One Piece when does it get good?

[Raddra]

You need to get out of east blue.

Skip the filler: here is a guide:

http://www.animefillerlist.com/shows/one-piece

One Piece *does* change after east blue, it gets a lot better from Alabasta onwards.

 

[Kinokohatake]

Never. I've had a friend try and show me at least a dozen arcs and it's just awful. Very over rated anime.

 

[Elfgore]

One Piece got really good for me around... episode two hundred. At the start of the Water Seven arc. Till then I'd just thought the series was okay, but I'm glad I pulled through. It got me to the godly arcs that are Enies Lobby and Marineford.

You better brace yourself too, the worst arc is approaching. The Alabasta Arc. *shudders at the memory*

Seriously, I thought that the Alabasta arc was one of the strongest arcs but the Skypeia arc can pretty much die in a fire however

Alabasta pissed me off mostly for one reason. No one fucking died. It was a war, people are going to die. That arc felt so kid-friendly it hurt. And don't even get me started on Pell and the bomb. That scene pissed me off to no end.

Skypeia had a great concept, but failed since the action was minimal. Enel was a cool bad guy, but he his and Luffy's fight was lame as hell. Those hundred episode were long and painful.

And to add something, if an episode is an anime filler. Skip it. It's shit. Guaranteed shit.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

Oh, and I nearly forgot: I swear I'm not trying to be rude here, but... What kind of answer did you expect? Unless you thought...

1. ...they'd change almost every single character design after sixty episodes (and into a completely different style), or that
2. ...all us fans hated the first sixty episodes too, or that
3. ...the character writing suddenly would change...

... then I'm not sure what kind of answer you were hoping to get.

Well I didn't expect the art to change (anime just don't do that) but I hoped that maybe number three would happen at some point. and I know that some people thought the series didn't get good till like episode 50 or so but damn. Guess I'm one of the few that even after watching the 4kids and the original japanese version I still don't like it. guess I'll go watch Soul Eater for the 6th time.

Yeah, if you don't immediately click with Luffy's kind hearted almost-John Cena bad level charm, you didn't have a chance.

It's worth YouTubing the

Spoiler

The fight he has with Usop though.

 

[bdeamon]

I reconnected with one peice about 2 years ago because I used to watch it on toonanime and I didn't like the characters at first, but as I got to know them and see them develop and go through their struggles and dreams and stuff, I really got into it. It took a while to really get invested for me (at least 50 eps probably,) but to this day it is the only anime I watch the second it comes out, and the only anime that has made me cry and cheer because of a swelling of powerful emotions.

Also, I think it is one of the few anime I know that can really portray teamwork. It is still one on one anime super fights most of the time, but it feels like that each of the crew contributes something to cover for everyone's weakness, like how a smart guy helps out a strong guy in exchange for protection, but in this case it ends up being 9 people. I think arcs like the underrated G-8 arc really shows that they are a team that relies on, and utilises every member to accomplish impossible tasks from ocean's 11 style heists, to uncovering government secrets, to punching god in the face.

 

[God'sFist]

Of my friends who got interested, the ones who did liked a particular arc. That, then got interested in the characters, enough to see how they operated in other arcs.

Not that it matters. You sound like you wanted to prove to someone that you wouldn't like it. Now you want to prove to all of us that it's not good. With it's "out of place comedy and poor design" But obviously a lot of people think One Piece is a fun time.

"I've watched Shonen." I guess you wanted something you were used to? Then watch that. I wouldn't call this that. I would call this comedy with a shonen skin.

Comedian Brian Regan gives a good impersonation of the vibe the OP is giving me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27LzPvvpqHY

Sorry if I came off like that. I just knew that so many here absolutely loved it that I wanted to see what all the love for the show came from. When I mentioned the "out of place comedy" I was referring to some of the parts with Luffy during the Nami and the fishmen arc. You would have a really serious scene where the show was packed with dark and dramatic scenes witch I did enjoy. But then luffy storms in with his I don't care and I don't want to care innocent attitude and takes all the immersion out of the story.

