One Piece: The Best Way To Catch Up Isn't The Anime - Doing THIS Is Much Faster

There's an argument to be made that the "One Piece" anime is the definitive version of the series. But as new "One Piece" fans — perhaps drawn in by Netflix's live-action adaptation — quickly become aware, starting the anime from Episode 1 and proceeding through its entirety can seem practically impossible thanks to its episode count surpassing a total of 1000 and continuing to grow. That said, the "One Piece" manga both takes less time to complete and is technically more canonical than the anime, so anybody looking to catch up on "One Piece" in the present day would be better served by starting the manga instead.

If speed is a priority, then the "One Piece" manga holds a clear advantage over the anime given its leaner overall story content as a result of its status as the franchise's definitive text. As happens frequently with long shonen franchises, the anime introduces "filler" story arcs original to the show with effectively zero canonical importance, included simply to continue broadcasting without outpacing its manga source material. Furthermore, a manga chapter typically takes less time to read than watching that same material in anime form. Each anime episode likewise includes an opening an ending sequence, which adds up plenty over time.

Of course, it's technically possible to get through the "One Piece" anime with enough commitment. New fans without an overabundance of time, meanwhile, should simply stick to Eiichiro Oda's original manga series.

While the "One Piece" manga may be the superior product for new fans, there are still certain core aspects of the series that manga-only readers are missing, even if it is the source text and the anime merely its adaptation. Its main cast of voice actors, for example, have been playing their parts for decades now in some cases, making their performances plenty canonical to the "One Piece" franchise. Other elements like songs that exist simply as text in the manga are also fully arranged and better realized in the anime.

Fortunately, reading the "One Piece" manga doesn't preclude starting the anime. In fact, because the "One Piece" manga is Eiichiro Oda's undistilled vision and provides the series with its definitive canon, readers familiar with the manga in its entirety can essentially drop into any non-filler episode and know full well what's going on. So, while reading the manga is arguably the best way to experience its story, there's reason to go back and cherry pick key moments to then watch from sone of the best "One Piece" anime episodes too. That way, manga readers don't have to lose out on the experience of seeing Luffy and friends voiced and animated without sacrificing the ability to catch up in a timely manner.