One Piece: The Modern Odyssey (A Literary Analysis & Video Essay) | AxelBeats!

[@AxelBeats]

Thank you so much for taking the time to watch this video. One piece is a series I absolutely love and I poured my everything into this video for 2 months straight, i really hope you enjoy! If you do and want to support me in making more videos like this, consider becoming a member or signing up for the patreon :) www.patreon.com/axelbeats

[@ranterpanthers6438]

I love this video I made all my friends who were skeptical of watching the show watch this video and by arlong park they told me to borrow my anime hardrive to collect the show Only one word can be used arigato🙏😁

[@arturowareham1683]

As a fan of One Piece since 1999 I can attest your comment is 100% accurate.

[@PaszerDye]

7:28 I find it strange that you covered the 2nd Romance Dawn oneshot but not the 1st one that also had Shanks in the same position and role. Unless that comes on later in the video.

[@PaszerDye]

15:50 It's called 'in media res,' though you probably already know that. While not necessarily the 'middle', the anime does well to propel the story forward and hit the ground running. Personally, I never found Coby annoying and found his rational fear of pirates and worldly knowledge a great foil to Luffy's enthusiasm and adventure hungry wanderlust. Pushing Shanks's introduction a bit later also serves great anchoring to the pace of the show, which started running from the get-up and go, and foreshadows the way Oda eventually reveals backstory later; we get introduced and learn to like a character on our own terms, no catches or questions asked, and then we learn their backstory later to hook us into liking them, a technique he executed well with Sanji and then perfected with Nami. Also the change in locale is much more interesting and throws you into the thick of things. In the manga, it starts off at some boring port, but in the anime, the Alvida Pirates are in the middle of plundering a civilian vessel. Like why wouldn't be pirates out at sea doing the thing they are most famously known for? And the cherry on top is that this also serves as an early and fantastic introduction to Nami.

[@samgrassman859]

I quite literally compare one piece to the odyssey on a weekly basis and an ecstatic to know I’m not alone in making these comparisons

[@Pekara121]

Average One Piece Fans when you ask them to summarize the story in the shortest way possible:

[@abhijith6589]

W fandom

[@royalfun1031]

Based

[@mryourgurt4195]

There is nothing average about this, this is a labor of love

[@j3rm236]

The best comment ❤

[@cl5rys]

its quite impossible honestly

[@jacobreynolds9372]

Only One Piece could get me to not bat an eye at a 6 hour long video before starting it, looking forward to this journey.

[@AxelBeats]

Enjoy!

[@jimtsap04]

Also pyrocynical, I watched the whole 7 hour utopia video without even realising night turned to day

[@ANunes06]

Wildly, the ProCrastinators Podcast's 4 hour long "here's what one piece is about" is what got me to finally start watching/reading it. Story is beeg.

[@bmonq]

🤣 great comment

[@rcookie5128]

LOL! Literally me. 20min video about sth else: "Nah, too long!". 6 hour One Piece reaction/review: "Finally something with meat on it, let's go!!"

[@songsinger531]

As to the popularity of Ace, I'd say scarcity breeds demand. Just by making him strong, smart, and a super cool and good guy, and then limiting our access to him, Oda has made Ace a very desirable character.

[@Ohmylanta686]

See Shanks for more evidence of this lol

[@3dsmaster537]

Like a small-scale Shanks lol

[@ThatGuyOnTheDoorstep]

Another example of this (unrelated to One Piece) is Boba Fett from Star Wars.

[@littlejune131]

See, I've always viewed it the opposite way: Ace was notably strong by New World standards, but nothing special overall -- plenty of people were stronger than him, and the two most important fights we see him in end up as devastating losses for him; he was smarter than Luffy in some respects, but his recklessness and devotion overrode his decision-making so often that it didn't matter; he was cool on the surface based on the image he projected, but painfully insecure in truth because of the psychological deprivations he endured throughout his life; and he was good to those he loved, but a careless hellion to most others, even if he did try to be more generally considerate later in life. He got into trouble of his own making all the time and refused to learn his lesson because he spent so long being a stubborn, love-starved brat, he didn't know how to stop being that even after finding a family for himself in a world that condemned him for no sane reason. His love and loyalty for his crew make him disobey them so he may avenge his murdered friend and his father's besmirched honour, and because he held that very crew and father's tenets so close to his heart and refused to abandon them even when asked to, the crew and father in question suffered a tragic demise. Ace is DEEPLY flawed in SO MANY ways -- and yet, he is even more deeply loved, both on and off the page, for no special reason other than his family and the readers just wanted to banish this doubt and unhappiness in him that no human soul deserves to bear, flawed or not. It's not Ace's "standout" status that drives this, but common human decency, which in itself is very comforting, as it proves Ace is just as human as anyone, rather than the demon-child or "Pirate Prince" the people who didn't care to know him tried to make him believe he must be. Oda wrote a man plagued by the desperation for acceptance so many children experience and made that man's uncompromising quest of living for love with everything he had into the cause of his untimely death, and the cause of such great grief for his precious people, which all the angst-lovers gobbled up. Ace's tragedy as a character is heavy and layered, but the love other characters have for him is clear and singular, and illustrative of something many real people year for -- the confirmation that you are worthy of acknowledgement and affection simply for being a living person, regardless of any mistakes or misconceptions. And I think, more than anything, that is why he's so loved -- empathy, the one thing the world of One Piece as a whole refused to have for him.

[@Tilearian]

Honestly, when Ace died, I didn't really feel for him at all. I was sad for Luffy, but had no real feelings for Ace. He wasn't around enough for me to build any bond for the character. Just like with Sabo, he's kinda cool, but I never see him and have no real bond with him. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm sure that Shanks had far more screen time/manga panels than Ace ever had all the way up to his death, including Shanks being there when Ace died.

[@dhero7271]

After practically four days of watching this monumental piece, making sure to pay attention to every detail and not miss a single second of it, all I have to say about this masterclass of art is: "yeah, that sounds about right"

[@wholelottawhale4103]

I listened to half of it today at work💀

[@Abyssno1dad]

A perfect summary of a perfect summary

[@hannahdancy8529]

One Piece is really the only series you can make a 6-hour video about and expect fans to watch. If we can watch 1,000 episodes or read 1,000 chapters, 6 hours is nbd.

[@AgeOfDanarchy]

And that’s how you make it through life. One Step at a time make a difference

[@griffinhan-lalime4357]

inb4 someone says Berserk

[@Vince-fo2rw]

Bro swear just more one peice for me

[@LainWithSweetTea]

​@@griffinhan-lalime4357 Shit he got me. Legit watched all of that 21 hout vid.

[@shark20069]

@@griffinhan-lalime4357 Berserk

[@SymphoniaFly]

My favorite Luffy moment in Arlong Park is definitely when he kicks in the doors and asks which one of them is Arlong. Mostly because he has absolutely no clue who the guy even IS, much less what he's actually done, but is absolutely ready to throw down.

[@Mirekluk]

He made his navigator cry. No more crime needed to bust his fish ass.

