Top 15 One Piece Moments of All Time! Wort to Best

The touchstone of an excellent series is its durability. The first volume of One Piece came out in 1997, and the franchise has only become more popular with age.

One Piece has a loyal and ever-increasing fanbase, that’s constantly wowed by the story’s history and future.

What makes One Piece so special are its moments – small, big, epic – can be rewatched and relived endlessly.

I believe the actual order of these can be different for everyone even though I have used a system of scores to be as objective as possible. But we’ll all agree that these are indeed the best of the best.

With over a 1000 chapters and episodes, it’s fair to say that a single list isn’t quite enough to include all the best moments of One Piece. If you haven’t seen the first part (#16 to #30), you should. Regardless, let’s look at the best One Piece moments of all time! The Top 15!

15. Sabo gets the Mera Mera no Mi

“Ace! I take over your ability!”

Sabo

It’s obvious why this one is on my list. Oda literally passes the torch on to Sabo after the death of Ace. The fact that they are brothers only makes the who thing more emotional.

The scene takes place during the Battle for Mera Mera no Mi in the Corrida Colosseum to claim the Devil Fruit after Ace died.

Luffy originally wanted to enter the competition since he didn’t want Ace fruit to fall in the wrong hands. But Luffy becomes occupied with chasing the Shichibukai and Sabo, under the disguise of “Lucy”, enters in his place.

Sabo destroys the Colosseum and in the ensuing chaos, retrieves and takes a bite of the Flame-Flame Devil Fruit.

He rips off his disguise and announces himself as the chief of staff of the Revolutionary Army, second-in-command after Luffy dad, Monkey D. Dragon.

Watching Sabo take the flame fruit was a huge relief for the entire fandom. It was a great way for Oda to commemorate Ace without giving Luffy all the limelight.

14. Yasuie’s Execution

“Forgive me, Otoko, for leaving you behind.”

Yasuie

This is one of the most hard-hitting deaths in One Piece. Shimotsuki Yasuie is condemned to death for claiming responsibility for perpetuating the revolution against Orochi.

It was actually Kinemon’s secret message that gets intercepted but Yasuie sacrifices himself for Oden’s Scabbards.

The most horrible part about it is that the Ebisu town citizens were cursed with the SMILE fruits, and were forced to “laugh” over Yasuie as he is shot by Orochi’s men.

We see Otoko, his daughter, running towards him with a grin on her face, tears streaking her cheeks.

13. Ace’s Execution

“Thank you for loving me.”

Ace

I’m sure not all of us are over this one.

We see a lot of emotions in this moment: brotherhood, love, sacrifice, loyalty, fear, courage, sadness. The moment is even more painful because the audience wasn’t expecting Ace to die.

The Straw Hats and Luffy had done everything in their power to save him from execution – and they do! But Ace being Ace, jumps in between Akainu’s molten fist and Luffy to save his brother.

Ace’s death is a turning point for Luffy. Luffy really became a man from a boy after that day. The pacing of the story also changed and things really began to get serious.

The death of the son of the Pirate King should be commemorated in One Piece history. 

12. Mihawk defeating Zoro

“I’d rather die than give up!”

Zoro

I remember being so sure that Zoro would defeat Mihawk. The scene happens pretty early into the series, and we have been shown, until that point, how absolutely cool and strong Zoro is as a character.

When Zoro is unable to beat the greatest swordsman in the world, we realize that there are characters vastly stronger than our main characters – Zoro’s defeat proved that he had a long way to go – and also gave him a dream to aspire for.

Even as Mihawk permanently scars Zoro’s chest, he reflects on Zoro’s fighting spirit and bravery. Zoro earns Mihawk’s respect, and Mihawk vows to remember his name.

11. Farewell to the Going Merry

“It’s us who have to apologize, Merry!”

Luffy

I don’t know any One Piece fan who weren’t touched by this scene. Not one of us expected to be heartbroken over the demise of an inanimate object.

The Going Merry was the first ship of the Straw Hats and served as their primary mode of transport over East Blue until Water 7.

It was our initiation into the One Piece world as well – we traveled with the Straw Hats as part of Luffy’s crew aboard the Merry, going on several adventures across the open seas.

On occasion, we have been led to suspect that the Merry wasn’t just a ship; she might have been inanimate but she certainly wasn’t non-living.

After the Straw Hats leave Enies Lobby with Robin, they are surrounded by the Marines; Ussop hears the voice of the Merry, telling them to jump into the sea, essentially saving them just in time.

Before that particular scene, Merry had already reached her absolute limit but had asked Iceburg to fix her so she could go rescue her crew.

