Although the animation in the One Piece anime is fantastic (especially since the beginning of the Wano Country Arc), the source material for the anime is also nothing short of spectacular. Eiichiro Oda, the author of the One Piece manga, first debuted his sea-faring story in 1997, and since then, he has consistently wowed fans with his storytelling, world-building, and art.
For over 25 years, the wonderful artwork that Oda and his assistants have crafted for One Piece has left an impression on fans, earning the series the honor of being the best-selling manga of all time. As such, One Piece fans have many pages to look through when searching for the best panels from the series' 1000-plus chapters.
Updated on June 20, 2023, by Kennedy King: The One Piece manga has officially moved into its final saga, placing Monkey D. Luffy and his crewmates closer than ever to achieving their ultimate goals. Accordingly, this means there are more stellar manga panels in the series than ever before.
15 Monkey D. Luffy's First Gum Gum Pistol
Chapter 1: "Romance Dawn — The Dawn of the Adventure"
The very first chapter of One Piece lays a foundation for what is to come during the rest of Monkey D. Luffy's pirate adventure. It introduces the story's protagonist and showcases how Luffy got his signature Straw Hat and Devil Fruit powers.
Soon after Shanks departs from Luffy's hometown, the One Piece manga skips ahead years to show Luffy departing from the same port, beginning his journey as a pirate. He eventually runs into the same sea monster that ate Shanks' arm, which sets up the first instance of Monkey D. Luffy's iconic Gum Gum Pistol attack.
14 Nami Asks For Help
Chapter 81: "Tears"
Nami is generally regarded as one of the founding members of the Straw Hat Pirates; however, it isn't until the events of the Arlong Park Arc that the navigator truly joins the crew. Her agreement with Arlong to protect the people of Cocoyashi Village led her to turn her back on the Straw Hat Pirates, only for her hopes to be dashed when Arlong doesn't hold up his end of the bargain.
Disheartened and with no one else to turn to, Nami finally caves in and asks Luffy to help her defeat Arlong, resulting in one of the most emotional manga panels in all of One Piece. Her tears and body language communicate all the anguish that the Arlong Pirates caused her village, and in the process, it incenses both the reader and her captain for the arc's final sequence.
13 Luffy Protects Dr. Hiriluk's Flag
Chapter 148: "Unbreakable"
During their first interactions in the Drum Island Arc, Tony Tony Chopper does not get along with Monkey D. Luffy or the other Straw Hat Pirates. The reason for Chopper's stand-offish attitude toward others becomes apparent when his backstory, as well as the details surrounding the death of his father figure, Dr. Hiriluk, are revealed.
When Luffy learns of Hiriluk's sacrifice to protect the people of Drum Island, he takes it upon himself to defend Hiriluk's flag from Wapol and his followers. Even though Wapol uses his Devil Fruit powers to bombard Luffy and the flag with cannon fire, Luffy remains unfazed. In one of the best manga panels from One Piece's Romance Dawn Saga, both the Straw Hat Pirate and Hiriluk's flag defiantly remain standing atop Wapol's former castle.
12 The Straw Hat Pirates Raise Their X's
Chapter 216: "Vivi's Adventure"
Monkey D. Luffy's long-fought battle with the Warlord of the Sea known as Crocodile finally concludes at the end of the Alabasta Arc, saving the kingdom from his terrible reign. Understandably, Princess Vivi and the Nefertari Family want to thank the Straw Hats for rescuing her country; however, their role in the World Government prevents them from aligning with pirates.
Vivi, torn between her commitment to her country and her new crew, ultimately chooses to remain and serve as the future monarch of Alabasta Kingdom. Before the Straw Hat Pirates can leave, she chases their ship down and tearfully asks if they would call her their shipmate if they ever met again. Although the crew can't reply and risk confirming their connection, they raise the X's that Vivi and the Straw Hat Pirates drew upon their arms earlier in the arc, symbolizing a never-ending bond between the groups.
11 The People Of Jaya Mock The Straw Hat Pirates
Chapter 224: "Do Not Dream"
The dreams of pirates are a defining force in the world of One Piece, but that doesn't mean everyone takes these aspirations seriously. Monkey D. Luffy is consistently ridiculed for his goal of becoming the King of the Pirates, and nowhere is this more obvious than during his brief time on Jaya Island.
When Luffy, Zoro, and Nami step inside a bar to inquire about the location of Sky Island, every customer inside the building bursts into laughter. The manga panel of this moment is arguably the most detailed in One Piece, asserting that the average person finds the aspirations of the Straw Hat Pirates so outlandish that they're laughable.
10 Marshall D. Teach's Speech On Jaya Island
Chapter 225: "People's Dreams"
In the port town of Jaya, Monkey D. Luffy unknowingly runs into the primary antagonist of One Piece, Marshall D. Teach — better known as Blackbeard. In their first meeting, Luffy and Teach disagree on almost everything, nearly coming to blows over a disagreement regarding food and drinks.
When Bellamy beats Luffy and Zoro for not fighting back against him and his crew, Teach actually congratulates the two on defiantly standing up for their beliefs. Despite Blackbeard's unsavory personality, he truly appreciates the importance of dreaming big, and the fact that he mentions this to the Straw Hat Pirates signals that the two groups are much different than the other inhabitants of Jaya.
9 Luffy Rings The Bell In Skypiea
Chapter 299: "Fantasia"
When the Straw Hat crew arrived at Jaya, they were met with ridicule by other pirates for believing that there could be an island up in the sky. Everyone laughed at Luffy except for a man named Mont Blanc Cricket, who tells them of a golden city up in the clouds and eventually helps them find a way into Skypiea.