And "poor design" was more that I just didn't like how most of the villains looked as compared to what they did with the main cast characters. I mean look at sickle sickle fruit guy he has this ridiculous hair swirl. Or how all of the fishmen look but ugly I suppose Arlong looked fine but the fish karate guy with his overly thick neck and the squirt gun guy's over extended mouth. I mean why not make them look more like fish?

With "I've watched shonen" What I meant was that I had seen other shonen meaning the loooooooooong drawn out story lines as well as characters and filler that didn't make too much sense. Overall I want to like this show. I know there is a blast to be had with it but I would like to know where maybe the story takes a more serious turn or maybe where the comedy is a bit more well placed.

 

[144_v1legacy]

Of my friends who got interested, the ones who did liked a particular arc. That, then got interested in the characters, enough to see how they operated in other arcs.

Not that it matters. You sound like you wanted to prove to someone that you wouldn't like it. Now you want to prove to all of us that it's not good. With it's "out of place comedy and poor design" But obviously a lot of people think One Piece is a fun time.

"I've watched Shonen." I guess you wanted something you were used to? Then watch that. I wouldn't call this that. I would call this comedy with a shonen skin.

Comedian Brian Regan gives a good impersonation of the vibe the OP is giving me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27LzPvvpqHY

Sorry if I came off like that. I just knew that so many here absolutely loved it that I wanted to see what all the love for the show came from. When I mentioned the "out of place comedy" I was referring to some of the parts with Luffy during the Nami and the fishmen arc. You would have a really serious scene where the show was packed with dark and dramatic scenes witch I did enjoy. But then luffy storms in with his I don't care and I don't want to care innocent attitude and takes all the immersion out of the story.

And "poor design" was more that I just didn't like how most of the villains looked as compared to what they did with the main cast characters. I mean look at sickle sickle fruit guy he has this ridiculous hair swirl. Or how all of the fishmen look but ugly I suppose Arlong looked fine but the fish karate guy with his overly thick neck and the squirt gun guy's over extended mouth. I mean why not make them look more like fish?

With "I've watched shonen" What I meant was that I had seen other shonen meaning the loooooooooong drawn out story lines as well as characters and filler that didn't make too much sense. Overall I want to like this show. I know there is a blast to be had with it but I would like to know where maybe the story takes a more serious turn or maybe where the comedy is a bit more well placed.

Well, the gist of the show is that it's stupid at its core. The main character's power is rubber to keep the fights funny (that's according to the author of the series). There's a scene later where the primary method of propulsion that's used to scale a building is hitting someone in the balls, and the shock generates enough lift to jump many feet in the air. Some people watch scenes like that and respond by saying "hey, that doesn't work! Physics doesn't allow that" or something. Those people miss the point, and are, again, the people impersonated in the aforementioned link. I personally thought the fight between Usopp and Chu the Fishman was funny and clever, and unlike the boring and usual fights anime/manga typically offer. Very few of those, after all, conclude through ignition via red wine. But if you'd prefer to watch what you're used to, there's nothing wrong with that.

And regarding their appearances, I find them off-putting at first, yet oddly charming over time, and memorable because of their faults. As opposed to the sea of perfection in so much anime, it's nice that even the main characters remind me a bit of the mutants I pass every day in the subway. Though I'd agree that the animation quality wavers here and there, with some episodes obviously shoddier than others.

 

[Dwarfman]

One Piece is easily my favourite on-going anime/manga at the moment. But yes it was hard to get into at first. Luffy was very difficult to like at first and then there was Usopp. GRRRR. After the arc where Usopp joined the crew I was quite prepared to give up on the whole thing. Then the Baratie arc introducing Sanji and a floating restaurant crewed by pirate chefs. BANG! instantly hooked.Eiichiro Oda must have worked in the hospitality industry at some point, cause I was rolling on the floor laughing at the humour.

Ever since then I've been hooked with only a few minor criticisms, such as a lack of perma-death with some characters, that take away from the storyline. Oh and then there's the Davy Back Fight arc... Just skip it and watch the G-8 and Ocean Dreams filler arcs either side of it.

 

[God'sFist]

Of my friends who got interested, the ones who did liked a particular arc. That, then got interested in the characters, enough to see how they operated in other arcs.

