After over two decades of airing, One Piece, one of the longest running anime ever, is entering its final arc in the coming months. That being said, 2024 is the best year for anyone interested in anime or manga to start watching or reading One Piece. The show follows the Straw Hat Pirates, led by their captain Monkey D. Luffy on their journey to find the treasure left behind by the late Pirate King, Gold Roger, and become the new King of the Pirates.

The biggest problem people who haven’t seen One Piece have is the show’s daunting 1100 episodes. Many people who want to start watching the anime are turned away after seeing the 1100 episodes of the show. However, in 2024, there are other ways to start watching One Piece. October’s remake of One Piece, called The One Piece, will cut the amount of episodes down to only 276 as opposed to 1111. The reboot will also introduce a newer animation style to the episodes of the anime which were drawn 20 years ago, allowing people who find the older art style outdated to watch the earlier parts of the show. The animation will be done by one of the anime industry’s biggest studios, WIT studios, guaranteeing animation of amazing quality. Additionally, Netflix’s live action version of One Piece is another great way to start watching the series. With season 2 of the live action series coming out sometime in the next year, it’s a great alternative to the animated version of the show.

So why is 2024 the best year to start watching One Piece? Simply put, it’s because of spoilers. When thinking about the biggest and most iconic reveals in media history, scenes like Darth Vader revealing himself to be Luke Skywalker’s father come to mind. Now what about the reveal of what the treasure at the end of One Piece is? With over two decades of world and character building, the ending to the One Piece story could very well be the largest spoiler in media history. With that being said, what’s the reason for watching a show or movie when you already know how it will end? The journey of an adventure isn’t the same when you already know what will happen next.

But don’t just take the One Piece series as something to binge; treat it as you would any other show. Instead of just trying to catch up, enjoy the show for what it is, and what part of it you like the most. With the live action remake being Netflix’s most watched series of 2023 and the One Piece manga being the best selling manga ever, there’s something in the story for everyone. Whether it be the growth and development of the main cast, or the intricate world building, One Piece is hailed as one of the best anime of all time for a reason. Personally, I started watching the show back in 2020, and being part of the community has been one of the most fun aspects of watching the series. Whether it be discussing your favorite character, or just where the story will go in the future, every time I meet someone who has seen One Piece, I have a blast talking to them about anything related to the show. 

For the past few years, watching One Piece has been one of my favorite pastimes. So why wait? With the story ending soon, the grand reveal of the adventure will be one of the greatest, if not, the greatest conclusions to a story in all of fiction. With many options to watch the show in 2024, such as the live action, there are plenty of reasons and platforms to start this grand adventure in 2024.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF MIA LIU