Greatest anime of all time: One Piece

Being a 90s kid, who loved to watch cartoons on Cartoon Network, One Piece was distinctively different. Emotions and reactions of that age is now long forgotten but this show was always in part of my subconscious mind which wanted more.

Back in those days, Google was not there to instantly feed my curious mind with information nor I knew about it, if it existed, but some day One Piece just stopped showing up on it’s scheduled time on my TV screen and other shows like Dragon Ball Z, Pokémon and Beyblade took it’s place and I didn’t know why or when it will be back. These new shows definitely brought their own charm in my teenage years but point is, for some unknown reason, I never forgot about One Piece even though there were other shows that came and went like Swat Kats, Aladdin and G.I. Joe but they didn’t occupy the same part of my mind.

Those days, if I heard the word pirate, to me it usually meant big muscular bad men on their boats but when I saw this pirate wannabe boy, Luffy, stretching and jumping around here and there amongst them, with a big smile on his face, it was an instant connection and curiosity just started building up. Plethora of emotions this show brought in mere some episodes was so powerful, its print got engraved in my mind deeply.

If I remember correctly, I followed the episodes when Zoro was introduced as a badass pirate hunter. Luffy’s interest in him, saving him and him joining Luffy as first nakama on his long journey was to me, extremely new and feelings were indescribable. And then at some point entered Dracule Miwahk!!

His description as World’s strongest swordsman, raised my hair, hopes were outlandish and One Piece delivered. Zoro’s fight with him; such heavy emotions were first time conveyed to me through a mere cartoon. He did fight Zoro with a small knife against his Onigiri but it was Zoro’s determination that forced him to use his mighty and famous sword to bless Zoro for future. He slashed Zoro and gave him his X cut across whole body and now waiting for Zoro to catch up to him to become world’s greatest swordsman. Then what followed was Zoro’s promise to Luffy, just cherry on top. Mihawk is to Zoro what Shanks is to Luffy, in my opinion.

There are many such great moments which made One Piece greatest but it is the quality of animation and artwork which was able to convey intended emotions to me. I definitely didn’t know who wrote it or what anime is actually at that point of time but the style of animation always held a special place.

One Piece was just a memory for me for several years after the show was gone from TV screen but after becoming able and rekindling my anime love, I searched for One Piece again. At first I just wanted to see the old episodes but to my surprise, even after so many years, show was still going strong. It was like dream come true and I immersed myself into world of One Piece again. I watched all episodes and started keeping up with every nook and cranny of One Piece world.

My heartfelt thanks and admiration goes to Oda, who wrote One Piece from beginning and is still going on strong. It is 20+ years of intense work and he has all my respect just for his determination like Luffy who is also going on and will definitely become, The King of Pirates.

My bucket list also got updated and now includes to see the end of One Piece as envisioned by Oda and know about all secrets that have been kept for so long like meaning of D, Void Century story, connection with JoyBoy, World Government and Im sama connection and lot’s more but most of all I want to see every member of Straw Hats achieving their personal goals at last on the island, Laugh Tale!!