. That's boring. I want to see what his adventure is like.

The length is actually one of the series's greatest strengths. It's realistic. How? You might ask. One of One Piece's strong points is how large of a world it is. Luffy is just a rookie pirate, competing to get One Piece against thousands of other pirates. He needs to travel, island to island in order to achieve his goal. It's unrealistic to find a single character who is able gather a whole crew, and defeat their competition, and just find One Piece without progress. That's where the arcs come in. The characters, the plot, and the world develops in sync with Luffy's adventure. You can slowly, but surely believe that Luffy has what it takes to become King, instead of having his goal achieved by plot alone. That is what One Piece is really about. The journey, not the destination.

The only thing repetitive about One Piece is that they got to a new island, and they see a villain. is there a problem with that? No. How else are you going to do it? Go to an island, explore, then leave? That's BORING. In any series, especially adventure series, the worst thing you can ever do is bore your readers. What One Piece does to entertain its readers is utilizing story arcs in order to illustrate how characters are developing in order to compete in the overall plot.

Characters getting stronger from short-termed training arcs, sudden power ups, and anything similar to that are all cop-outs in order to get a character to be able to close the gaps with their opponents. One Piece doesn't do that. It illustrates how large the world and his competition, and how small Luffy really is.

In short, overall, the series is excellent. The benefits towards reading this far outweighs any of its weak points. If you find it's length still intimidating, you can always read it in short bursts. I did, and I love it like almost any other fan. It is definitely worth trying, and it isn't going to disappear anytime soon.

... Last updated on October 31st, 2011, 7:21pm

This manga is not the best because of blindness of some jerkish fans, it is the best because of it's unique and highly engaging plot. You cannot even think how the author can surprise you and how the small details can actually make you go numb. When I re-read the series what I saw was that there was some things or some details at the end of each arc which were hard to notice and those minute details went on to make a big and absolutely mesmerizing arc.

Now, moving on. About the characters. The characters all have a very distinctive art with accentuated features. It may look a little odd to begin with but the art slowly grows on yourself. The background art is detailed but I have seen better in many other series. The main thing about One Piece is the main character. I have not seen such a protagonist in any series. Oda makes you love the main character so much that though him being absolutely dumb you hoot for him all of the times.
What many point out is that Luffy does not goes any character development in the whole 700 chapters. Well, I'd say he does undergoes a character development but what makes the main character of this series unique is that his never changing character. Ask any One Piece fan, Luffy changing his attitude or any trait is simply beyond imagination and that is what Oda has sown into the minds of us readers that the main character, no matter what, will not change. As per the character relationships, you'll be damned if you get some better friendship and comradeship views in any other series. The drama, the backstory of every character in the crew of Luffy is just heart touching.

Coming on to the fights, the biggest reason why most of the fantasy and supernatural genre people don't like One Piece is that there no super mode and unbelievable battles in the series. Everything is stitched nicely with the " One Piece Logic ". What amazes me is the randomness of the fights, there is no particular form of fighting that anyone follows. Especially the main character, there is no uniform style. And this is what makes the One Piece fights natural where anything can happen. Also, the addition of the absolutely amazing concept of " Devil Fruits " in the One Piece universe serves as most entertaining element. No matter how goofy people think Luffy looks by stretching his body, believe me when you understand the basics of One Piece it would look pretty damn badass. Also what I like thoroughly about One Piece is that no " Instant Power Ups " are given in the series. Here, the strength either comes from training or devil fruit. The main character has the lowest tier of the ability and there are hundreds of people who could defeat him in a punch. But that's what makes it good and worth reading.

And the last reason why One Piece is the best. The well timed time-skip. I don't think any series has a better time-skip situation than One Piece. When the time-skip gets over, there are just so many things to look forward to that you cannot even count. Even while One Piece has rushed to 707th chapter there are many things we don't know. Time-skip has made everything more interesting, new characters are well placed by Oda and pace of the arcs have been better since then. Also, the coming back of many characters has been the specialty of One Piece. What you may judge has irrelevant and not important could be the game changer.

I think this must have cleared some doubts of the people not liking the series. Unless you give it a try you won't be in a position to judge it and I'am pretty bold to say it that there is no long-term fantasy series as good as this.

Many people consider One Piece a miracle. And miracles are weird. I if would have to describe what type of manga One Piece is, I will say that it is an adventure-driven manga with character –driven tendencies.
The story follows a young man named Monkey D. Luffy: a cheerful, friendly, simple yet impulsive boy who dreams about becoming the Pirate King by finding the titular treasure. The plot is quite typical nowadays, but as far as I know, One Piece was the first one who used the “to be king” premise. After the first arc (East Blue), is easy to notice that Oda is not looking to tell us a great story ( something that still he does), but he is looking to draw us into a fantastic journey. In fact, the whole looking for the treasure is just an excuse for adventure. But, if you got sucked up into that adventure, you would definitively love it.

