The Best One Piece Arcs Ranked From Best to Worst

The Best One Piece Arcs Ranked From Best to Worst

One Piece is an anime that needs no introduction. With almost 25 years on the road, Eiichiro Oda's creation has conquered the world thanks to its charismatic characters and exciting stories - which will even win a live-action adaptation. The anime started airing in 1999, and it didn't take long to become one of the most successful productions in Japan and various parts of the globe.

With so much time in existence, it was to be expected that the story was already well-advanced. Thinking about it, we decided to create a ranking listing all the arcs (from best to worst) and also help those who still need to learn the show.

How to start watching?

As the plot of One Piece is gigantic, a good idea is to see it as if it were a tv show. Instead of seasons, anime/manga is organized into sagas and arcs, comprising of episodes and chapters that correspond to a specific part of the story.

The East Blue saga, for example, has Romance Dawn as its initial arc — corresponding to chapters 1 to 7 (vol. 1 of the manga) and episodes 1 to 3 of the anime.

To make our life easier, we initially separated the 5 best and 5 worst arches, presenting a small argument for each choice. After that, we split the other arcs from best to worst.

The 5 best One Piece arcs

The 5 best One Piece arcs

Wano Country Arc

One Piece's most recent arc has proven to be the best yet. In addition to having developed a complex and mature plot, it has also managed to explore each of the characters very well, especially those who were more "erased" in previous arcs.

Marineford Arch

Also called "The war of the greatest," the Marineford arc is the best pre-time skip, with fights and surprising revelations for fans of Eiichiro Oda's work. Although the author has already revealed that a battle of even greater proportions is to come, it isn't easy to imagine so many powerful characters gathered in so few scenes.

Arc Water 7

Considered a transition arc, Water 7 stands out for introducing what is regarded as the most powerful character in work: Sogeking, Usopp's alter ego. Jokes aside, the episodes/chapters feature bombastic revelations and a surprising twist, even by One Piece standards.

Arc Enies Lobby

The sequel to Water 7 is also worth mentioning due to the repercussions that the arc unleashed for the Straw Hat gang. As of the final events, Luffy and his companions have become sworn enemies of the world government, raising the series' bar unparalleled.

Arlong Park Arch

One of the first One Piece arcs and the one that kept many watching the anime or reading the manga. The origin story of Nami, the group's navigator, has an intimate and very emotional account, in addition to a considerable evolution in the interaction between the group's characters.

The 5 Worst One Piece Arcs

The 5 Worst One Piece Arcs

Long Ring Long Land Arch

Arguably the worst arc in One Piece. The story addresses the challenge "Davy Back Fight" proposed by the pirate Foxy, the Silver Fox. Although it is not considered filler, the episodes and chapters certainly have this tone - except for the character that the Straw Hat crew meets at the end of the arc.

Thriller Bark Arc

Loved by some and hated by others, this arc loses points for having a slow and uninteresting start. Some issues stand out, such as Brook's arrival and the outcome of the primary battle. Still, the plot is considered weak, and even the animation has lost its luster.

Dressrosa Bow

The excessively long arc and the gang's division into two groups make the story even more confusing. The delay in the arrival of the climax makes many consider the plot of Dressrosa uninteresting.

Fish-Man Island Arc

The problem with one of the first post-time-skip arcs is the presentation of villains who could have explored the protagonists' potential. While the story features vital plot elements, it fails to maintain the standard of previous arcs.

Amazon Lily Arc

Its transitional arc focuses exclusively on Luffy and his arrival on a female-dominated island. After the events of the Sabaody Archipelago (the previous arc), one would have expected something grander or more important for the sequel.

 

Other arcs (from best to worst)

  • Skypiea arc
  • Romance Dawn Arc
  • Impel Down Arc
  • Alabasta Arc
  • Little Garden Arch
  • arc Jaya
  • Post War Arc
  • Whole Cake Island Arc
  • Bow Baratie
  • Post-Enies Lobby Arc
  • Arco Vila Syrup
  • Arc Return to Sabaody
  • Orange Town Arch
  • Sabaody Archipelago Arc
  • Punk Hazard Bow
  • Zou Arc
  • Arch Levely
  • Loguetown Arch
  • Drum Island Arc
  • Reverse Mountain Arc
  • Whiskey Peak Arc

And for you, what are the best and worst One Piece arcs? Share your opinion in the comments!

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