One Piece filler list: The episodes you can skip
You don’t always need a piece of this.
One Piece is the true definition of an epic - a sprawling fantasy series that's now more than 1,100 episodes long. It's one of the most beloved anime series in the world, but if you're strapped for time, it's not exactly a straightforward watch.
So, which parts of One Piece are filler episodes you can easily skip?
Premiering in the late 1990s, One Piece follows the adventures of the young pirate Monkey D Luffy, who explores the world and hunts for treasure with his pirate crew. According to the manga's original creator Eiichiro Oda, the story is now entering its final act. However with new chapters being published every month – meaning more new material to adapt for the anime series – that ending is still pretty far away.
In other words, One Piece just keeps getting longer.
One Piece's main story is split into sagas and arcs – ie longer and shorter subplots in Monkey D Luffy's adventures. With more than 1,100 episodes plus spin-off movies and shorts, it's a lot to handle for new viewers. So if you want to watch One Piece in order but don't have time for every single episode, we're here to help. This is a comprehensive guide to which episodes of One Piece are essential viewing – and which ones you can probably skip.
Which One Piece filler episodes can you skip?
Unsurprisingly for such a long-running anime series, One Piece includes plenty of episodes that don't serve an important purpose to the plot.
You can skip these so-called filler episodes and still easily follow the main story, whittling down One Piece's epic length to a slightly more manageable episode count.
If you're aiming for a more streamlined viewing order, avoid the One Piece filler arcs listed below:
- Episodes 54-61: Warship Island arc
- Episodes 131-135: Post-Arabasta arc
- Episodes 136-138: Goat Island arc
- Episodes 139-143: Ruluka Island arc
- Episodes 196-206: G-8 arc
- Episodes 220-224: Ocean’s Dream arc
- Episodes 225 and 226: Foxy’s return arc
- Episodes 326-335: Ice Hunter arc
- Episodes 382-384: Spa Island arc
- Episodes 426-429: Little East Blue arc
- Episodes 575-578: Z’s Ambition arc
- Episodes 626-628: Caesar’s Retrieval arc
- Episodes 747-750: Silver Mine arc
- Episodes 780-782: Marine Rookie arc
- Episodes 895-896: Cidre Guild arc
- Episodes 1029-1030: Uta arc
Skipping these arcs will still give you all the key information you need to enjoy the main storyline of One Piece.
The live-action One Piece is also nonessential viewing, because it covers the same material we see in the anime's East Blue saga. However it's a fresh adaptation of the original manga, making changes and adding new material that fans may enjoy either way.
Which One Piece episodes are essential to watch?
One Piece's length is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, you have literally hundreds of episodes to look forward to! On the other hand, that's an incredibly time-consuming TV commitment.
For new fans who want to explore this series for the first time, that 1,100 episode count can feel pretty daunting.
But before you give up on Luffy and the gang, fear not... there are a few episodes that are absolutely essential viewing for any type of One Piece fan.
Find the unmissable episodes below:
- Season 1, episode 1: "I'm Luffy! The Man Who's Gonna Be King of the Pirates!"
- Season 8, episode 239: "The Criminals Are the Straw Hat Pirates? The Bodyguards of Water 7"
- Season 9, episode 278: "Say You Want to Live! We Are Friends!!"
- Season 10, episode 373: "The Conclusion Arrives! Deliver the Finishing Blow"
- Season 11, episode 402: "Overwhelming! The Navy's Fighting Weapons, the Pacifistas"
- Season 14, episode 483: "Looking for the Answer! Fire Fist Ace Dies on the Battlefield"
- Season 15, episode 517: "The Beginning of The New Chapter! The Straw Hats Reunited!"
- Season 17, episode 658: "A Big Surprise! A True Identity of the Toy Soldier!"
Each of these episodes is crucial to understanding the overall plot, revealing vital information that viewers cannot afford to skip over.
Where to watch One Piece in the UK
One Piece episodes are currently available for UK viewers to watch on Crunchyroll, Disney Plus and Funimation. The live-action One Piece series is also available to stream on Netflix.
You can catch One Piece on Crunchyroll.
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