10 Best Episodes of ‘One Piece’
With thousands of chapters adapted across decades, ‘One Piece’ packs its story into episodes that move the world forward in clear and memorable ways. This list gathers ten installments that deliver major plot turns, reveal new abilities, or close the book on long running conflicts, giving viewers clean checkpoints in the larger journey.
You will find entries from Enies Lobby, Marineford, Whole Cake Island, and Wano, along with episodes that celebrate the series at milestone moments. Each pick below notes the arc, setting, key characters involved, and what changes for the Straw Hats or the wider world by the time the credits roll.
Episode 1015 Straw Hat Luffy The Man Who Will Become the Pirate King
This episode sits in the Wano Country arc and adapts the events surrounding the landmark chapter where Luffy reaches the rooftop of Onigashima. It follows the Supernovas as they converge on Kaido and Big Mom, then tracks Luffy’s arrival past the defeated allies on the floors below and into position to strike the first clean blow on the Emperor.
Production focuses on Luffy’s journey from Foosha Village through the East Blue with brief flashback cuts that anchor his current resolve. The episode ends with the new stage set on the rooftop where Luffy, Zoro, Kid, Killer, and Law square off against two Emperors, establishing the battle lineup that drives the next phase of the raid.
Episode 1071 Luffy’s Peak Attained Gear 5
Set during the climax of the Onigashima raid in Wano, this episode covers the awakening of Luffy’s Devil Fruit and the birth of Gear 5. It presents the Drums of Liberation motif, a shift in heartbeat rhythm, and the transformation that restores Luffy to the fight against Kaido after a decisive defeat.
The episode details the properties of the awakened power as Luffy turns the environment elastic and reenters the battle with new mobility and strength. It also touches the lore thread that links Joy Boy to the current era, signaling a historical through line that stretches beyond Wano and into the deeper mysteries of the world of ‘One Piece’.
Episode 1072 The Ridiculous Power Gear 5 in Full Play
Continuing directly from the awakening, this episode demonstrates how Gear 5 changes both combat flow and terrain in Wano. It shows Luffy manipulating surfaces and even attacks while Kaido answers with his strongest techniques in human and dragon forms.
The focus remains on mechanics and escalation rather than conclusion, laying out the limits and stamina costs of the new form. By the end, the episode has clarified how Gear 5 functions alongside Luffy’s advanced Haki, information that becomes a reference point for later power scaling across the series.
Episode 1062 The Three Sword Style of the Supreme King Zoro vs King
This Wano arc episode resolves the duel between Zoro and King on Onigashima. It explains King’s Lunarian traits, including the flame on his back and the durability trade off that changes with the flame’s state, which becomes the key to understanding openings in his defense.
Zoro refines coat application of Conqueror’s Haki to his swords and unveils a new sequence of techniques that break through King’s defenses. The conclusion settles the hierarchy under Kaido’s crew and frees a major battlefield, which in turn shifts manpower across the island for the remaining fights.
Episode 957 Big News An Incident That Will Affect the Seven Warlords
This worldbuilding focused episode takes place outside the Straw Hats’ perspective and reports on global changes following the Levely. It covers the dissolution of the Seven Warlords system, outlines the emergence of the SSG as a replacement, and lists updated bounties for major figures including the Emperors and legendary pirates.
The narrative stitches together scenes from the Navy and news rooms to show how power balances shift when state backed piracy ends. It also summarizes the positions of key Marines and introduces new strategic realities that affect every crew moving into the next saga of ‘One Piece’.
Episode 870 A Fist of Divine Speed Another Gear Four Application Snakeman
Taking place in the Mirror World during Whole Cake Island, this episode introduces Luffy’s Gear 4 variant Snakeman in the fight against Katakuri. The form emphasizes speed and tracking, with attacks that accelerate after launch to correct their path and overwhelm advanced observation.
Katakuri’s responses demonstrate how future sight counters fast offense and how endurance decides the mirror match between two Haki specialists. The episode documents the techniques used on both sides, including the finishing exchanges that allow Luffy to exit Totto Land on schedule for the rendezvous at Cacao Island.
Episode 483 Looking for the Answer Fire Fist Ace Dies on the Battlefield
Set at Marineford during the Paramount War, this episode covers the rescue and loss of Portgas D Ace. It follows the final sequences where Luffy reaches his brother, the brief escape window opens, and Akainu’s attack lands, changing the outcome of the entire campaign.
The aftermath details Whitebeard’s command decisions and the collapse of morale among the allied forces. It also marks a turning point for Luffy, whose recovery and training path are defined by the events of this episode, establishing the motivation for the time skip and the shift into the New World era of ‘One Piece’.
Episode 312 Thank You Merry Snow Falls Over the Parting Sea
This Water 7 conclusion centers on the funeral for the Going Merry after the Enies Lobby mission. The episode explains the structural damage accumulated over multiple voyages and the Klabautermann concept, which frames why the ship could sail one last time to save the crew.
It records each crew member’s farewell, the burning at sea, and the decision to commission a new ship that can cross the New World. The sequence closes the long running logistics problem that began in Water 7 and clears the way for the Thousand Sunny to join the journey.
Episode 278 Say You Want to Live We Are Your Friends
During the Enies Lobby arc, this episode captures Nico Robin’s decision to live and request rescue from the Straw Hats. It takes place at the Tower of Justice and follows the crew’s move to the Bridge of Hesitation while the World Government prepares the Buster Call.
The episode documents the signal that starts the assault on the government flag and the commitments made by each member to oppose the institution directly. This moment transforms Robin’s status from protected passenger to fully affirmed crewmate and locks the Straw Hats into open conflict with a world power.
Episode 236 Luffy vs Usopp
In Water 7, this episode covers the duel between Luffy and Usopp over the fate of the Going Merry and Usopp’s pride. It lays out the rules set before the fight, the location in the shipyard, and the specific tactics Usopp uses to counter a stronger opponent with tools and planning.
The outcome drives Usopp’s temporary departure and changes the crew’s internal dynamics until Enies Lobby. It also establishes how disputes are handled within the crew when leadership decisions conflict with personal attachment, a theme that recurs whenever the Straw Hats face choices that affect the whole voyage in ‘One Piece’.
Share your own picks for the best episodes of ‘One Piece’ in the comments so we can compare notes with your list.