A common complaint about One Piece is that the concept of pirates isn’t faithful to the one in our world. But every other shonen does that. The initial concept, in this case “pirates”, is just the substance for the story. Oda isn’t looking to show us a crew of evildoers ruining everything they come into. Instead, he emphasizes the latter said with themes like dreams, freedom, friendship and what a true treasure is.

The tone of One Piece is what makes it so weird, great and unique. One Piece is pretty silly. But this silliness is what allows One Piece to incorporate various genres. It goes from drama to comedy, and vice-versa. And it goes from situations that move you to the point of tears or make laugh until you can’t breathe, and vice-versa.

The last paragraph also applies to the characters. Many of the characters designs and personalities are weird. In fact, it is common for EVERY character to have a quirk. But that what make them distinguished and creative. A bonus that One Piece has is that every secondary o tertiary characters could make a comeback in future chapters. And they are usually re-used in sudden and creative ways. Now, let’s proceed with the main characters. It is interesting to note that Luffy is the most archetypical from the crew, given that the other members hardly fall into common anime/manga character archetypes. From the beginning a varied cast is given: a badass swordsman, a greedy navigator, a coward and liar sniper and a perverted cook.

The most notable flaw of One Piece is the pacing. Sometimes the plot develops too fast, and suddenly this development begins to drag out. Many people are complaining right now about this problem in present arcs, but it seems that they forgot this pacing issue was always there. Other “problem” is that most arcs have the same structure: the crew arrives, someone is trouble, they kick some butts, etc. Yet, each arc manages to differentiate from each other so well, despite the last thing said.

Other potential "problem" is that some arcs, at first sight, don’t SEEM to be related to the plot. But Oda show us things for future purposes. In other words, some arcs exist solely to introduce characters or concepts that will later be developed in the story. This is another point that people seems to have forgotten.

The reason I give One Piece a 10, even though I acknowledge its flaws, is due to Oda who has stated he purposely dragged out his work because he liked it so much. And this passion is something that can be perceived by the way he has handled things along these 15 years. I'm still surprised how he has able to keep things fresh and have kept a very good level of quality in writing. Perhaps not a masterpiece, but definitely above the common shonen standard.

I would really like to recommend this to anyone. But I know many people wouldn’t handle it because of the length. So, if you have a lot of spare time and want some adventure, go on. If you are passing through a difficult situation and you feel exhausted from everything around you, I implore you to read One Piece. Is good for the mood.

I have read probably every single one of the "big shounen mangas," and this one definitely takes the top. Although the art may not appeal to many people at first, once you get used to it, it's really quite amazing. No two characters look exactly the same and they all have distinct personalities from each other. Unlike other mangas, this manga doesn't have a focus point on romance (thank god, really.) and focuses more on friendship, making this story probably the most unique story out there.

The storyline doesn't get boring either. There's always humor which makes you laugh, and the character interactions are well, nothing short of exceptionally amazing.

I used to avoid One Piece because of it's art, and now that I think about it, I wonder why I was so stupid (seriously, go read it!) his art takes it's own life, and it's so explicitly detailed it's utterly amazing and I can't say enough that One Piece is probably the shining beacon of all shounen manga because I think it's the only reason I haven't given up on it. It's not overrated, for one. In fact, I think it's under-rated. Unlike the other big mangas (Bleach, Naruto, etc. etc.) the plot never gets old, and the 550 something chapters fly by really fast.

There's ton of great scenes and all in all, if you don't read it you are seriously missing out on one of the best pieces of all time.

Artwork
I like the art. I think it's more fun to look at than anything else, however, I'm sure some people would find it unappealing. Artwork has a large effect on whether someone keeps reading a series because even if the characters and story have their merits, if they are constantly distracted by artwork they simply don't like, then I can imagine they probably wouldn't last long enough to see how good this series really is (things like female body shapes and how wide characters open their mouths can especially be unappealing to certain people . . . my mom for example dislikes how wide the mouths open at times and my sister dislikes how the female bodies are drawn).

Protracted Conflict
Aside from individual arc-to-arc conflict where the main protagonist is up against a particular villain character (and other characters fight, stuff happens, etc.), there is an overall story that is going on, that is introduced from the beginning of the series, and is constantly built up and I think it really holds up this series. Pretty much everyone who reads this series can agree with me when I say that the pacing slows down tremendously in the middle of arcs, for better or worse. However, even if there were a few times that I wanted to drop the series (or at least put it on hold), I continued reading because I keep wanting to find out what happens next, what certain things mean, etc. There is a lot of foreshadowing in this story. There are also really cool flashbacks and just as we learn more about the present world and as events happen in the present and future of the story, so do we learn about the world's history and about events that have happened in the past. I think that's really cool.

