A Critical Look At One Piece

Key Takeaways

Length and pacing are the main drawbacks of One Piece, with over 1100 chapters being far too jarring for many new viewers.
Female characters’ hypersexualization is a questionable design choice that doesn’t add value to the story.
Over-reliance on Luffy in every arc makes the storytelling repetitive and takes away from other characters’ development.

As a long-time fan of One Piece, I must admit that this classic manga and anime have brought me countless hours of enjoyment over the years. However, I can’t help but feel that some aspects of the story could use a bit of tweaking to make it even better.

Over a span of nearly 3 decades, the captivating tale of One Piece has enthralled audiences with its rich narrative, endearing characters, enigma, and thrilling action, among other appealing elements. As a result, it not only holds the title as the most successful manga ever published, but also boasts the distinction of being the best-selling comic in history across various sectors. This unparalleled success, combined with its legion of devoted fans worldwide, has solidified it as one of the greatest works of fiction that has ever been created.

Despite the fact that One Piece excels in many ways and enjoys widespread adoration, it’s important to acknowledge certain aspects of it that haven’t aged quite as well. It’s crucial to remember that no story is flawless, and the minor shortcomings in One Piece by no means diminish its immense value. However, these shortcomings are present, so let’s examine the series more closely and discuss the rare instances where it might have faltered over time.

The Length And Pacing

One Piece Has Over 1100 Chapters

Debut Date	July 19, 1997
Current Chapter No.	1122
Current Episode No.	1122

The primary criticism levied against the One Piece series often revolves around its pace. Although many enthusiasts believe that the extensive length is necessary for a story of such magnitude, it fails to alleviate the fact that newcomers must plow through over 1100 chapters or equivalently watch 1100 episodes. Embarking on something so vast in scope, regardless of its quality, can be initially overwhelming for most people.

As a gamer, I’ve encountered quite a few folks who haven’t dived into the world of One Piece yet, and one thing they often mention is the pacing. They’ll say they started it once upon a time but had to abandon ship because nothing much seemed to be happening for ages, leaving them feeling disenchanted with the series. The mammoth length of One Piece, combined with the fillers that make the pacing feel sluggish at times, is definitely a hurdle for many when it comes to this show.

Don’t start a fight if you can’t end it!

Furthermore, the revelation that Wit Studio plans to remake One Piece with approximately 276 episodes has caused quite a stir among fans. This is remarkable given that it suggests the entire story presented in over 1100 episodes by the original animation could potentially be condensed into less than 300. Quite a dramatic shift indeed!

This demonstrates that significant portions of the main storyline can be streamlined without compromising its essence. Similarly, certain arcs in the manga are filler, though they may include crucial elements or enhancements, they often disrupt the narrative flow and slow it down significantly at times. One instance is the Long Ring Long Land arc, which despite introducing Aokiji and setting up Water 7, occurred after Skypeia, effectively halting the series’ momentum.

This situation appears to contradict the primary argument for the series’ duration, since viewers argue that its breadth is warranted because of the complexity of the story. However, the Wit Studio remake manages to convey the same narrative in less than a quarter of the original anime’s length. Although fans will have to see if this is done skillfully or haphazardly, it’s an encouraging sign for what’s to come in the future.

In the realm of “One Piece,” one of the most intriguing worlds found in any fiction, ancient mysteries abound, keeping fans on their toes. Yet, the lengthy wait for a mere crumb of insight about these mysteries can be frustratingly long, reflecting the slow pace that is a common critique of “One Piece.” However, once you become engrossed in the narrative, the pacing usually becomes more fluid. This issue with the slow pace might deter some initially, but it tends to smooth out once you’re hooked on the story.

Hypersexualization Of Female Characters

Many Find The Treatment of Female Characters Jarring

Over time, some of the most memorable figures in this series have been the numerous female characters created by Eiichiro Oda. However, one common criticism is their excessive sexualization, as many of these female characters possess exaggerated physical features and frequently wear clothes that are either overtly revealing or form-fitting. Despite the quality of their character development, it can still feel out of place when this aspect doesn’t contribute to the story in any way.

An illustrative case in point is the post-time skip design of Nami. Many fans feel that following the time skip, the Straw Hats crew members underwent significant improvements in their designs, each character adopting cooler and distinct appearances when they reunited at the Sabaody Archipelago after two years. However, it appears that Nami’s design remained limited to just a bra and tight jeans, which some find disappointing considering how impressive Robin’s new look was. This seems like a missed opportunity for Oda to showcase more creativity in Nami’s design.

If you think I’m just a cute girl, you’re dead wrong!

As a gamer, I often find myself dismayed by the frequent design of female characters in games. Instead of showcasing their personality or strength, they often expose too much, which feels unnecessary and leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. It’s disappointing to see that even when these characters are exceptionally written or developed, their design choices lean heavily towards overt sexualization. They seem designed to look as revealing and conventionally attractive as possible, rather than reflecting the complexity of their characters.

Over-Reliance On Luffy

Luffy Often Takes Away From Other Characters

In essence, Luffy, being the central figure in the story of “One Piece”, tends to receive more focus than other characters, which is inevitable. However, some viewers find it monotonous that each arc seems to culminate with Luffy defeating the final antagonist. This criticism has also been directed towards “Dragon Ball” as Goku typically emerges victorious against the main villain, making the arcs appear repetitive in structure.

Certainly, each character plays unique roles, yet it often ends up that Luffy engages in the final battle against the main antagonist rather than someone else. This pattern has resulted in a sense of repetition in the storytelling. The reason why arcs like Marineford are so fondly remembered by fans is largely because they didn’t unfold as predicted, offering an element of surprise and novelty.

This situation often results in Luffy being granted extraordinary protection from harm during battles, as seen in his conflicts with Crocodile, Katakuri, and even Kaido at the end of Wano. It often seems that Luffy emerges victorious not through skill or strategy, but more due to sheer luck. However, it’s important for the main character’s success against antagonists not to impede the growth of other characters. Some fans express concern that this could potentially occur in Elbaf with Usopp.

Over-emphasizing Luffy as the focal point for every event detracts from other characters’ opportunities to stand out, like during the Wano arc when everyone anticipated Zoro would take center stage due to his ties to the land, but he ended up having a smaller role compared to Luffy. Even though Luffy is the main character, it’s unfair to overshadow other characters’ significant moments entirely because their individual importance should also be highlighted at times.

One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

2024-11-19 00:34