One Piecepulls off something extremely difficult. Where other anime can struggle with a single genre, it manages to be the perfect combination of comedy, storytelling, drama, and action.
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One Piece is one of the longest-running anime of all time, clocking in at over 1000 episodes and still going to this day. That’s a lot of episodes to pick from, so there are bound to be episodes that excel versus ones that struggle (whether through being filler or being outstretched to reach a runtime). Here are some of the best One Piece episodes ever, which no viewer can afford to miss.
Spoiler: Watch out for various One Piece story spoilers if you aren’t up-to-date with the show!
10Episode 236: Luffy vs. Usopp! The Spirit of the Clashing Men
Tensions boil over into a duel between Luffy and Usopp. You’d think this would be ridiculously one-sided, and you’d be right. This episode emphasizes the theme of consequences, and the fact that the closest friendships are sometimes tested.
Usopp feels the crew didn’t respect him or the ship that carries them, and Luffy pushes his friend a bit too far this time. It all results in one of the most memorable relationship breakdowns in anime history. If these events had been more impactful on the overarching story, this one could have ranked even higher.
9Episode 278: Say You Want to Live! We Are Your Friends!
The Straw Hat Crew are no strangers to standing against the World Government and Marines (they are pirates after all). This episode features a show of defiance that the Navy and the world cannot ignore.
All the crew stand with their captain in support of rescuing Robin, regardless of the consequences. Despite their falling out, even Usopp comes along in disguise to protect his pride. This episode ranks this high because of how directly aggressive everyone is against the main antagonist at the time, and the scale of what the crew’s up against. Its only failing is how long it takes to get to this moment after they arrive: Robin’s backstory overtakes the action for a few episodes.
8Episode 380: Bink’s Sake - The Song that Connects the Past and Present
As the Halloween-themed Thriller Bark arc comes to a close, we’re treated to the saddest backstory One Piece has to offer. Brook is a skeleton full of smiles and jokes, but behind that skull is a tale of sorrow that is hard to rival.
This episode delivers an incredibly poignant message: After everything that has happened with Brook, despite all his suffering, he is glad to still be alive. This episode gets its spot because of that theme of revival, the idea that a life can find new purpose. It’s deep and full of hope, an essential watch. It could have performed better, though, as it’s placed between arcs where filler and story set-up is rampant.
7Episode 192: The Miracle in God’s Country! A Love Song Heard by Angels
Following the theme of hope and moving forward, this episode features one of the most arrogant enemies of One Piece getting their just desserts. There’s a lot Luffy has to deal with against Enel, the lightning wielding self-proclaimed god of Skypiea. This includes a literal Jack and the Beanstalk reference and a giant storm cloud that will destroy everything in its path.
Luffy finally striking him down (with a callback about romanticised adventure that kicked off the arc) is extremely satisfying. This episode wraps up thearc like a movie, but would rank higher if it didn’t have such a long time getting there. Every time we come close to seeing Enel defeated, he adds another three episodes to the count.
6Episode 83: Island that Lives in Snow! Ascend The Drum Rockies!
Luffy shows a lot of dedication to his friends, but that dedication is put to the test when Nami falls ill. The Straw Hat crew must seek out a doctor atop a sheer icy mountain to save her.
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Scaling the upright ice rigid rock surface, climbing by the skin of his fingers and fighting off the local wildlife, Luffy faces a frightful ordeal. Fans can feel every single challenge he goes through, to the point that it feels uncomfortable. This episode achieves its spot for its theme of the hardship of the journey, but would rank higher if it had a larger impact on the series' story.
5Episode 915: Destructive! One Shot, One Kill – Thunder Bagua!
Luffy’s plot armor taking him through his most difficult battlesis a topic of controversy, but the pirate king to be isn’t invincible. Viewers will be reminded of this when rewatching this episode, where Luffy finally encounters the beast that is one of the Four Emperors: Kaido.
When Kaido finally makes a move on Wano himself, he isn’t a mysterious villain or a terrifying monster, but he still effortlessly defeats Luffy with one strike. This episode gets the middle rank because Luffy finally and firmly loses (which is very significant), but fans know he can’t be out of the picture entirely. They look forward to seeing what the hero has up his sleeve.
4Episode 405: Disappearing Crew - The Final Day of the Straw Hat Crew
The Sabaody Archipelago is the setting for some of the most devastating events in the series. When Luffy attacks a nobleman of the world government, he learns that actions have consequences.
The amount of despair felt in this episode cannot be understated. It’s a reality check for the Straw Hats. The world of One Piece is enormous and full of strong characters they haven’t encountered yet, so they learn a valuable lesson and must prepare for the future. That feeling of hopelessness is quite unique in the show, leaving viewers with a sour taste even as it keeps them invested in the storyline.
3Episode 323: Departure from the Water City! The Distinction of a Man, Usopp’s Duel
Wrapping up the Water 7 and Enis Lobby arc is a high One Piece will forever struggle to meet again. With Usopp swallowing his pride and apologizing, Franky becoming the crew’s shipwright, and Robin being rescued, the friends make a grand escape from Luffy’s adopted marine vice-admiral grandfather, Garp.
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The stakes are in the Straw Hats favor: with Garp being comically reluctant to catch the crew and nonsensically attacking his grandson, the crew seizes the opportunity to escape. This episode is heartfelt and hilarious, a rare combination that’s pulled off well. It only falls short because of the abrupt tone adjustment from the epic battle of Enis Lobby.
2Episode 483: Looking for the Answer - Fire Fist Ace Dies on the Battlefield
One Piece often presents characters with injuries that have lasting effects, or even major characters dying. When the first full-blown on-screen death (that isn’t a part of a character’s origin story) is Luffy’s brother, then, it just hurts that much more.
Ace quickly became a fan-favorite character, only to fall when he saves Luffy from a deadly attack. With his last breath, Ace says he is glad he lived a life that included his friends and family. This episode is one of the most emotional of all, with the mixed feelings of loss and love that it evokes. There is only one episode that trumps Ace’s sacrifice in terms of stakes and pressure.
1Episode 309: Feelings Put Into Fists! Luffy’s Full-Power Gatling
The final battle against Rob Lucci showcases the best One Piece can offer in a fight. The stakes are extremely high, with the Straw Hat crew being targeted by the marines with the infamous Buster Call. New forms and techniques are shown off, creative and fitting well in context. In short, this is a fight that rivals anythingGoku faced in Dragon Ball.
Even though the more critical-thinking side of the crew is going along with Usopp’s cover as Sniper King, he still reveals himself to Luffy to rally him for one final stand. This is the best episode of One Piece. It culminates in a pulse-pounding moment of ultimate victory.