[@rishabhanand4973]

And when luffy says "I can't lie" while listing off skills of his crewmates that he lacks, referencing usopp with that one, an obvious joke that even though his role is a sharpshooter, he's most known for lying. And then later on, we see many instances, though most prominently in his backstory with ace and sabo, luffy really does suck at lying

[@Subpar1O1]

Honestly that's probably one of Luffy's more admirable traits in my opinion. He knows himself so well that, aside from asking people to join his crew because they're his friends, he always chooses people who can explicitly do things he can't. He makes it abundantly clear that he can't do much of anything without his friends, and that's why the Straw Hats are so strong. Sanji cooks because Luffy would have killed himself with food poisoning, Nami navigates because Luffy would have sunk the ship 10 times over, Brook plays music because Luffy can't sing, etc. He's very emotionally intelligent but also sure enough of himself that he knows his flaws, as opposed to the average shonen protagonist who always tries to shoulder things by themselves. Above everything else his insistence on asking people to join because he thinks they're cool or funny, while somehow picking people who can do things he can't, makes him a much more interesting protag than most.

[@bookedfox]

Mine would be when he destroys the map room, emphasized for similar reasons to yours. He doesn't need to know her life; he can see enough to recognize this as a prison to her

[@queencancerous5332]

Luffy cares not for conflicts or world events, he initially didn't want to save Ace, but did so after learning he'd be executed. Luffy only fights back if you threaten his crew members and people he deems his friends.

[@haroldflint521]

Thriller Bark (based on The haunted mansion) was not threatening... Until Kuma. It was the horror of not having Luffy to defend the crew after they were exhausted. It was a great reminder that their enemies were not going to wait to be defeated one at a time.

[@TheGman4747]

Was also a great precursor for Sabaody as well

[@haroldflint521]

@@TheGman4747 oh the crew can take on 1 shikibukai how about 2, or 5 and an admiral

[@DPedroBoh]

Oh man, the sudden mood change brought with kuma, it was amazing.

[@haroldflint521]

@@DPedroBoh It was like if in DBZ it took both Goku and Gohan to teleport Cell to King Kai's and teleported back to fight the other Z fighters at full strength in ( a stronger) perfect form.

[@anexperience5251]

Good foreshadowing considering a few chapters later off screen kiado back off because of shanks during the Great War arch

[@carcowarc]

As a Classics major who has gone through the Odyssey and Aeneid so many times for my classes, One Piece being a modern epic is something I think about A TON and I truly feel like of all the modern fantasy out there, it’s the best representation of a modern classic both in its storytelling and impact. So excited to watch this video!!!

[@mistersharpe4375]

I'm not the biggest fan of shonen manga as a whole. But I still rate One Piece almost as highly as The Lord of the Rings, as a fantasy epic.

[@fabioviti7384]

@@mistersharpe4375 ...so, you rate an opera that's been internally rewrited 6 times, that at the biggest plot point of its first part DIDN'T have its power system even exhist (before whitebeard death haki simply did not exhist) close to the greatest piece of literature ever tought by an unprecedented genious who invented 3 fucking lenguages just because he felt to? REALLY MAN?

[@mistersharpe4375]

@@fabioviti7384 Yep.

[@fabioviti7384]

@@mistersharpe4375 well, if you value something just for your personal and emotional value good for you what can I say. Tho you aknowledge it's not for any intrinsic and objective reasons

[@mistersharpe4375]

@@fabioviti7384 Lol, don't put words in my mouth dude. That's hardly being objective. But anyways, if you want a longer response, I'll just say that you didn't really bring up any solid arguments why one is better than the other. I'm sure there are, but one has to look at them in context of the genre and medium. You say that OP has been internally rewritten six times. This is no different from Tolkien's own creative process. The only distinction is that One Piece has been serialised for three decades. Tolkien took nearly as much time to finish writing LOTR, and never finished the Silmarillion. Of course a novel, once it's printed, won't have any internal rewrites. A good portion of my bookshelf is taken up by Tolkien's notes and the different version of the Silmarillion and LOTR that he wrote over the years.

[@redfalconfox]

A small detail about the end of Enies Lobby. The crew all agree that if the first words out of Usopp’s mouth aren’t an apology, they’ll leave him behind. So every time he speaks to one of them, they pretend they didn’t hear him until he finally apologizes.

[@abombernation3254]

The fact that about a third of this video is focused on just the east blue saga is a testament to how many striking backstory’s and themes are introduced within that time

[@uuh4yj43]

east blue even with its flaws is just a great foundational piece, also arlong park is still the best arc imo its super concise and impactful

[@XanVicious]

Pre-time skip is a real gem, it shows how good Shounen can be.

[@Alash1r]

@@uuh4yj43 As someone who has only recently gotten into one piece (around 400 in rn in manga) I absolutely LOATHE the arlong park arc. Luffy consistently manages to do stupid shit that should VERY WELL GET HIMSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE KILLED and oda refuses to let that happen. I dont like the amount of luck and forgiveness that is given to him, as I feel it stunts his development as a character. Imagine if a main character died and he had to deal with the thought that it was his fault. The beginning would be a lot more revered imo. Tbf tho I have a lot to read and in general am loving it, just thought id point this out.

[@Vishiahma]

@@Alash1r its been two weeks. you reached that arc? don't wanna spoil anything. unless you already watched this entire video.

[@joev3783]

​@@Alash1rA couple spoiler free things to note. As the series progresses, a lot more light gets shone on many of the characters; with east blue setting the foundation. It's kinda basic, but without it, what happens later just wouldn't work (basically the whole crew and most side characters/antagonists gets a significant amount of character development). As a heads up, the Aarlong pirates get expanded upon in the Fishman island arc, and the backstory of Aarlong and the fish men makes Aarlong park much better in retrospect (like the foundation I mentioned earlier)

[@amilihay2930]

Thriller Bark is thematically important because Moria is a reflection of where Luffy is at in the series at that time. Moria got to confident, he challenged Kaido way to soon and lost eveything. This whole arc is to set up the necessity of the time skip, at this point Luffy has beaten his opponents by the skin of his teeth and while he's come a long way and gottten stronger he isn't close to being as strong as he needs to be and that shows up even more with each of the Kuma encounters.

[@KyleRosegoldenthoughts]

👏🏾👏🏾 yess!!!

[@blakex2699]

He also made the same mistake of challenging kaido too soon but get sent to prison instead

[@aweshumandy]

yeah as famous with Oda, it required multiple chapters later to see the importance of something.

[@trevorgrover5619]

lol yeah, the Thriller Bark complaints just sound similar to the shallow Skypiea complaints.

[@markgregorygacosta531]

What are you saying? Remember:"nothing happened"😊

[@icehd2412]

“Act of dad… I mean act of god” when describing the loguetown beheading incident with luffy was the best thing I’ve heard in a while

[@thomasffrench3639]

41:14 this just made me realize that Usopp’s fighting style is the classic cowardly character when honor was the name of the game. Snipers used to be considered cowards, and it’s a perfect fighting style for Usopp.

[@microvan1234]

The new context you get about Arlong from sabaody is some really fantastic story telling. In east blue he’s just some monster that you quickly grow to hate and then you see how the script is flipped and realize that arlong is actually a tragic and sad character. Arlong park is basically an attempt to have all the things he was denied in life because of racism, and then he’s even acting like the celestial dragons.

