Some time ago I sat down to figure out what the differences between Naruto and One Piece were, and I’d quickly write down some notes about both series before I wrote a comparison post. It didn’t happen. I had so many opinions about Naruto, and only the energy to focus on a few points, if only one. When I was about to write about One Piece I encountered a new problem – being a fan with no dislikes in a series makes it hard to write about. I tried to write a pitiful fact-version that failed. I tried to just write a post where I pointed out why I loved it. It didn’t fail, it just felt empty and pointless. As you might have guessed time went by with no post about One Piece coming until today, or yesterday rather, about chapter 502; a chapter that struck me squarely in the stomach.
So what makes a normally uninteresting, interest-changing idiot that can barely latch his interest onto something for over a month into a fan? I had trouble putting it into words, and for some things (make that most) I still do. Then the other day I discovered why One Piece manages to reinvigorate my interest over and over again.
Chapter 502 was again about things that’re wrong. Things that’re very very wrong. Not nail-polish being in the wrong colour, the wrong tone, or whatever the hell I can spam this sentence with. No, nothing like that. To freely quote myself in a previous post about chapter 502:
One Piece picks up human suffering and shoves it in your face, pointing out that there’s something wrong, and that this kind of shit happens. Does injustice happen in the real world? You can bet your ass it does, we just do like the ostrich supposedly does, shove our heads as far into the ground as possible – hoping to never know.
One Piece rips our heads out of the ground to point out that there’s crap going on, injustice happens, and the further you get the more shit you see, the deeper you come the deeper the pile of shit. That description’s depressing as hell, it really is, and the manga wouldn’t really amount to much if it was depressing 24/7, if every single issue spent all it’s time shoving your head full of depressing abuse of commoners and everyday people trying to get by.
Here’s where One Piece goes from a gritty tale about unfairness and injustice to downright awesomery and kickassing, where it makes fanbois jump in joy because asses are getting kicked (almost literally). It’s awesome to see Luffy kick ass in the most impressive and spectacular ways, it really is. It’s so gratifying to see your hero whip out his arm (literally) to smack the bad guys right where it hurts the most, in complete righteousness. Fighting for justice, avenge the wrongs that’ve been done, pony up some hurt in return to those who would hurt and exploit the weak.
That’s where One Piece really shines. It dares to show that the world sucks in strangely realistic ways. Rich people abuse the poor, the strong prey on the weak, the weak banding together to be strong, then preying on the weaker, things like that. Then it shows us that there’s hope and a bright light at the end of the tunnel through Luffy and his crew.
Luffy and the crew’s travelling through their world in a crusade to gain fame, notoriety and fulfill their dreams, however weird or awesome they are. From Luffy’s famous dream of becoming the Pirate King, to Usopp’s dream of becoming the bravest man in the world. They’re dreams, childish, simple, and so easy to relate to in so many ways. It’s hard to explain, it really is, but every one of their dreams can seem ever so ridiculous in the beginning, until you see the determination that Oda’s portrayed in their eyes.
See, the crew has dreams. Simple dreams, awesome dreams, impossible dreams (read: Usopp… ). They’re not afraid of pursuing them either, and they support each other in the quest. Support and friendship being one of the most important aspects of the series, an ongoing theme about relating to those you cross paths with, befriending new people – as well as protecting new people, new friends. Even going as far as declaring war for their friends. Friends who have been wronged in some way, because they’re weak, too kind, or just unfortunate. I suppose it doesn’t matter since it’s a friend in need, or just someone in need of help.
That’s when you get to watch Luffy and his crew turn from the jolly gang that can’t stay serious for a moment into a manifestation of righteous fury that makes your knotted guts unwind because justice will be served, that the wrongs will be right. You get to watch their vaunted abilities come to light, see the awesome and impressive moves and whatsitnots that comes romping through the issues.
The fights are spectacular, awesome, well thought out, and most importantly; meaningful. I could go on and on about all the details in the fights, their abilities, weaknesses and so on. I don’t see the point in that, you’ll see it for yourself if you pick it up, and you can run around talking about all the abilities at any time you want. What really matters to me in the end is that the stories and themes in One Piece are meaningful, they invoke feelings, they matter.
To me, that’s what makes One Piece epic and it’s the reason I’m a huge fan. One Piece tells a compelling and serious story about amazing and funny characters that’re willing to walk through fire and fun for that which matters and doesn’t in a world that feels all too real despite it’s surreal setting, invoking glee and sadness like no manga has ever managed to do for me before.
What can we say? Love One Piece, no doubt a series that will be remember for a very long time. Too bad the series is not more acknowlegded in Norway than it is. But then on the other hand, Japanese class culture has never been the center of Norwegians’ attention.
After a rather long and unexplainable pause from One Piece, I have started watching it again. Even though I’m only in the Water 7 arc, it still amazes me. Such quality. So much fun. The depth of the series can kick Naruto’s unnameables anytime. You have to love it.
Chapter 502 really took me by surprise, it was just so powerful, and I realized why One Piece is so far above any other drawn piece of story-telling. It was a bit of a shocker. Damn, I almost sound like a religious nut (no offense to the real religious nuts out there).
The Water 7 arc is truly amazing, but it just can’t compare to what comes next – the Enies Lobby arc. Atleast that’s my favourite, though I know a lot of people that prefer Water 7 if they were to choose.
I think you nailed it in those words right there, quality and fun.
It’s hard to choose a favorite arc so far. From the first 250 episodes (I prefer watching the episodes, gives me more of the Japanese essence), it’s hard to say what is best. I think I might stick with Skypia, but could also be Alabasta (with glorious, glorious Mr.2 Bon Clay-sama!!!).
Oh, and yes: Us religious nuts do not feel the least offended, so apology is accepted.
… Skypia was awesome, but I will accredit that mostly to Enel. He was awesome incarnate. Even though a lot of people consider Crocodile the most awesome one, tossing around a whole lot of sand isn’t as awesome as “EL TO-O-O-OR!”!(x100)
The One Piece series is amazing. When it first starred in USA on FoxBox I didn’t like it. I personally believe it’s cause the song was really weird in English and sorry to Americans, but Japanese sounds better; it’s more natural if you know what I mean. I also wanted to point out that in One Piece, it shows what the government wants you to know is not always right. It’s true in real life and in One Piece. If I were a normal citizen in the manga, I probably would have thought that Luffy’s crew were the evil and the World Government is good, but as we all know, it’s not necessarily true. I’m not saying that the government is bad and the pirates are good, I’m just saying there are some good pirates and some bad government people. The media and government basically twist all the good things that the pirates do. In my mind, its almost like brainwashing.
I think that is why One Piece is still #1 in my heart. One Piece has always had a slight gritty feeling to me (or maybe that was the bad English dubbing). I was like Selina above when I first watched it and dropped the story. It wasn’t until I watched a subbed version that I fell in love.
All that being said, Chapter 502 while shocking (and more graphic than I’d thought possible for a children’s story) at the same time wasn’t. It just seemed to be the nature progression to me, especially after Skypiea (people being oppressed by their ‘God’) and Ennis Lobby (a woman being oppressed by the World Government).