10 Best One Piece Arcs, Ranked

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Throughout One Piece, Monkey D. Luffy and his crew of Straw Hat Pirates set out on bold adventures at sea as they try to uncover the ultimate treasure. Luffy dreams of becoming the Pirate King, and as the series progresses, he faces increasingly formidable foes who want to stop him and take the treasure for their own. With its themes of friendship, freedom and fun adventures, One Piece has become one of the most beloved anime of all time.

As one of the longest running anime, One Piece's vast story has had many incredible arcs that highlight the show's impressive world-building and character development. Over the years, fans have been able to watch as Luffy grew stronger with every battle, with the best arcs expanding the series' lore and featuring compelling villains, amazing fight scenes and even emotional moments that have long-lasting impact on the entire story. With One Piece now in its final arc, looking back on past story arcs makes it easier to see the depths of Luffy's journey and how rewarding his sea-faring adventures have been over the past two decades.

The Straw Hat Pirates arrive at the Sabaody Archipelago in this arc, marking the halfway point in their adventures on the Red Line. While a relatively short arc spanning just twenty-one episodes, this arc introduced a significant amount of lore in One Piece, including important characters that would continue to impact Luffy's adventures in the years to come.

The "D" Clan from One Piece contains some of the most powerful characters from the series. Many D's are extremely strong or relevant to the story.

The Sabaody Archipelago Arc introduced Silvers Rayleigh and the villainous World Nobles, whose ties to the World Government would be explored throughout the series. The arc also saw the arrival of nine other rookie pirates arriving at the archipelago, with the Eleven Supernovas going on to become more important in the arcs that followed.

In the Skypiea Arc of the Sky Island Saga, the Straw Hat Pirates journey into the ocean in the sky and discover a war between the Sky People and the Shandia natives as well as the cruel "god" Enei. An important part of One Piece's endgame would be discovered in Skypiea, with Nico Robin deciphering one of One Piece's mysterious Poneglyphs that was found in the ruins of Shandora.

The Poneglyph came with a message from Gol D. Roger, hinting that the Roger Pirates knew the entire history of the world. When deciphered, the Poneglyph revealed the existence of another Ancient Weapon -- further teasing the incredible levels of power that would come into play when One Piece's long-running story got closer to its final saga.

In the Whole Cake Island Arc, Luffy goes on an adventure to rescue the Straw Hat Pirates' chef Sanji from a political marriage and gets caught up in the families' hidden agendas. The arc is silly and humorous despite its serious sounding plot, highlighting the comedic adventures fans have come to know and love from One Piece.

Although Marines are the series antagonists, they still have several likable members in their ranks.

The arc sees the return of Sanji to the Straw Hat Pirates as well as the introduction of Luffy's Gear 4: Tankman and Snakeman forms. It also features incredible battles and hints at Big Mom's dark past, giving some much-needed character development for the iconic One Piece villain. While the pacing may not have been this arc's strength, its unique and colorful setting and action-packed plot still make it one of the most memorable.

Early on in One Piece, fans were treated to an amazing arc that showed the series was more than just pirate adventures and physical comedy. The Arlong Park Arc was a pivotal part of the story for Nami, highlighting her tragic backstory and showcasing the true bond Luffy has with his Straw Hat Pirate crew.

In addition to its emotional impact, Arlong Park also came with some significant plot points, including the introduction of the Fish-Men and the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Luffy also gets his first wanted poster in this arc, establishing himself as a true contender for the One Piece treasure.

In the Impel Down Arc, Luffy tries to save his brother Ace from execution in the hopes of preventing a full-scale war between the Whitebeard Pirates and the vicious Marines and World Government. This arc was a great one thanks to the characters who appear throughout the episodes, with many of Luffy's former enemies escaping from imprisonment to wreak further havoc.