[@AxelBeats]

I like that the line is never drawn to separate his actions from their consequences once we learn more. Like yes he comes from sadness and inequality, but what he did is never forgiven or absolved

[@microvan1234]

@@AxelBeats yeah, because he becomes what he hates most in the world: a corrupt individual with power and authority. By becoming the equivalent of a celestial dragon to the people of cocoyashi village, he’s become irredeemable in many ways. It’s truly a tragic story of how circumstances can change people for the worse.

[@electricangel4488]

Yea no he is still a hugh cunt. Even more so when he got the right way spelled out for him by his personal hero.

[@blanche3850]

@@AxelBeats him no, but Hatchan is, which is powerful in itself because at first he believed Arlon and his ideology. After being defeated, he realized that what they had done to Nami was horrible. The ability to reflect on one action is important and understand that they were bad, too. You can do bad thing for the wrong reason, it doesn't mean you have to be forgiven but it doesn't mean that you don't have to either.

[@SonicSanctuary]

oh god and then you go down to fishman island and.... well dang

[@thedoctor3528]

Prologue & 1st Saga: 00:00 Intro To The Story 21:52 Shells Town & Romance Dawn 38:00 Syrup Village 47:00 Baratie 1:13:00 Arlong Park (1:37:50 character designs) 1:39:45 Loguetown 2nd Saga: 1:47:30 Reverse Mountain 1:53:05 Whiskey Peak (1:57:30 Vivi/Luffy as leaders) 1:58:55 Little Garden (2:00:52 Usopps dream) 2:05:00 Drum Island 2:24:25 Alabasta 3rd Saga: 2:37:20 Jaya 2:51:10 Skypiea 4th Saga: 3:07:58 Water 7 & Ennies Lobby 3:33:15 Thriller Bark x 5th Saga: 3:49:30 Sabaody 4:04:12 Amazon Lily 4:11:18 Impel Down 4:19:35 Marineford War 4:35:58 Post War Arc 6th Saga: 4:41:54 Return & Fishman Island 4:58:03 Punk Hazzard 5:05:50 Dressrosa 7th Saga: 5:21:12 Zou 5:25:40 WCI 5:37:00 Reverie 8th Saga: 5:39:30 Wano

[@Villside]

Legend

[@sumnanazadi]

thanks.

[@ThickForest]

What episode number do I have to have reached to watch this?

[@amsgamingandmusic]

​@@ThickForest...yes

[@yohualihigaredarayas4035]

​@@ThickForestlike 1000 at least

[@insylogo]

I understand some of the issues you had with Thriller Bark but I think you missed an important part of this - Moria used to be an ambitious pirate, just like Luffy. His dramatic failure when he reached Kaido, and his persistent funk since then is a dark mirror of what might happen to Luffy if he were to have all his crew torn from him too. When Oars is defeated, Moria snaps. He can't take it that there's this runt in front of him, so lively and happy with his whole crew while he's stuck here in the darkness of the Florian Triangle with crappy ghost-ship antagonists like Hogback and Absolom. In his mental breakdown, he loses control of his rationality and rather than wait for the sun to do it, he wants to crush them so much that he risks it all, takes in all the shadows he's stolen, and loses the fight. He's a broken man, and could never get past his own prior defeat. In his last words, he dares them to go to the new world because he is certain that nobody with his ambition can go there without being destroyed like him. There, but for the grace of fate, goes Luffy.

[@uuh4yj43]

thriller bark is not bad, even moria is not a bad villain, its just kind of an ass-pull for him make the decisions he makes. while we cant judge the stories based on what it didnt do im sure it could have been resolved in a more satisfying manner. i think oda just thought oars was funny and kept playing with the concept until he wrote himself into a corner with the ticking clock of the morning coming, so he had to resolve it fast and came up with that.

[@ilovespeedwagon6713]

I think Moria is a super underrated villain. I always loved that to him Luffy's true defeat was to continue on his journey, cause the new world would break him in ways Moria couldn't. I could understand people's thoughts about Thriller Bark on a first watch, but with the hindsight of Saobody, it's hard not to look at TB and Moria in a different light. Ultimately, even the true defeat wasn't enough. Luffy faced absolute despair: losing his crew and his brother in front of his own eyes, absolutely powerless to stop it. But instead of wallowing in despair, Luffy came out of the tunnel with the goal of getting stronger. and even more ultimately in Wano, Luffy did what Moria couldn't. I will die on the hill for Gekko Moria. He's not perfect, but he is the person Luffy needed to face going into Saobody.

[@user-qb4on2qm7z]

It's funny because we later see Moria care deeply for his crew when he visited hachinosu to get absolom back.

[@pureone8350]

Nah, cope. Moria's decisions were purposely bad to strengthen Luffy's plot armour. I'm not seeing any good excuse to be given here.

[@Papi_C]

I absolutely loved the intro to Thriller Bark. The tone is stellar, and I think that the creepy vibe that Oda was going for was perfectly executed. As soon as Moira is fully introduced and their shadows are stolen, I feel that the spooky aesthetic disappears, much to my disappointment. I agree with his take that the secondary villains are bad, but honestly it’s kind of expected that they don’t get as much development besides their character gimmick. To respond to what you said about Moria, I completely agree. I love the parallel between Luffy and Moira, and I think that it’s excellent foreshadowing for what Luffy would have to face in Sabaody/Paramount War saga. I don’t hate the idea that Moria is a lazy character who lost all of his ambition, but what really causes me to hate him as a villain is the fact that Thriller Bark immediately followed what was the most climactic arc in One Piece. You have the Straw Hats literally challenging the entire government to war. They’re up against insurmountable odds, and the David VS Goliath aspect is extremely apparent. It’s not just the Straw Hats VS CP9, but the Straw Hats VS the entire government. To follow that up with a dude who doesn’t really have any clear aspirations and largely avoids confrontation feels like we’re taking a step back from the intensity. I personally don’t hate Thriller Bark, but if I had to point to it’s biggest detractor, it’s Moria. I’d personally give Thriller Bark a 6/10 though.

[@MrGalRoz]

i have never liked/subbed to a channel out of sense of compulsion, but whoever makes a 6 hour in depth video of one piece deserves it.

[@AxelBeats]

🙏

[@xdgupa543]

Agreed!

[@MissSeaShell]

The scene where Nami asks Luffy for help is my favorite scene in the whole series. It was definitely the moment this became more than just another anime for me. And it's a testament to oda's talent that it's even better watching over a second time after getting through the rest of the series. I'm crying now just listening to you describe it 😭💔🩷

[@codetaku]

36:49 "I won't bring up every reference along the way, because we'd be here forever" Hearing that when there were still over 5 hours left in the video was hilarious

[@codetaku]

Gin's name is not pronounced Jin btw, idk if you watched the dub or something but his name is pronounced like the Japanese word for silver. Gin. Edit: Same as the Gintama protagonist.

[@codetaku]

> and we never see that turtle again Wrong, the turtle gets used again in Chapter 161 to transport Baroque Works officers, showing that he's not Robin's pet but a Baroque Works employee and/or All-Terrain Vehicle. That's why we never see him again, he has no allegiance to Robin.

