Here's Why You Should Finally Give One Piece A Chance

One of the things that helps One Piece stand apart from its competitors is its constant introduction of fascinating new settings. While exploring the remote corners of the world, the Straw Hat crew comes across places like Alabasta, an Arabian-themed desert kingdom, and Skypia, an island that floats above Paradise in the Grand Line. Each new island feels like a totally different world, as they all come complete with unique quirks, obstacles, and fascinating local residents.

Thanks to the eclectic powers of the Devil Fruit, the cut-throat pirates of One Piece are some of anime's most bizarrely mighty characters. Luffy's Gum-Gum Fruit transforms his body into rubber, allowing him to unleash devastating elongated attacks such as Gum-Gum Pistol or the Gum-Gum Whip. Sakazuki, the fleet admiral of the marines, possesses the power of the Mag-Mag Fruit, which allows him to transform into magma. Another marine admiral named Issho devoures a Devil Fruit that allows him to control gravity.  

While the Devil Fruit may seem all-powerful, it also inflicts a terrible curse on its users, as it robs them of their ability to swim. If your goal is to be King of the Pirates, this is a seriously risky Achilles heel. 

The Straw Hat Pirate crew is composed of dreamers. Luffy wants to be King of the Pirates, Zoro vows to become the world's greatest swordsman, and Nami dreams of charting the entire world. Each member has endured personal tragedy, and it's inspiring to see them rebound and strive for new heights. 

Despite their successes, the crew's journey is loaded with heart-breaking moments, such as when they lose their prized ship, or when they're forced to split up for two years. These tearful moments don't dissuade them from pursuing their dreams, and when they do triumph, their victories feel well-earned. 

Compared to overtly-gritty Shonen Jump series like Naruto or Bleach, One Piece sticks out like a sore thumb, since its cartoony aesthetic can cause new viewers to think the show is meant for younger audiences. While the story has a playful demeanor, it still manages to include some crushingly heavy subject matter from time to time. 

Many characters' backstories are filled with cruelty and tragedy. A young Nami watched her adopted mother die at the hands of pirate invaders, and Brook witnessed all his compatriots slowly waste away from a deadly poison, then awakened a year later in a pile of their rotted corpses. 

The show's battles are no less grisly. Who would have thought a rubber man could bleed so much? Villains are appropriately brutal, and the Straw Hat Pirates aren't afraid to break a couple necks if it means stopping a power-hungry dictator from taking over the World Government. If the show didn't understand how to perfectly interweave moments of comedy and tragedy, it might be too bleak to watch. 

There are plenty of fantastic villains in One Piece who sport a wide array of powers and personality types. Crocodile is a witty Italian mob boss whose body is composed of sand, making him strong enough to almost kill Luffy on two separate occasions. Arlong is an intimidating fishman who shows no mercy to the people he enslaves. Even the World Government opposes the Straw Hats, as their hunger for power causes them to turn a blind eye to the public's needs. No two villains' motivations are quite the same, and when they're first introduced, some seem impossible to vanquish. 

If free-spirited characters like Monkey D. Luffy aren't your thing, there's no need to worry. The ensemble cast of One Piece is sprawling, so chances are good you'll find some other reoccuring character to love. In the ever-growing Straw Hat Pirate crew, there's the greedy yet level-headed Nami, the strong-willed former pirate hunter Zoro, the suave chef Sanji, and the brilliant, adorable, ferocious reindeer Tony Tony Chopper, to name a few. The supporting casts for each storyline are always filled with winners, and even minor characters can be amazingly memorable.