“One Piece” canon episodes: A guide to the anime's main storyline and the filler arcs you can skip

One Piece is one of the most famous anime series ever created, one that now has generations of fans. Between the colorful characters, humorous dialogue, and brilliant animation, it's not hard to see why. Every episode feels like its own bite-sized adventure. The series as a whole, however, is anything but bite-sized, clocking in at more than 1,100 episodes.

That makes it hard for new fans to fully catch up, but there's one way to make the task easier: cutting out the filler episodes. By watching only the essential stories, it's possible to streamline your journey through these turbulent streaming waters.

But what are filler episodes, exactly? How many One Piece canon filler episodes are there, and which ones are actually worth watching? Keep reading to find out.

List of One Piece filler episodes:

• 54 – 60: Warship Island Arc

• 98 – 99: "Enter the Desert Pirates! The Men Who Live Freely!" and "False Fortitude! Camu, Rebel Soldier at Heart!"

• 102: "Ruins and Lost Ways! Vivi, Her Friends and the Country's Form!"

• 131 – 135: Post-Arabasta Arc

• 136 – 138: Goat Island Arc

• 139 – 143: Ruluka Island Arc

• 196 – 206: G-8 Arc

• 220 – 224: Ocean's Dream Arc

• 225 – 228: Foxy's Return Arc

• 279 – 283: Straw Hat Theater

• 291 – 292: "Boss Luffy Returns! Is It a Dream or Reality? Lottery Ruckus!" and "A Big Rice Cake Tossing Race at the Castle! Red Nose's Plot!"

• 303: "Boss Luffy Is the Culprit? Track Down the Missing Great Cherry Tree!"

• 317 – 319: Mid Post-Enies Lobby Side Stories

• 326 – 335: Ice Hunter Arc

• 382 – 384: Spa Island Arc

• 406 – 407: Special Historical Arc

• 426 – 429: Little East Blue Arc

• 457 – 458: A Special Retrospective Before Marineford

• 492: "The Strongest Tag-Team! Luffy and Toriko's Hard Struggle!"

• 542: "A Team Is Formed! Save Chopper"

• 575 – 578: Z's Ambition Arc

• 590: "History's Strongest Collaboration vs. Glutton of the Sea"

• 626 – 628: Caesar Retrieval Arc

• 747 – 750: Silver Mine Arc

• 780 – 782: Marine Rookie Arc

• 895 – 896: Cidre Guild Arc

• 907: "20th Anniversary Special! Romance Dawn"

• 1029 – 1030: Uta's Past Arc

• 1084: "Time to Depart - The Land of Wano and the Straw Hats"

What is One Piece about?

At its core, One Piece is all about charismatic pirates hunting for treasure. They are led by Monkey D. Luffy, a young boy who ate Devil Fruit , which gave him rubber powers not unlike those of Marvel hero Mr. Fantastic . He leads a crew called the Straw Hats as they search for the titular One Piece, a fabled bit of treasure that every scallywag worth his salt is after. Whoever finds it becomes the King of the Pirates, and Luffy will stop at nothing to take his rightful crown as a mighty monarch of the high seas.

That's the 50,000-foot view of the series and its main character. Throughout more than 1,100 episodes (and counting), we follow Luffy and his crew as they get into misadventures with colorful characters and increasingly bizarre situations. It's all fun to watch, but the high episode count can be intimidating for otherwise curious anime fans. Fortunately, by shaving off the filler, it's easier than ever to experience one of the most influential anime series ever made.

What are filler episodes?

To understand filler episodes, you need to know a bit about how anime is created.

Japanese animation often adapts comics (better known as manga ) whose characters have become popular. Many of the most celebrated anime series, including Dragon Ball Z , Sailor Moon , and One Piece , began as manga titles. When manga is adapted for television, the shows usually adhere strictly to stories from the printed page, translating them into animated episodes.

However, many long-running anime titles also add original episodes that aren't from the source material. Some manga purists disregard these filler episodes since they aren't technically canon. Other fans enjoy these "filler" episodes because they get even more adventures with their favorite characters.

Filler episodes are usually created in the interim between new manga installments while animators await fresh material to adapt. But that's not always the case with One Piece , a long-running anime with fewer fillers than you might think.

Does One Piece have a lot of filler episodes?

Relatively speaking, One Piece is pretty light on filler. Sure, count the titles up, and it might seem like a lot, but this is a show with over 1,100 episodes. By that standard, the amount is a small drop in a very large bucket. Proportionally, One Piece has far less filler than, say, the original Bleach (2004–2012), in which 45% (164 out of 366 episodes) is filler.

Why so little filler for such a long-running anime? For one thing, One Piece creator and manga artist Eiichiro Oda rarely takes time off, focusing on producing a steady stream of stories. His manga releases dense chapters every week, so there's usually no need for animators to wait for installments. One Piece studio Toei Animation also prefers to hew close to the manga.

Which One Piece filler episode arcs are still worth watching?

One of the most beloved One Piece filler storylines is the G-8 Arc (episodes 196–206). This is considered a standout because it features dynamic new characters and memorable moments from our Straw Hat heroes as they try to retrieve their boat and escape the clutches of the Marines. Another great arc is Uta's Past (episodes 1029–1030), which gives us great Luffy flashbacks that flesh out his relationship with Uta, the resourceful daughter of Shanks.

If you're open to more filler, check out the Marine Rookie Arc (episodes 780–782), in which Luffy's mischievous ways leave the crew fiending for food. In order to snag some snacks, they have to dress as Marines and infiltrate a military base, resulting in the kinds of hijinks the show is famous for.

Of course, with a show that's been going for this long, it can be easy to forget how far our characters have come. With that in mind, consider watching the Ocean's Dream Arc (220–224), in which a memory wipe reverts our Straw Hat heroes to the personalities they had when joining the crew. Like most great filler, this storyline is light on volume but heavy on charm.

Does the One Piece live-action Netflix remake have filler episodes?

The live-action version of One Piece does not have any filler episodes.

The Netflix series is designed as a relatively strict adaptation of the original manga, and thus sticks to canon. After all, the first season has just eight episodes; there wasn't any need to deviate. The result is a light, tightly paced show that's faithful to its source material. That was enough to win over many fans who thought the live-action show would, like Cowboy Bebop before it, take too many libertie s.

Where can I watch One Piece ?

There are multiple streaming platforms where you can watch One Piec e, filler episodes included. The first is Netflix, where fans can watch both the original anime and the live-action remake . The second is Crunchyroll , which has the best anime selection for fans. Another option is PlutoTV , which has the advantage of being free.

Regardless of how you watch this legendary anime, you need to buckle up. With well over a thousand episodes, One Piece is the kind of show that can challenge even the most dedicated binge-watchers. At the very least, Entertainment Weekly 's guide can help you cut this bit of digital Devil Fruit down to a more manageable size.

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