[@codetaku]

> The death game is kind of fun but also gets a bit drawn out And this is where it's super super obvious that you watch the anime too much. I agree the seiyuu are fantastic but the manga is, in general, *incomprehensibly better.* Giving opinions on One Piece from the perspective of an anime watcher is... really embarrassing, honestly. Skypiea was paced totally fine in the manga. Yes it was still "longer" than most arcs at the time but it was not "drawn out", every single chapter was snappy and meaningfully moved the plot forward.

[@codetaku]

My fucking god jesus fucking christ okay the fact that you even complain about the LUCCI fight really made me lose all respect for you. STOP WATCHING THE FUCKING ANIME IF YOU'RE GOING TO DERIVE STUPID-ASS PACING COMPLAINTS FROM IT I made it 3 hours and 26 minutes into the video and dropped it because you aren't fucking talking about One Piece anymore, you're talking about the canon parts of Toei's adaptation *of* One Piece. That's not okay when you're getting screenshots of panels and making people think that your opinions stem from the manga. They super super obviously do not. I was CAUGHT UP to the manga before Enies Lobby happened. I read Luffy vs Lucci week to week. THERE IS NOT A SINGLE MANGA FAN ON EARTH WHO THOUGHT THAT FIGHT WAS DRAGGED OUT, even when we had to wait a week for EACH new chapter of it, which I'm entirely confident you never had to do. Every one of us on the MSN Groups page and APForums in late 2005 to early 2006 thought every single week of that fight was hype as fuck. Something important happened in Every. Single. Chapter. You want dragged out? Try the middle of thriller bark. Try the bird cage (but not the actual doffy fight) on Dressrosa. Things people ACTUALLY complained about as they were happening week to week. Hell, you can even complain about how long we went from Impel Down to Marineford where Luffy was the only straw hat we got to see on the pages (mind you, people still loved that arc but there were definitely a lot of people whining that they hadn't gotten to see Nami/Zoro/Usopp in over a year). Zero actual human beings who were caught up to One Piece in 2005-2006 thought ANY part of Enies Lobby was drawn out. The fact that you seriously tried to defend the anime 2 hours earlier in this video and then are just proving why anime-watchers are absolutely worthless at judging One Piece is just... idk, disgusting is probably going too far but I am, personally, disgusted. Even if you watch One Pace, the fact that Toei makes fight scenes that take a single panel in the manga take 30 seconds to a solid minute of animation in Toei's abomination of an adaptation means that NO form of anime consumption can POSSIBLY give you a comparable pacing experience to reading the manga. THE ANIME IS NEVER A VALID REFERENCE POINT.

[@martinwilches6583]

Hardest part is finding material NOT to talk about. Everything is so interconnected

[@Houdine52]

Trying to get Vivi's duck drunk is just the definition of a great friendship group XD

[@Monkeytheluffy56]

His name is Karoo D uck

[@cindergodofnature6807]

I actually like how the anime waited to show the character's backstory until later, such as in Zoro's case. To me it reinforces Luffy's theme of caring whether the person is good or bad at that moment only, and not why they are that way. With Zoro being the first crewmate, I think it was a wise idea to wait. It shows how he values promises and has a sense of righteousness, and doesn't immediately give him a pity story, showing how he himself had to have the conviction to uphold his honor, and not just because of what happened Kuina. I love the video, and I think the manga and anime both have their unique charm.

[@goldeer7129]

I totally agree with that. In fact, Usopp's backstory about his mother is only told by merry to kaya AFTER the crewhats leave the village. (It's a page and a half long about her mother, also saying that all the villager actually knew about it, and did not really hate him as we thought). To this day, probably none of them really knows about it. Just like Zoro's I think. Well, Luffy knows almost none. They are very important for us but the characters generally don't really know about it, unless it's relevant to them being a good person like Brook.

[@LuximosTG]

Zoro’s zombie running the wrong way instead of chasing Luffy might be one of my favorite bits in the series.

[@king_dooby]

actually, ace always believed white beard would be pirate king and did everything to get him there. In the panel where ace says his last words to luffy he says “my only regret is that I couldn’t see you achieve your dream” referring to luffys dream that he revealed to the crew and has previously revealed to only sabo and ace. he is talking about his dream that must be fulfilled after he is pirate king, and oda is foreshadowing that moment here

[@Jarrod0306]

Glad to see someone point this out.

[@wakatoashaw2249]

He told shanks the true dream aswell.

[@makaki6900]

Woooo I didn’t think of this

[@patricklatham3897]

Actually, you could argue that Sanji's particular brutality towards Duval was only partially due to him having the face on his wanted poster. You could argue that the other part was Duval hiding his face in a mask, lest he suffer the wrath of the world. Now I wonder...why does this seem so familiar? Oh YEAH. That's RIGHT! Sanji spent a fair portion of his childhood trapped with an iron contraption on his face. The traumatic reminder of those days could have spurred him on. The carrot of catharsis was Duval's face and the stick of fury was the iron helmet. And Sanji isn't even my favorite Straw Hat.

[@jessicajayes8326]

That's some Alexander Dumas level wrath there.

[@yourcollegedebt8384]

Wait, people thought Nami suggesting to use their money to save Caimi was out of character? Seriously? Did they forget the entire reason she adventured around the East Blue before joining the Straw Hats was specifically to get enough money to save her home village!?

[@aaronflanary271]

Yes, but she charged zoro interest on gold that belonged to the whole crew....

[@ana.5687]

Also Nami would do ANYTHING for women and children

[@jackpitman15]

it goes against the gag of her being greedy when it comes to money, but nami's greed gets overwritten by how kind nami is, while she makes these "debts" to her crewmates she never actually demands money from them, for example

[@ok9418]

@@aaronflanary271 lmao, it's obviously just her messing with him, close friends do that

[@ThyFloorestFloor]

​@@ok9418It has always felt as both her joking with them while also making sure that they really want what they're buying so that they don't spend all of their money on a whim.

[@mandals1914]

The amount of work and dedication that's been poured into this analysis is truly impressive. A whole 6 hours and not a single dull moment. Masterfully done, my dude!

[@hns1368]

I am a huge one piece fan but I never really dug deep into all the symbolism and historical elements. This is my favorite anime/manga for a very simple reason: it makes me laugh and smile more than anything else I’ve ever watched. I would’ve never known how much history is seamlessly woven into each story until watching this video. It took me 3 days but I watched every second. Thank you for your detailed explanations, your insightful opinions, and the countless hours you spent making this video. It is amazing. But I am stuck on how many times you have watched one piece….did you say 7!?!?!?!? Wow, I am beyond impressed. Thank you for this masterpiece analysis. I have one question for you, well two actually; are you this passionate about and other animes and if so what are they? I would love to watch and try to see what you see.

[@AxelBeats]

Glad you enjoyed this so much! I love any anime that can get the waterworks going (angel beats for example), but if you are looking for more stuff like this specifically I have a demon slayer, inuyasha, and soon will have a naruto video just like it!

[@jacksonhicks5069]

A lot of people see One Piece as a very long and silly show that isn’t worth time, but I wish that some people could understand the power and beauty of this story. It’s truly one of the greatest pieces of literature and entertainment that I have and probably will ever see.

