Eiichiro Oda’sOne Piecemanga has developed into an international phenomenon throughout its run in Weekly Shonen Jump. The adventures of Luffy and the rest of the straw Hat Pirates as they explore the world in search of the eponymousOne Piecehave won over a myriad of anime and manga fans over the years.
Every major series has its turning point, andOne Pieceis no different. With 100 collected volumes and over 1000 chapters,One Piece’snarrative has been a slow burn. Oda has been praised for his world-building, and the story has unraveled at an unusually organic rate thanks to the series' incredibly long run. The early series might’ve been what piqued many longtime fans’ interest in its narrative, butOne Piecewouldn’t come to be thought of in the way it is today until the infamous Marineford Arc.
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What Makes It So Special
Spanning four whole volumes, 31 chapters, and 33 episodes in the anime, Marineford doesn’t compare to contemporary arcs like Wano or Dressrosa in terms of length. Butits impact on the seriescannot be understated given the scope of the events encompassing it. The arc featured a number of revelations, key events, and twists that ultimately played out as a major changing point in the series, shaping and affecting the narrative in ways that are still relevant toOne Piecetoday.
Prior to Marineford,One Pieceseemed to be too comfortably rooted within the formula it had established in its first 12 years. The shocking fallout that came just before the series’ two-year time skip would set the tone for major changes to come.
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Oda has methodically craftedOne Piece’snarrative over the years. The mangaka is renowned for his attention to detail,setting up different narrative threadsthroughout the story which may not be relevant for years at a time.
Marineford served as a launching pad for many of the key events of the post-time-skipOne Pieceworld. In a way, it was the closing chapter for the pre-time-skip story, establishing many of the narrative threads currently playing out.
Teasing A Major Conflict Ahead
Though the World Government had long since been established as One Piece’s authoritative force in past arcs, Marineford showed the full might of the Marines in a way that had never been seen up to that point. Their strength in numbers as well as the assets they had in Admirals Kizaru, Akainu, and Aokiji, illustrated the massive gap between Luffy as he was and the challenges awaiting him in the new world. It was a sobering revelation for fans, as for the first time in the entire series, Luffy found himself hopelessly overmatched with his shortcomings on full display.
The war at Marineford was so devastating that it allowed Oda to give fans a glimpse as to theinfluence Shanks hadover both the pirate and marine worlds. His intervention not only signified the end of the conflict but briefly brought him back into the narrative’s forefront as well. The relationship between Shanks and Luffy is one of the most important in the series, and though their long-awaited reunion has yet to come to fruition, Marineford reminded viewers of its relevance.
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The arc also puts a greater focus on both Ace and Luffy’s lineage. Aside from their relation to Garp, Luffy and Ace’s familial situations were never portrayed as particularly noteworthy, which made the revelation that Ace was Gol D. Roger’s son and Luffy Monkey D. Dragon’s all the more surprising. Inserting Roger into the narrative’s events rather thanhaving him remain a legendary figuremade him a much more accessible character, while also adding significance to a character who was now primed for a major role in Dragon.
The Revolutionary Army has been teased at various points in the story, with the resistance group set up as a massive foe to the World Government and Celestial Dragons. Having Dragon be related to the series’ main character made him that much more intriguing, and he’s remained one of the series’ most promising characters even though he’s been featured sparingly since Marineford.
How Its Numerous Revelations PushedOne PieceForward
For many fans, the deaths of Ace and Whitebeard served as the arc’s most prominent development, and remain two of the most poignant moments in the series. Not only did its shock readers, but their deaths would go to have a lasting impact on the narrative going forward, as the latter’s death caused a complete shift in the power dynamic that had been established up to that point. Ace’s death would push Luffy to grow stronger, allowing him meaningful character development and growth that continues to benefit him as the series has soldiered on.
The death of Whitebeard established Blackbeard and his Blackbeard Pirates as a major force in the series, with his acquisition of Whitebeard’s Gura Gura no Mi to go alongside the Yami Yami no Mi potentially making Blackbeard the series’most powerful Devil Fruit user. Blackbeard has been mentioned sparingly since the events of Marineford, and while Kado and Big Mom have been incredible obstacles for the Straw Hats and other members of the worst generation, Blackbeard and his crew are primed to be an even bigger challenge in Luffy’s quest to become Pirate King.
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Whitebeard’s proclamation confirming the existence of the One Piece set off a chain of events that have yet to come full circle in the series. Whitebeard predicted a great war on the horizon, and by giving legitimacy to Roger’s final words, undermined the absolute authority of the World Government and assured major changes would be on the horizon. The conflicts in Wano and Dressrosa have been indicative of a larger confrontation that will likely have a significant impact on the world at large by the time the legendary treasure is found and claimed.
Marineford established a myriad of narrative threads that are still relevant and playing out inOne Piece’sgrand narrative today. Though not the longest arc the series has to offer, it is without a doubt the most impactful as it significantly affected the series’ trajectory post-time-skip. WhileWano might prove to be even more significantby the time it comes to a close, the Marineford arc will remain an essential part of theOne Piecestory.
