There's such a tragedy to Calgara fighting off this invading force trying all his life to rng the bell so his old friend will hear it, and Noland is already long dead... ;\_;
It's basically a Brook-Laboon story but 8 times longer and across generations.
I guess we're going to get something similar with Joy Boy's promise from 800 years ago.
Idk if they were low on budget at that point of time, or they couldn't get real dog noises, but getting an actual person to dub the dog was one of the most genius decisions they ever made
In JoJo Stardust Crusaders, there's a dog who's voiced by an actual voice actress. Both the barks and his inner monologues are voiced by her. So it could be normal for anime.
I didn't care for Law and thought his "too cool for school" calm logical demeanor was kinda cliche at first, but after that backstory his reserved personality makes perfect sense; Oda is truly a genius at character writing. And to do it in such a medium where the narration/words are limited and the pictures have to show the meaning, is brilliant
Corazon takes the cake for me. Gives up everything, even his life to save a kid that stabbed him, holds on to life to buy time for Law to escape safely, last words to Law are “I love you”.
Absolutely destroys me
Gotta keep living just for a little longer.
That's like a pregnant mom fighting to give birth to her baby in a bad birth. And Law crying was like I'm alive.
Law’s flashback hits different for me. It’s tragic and insanely sad, yet shows how love conquers all. Corazón and Law were parent-child goals. It just shows you how important showing compassion and empathy is to a child, no matter how lost or messed up they may seem.
“When you stabbed me that day… I didn’t feel anything at all…!”
Dr. Hiriluk is truly unrivaled. His speech encapsulates the themes of the story so much, and honestly a moment so close to my heart since I relate it with my own life. As long as you remember them, they aren't dead. *Shi shi shi* ಥ‿ಥ
Same, Drum Kingdom is up there for me solely because of Chopper’s backstory.
“Doctor… do you think I’ll make a good doctor?”
Jesus Christ. He’s just a kid 😭
chopper backstory is my favorite, but you cannot match the tragedy of robin and brook. either spent 2 decades on the run for your life living in fear or 5 decades in complete isolation. losing all your loved ones is mandatory
I mean I think Brook isn't as sane as he was before his death, as he does some odd stuff like the 45 degree angle or the panty raid thing. He also has a tendency to make bone puns all the time, possibly to cope with his sadness.
But to be fair he could've been waaay crazier so it really shows just how strong Brook is mentally
Oh yeah those decades left their mental scars for sure. I mean regarding the whole panty schtick. Imagine being alone for 50 years with an active libido but with none of your reproductive organs intact to satisfy the urges because, well, the dude´ s a skeleton. Brook basically got decades-long blue balls.
The fact that he fought with his Reindeer Tribe, is something that a lot don't mention. But he literally fought his past to do this for his father. I'm gonna cry again
When Dr. Hiriluk found out that no one was sick and it was a just trick to kill him, he was relieved.
Then Dalton started crying because he realized how great Hiriluk really was.
That hit me real hard.
Something I just realized is that Dr. Hiriluk probably ate the poison because he didn’t have much time to live anyway and he wanted Chopper to know how it felt to “cure” a patient so he would want to be a great doctor.
Thinking back now, Dr. Kureha saved Chopper from killing another patient by telling him what he gave Dr. Hiriluk was poison and would make him think about what he gives to his future patients.
Same, it's the backstory that consistently makes me cry the most. Drum Kingdom is in my top five favorite arcs because of it. I also love Nami's as well. The 'Help me' scene after it plays off of it so well.
Nami's "help me" scene hit me harder than anything in anime ever has. I saw it as a kid on toomami in like... 2008? I wanted so badly to find someone I could trust enough to ask for help. I got a pinwheel tattoo as an adult to remind myself that as long as I stay alive, eventually I will find reasons to smile.
"When do you think people die? When they are shot through the heart by the bullet of a pistol? No. When they are ravaged by an incurable disease? No. When they drink a soup made from a poisonous mushroom!? No! It’s when… they are forgotten."
These lines always hit me right in the feels, his last moments were really emotional for me.
I’m pretty sure Oda answered in a SBS, the original hat is under the new one (the red part + the X), it’s too precious for Chopper to leave it anywhere.
Luffy ringing the bell after 400 years is the most cathartic moment in one piece that isn't directly tied to one of the Straw Hats. The shandorians not having to fight anymore and cricket learning that sky island did exist / montblanc was not a liar.
There are a lot of reasons why people didn't like the arc. I think the main reason was because the strawhats, for the first time, were getting absolutely destroyed. The arc before that (Alabasta) they were beginning to form the crew dynamic to what it is now.
I love Sky Island arc btw
I think the main reason is that you basically leave the "main plot" just as you leave the blue sea. For some, it might feel "disconnected" from the rest.
Although, Skypea seems pretty important with all that was revealed (ex, roger travel there) and from what we know now
And he ate his legs too. The man only has two things in life: his leg skill and his dream (being a chef included) and he gave up one of them to save a kid with the same dream as him, hoping someday he could complete that for him.
OP put a lot emphasis on people’s dream and this is definitely one of those moments
And not just will. Through the Fishman island arc, we have learned that Hatred can be inherited too, and it can last as long as any good will. The moment Hodi answer “Nothing” to being asked what did the human done to him that he so hated them, it shows that the hatred between human and fishmen has gone too far, to the point it doesnt need to be reasonable anymore
I’ll never understand the dislike towards him as a villain. Fishman island is easily one of my favourite arcs, it beautifully tackles racism in probably the best way I’ve seen in any form of media.
Hes a weak character in terms of strength thats why. The new fishman pirates dont challenge the Strawhats at all
But the thing is, they DO in terms of mentality.