[@GGysar]

Well, you are not wrong, but I don't think it is THAT great. Particularly, the insufferably frequent recaps to things that happened 3 episodes ago are just so annoying. I always watch it in 4x speed because it is so repetitive.

[@Ivyan0010]

@@GGysar just read the manga, the anime lacks too many features that make One Piece great, especially the art

[@GGysar]

@@Ivyan0010 I wish I could, but I just don't like manga. I like reading novels and watching anime, but manga aren't for me.

[@PidrolDBG]

@@GGysar Google One pace, it's a project made of fans that removes all the filler and is edited to follow the pace of the manga

[@Sign23]

As story yes as pacing noo as main characters kinda yes as supporting characters kinda no as fights the majority big L but the little some is big W

[@victorarroyo5401]

6 hours of a One Piece analysis? I'm already having goosebumps.

[@syedwajeehashah8483]

This is too short….

[@TheRedAzuki]

I followed One Piece for almost 23 years now. It basically formed certain parts of my ideals growing up, its truly special

[@GOD-in8tn]

I'm shocked you didn't mention Enies lobby's theme of "Real Strength vs Percieved Strength". Usopp thinks he's weak because he isn't able to topple gods like Luffy but his real strength lies within what he's able to do (Ultimately being the one to save Robin). Whereas CP9 is only labled based on their raw perceived strength hence them all having Dragonball style power levels. Also Franky telling Robin that "it's not a crime to exist" parralells his Battle Ships being labled as a crime because of what they are capable of not what they have done

[@-ahmed121]

This video is already 6 hours and he didn't mention everything? Jexz

[@GOD-in8tn]

@@-ahmed121 What? it's literally the main theme of the arc you wallnut

[@btdbam1942]

​@@GOD-in8tn Ahmed was mentioning the fact that the video is already the crazy length of 6 hours yet he didn't even talk about everything. He was not saying your point was invalid.

[@GOD-in8tn]

@@btdbam1942 His tone clearly indicated sarcasm. Which yes does mean he thought the point I was making was invalid.

[@ashtongarcia6894]

@@GOD-in8tn no you just interpreted it that way, dude was definitely j talking abt how the video is so long but still didn’t cover everything

[@ur3sh11]

Drum Kingdom was also where Oda first established one core themes of One Piece: the carry on of Will/continuation of dreams. "Even if i die, someday, someone will carry on my dream.". Fittingly, it is also the first arc where both Ace, Blackbeard and Will of D. are mentioned/hinted at.

[@alextoonz166]

I'm glad I got into One Piece when I did, it's story has influenced the course of my life so much that it's even affected the way I look at people on a moral level, I will never forget this story for as long as I live, thank you Eiichiro Oda.

[@aaronflanary271]

G-ODA

[@afailable]

My takeaway from this: the things Oda has done wrong or missed the mark on are so heavily outweighed by the great story beats that really matter, there's no argument this is a fantastic and timeless story. It was really refreshing to see your perspective, I've only watched the anime once, and haven't read the manga yet. Calling out the points where the story drifted away or was insufficient was actually the best part to me, it gives weight to everything else he has created. Great work on this video, I very much appreciate it!!

[@noahrogers8710]

Its even more shocking that he's hit the mark so many times with the weekly format of the series we would never see it, but imagine if once OP was over, oda went back and edited his old chapters & arcs-something that every book writer has done, but once oda puts out a chapter the only changes made are to fix errors.

[@nomarnomad8405]

Anyone else have *NO IDEA* that Morgan was the marine who "captured" Kuro?? That's insane. Anyway yeah i have 4 more hours to go but this is delightful.

[@mrmangolele8574]

I saw it from a tiktok video despite watching the show 3 times.

[@jessicajayes8326]

Well, he thinks he did.

[@MarqMortis]

Illiad and Odyssey were in their contemporary time what One Piece is to us right now; just a long story with a lot to teach. They're classics because they were made by some guy thousands of years ago; give One Piece time, and it has the potential to become the classic of the next era.

[@m1g4s]

A 6 hour video about a show I already know every detail about? Yes please!

[@404T2K]

One never knows nearly enough about such things add another 6 hours

[@Ichigoeki]

2:06:55 I don't think this comes up in the English versions btw, but this scene is apparently one of, if THE only time in the whole series that Luffy speaks in polite Japanese, which is actually a huge thing that's further underlining his decision to follow Vivi's advice.

[@AxelBeats]

It is also in the english

[@shyguypro9876]

I'm sure I'll have lots of things as this is a whopper of a video, but the fact that Zoro's backstory, despite being less than a chapter, continues to define who he is over a thousand chapters later shows you how strong of a character writer Oda is. He fully understands who is characters are as people and what matters to them.

[@slipperymofo3739]

great way to defend Oda putting 3 or 4 hinted parallels and plot points in Wano between Zoro, the Shimotsuki, Ryuma, Ushimaru etc And dropping all of them cuz he couldn't cook😂 Oda is washed now😢😢 No point defending him The fact that he had to answer this many questions about Wano plot points in the recent SBS goes to show how badly Wano was wrapped up he never did it for any arc, except Wano bro literally said "F Choppers dream" "F Zoros character" and... "The Kurozomi are born to burn...i meant Only Orochi" "The Kardashians are born to burn...i meant only Kim 🤓"

[@jac_o7]

@@slipperymofo3739 “F Zoro’s character” because he gave his family tree in an sbs ? 😂

[@slipperymofo3739]

@@jac_o7 Not cuz of his family tree, no, it would've been fine if he revealed it without settin up hints and teasing Zoro's lineage in the actual Manga Him saying "i will drop his lineage since i won't elaborate it further" just proved the issue people had with Wano in the first place (regarding Zoro's role in Wano ofc) Oda set up plot points and dropped hints about Zoro being so simmilar to Ryuma, Ushimaru... Basically the Shimotsuki clan, and the fact that Zoro was from a Village called the Shimotsuki too "Oh wow, he is the spitting image of Ushimaru, omg is it fate???, he also has Shusui, he is One eyed too?? omg it must be fate, even their Swordsmanship is simmilar, wtf?!?!" etc all of that lead to no character development or had any sort of relevancy in the end, he just wasted panels basically The sbs just further proved that all of that won't have any pay off in the future it was just bad writing, it looked like he had an Idea, and dropped it just so he can finish Wano before Film red gets released. it's even funnier cuz Oda admitted he rushed it and fans keep saying he didn't😂😂

[@jac_o7]

@@slipperymofo3739 i agree Wano was rushed af, but the way he dropped his family on an sbs was no big deal to me seeing as how they seem to be of no importance going forward in the story, all it did for me was confirm those “hints” he gave in Wano with Zoro being related to the Shimotsuki clan. I’m also pretty certain the only reason he’s bringing any of the Wano topics up is because fans keep asking. Also the way I see it asking Chopper to cure a side effect of a smile fruit is like asking him to cure the side effect of DFs that don’t allow you to swim, as messed up as it seems for the people of Ebisu to never be cured, I kind of hope it doesnt happen.