The Impel Down Arc sets up one of One Piece's greatest arcs of all time, but it also stands on its own as an impressive entry in the series' roster. The arc also hints at Devil Fruit Awakening for the first time -- a key part of the story that would go on to have a huge impact later on.

The Alabasta Arc is a classic One Piece story for many fans of the franchise, with the Straw Hat Pirates crew taking on the evil Crocodile. The arc comes with important battles for all the Straw Hat Pirates, giving them each their own moments for growth.

The arc also introduces the Poneglyphs, Seastone and Vivre cards into the series. More importantly, the arc solidified the Straw Hat Pirates' bonds with one another while also delivering epic battles that are still among the series' finest.

The Wano Country Arc was the last arc before One Piece headed into its Final Saga, and the nearly 200-episodes long arc did not disappoint. Wano Country featured pivotal moments for Luffy and the entire One Piece world, with the Warlord system being dissolved, the mysterious SWORD Organization being introduced and even the One Piece's connection to Joy Boy being revealed.

The fights in the Wano Country Arc are also among the finest in One Piece, with Luffy awakening his Devil Fruit and reaching Gear 5 making for some incredible action moments. This glorious arc sets up One Piece's Final Saga to deliver even more peak Luffy moments.

During the Dressrosa Arc, the Straw Hat Pirates try to make a deal with the evil Doflamingo, but as more of Doflamingo and Law's past is revealed, the conflict turns personal. The arc also sees Luffy working to get his hands on his late brother Ace's Devil Fruit while the rest of the Straw Hats try to quell a rebellion among Dressrosa's population.

The presence of a villain can make or break the quality of an anime, and these villains didn't know when to give up.

One Piece's Dressrosa Arc came with significant implications for the story as a whole. During his fight with Doflamingo, Luffy tapped into his Gear 4 powers, and the arc also confirmed Sabo to be alive. The arc also gives fans more insight into how the World Government and World Nobles were formed, making it an arc rich with lore and important worldbuilding.

The Enies Lobby Arc saw the Straw Hats rescuing Nico Robin by attacking Enies Lobby and declaring war on the World Government. This made the arc an emotional one, especially with Robin wishing she were dead and finding the will to live again with the Straw Hats.

As the Red Hair Pirates act as foils to the Blackbeard Pirates, looking at how Shanks' crew operates can explain Blackbear's actions.

The arc also comes with key upgrades for many of the Straw Hats. Luffy's Gears 2 and 3 were introduced, as well as Sanji's Diable Jambe, Usopp's Kabuto, Chopper's Monster Point and Zoro's Nine Sword Style. With these new abilities ready for battle, Enies Lobby delivered exhilarating action that ramped up the fight against the World Government to levels not yet seen before in the series.

After Luffy was unable to save Ace from being executed, the Whitebeard Pirates and the World Government clashed in an intense battle that changed One Piece's story forever. The Marineford Arc saw a full-scale war break out in the world, with intense battles that never let there be a dull moment in the action. Over the course of the battle, both Ace and Whitebeard end up dying, and their deaths forever changed Luffy.

The tragic ending to the Marineford Arc may have seen the series say goodbye to two beloved characters, but it also helped develop Luffy's character in ways that just wouldn't have been possible without their sacrifices. This arc showed the true power that some of One Piece's strongest characters have, with memorable moments including Whitebeard confirming the One Piece treasure exists before his death, the introduction of Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits and Blackbeard stealing Whitebeard's powers in a particularly shocking moment.

With over 1,000 episodes and counting, One Piece is full of epic moments that keep fans engaged and ready to see what happens next in Luffy's adventures. The best One Piece arcs have delivered exciting battles while also foreshadowing important moments to come later in the series. The Marineford Arc remains the best arc of One Piece, with its incredible battles and sacrifices proving that One Piece is widely regarded as one of the best anime for many good reasons.

Follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew in order to find the greatest treasure ever left by the legendary Pirate, Gold Roger. The famous mystery treasure named "One Piece".

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