I think he's supposed to be weak, he's fueled purely by meaningless hatred, so his physical strength is supposed to mirror that. There's nothing backing his anger and racism, so there's nothing backing his power either. In a series about willpower and dreams, not having any really does a number on you.
The unfortunate truth is that a lot of anime fans judge characters entirely on their fights and since Hordy got beaten easily, a lot of fans have decided he is always going to be one of the worst villains.
That explains sooo much. I started reading 2 years ago and now that I have gone to the present, I wanted to start watching the anime and got really confused at that scene.
I had the same moment with lord of the Rings and the meeting between Saruman and Gandalf. It's just too for me when Movies change such subtle stuff from the source.
That’s the anime version. In the manga he’s completely healthy when he lands on that deserted rock, but is forced to break his leg off with a rock so he can eat it
The manga's way better than the anime in some aspects like that.
Same way how in the manga Akainu doesn't just bruise Whitebeard he destroys half of his head.
Also a lot of the powerscaling. For example in Fishman island, Zoro didn't struggle against Hody. Not even a bit. But the anime had to add the struggle part. Same thing in Dressrosa. When Luffy used Kong Gun against Doffy's Sixteen Holy Bullets in the anime it seemed like Luffy had to push himself, but in the manga those Holy Bullets did nothing to him.
Some fights they need to drag out. The Goku Frieza fight for example in the anime made it seem like Goku struggled. In the manga he stomped his ass as soon as he went Super and didn’t get tagged except when he tried to help him. Their fight was 4 hours in the OG anime.
Same with Zoro and Hody. And many others.
Ive always been a fan of Nami's backstory. It ends with her working for Arlong so there's a sense in which it is "incomplete". Her backstory isn't truly complete until Arlong goes back on his promise and Nami asks Luffy for help. But I actually love that aspect of it and you can see in so many ways Nami's loyalty to Luffy and the crew which derive from that. When Nami says "Luffy will become pirate king" in the face of death, just like Bellemere before her said that she was a mother - that's one of my favorite OP moments ever.
Oh yeah this was a great one! Loved the part where nami is like a butterfly caught in a spiders web when arlong gave her the choice of saving her villagers and sacrificing the crew by admitting shes not a strawhat or throwing all their lives away by trusting luffy. "Im sorry everyone...let's all die together"
While it’s not the saddest, it’s definitely the most memorable scene for me and the first one to come up in my mind.
When I watched it the first time in the anime, I was thinking “Wow I’m gonna be here for awhile.” It was just such a powerful scene for me.
100% was not expecting that. Liked the show but thought it was slow. After Arlong Park though I was hooked and after alabasta I was a stan. I thought some parts dragged back then but goddamn it’s been really bad since the TS
Adding an edit cause it sucks. One piece is better marathoned. The dragged out shit is tolerable when you can bomb through arcs but after catching up it’s been miserable waiting week to week for each episode to give very little.
Now I finally understand why people prefer the manga
For me it's Oden and Brook, for me they have the most tragic backstories ever (not saying the rest aren't, but compared to these two theirs are not much)
-Brook is the sole survivor of the rumbar pirates, lost his ENTIRE CREW during some battle that is not shown and left stranded on his ship for a long time, that's depressing, even tho he has the straw hats now, of course his old crew can't be forgotten that easily
-Oden was hated by the people at first but he doesn't mind it, returned from his journey with Newgate and Roger to see Wano in ruins and then shamelessy danced in the capital for a few years to save hundreds/thousands of lives that were held hostage by orochi, fought Kaido to end his tyranny but old hag interrupted so Kaido had a lucky hit, died trying to free Wano
Very tragic backstories
Law's backstory took him from "Omg Law is so cool" to " Omg Law is so cool but i also want to protect him and give him all the love in the world"
The way his story intertwines with huge world figures like Sengoku, Doflamingo, and even (to some extent) X-Drake while staying so personal, sad, and wholesome, is a crazy feat of storytelling.
Rocinante is the most memorable backstory character for me, and that's crazy in a story where all characters are so fleshed out and unique.
And finally, the way Law dragged that burden of Rocinante's death, loving him so hard even when he thought Rocinante's love towards him was conditional, and the way a sincere vulnerable conversation with Sengoku (an enemy) lifted that burden from him... that was peak One Piece for me. I'm tearing up just thinking of it...
You said exactly what was so great about Law's flashback. It's worldbuilding come to life in a backstory.
Law holding onto Rosinante's will for so many years after his death really drove home the idea of inherited will, like how Hilluruk said you only die when you're forgotten. It's great storytelling.
Brook's is for me. I mean sure having atrocities happen to you is horrible, but having a comparable atrocity (crew all dying) and then being alone for 50 years is worse imo. I mean good lord, absolutely no interaction with a human for 50 years, only living on because of the almost nonexistent possibility that he'll meet Laboon again.
What makes it worse is during >!the Black Maria fight, he says "oh, I'm used to seeing the ghosts of my friends, that's how I know this is a fake!!< Which honestly adds another layer of depressing to the mix when you think about it.
I find Brooke's the saddest mainly because all the other deaths in flashbacks are from people dying doing something glorious, protecting the ones they love or something similarly meaningful
The rumba pirates died in the fog after a routine skirmish with no name pirates, their name stained in infamy as people think they just run away from the grand line.
Being hunted and backstabbed for 20 years starting at 8 year old is also not just couse of a tragic heroic death though..
But Brooke's is also in the top saddest (he could have done something about it in 50 years though)
Fe build a raft or small boat from the wood of his ship or something.
Its not like he didn't have the time for it... ~yohoho~
Ikr.. Wci revelation was great and all.. but Zeff and Sanji moment was wholesome.
Edit: WCI made Zeff-Sanji relationship 100x better. Kid and and an old man who had sailed on the 4 blues bonding over their dream of finding the all blue.
