8 Best-Written One Piece Characters Eiichiro Oda Completely Forgot About

With more than 1000 manga chapters and anime episodes, One Piece is undoubtedly one of the most popular action-adventure series globally. Because of its size, creator Eiichiro Oda has developed a rich and detailed world filled with countless characters, and it’s understandable that he’s forgotten details about some of them over time.

Considering One Piece has more than 1500 characters, it’s understandable that Oda might overlook some of the less important ones. However, it’s surprising that even some well-developed and interesting characters have vanished from the story. Here are eight of the most noticeable examples of characters who disappeared despite having great potential.

Kuro

The Mischievous Villain That Kickstared Usopp’s Story

Debut: Chapter 23 (Manga) Episode 9 (Anime)

Kuro, captain of the Black Cat Pirates, is a standout villain from the early part of the story. He’s memorable not just for being a cold and ruthless killer, but for the elaborate scheme he carried out: he spent years working as Kaya’s butler, all with the intention of eventually killing her and stealing her wealth. Luckily, Usopp and the Straw Hat Pirates were able to stop him.

Unlike most villains from the early East Blue part of the story, Kuro hasn’t returned later on. Aside from a brief appearance in an anime-only scene and some unofficial manga artwork, the captain of the Black Pirates has seemingly vanished. It’s a shame, really, because he was a truly frightening opponent, and it would be interesting to see how he’d fare against Usopp now that Usopp has grown much stronger and more confident since their first encounter in Syrup Village.

Gin

A Blink-And-You-Miss-It Cameo Is Not Enough

Debut: Chapter 44 (Manga) Episode 21 (Anime)

Compared to Don Krieg, the main villain of the Baratie Arc who was rather flat and simple, his second-in-command, Gin, was a much more interesting character. Gin was powerful and surprisingly had a strong sense of honor, but his strange devotion to his captain showed just how complex he really was.

Gin was a memorable character in the early East Blue storyline, but he hadn’t appeared in the series for over twenty-six years. He briefly showed up in the Egghead Arc alongside Don Krieg on the island of Hachinosu, but this small appearance left fans wanting more. Many questions arose about how Gin and Krieg ended up in the New World, whether they’re now working with Blackbeard, and what they think about Luffy becoming one of the most powerful pirates as an Emperor.

Arlong

Where Is The Evil Pirate That Ruined Nami’s Life?

Debut: Chapter 69 (Manga) Episode 31 (Anime)

Many One Piece fans consider the Arlong Park Arc to be one of the series’ highlights, and the story arc that initially captivated a lot of viewers. This reputation largely comes from the arc’s villain, Arlong – a cruel Fish-Man pirate who terrorized Cocoyasi Village, killed Nami’s adoptive mother, Bell-mere, and essentially held Nami captive during her childhood.

I’ve always found Arlong to be a particularly tragic villain. His cruelty and hatred of humans stemmed from the terrible discrimination he and other Fish-Men faced, essentially radicalizing him. But Oda, the author, showed us in a flashback that Arlong wasn’t representative of all Fish-Men; characters like Jinbe and Hachi actively disagreed with his violent methods. It’s a shame, though, because despite having ties to Luffy and Zoro, Arlong has completely vanished from the story. It doesn’t even seem like he was captured and imprisoned like many of the other major villains were, which is a bit strange.

Smoker

He Used To Be One Of The Most Interesting Marines In The Series

Debut: Chapter 97 (Manga) Episode 48 (Anime)

Smoker’s first appearance during the Loguetown Arc was a thrilling moment, showing viewers that not all Marines were bad. He stood out with his strong sense of justice, and he was the first character we saw with a Logia-type Devil Fruit power. Over time, he developed a compelling relationship with the Straw Hat pirates – they were rivals who disagreed on many things, but still respected each other.