[@MechaStorm7]

This is proof Wano would have been more interesting if the raid failed lmao

[@1BabyEater]

I've been sick as all hell the last couple of days, and last night was especially rough. But this was a cozy listen while I drifted in and out of feverish sleep. To go with the odyssey comparison, it felt like someone was regaling me a grand story that I already knew but was still comforted by. I'd wake up and suddenly you're a few arcs ahead of last I remembered, and I would quickly sink right back into the rhythm of the story. Thank you

[@AxelBeats]

Get well soon fam

[@Fionny]

As a student studying the oddesey and aeneid myself i will 100% look more into this topic incredible video!!!

[@LordZemosa]

4 minutes in, and that Greek historical literature synopsis was so godlike, you bet your bouncy Gum-Gum fruit azz that I'll be listening to this periodically all day.

[@Andrew-Winter]

An (almost ) six hour literary analysis of One Piece. SIGN ME THE HELL UP!!!!

[@SenatorDodo09]

something important that i find worth mentioning is introducing mihawk so early shows you at the start where the power level of the strongest in this world lies. Power creep is a non issue when at the start the strongest are introduced as well as Oda's use to horizontal power scaling, taking his time to increase luffy's power instead of him getting a new special move every fight

[@GoBuddieGo]

Me trying to convince my friends who haven’t watched One Piece because it’s too long to watch this video so they can see how great One Piece is… My friends: “the video is too long”

[@ReiseLukas]

Sounds like you have to go into a philosophical discussion with them on the pros and cons of Long storytelling. In my opinion long stories have more potential than short ones. While there are many short stories I enjoy I always feel hollow after reading them because I wanted more. In this day in age too many people my age and younger want instant gratification (why do you think TikTok and YTShorts are the rage these days?) More often then not it's good to take things slower, think through things more carefully, and savor something special. Your favorite food is obviously going to be better when you take your time eating it than scarfing it down. To me, the best stories are ones that take time and ones you have to actually commit to. For One Piece I'd tell them that to get the most out of a long story is like trying to make and maintain a healthy relationship, takes time, patience and honesty but if you keep at it the rewards will be more special than anything you can get instantly.

[@tekbox7909]

@@ReiseLukas I like both long and short stories but mostly short ones cause long ones often end up overly stretched or bloated. short stories might end and leave you feeling hollow but that's the proof of a good story.

[@mohan7273]

I am in teh exact same situation 😂

[@shlecko]

They think watching this video's too long. Wait till they hear about books!

[@fineapplejuice0622]

My response to people when they give me the usual "it's like over 1000 chapters/episodes, I'll never finish it, etc." is that the reason we read stories isn't for the goal of finishing it, it's for the goal of reading through and enjoying it as much as possible

[@justinmoody9164]

It’s amazing how despite the Dragon-ball series being older and exploring different Planets, Galaxies and Universes, not to mention timelines… The One Piece world seems so vast by comparison and we’ve only discovered 40 islands in canon ( 73 non-canon ). Both series has a special place in my heart but One Piece really is a master class of story telling 💯

[@spiralgodking9877]

Mostly because Toriyama never really did any exploring in his series besides the original Dragon Ball. He's done no exploring of the other universes besides 6.

[@OctagonCookies]

@@spiralgodking9877 Not to mention that everyone in the Dragonball universe are almost identical in culture and appearance, aliens from other universes can be just muscly men with slightly weird ears or differently shaped head.

[@AZ-1003]

Isn't it peculiar how Oda used Sanji as the one who would take a hit from Enel's lightning? The guy that was later revealed to be born from scientific experiments possessing a durable, near indestructible body, sure he was a failure but it was always there lying dormant in his body as we know it would later be activated in Wano. If it was pre-planned by Oda, then he's a genius, if it was a mistake that he corrected by way of tying up a loose end, then he is a genius.

[@desp4irr652]

oh shit i should not have read ur comment 😭

[@AZ-1003]

@@desp4irr652 My guy you gotta avoid the entire Internet if you don't want spoilers 💀

[@desp4irr652]

@@AZ-1003 yea man i keep seeing this white curly haired bitch that looks like luffy and i dont ever want to know what that is

[@LoryK98]

I mean, as back as Arlong Park he fought a fishman deep in the sea and resisted the pressure, so there always was a particular toughness in Sanji

[@ijornhribrudkrvir]

To be fair the fighters are all ridiculously durable because that's just how one piece is Shoutout to zoro sleeping off multiple stab wounds before they got chopper

[@doronrosstuvia3489]

The amount of work into this is insane. It might take me a while to finish, but great job. Definitely liking and subscribing.

[@AxelBeats]

Appreciate it friend 🙏

[@duser]

I never cry while reading or watching any form of media, but One Piece has made me bawl my eyes out in no less than 3 occasions. I love this series and going through this video was a wave of nostalgia. In my eyes, it has always been a story that surpassed the classics. Thank you for making this video You're absolutely right when you said that you can analyse One Piece as deep as you want, and i love to go as deep as possible. Its clear Oda loves to hide little easter eggs and hints to the future of the story in his chapters. My favorite little thing is that Zoro's cursed sword has cursed him with being lost all the time. However, his luck makes it so that he's always at the right place at teh right time despite getting lost.

[@joshuakempe3016]

Wait, let me give a guess... Cry 1, Merry sinking, cry 2, robins backstory, cry 3, brooks backstory?

[@duser]

@@joshuakempe3016 Cry1 Merry Cry 2 Brook Cry 3 Coraizon's sacrifice you were right!

[@joshuakempe3016]

@@duser oh man! I was super close! Corazon is goat (RIP)

[@Nastyn1nja808]

We recently found out Swords are called cursed because of how deadly they were. I never attributed the zero Sense of Direction as coming from the Sword . Bit that's just me. "SHUT up I'm not crying!"

[@mapleseerope9381]

​@@duser Brook enjoyer!!!! I get misty eyed any time i think about brook and his backstory for too long

[@federicogabaldon7913]

I laughed, cried and sang during this whole essay. I started watching one piece not long ago and it helped me get out of a tough situation. Thankfully everything´s alright now but watching this recap and the way you tell it brought a lot of emotions back and all I can say right now is i´m thankful for being part of this story. Thank you, Brother. You've made an outstanding piece of work.

[@sleepykicks8622]

For me Coby isn’t annoying. He tells Luffy how impossible his dream is and how he will probably die trying to be pirate king. Luffy says as long as i die doing what I want to do that’s ok. Cony gets inspired to follow his dream in the same way we are suppose to be inspired by Luffy. Obviously Coby uses that inspiration to become a better version of himself. Keep in mind up to that point he had been bullied by Alvida. Of course he was whiny. Anyway that’s why I don’t mind the anime starting it off with Luffy and Coby. Every time I see Coby again I’m reminded how long it’s been because his growth is so easily spotted.

[@Halomoon]

Even as someone who hasn't seen One Piece, the intro of this video gave me chills! Congratulations on finishing such an amazing project Axel, can feel the passion for sure!!!!

[@albinjohnsson2511]

Don't wacth it, READ IT! The manga is 10x better, and it takes way less time.

[@Blackberryfae]

@@albinjohnsson2511 Seconded! I just spent the past month rereading the whole series myself. But the movies and some of the anime's filler episodes are also worth a watch.