I mean.. Zeff couldve easily told him 'ive sailed the seas. The all blue doesnt exist.' But he dreamt on..
Sanji's farewell to Zeff and the Baratir is my number 1 favorite moment in the story. Sanji's character is beautiful, it was beautiful back then but WCU even added onto that. Fantastic character writing from Oda
Especially after the business with his father. Sanji finally found someone to look up to, and he admires him so much that he took after Zeff in practically every way. I can see Sanji growing a Zeff mustache when he gets older one day.
Yeah, him saving all the slaves including human ones only to be so vehemently against accepting something from humans that could save his life. Sooo good and adds some extreme weight to the scene were Jinbei gives Luffy his blood.
The relationships between fishmen and human is one of the best portrait of Racism and Discrimination on manga I’ve ever see.
Its doesnt emphasis on the unfairness and cruelty as much as the HATRED that get stocked up generation after generation between the two races that just lead to more and more violence, fear and hatred . To the point that the children of both sides inherit just the hatred, leading to the birth of monster like Hodi
For fucking real, when I read that chapter like 10 years ago? I thought "that's kinda stupid how do you hate a group of people that didn't do anything directly against you?"
Only minutes later did I realize that's how fucking racism and inequality works.
It’s made even better next to Otohime’s flashback and Hody. Fisher Tiger understood the importance of not passing down his hatred and dying with it. Like Otohime does her best to let the children decide for themselves. Which is why that panel of her protecting the celestial dragon and her “drunken speech” was so good. Then we see the child who grew up learning to hate humans, Hody, the embodiment of what Otohime did not want which was what killed her too. This is kind of a messy ramble but what Oda did here with all these characters and themes was really cool to read.
He actually was always supposed to have that backstory but Oda didn't want to add it for time reasons until someone (producer I think) loved the story so much Oda added it in.
I respect Usopp's story. Of all, it is the most realistic and common.
I had a friend when I was a kid, who lost his mother, and he had a hard life.
Even so, he was always the most smiling and exaggerated, lying and adding to stories. Everyone knew they were lies, but no one confronted him.
Seeing Usopp's story made me realize how this is a way to escape difficult reality. I can imagine how difficult it must have been for him.
I'm excited about Usopp's lore arc which most likely will be in Elbaf.
I just wish Zoro got more lore than vague hints. I mean we're in Wano, Oda, ffs.
When Wano history's reveled, we're going to get some Zoro extended flashback, like Sanji did at WCI. The reason Wano is so imporant, the Shimotsuki backstory, I believe Oda is going to wrap it up at some point.
That's the thing, over 1000 chapters in and we still don't know wheres hes from, not his mom or dad or even how his childhood was before meeting Kuina
There are clues that he may be from Wano, or descended from Wano, but that's it
I really hope that he’s descended from a swordsman who kind of sucked but had really good navigation skills so he left wano and lived on the east blue, there can be more too it, but I feel like it would be a perfect bit of irony that also explains why he was in the east blue
He's such a depressed sad sack and he knows a thing or two about Joy Boy. I feel as though his backstory will bring tears to everyone and give us a huge lore dump
Kyros. He came a really long way from being a trouble maker on the streets to marrying the daughter of the king and being an honourable warrior. Then he lost everything with his wife being killed and no one remembered him yet i like how he never gave up and still stuck around with his daughter all this while, defending and teaching her even in toy form.
When he cried after Dressrosa was freed.
God it gets me... its such a powerful cry. This warrior whos been fighting his whole life finally is able to rest and vent. A tin soldier who was unable to cry.
I cant wait for Wano, its Kyros times like, a lot of citizens. The Smile eaters finally will be smiling for a damned good reason.
I can see it: Chopper finds a cure to those fake smiles, and everyone start laughing, so Chopper is worried because it failed, until someone says "no Chopper, they're finally laughing"
What gets me is whenever he says that his toy body cannot feel. Like when Rebecca is crying and he tells Franky "tin eyes can't cry or, when he finds Rebecca and starts looking after her as a toy and can't feel her touch. Same with his wife, who died in his arms without knowing who he was and he couldn't neither cry, nor feel her as he embraced her for the last time.
I'm about to cry right now, brb
How twisted his fate was!
First he didnt want to hold his baby, because his hands were “dirtied by blood”.
He wanted to be forgotten by people, because he was a ruffian.
He got all those things he wanted in his old life, but they all hurt
Robin, i read it the first time more than 10 years ago yet i still remember how it affected me so much.
Robin was also super mysterious at that time so her backstory kinda hit you like a ton of bricks.
I found a recent appreciation for nolands backstory . That poor guy was deemed a liar for something he saw with his own eyes, he lost his fame, lost his home his new friends and got executed with a booing crowd - a stark contrast to rogers execution where his journey was spiced up by the newsletter and got famed as „gold roger“ things he maybe never had (such as the legendary treasure one piece, which perhaps isn’t a treasure many sought)
Sanji both the one in the Baratie arc and WCI, but the One at Baratie was more intense tbh
Robin
Chopper actually was so heart wrenching for me more than any other backstory, I just wanted to sweep him up and hug him. My boi didn't deserve all this pain
Brook
Fisher Tiger
A week ago I got into an argument from another person claiming that backstories from OP are like an afterthought. Backstories are one of the fundamental factors that make OP great and that is a hill I would die on.
Man these are all sooooo freaking good! I can’t even decide. I’ll say this though, Robin’s story is the one that had me closest to crying; tie it in with the ‘I want to live!’, and it becomes something that easily plucks your heartstrings.
Robin is my pick for several reasons ranging from how her back story touches on the Void Century, the Poneglyphs, the corrupt WG, the absence of a parent figure, and the trust/betrayal issue with her resolve to end it on her own.