A lot of stories like these just focus on the battles and while they might have some depth to them, it isn't enough to carry the series for very long, or if the series does continue, it starts to lose its appeal (e.g. Bleach, Fairy Tail, Naruto, etc.). One Piece might have certain flaws when it comes to its pacing and other minor details throughout, but there's just so much that keeps you wanting to find out more. Even after 800 chapters, the story continues to get better and better. You'd think that after 83 volumes, it would have gotten pretty dull, right? But that's not the case at all. In fact, the two most recent chapters, 834 and 835, are some of the best chapters in the entire series. By the way, when I said that there were a few times where I wanted to drop the series or put it on hold, I literally meant a few times. And for a series with over 83 volumes, that's actually pretty damn incredible.

... Last updated on November 3rd, 2016, 8:17am

I've been reading Bleach and Naruto for a couple of years now, always reading the newest chapters online and would see One Piece with them in the updates section but I would just ignore it. I tried 2-3 times to read it but I quit around the Buggy arc. One day I decided to give it a try once more and I fell in love! It is rightfully considered the best shonen out there! Oda is simply a brilliant storyteller. Not only has he created a whole new world with its own laws, traditions and different kinds of people but also the characters (even the most minor ones and ESPECIALLY the strawhats) have so unique personalities (and flaws) that is is very hard not to be interested in their growth and actions.
What makes One Piece make a difference from the other big three is the way the story is being told, something that confirms my earlier statement about the author's storytelling ability. Its' structure is so well put together that it is as if the author has been planning years ahead and I have seen no plot holes as of now. Also I do love that old characters appear after years or other characters that you didn't really pay attention to have come to play huge roles in the development of the story and only then you do realize that Oda has been building them for hundreds of chapters .
Another thing that I like is that the story touches a lot of topics about society and its problems. In One Piece you will find themes such as slavery, racism, oppression, corruption and especially, peoples perspective of justice. All these themes are beautifully mixed inside the One Piece universe but also tend to remind you of the society you live in and the history of humanity.
If you find an arc boring, you will realize after some time that it actually was very important to the later events of the story. That is what I would call the One Piece "magic". You see something and you are like "meeeeh" and then you read further, connect and say "So that is how it is! WOW!"
I have heard that the author is working a lot of hours on each chapter of this brilliant piece of work for each chapter. More than the other manga artists normally do. But that actually becomes visible to the reader in the final result! You will notice small details in each panel that might not really be important, but really do add to the whole aesthetic of the story.
The jokes are also very funny, especially the way the strawhats interact with each other and the "What the f*** are they doing now?!?" effect they bring to the surrounding people (especially the marines haha!). Even in a fight, the author will blend something funny or ridiculous in, while maintaining the overall seriousness.
Last, I would like to comment about the art and the design. At first you might be put off by the art (I know, I did) but you will be soon captivated by the addictiveness of the story that you simply wont care anymore and actually, the art gets better and better as the story goes on. The character designs are also interesting and sometimes VERY weird. Don't be surprised if you see a goofball or a dude with a funny figure kicking ass! Also, I really do enjoy each island the Luffy goes to. It is something I look forward to each time an arc ends. They are all so unique! I swear the creator of One Piece must have limitless imagination.
The only thing that I do not enjoy that much is the excessive fanservice after the timeskip. Too many melon boobs and bikinis
So if you want a good laugh and tons of adventure look no more and start reading One Piece. You wont be putting it down.

... Last updated on March 22nd, 2014, 6:00am

Overrated? Really? If One Piece is overrated, then Naruto and Bleach are so overrated that it transcends the boundaries of human comprehension and perception!
Yes. One Piece is just that good.
It's different from the other top shounen mangas--the quality is constent; good, unlike the drastically degenerating plots of other mangas (you know what I'm talking about). In fact, One Piece just keeps getting better and better.


The miniscule little plot hints dropped during each arc is gradually building up an amazing new world. It just keeps getting more and more exciting--it's like watching a totally new world with its own unique laws and dictations (governmentgovenmentgovenmentsecrets&conspiraciesomgthetension) unfurl right in front of your eyes. But you have to pay attention to some of the details and the foreshadowing going on to grasp the enormity of everything.

And everything DOES develop; mysteries are beginning to unravel and we're starting to see the whole picture and stuff. Character development? Yes. I see some... However the characters are already almost fully developed from the moment their backstories (which will make you cry) are revealed! Sort of like stock characters. Chracters do learn things, but it's subtle. You can't have characters suddenly changing personalities, right? I'm pretty sure in other mangas like Naruto and Fairy Tail the characters all still have their own rooted personalities and mannerisms. The character development is still there, but not as obvious.

