The Straw Hats' adventures are as long and as vast as the sea! Join Ashley as we look over the very best of One Piece's many arcs across its tenure
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we're going over all 32 arcs from the anime and manga
00:18One Piece, from least great to most peak.
00:35Sometimes named after the Davy Beck fight at Centauzon, this arc is one you probably
00:39expected to see at the bottom, and yeah, we can't really argue that.
00:48Luffy and company engaging in a pirate competition with their crew on the line is quite entertaining.
00:54Foxy is a ridiculous villain, and his match against Luffy could well be one of the funniest
00:59fights in the series.
01:01The arc is often criticised as unimportant to the overall story, but Long Ring, Long
01:06Land, may have more importance to the endgame than people give it credit.
01:11And not just because it introduced Admiral Aokiji, we'll have to see which of the
01:27many Davy Beck fight theories pan out though.
01:32Usopp's introduction to the series isn't bad by any means.
01:37Usopp is immediately entertaining, his relationship with Kaeya is sweet, we get some amusing fight
01:44scenes, and the Straw Hats obtain their iconic ship, the Going Merry.
01:53Usopp's many lies also act as subtle foreshadowing.
01:59Even Captain Kuro has a great design, and he's a threatening foe for this point in
02:04the story.
02:05However, his plan is needlessly complicated, and a little bit dumb.
02:10Also, for how short Syrup Village is, some argue it feels longer than it should be, and
02:15it falls a little short compared to other Straw Hat introduction arcs.
02:19It's still great, but fails to reach its potential.
02:37At a whopping two episodes, Reverse Mountain is the shortest arc in all of One Piece.
02:43It sees the Straw Hats arrive in the Grand Line by sailing up and over the eponymous
02:48mountain.
03:01At the Twin Capes below, they encounter the huge whale, Laboon, as well as the lighthouse
03:06keeper, Crocus.
03:07Plus, they meet two Baroque Works agents, one of whom becomes an honorary Straw Hat
03:13later.
03:14It's a tiny arc, so its actual substance may not be up to standard, but it does some
03:24heavy lifting in introducing world-building elements and several characters who prove
03:29surprisingly important to the story.
03:35After the Straw Hats are separated, Luffy is dropped onto an island of only women, and
03:40must convince the Kuja, led by the ravishing warlord, Boa Hancock, to let him go.
03:54Amazon Lily is a back-to-basics adventure story starring Luffy, which can be a bit jarring
04:01coming off the previous arc, even if we do get glimpses into what happened to the other
04:06crew members.
04:07The arena fights offer some decent action and opportunities for Luffy to shine.
04:13Hancock and her sister's backstory also provides more insight into the despicable
04:18world nobles.
04:22However, aside from Hancock, most of the Kuja aren't very memorable.
04:30Amazon Lily also has the unfortunate fate of being stuck between some of the best arcs.
04:36The second story arc in the series, Orangetown sees Luffy come into conflict with one of
04:44his most persistent and comedic rivals, Buggy the Clown.
04:54He and Zoro also meet and team up with Nami, their future navigator.
04:59Both these crucial characters make a good splash here.
05:03The arc is still one piece in its early stages, but creator Ichiro Oda is already adept at
05:08pulling at our heartstrings.
05:10He even makes her dog's backstory tragic.
05:25While other arcs may rise higher, Orangetown still helps lay some important foundations.
05:31The first post-time skip arc sees the Straw Hats reunite on Saburi Archipelago.
05:40We're treated to our first glimpse at the crew's new looks, as well as some of their
05:45abilities.
05:51There's also some hilarious misunderstandings, because of a group of imposter Straw Hats
06:03who are also recruiting at the same time.
06:05While it's a shorter arc, the return to Saburi still acts as an important bridge that
06:10also introduces some surprisingly important characters.
06:14Seriously, who'd have thought Caribou was so crucial?
06:21Bottom line, though, the arc is a tremendous relief, as it finally reunites our heroes
06:32after so long apart.
06:47The very first story arc, Romance Dawn, lays the groundwork for everything that comes afterwards.
06:53We meet Luffy, Zoro, Shanks, and Kobe, all of whom play crucial roles throughout the
06:58story.
07:06We see Luffy receive his iconic Straw Hat and Devil Fruit from Shanks, take on Axhand
07:12Morgan and Alvida, and recruit Zoro to his side.
