With an anime that spans over 1000 episodes and counting, 15 theatrical films, and over 500 million manga sales worldwide, One Piece is by far the most successful anime franchise in history. As of the date of this article, it’s second only to Superman in terms of all-time comic book sales, and is projected to surpass the Man of Steel by the end of the decade to become the number one best-selling comic book of all time. With decades of lovable and charming characters, great humor, heartbreaking drama, and rich world building that’s easy to get lost in, it’s no wonder the series is as successful as it is.
The fact that the One Piece franchise has gone on for as long as it has, and has maintained and even raised its level of quality over time, is an achievement of its own. However, the series' monstrous length makes it hard to recommend to newcomers. Committing to a 1000+ episodes/chapters can be an intimidating task. One of the best introductions to the franchise may be through one of its many feature films.
The One Piece films condense many of the series' best qualities into a brief movie, and some are self-contained enough to not require any knowledge of the series. It can be a great way to see if One Piece’s unique brand of anime action comedy is to your taste before fully diving into the franchise. Whether you're a die hard fan who can’t get enough of the Straw Hat crew, or you’re completely new to the franchise, here are the top 10 One Piece films, ranked.
10 One Piece Stampede
One Piece Stampede was made to be a 20th anniversary celebration of the franchise made for the fans. As stated above, many One Piece films act as a great introduction to the series, but Stampede is not one of those films. Its enjoyment is heavily reliant on callbacks, Easter eggs, and references to the main storyline. For some fans, that might be enough, but Stampede's aggressive focus on fan service works to the detriment of actually telling a compelling story.
The story revolves around a big treasure hunt, as a number of characters from the long-running series compete to find it. To quote the hit videogame Smash BrosUltimate, "Everyone is here." What the film lacks in a compelling narrative, it almost makes up for in sheer visual spectacle. The art direction, and animation are fantastic, and the fight scenes have a level of bombast that rival some of the best action in the main series. There's just not else much to chew on outside of that.
9 One Piece: The Desert Princess and the Pirates: Adventure in Alabasta
The Desert Princess and the Pirates is a theatrical retelling of the Alabasta arc from the anime and manga. For many fans, Alabasta marks the moment the series went from good to great. It follows the Straw Hats as they liberate a desert kingdom from the hands of its ruthless leader Crocodile. Taking down fascist rulers and giving power back to the people is something that Luffy would continue to do many more times throughout the series, and is arguably the backbone of what One Piece is about.
Its biggest flaw comes from the nature of condensing an entire arc into a single feature film. There's simply not enough time to let things hit the way they should. For that reason, while it's not the worst introduction to the series, it shouldn't be recommended over experiencing this story in the anime or manga. However, if you are an established fan who wants to re-experience this arc in the story, this is a solid way to do so.
8 One Piece: Dead End Adventure
If you were to remove the One Piece characters, world, and iconography from Dead End Adventure, it would still make for a fun action film. The story finds the Straw Hats entering a death race known as the dead-end competition, where they clash against a bounty hunter, and a dangerous Pirate Captain named Gasparde.
Despite lacking depth, Gasparde makes for a pretty entertaining villain. He feels like a genuine threat, and his final face-off with Luffy has some real hype behind it. As an introduction to the series, it's not a bad taste of this world and its characters. However, it lacks some of the series iconic humor, and some of the Straw Hats get sidelined without a chance to show the audience what they're really about.
7 One Piece: Episode of East Blue
Episode of East Blue is another recap film that made the list, but the truth is many of these arc adaptations just make for better experiences than a lot of the original One Piece movies. East Blue spans a much larger portion of One Piece's story, covering the introduction and origins of all four original Straw Hat crew members.
Due to the nature of its short runtime, there are a lot of important details left out that make it hard to recommend to anyone trying to get into the series. For those who have been following the series for a long time, watching these stories play out with better animation feels like a real treat, and acts as a nostalgic reminder of why this story works so well.
6 One Piece: Episode of Chopper: Bloom in the Winter, Miracle Cherry Blossom
Bloom in the Winter, Miracle Cherry Blossom is yet another retelling of a story arc from the main series, but this one feels much more suited to a feature film than the other recap films. Unlike the other arc retellings, this one takes some creative liberties with the source material. It features many characters and elements from the series that weren't around at this point in the timeline, acting as more of a modern reimagining of the original story.