Not that it matters. You sound like you wanted to prove to someone that you wouldn't like it. Now you want to prove to all of us that it's not good. With it's "out of place comedy and poor design" But obviously a lot of people think One Piece is a fun time.

"I've watched Shonen." I guess you wanted something you were used to? Then watch that. I wouldn't call this that. I would call this comedy with a shonen skin.

Comedian Brian Regan gives a good impersonation of the vibe the OP is giving me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27LzPvvpqHY

Sorry if I came off like that. I just knew that so many here absolutely loved it that I wanted to see what all the love for the show came from. When I mentioned the "out of place comedy" I was referring to some of the parts with Luffy during the Nami and the fishmen arc. You would have a really serious scene where the show was packed with dark and dramatic scenes witch I did enjoy. But then luffy storms in with his I don't care and I don't want to care innocent attitude and takes all the immersion out of the story.

And "poor design" was more that I just didn't like how most of the villains looked as compared to what they did with the main cast characters. I mean look at sickle sickle fruit guy he has this ridiculous hair swirl. Or how all of the fishmen look but ugly I suppose Arlong looked fine but the fish karate guy with his overly thick neck and the squirt gun guy's over extended mouth. I mean why not make them look more like fish?

With "I've watched shonen" What I meant was that I had seen other shonen meaning the loooooooooong drawn out story lines as well as characters and filler that didn't make too much sense. Overall I want to like this show. I know there is a blast to be had with it but I would like to know where maybe the story takes a more serious turn or maybe where the comedy is a bit more well placed.

Well, the gist of the show is that it's stupid at its core. The main character's power is rubber to keep the fights funny (that's according to the author of the series). There's a scene later where the primary method of propulsion that's used to scale a building is hitting someone in the balls, and the shock generates enough lift to jump many feet in the air. Some people watch scenes like that and respond by saying "hey, that doesn't work! Physics doesn't allow that" or something. Those people miss the point, and are, again, the people impersonated in the aforementioned link. I personally thought the fight between Usopp and Chu the Fishman was funny and clever, and unlike the boring and usual fights anime/manga typically offer. Very few of those, after all, conclude through ignition via red wine. But if you'd prefer to watch what you're used to, there's nothing wrong with that.

And regarding their appearances, I find them off-putting at first, yet oddly charming over time, and memorable because of their faults. As opposed to the sea of perfection in so much anime, it's nice that even the main characters remind me a bit of the mutants I pass every day in the subway. Though I'd agree that the animation quality wavers here and there, with some episodes obviously shoddier than others.

I enjoyed that fight too it was definitely clever. Like I said my biggest problem isn't really the comedy I can get behind that. It's just you have parts that the jokes come in at the wrong times and take away from the atmosphere you know? It's not that I'm not used to it. I love animation in all its forms it's almost practically all I watch. I just have a few problems not with how the main cast looks but they make certain enemies look ridiculous so you can't take the threat of said villain seriously. I want the villains to pose some kind of threat while also not having a swirl in their hair that I constantly want to see gone. I mean look at sickle sickle fruit guy can you take him seriously while he has that swirl in his hair?

Spoiler

 

[WonkyWarmaiden]

Of my friends who got interested, the ones who did liked a particular arc. That, then got interested in the characters, enough to see how they operated in other arcs.

Not that it matters. You sound like you wanted to prove to someone that you wouldn't like it. Now you want to prove to all of us that it's not good. With it's "out of place comedy and poor design" But obviously a lot of people think One Piece is a fun time.

"I've watched Shonen." I guess you wanted something you were used to? Then watch that. I wouldn't call this that. I would call this comedy with a shonen skin.

Comedian Brian Regan gives a good impersonation of the vibe the OP is giving me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27LzPvvpqHY

Sorry if I came off like that. I just knew that so many here absolutely loved it that I wanted to see what all the love for the show came from. When I mentioned the "out of place comedy" I was referring to some of the parts with Luffy during the Nami and the fishmen arc. You would have a really serious scene where the show was packed with dark and dramatic scenes witch I did enjoy. But then luffy storms in with his I don't care and I don't want to care innocent attitude and takes all the immersion out of the story.

