The world of One Piece is brutally broken, as most people find themselves suffering because of the World Government’s tyranny. The story has been ongoing since 1997, and we have followed our protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, through several ups and downs as he meets new people, forms new bonds, and fights for the dreams and friends who matter the most to him. Luffy aspires to become the Pirate King, and to do that, he must travel the world and unearth its secrets. As the story unfolds, we learn more about the horrible acts committed by the World Government and the history they keep hidden from the world.
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As a shonen manga and anime, the story is marketed toward a younger audience, but One Piece is a lot deeper and more complex than it seems on the surface. The story touches on several sensitive topics and focuses on a lot of characters that aren’t always liked by fans. The series has a large fan base, and it’s impossible for all fans to be on the same page. However, this also means a lot of the scenes that are hated are surprisingly more meaningful than fans realize. One Piece is a great story, but it also has its ups and downs. While liking or disliking a scene is purely subjective, one also can’t ignore what it contributes to the story and why it was put there.
1) Ace Is Hated For Standing By His Ideals
Chapter 573
The tragedy of the Summit War is still fresh in fans’ memories. It changed the entire story and triggered the time skip after delivering one of the best war arcs in Shonen. However, Ace has just as many fans as he has haters. And the primary reason is because, as many say, he fell for a “daddy joke.” However, it is very much in line with his character, prideful, stubborn, and someone who would do anything for the people he loved. If anything, the scene elevates Akainu’s status as a villain, who is clearly not strong enough to defeat Whitebeard and his entire crew all by himself. Hence, he uses petty tricks at his disposal to kill the young man whose existence he deems unworthy.
As Roger’s son, he spent almost his entire life burdening himself with feelings of self-hatred and fear of being unworthy. After living with the shame of being Roger’s son, he finally found his self-worth when Whitebeard became the father figure he never had. So, when Akainu calls Whitebeard a “loser,” he knows that taunt is meant to lure him, but he can’t let it go. He was never the kind of person who would run away like that. In a way, he resembled Roger and even Luffy a lot.
2) Hody Jones Is a Lot Complex Villain Than You Think
Chapter 643
Hody Jones is easily the least favorite villain in the series, and for good reason. He’s considerably underwhelming when compared to Doflamingo, Crocodile, Akainu, Blackbeard, and many more. However, if there’s anything about Hody Jones that wasn’t meant to be misunderstood was his response to Fukaboshi’s question. Amid the brutal battle on Fish-Man Island, Hody Jones admitted that humans did nothing to him, but he knew humans were his enemies. He didn’t need any human to directly hurt him to let this hatred manifest. His purpose in the story was to be the embodiment of inherited hatred, the complete opposite of inherited will, which is a crucial theme of the story.
Hody’s feelings stem from the racism and oppression his people have faced over the centuries. Not every villain needs a grand purpose; some just have pure hatred in their hearts. He couldn’t stand the thought of Otohime trying to build peace between humans and Fish-Men. He thought her ideals were dangerous and that she would ruin Fish-Man Island. Ironically, he was so consumed by hatred that he harmed his own people in the process, without a shred of guilt.
3) Sanji Asking Robin For Help Wasn’t What Fans Wanted
Chapter 1005
It’s almost regrettable that Sanji, despite his popularity, is still one of the most misunderstood characters in the series. As one of the main characters in the show, many have expressed dissatisfaction regarding their gag, which is overused and dated. The simping over women gag was quite popular in the old gen Shonen, but has been slowly phased out over time. However, this scene of Sanji asking Robin for help against Black Maria had nothing to do with the gag, yet many failed to understand his intentions. After the Whole Cake Island Arc, we learn everything about his tragic past and the struggles he faced.
However, when he came to Wano, many fans still didn’t like him putting Robin in danger by asking her for help against a female opponent. Sanji refusing to hit women doesn’t mean he sees them as weak, but it’s because of the way Zeff raised him. He knows Robin is strong enough to deal with an opponent he couldn’t, and he was right. In fact, the scene highlights how Sanji, who did everything to push Luffy and Nami away in WCI, is now letting go of his stubbornness and seeking help from one of his friends. When he was imprisoned by his father in his childhood, he would keep yelling for help, but no one came. This signifies him breaking free from his shackles because he has people in his life to back him up. This scene is also special for Robin, as the happiness in her eyes is clear as day when Sanji trusts her completely.
4) Shanks’ Intentions Are Still Misinterpreted
Chapter 1054
Never before this moment, even in all these years, has Shanks ever clearly displayed his goals in the series. And when it happened, a part of the fandom interpreted his actions quite differently than Oda intended. Shanks doesn’t have a major role in the story, but his influence is unmatched. We didn’t know until the Wano Country Saga, but he intentionally stole the legendary Devil Fruit from the World Government, despite the risks involved, because he knows more about the world than he lets on. He also may have wanted to find a perfect user for the Nika fruit, but couldn’t have imagined Luffy would eat it. Things turned out well, and Luffy awakened his true powers.