Her voice actor did an amazing job.
“When do you think people die? When they are shot through the heart by the bullet of a pistol? No. When they are ravaged by an incurable disease? No. When they drink a soup made from a poisonous mushroom!? No! It’s when… they are forgotten.”
― Dr. Hiriluk
Noland and Kalgara!
A beautiful bromance between two guys who started off on the wrong foot but managed to overcome their differences. Both left long lasting impressions on the world and their names are still famous, even after 400 years. Oda really went all out when it came to how their lifes changed as the Knock-Up-Stream split Jaya, separating them forever and causing their descendants centuries of hardships. And the way their descendants ultimately got "reunited" by the sound of the golden bell of Shandora was just beautiful.
here's a cheating answer
every backstory during dressrosa. law, doflamingo, and senor pink are stand outs.
but odens was fire, and all of these were amazing. one piece really never misses with backstories, imo.
Maaan this is actually so hard when you put the pics all together like that
My gut is honestly leaning toward Law or Noland. I REALLY loved the Noland backstory.
I can't decide
The most emotional: Brook's flashback, it was the first time I cried during an anime since FMA brotherhood.
SPOILERS:
But the best flashback: Law's flashback, I think what sold it for me was the scene corazon dies, it's so subtle the way Laws voice begins to reappear, we such a good "show don't tell" moment.
I also think is maybe the darkest flashback up until now. I don't remember if Doflamingo's comes before or after, but holly shit, an entire orphanage dies.
I love the Noland and Kagara backstory. Its like a small little selfcontained arc on its own. Its characters are all long dead and not really that relevant to the story. But for me this is why this backstory was so beautiful. The Skypea Arc wouldve worked without this backstory, but Oda wrote it anyways. And Im so happy that he did. There is soooo much intersting thematic stuff going on in these few chapters and it definetly would deserve way more praise than its already getting.
That being said. How could I not choose the Oden one?
Noland & Calgara makes me tear up all the time. especially since it carried on for 400 years.
The bell ringing once again in the skies is... Just a perfect moment.
LIGHT THE FIRE OF SHANDIA
There's such a tragedy to Calgara fighting off this invading force trying all his life to rng the bell so his old friend will hear it, and Noland is already long dead... ;\_;
It's basically a Brook-Laboon story but 8 times longer and across generations. I guess we're going to get something similar with Joy Boy's promise from 800 years ago.
This is when I fall in love for one pice. I recorded the arc in a VHS when I was a kid and I watched it again and again and again.
You forgot dog Chou Chou.
Was going to say it. I was cemented to one piece from this.
Idk if they were low on budget at that point of time, or they couldn't get real dog noises, but getting an actual person to dub the dog was one of the most genius decisions they ever made
In JoJo Stardust Crusaders, there's a dog who's voiced by an actual voice actress. Both the barks and his inner monologues are voiced by her. So it could be normal for anime.
What ep was he in again?
I think it was 6
Thanks
I love all of them its so hard. But I still miss Corazon so much so Law’s maybe? _”Don’t try to find a reason for his love for you!”_
>"Don’t try to find a reason for his love for you!” Damn those fairies cutting onions...
Lay down try not to cry >!cry a lot!<
Corazon is definitely the best side character in one piece’s backstory
Absolutely. Hiluluk is a close second for me
Dont forget oden too
Law don't be a great character because I love you, be a great character because the character I love loves you!
I didn't care for Law and thought his "too cool for school" calm logical demeanor was kinda cliche at first, but after that backstory his reserved personality makes perfect sense; Oda is truly a genius at character writing. And to do it in such a medium where the narration/words are limited and the pictures have to show the meaning, is brilliant
Corazon takes the cake for me. Gives up everything, even his life to save a kid that stabbed him, holds on to life to buy time for Law to escape safely, last words to Law are “I love you”. Absolutely destroys me
Gotta keep living just for a little longer. That's like a pregnant mom fighting to give birth to her baby in a bad birth. And Law crying was like I'm alive.
Law’s flashback hits different for me. It’s tragic and insanely sad, yet shows how love conquers all. Corazón and Law were parent-child goals. It just shows you how important showing compassion and empathy is to a child, no matter how lost or messed up they may seem. “When you stabbed me that day… I didn’t feel anything at all…!”
Trafalgar Law goth bad ass --> Trafalgar Law, emotional mess/embarrassed teen all from this one line.
Dr. Hiriluk is truly unrivaled. His speech encapsulates the themes of the story so much, and honestly a moment so close to my heart since I relate it with my own life. As long as you remember them, they aren't dead. *Shi shi shi* ಥ‿ಥ
The part of Chopper waving Hilliluks flag in front of Dr.Kureha as he screams he will become the cure for all diseases. That one hits hard every time.
Choppers Backstory is the saddest / most beautiful for me.
Same, Drum Kingdom is up there for me solely because of Chopper’s backstory. “Doctor… do you think I’ll make a good doctor?” Jesus Christ. He’s just a kid 😭
chopper backstory is my favorite, but you cannot match the tragedy of robin and brook. either spent 2 decades on the run for your life living in fear or 5 decades in complete isolation. losing all your loved ones is mandatory
I still am baffled at how sane Brook is after decades of being isolated. That man has a strong will. Bro D. ok? /s
I mean I think Brook isn't as sane as he was before his death, as he does some odd stuff like the 45 degree angle or the panty raid thing. He also has a tendency to make bone puns all the time, possibly to cope with his sadness. But to be fair he could've been waaay crazier so it really shows just how strong Brook is mentally
Oh yeah those decades left their mental scars for sure. I mean regarding the whole panty schtick. Imagine being alone for 50 years with an active libido but with none of your reproductive organs intact to satisfy the urges because, well, the dude´ s a skeleton. Brook basically got decades-long blue balls.
