The main storyline in One Piece is what the audience is there for, but some filler episodes can help make the watching experience better.
There is always something new in the realm of One Piece, and recently the series has addressed a special mystery of what is to come with “The Road to Laugh Tale.” Eiichiro Oda, creator of One Piece, will include some of his notes and sketches covering some of the biggest secrets fans have been waiting for (per Screen Rant). And with any secret planned for the series, the anime will be sure to include it.
The manga series has over 1000 chapters, and the anime has 1022 episodes. Given that volume, some of the anime’s episodes are considered filler episodes. Many fans prefer to stick with the main storyline and avoid filler episodes, but some enjoy the extra content.
Episode 215: The Screaming Speed Serve! Pirate Dodgeball!
Typically, no one would expect dodgeballs and pirates to mix. In the world of One Piece, anything and everything is possible, and a dodgeball fight between pirate crews is one of them.
There is plenty of humorous moments in One Piece, and the filler episode of Luffy and the crew defeating Foxy and his crew at dodge ball is one of those moments. It was all because Foxy declared that there should be no draws in the Pirate world and demanded a three-coin rematch. This, of course, did not work in Foxy’s favor.
Episode 807: A Heartbreaking Duel – Luffy vs. Sanji – Part 1
“A Heartbreaking Duel” was the perfect name for this episode. Not only is Sanji fighting one of his closest friends, but the audience gets to see the family that mistreated Sanji.
The battle between Sanji and Luffy in this particular episode is considered one of the most tragic fights in the manga and anime. Seeing the two friends in such a state had fans glued to their screens watching this filler episode. The story and fighting made for some great content, making the filler episode a fan favorite.
Episode 197: Sanji the Cook! Showing His Real Worth at the Marine Dining-room!
In the G-8 Arc, the iconic friendship of this shonen anime ends up in a precarious situation as Luffy and Sanji impersonate two famous cooks. Many hilarious moments take place in this arch, and Sanji’s skills are displayed.
The filler episode is an excellent example of the great storytelling and how entertaining One Piece can get. This episode shows off both of Sanji’s great skills in both cooking and flirting with beautiful women.
Episode 220: You Lost Your Memory? It Was Taken? Who Are You
Some fans, if not most, enjoy flashbacks to characters’ pasts and seeing how much the cast of characters has grown. The Ocean’s Dream Arc has a great episode to showcase the main characters and their past.
After hearing the music from the instrument shaped like a seahorse, the crew loses their memories. Seeing the crew waking up not knowing where they are, how they got there, and who the others around them are, makes for some great storytelling as they try to put the pieces back together.
Episode 384: Brook’s Hard Struggle – The Difficult Path Of Becoming A True Comrade?
Brook had lost it all and was brought back from the dead by his Devil Fruit, eventually finding the Strawhats. Plus, after reading a journal about some of the adventures the Straw Hat Pirates had, he tries his best to help everyone and get on their level.
Fans love the episode because of how Brook is as a person and how hard he tries. After failing in his attempts at helping others, Robin reassures him that he is just as a part of the crew as any other person. It’s both humorous and heartwarming, making for a great filler episode.
Episode 135: Infamous Pirate Hunter! Zoro, The Wandering Swordsman
Known for being one of the best swordsmen in One Piece, Zoro didn’t gain this title overnight and had plenty of things before joining the Straw Hats. In this filler episode, Zore has a flashback to one of those times.
As part of the filler episode, Zoro’s flashback starts with him first meeting Johnny and Yosaku. Zoro would later go off to face the Dick Bandits and their leader. It’s a good filler episode to see Zoro in action and a portion of his past before the Straw Hats.
Episode 780: A Hungry Front – Luffy and the Marine Rookies!
As the main character, and one of the best characters in One Piece, Luffy is known for being a glutton. His gluttonous need for food has been shown plenty of times. The filler episode 780 shows the viewers what happens when Luffy doesn’t have food.
When food is scarce and everyone is trying to find whatever they can for the crew, Luffy’s hunger gets the best of him, and poor Chopper just so happened to be in the crosshairs of the very hungry Pirate who starts chewing on Chopper’s arm. Luckily, Brook was there to try and help, but not before audiences got a laugh from seeing Luffy act in such a way.
Episode 61: Angry Finale! Cross the Red Line!
There are plenty of filler episodes that introduce not only new characters but new experiences for the crew. In episode 61, the Straw Hats encounter another Devil Fruit user and dragons.
The crew deals with Erik the Whirlwind and him wanting to offer the dragons a deal in sharing the Ryuukotsu rather than killing them. His plan would not work out as he had planned, but at least the audience got to enjoy the sight of Luffy tossing Erick around.
Episode 136: Zenny of the Island of Goats and the Pirate Ship in the Mountains!
There is one filler episode that many fans enjoy just for the simple yet humorous addition of an island of goats. However, some sad news comes along with the cute goats.
When the crew escapes from several Marine Ships, they land on the uncharted island filled with goats and meet the old man named Zenny. During the episode, Chopper discovers that Zenny has at most three days to live. While he doesn’t die when the crew leaves, he still does not have long to live, a bitter-sweet end to an episode filled with goats.
Episode 206: So Long, Marine Base! The Final Battle for Freedom
For this filler episode, the Straw Hats prove themselves to be worthy opponents to the Marines and prove how cunning they can be. And it’s all shown by the pirates escaping G-8.
The great thing about this filler episode is how Jonathan explains why he is not upset by the escape and admits that the pirates won this match. He explains that the encounter with the Straw Hats was a bonding experience for the Marines. After the antics the crew had to pull to stay undercover and work their way out, the crew deserves the victory.
