As one of the longest-running series of all time, One Piece is known for a vast and expansive world with countless characters. The story only keeps getting better as it continues, while exploring the layers of mysteries surrounding the characters and the forgotten past. The manga began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine by Shueisha in 1997 and eventually became the best-selling series of all time with over 600 million copies in circulation worldwide. The story has long since entered its Final Saga, but it’s still far from over, as the Elbaph Arc only made its debut in the anime last month.
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The Straw Hat Pirates travel to the fabled land of the Giants, where they will encounter new enemies. As a series running for almost three decades, it has more than 30 canon arcs, and it’s impossible for each one of them to be as good as the other. While all the story arcs are intriguing in their own right, there are some that stand above the rest and completely redefine the story.
7) Arlong Park Arc
Arlong Park is one of the oldest arcs, and for many fans, it’s where they fell in love with the series. Luffy and the others fight against the Arlong Pirates in order to free Nami’s village and save her from the clutches of the evil pirate. The story starts off as a light-hearted journey about pirates, but this arc explores the systematic oppression and themes like racism that became one of the core aspects of the story.
6) Alabasta Arc
Not long after arriving on the Grand Line, the crew heads towards Alabasta to save Princess Vivi’s beloved kingdom. Not only did they have to face off against one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, but they also ran into trouble with the Marines. However, the most intriguing part of the arc was the introduction of the Poneglyphs and Nico Robin, who is the only person in the world capable of deciphering them.
5) Enies Lobby Arc
While Robin made her debut in Alabasta, Enies Lobby unveiled her tragic past and the horrors the World Government committed in Ohara. After Robin surrendered herself to the World Government, Luffy and the rest of the crew risked everything to save her. While all pirates are considered criminals, the Straw Hats waged war and became a globally notorious crew.
4) Skypiea Arc
Even though it’s been several years since Skypiea was released, it doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. The arc heavily foreshadowed a lot of plot twists that are directly tied to the Void Century. Additionally, it’s also when Haki was first introduced in the series, although the priest called it Mantra instead.
3) Egghead Arc
Egghead is the first arc of the Final Saga, and fans knew instantly how crucial this arc would be after the introduction of Vegapunk. Although the arc mostly consisted of the crew trying to escape from the Marines, it unveiled several secrets about the forgotten history, including Joyboy. Vegapunk’s broadcast sparked the beginning of the Final War that will engulf the entire world in flames.
2) Wano Country Arc
Fans waited years for the Wano Country Arc, and it was worth it considering how incredible the fights were. The arc unfolded the secrets about Laughtale through Oden’s backstory. However, the major reason why this arc is ranked second is because of Luffy’s Gear 5 awakening, which proved that not only is his power tied to Joyboy, but it’s unlike anything else in the world.
1) Marineford Arc
Marineford is often considered the best arc in the anime, and for valid reasons. Not only does it cover one of the best wars in Shonen, but it also wraps up the pre-time-skip era of the story. It ended with the tragic deaths of Portgas D. Ace and Whitebeard, and changed the balance of power in the world. Additionally, in his final breath, Whitebeard talked about an impending war as well as the existence of One Piece, which was believed to be a myth.
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