Unfortunately, the Straw Hat Pirates encounter Enel, a malicious, Logia-type Devil Fruit user who was preventing the residents of Skypiea from protecting the Bell of Shandora. Luffy eventually defeats Enel, ringing the golden bell and completing the life's work of Mont Blanc Noland, an adventurer who died centuries earlier. This moment is one of the first concrete references to Sun God Nika, and as a result, the climactic manga panel of the Skypiea Arc has only grown more important as time goes on.
8 The Straw Hats Pirates Confront CP9
Chapter 390: "Accepting the Challenge"
Ever since the World Government destroyed Nico Robin's home, she has been labeled a threat to the entire world. Forced to live her life on the run, Robin's chances of living a happy life slowly dwindled until one day when she encountered a group that changed her life forever — the Straw Hat Pirates.
Even after Nico Robin turns herself into CP9 and is taken to Enies Lobby, Luffy and his crew stay by her side. Their defiant declaration of war against the World Government is powerfully captured in a two-page spread, creating one of the most iconic panels in One Piece history in the process.
7 Luffy's Final Stand Against Rob Lucci
Chapter 427: "It's Not Like It's Hell Here"
When it comes to One Piece's numerous villains, Rob Lucci easily slots among the most iconic. The World Government's most renowned assassin is the toughest opponent that Monkey D. Luffy has faced by the time they meet at Enies Lobby, and were it not for Luffy's unparalleled resolve, Lucci would have almost certainly come out victorious.
After taking an unbelievable amount of damage, the Straw Hat Pirate seems to finally be defeated, prompting Rob Lucci to to walk away from his limp body. However, in a display of unbelievable resilience, Luffy stands up one final time, much to the dismay of his opponent.
6 The Going Merry's Tragic Goodbye
Chapter 430: "A Light Snow of Reminiscence Falls"
For over 300 chapters, the Going Merry serves as the ship of the Straw Hat Pirates. It carries them across the East Blue, much of the Grand Line, and even into legendary locations like Skypiea, but during the course of these adventures, it receives too much damage, forcing it to be put to rest.
At the end of the Enies Lobby Arc, the Straw Hat Pirates agree to set their beloved ship aflame, and as it was burning, a voice speaks to them. Miraculously, the Going Merry is able to thank the crew for taking care of it, letting them know how happy it was to travel this far.
5 Admiral Akainu Executes Portgas D. Ace
Chapter 573: "The Name of this Era Is 'Whitebeard'"
Other than the Raid on Onigashima, no event in One Piece has come close to rivaling the scale of the Summit War that occurs during the Marineford Arc. Whitebeard, Luffy, and their various allies launch an all-out assault on the Marine base, only for their efforts to ultimately fall short when Admiral Akainu kills Portgas D. Ace with a single blow.
Ace's death is arguably the most pivotal single moment in One Piece history, and its significance is perfectly represented by the fantastic art that appears in the manga panel that captures the moment. As sad as this panel is, it's an incredibly important moment in the development of Monkey D. Luffy as a pirate.
4 The Introduction of Wano Country
Chapter 909: "Seppuku"
One Piece fans first learned of Wano Country when Dr. Hogback mentioned it during Chapter 450. Over a decade later, readers finally received their first glimpse of the island in the form of a beautiful panel depicting Wano's majestic Flower Capital.
While Eiichiro Oda is mainly known for his cartoonish art style and character design, he can also create elaborate landscapes and backgrounds unique to his story's setting. Wano Country's first appearance speaks to his artistic talent, and it serves as a wonderful allusion to the architecture seen in Japan's Edo period.
3 Gol D. Roger's Reaction To Laugh Tale
Chapter 967: "Roger's Adventure"
Even though One Piece's manga surpassed 1,000 chapters in 2021, the deceased Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, remains a figure shrouded in mystery. In spite of this, One Piece fans are always happy to learn more about Roger's adventures every time he appears during a flashback.
In Chapter 967, Gol D. Roger and his crew's reactions to the treasure of Laugh Tale are revealed to readers. While Roger's subsequent laughter may not be too surprising given the name of the island, the importance placed on his chuckle has left a lasting impression on the One Piece community.
2 Luffy Attacks Kaido Using Conqueror's Haki
Chapter 1010: "Haoshoku"
Although Monkey D. Luffy is soundly defeated multiple times during One Piece, most of these losses take place before the series' timeskip. The Straw Hat Pirate's journey in the New World is mostly full of hard-fought victories, which makes his struggle to defeat Kaido even more noteworthy by comparison.
In Chapter 1010, Monkey D. Luffy finally has a breakthrough and realizes that his attacks can be embued with Conqueror's Haki, making them deal significantly more damage in the process. Using this newfound knowledge, he launches an uppercut at Kaido and connects, firmly establishing himself among the highest tier of New World pirates.
1 Luffy Debuts The Power Of Gear 5
Chapter 1045: "Next Level"
Since Oda introduced the concept of Devil Fruit Awakenings, many One Piece fans wondered when the series' protagonist would awaken his. To many readers' surprise, Monkey D. Luffy's Devil Fruit awakened right after it appears as though Kaido has dealt him a killing blow.
Luffy's heartbeat starts to make a strange sound, and he soon stands up stronger and dubs his new, ultra-powerful form "Gear 5." What follows is the Straw Hat Pirate showcasing his new cartoonish powers, affording him the complete freedom to do whatever he wants.