While any series would understandably be left spinning its wheels if it had an ongoing weekly saga running 29 years later, Eiichiro Oda proves One Piece never falls prey to that urge. The series has continuously defied expectations across sales statistics, anime viewership, and merchandise as it’s quickly become the most ubiquitous Shonen Jump property in the world. Its secret to achieving that success is simple, but underappreciated: tell a great ongoing story, with phenomenal arcs aiming to raise the bar every time.
Not every One Piece arc is an outright winner—the manga and anime easily fall prey to pacing issues and bloat at parts, but even its weakest arcs have excellent moments, either in their visual composition, thoughtful storytelling, or emotional resonance. One Piece has stories for everyone, with its arcs bridging into science fiction, feudal Japanese folklore elements, and most recently, even Norse mythology. The phenomenal bit is that even One Piece’s filler is quite enjoyable, owing to the sheer adventurous spirit of Oda’s world, but only the main arcs can be considered among One Piece’s greatest of all time.
33
Syrup Village
Chapters 22 – 41 and Episodes 9 – 18
As the third story arc of One Piece, the Syrup Village Arc introduces one of the series’ first intimidating villains in the form of Captain Kuro, while also serving as an introduction to one of the Straw Hats’ initial members, Usopp. However, in the grand scheme of the series and the various Straw Hat backstories and introductions, Usopp’s arc rather fails to be memorable, especially in comparison to that of Sanji and Nami.
Nonetheless, the Syrup Village Arc does provide the Straw Hats with one of their most beloved crew members in the form of the Going Merry and quite a bit of foreshadowing in the form of Usopp’s lies to Kaya, which may have very well been premonitions of the Straw Hats’ adventures to come.
32
Return To Sabaody
Chapters 598 – 602 and Episodes 517 – 522
In this brief but impactful arc, the story marked the start of the series’ second part and effectively laid the groundwork for what was to come.
Alongside ceremoniously introducing new crew members and including a humorous gag involving the fake Strawhats, the arc also depicted Luffy’s impressive growth in strength and provided insight into the character of the new Fleet Admiral, Sakazuki Akainu.
It also introduced Cairbou and his crew, and in recent chapters, this sneaky and deceptive pirate could be the catalyst to some of the biggest developments in One Piece so far. The Fishman Island Saga started and it was a great way to show off the new designs and kick off the journey to the New World.
31
Amazon Lily
Chapters 514 – 524 and Episodes 408 – 421
While it certainly has its comedic moments, the Amazon Lily Arc is quite unremarkable as a whole and thus is often overshadowed by other better arcs in One Piece.
Among its memorable moments are Luffy covering Sandersonia’s back, the revelation of Boa Hancock’s past, and one of the earliest instances of Luffy using Conqueror’s Haki. Though the dynamic between Boa and Luffy is quite entertaining, possibly the only noteworthy part of the arc is how Boa and her sisters’ backstory highlights the cruelty of One Piece’s Celestial Dragons.
30
Reverse Mountain
Chapters 101 – 105 and Episodes 62 – 63
The Reverse Mountain Arc is one of the shortest canon arcs in the anime with only two episodes. Yet, the arc is near unforgettable as very the beginning of the Straw Hats’ adventure as they enter the Grand Line.
Though uneventful, the Reverse Mountain Arc sets up many interesting plot points, such as the introduction of Miss Wednesday, aka Vivi, the introduction of Laboon, who later becomes part of one of the saddest backstories in One Piece, and the explanation of how the Grand Line and the log poses function, which is crucial to this day.
29
Post-Enies Lobby
Chapters 431 – 441 and Episodes 313 – 325
The immediate arc following the Enies Lobby storyline faced the daunting task of living up to its predecessor’s perfection, but it did well in putting a close to the saga.
This brief but impactful narrative introduced a new crew member, solidified Robin’s determination, unveiled a new reliable ship, and portrayed the crew’s emotional return to Water 7 for heartfelt farewells. A highlight, though, was Usopp’s heartwarming return and apology for his defiance to his captain, and the conflict in the crew ended.
This arc elegantly concluded what many consider to be One Piece’s finest saga. Furthermore, the arc’s exceptional worldbuilding set the stage for the upcoming Sabaody Arc and offered intriguing glimpses into the inner workings of the formidable World Government.
28
Whisky Peak
Chapters 106 – 114 and Episodes 64 – 67
Despite its unassuming premise and short length, The Whisky Peak Arc manages to be surprisingly entertaining within a short amount of time. The arc has quite a few good fights, such as Zoro’s battle against the hundred bounty hunters as well as his battle against Luffy.
The arc also introduces many key characters like Nico Robin, Baroque Works, and their ominous leader, Crocodile. Most importantly, the arc seems to land all its gags, which makes it a joy to watch.
27
Loguetown
Chapters 96 – 100 and Episodes 45, 48 – 53
While the Loguetown Arc does not seem all too special on first watch, the characters and themes it introduces are arguably some of the most crucial in One Piece.
From the parallels between Roger and Luffy to the introduction of recurring characters like Dragon, Tashigi, and Smoker, the Loguetown Arc continues to grow in importance as the story progresses. In fact, a popular new fan theory even hypothesizes that Loguetown could be closely connected to Laugh Tale and the final treasure.
26
Long Ring Long Land
Chapters 303 – 321 and Episodes 207 – 219
Long Ring Long Land is one of the more controversial arcs in One Piece, being sandwiched between two of the best arcs in One Piece, but it still deserves mention.
The arc is one of the goofier in the series, with the Straw Hats engaging in a silly contest against a weak crew of pirates, which has led some fans to view it purely as filler.
But this attitude ignores how the lighthearted parts of One Piece are some of what makes the story so unique and fun. In addition, the introduction of the incredibly strong Admiral Kuzan is an important moment that single-handedly justifies this arc’s inclusion among One Piece’s best.
25
Little Garden
Chapters 115 – 129 and Episodes 70 – 77
Little Garden may be lower in the ranking of One Piece’s best arcs than many fans may expect. The arc is a lot of fun and introduces Giants to One Piece‘s world, which would go on to be a major part of both Usopp’s character arc and the future story as a whole once the Straw Hats reach the island of Elbaf in the coming arcs.
Little Garden teases one of the series’ final islands and is a major hint towards One Piece‘s several tragic genocides.
However, besides introducing Dorry and Brogy and featuring a fun fight with Baroque Works, the arc isn’t as impactful as many of One Piece’s other best arcs, earning Little Garden a low rank.
24
Jaya
Chapters 218 – 236 and Episodes 144 – 152
Jaya is largely a setup arc for the incredible events to come in Skypiea, but it still has a lot to offer for fans. Luffy and Blackbeard’s first interaction is one of the most iconic scenes in the series and sets the tone for their conflicts to come.
The arc also first showed some major figures in One Piece‘s world, like Doflamingo and the Five Elders. Perhaps the most satisfying moment in Jaya, though, is when Luffy defeats the cocky pirate Bellamy in one of the most cathartic beatdowns in the series.