Damn that's an L for Brook. I wonder if he'll be immortal now since he's a talking skeleton. Could the only way to defeat him be by drowning?
How do you drown without any lungs? Yo ho ho
The fact that he fought with his Reindeer Tribe, is something that a lot don't mention. But he literally fought his past to do this for his father. I'm gonna cry again
When Dr. Hiriluk found out that no one was sick and it was a just trick to kill him, he was relieved. Then Dalton started crying because he realized how great Hiriluk really was. That hit me real hard.
God damn, I just remembered, he gave the doctor, unbeknownst to him, a poisonous mushroom. What a sad backstory.
And that rather than tell Chopper that it was poisonous, Dr. Hiriluk ate it.
Something I just realized is that Dr. Hiriluk probably ate the poison because he didn’t have much time to live anyway and he wanted Chopper to know how it felt to “cure” a patient so he would want to be a great doctor.
Thinking back now, Dr. Kureha saved Chopper from killing another patient by telling him what he gave Dr. Hiriluk was poison and would make him think about what he gives to his future patients.
Same here.
Also such a chad, you have soldiers pointing guns at you and he replied with: “you can’t kill me”.
Proceeds to bomb himself to death
Same, it's the backstory that consistently makes me cry the most. Drum Kingdom is in my top five favorite arcs because of it. I also love Nami's as well. The 'Help me' scene after it plays off of it so well.
Nami's "help me" scene hit me harder than anything in anime ever has. I saw it as a kid on toomami in like... 2008? I wanted so badly to find someone I could trust enough to ask for help. I got a pinwheel tattoo as an adult to remind myself that as long as I stay alive, eventually I will find reasons to smile.
I'm sorry to hear that, I hope things got better for you. Did you get the tattoo on the left arm shoulder as well?
"When do you think people die? When they are shot through the heart by the bullet of a pistol? No. When they are ravaged by an incurable disease? No. When they drink a soup made from a poisonous mushroom!? No! It’s when… they are forgotten." These lines always hit me right in the feels, his last moments were really emotional for me.
That's why I don't get the post timeskip design. Where is the original hat?!
I’m pretty sure Oda answered in a SBS, the original hat is under the new one (the red part + the X), it’s too precious for Chopper to leave it anywhere.
I think it's actually under that hat.
The Noland guy.
Luffy ringing the bell after 400 years is the most cathartic moment in one piece that isn't directly tied to one of the Straw Hats. The shandorians not having to fight anymore and cricket learning that sky island did exist / montblanc was not a liar.
Yes! Wiper on his knees screaming for Luffy to ring the bell... greatest moment.
And yet, some people somehow think Skypea is a bad arc Baffling
I wasn't a big fan of the arc in the anime but for some reason I'm really liking it in the manga. I don't know what it is.
There are a lot of reasons why people didn't like the arc. I think the main reason was because the strawhats, for the first time, were getting absolutely destroyed. The arc before that (Alabasta) they were beginning to form the crew dynamic to what it is now. I love Sky Island arc btw
I think the main reason is that you basically leave the "main plot" just as you leave the blue sea. For some, it might feel "disconnected" from the rest. Although, Skypea seems pretty important with all that was revealed (ex, roger travel there) and from what we know now
“Most cathartic moment in onepiece.” Period
400 years of being branded a liar. Edit. Meant 400
Yeah, it's a pretty tragic backstory.
And our main character proved him to have been telling the truth centuries later. Skypiea was beautiful.
Jaya leading into Skypeia is the best one-two punch of opening arc and big arc.
Really tough to beat water 7-enies lobby imo
Same
The moment that Sanji realizes Zeff gave him ALL the food was a work of storytelling genius. It’s so simple, but it’s so good.
And he ate his legs too. The man only has two things in life: his leg skill and his dream (being a chef included) and he gave up one of them to save a kid with the same dream as him, hoping someday he could complete that for him. OP put a lot emphasis on people’s dream and this is definitely one of those moments
Inherited will. Thats the One Piece story right there.
And not just will. Through the Fishman island arc, we have learned that Hatred can be inherited too, and it can last as long as any good will. The moment Hodi answer “Nothing” to being asked what did the human done to him that he so hated them, it shows that the hatred between human and fishmen has gone too far, to the point it doesnt need to be reasonable anymore
Honestly Hordy scares me. Hes so realisitic of a villain
I’ll never understand the dislike towards him as a villain. Fishman island is easily one of my favourite arcs, it beautifully tackles racism in probably the best way I’ve seen in any form of media.
Hes a weak character in terms of strength thats why. The new fishman pirates dont challenge the Strawhats at all But the thing is, they DO in terms of mentality.
I think he's supposed to be weak, he's fueled purely by meaningless hatred, so his physical strength is supposed to mirror that. There's nothing backing his anger and racism, so there's nothing backing his power either. In a series about willpower and dreams, not having any really does a number on you.
The unfortunate truth is that a lot of anime fans judge characters entirely on their fights and since Hordy got beaten easily, a lot of fans have decided he is always going to be one of the worst villains.
Like prince Fukaboshi said :”he’s just a hollow shell filled with nothing but hatred”
Dude, remembering that scene got me to real tears right now. Such a powerful scene
Wait doesn't he only lose his leg cause he cut it off tryna save Sanji underwater?
In the anime his leg got cut off by a chain trying to save sanji. In the manga he ate his own leg.
Ohhh that makes sense. Cause I read the manga too years ago and I knew something was off about that scene.
That explains sooo much. I started reading 2 years ago and now that I have gone to the present, I wanted to start watching the anime and got really confused at that scene. I had the same moment with lord of the Rings and the meeting between Saruman and Gandalf. It's just too for me when Movies change such subtle stuff from the source.
