If there’s one thing you can count on the Big Three for, it’s filler episodes.
Random spa days, fan service-y beach parties, villains that have no relationship to the overall plot whatsoever? The Big Three have you covered. Surprisingly enough, One Piece (the biggest of the Big Three) may actually have the least amount of filler. Shocking, right? Out of this show’s 1000+ episodes, only around 100 of them are filler. That’s only 10% of the show! It’s almost scary that the manga author is so creative he can make over 900 episodes of this show relevant. What’s scarier is that even though only 10% of this show is filler, it will still take you around 37 hours to watch all of it.
Existential anxieties aside, here are the filler arcs:
- Warship Island Arc – Episodes 54-61
- Post-Arabasta Arc – Episodes 131-135
- Goat Island Arc – Episodes 136-138
- Ruluka Island Arc – Episodes 139-143
- G-8 Arc – Episodes 196-206
- Ocean’s Dream Arc – Episodes 220-224
- Foxy’s Return Arc – Episodes 225-226
- Ice Hunter Arc – Episodes 326-335
- Spa Island Arc – Episodes 382-384
- Little East Blue Arc – Episodes 426-429
- Z’s Ambition Arc – Episodes 575-578
- Caesar Retrieval Arc – Episodes 626-628
- Silver Mine Arc – Episodes 747-750
- Marine Rookie Arc – Episodes 780-782
- Cidre Guild Arc – Episodes 895-896
If you’re a canon purist, you should ignore every episode on the above list. However, there is plenty of debate among fans of the show as to which episodes you should actually skip. Most agree you can skip the Warship Island arc (54-61) and the Ruluka Island arc (139-143), as neither of these arcs contributes to the overarching plot of the show or to world-building. And you can get the story elements that are introduced in these arcs anywhere else in the show. Monkey D. Luffy wants to be Pirate King? Yeah, we know.
Fans also recommend skipping the Post-Alabasta Arc (131-135), Goat Island Arc (136-138), and the Ocean’s Dream Arc (220-224). Unless, of course, your life revolves around One Piece and you fear the light of the sun. These arcs have some fun moments, but again, they just aren’t relevant.
However, most fans agree that there are unskippable arcs in the series. These are the G-8 Arc (196-206), Foxy’s Return Arc (225-226), and Caesar Retrieval Arc (626-628). They contain a few crucial plot elements that come back later in the story, and they are entertaining as hell.
So pick your poison: all, some, or nothing. Either way, you’ll see Luffy become Pirate King someday, assuming the series ever ends.
(featured image: Toei Animation)