Regarding the overused and repetitive plot aspects of One Piece--aren't all shounen fighting mangas repetitive? It depends on how you view it: shounen mangas pretty much ALL involve the main protagonist fighting and defeating an enemy, fighting and defeating another one, and another one: constantly one-upping and fighting new enemies...
One piece has fights, yes, but the fights are thoughtful and planned and there is a whole lot more going on than 'just a fight'. Mm. Revolts, subterfuge, religion, friendship, corruption, power, sacrifice-- all these intricate and interesting ideas are blended into each fight to create a delicious and enjoyable smoothie of awesome. Yummy.

Anyways. I love One Piece. But it might not be the one for all (...it is the one for me, though...), with inspirational & developed characters, action and adventure, an interesting art style (hey, the art is somewhat atypical in the sense that characters can look very different from each other , provoking stories (some characters' backstories made me cry...) and an epic plot to boot.

Recommended for all (hmmm... 12+?)

This manga will not suit everyone's tastes, and you definitely need a lot of patience to get through this entire manga. The art is particularly strange for the shounen genre. However, it is worth the temporary pain.

Some may call this manga's different arcs repetitive or dumb upon slimming them down to short sentence descriptions, but that is applicable to every story in existence. What matters in the end is the story's execution, and this is where One Piece excels.

The characters actually come to life in this manga despite the distasteful art, and I've fallen in love with each and every character--even the villains! ( except one...) As the story goes on you begin to see the formation of a close knit crew of amazing people called the Straw Hat Pirates-- and you will go on a bizarre but unforgettable journey together with them on their ship. I love OP for making me laugh with the silly characters who always seem to tackle life as it comes--they are SO carefree that I am infected with their enthusiasm and optimism.

I love the idealistic portrayal of this particular group of pirates: (they are more like sailors) Their ambitions, dreams, loyalty, and hilarity have made me a huge fan of OP. I cry when any of the main characters cry, and love everything Oda has pieced together.

Get ready to board the feels train, folks. You're in for an amazing ride.

... Last updated on May 2nd, 2015, 3:28pm

I know this is one of those criticized mangas, but this is one I just can't wait for each week.

Yes, it is unrealistic,
Yes, It has hardly any character development, and
Yes, the plot progression isn't real "deep" if you will.
BUT I adore it because it is the way it is. There are lots of people who love the manga but the nay-sayers are more vocal (in my experience). Even I was put off at first, but I tried it anyways and fell in love (and I'm so glad I did!!). Personally, I like the novel of retaining my innocence through such mediums; I often enjoy media directed at the younger audiences more, they are not bogged by daily worries or interferences. It reminds me of when I believed I could do anything no matter how unrealistic or childish the idea seemed to everyone else.
1) It is called fiction for a reason. It wasn't meant to be sensible and it wasn't mass-directed toward adults in the first place. It is suppose to be fun and silly. It's suppose to hold the attention of a younger person, so the more complicated it is the less it will hold their attention. Nonetheless, it presents morals and values in an easy-to-understand and straightforward manner. And who cares if he's over-powered? It's fiction. There are still people who can overpower him and there are people with strengths where his weaknesses lie (i.e.: tact lol) so in retrospect you could just consider him a genius in hand-to-hand combat and get over it.
2) The character development is there… its just in more of a burst rather than being drawn out through the series. Not to mention if one was really reading with an open heart and an open mind (which is how you should approach anything new) you would love the characters; considering their back stories are pretty tragic but they choose to live on despite the terrible circumstances. And even though their antics are on the stupid side, (unless you're a total stick-in-the-mud) there is no way you would not let out even a small snicker. Even if its just from their melodramatic facial expressions.
3) Though the manga does follow guidelines (which is common for a frequently used theme, like battle) it is not repetitive which I really commend Oda for considering how long this has been published. He is great at keeping his readers on their toes. Even those obsessive fans don't always know what might cross Oda's mind and that keeps it fun and fresh. Plus, if you're reading closely, everything connects. Only now are we starting to see that all of the things Oda has written has a purpose in the conclusion.
700+ chapters is really long and there are some parts that are drawn out but since it's like that, it's fluid. Battles themselves feel less chopped up because Oda draws them step by step and stories are well flushed because he doesn't leave much out. Sometimes I feel like I am living in the story.

Now, I don't want to discredit anyone's feelings but the heated arguments between those who like the manga and those who don't are annoying. Let others have their opinion and don't try to stuff yours down other's throats. Speak your piece then be done with it, and don't rain all over other people's parade (it only makes you seem like a jerk).
I believe this manga had a sparkle all along but only now is it really starting to show it's radiance. You may not like it but it's worth giving a try. It is number one in sales for a reason.