One Piece is one of the most popular shonen anime series of all time, transcending even the realm of anime fandom to become a beloved franchise all over the world. The series certainly has had its ups and downs over the years, but it's still managed to maintain a strong and ever-growing fan base, even with new anime series constantly attempting to overtake its place at the top.
Given the series' length, problems have come up and continue to plague the show. At times, watching One Piece can be an incredibly frustrating experience. All in all, it's not always smooth sailing being a One Piece fan.
10 Having So Many Episodes To Watch
The amount of content that One Piece has is both a blessing and a curse. The series' scope and the fact that its quality is generally consistent is impressive, and many fans love that there's so much of their favorite show to enjoy.
However, 1,000 plus episodes is a lot to watch and keep track of. Watching One Piece requires more time and dedication than most other series. Its length makes rewatching it a nearly unwieldy task and can also deter new viewers from giving the show a chance.
9 Remembering Every Detail And Character
With such an abundance of episodes, it's difficult to remember all the details. Fans have seen numerous long story arcs with complex plots, subplots, and a seemingly infinite number of characters. While One Piece perhaps does a better job than any other series at designing extremely distinct and memorable characters, some fans can still find themselves a little lost.
Unless fans are constantly rewatching the series or looking up plot summaries, it's inevitable that they'll forget some details. Some casual fans definitely struggle the most with keeping track of everything.
8 Realizing How Much The Animation Has Changed
One Piece has been airing since the 90s, so it's inevitable that both the animation style and quality have evolved over time. However, it can be jarring to rewatch the series from the beginning after getting used to the high-quality fare that is the most recent arcs.
After the time skip, the animation quality gradually gets better. Many characters' designs also change with the time skip, with some characters (Nico Robin, for instance) looking dramatically different. Fans have to accept that new viewers might be turned off by the animation at the beginning of the series.
7 Accepting The Large Amount Of Filler Content
There's no getting around it: One Piece has a lot of filler content. While there have been filler arcs that are enjoyable, such as the G-8 Arc, most filler episodes are a waste of time.
It'd be one thing if the filler only appeared between story arcs. Unfortunately, though, some interrupt canon arcs and even pivotal battles. While it's easy for fans to skip filler episodes, the harsh reality is that they still exist and are one of the first things detractors of One Piece will point out.
6 Getting Used To The Pacing
As the anime came closer to catching up with the manga, Toei Animation's response was to slow down the anime's pacing as much as possible. They accomplished this by slowing down scenes, drawing out fights, and adding more flashbacks and fillers.
More recent episodes cover only one chapter of the manga each, which can sometimes make for a painstakingly slow viewing experience. Pacing issues are a big reason why many either refrain from watching the series or drop it, and they're something that fans just learn to live with.
5 Watching Plot Armor Save The Day Too Often
One Piece is guilty of plot armor far too often. Characters are frequently pushed to the brink of death or even appear to die yet miraculously survive. There have been many characters who, by the series' logic, should have died. Some have sustained so much damage that it should be impossible for them to continue fighting.
Aside from the main protagonists, who are always protected by plot armor, the most famous example is Pell from the Alabasta arc, who manages to survive the blast of explosives that could have decimated the entire city.
4 Waiting Long Lengths Of Time To See Favorite Characters
A harsh reality of falling in love with side characters is knowing that months and even years could go by without seeing any hint or mention of them. While some characters sadly have not appeared after their initial debut, others have made reappearances throughout various story arcs.
One example is Nefertari Vivi, the blue-haired princess who many fans fell head over heels for during the Alabasta arc. After the Straw Hats left her island to move on to the next adventure, Vivi's appearances in the show became few and far between.
3 Not Learning Much About Certain Key Characters
A frustrating truth when watching One Piece is the fact that several key players have yet to really show off their abilities and motivations. Despite their importance, these characters haven't enjoyed much screen time, and fans are beyond eager to see more.
For example, Shanks has been around since the very beginning of Luffy's adventures, yet he's often disappeared from the series for many episodes and arcs. Even though he's an incredibly important person to Luffy and one of the strongest pirates alive, little is known about his abilities or skills in combat.
2 Having To Sit Through Heartbreaking Character Deaths
One of the harshest realities of being a One Piece fan is experiencing the deaths of beloved characters. Even if their deaths make sense for the plot and are crucial to furthering the development of the main crew, this doesn't mean that their deaths are any easier to stomach.
Most notably, the death of Luffy's brother, Portgas D. Ace, shook fans to their cores. Also, not a dry eye was to be found when the Going Merry tragically met her end after serving as the Staw Hats' home through thick and thin.
1 Defending One Piece Against Other Shonen Series
Perhaps the harshest reality of being a One Piece fan is realizing that not everyone likes One Piece. In fact, some dislike it and are very vocal about it. There are also those who insist that other anime are superior.
One Piece is constantly compared to other long-running shonen anime. Notable comparisons include Naruto, My Hero Academia, Hunter x Hunter, and Dragon Ball. While there's overlap in viewership, each franchise has its own loyal fan base, and One Piece fans are frequently called upon to defend their beloved series.