Ahoy, One Piece fans! As the Jolly Roger sails towards its final saga, new and veteran fans alike find themselves diving into this treasure trove of episodes that’s more expansive than the Grand Line itself. With more than a thousand episodes, Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates have taken us on countless adventures. But let’s face it, not all episodes are golden doubloons; some are the duds you find in a pirate’s chest.
The Curious Case of One Piece Fillers
“One Piece is one of the longest-running anime in the medium’s history, but despite its long-standing nature, the series is nowhere near finishing up,” says Kennedy King, a devoted fan who’s been monitoring the series.
Fillers have become less prevalent, but they’re still lurking in the waters.
The Infamous Warship Island Arc: Episodes 54-61
Let’s start with the Warship Island Arc—the first filler arc in the series. Here, our beloved Straw Hat Pirates rescue a mysterious girl named Apis. But alas, neither she nor the Warship Island arc adds any weight to the overall One Piece narrative. They’re like islands on a pirate map that you’d never need to visit.
Verdict: It’s an easy skip. Navigate directly to the Grand Line, and don’t look back!
Post-Alabasta Drift: Episodes 131-135
The Post-Alabasta arc comes right after the critically acclaimed Alabasta Saga. But hold your horses! Instead of building on the momentum, we get five standalone episodes featuring different Straw Hat members. While it’s an effort to delve into their backstories, it lacks the narrative punch you’d expect post-Alabasta.
Verdict: You can safely skip it without missing the heart of the Straw Hat Pirates’ journey.
The Forgettable Goat Island Arc: Episodes 136-138
Next stop, Goat Island. Sounds exciting, right? Wrong. It’s as engaging as watching paint dry on the Going Merry’s deck. In summary, the Straw Hats befriend an old man and his goats—yes, goats.
Verdict: Do yourself a favor and skip this farmyard detour.
Ruluka Island: The Filler Purgatory: Episodes 139-143
Right when the anticipation for the Jaya and Skypiea arcs is building, we find ourselves in another filler pitfall—Ruluka Island. The island is ruled by a dictator obsessed with building a Rainbow Tower, but unfortunately, this arc is not the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Verdict: It’s better to set sail towards more exciting arcs than get bogged down here.
The G-8 Anomaly: Episodes 196-206
Here’s the twist—G-8 is actually good. It’s one of those rare fillers that you might just want to give a shot.
Verdict: You can watch it for a good laugh and some unexpected excitement, or skip it without losing the main storyline.
Other Skippable Arcs and Their Quirks
- Ocean’s Dream Arc: Episodes 220-224 – A strange arc that involves amnesia and feels like a side quest you’d rather not activate.
- Foxy’s Return Arc: Episodes 225-228 – Because once was already too much.
- Ice Hunter Arc: Episodes 326-335 – Despite its name, this arc won’t give you chills.
And the list goes on—Spa Island, Little East Blue, Z’s Ambition, Caesar Retrieval, Silver Mine, Marine Rookie, Cidre Guild, and Uta’s Past all fall into the realm of One Piece filler arcs that you could probably afford to skip without losing the essence of the series.
It‘s very easy to skip the filler episodes in One Piece, there are plenty of lists on the internet that tell you which episodes are filler (most are in separate filler arcs, that you can just omit while watching).
— Fiona Lehmann (@FionaFluse) July 26, 2023
A Pirate’s Guide to One Piece Canon
As One Piece sails into what Kennedy King confirms to be “its final saga,” avoiding filler arcs becomes even more critical. So bookmark this list, dear fans, because in the sea of One Piece episodes, knowing which islands (or arcs) to skip can make your voyage a lot more enjoyable.
And always remember: the real treasure is not just the One Piece, but also the time you save by skipping fillers!