Looking at the bounty poster, it’s obvious Shanks realized the height Luffy has reached, and the world will be heading towards another Great War. Hence, Shanks says it’s time to claim the One Piece, indicating he’s finally ready to make his move. However, the scene was misunderstood by many fans, as he waited for Kaido’s and Big Mom’s defeat to finally join the race for the One Piece. We have yet to witness his true power, but every hint suggests he’s one of the strongest, if not the strongest, Haki user roaming the seas. He’s been actively seeking to stop Blackbeard, so it’s quite a stretch to think a man like that would be scared of his fellow pirates.
5) Kaido’s Backstory Is Hated For Being Short
Chapter 1049
One Piece’s backstories are some of the best you’ll see in anime and manga. They’re not only hit emotionally but also deeply tied to the characters’ motivations, values, and the world they live in. However, not every character needs a long, sob story to be considered well-written. Some can even have that advantage, and still, that wouldn’t make them intriguing. In Kaido’s case, his backstory contributes almost nothing to the way we perceive him before it. He did have a tragic past, but it was over before we knew it. Oda didn’t delve deep into it, but we at least got a good idea of the world he lived in and the political and social issues he faced.
However, because One Piece fans are used to longer flashbacks, Kaido is often trolled as a far less interesting villain because of this. Even though his backstory didn’t hit the mark, it was by no means bad in any way. It even left behind some unanswered questions, such as Kaido’s past with the Rocks Pirates and his obsession with Joyboy and the prophecy. This clearly means Oda is planning to delve deeper into his past, as the story continues. We won’t learn everything about him at once, but in bits and pieces, whenever a part of the series’ history unfolds. Kaido has been a famed pirate for years, and part of some major incidents, so that explains why Oda opted for a rushed backstory.
6) Hiyori’s Famous Quote Is Still Controversial
Chapter 1057
Hiyori takes pride in being a Samurai’s daughter, and yet, she was forced to live as a Geisha, an entertainer for men’s amusement. For over twenty years, she struggled to survive and dreamed of making Orochi pay for his crimes. The Kozuki Clan has always been the one leading Wano through generations of Shogun. On the other hand, the Kurozumi were meant to be their loyal subordinates, but the clan was destroyed when they betrayed the Shogun. They were persecuted and oppressed for decades, which led Orochi to eventually join Kaido’s side and ruin the Kozuki Clan. During Luffy’s fight with Kaido, Orochi met his end by getting beheaded and then burning to death.
Hiyori watched everything while revealing the truth and looking down on the man who caused her misfortune. When the curtain of the Wano Country Saga closed, Hiyori proudly stood in front of everyone and said, “The Kurozumi was born to be burned.” The crowd cheered for her as they celebrated Orochi’s and Kaido’s defeat for days. This quote is meant to parallel Oden’s famous punchline, “Oden wouldn’t be Oden if it wasn’t boiled.” It’s common in Japan to refer to one another using their last names. Additionally, Kurozumi means charcoal, which is why Oda used this metaphor. It was supposed to be a powerful scene, especially when said by Oden’s daughter. However, Hiyori using Orochi’s surname was met with criticism, especially because Otama was one of the Clan members as well.
7) Bonney’s Gear 5 Form Caused a Lot of Confusion
Chapter 1118
This is one of the most wonderfully written scenes, and even this couldn’t escape criticism because of the confusion it created in power scaling. Power scaling is a core part of the One Piece fandom, so when the chapter dropped, many didn’t realize that Bonney was merely imitating the form, and not the sheer amount of power Luffy has. Luffy’s powers defy logic, and while Bonney can imitate it to some extent, she’s nowhere in the same range as the Sun God himself. Even though the misunderstanding regarding her transformation was cleared up in the same arc, it still remains one of the most controversial scenes in the story.
Bonney always had the ability of a Distorted Future, where she could take on any form she could imagine. She even tried to mimic Nika but couldn’t get it quite perfect since she only heard about him and not seen him. So, when she saw Luffy jumping in the sky with a big grin on his face, she knew that the savior her father promised her had arrived. It was thanks to her undying faith in Kuma that she kept believing Nika was real, and she was right. Nika saved her when she needed him the most, giving that child the freedom she always yearned for. Bonney not only transformed into a Gear 5 variant form, with her even tying her jacket to a stash just like Luffy. Her small gesture made this scene similar to how a child mimics the hero they admire.
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Images Courtesy of Miramax Films and the Weinstein Company