And "poor design" was more that I just didn't like how most of the villains looked as compared to what they did with the main cast characters. I mean look at sickle sickle fruit guy he has this ridiculous hair swirl. Or how all of the fishmen look but ugly I suppose Arlong looked fine but the fish karate guy with his overly thick neck and the squirt gun guy's over extended mouth. I mean why not make them look more like fish?

With "I've watched shonen" What I meant was that I had seen other shonen meaning the loooooooooong drawn out story lines as well as characters and filler that didn't make too much sense. Overall I want to like this show. I know there is a blast to be had with it but I would like to know where maybe the story takes a more serious turn or maybe where the comedy is a bit more well placed.

Well, the gist of the show is that it's stupid at its core. The main character's power is rubber to keep the fights funny (that's according to the author of the series). There's a scene later where the primary method of propulsion that's used to scale a building is hitting someone in the balls, and the shock generates enough lift to jump many feet in the air. Some people watch scenes like that and respond by saying "hey, that doesn't work! Physics doesn't allow that" or something. Those people miss the point, and are, again, the people impersonated in the aforementioned link. I personally thought the fight between Usopp and Chu the Fishman was funny and clever, and unlike the boring and usual fights anime/manga typically offer. Very few of those, after all, conclude through ignition via red wine. But if you'd prefer to watch what you're used to, there's nothing wrong with that.

And regarding their appearances, I find them off-putting at first, yet oddly charming over time, and memorable because of their faults. As opposed to the sea of perfection in so much anime, it's nice that even the main characters remind me a bit of the mutants I pass every day in the subway. Though I'd agree that the animation quality wavers here and there, with some episodes obviously shoddier than others.

I enjoyed that fight too it was definitely clever. Like I said my biggest problem isn't really the comedy I can get behind that. It's just you have parts that the jokes come in at the wrong times and take away from the atmosphere you know? It's not that I'm not used to it. I love animation in all its forms it's almost practically all I watch. I just have a few problems not with how the main cast looks but they make certain enemies look ridiculous so you can't take the threat of said villain seriously. I want the villains to pose some kind of threat while also not having a swirl in their hair that I constantly want to see gone. I mean look at sickle sickle fruit guy can you take him seriously while he has that swirl in his hair?

Spoiler

I think that's usually kind of the point. You see these goofy ass characters and wonder how you'll ever consider them a threat and then they fuck the Straw Hats up with little to no effort. Then you realize that, yeah, they look stupid but that's just to make you and the Straw Hats underestimate them.

 

[Starbird]

It's good from the start. If you hate it from the beginning it's not suddenly going to get great. Sorry to bear bad news, but you might as well accept that you've wasted about 20 hours of your life and go watch something you like.

I disagree completely.

I really didn't enjoy One Piece until I got to the Cypher Pol arc. Everything from then on out, aside from filler, has been pretty much golden.

 

[Velociferocks]

As someone who loves the manga, probably my favorite ever, I don't understand why people like the anime. I've seen clips of it and it looks like garbage, maybe that's because of the weekly serialization, crappy budget or my own tastes. Anyway... sorry if I offend anyone, but the anime never gets good. Try the manga.

 

[Super Cyborg]

I liked One Piece since the beginning, and when reading through the stuff again, you really pick up details that were missed. There is subtle depth to everything, and Oda actually can make a character go from 1 dimensional to 2 dimensional in a chapter. The chapter that just came out was amzing, and really hit a home run. I won't discuss it because of spoilers, but many who read it will know what I'm talking about.

The humor is different, and can be hit or miss, but if you can get past the character design, you will find a very engaging story and characters. You might eventually end up like many fans, who come to embrace the crazy designs. I've always told people to get through till Arlong Park and finish that. If they have no interest after that, then just not read it. You definitely don't want to watch it and catch up if you hate it, because this series will be going on for years still.

 

[PapaGreg096]

Well, do you watch it? There is your issue. The anime is shit: slow pacing, atrocious animation etc.

The manga is quite good for a shonen.

This mostly, its been years since I watched the anime and watching it on Toonami I know why, the pacing is awful. If you are lucky two things actually happen in the episode and if you are unlucky the previously ons last for 6 minutes.