[@Zalied]

If u watched this you've basically watched one piece. Though the emotional impact and journey is slightly lost this is a pretty good walk-through of it

[@rakionyellowmind2293]

@@Blackberryfae G8 arc

[@daweithisisdavidinmandarin6121]

I am at the 5 hour mark, I cannot believe I did it. Thank you for having such a commitment because this video was my companion today and I felt as if I was having an uninterrupted conversation with a friend about something we both really really like!

[@michaelsemon4741]

“Lucci is an odd choice because he’s not a pirate” The fanbase seeing Lucci in Egghead: 😳

[@SapphireSword-pd1ix]

Okay. I must ask. What are you implying? I don't follow the fanbase so I have no idea what the fandom thinks of Lucci right now.

[@arthurjeannin3357]

@@SapphireSword-pd1ix Nothing much I think? They're just implying that people like Lucci and/or are a bit thirsty because of course they are. That doesn't change the point that AxelBeats makes (Lucci being an odd choice to have a pirate symbol with the shoulder bird despite not being a pirate)

[@labradoodledo3952]

@@SapphireSword-pd1ix its a fat spoiler but egghead island shit is going down

[@SapphireSword-pd1ix]

@@labradoodledo3952 No need to spoil me. I'm on the current chapter. Always.

[@labradoodledo3952]

@@SapphireSword-pd1ix (i’m anime only but i read a lot on one piece so this is just from what i’ve read) because lucci reappears he isn’t just fodder, probably will have a wider story to him, so him having a classic pirate feature will likely align him with as a pirate or smt similar rather than it being random character desifn

[@planethalima]

It took me all day but I finally finished this video. I think this one of your best video essays and Im so glad you took the time out of your month(s) to make this. You took the words out of my mouth and make me want to go rewatch One Piece I didn’t realize how much I missed

[@AxelBeats]

Thank you so much for your kind words 🙏 I'm so glad you enjoyed it that much, makes the time investment worth it

[@Nastyn1nja808]

Rewatch ,Reread I'm always amazed at Parallel themes Paneling imagery

[@Papi_C]

I had no interest in One Piece, or anime in general before I made a deal with a friend that I would watch through the Alabasta arc if he watched Game of Thrones. I grumbled and complained as it started, thinking it was just going to be a classic stupid anime title with all the overused tropes that are all too often used. When you said that Sanji’s backstory is what made One Piece click for you, I couldn’t agree more. I was just watching it to keep my promise, but when Sanji and Zeff’s backstory happened, it changed completely. It was so full of meaning and showed a genuinely beautiful relationship between two characters I legitimately had no interest in learning about. Sanji from that point on became my favorite character, and changed my pessimistic outlook on the series to one that was full of wonder and excitement. I can’t thank my friend enough for showing me the greatest story I’ve ever known, or will ever know. I don’t think it’s a stretch (pun intended) to say that this work of fiction changed my outlook on life completely.

[@JurassicGodzillaFan]

Damn, a 6 hour in-depthvideo on One Piece. Awesome job on taking so much time and effort and commitment. I personally not that big on the show, it just never grabbed me but I was blown by the biggest analysis you've done. I tip my hat to you.

[@PetarBladeStrok]

This video is a masterpiece. Though you're the only person I saw hating on early Koby so much! I never had any problem with him. In fact, he seemed realistic with all his fears. I also wish you elaborated more the emotional moments in Dressrosa and especially in WCI. Like Sanji crying after he learns the truth about Pudding and him vs Luffy. Pudding's goodbye to Sanji is also beautiful & Big Mom's flashback was interesting. Would also have loved for you to mention the connection/foreshadowing between Sun God Nika and Skypiea flashback with Calgara & Noland. Also, Katakuri wasn't born with a strange mouth. He tore it while eating donuts. lol

[@weeaboh]

it took me almost exactly a year to start one piece and catch up enough to be able to watch this video. i've been into anime for most of my life now but always had hesitations about getting into one piece. then gear 5 happened in the anime and it was all i saw everywhere and the hype made me really interested. then the live action came out and the last of my hesitations flew out the window. i finished wano last night, almost exactly a year after starting the series, and realized how close i am to becoming a week to week reader. it's so exciting to finally feel like part of the community. i completely understand now why people say this is one of the best stories ever told.

[@eon-sama7736]

Watching this will be my own personal odyssey, one I will gladly commit to

[@AnyMEmdq]

3:37:40 Two references here that escape most people. Hogback is inspired by Dr. Frankenstein, for sure, but also by Dr. Moreau, at least the Marlon Brando movie version: The graveyard, the manor, even Lola and Absalom. And speaking of Absalom, the bath scene is a reference to 1982 class B horror flick The Entity

[@SantoryuKingofHell]

Only an hour in and cried multiple times. This epic really does just burn into your memory. Just thinking about all the moments from this series brings back all the emotions I felt the first time I watched it.

[@capnceem]

same

[@vallum12100]

Same fam, same. Going back to the early arcs through this vid reminded me why I fell in love with one piece and how I have to see how this series ends. I'll be a fan forever, through thick and thin.

[@cesarsuarez7538]

Post Time Skip ruined it.

[@shine6465]

I'm definitely saving this video for a day I can watch the full 6 hours non stop. This looks amazing and I can't imagine the sheer effort you had to make to do something like this. I wholeheartedly agree, I hope people will actually see and acknowledge that One Piece is truly up there with the best stories classic and modern once it ends.

[@certifiedfanboy]

I finally finished watching the video and I have to say you did the series justice and I was able to learn new things I didn't even know about and some of the inspiration Oda took from real life, etc. It was truly an enjoyable experience and I hope more people get to see it, thank you for the video and thank all the people who worked on the project all the love and passion was felt throughout it truly an odyssey of an experience

[@AxelBeats]

such an unbelievable compliment that you watched the whole way through. Thank you so much for your kind words and support

[@porky1118]

2:24:20 After finishing watching Wano, I finally understand, why it's necessary to have such huge arcs. And with a proper pacing, like in One Pace, it's pretty good.

[@scuffado777]

I have been talking to my friends about this concept for YEARS, I’m so glad someone had similar thoughts and decided to make this video. Nice work dude

[@TheTransparentGamerNamedAlex]

Not even 20 minutes in and absolutely ADORING the way you analyze the series and articulate exactly what made me fall in love with the series so quick!

[@nadeeeshikoo3837]

such a good way to catch up on after seeing the live action. I cried a few times just as i first watched this amazing series. Thank you for retelling us in a very heartfelt and well edited video. Enjoyed every last bit of it.

[@Kev-D-OG]

I am currently less than three minutes into this video. However, I am completely convinced that I will enjoy this thoroughly from the way you're depicting the 'themes of the time' angle alone. I can't wait to see how this six hour long journey plays out.

[@AxelBeats]

Hope you enjoyed!

[@dat_man_lu]

I started watching one piece out of curiosity while taking care of my newborn 4 years ago. I'm 1H 45m in, and you've touched up on several arcs that had become hazy. Not only did they remind me of some of the weight of the earlier episodes, but I had several interconnected memories of my little one learning to crawl, taking naps on me while I watched Nami's backstory, etc. I teared up then, I teared up now.

[@gaia9020]

There are so many panels that drive tears in my eyes, out of joy or sadness. I haven't kept up with one piece in nearly a decade but I remember every key moment and even after all those years each panel hits like a truck!

