One Piece’s Biggest Flaw Sets a Bad Example

One Piece’s Epic Journey Continues Despite Pacing Pitfalls

Navigating the Lulls in One Piece’s Vast Ocean

One Piece, a cornerstone of the shōnen anime realm, has become legendary for its extensive, sprawling arcs. But with over 1100 episodes, it presents a daunting task for newcomers. The show’s lengthy runtime and pacing issues often drag sequences to fill the episode’s clock, frustrating even the most dedicated fans.

The heart of an episode often shrinks to about 15–17 minutes due to extended opening and closing sequences. Consequently, the stretched-out scenes have inspired other anime and not necessarily in a good way. Many have mistakenly adopted One Piece’s pacing style, causing ripples across the anime waters.

The Drag of Dressrosa: A Tipping Point

This problem isn’t new. Since its 1999 debut, One Piece has grappled with pacing. The infamous Dressrosa Arc brought these issues to the forefront, expanding chapters into episodes without adding significant depth. This arc, spotlighting the pacing dilemma, set a pattern that persists today.

Whole Cake Island further illustrated the pacing struggle. Episodes often focused on characters like Luffy running through endless hallways, devoid of substantial story progression. Such episodes felt more like walking through a desert, searching for water, and finding mirages instead.

Flashbacks: The Double-Edged Sword

For weekly viewers, the recurring flashbacks and strategic padding were nerve-wracking. Flashbacks serve as crucial aids for memory but slow storytelling to a crawl. The show’s episodic nature necessitates these reminders, compounding the pacing pain. Bingewatchers quickly notice, leaving them stuck in a cycle of anticipation and impatience.

One Piece attempts to counter these faults with its reboot, The One Piece, aiming to streamline the storytelling experience. Yet fans of the original series, accustomed to its pace, must still endure the drawn-out narrative without relief.

Shōnen & The Trap of Quantity Over Quality

In One Piece’s wake, the broader shōnen landscape has learned worrying lessons. Many series mistake quantity for depth, leading to bloated stories. While One Piece struggles with pace, Naruto falters with fillers, and Bleach with endless battles.

Newer shōnen like Black Clover and Boruto continue these trends, while others, such as My Hero Academia and Demon Slayer, wisely opt for seasonal pacing. These series cleverly avoid pitfalls, maintaining tight stories without sacrificing narrative momentum.

A Mixed Bag of Influence

One Piece’s cultural footprint is immense. Despite pacing woes, its influence reaches far beyond anime alone. The anime, now a visual spectacle since Wano, sets high standards with sequences like Gear 5 Luffy’s battles. These shining moments come wrapped in episodes that, all too often, disappoint with lackluster plotting and pacing.

Its success is undeniable, selling over 500 million copies and conquering Netflix’s viewership records. Yet, it leaves the shōnen genre at a crossroads. Future series must choose between One Piece’s expansive approach and a streamlined, focused narrative.

The Bright and Dim Future of Shōnen

As One Piece sails into a golden era with multiple adaptations and the manga nearing its climax, the franchise’s lessons reverberate through the anime industry. Some series follow blindly, repeating past mistakes. Others innovate, ensuring pacing doesn’t stifle their stories.

The anime’s challenge remains: balancing epic tales and engaging pacing. As One Piece continues its adventure, shōnen fans are left to hope future series will embrace its legacy wisely, learning from both its triumphs and faults.