 

[laggyteabag]

You mean, you watched an anime for 60 episodes that you didn't like? Well that is determination, but also kinda stupid. If you are that far into the anime, and you don't like what you see, then the chances of you liking it past that point are next to nil.

Just drop it man.

Just because a series is popular, doesn't mean that it is going to be your cup of tea. I have dropped anime during the first episode because they didn't grab me, but to keep on watching a show that I didn't like for sixty episodes that I didn't like? That is madness. Nay, that is insanity.

 

[jhoroz]

One Piece got really good for me around... episode two hundred. At the start of the Water Seven arc. Till then I'd just thought the series was okay, but I'm glad I pulled through. It got me to the godly arcs that are Enies Lobby and Marineford.

You better brace yourself too, the worst arc is approaching. The Alabasta Arc. *shudders at the memory*

Seriously, I thought that the Alabasta arc was one of the strongest arcs but the Skypeia arc can pretty much die in a fire however

Alabasta pissed me off mostly for one reason. No one fucking died. It was a war, people are going to die. That arc felt so kid-friendly it hurt. And don't even get me started on Pell and the bomb. That scene pissed me off to no end.

Skypeia had a great concept, but failed since the action was minimal. Enel was a cool bad guy, but he his and Luffy's fight was lame as hell. Those hundred episode were long and painful.

And to add something, if an episode is an anime filler. Skip it. It's shit. Guaranteed shit.

My main problem with Arabasta are those god awful fillers in the beginning. It's literally Luffy and the gang fucking around for 9 episodes in a desert, while occasionally stopping so we can watch Vivi wangst for a half an episode or Ace (who even from an anime-only viewer's perspective was obvious that it was never intended for him to stick with them for that long) comment what a dumb fucking idiot his brother is. The arc is fantastic whenever Crocodile is on screen, but GOD DAMN does it take a while until it gets there. Drum Island and this portion of Arabasta were literally the worst part of One Piece for me.

But for me, Arlong is where I got sold on the show and Water 7 is where the show went from decent to some of the most incredible moments I've seen in an anime.

 

[144_v1legacy]

Of my friends who got interested, the ones who did liked a particular arc. That, then got interested in the characters, enough to see how they operated in other arcs.

Not that it matters. You sound like you wanted to prove to someone that you wouldn't like it. Now you want to prove to all of us that it's not good. With it's "out of place comedy and poor design" But obviously a lot of people think One Piece is a fun time.

"I've watched Shonen." I guess you wanted something you were used to? Then watch that. I wouldn't call this that. I would call this comedy with a shonen skin.

Comedian Brian Regan gives a good impersonation of the vibe the OP is giving me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27LzPvvpqHY

Sorry if I came off like that. I just knew that so many here absolutely loved it that I wanted to see what all the love for the show came from. When I mentioned the "out of place comedy" I was referring to some of the parts with Luffy during the Nami and the fishmen arc. You would have a really serious scene where the show was packed with dark and dramatic scenes witch I did enjoy. But then luffy storms in with his I don't care and I don't want to care innocent attitude and takes all the immersion out of the story.

And "poor design" was more that I just didn't like how most of the villains looked as compared to what they did with the main cast characters. I mean look at sickle sickle fruit guy he has this ridiculous hair swirl. Or how all of the fishmen look but ugly I suppose Arlong looked fine but the fish karate guy with his overly thick neck and the squirt gun guy's over extended mouth. I mean why not make them look more like fish?

With "I've watched shonen" What I meant was that I had seen other shonen meaning the loooooooooong drawn out story lines as well as characters and filler that didn't make too much sense. Overall I want to like this show. I know there is a blast to be had with it but I would like to know where maybe the story takes a more serious turn or maybe where the comedy is a bit more well placed.

Well, the gist of the show is that it's stupid at its core. The main character's power is rubber to keep the fights funny (that's according to the author of the series). There's a scene later where the primary method of propulsion that's used to scale a building is hitting someone in the balls, and the shock generates enough lift to jump many feet in the air. Some people watch scenes like that and respond by saying "hey, that doesn't work! Physics doesn't allow that" or something. Those people miss the point, and are, again, the people impersonated in the aforementioned link. I personally thought the fight between Usopp and Chu the Fishman was funny and clever, and unlike the boring and usual fights anime/manga typically offer. Very few of those, after all, conclude through ignition via red wine. But if you'd prefer to watch what you're used to, there's nothing wrong with that.