It mainly serves as an introduction to one of One Piece's most beloved characters Chopper, an anthropomorphic Reindeer who has one of the most tragic backstories in the entire show. Despite it being a more condensed version of the story, it manages to keep the heartbreaking feels of the original, without losing much of what made that original arc work so well.
5 One Piece Film Red
Like Stampede before it, One Piece Film Red feels like a celebration of the franchise, and is full of fan service and callbacks to the series. Unlike Stampede, however, that fan service doesn't come at the sacrifice of a compelling narrative. The story focuses on a pop singer named Uta, who's the daughter of one of the show's most beloved and elusive characters, Shanks, Luffy's mentor, and the man who inspired him to become a Pirate.
As Luffy is reunited with Uta during her debut show, chaos begins to unfold among the audience. It's hard to say much more without delving into spoilers, but what unfolds feels like a thesis on One Piece's core themes, and what makes it so special. The whole film is also set to some great J-pop music by real world pop artist Kaori Nazuka, who voices Uta in the film.
4 One Piece Film: Gold
One Piece Film: Gold is a really solid representation of everything One Piece is about. It almost feels like a lost arc of the show effectively condensed into a feature film. The story plays out a lot like an arc from the main series, with the Straw Hats getting absorbed in an exotic location, only to discover that its people are enslaved by its ruler, and then have to plot to liberate them. While its premise may feel familiar to long-time fans, this makes Film Gold an almost perfect introduction for newcomers.
Though there are a few callbacks to the main series, they're not at all necessary to understand and get invested in what's going on. The film allows the audience to experience what feels like a whole season of the show, without having to invest the time it would take to get through it. Its story is solidly paced, and contains One Piece's unique blend of comedy, tragedy, and bombast that has made the series a household name.
3 One Piece: Strong World
Strong World marked a big turning point in the One Piece film franchise as it was the first one to be written and produced by the series' original creator Eiichiro Oda. Oda's involvement injected the film with an authenticity that was lacking in previous entries, and marked a shift in quality that would follow the films that came after it. It follows Luffy and friends in a desperate fight to rescue their valued crew member Nami after she's kidnapped by a powerful Pirate named Shiki the Golden Lion.
The stakes feel high as Shiki forces Nami to join his crew and help him conquer the East Blue, the hometown of half the crew, and the starting point of the series. The film moves at a breakneck pace, but never runs out of time for jokes. This may be One Piece's funniest film, with the series trademark goofiness making its way into nearly every scene. Overall it's a solid introduction for newcomers to the franchise and remains a favorite among fans.
2 One Piece Film: Z
For many fans, Film Z is the definitive One Piece movie, and for good reason. Its original ideas are so strong that they feel like they fit right in with the lore of the main series, and its title villain is one of the best in the entire One Piece franchise. The story revolves around Z, a former Marine with a blinding hatred of pirates. After Luffy and friends rescue his body floating in the ocean, they wind up clashing with him as he sets a plan in motion to destroy all pirates at the cost of innocent lives.
Z's backstory, and motivation give him a relatability rarely felt with One Piece antagonists. It makes him feel like the perfect foil to Luffy's idealistic view of pirate life, and makes their fight towards the end feel like a clash of ideals. The way the story unfolds and Z's role in it play out in spectacular fashion, and leads to some of the best animation and action sequences in the series. While the film may not be entirely inaccessible to newcomers, its reliance on established lore like the culture of the Marines makes it difficult to recommend to them.
1 One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island
Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island'ssecret weapon is its director, Mamoru Hosoda. Hosoda is a true auteur in the anime world whose given us such amazing films as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, and Wolf Children. Before he became a household name in the industry, he got his start directing The Digimon Movie. Another adaptation of a beloved anime property that won over fans with its unique visual style, and ominous tone. The success of The Digimon Movie gave Hosoda the opportunity to make his own interpretation of the Straw Hats, and the results are spectacular!
It's truly awesome to see the Straw Hat crew through the lense of an auteur like Hosoda. The bright yet desaturated colors, expressive animation, and minimal contrast that have become staples in his filmography make for a gorgeous interpretation of the world and characters. The film manages to stand on its own without any major connection to the series, while still containing many of the qualities that make One Piece what it is.
This makes the movie a great introduction for people new to the series. It's also unexpectedly weird and dark for a One Piece film, with moments bordering on horror that wouldn't feel too out of place in a horror manga. Overall, this is a true artistic gem lost in a sea of mostly bland anime films based on beloved properties, and is the best One Piece film ever made.
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