Throughout its 23-year run, the hit anime series One Piece from Eiichiro Oda has brought Luffy and the Straw Hat pirates through many thrilling adventures, and the loyalty of the series' fan base has never been stronger. However, even the longest-running shows with even the most dedicated of fans aren't safe from occasional hits of negative criticism, and One Piece is no exception.
Its high ratings and reviews from IMDB users may have given it a place on the site's top 250 TV shows, but certain Reddit users have not held back in voicing any opinions about the show that could be deemed unpopular. These opinions range from simple nitpicking of the littlest things to harsh criticisms of the show's core elements.
Its Pacing Is Too Slow
With a current overall run of almost 50 story arcs spanning the course of more than 1,000 episodes, the show has a habit of taking its time in its storytelling. While it can be argued that this is much better than rushing through a story instead, the ongoing momentum of the show and its arcs seem to have tested the patience and attention spans of certain viewers.
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Reddtor UnjustNation seems to be one of those viewers, as they simply claimed "I'm not a big fan of massive arcs that span nearly 100 or more chapters." They went on to say that even though it makes for "more fleshed out detailed worlds and stories", the time it takes to complete means that its main characters go so long "without any character development or even actual fights." It's easy to see why this would upset them, but for most other fans, what the slow pacing rewards them with is worth the wait.
It's Become Redundant
While many fans seem to think that the show has gotten only better and more interesting over the years, others seem to think it has gotten to the point where if you've seen one arc, you've pretty much seen them all. For any series that's gone on for as long as One Piece has, it can be easy to run out of ideas and perhaps even repeat certain story beats and formulas.
Redditor MaesterAz1 posted their feelings over the supposed repetitiveness of recent arcs, saying that it "seems to be the same formula every time they go to a new island." Whether the pacing of each arc is a real issue or not is debatable, but no one story arc is like any of the others.
Bad Looking Character Designs
Thanks to Eiichiro Oda's unmistakable and recognizable art style, the designs for the characters of One Piece have managed to stand out from among other anime series. Despite the show's designs having become as iconic as they now are, there are always those with different visual tastes and standards and who may see them as more of an eyesore and use it as their reason for not watching it at all.
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One of the users most critical of Oda's art style was 7th-Genjutsu, who posted that "Luffy himself isn't so bad, but most of the character designs are just terrible". Of course, all art is subjective, and it's only natural that the show's more cartoonish and exaggerated designs aren't for everyone.
Luffy Is A Bad Protagonist
Monkey D. Luffy has not only entertained an entire generation of anime fans with his optimistic energy, but as Captain of the Straw Hats, the good he's done for his crew is undeniable. However, he also happens to be seen as one those anime characters that have ruined their own shows in the eyes of Reddit users like SergeantMcscribbles, who called Luffy "one of the worst protagonists in Shonen anime."
They went on further, saying "It's like if someone made an obscure side character a powerful MC." Luffy may have his own select group of haters like every other fictional character, but his continuous popularity among the anime community speaks for itself.
It's A Bad Adaptation Of The Manga
One Piece isn't just one of the longest running animes ever, it's also been considered to be among one of the best anime adaptations of popular Manga. While it's been a faithful adaptation of its source material, there have still been enough occasional small changes to it that have deterred certain fans from enjoying it.
In a comment from a now deleted account, the unnamed user posted "The Manga is the best thing I've ever read, but the animation, my goodness, it is terrible. It used to be excellent, but now it really isn't." in the end, however, every screen adaptation requires a few changes, no matter how small and insignificant they may seem.
The Timeskip Was A Bad Idea
One of the key turning points in the series was the two-year timeskip in-between arcs. Many major character developments took place during this two year gap in the story, as the Straw Hat's had temporarily separated and took on independent ventures.
Reddit user Riko_7456, however, feels that the show "has gone downhill since the timeskip. The Straw Hats don't feel like the crew we fell in love with anymore." For show's like One Piece however, regardless of how they're handled, major character developments like this are inevitable.
Annoying Characters
Having such fully realized and complex characters with really tragic backstories, the show has created some of the most iconic and recognizable characters in anime. However, no matter how well-written or fleshed out a character may be, that doesn't necessarily make them as lovable in the eyes of every viewer as Oda may have been hoping.
The One Piece Reddit threads have been filled comments expressing such feelings towards certain characters, with Redditor Lynx-Kitsoni citing their specific dislike of Usopp, saying "Usopp sucks, and I don't think there is anything that Oda could do to make me like him at this point." While there's always characters whose antics will end up annoying fans, there's one thing they can all agree on: at least none of them are boring.
Poorly Handled Character Deaths
When certain side characters are put through the sort of the perilous dangers that the Straw Hats have endured throughout the series, it would only make sense that not everyone would make it out alive. Surprisingly, however, character deaths don't happen very often on One Piece, and it's been argued that those that do don't quite carry the impact that they might have intended to.
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Reddit user ProfRedwoods shared their opinion on how forgettable certain character deaths gave been, and how ones like Pedro's "barely left a mark" on them. In any case, killing off major/recurring characters is always a risky move and its effectiveness can vary depending on its execution.
Character Deaths Should Happen More Often
While some may feel that character deaths on the show haven't been handled as well as they should have, there are others who feel that such deaths don't happen nearly as much as they probably need to. In fact, it's been so much of a rarity that certain fans like Redditor chiguy2018 now feel that it "ruins the sense of stakes and tension" in the story.
Fellow user Fourth_Sin also shared this sentiment, saying that especially the most recent arcs "could be so much more if there was genuine danger involved." It's not uncommon to come across any shocking deaths in shonen anime, but after 2 decades, perhaps it's time for fans to embrace the fact that One Piece just isn't that kind of show.
The 4Kids Dub Was Good
While the company 4Kids helped popularize anime in America throughout the 2000s, they also gained an infamous reputation for their excessive censorship and the poor quality of their English dubs. From cigarettes being digitally replaced with lollipops to even the removal of all blood and firearms, the 4Kids version of One Piece watered down the show so much that it became unrecognizable.
Despite the controversial nature of this dub, there are still Redditors like TheFalseEnigma who are willing to defend it, saying it's changes "added a touch of utter unique charms". While some hold nostalgic memories of the 4Kids dub, most fans can agree that any newcomers looking for a more authentic version are better off seeking the out the dub from Funimation instead.
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