The crew finally realize that the Merry has reached her end, and decide to give her a Viking’s burial by cremating her at sea.

Each member of the crew relives their fondest moments with the Merry.

At her final moments, everyone can hear her voice saying that she is sorry she couldn’t take them farther. Luffy completely breaks down and apologizes instead, and we totally feel his grief on losing his first ship.

The death of the Merry signifies the end of an era. From this point onward, One Piece gets a bit more serious – the Straw Hats need a new ship if they’re going against the Grand Line.

10. Law and Kid defeating Big Mom

“This is huge news! This is monumental! They beat Big Mom!”

For the longest time, I thought nobody would be able to take the monstrous Charlotte Linlin down, but Eustass “Captain” Kid and “Surgeon of Death” Trafalgar Law actually manage to defeat her.

This is the first time a Yonko has been slammed since Whitebeard, and even though we know Big Mom will most probably come back in the Elbaf arc, I gotta give it to Law and Kid for showing her what they’re capable of.

Big Mom tries her Soul Pocus on Kid and Law but it doesn’t affect them because they do not fear her. Kid repeated blasts her and Law literally puts her in a silent room so she cannot call Prometheus and Hera for back-up.

She falls down the crater through Wano mainland – soundlessly – setting off several bombs on her way down.

This was one of the best fights we’ve seen in a long time, and really set Kid and Law as Luffy’s contemporaries.

One of the things the fall of Yonko Big Mom and Yonko Whitebeard has in common is that they both mention the One Piece.

Whitebeards affirms its existence, while Big Mom basically says that One Piece isn’t “one” piece at all, and that part of it lies in Wano.

9. Whitebeard’s Final Speech

“One Piece does exist!”

Edward Newgate

Whitebeard’s final battle with Blackbeard defines the entire course of the One Piece narrative.

This is the first time we witness the death of a Yonko. Whitebeard was one of the greatest pirates of all time, the strongest man in the world, the man closest to the One Piece after Gol D. Roger.

Whitebeard’s character lets the audience into what an honorable pirate looks like. This is what our favorite pirates must be like: indomitable, courageous, a true champion.

He takes the continuous assault of the Blackbeard Pirates but Akainu’s Magma finally wears him down. But does he die like a common pirate? Of course not!

Whitebeard, before he goes, declares that the One Piece is real, and then dies standing up.

8. Luffy gives Nami his Straw Hat

“Luffy … Help me!”

Nami

This is the moment when we see into the true nature of the show, of our protagonist, Luffy, and why he deserves to be the protagonist.

The Straw Hat crew pursue Nami after she steals the treasure. This is also when we are introduced to the terms “Warlord” and “Fishman”, which play huge roles in the story later on. 

Nami stabs into the tattoo on her shoulder that signifies that she belongs to Arlong’s gang. Luffy stops her from harming herself further. Nami pushes him away but with tears in her eyes, asks him to help her.

The relationship between these two characters is already palpable, when Luffy puts his treasured straw hat on her head. He exclaims, “Of course, I will!” and vows to take down Arlong.

The Straw Hats basically save not just Nami but the entire village, setting a precedent of the potential of our favorite crew. Their walk to Arlong is animated beautifully and is one of the most iconic scenes of early One Piece.

7. Luffy’s Gear 2 Intro

“I need to get stronger to protect my Nakama.”

Luffy

Luffy seems to be defending Blueno’s Rankyaku pretty well but he comes to a realization that he can’t finish the fight in his current state and that he would need to be stronger to defeat his opponent.

He remembers how he was defeated by Aokiji. Luffy needs to amp himself up not just so he can win against his enemies, but so he can protect his friends.

His body starts steaming and he tells Blueno that all his techniques have evolved one step higher. The fact that Luffy powers up so he can defend those he loves is amazing.

6. The Minks saving Raizo

“Raizo-done is safe.”

The Mink Tribe

A lot of people don’t get what the big deal is about Raizo being proclaimed safe by Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, and the rest of the Mink Tribe.

But the moment sort of cemented the concept of nobility in One Piece – the Minks risked their whole civilization for the sake of a single person because of their loyalty and promise.

The moment is so impactful because the audience at that point, thinks that Raizo is dead.

In the Pre-Zou arc, Jack and the Beasts Pirates battled the Minks of the Mokomo Dukedom. Jack wanted to affirm the presence of Oden’s 9 Red Scabbards, which is why he was looking for Raizo.

Jack tortured, gassed, and killed several of the Mink Tribe, crucifying the strongest of them, including Inu. But not one of the thousands of that race snitched and revealed Raizo.

5. Zoro’s Sacrifice

“Nothing happened.”

