Highlights
- One Piece episode 1017: The Worst Generation takes on Big Mom and Kaido in an absolute spectacle, thanks to talented animators.
- One Piece episode 957: The dissolution of the Shichibukai system is elevated to sky-high levels, thanks to director Megumi Ishitani.
- One Piece episode 1074: The finale episodes of the Onigashima War showcase jaw-dropping action, with Luffy's Gear 5 in full swing against Kaido.
The One Piece anime has delivered some of the most incredible episodes over the years. This has been especially true ever since the Wano Country arc of the anime began. Much to the surprise of the fans, the One Piece team managed to push beyond all expectations and produce one spectacle after another in Wano, giving rise to some of the most amazing episodes.
While there are plenty of episodes to pick from in One Piece, especially given the sheer size of the anime, there are some that shine far more than the others and can be considered to be some of the very best animated and directed episodes.
9 One Piece Episode 1017
Worst Generation Vs Kaido And Big Mom
One Piece episode 1017 is certainly one of the very best animated ones. This episode saw Luffy and the other members of the Worst Generation in Wano take on the duo of Big Mom and Kaido. This episode saw some of the most talented animators collaborate and produce an absolute spectacle.
As the Worst Generation threw everything they had at Big Mom and Kaido, the anime team saw to it that their incredible vision was brought to life in the best way possible.
8 One Piece Episode 957
The Dissolution Of The Shichibukai
When it comes to episodes that do not focus on action all that much, elevating the source material can be a very difficult task. One Piece episode 957 does this in a brilliant manner, delivering what can be considered to be one of the very best episodes in the entire series.
This episode tackles the dissolution of the Shichibukai system and it manages to elevate an already incredible manga chapter to sky-high levels, largely thanks to Megumi Ishitani, who worked wonders on this episode as the director.
7 One Piece Episode 1033
Luffy Vs Kaido
One Piece episode 1033 sees Luffy versus Kaido being taken to the next level. This particular episode sees Luffy battle against Kaido to the best of his abilities after unlocking his Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
In the manga, this sequence isn't focused on all that much, however, in the anime, it is elevated to the next level, showcasing a proper fight between these two characters, which culminates with Kaido coming out on top, after some of the most incredibly animated action finishes.
6 One Piece Episode 982
Queen's Funk
While elevating anime episodes where there is absolutely no fight is an absurdly difficult challenge for the staff working on it, doing so with episodes that are based on some of the most average chapters in the series is an even harder challenge.
One Piece episode 982 does just that and takes the beginning of the Raid on Onigashima to the next level. This episode manages to elevate a subpar chapter to sky-high levels and makes it one of the very best episodes in the anime, not just from an animation standpoint, but also with the level of weight and emotion that it manages to add to it. Once again, this was done all thanks to Megumi Ishitani.
5 One Piece Episode 1074
Gear 5 In Full Swing
The finale episodes of the Onigashima War were certainly some of the very best, and One Piece episode 1074 comes out on top when it comes to storyboarding and action sequences. This episode featured an incredibly absurd cut of Luffy versus Kaido which spanned over 3 minutes and was incredible to watch.
This was absolutely jaw-dropping action that was almost too good to be true. It showcased Luffy's incredible Gear 5 in full swing against Kaido, utilizing his unlimited imagination in the best way possible against an immovable force that was Kaido.
4 One Piece Episode 1061
Sanji Vs Queen
Sanji vs Queen was certainly one of the highlights of the Wano Country arc and for all the good reasons. While this fight certainly was not as battle-heavy as some of the others, the direction for this episode was absolutely top-notch and made it a stellar movie despite being a weekly TV anime.
This episode hits all the right spots, ranging from emotional weight, all the way to stellar action when needed. It is, by far, one of the very best episodes in the Wano Country arc, with terrific cinematography.
3 One Piece Episode 1062
Zoro Vs King
When it comes to action episodes, few have managed to top One Piece episode 1062, which features an incredible fight between Zoro and King. This episode was under the supervision of Katsumi Ishizuka, who is one of the very best storyboard artists and animators in Toei.
It was an incredible episode where the sense of scale was put on full display by the storyboard artist. That, when coupled with the incredible animation the staff managed to put out, made it one of the very best fights in all of One Piece.
2 One Piece Episode 1072
The Drums Of Liberation
When it comes to the best overall episodes in the Wano Country arc, One Piece episode 1072 certainly shines quite a lot. It sees some of the very best animators pool their effort under incredible direction and storyboarding and deliver what can be considered to be the very best One Piece episode to date.
Added to that is the fact that these episodes tackle the exciting Gear 5 power up and it was certainly one of the very best, if not the best way to bring this power to life.
1 One Piece Episode 1015
Luffy Arrives At The Rooftop
By far, the best animated, directed, and boarded episode of One Piece in its entirety is One Piece episode 1015. Once again, the incredibly talented Megumi Ishitani was at the helm of the episode, and, under her supervision, an incredibly talented staff brought her magnificent board to life and the best way possible.
This episode tackled Luffy reaching to the rooftop and challenging the Emperors, carrying the weight of a country on his shoulders. Undoubtedly, this episode managed to surpass all expectations and brought Oda's vision to life in the best way possible.
One Piece (1999)
- Creator
- Eiichiro Oda
- Studio
- Toei Animation
- Story By
- Eiichiro Oda
- Number of Episodes
- 1082+