07:22Even things that wouldn't be revealed until halfway through the story, like Haki, are
07:27foreshadowed here.
07:28Plenty of arcs are longer and technically better, but all of them owe a lot to the one
07:34that started it all.
07:38When the Straw Hats arrive at their first island in the Grand Line, Whiskey Peak seems
07:42surprisingly welcoming to pirates.
07:45However, the town is actually full of Baroque Works bounty hunters.
07:59They also meet their future comrade, Nico Robin, even if she seems villainous at first.
08:05Despite its so-so location and essentially being a set-up arc, Whiskey Peak remains a
08:10memorable and entertaining first foray into the Grand Line.
08:30Of all the longer arcs, Fishman Island is arguably the weakest.
08:34The Straw Hats' arrival at this long-awaited undersea location is marred by an attempted
08:39coup by Fishman pirates.
08:47The setting is inventive, and the thematic examination of generational hatred and racism
08:53are poignant.
08:54Plus, the Straw Hats' battles in the plaza are absolutely hype.
08:59And there's some fantastic set-up for future events.
09:14But honestly, it's hard to deny that the villains are kind of lackluster, and the pacing
09:20can be a bit slow, particularly in the anime.
09:23And let's face it, One Piece has done better, save the Kingdom arcs, before and since.
09:32A quintessential adventure arc, Little Garden sees the Straw Hats arrive on a prehistoric
09:38island where two giants have been locked in an ongoing duel for a century.
09:44However, their contest is interrupted by Baroque works.
09:58The arc has some entertaining fights and a thoroughly punchable villain in Mr. Three.
10:04It also acts as a crucial development in Usopp's character and introduces Elbaf, one of the
10:10most anticipated final islands in the Grand Line.
10:22Little Garden is a fun little arc, with an inventive setting and great characters and
10:27world-building.
10:28It just doesn't reach the emotional or storytelling heights of some others.
10:36The epilogue to East Blue, and the prologue to the Grand Line, Logue Town is an important
10:42lynchpin.
10:43The Straw Hats visit the town of the late Pirate King's birth and death, but run into
10:48the determined Marine Captain, Smoker, and old foes, Buggy and Alvida.
11:06The arc helps establish the parallels between Luffy and Roger, and introduces major figures
11:11like Dragon.
11:13It also helps set the precedent that One Piece characters aren't necessarily left behind
11:18once the crew leaves a location.
11:20They can and will come back.
11:23It's in Logue Town that the series begins to feel like a living, breathing world where
11:28anything can happen.
11:39The new world begins with a bang, as the Straw Hats arrive on Punk Hazard, becoming embroiled
11:45in the plot of Warlord Trafalgar Law, to take down mad scientist, Caesar Clown.
11:58The arc does a lot of heavy lifting, planting the seeds for multiple future story arcs,
12:03introducing a dozen characters, many of them important or familiar, and featuring a ton
12:09of action and hijinks.
12:17Sure, Caesar is hard to take seriously as a villain, that laugh, but Punk Hazard has
12:26a few cool fights, a ton of new lore, and a creative location.
12:30Still, it has a lot of running around, and elements that probably could have been streamlined.
12:36Heck, did we need the Yeti-cool brothers?
12:42When their lug pose points at the sky, the Straw Hats seek help from a lone dreamer on
12:46an island of pirates, who are sceptical of the so-called Sky Island.
13:00Jaya is mostly a set-up arc for the next Sky High setting, with some great character moments
13:05for Luffy, especially that iconic one-hit KO on Bellamy.
13:10However, it also introduces some of the series' biggest figures, from multiple Warlords, to
13:15the Five Elders, to Whitebeard.
13:23Luffy also encounters the man who may be his greatest rival, Blackbeard.
13:29Times never end, nor does our love for this arc.
13:43Sometimes called the Reverie Arc, this short arc deals primarily with the eponymous world
13:48summit between royalty, while also detailing Luffy's new level of notoriety.
14:00The Reverie sees dozens of old characters coming together in one place, bouncing off
14:05each other in fun and interesting ways.
14:08Major lore drops also occur, most notably a shadowy figure named Emu, who apparently
14:14rules the world.
14:18Honestly, while everything that happens is fantastic and game-changing, it's basically
14:26only half an arc.