Roronoa Zoro

This tear-jerker of a scene is globally regarded as one of the best moments in the history of One Piece.

The Shichibukai Pacifista cyborg-cum-human-weapon, Bartholomew Kuma, is ordered by the World Government to kill all the witnesses of Gecko Moria’s defeat.

Kuma destroys the Thriller Bark with a bomb, rendering all the Straw Hats unconscious, except Zoro.

Kuma is meant to take Luffy’s head, but just as he’s about to do so, Zoro gets down on his knees and ask Kuma to take his head instead of Luffy’s and spare the rest of the crew.

I’ve gotta mention Sanji here, because he also briefly regains consciousness and says he’d like to give his head if Luffy and Zoro are spared. But Zoro knocks him out again, determined to sacrifice himself for his crew.

Kuma doesn’t just kill Zoro and be done with it, but tells him that he would have to take all of Luffy’s pain and injuries to literally take his place.

Kuma extracts Luffy’s suffering with his Devil Fruit abilities, and Zoro willingly puts his hands in the huge pain-bubble – or hell, as Kuma calls it.

Nobody expected Zoro to survive it, but he does. Sanji later finds him standing proud, but with blood oozing out of his every pore. When he asks him what happened, Zoro calmly replies saying “Nothing happened.” Iconic to the highest degree.

4. Shanks stops the Marineford War

“I’ve come to end this war!”

Shanks

Any scene with Shanks in it is automatically badass. But this one trumps it all.

With the number of people injured, both sides have suffered losses at Marineford. In order to put an end to the war, Shanks and his crew enter the battle and tells the Marines and Pirates to retreat.

He tells Marco and Teach to withdraw their forces – consequently, Mihawk walks away too, since he doesn’t want to fight the Red-Haired Pirates.

Shanks helps Luffy and the other pirates to escape and the biggest war in history is stopped just by Shanks’s mere appearance. Legendary.

3. Luffy punching a Celestial Dragon

“You annoy me too!”

Luffy

Probably one of the most satisfying moments of One Piece is when Luffy slaps a powerful member of the World Government and knocks him down.

Unlike the other moments on my list, this one is different in that it is fueled by pure anger.

It isn’t sentimental, it isn’t Luffy saving Nami, or weeping because his brother died; it is Luffy recognizing the scum that Charlos is, and smacking him for it.

Charlos represents everything that is wrong in One Piece, the corruption of people in power, the injustice that the common man has to face.

This scene is so fulfilling because this is the first time we see someone standing up to the face of political power, disregarding the fact that they might be killed because of it.

The terror and tyranny of the World Government is the thing that actually sets of piracy in the One Piece world, and we see how the Luffy wants to bring about a positive change in the system with his ambition of being Pirate King.

2. Oden’s Death

“I am Oden! And I was born…to boil!”

Kozuki Oden

Oden’s execution in the middle of Flower Capital, in front of his people, is heartbreaking. This is a very important scene in the series because it is the end of an era. The hour of his execution is literally called the Legendary Hour.

Orochi’s men completely take over Wano. Oden instructs his retainers to open Wano to the rest of the world after his death.

The firing squad shoots at Oden and his men, and Oden falls in the boiling water, dying with a smile on his face.

1. Luffy Declaring War on World Government

“I want to live! Take me out to the Sea with you!”

Nico Robin

A lot of epic things happen in this scene: Robin’s heartbreaking backstory is revealed; the history of Ohara and the Poneglphs is revealed; the cruelty of the World Government is established; the Straw Hats declare war on the World Government; Robin finally takes a stand against Spandam and declares that she wants to live.

Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Ussop, Chopper, and Nami stand united in a single frame and this literally gives us everything we need to understand the dynamics between the crew and their collective animosity with the villainous World Government authorities.

When Robin is captured by the CP9 and about to be executed, Luffy is willing to ruin the reputation of his crew and go against the biggest power in the world to save his friend.

The part when he tells Sogeking/Ussop to burn the flag of the World Government was magnificent.

About One Piece

One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since July 22, 1997.

The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, is Gol D. Roger. The final words he said at the execution tower were “My treasures? If you want it, I’ll let you have it. Look for it; I left all of it at that place.” These words sent many to the seas, chasing their dreams, headed toward the Grand Line, in search of One Piece. Thus began a new age!

Seeking to be the greatest pirate in the world, young Monkey D. Luffy also heads toward the Grand Line in search of One Piece. His diverse crew is joining him along the way, consisting of a swordsman, marksman, navigator, cook, doctor, archaeologist, and cyborg-shipwright, this will be one memorable adventure.