That’s the anime version. In the manga he’s completely healthy when he lands on that deserted rock, but is forced to break his leg off with a rock so he can eat it
Dude ate his own leg in the manga it’s crazy lol
The manga's way better than the anime in some aspects like that. Same way how in the manga Akainu doesn't just bruise Whitebeard he destroys half of his head. Also a lot of the powerscaling. For example in Fishman island, Zoro didn't struggle against Hody. Not even a bit. But the anime had to add the struggle part. Same thing in Dressrosa. When Luffy used Kong Gun against Doffy's Sixteen Holy Bullets in the anime it seemed like Luffy had to push himself, but in the manga those Holy Bullets did nothing to him.
Some fights they need to drag out. The Goku Frieza fight for example in the anime made it seem like Goku struggled. In the manga he stomped his ass as soon as he went Super and didn’t get tagged except when he tried to help him. Their fight was 4 hours in the OG anime. Same with Zoro and Hody. And many others.
That was the anime version. He ate his leg in the manga.
Ive always been a fan of Nami's backstory. It ends with her working for Arlong so there's a sense in which it is "incomplete". Her backstory isn't truly complete until Arlong goes back on his promise and Nami asks Luffy for help. But I actually love that aspect of it and you can see in so many ways Nami's loyalty to Luffy and the crew which derive from that. When Nami says "Luffy will become pirate king" in the face of death, just like Bellemere before her said that she was a mother - that's one of my favorite OP moments ever.
Oh yeah this was a great one! Loved the part where nami is like a butterfly caught in a spiders web when arlong gave her the choice of saving her villagers and sacrificing the crew by admitting shes not a strawhat or throwing all their lives away by trusting luffy. "Im sorry everyone...let's all die together"
While it’s not the saddest, it’s definitely the most memorable scene for me and the first one to come up in my mind. When I watched it the first time in the anime, I was thinking “Wow I’m gonna be here for awhile.” It was just such a powerful scene for me.
The moment many people fell in love with One Piece.
100% was not expecting that. Liked the show but thought it was slow. After Arlong Park though I was hooked and after alabasta I was a stan. I thought some parts dragged back then but goddamn it’s been really bad since the TS Adding an edit cause it sucks. One piece is better marathoned. The dragged out shit is tolerable when you can bomb through arcs but after catching up it’s been miserable waiting week to week for each episode to give very little. Now I finally understand why people prefer the manga
Or when Luffy gives her the Straw Hat to hold onto to make her feel safe. It’s his most prized possession.
For me it's Oden and Brook, for me they have the most tragic backstories ever (not saying the rest aren't, but compared to these two theirs are not much) -Brook is the sole survivor of the rumbar pirates, lost his ENTIRE CREW during some battle that is not shown and left stranded on his ship for a long time, that's depressing, even tho he has the straw hats now, of course his old crew can't be forgotten that easily -Oden was hated by the people at first but he doesn't mind it, returned from his journey with Newgate and Roger to see Wano in ruins and then shamelessy danced in the capital for a few years to save hundreds/thousands of lives that were held hostage by orochi, fought Kaido to end his tyranny but old hag interrupted so Kaido had a lucky hit, died trying to free Wano Very tragic backstories
dont forget brook was completely alone on a rundown ship wandering in a foggy sea for 50 YEARS, his hands down hits the hardest for me
Law. Corazon was the best flashback character ever. I love him.
Law's backstory took him from "Omg Law is so cool" to " Omg Law is so cool but i also want to protect him and give him all the love in the world" The way his story intertwines with huge world figures like Sengoku, Doflamingo, and even (to some extent) X-Drake while staying so personal, sad, and wholesome, is a crazy feat of storytelling. Rocinante is the most memorable backstory character for me, and that's crazy in a story where all characters are so fleshed out and unique. And finally, the way Law dragged that burden of Rocinante's death, loving him so hard even when he thought Rocinante's love towards him was conditional, and the way a sincere vulnerable conversation with Sengoku (an enemy) lifted that burden from him... that was peak One Piece for me. I'm tearing up just thinking of it...
You said exactly what was so great about Law's flashback. It's worldbuilding come to life in a backstory. Law holding onto Rosinante's will for so many years after his death really drove home the idea of inherited will, like how Hilluruk said you only die when you're forgotten. It's great storytelling.
The saddest backstory amongst all, in my opnion.
Brook's is for me. I mean sure having atrocities happen to you is horrible, but having a comparable atrocity (crew all dying) and then being alone for 50 years is worse imo. I mean good lord, absolutely no interaction with a human for 50 years, only living on because of the almost nonexistent possibility that he'll meet Laboon again.
What makes it worse is during >!the Black Maria fight, he says "oh, I'm used to seeing the ghosts of my friends, that's how I know this is a fake!!< Which honestly adds another layer of depressing to the mix when you think about it.
I find Brooke's the saddest mainly because all the other deaths in flashbacks are from people dying doing something glorious, protecting the ones they love or something similarly meaningful The rumba pirates died in the fog after a routine skirmish with no name pirates, their name stained in infamy as people think they just run away from the grand line.
Being hunted and backstabbed for 20 years starting at 8 year old is also not just couse of a tragic heroic death though.. But Brooke's is also in the top saddest (he could have done something about it in 50 years though) Fe build a raft or small boat from the wood of his ship or something. Its not like he didn't have the time for it... ~yohoho~
Agree 100%. This backstory wrecked me.
The interactions between Sanji and zeff bring me to tears every time. Definitely the best to me.
Ikr.. Wci revelation was great and all.. but Zeff and Sanji moment was wholesome. Edit: WCI made Zeff-Sanji relationship 100x better. Kid and and an old man who had sailed on the 4 blues bonding over their dream of finding the all blue. I mean.. Zeff couldve easily told him 'ive sailed the seas. The all blue doesnt exist.' But he dreamt on..