14:28The fact that its events conclude much later leaves it feeling less satisfying than it
14:33could.
14:37An epilogue to the massive summit war, the post-war arc deals with the fallout of the
14:42huge conflict, while setting the stage for the time skip.
14:46The centerpiece, however, is an extended flashback detailing Luffy and Ace's childhood, and
14:52the supposed death of their third brother, Sabo.
15:01Along with this emotional story, we're treated to foreshadowing for the second half of One
15:06Piece, with groundwork being laid for the Straw Hats' two years of training to become
15:11stronger.
15:12Speaking of which, we finally get an explanation on how Haki works.
15:29Post-war perfectly balances exposition, tragedy and character growth, while also acting as
15:35a breather after the intense previous arc.
15:42Another epilogue arc, Post-Eni's Lobby, sees the Straw Hats return to Water 7 to recuperate
15:48after picking a fight with the World Government.
16:11The arc sees every member of the crew receive bounties for the first time.
16:15The Straw Hats also welcome not only a new member in Frankie, but also welcome Usopp
16:21and Robin back and obtain a new ship, the Thousand Sunny.
16:31Major lore about the Four Emperors is dropped, Kobe returns, and we get introduced to Luffy's
16:37grandfather and father.
16:39Oh, and some old guy meets a one-armed man, while Luffy's brother fights a guy who loves
16:45cherry pie.
16:46I mean, come on, it's hype.
16:51When the Straw Hats arrive on a spooky floating island, they team up with talking skeleton
16:56Brook to take down the warlord ruling it.
17:11Gorilla Bar can prove divisive, given some of its humour and a slower beginning, but
17:16its horror aesthetic is great, and it still contains some of the funniest gags in the
17:21whole series.
17:22The fights are generally excellent, and there's some great foreshadowing for later arcs, plus
17:28surprising connections to previous ones.
17:31Brook's backstory is also among the most tragic of all.
17:35Binx's sake will forever give us the feels.
17:47While Thriller barks, critics may claim it's inconsequential, its proponents maintain that
17:52it's epic because nothing happened.
17:5615.
17:57Drum Island Arc
17:59The introduction of the Straw Hats' reindeer doctor Chopper, Drum Island, is one of the
18:03better crew debuts.
18:05With Chopper's help, Luffy sends the country's bumbling tyrannical king flying.
18:10Meanwhile, the snowy setting is beautiful, and Chopper's origin story is not only suitably
18:16moving, it also touches on fundamental themes for the series.
18:31While Wapol makes for a cartoonish and barely-threatening villain, Drum Island's strengths balance
18:37out the downsides.
18:39The arc even sneaks in the seeds for the summit war with the first mentions of Ace and Blackbeard,
18:46as well as revealing Gold Roger's real name.
18:54Drum Island may be fairly short, but it does everything it sets out to do wonderfully.
19:0014.
19:02Baratie Arc
19:03A trip to the floating restaurant, Baratie, sees the Straw Hats recruit a cook, Sanji,
19:10while also getting a taste of how terrifying the Grand Line can be.
19:19Sanji's backstory with Zeph is a major highlight, as it's quite impactful.
19:32Equally great is Zoro's iconic duel with Mihawk, which is an impressive preview of
19:37the peak of One Piece characters' power.
19:40Plus, Luffy's fight with Don Krieg is incredibly underrated, illustrating his indomitable determination
19:46and grit.
19:54All that, plus an inventive location and Nami's betrayal of the crew.
19:59People sleep on Baratie, and they really shouldn't, because just like Sanji, Oda was cooking with
20:05this one.
20:0713.
20:08Zou Arc
20:09A nation full of talking animals on the back of a giant elephant is maybe the most One
20:14Piece location for an arc ever.
20:17The beautiful, inventive setting and wild character designs bring Zou to life wonderfully,
20:23but it also has a spectacular story.
20:34The minx battle against Kaido's men, and the resulting twist reveal are absolutely
20:39unforgettable.
20:40For how short it is, the Zou Arc manages to set the stage for two huge arcs that follow
20:46it, since the alliance to take down Kaido forms here, and Luffy and company pursue Sanji
20:51to Big Mom's territory.
21:01Perhaps most importantly, the lore dropped here provides an almost literal roadmap for
21:06the series' endgame, finding the One Piece.
21:1012.
