One Piece Production Crews Revealed Their Most Memorable Scenes

Highlights

One Piece Day ’24 featured giant sculptures, performers, and surprising appearances, making it a spectacular event for fans to enjoy.
Production crew ranked top One Piece scenes at the event, with Nami’s emotional moment ranking third and the Going Merry farewell in first place.
Heartbreaking sacrifices, emotional farewells, and special moments show that every character in One Piece can have a memorable and impactful story arc.

As someone who’s been sailing the Grand Line with the Straw Hats for as long as I can remember, I can wholeheartedly agree that the Going Merry’s farewell is one of the most heart-wrenching moments in One Piece. I mean, who wouldn’t shed a tear or two when their beloved ship, a living, breathing part of the crew, was saying goodbye? It’s not every day you see an inanimate object evoke such strong emotions!

For the third consecutive time, fans of the popular series One Piece were treated to a unique experience known as One Piece Day. This year’s event took place at Makuhari Messe from August 10-11, 2024. With the combined efforts of Shueisha Inc., Toei Animation Co., Ltd., and Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., the 2024 edition, titled “One Piece Day ‘24”, was one of the most impressive events to date.

On One Piece Day ’24, there are numerous exciting offerings including colossal statues, renowned artists, and even a special visit from the show’s voice talent! Fans can immerse themselves in the event by attending in-person at the venue, streaming it for free on YouTube, or upgrading to a premium live stream for a more intimate experience.

Images ©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation

Today, let’s focus on an intriguing part that transpired on the initial day during the Open Stage event. In this instance, the team behind One Piece was invited to share their preferred scenes from the series, titled “‘ONE PIECE’ Best Scenes Poll -Top 100 Scenes Production Crews Find Memorable“. Here are the top three picks from this poll, and it seems that the fans might concur with the production crew’s choices.

The 3rd Place: Episode 37

One Piece Production Crews Revealed Their Most Memorable Scenes

Looking back at an unforgettable moment, I’m reminded of the Orange Town arc where the notorious and relentless Arlong Pirates invaded my dear hometown. This event signified a significant turning point in my life as it marked the instant when I fully embraced my role as a member of the fearless Straw Hat Pirate crew.

Luffy Rises! Result of the Broken Promise!

In this specific moment, Nami is seen sobbing all by herself on the road, viciously carving the emblem of the Arlong Pirates into her left arm. She’s venting her frustration over her inability to defy Arlong and also harboring self-blame for trusting that malicious fish-man’s pledge. Meanwhile, Luffy remains silent, standing motionless nearby.

Time and again, Nami insists he leave, considering it none of his business, but Luffy remains steadfast by her side. As tears streaked down her face and blood trickled from a wound on her arm, Nami succumbed and begged for Luffy’s aid. In answer, Luffy placed his cherished straw hat upon her head and bellowed, “You bet!” With Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp following close behind, Luffy promptly sets off towards Arlong’s hideout.

The Moment Nami Truly Becomes a Straw Hats

Image ©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation

Initially, Nami wasn’t genuinely interested in being part of the Straw Hat Pirates; she had only joined them temporarily. By deceiving Luffy, she aimed to accumulate sufficient funds to liberate her hometown from Arlong’s control. However, this scene marks a turning point, as it reveals something unexpected that might alter Nami’s future intentions.

For the first time in many years, Nami experiences feelings of powerlessness and exposure, yet it’s none other than Luffy and his small team who choose to assist her, despite the significant danger involved. Moreover, Nami is aware that by entrusting his most prized item, his straw hat, to her, Luffy considers her as a fellow warrior in his crew. This moment, without a doubt, marks the time when Nami officially joins the Straw Hat Pirates.

The 2nd Place: Episode 706

In the second instance, we witness a poignant scene featuring supporting characters, Trafalgar Law and Donquixote Rosinante (Corazon), in “One Piece.” This underscores that this series doesn’t save emotional and impactful moments just for its main characters. Every character has an opportunity to shine and tug at the viewers’ heartstrings.

Advance, Law! The Kindhearted Man’s Final Fight!

The scene begins after Corazon forces little Law to eat the devil fruit called the Ope Ope Fruit. Corazon realizes that Doflamingo has uncovered his betrayal and is on his way to hunt them down. He also realizes that his time on this earth will be over soon, but at the very least, he wants to save Law. So Corazon casts his devil fruit power on Law, which makes him unable to make any sound no matter what he does, and then hides the little boy inside a treasure chest.

Just as anticipated, Doflamingo and his pirate gang swiftly overtake Corazon, pushing him to the verge of death. Despite their best efforts to coerce him, including his brother firing at him, Corazon remains resolute in not disclosing Law’s whereabouts. With his power set to vanish upon his demise, Corazon clings to life with every ounce of strength, buying a mere minute for Law to make an escape – sacrificing his own life in the process.

One of the Most Heartbreaking Sacrifices in One Piece

Image ©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation

In the world of One Piece, acts of self-sacrifice are abundant, from Shanks sacrificing his arm for Luffy to Zeff risking his own life for Sanji. However, a particularly poignant heart-wrenching scene is the sacrifice made by Corazon and Law.

Perhaps it’s Corazon’s decision to defy his family to save a child on his deathbed, or maybe it’s his powerlessness against adversaries yet unwavering determination to do what is right. It could be his desperate struggle for life not to save himself but to give Law more time. Perhaps it’s a combination of these actions and others that make this one of the most poignant sacrifices in the world of “One Piece.”

The 1st Place: Episode 312

Ultimately, the most impactful moments in the anime series One Piece, as recalled by its creators, are undeniably the heartbreaking goodbye between the Straw Hat pirate crew and their cherished vessel, Going Merry.

Thank You, Merry! Snow Falls Over the Parting Sea!

The story unfolds as the Straw Hats set sail on their old ship, the Going Merry, for what seems to be its final voyage. By then, the ship was far from seaworthy due to extensive damages it had endured over time and repeatedly pushing beyond its limits. Even Iceburg, a renowned shipwright in Water 7, marvels at the fact that this old vessel has managed to last this long.

Ah, the moment has arrived when we must bid farewell to our cherished vessel, the tiny ship that carried us to realms we once thought unreachable. As Luffy’s flame danced across her deck, our hearts echoed with Merry’s soft whispers of gratitude for the incredible journey we shared together.

A Ship That Makes The Fans Bawling Our Eyes Out

In many stories, it’s natural to feel emotional when cherished characters part ways. However, One Piece is unique in a way that even a ship, Going Merry, can stir up tears when its characters bid farewell to it. Remarkably, the narrative makes us care about an object as if it were alive, causing quite a few viewers to shed tears during this particular scene.

Among the team behind the production, one member made an impressive remark when we unveiled this scene as the public’s favorite. A big thank you goes out to Bandai Namco for incorporating this comment into their official announcement.

“The team who created this scene’s artwork were genuinely moved to tears while working on it. They labored throughout the night, and upon our morning arrival, traces of their tears were evident in their work.”

— Nagamine, One Piece’s production crew

There’s no denying that we each have our preferred moments from One Piece, but I think there’s consensus among all fans that these three scenes stand out as some of the saddest and most impactful in the entire series. In fact, it seems the production team and fans share the same sentiment here.

One Piece is available to watch on Crunchyroll.

2024-08-15 18:04