Eiichiro Oda’s beloved One Piece manga has been serializing in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine since 1997, and it’s the best-selling manga series of all time. The anime, which debuted in 1999, also helped popularize the series, especially overseas. The story is now in its Final Saga, but even then, it will take a few years for One Piece to reach its conclusion. Compared to the short, seasonal anime series that are popular these days, getting into such a long series with over 1,100 episodes can be overwhelming for anyone. Not to mention that One Piece wouldn’t be considered an ideal anime for beginners who are looking to explore the medium without committing to something so long that it will take several months to catch up with.
However, the series still has a wide fanbase, as evident by the anime’s popularity and manga sales, who all enjoy the vast world-building, complex lore, layers of mysteries, and thrilling fights, among many other intriguing qualities. It’s the kind of show that will draw you in from the very beginning, and you’ll eventually end up becoming a part of this epic journey that moved the hearts of millions of fans. However, although the anime can be overwhelming for newer audiences, there are several options you can try to get into the franchise without being overwhelmed.
No matter how great an adaptation is, there’s nothing quite like the original source, and that’s also true in One Piece‘s case. Eiichiro Oda’s art style fits well with the series’ themes, where a lot of things are happening all at once. Not to mention that, compared to the anime’s slow pacing, it’s much easier to glance through a chapter and consume the same story much faster. There’s also a bonus for manga readers who can view several cover stories that were never adapted into the anime, even though they contain crucial, canon information.
During the initial run of the anime, only one cover story centering around Buggy was adapted as a filler episode, and that was it. Additionally, the manga is a lot more detailed and gruesome compared to the anime, which censored a lot of scenes, especially during its early phases. The volume extras offer unique illustrations and SBS questions that are always fun to read.
While One Piece‘s manga is easily the best way to consume the story, the live-action adaptation is also another surefire way to get into this incredible world created by Eiichiro Oda. The live-action made a lot of changes from the original manga while staying faithful to the main themes of the story. The first season, which was released on August 31st, 2023, became a worldwide hit, breaking several of Netflix’s streaming records and eventually became known as the best live-action ever. About a month after its release, a second season was confirmed, which will be released next year.
Even the third season is currently under production and won’t make fans wait for long. The first adapts the first five arcs of the East Blue Saga, except the Loguetown Arc. Season 2 will cover it as well as the shorter arcs of the Alabasta Saga, while Season 3 will conclude the main arc of the second Saga. Just like the first season, Season 2 is listed for eight episodes, likely having the same runtime of an hour per episode. This way, you won’t have to spend months watching the anime while also enjoying the fun adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates.
One Piece’s anime is far from perfect, and it’s not just the slow pacing but also the animation inconsistencies, especially until the Dressrosa Saga, that fans often complain about even to this day. To deal with the pacing issues, fans introduced a project called One Pace, which cut off the redundant scenes to make the pacing more bearable. The edited episodes are only available on unofficial platforms. However, the anime has more pros than cons that make watching the series all the more worthwhile. The initial arcs follow the old animation style that fans adore, and the opening and ending themes just hit different.
Even the fillers, including the fan-favorite G-8 Arc, are still definitely worth the watch. Not to mention that ever since the Wano Country Saga began, the anime has significantly improved its animation, which became even more iconic in the Egghead Incident Arc, with almost every episode delivering jaw-dropping scenes. Additionally, One Piece’s anime remake by WIT Studio, which was announced around two years ago, promises to solve the pacing issues. With all these ongoing and upcoming projects, along with literally millions of people interested in the franchise, it’s impossible not to be curious about what the hype is about. Luckily, there are more than one option to choose from if you really want to be introduced to the series.
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