[@kipwhitler6804]

this is my first time finding your channel but any nakama who spends 6 hrs analyzing and interpreting OP deserves credit and at the very least a sub from me. looking forward to tackling this beast!!

[@Irrevenant_]

One Piece is fantastic and stands right up there with the greatest epics in history.

[@charrisgh07]

"One Piece would be super serious if it wasn't so silly, and it would be super silly if it wasn't so serious"

[@johnlindsay7301]

What a video. Total depth. One Piece fully deserves its place in high literature. It’s brilliant. I’m glad you being light to this.

[@JDelicious17]

This Video is so sick, i´m now 3 hours into it and its unreal how good you are telling the story and the thoughts behind it. Big Probs to you ♥

[@kingdomstorm4205]

Same and true

[@mccaffeme]

This was a glorious recap. Thanks so much. So sad I can’t binge watch One Piece anymore. Luffy is my fav anime character and even recapping some of these moments had me choked up. Thanks for taking the time to make this!

[@TheSteiner12]

The shortest one piece related video length: Jokes aside this is insanely well made and your effort is fantastic

[@SamTheGumMan117]

Now, this is a true labor of love and saying Axel, you outdid yourself is a massive understatement. This was such an awesome journey through the whole crazy pirate adventure talking about so much I love and enjoy from One Piece. Always an epic time listening and talking about OP for hours on end.

[@capnceem]

After watching ~880 episodes, I quit. I was just tired of One Piece at first, but it was over time that my then slightly displeased view of One Piece had warped and contorted, becoming more and more negative. My distaste of the show prevented me from rewatching it, remembering only the bad. I couldn't appreciate its good parts for one, but my continued avoidance of One Piece only deepened my misunderstanding. Not only am I surprised at how much I remembered of One Piece, but this video has reminded me, more than any praise I've heard for it, just how great One Piece is. One Piece is a wonderful show, but its messages and characters and even story were lost to me after four years of avoiding it and the short amount of time I spent with the show. I watched One Piece on a binge (it took a couple months so maybe it's a bit more than a binge) and when I imagined One Piece, I imagined that period of my life more clearly than the show itself. I can now recall more clearly than ever my excitement and curiosity when *watching* the show, and my more mature focus on the characters have made me appreciate what I once overlooked. I probably cried 20 times watching this just remembering One Piece and its characters and its story. I won't take the credit away from AxelBeats, Dakota Broskie, Who Asked You?, or Little Shellder though because this video's amazing production quality, in-depth analysis, easy to understand monologue, and great visuals were absolutely a big part of why I watched this, why I paid attention, and why I loved it. It might just be reminding me of a story I already know, but the analysis given here has made my respect and interest in One Piece only grow, more than it might have forcing myself to rewatch things I remembered more clearly than I imagined and possibly missing out on said characters and story once again due to my disinterest at the repetition. I will be rewatching it though. (You misspelled Skypiea in the description)

[@gr1mmy304]

if u can pls read the manga for a smoother ride, anime really have a bad pacing

[@bryceevans264]

So I always understood early koby to be the juxtaposition to luffy, kind of like a normal person's response to that initial idea of freedom and doing what you want instead of listening to the world around you. Later this role would be filled by Usopp but early that was what thought of him

[@GeneralGushma]

Speculation on why the anime started with Coby: I suspect Oda really really really wanted to introduce Luffy by having him pop out of a barrel. This goes back to him liking Vicky the Viking and how Vicky would pop out of a barrel. Throughout all of One Piece Oda has been super specific about how he introduces important characters and Luffy was the one character he never got to introduce the way he wanted in the Manga. By the neccesaty of chapter 1 (and probably by direction from a Jump editor) Luffy had to start in the bar with Shanks. The anime was Oda's do over. This is just my theory.

[@Kaspar502]

The thing that most makes One Piece the modern Odyssey is Oda's inclination to jam tons and tons of indidividually not so deep references together to make a surprisingly inspiring and creative mosaic (I am firmly convinced that the references in Homer's writing were equally as individually shallow but inspiring when put together)

[@-eeee1365-]

1hr 30minutes in, and this is nothing short of a masterpiece, I didnt recognize your channel at first, but then I realized I had previously watched other videos, and loved them as well. It seems you just cant miss

[@kouroshazin4585]

This is the most amazing shit I've ever seen. Someone give this man a Netflix series.

[@AxelBeats]

glad you enjoyed! and thanks for signing up for memberships :)

[@arvidstider]

Waow man. Truly magnificent work! The way you retold Nami's and Bell-Mere's backstory made me have tears streaming down my cheeks. You should be proud of yourself, you really nailed this video!

[@strawheartpirates]

I respect anyone who makes a 6 hour video on the mastery of One Piece.

[@obijeff]

I have been caught up with one piece since 2011 and its weird how that plays with my view of its length. The story in my head really doesn't feel like its as long as it is. Probably because its impossible to keep it all fully in your head over so many years. Then I watch this guy try to spark notes the story and it takes 6 hours and I remember this story really is a modern epic.

[@LewDawn]

my man said the video took two months as if that’s a long time to make a six hour video essay?? you’re a fucking miracle worker for such a turnaround dude!

[@newgroundtv]

You finally did it, congrats man been watching you slowly finish it through your streams

[@AxelBeats]

Appreciate you

[@cplus14]

Just the recap of Nami's back story was enough to make me cry! 😭

[@queencancerous5332]

I think what makes this series so compelling is that it's managed to create a world just as beloved as its central characters. You could write books/novels about other characters in this universe outside of the Strawhats and people would genuinely be interested in reading it.

[@MaDmanex100]

Im 2 hours in and i didnt feel time passing, you have done a great job with your essay, you have a knack for this.

[@jeytax988]

I too am at 2 hours in and just heard first thing that is just wrong. We do see that turtle again, after just 47 chapters. His name is Bunch

[@Zalied]

luffy is willing to not only die for his friends but also suffer for his friends. is a take that i think doesnt get talked about enough

[@rohanamor4323]

One Piece is going to be remembered for centuries like how we remembered the stories from Greek Mythology. Considering how massive its world is and going on an epic adventure with the main character along meeting with very interesting characters. People would totally get curious on its significant content it shows. I would definitely buy all the volumes of the physical copy of the manga and copies of anime once its finished and treat it like a real treasure.

[@rayleigh1833]

Man the amount of love poured in this video. I'm only an hour into the video but there's no dull moment. I might not finished this in one sitting but will definitely complete this for sure.

[@AxelBeats]

Thank you so much for the kind words and your time 🙏

[@suechan4040]

1:09:35 every time i watch zeff telling sanji to not catch a cold, i always cry. it is just a simple sentence but it has depth tho.

[@nou2097]

Add on the fact Zeff never called Sanji by his name before this moment (similar to how Zoro has never called Sanji by his name). Really emotional goodbye.

[@TheSeabum]

I know it's been 6 months after the fact but Congratulations on an excellente video essay!!!! What a well thought-out and exquisite analysis...I enjoyed every minute of it. I can’t imagine the tremendous amount of hours and work this must have taken but the end result is a wondeful video that I'll be passing def sharing with people. Thanks Axel!!