21:11Skypiea Arc
21:12Skypiea sees the crew explore a sea in the sky, where the conflict between the natives
21:17and the descendants of an island from below is presided over by a self-styled lightning
21:23god.
21:30Few arcs have captured the boundless possibilities inherent in One Piece quite like this one,
21:36although we'll admit it can have some odd pacing and the side villains are a bit undercooked.
21:45However, Enel is a great antagonist and the Nolan flashback is incredibly compelling.
21:54Some people once said you can skip this arc.
21:58Time has not been kind to them, since Skypiea is looking increasingly like it hugely foreshadows
22:03the story's endgame.
22:0611.
22:07Arlong Park Arc
22:08Many claim Arlong Park is the arc that got them into One Piece, or at least solidified
22:14their love for it.
22:15And it's not hard to see why, because it's awesome.
22:24The revelations about Nami's tragic past and the pain she has endured while forced
22:29to work for Arlong tug at our heartstrings every time.
22:32The fights are excellent and every crew member gets a chance to shine.
22:37So many moments in this arc have become iconic, from Luffy giving Nami the straw hat to his
22:42explosive defeat of Arlong.
22:54Arlong Park is where One Piece truly begins to show its potential.
22:58It walked so later arcs could run, but its walk is still legendary though.
23:0310.
23:04Whole Cake Island Arc
23:06This is a whole meal of a story arc.
23:09The Alice in Wonderland meets Candyland setting is distinct and memorable, while some of the
23:15developments are absolutely wild.
23:25The Straw Hats team up with a mobster to assassinate Big Mom at her daughter's wedding
23:30for crying out loud.
23:32Sanji is a major focus, and his backstory is fleshed out even more.
23:37And of course, Luffy's battle against Katakuri is among his best in the series.
23:42Even less prominent Straw Hats get a chance to shine, like Jinbei or Brook, the secret
23:48MVP.
23:49While a sheer number of characters and some poor pacing, Wedding Cake can leave Whole
23:53Cake Island feeling a bit overstuffed, the Straw Hats' first battle against an emperor
23:59is still fantastic.
24:059.
24:11Dressrosa Arc
24:13Luffy and Lore's alliance work together to take down the warlord Doflamingo.
24:18But things are complicated by a tournament, and countless factions descending on Dressrosa
24:24at once.
24:30The arc has to juggle a lot, and while that can make it unwieldy, it also has so much
24:36to offer.
24:37The Colosseum fights are incredible.
24:40There are multiple heartbreaking backstories, including the one for Lore, and for a guy
24:45dressed like a baby.
24:54Luffy obtains a new level of power, both from the iconic Gear Fourth debut, and from winning
24:59dozens of gladiators to his side.
25:02Plus, Doflamingo is one of the evilest, yet most charismatic villains in the whole series.
25:08The Straw Hats truly start making an impact on the world stage here, and it's magnificent.
25:158.
25:16Alabaster Arc
25:17The original kingdom-saving arc, Alabaster has the Straw Hats and Vivi working to stop
25:22a civil war in her country, instigated by Crocodile.
25:35Alabaster is a character in itself.
25:37While the arc sees every member of the crew challenged like never before, Crocodile is
25:42still one of the greatest One Piece villains, being equal parts cunning and powerful.
25:47Even his underlings are memorable, and get moments to shine.
26:00Characters like Robin and Ace make their proper debuts here, and the secrets in the history
26:05of the world are teased for the first time.
26:08Despite being fairly early in the series, Alabaster is loaded with iconic moments that
26:14still resonate today.
26:167.
26:17Saburi Archipelago Arc
26:19What it feels seems like a fun stopover, before Fishman Island quickly turns into one of the
26:24most chaotic and game-changing arcs in One Piece.
26:40Over a dozen major characters, particularly Luffy's rival rookie pirates, are introduced,
26:46with their unique powers teased.
26:48Meanwhile, huge lore drops about the Pirate King are explained by Roger's right-hand
26:53man, Silver's Rayleigh, and it all builds up to the Straw Hats being separated in a
26:58shocking and heartbreaking sequence.
27:08Saburi is like a shot of adrenaline in an already incredible story.
27:12It takes One Piece in crazy, unexpected directions, and sets the stage for even better arcs, while
27:19also being packed full of unforgettable moments.
27:236.