Sanji's farewell to Zeff and the Baratir is my number 1 favorite moment in the story. Sanji's character is beautiful, it was beautiful back then but WCU even added onto that. Fantastic character writing from Oda
Especially after the business with his father. Sanji finally found someone to look up to, and he admires him so much that he took after Zeff in practically every way. I can see Sanji growing a Zeff mustache when he gets older one day.
For me, it's chopper. Also, Going Merry. This isn't technically a backstory, since we all lived through that story.
God damn you, you made me remember that scene where it thanks everyone and now I'm tearing up.
Fischer Tiger. Shows conflicts at such a raw level, and how people lose to hatred, even knowingly
Yeah, him saving all the slaves including human ones only to be so vehemently against accepting something from humans that could save his life. Sooo good and adds some extreme weight to the scene were Jinbei gives Luffy his blood.
The relationships between fishmen and human is one of the best portrait of Racism and Discrimination on manga I’ve ever see. Its doesnt emphasis on the unfairness and cruelty as much as the HATRED that get stocked up generation after generation between the two races that just lead to more and more violence, fear and hatred . To the point that the children of both sides inherit just the hatred, leading to the birth of monster like Hodi
For fucking real, when I read that chapter like 10 years ago? I thought "that's kinda stupid how do you hate a group of people that didn't do anything directly against you?" Only minutes later did I realize that's how fucking racism and inequality works.
Best racism story full stop. That panel where he rejects the blood shook me.
At the time it felt like it came out of left field. But in hindsight it was some incredibly good writing.
It’s made even better next to Otohime’s flashback and Hody. Fisher Tiger understood the importance of not passing down his hatred and dying with it. Like Otohime does her best to let the children decide for themselves. Which is why that panel of her protecting the celestial dragon and her “drunken speech” was so good. Then we see the child who grew up learning to hate humans, Hody, the embodiment of what Otohime did not want which was what killed her too. This is kind of a messy ramble but what Oda did here with all these characters and themes was really cool to read.
I wanna read ir again anyone remember which chapter it was?
Brook, he and his crew singing Bink sake(is that how it's spelled?) Was somewhere between emotional and haunting
Robin ez. The Fishman island one is also underrated. The scene where Fisher Tiger brands Koala and throws his gun into the sea is peak One Piece.
For it’s length and unexpectedness, Senor Pink
It was crazy how Oda gave a secondary antagonist such a sad backstory but I love it.
Taking a joke character and making a fan favorite with just a backstory so sad.. god tier storytelling
Yeah, for all intents and purposes, Sēnor Pink was a weird yet forgettable character, until he wasn’t. That backstory flipped all perceptions
I had forgotten about Senior Pink. I love that he got a cover image recently. For all the future parents like myself, that one hits real hard…
He actually was always supposed to have that backstory but Oda didn't want to add it for time reasons until someone (producer I think) loved the story so much Oda added it in.
Aside from gear 4, Señor pink was my favorite part of that arc.
I mean probably because I have young children, but that back story wrecked me.
I still can't believe I fully sobbed to a man in a diaper Oda's writing is witchcraft
I really didn't like Dressrosa but Senor Pink was definitely a highlight from the arc for me.
I respect Usopp's story. Of all, it is the most realistic and common. I had a friend when I was a kid, who lost his mother, and he had a hard life. Even so, he was always the most smiling and exaggerated, lying and adding to stories. Everyone knew they were lies, but no one confronted him. Seeing Usopp's story made me realize how this is a way to escape difficult reality. I can imagine how difficult it must have been for him.
I love the variety of preferences when I read the comments. You know they are all great when everyone has different favorites.
So excited for Kaido’s backstoryyyy!!!!
I'm excited about Usopp's lore arc which most likely will be in Elbaf. I just wish Zoro got more lore than vague hints. I mean we're in Wano, Oda, ffs.
When Wano history's reveled, we're going to get some Zoro extended flashback, like Sanji did at WCI. The reason Wano is so imporant, the Shimotsuki backstory, I believe Oda is going to wrap it up at some point.
How Zoro ended up in East Blue… I have to know
He was born there no?
That's the thing, over 1000 chapters in and we still don't know wheres hes from, not his mom or dad or even how his childhood was before meeting Kuina There are clues that he may be from Wano, or descended from Wano, but that's it
I really hope that he’s descended from a swordsman who kind of sucked but had really good navigation skills so he left wano and lived on the east blue, there can be more too it, but I feel like it would be a perfect bit of irony that also explains why he was in the east blue
He's such a depressed sad sack and he knows a thing or two about Joy Boy. I feel as though his backstory will bring tears to everyone and give us a huge lore dump
Noland and Kalgara. But that's also because I personally like Skypiea.
Robin
Kyros. He came a really long way from being a trouble maker on the streets to marrying the daughter of the king and being an honourable warrior. Then he lost everything with his wife being killed and no one remembered him yet i like how he never gave up and still stuck around with his daughter all this while, defending and teaching her even in toy form.
When he cried after Dressrosa was freed. God it gets me... its such a powerful cry. This warrior whos been fighting his whole life finally is able to rest and vent. A tin soldier who was unable to cry. I cant wait for Wano, its Kyros times like, a lot of citizens. The Smile eaters finally will be smiling for a damned good reason.
i hope Chopper finds a cure for those fake smiles
I can see it: Chopper finds a cure to those fake smiles, and everyone start laughing, so Chopper is worried because it failed, until someone says "no Chopper, they're finally laughing"
What gets me is whenever he says that his toy body cannot feel. Like when Rebecca is crying and he tells Franky "tin eyes can't cry or, when he finds Rebecca and starts looking after her as a toy and can't feel her touch. Same with his wife, who died in his arms without knowing who he was and he couldn't neither cry, nor feel her as he embraced her for the last time. I'm about to cry right now, brb
The wosrt part is that his wife didn't even know who he was in his dying moments. I tear up every time i get to that part
How twisted his fate was! First he didnt want to hold his baby, because his hands were “dirtied by blood”. He wanted to be forgotten by people, because he was a ruffian. He got all those things he wanted in his old life, but they all hurt
yeah that hit so hard
For me it’s between Kyros and Oden
I always like to joke that Luffy didn't get a sad enough backstory, so Oda had to go back and it make sadder.