And regarding their appearances, I find them off-putting at first, yet oddly charming over time, and memorable because of their faults. As opposed to the sea of perfection in so much anime, it's nice that even the main characters remind me a bit of the mutants I pass every day in the subway. Though I'd agree that the animation quality wavers here and there, with some episodes obviously shoddier than others.

I enjoyed that fight too it was definitely clever. Like I said my biggest problem isn't really the comedy I can get behind that. It's just you have parts that the jokes come in at the wrong times and take away from the atmosphere you know? It's not that I'm not used to it. I love animation in all its forms it's almost practically all I watch. I just have a few problems not with how the main cast looks but they make certain enemies look ridiculous so you can't take the threat of said villain seriously. I want the villains to pose some kind of threat while also not having a swirl in their hair that I constantly want to see gone. I mean look at sickle sickle fruit guy can you take him seriously while he has that swirl in his hair?

Spoiler

Well hopefully, good characterization can be what enables you to take a ridiculous-looking character seriously. Later on, you meet Doflamingo and Gecko Moria (look them up), both of whom look stupid and you get over it quickly. Regarding the sickle guy example, perhaps you couldn't get over his weird design as easily because he had poor characterization also. Why? Because he was in a filler episode...
The filler episodes aren't SO bad to watch, but it's important to know that that's what they are - filler, i.e., non-canon, and not intended by the author. Loguetown was supposed to be a much shorter story, and the crew was supposed to sail straight from there to the Grand Line. But alas, anime suffers from filler. I think the sickle guy is simply a mistake you'll have to excuse, along with anything anyone says or does in that arc.

 

[NiPah]

Hmm, a better option would be to find an anime that you actually like, instead of taking someone who is already a fan (thus has different tastes then you), skipping to episode 400 something, and then finding out it's still freaking One Piece.

I get ya, the art style was enough to keep me away, but there is so many other shows which I actually, you know, like, that it's no real loss to just skip the damn thing.

Oh and little pointer, it's not that the show isn't good, it's just not good to you, since there is no objective measurement of what a good anime is you'll always loss trying to make claims like that.

 

[EbonBehelit]

*snip* It got me to the godly arcs that are Enies Lobby and Marineford.

You better brace yourself too, the worst arc is approaching. The Alabasta Arc. *shudders at the memory*

See, that's the thing - I loved Alabasta AND Water 7/Enies Lobby, and rate them both as some of the best arcs in One Piece.

... and yet I actually skipped chunks of Marineford 'cause it was the first time (outside of filler ofc) that I'd ever found myself actually bored of the show: pretty much everything I hate about shonen, Marineford has in fucking spades:

Action --> people being shocked by action.
Revelation --> people being shocked by revelation.
Repeat ad nauseam.

It's was like I'd gone back to watching Bleach again. *cringe*

Alabasta pissed me off mostly for one reason. No one fucking died. It was a war, people are going to die. That arc felt so kid-friendly it hurt. And don't even get me started on Pell and the bomb. That scene pissed me off to no end.

Skypeia had a great concept, but failed since the action was minimal. Enel was a cool bad guy, but he his and Luffy's fight was lame as hell. Those hundred episode were long and painful.

And to add something, if an episode is an anime filler. Skip it. It's shit. Guaranteed shit.

Well, to be fair, almost nobody ever dies in One Piece, except for mooks - and that's fine, since I watch One Piece because it's (generally) fun and light-hearted. If I want something darker I'll read Berserk, where pretty much everyone gets eviscerated.

Skypeia has the same problem that a lot of One Piece arcs do - being a bit too long. Many One Piece arcs have pretty glaring padding issues, and while it doesn't usually make the series boring, it can get frustrating at times. I'd imagine the manga doesn't have this problem though, and that a Kai revision would do the anime a great deal of good.

Totally agree with you on the filler though - or almost totally anyway, since the G-8 Arc is still worth watching.