One Piece is one of the most popular manga (comic) and anime series in Japan. It was first serialized in 1997 on Shonen Jump, the most popular weekly comic magazine for boys in Japan. It has been already 24 years since then, but the story is still continuing now as of 2021. Read this guide to find out what makes this particular story so amazing!
Record-Breaking Manga
The comic has become an independent book and the volume has become 97 in September 2020. It was registered in the Guinness World Record as the most printed comic series made by one author ever in 2015. The number of total books is about 400 million! It has been written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda.
One Piece became an anime for TV in 1999 by Toei Animation and it has been continuing ever since. It became an anime for movie theaters, too. Between 2000 to 2019, 14 movies were released.
Story of One Piece
One Piece is the story of an adventurous boy, Monkey D. Luffy. The main theme is an adventure toward a dream and friendship. In the past, there was a King of Pirates called Gold Roger who obtained everything on earth. Now, many pirates are trying to find the treasure called “One Piece” that Roger left. The Age of Discovery has begun.
When Luffy was little, he made friends with a pirate named Red-haired Shanks. One day he was thrown into the ocean by the bad guys and almost eaten by an enormous fish, then Shank saved him, losing one of his arms. When Luffy left the village, Shanks gave him a straw hat and Luffy swore that he would be an authentic pirate and meet him again. This is how Luffy’s adventure started. He explores the Grand Line in search of “One Piece” to be the next King of Pirates.
Then Luffy ate gomugomuno-mi, or devil fruit, and his body gained the properties of rubber. He often fights with his opponent making the most of his rubber body. The boy makes a lot of friends during his journey and they sail together. These crew members are called Straw Hat Pirates. Let us introduce some of Luffy’s most important friends!
Friends of Luffy
Roronoa Zoro
Luffy’s first crew. He is a professional swordman using three swords, two in his hands and one in his mouth. Roronoa has a samurai’s spirit.
Nami
She is a beautiful lady who used to be a thief stealing treasures only from pirates. Nami loves money and treasures. She wants to draw a world ocean map.
Usopp
He is timid and a luck-pusher. Usopp is a good sling shooter. He wants to be a strong fighter in the ocean like his father.
Sanji
He is a cook. Sanji fights only using his legs to not damage his hands which are indispensable for cooking. He really loves girls.
Tony Tony Chopper
He is a ship doctor. Tony Tony is a reindeer-human. After eating Hitohitono-mi, he has gained the ability of a human being. He wants to be an allround doctor.
Nico Robin
She is a beautiful archeologist. Nico wants to find out the history of the lost 100 years. She didn’t trust others because of her past trauma, but she trusts Luffy for the first time.
Franky
He is a carpenter and cyborg who has weapons in his body. Franky wants to build a ship and wants to see the end of the ocean.
Brook
He is a musician. He died but brought back to life as a skeleton by eating Yomiyomino-mi.
One Pieced Themed Places in Japan
Pirate Restaurant
This is a restaurant in the theme park Huistenbosch in Nagasaki Prefecture. The interior of the restaurant looks like a pirate ship. You can have the food that appeared in the story such as Gomugomuno-mi and omelet-rice which looks like Luffy’s straw hat.
Straw Hat Crew’s Feast Restaurant (temporary in summer)
This is a restaurant in theme park Universal Studios Japan in Osaka Prefecture. The names of the dishes are very unique. For example, Luffy’s Meat Plate “Wow! Looks delicious!” and Zoro’s Chicken Plate “Well…It’s Good. Eh?”.
There is another One Piece restaurant that opens temporarily in summer in the park named Sanji’s Pirates Restaurant. It is a more upscale restaurant that serves a course menu.
Jump Shop
Jump Shop is a souvenir shop that sells character goods from the comic book Shonen Jump. There are several Jump Shops in Japan. For example, Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sendai, Kurashiki, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka. Some shops open temporally at festivals. You can find goods not only from One Piece but also from Dragon Ball, Naruto, and Kimetsu no Yaiba.
Your Japan Tour
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