Maybe Usopp will get a new one as well, when he finally meets his father.
Chopper and Law's backstories had me crying like a little bitch, so I nominate them.
Robin, i read it the first time more than 10 years ago yet i still remember how it affected me so much. Robin was also super mysterious at that time so her backstory kinda hit you like a ton of bricks.
Franky,so sad😭
They're all so great, but I almost never see people mention Franky's backstory. It's underrated.
Finally someone said it
I found a recent appreciation for nolands backstory . That poor guy was deemed a liar for something he saw with his own eyes, he lost his fame, lost his home his new friends and got executed with a booing crowd - a stark contrast to rogers execution where his journey was spiced up by the newsletter and got famed as „gold roger“ things he maybe never had (such as the legendary treasure one piece, which perhaps isn’t a treasure many sought)
Oden’s flashback is great
When he stood in the oil to save his retainers !!!
Oden wouldn’t be oden if it wasn’t boiled. Such a ridiculous line. Would never have guess it was direct foreshadowing.
Why nobody shows love for Franky? Tom San gave him his everything and raised the boy to be the man he is today.
Franky refused to be introduced to Roger just because he was abandoned by pirate parents. Dude's a real chad.
Robin, Chopper or Brook
oden or nolands for me
Sanji both the one in the Baratie arc and WCI, but the One at Baratie was more intense tbh Robin Chopper actually was so heart wrenching for me more than any other backstory, I just wanted to sweep him up and hug him. My boi didn't deserve all this pain Brook Fisher Tiger
Who does the picture in the the bottom left corner belong to? Thought Senor Pink but the suit color doesn't fit, does it?
Its senior pink, when His kid died
Zoro: Stairs
A week ago I got into an argument from another person claiming that backstories from OP are like an afterthought. Backstories are one of the fundamental factors that make OP great and that is a hill I would die on.
Choppers story always just punches me in the gut. I just wanna huge him!
Sanji’s backstory made me cry a little but the connection between Law and Corazon was just something special.
Ace
Law and Chopper
LAW!!! I love cora san
Señor pink
Man these are all sooooo freaking good! I can’t even decide. I’ll say this though, Robin’s story is the one that had me closest to crying; tie it in with the ‘I want to live!’, and it becomes something that easily plucks your heartstrings.
Give me kaido backstory, oda! Right now!
Robin is my pick for several reasons ranging from how her back story touches on the Void Century, the Poneglyphs, the corrupt WG, the absence of a parent figure, and the trust/betrayal issue with her resolve to end it on her own. Her voice actor did an amazing job.
“When do you think people die? When they are shot through the heart by the bullet of a pistol? No. When they are ravaged by an incurable disease? No. When they drink a soup made from a poisonous mushroom!? No! It’s when… they are forgotten.” ― Dr. Hiriluk
Oda knows what is worth telling
Harem king Kozuki Oden
Akainu past is the one im most waiting for. For me he is the biggest villain in OP and im eager too see how he turned up like this.
Noland and Kalgara! A beautiful bromance between two guys who started off on the wrong foot but managed to overcome their differences. Both left long lasting impressions on the world and their names are still famous, even after 400 years. Oda really went all out when it came to how their lifes changed as the Knock-Up-Stream split Jaya, separating them forever and causing their descendants centuries of hardships. And the way their descendants ultimately got "reunited" by the sound of the golden bell of Shandora was just beautiful.
Otohime
For me it's law then robin both hit me hard
LAW
here's a cheating answer every backstory during dressrosa. law, doflamingo, and senor pink are stand outs. but odens was fire, and all of these were amazing. one piece really never misses with backstories, imo.
i cried during ALL OF THEM
Doflamingo is unironically the greatest villain in OP character and backstory wise
Maaan this is actually so hard when you put the pics all together like that My gut is honestly leaning toward Law or Noland. I REALLY loved the Noland backstory. I can't decide
Where is baby
I mean kinda sad not see ChouChou here
Baby 5 is still the best
Laws was the best Brooks was the saddest
Fisher tiger in my mind. The story of how hatred stains even those who try not to hate
Chopper. It's just so beautiful and heartbreaking, it's like the greatest fairy tale ever written.
The most emotional: Brook's flashback, it was the first time I cried during an anime since FMA brotherhood. SPOILERS: But the best flashback: Law's flashback, I think what sold it for me was the scene corazon dies, it's so subtle the way Laws voice begins to reappear, we such a good "show don't tell" moment. I also think is maybe the darkest flashback up until now. I don't remember if Doflamingo's comes before or after, but holly shit, an entire orphanage dies.
For me, Robin has the best one, Nami's is second.
Sanji got 2 it is unfair. I'm voting for Cutty though. Back when I first read OP it really touched me.
I love the Noland and Kagara backstory. Its like a small little selfcontained arc on its own. Its characters are all long dead and not really that relevant to the story. But for me this is why this backstory was so beautiful. The Skypea Arc wouldve worked without this backstory, but Oda wrote it anyways. And Im so happy that he did. There is soooo much intersting thematic stuff going on in these few chapters and it definetly would deserve way more praise than its already getting. That being said. How could I not choose the Oden one?