27:24Impel Down Arc
27:25Everybody loves a prison break, and Impel Down is a phenomenal one.
27:30Luffy infiltrates the massive jail to rescue his brother Ace, before his scheduled execution.
27:44Along the way, he forms unlikely team-ups with both new friends like Jinbei and Ivankov,
27:50and old enemies like Buggy and Crocodile.
27:53And we'd be remiss without shouting out the biggest ride-or-die badass, Bon Clay.
28:04Impel Down itself is incredibly creative, with each new floor being deadlier and more
28:09bizarre than the last.
28:11Moments like Magellan and Blackbeard loom large, and help drive the stakes and chaos
28:17even higher.
28:18Impel Down takes Luffy to hell and back, and it's one wild ride.
28:235.
28:24Water 7 Arc
28:26It may act like a springboard for the arc that follows it, but Water 7 is plenty amazing
28:31in its own right.
28:33A fantasy version of Venice, full of ship rides and secrets, makes for a great setting.
28:41Meanwhile, the arc tests the bonds between the Straw Hats themselves, with Usopp and
28:49Robin departing the crew for their own reasons, and in equally dramatic ways.
28:55We're introduced to future Straw Hat Frankie, as well as the intimidating CP-9, whose twist
29:01reveal remains one of the finest in the series.
29:04There's even a train chase at sea!
29:16The world-building, interpersonal drama, and character growth all hit a new high with Water
29:217.
29:224.
29:23Wano Country Arc
29:25Easily the longest arc in One Piece yet, Wano is big in other ways too.
29:31It sees the culmination of Law and Luffy's plan to take down an Emperor, with both Big
29:35Mom and Kaido getting defeated by their alliance.
29:46The anime's style changes significantly too, with plenty seeing it as a major improvement.
29:52Although Wano's size does come with significant drawbacks, including a ton of pacing problems
29:58and more characters than it knows what to do with, its highs still make it one of the
30:02best in the series.
30:04So many great reveals, countless hype fights, epic flashbacks, and some evocative Japanese-inspired
30:11locales, Gear 5th and Roof Piece alone elevate Wano to being in the discussion for the best
30:17of the best.
30:253.
30:29Egghead Arc
30:31Call it recency bias if you want, but the Egghead Arc is an absolute banger.
30:36The Straw Hats arrive at the futuristic Egghead, where the long-rumoured Dr. Vegapunk resides.
30:47Along with a mini-murder mystery, Egghead delivers hype fight after hype fight, both
30:55on and off the island.
30:57It's jam-packed with lore reveals, returning characters, and a new contender for the saddest
31:02character backstory yet.
31:04We even get the conclusion of the Levely Arc, finally.
31:14Questions are answered, more are raised, and Egghead sets the stage for the end of
31:19One Piece in the most explosive way possible.
31:222.
31:23Enies Lobby Arc
31:25This is One Piece firing on all cylinders.
31:28The Straw Hats take on the World Government and CP9, their most elite assassins, all to
31:34rescue Robin.
31:42Enies Lobby is filled from top to bottom with iconic moments.
31:46Robin's backstory is an emotional gut-punch.
31:49Every crew member gets time out of the spotlight, and they all kick their abilities into another
31:55gear.
31:56Figuratively, and literally in some cases.
32:05Few arcs have managed to intertwine epic action with such emotional, personal stakes for the
32:10Straw Hats quite this successfully.
32:13It even makes us bawl our eyes out over a boat.
32:17If this is your number one, we honestly can't argue with you.
32:41If you're on your phone, make sure to go into your settings and switch on notifications.
32:461.
32:47Marineford Arc
32:49This arc is absolutely nuts.
32:51Dozens of story threads and characters collide in a massive conflict involving the series'
32:57strongest figures, all with the life of Ace on the line.
33:01And Luffy and the Impel Down escapees are literally dropped into the middle of this
33:05huge war.
33:16Marineford has everything that makes One Piece great.
33:19Emotional moments, hype fights, crazy reveals, and amazing storytelling.
33:25But all turned up to 11, and all happening every single episode.
33:30The deaths have our jaws on the floor, and tears flowing freely.
33:35Marineford changed everything we thought a One Piece arc could be, and it is glorious.
33:47Is there a One Piece arc you think is peak?
33:50Share your favourites in those comments below.