One Piece’s Non-Canon Material is a Gold Mine for Video Game Content

One Piece's Non-Canon Material is a Gold Mine for Video Game Content

As a seasoned gamer and long-time One Piece fan, I must say that the release of One Piece Odyssey has truly opened my eyes to the potential of non-canonical content in the beloved series. The game’s clever blend of familiar story arcs with fresh, engaging gameplay has set a new standard for adaptations of anime into video games.


The immense quantity of content in One Piece makes it logical to recycle some non-canonical material. With a twenty-five year long run and over 1,100 episodes, the One Piece anime has gained notoriety. Moreover, it has spawned numerous film adaptations and games. Interestingly, the release of One Piece Odyssey demonstrated that side quests and stories within the One Piece universe could be successfully transformed into a video game format, even receiving positive feedback.

In “One Piece Odyssey,” you’ll join the legendary Straw Hat Pirates, led by fearless Captain Monkey D. Luffy, in a turn-based role-playing game (RPG). After the time-skip event, this game presents an entirely new narrative, but it also includes side quests that revisit key storylines from the anime series. For instance, the World of Memories sequences let you re-experience past blunders and memories of the Straw Hats, such as their adventures in Alabasta, Water Seven, Marineford, and Dressrosa. It’s fascinating to see how these particular story arcs resonate with the individual emotions of specific characters, like Luffy and Marineford.

One Piece Odyssey Changes the Game

In “One Piece Odyssey,” its compelling narrative was a key factor in winning over fans because it not only drew on significant moments from the series, but presented the game’s tale as if it were a genuine arc within “One Piece.” Given the positive response to the game, developers now have greater confidence when exploring and creating content outside of the canonical material for the anime, which has been mostly unexplored up until now.

To clarify what parts of “One Piece” aren’t part of the main storyline, let’s start with the observation that none of the existing “One Piece” video games contribute to the canon. While these games may include popular characters and significant plot elements from the series, they don’t introduce any new characters or plotlines that affect the core narrative. The most well-known exceptions to the canon in “One Piece” are its numerous movie adaptations. To date, there are fifteen films associated with the “One Piece” title, ten of which are non-canonical, four that are canonical, and “One Piece Film: Red,” which remains somewhat unclear. These ten movies offer the richest sources for game developers to draw from, as they contain the most widely available pieces of non-canonical “One Piece” content.

The ten non-canonical One Piece films in chronological order are:

  • One Piece: The Movie, Clockwork Island Adventure
  • Chopper’s Kingdom on the Island of Strange Animals
  • Dead End Adventure
  • The Cursed Holy Sword
  • Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island
  • The Giant Mechanical Soldier of Karakuri Castle
  • Episode of Arabasta: The Desert Princess and the Pirates
  • Episode of Chopper Plus: Bloom in Winter Miracle Sakura
  • One Piece 3D: Straw Hat Chase

As a dedicated One Piece fan, I can’t definitively say what the “best” non-canonical One Piece film is, as such a judgment largely depends on personal preference rather than solid facts. However, popular sentiment and critical reviews of these films offer some insight into which ones might make the most compelling video game adaptations.

Spoilers for the non-canon films and One Piece: Red ahead.

Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island

One Piece's Non-Canon Material is a Gold Mine for Video Game Content

Among the less conventional One Piece films, “Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island” stands out. Known for its grim take on the One Piece universe, this film deviates significantly from the usual tone of the franchise. In an unusual turn of events, all but Luffy’s Straw Hat crew members are consumed by a monstrous flower, with Luffy left to learn about their gruesome demise piece by piece. Despite its dark and thought-provoking narrative, “Baron Omatsuri” is infamous for being extremely scary, earning the title of the “One Piece horror film.” Given the risk involved, it’s unlikely that developers would venture into creating a video game adaptation, as it might be too terrifying for younger One Piece fans.

One possibility for paraphrasing could be:

One Piece Film: Red

One Piece's Non-Canon Material is a Gold Mine for Video Game Content

It’s worth considering that “One Piece Film: Red” could potentially stand out as a top choice for a video game adaptation. Previously, we discussed the ongoing debate about its canonical status. Uta, who is musically adopted by Red Haired Shanks, has been confirmed canon through her introduction in the anime and appearance in manga chapter 1055. However, the plot points of the movie have not yet been explored in either the anime or manga.

Despite this and recency bias, Uta has already become quite a fan favorite, largely due to heavy marketing including a YouTube channel and original songs. The ability to play as Uta in a One Piece game could draw in players, making Uta and her story one of the best non-canonical pieces of One Piece media to adapt into a video game.

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2024-10-04 21:34