Smoker’s importance in the story gradually decreased after the time skip, and he really only played a major role in the Punk Hazard Arc. During that arc, he appeared noticeably weaker than his enemies. He hasn’t been featured much since then. Although he made a brief appearance in the recent Egghead Arc, it wasn’t enough to revitalize a character who hasn’t been central to the plot for over twelve years.

Yorki

The Captain Of The Rumbar Pirates Didn’t Perish Alongside His Crew

Debut: Chapter 103 (Manga) Episode 63 (Anime)

Brook’s story is famously sad – he and his crew, the Rumbar Pirates, faced a slow, agonizing death before he was brought back to life by his Devil Fruit. But many fans overlook the fact that his previous captain, Yorki, wasn’t with them when tragedy struck; he had already left the crew.

Yorki was a well-loved man known for his kindness and compassion, and he shared a special friendship with Brook. He became seriously ill with a life-threatening disease, and while it seemed likely he wouldn’t survive, the Rumbar Pirates had to continue their journey before knowing his fate. This has led many fans to speculate that Yorki might still be alive, though he would be quite elderly now. With the upcoming Elbaph Arc promising to delve into Brook’s history, there’s hope that Yorki might reappear soon.

Bentham (Bon Clay)

Most Fans Are Not Even Aware That He’s Still Alive

Debut: Chapter 129 (Manga) Episode 78 (Anime)

Bon Clay is a fan favorite in One Piece for good reason. Initially presented as an enemy with Baroque Works, he unexpectedly became friends with the Straw Hat pirates and assisted them several times. He truly shined during the Impel Down Arc, courageously saving Luffy’s life and ultimately sacrificing himself to allow Luffy to escape and rescue his brother.

Fans who only watched the anime were surprised to see Bon Clay seemingly killed by Magellan during the Impel Down arc. However, a side story in the manga revealed he survived and became the new ruler of Newkama Land after Ivankov left. Sadly, this has been his last appearance so far, and it’s a shame to see such a memorable and well-liked character remain imprisoned for so long. Many fans hope the author, Oda, will find a way to free him again soon.

Enel

This Powerful Villain Is Still Stuck On The Moon

Debut: Chapter 254 (Manga) Episode 167 (Anime)

Enel is easily one of the most striking and frightening villains in One Piece. He believed he was a god, fueled by his huge ego and the incredible power of his Devil Fruit. He likely would have destroyed Skypiea if Luffy hadn’t challenged him – Luffy’s Devil Fruit ability was the only one that protected him from Enel’s electricity.

Fans of the manga know Enel’s story continued after his initial appearance. He had his own short series shown on the cover pages, detailing his journey to the moon where he fought space pirates and built an army of robots. However, that series, Enel’s Great Space Operations, ended over eighteen years ago, and we haven’t seen Enel since. Despite being introduced early on, he remains one of the most powerful characters in the series and could easily compete with some of the strongest fighters from more recent storylines.

Urouge

The Only Supernova That Hasn’t Done Anything Since His Introduction

Debut: Chapter 498 (Manga) Episode 392 (Anime)

As a huge One Piece fan, I’m constantly amazed by the Supernovas! These incredibly talented pirates first appeared during the Sabaody Archipelago arc, and they’ve all become major players since the timeskip. We’ve seen Law, Kid, and Killer team up with Luffy, Bege attempt to take down Big Mom, Apoo and Hawkins side with the Beasts Pirates in Wano, and even discovered X-Drake was secretly part of SWORD. Bonney’s connection to Bartholomew Kuma was a huge reveal too! Honestly, the only one who feels a little left out is Urouge – I’m still hoping he gets a bigger moment to shine!

Urouge isn’t a complex character, but his brief appearance in the Sabaody Archipelago Arc showed he’s powerful, tough, and courageous. He also has a Devil Fruit ability that lets him soak up damage and convert it into strength, which could be very useful. Aside from a quick scene introducing Kaido, Urouge hasn’t had a major part in the story yet, and some fans fear he might not get one, especially now that One Piece is heading towards its conclusion.

2026-01-25 22:36