‘One Piece’ Diaries #0

One Piece is one of the most beloved anime in history, but at close to 1,000 episodes, it’s tough for those who haven’t been watching from the start to jump on board. One Piece Diaries tracks one writer’s experience with this daunting rite of passage. With hype for the highs and critique for the lows, this column will help you decide whether to take your own One Piece journey – or let you relive the one you’re already on. It will update bi-weekly every other Thursday.

Since becoming a freelance anime writer in 2017, I’ve been working hard to expand my anime horizons. At first, One Piece didn’t seem like a good time investment – after all, I could watch 50+ other shows in the time it would take to get current.

The length wasn’t the only issue. Shonen isn’t my favorite genre. My favorite shows are series like March Comes In Like A Lion and Keep Your Hands Off! Eizoken – artsy, emotionally driven series that don’t have a lot of action.

I didn’t fully sit down and watch a shonen from beginning to end until I was in my early 20s. That was Yu-Gi-Oh! Since then, I’ve seen Naruto, Boruto, Hunter x Hunter, Yu Yu Hakusho, My Hero Academia, and a bunch of shorter shonen like Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Mob Psycho 100 and more.

It’s still not my favorite genre, but one thing I’ve learned over time is that no matter how reluctant I feel at the beginning, I almost always end up getting drawn in. One Piece is a major part of the anime canon, worth knowing about because of its massive influence on the rest of the anime world. 

I decided to finally give One Piece a shot. I also decided to write about it. Every two weeks, I’ll be updating you on my progress through this iconic shonen series.

I’ll give praise where it’s due, but I also plan to be critical. I’m a queer feminist whose socio-political opinions swing left, and I don’t leave that stuff at the door. I believe that media that’s worth watching is also worth analyzing, and that means being honest.

I don’t know what this journey going to bring, but I’m excited to find out.

Let’s set sail!