One Piece has provided manga and anime fans with endless hours of entertainment since the show’s inception in 1999. With over 1,000 episodes released over the course of decades, the trials and travails of Monkey D. Luffy and his band of Straw Hat Pirates continue to spawn celebratory memes that underscore the humor of the series as well as touch on the larger thematic and character motifs the beloved anime has become known for.
Whether it’s the cryptic origin story, the mysteries of Devil Fruit, the principles of Haki, the longevity of the series, and much more, fans of One Piece have memed every aspect of the series thus far.
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One Piece Treasure Origin
Source: 9Gag.com
To sum up the One Piece franchise, it would be wise to start at the beginning. The origin of the Pirate Era in the popular anime comes when the mighty Gol D. Roger claims he is the King of the Pirates and tells a crowd of locals that he stashed his loot in the One Piece location. For his honesty, Roger is swiftly killed in Logue Town.
Of course, it’s easy to wonder what One Piece would look like had Gol D. Roger never flat-out given away the whereabouts of his hidden treasure, which makes the meme so hilariously true while also springboarding the plot.
One Piece Longevity
One of the first things that stick out about the beloved long-running animated series is how long the show has lasted and the large number of episodes produced between 1999 and 2021. One of the longest-running anime in history, fans are also sick and tired of having to defend the length of the show when recommending it to friends and fellow anime lovers. Some argue the show is too long, others feel it needs more episodes.
The dismayed look on the character’s face perfectly illustrates the frustrations fans feel about the show, especially fair-weather fans who are unwilling to take the full plunge and watch every episode from start to finish.
Diversity Matters
In general terms, One Piece fans know how long the series is and how necessary series creator Eiichiro Oda felt it was to diversify the characters to keep the storylines fresh. Yet for a show about pirates sailing the high seas, fans didn’t quite expect such monster mashups as zombies, robots, and dinosaurs also taking center stage.
Yet, as fans comb through more than 1,000 episodes of One Piece, they often do get to see such beasts clash on the show, making the question at the bottom of the meme legitimate as they come.
Zombie Apocalypse
Source: Imgur
Speaking of zombies, One Piece fans will never be able to shake the image of Luffy simply stuffing a zombie back into its grave during the Thriller Bark Arc. Hilarious, unrealistic, yet perfectly in line with Luffy’s superiority, the image has been immortalized in meme form.
What makes the moment in the show so funny and the meme extra amusing is the comment Luffy makes directly after cramming a zombie back into its hole in the ground, stating that the zombie was in fact a gravely-ill elderly man. The moment captures Luffy’s mordant sense of humor as well as that of the show writ large. The thought of Luffy taking on a zombie apocalypse in such a way is too good.
Sanji’s Cigarette Of Death
One of the most common occurrences in One Piece is how much Sanji enjoys smoking cigarettes. Of course, with the pirate’s hot temper, Sanji does not appreciate it when the other characters attempt to light his cigarette for him. In fact, the two characters who tried to do Sanji such a favor ended up losing their life.
The meme hilariously points out how Sanji’s signature cigarette has become a harbinger of doom after Luffy’s brother Ace and Pedro both died shortly after attempting to light Sanji’s cigarette in the Arabasta and the Whole Cake Island arcs.
The Almighty Haki
Every One Piece fan knows Haki is the name of the mysterious power that allows the characters to harness their unique spiritual energy. Haki comes in three distinct forms: Kenbunshoku (Observation), Busoshoku (Armament), and Haoshoku (Conquer). The power of the Haoshoku Haki is so immense when transferring energy from one person to another that it often weakens a foe so severely that they simply collapse to the floor.
The meme perfectly encapsulates the Haoshoku Haki as it relates to futbol players flopping on the ground at the slightest touch, completely incapacitating them while the original wielder stands upright completely unaffected.
Usopp Took It Personally
One of the most memorable moments in arguably the equally iconic Arabasta Arc came when Usopp took a bat to the head multiple times before standing up for Luffy’s dream to become the Pirate King. Usopp’s action marked a huge turning point for the character by finally sticking up for Luffy and supporting his hopes and aspirations, giving a lengthy monologue about how nobody can laugh at his friends. Fans have loved Usopp ever since.
In reference to the classic Michael Jordan meme from the must-watch sports documentary The Last Dance, in which the NBA legend states “And I took that personally” in regards to the times he felt slighted on the basketball court, Usopp takes serious umbrage anytime someone other than Luffy expresses the desire to be king.
Zoro Is Lost Again?
Source: Aminoapps.com
One of the longest-running gags every One Piece fan is sure to recall is how often the eminently-quotable swordsman Zoro gets lost before and after the time jump. What makes the motif so silly is how, even when the mangroves are clearly numbered like they were in the Sabaody Archipelago Arc, Zoro still managed to get completely lose his way and fall behind.
While several hysterical Zoro gets lost memes can be found online, few are as simple and succinct as the one from Dark King Rayleigh that adds Zoro’s face among the long-running cast of characters on the hit mystery series Lost. Indeed, Zoro getting lost so often is a mystery no one can solve.
Luffy The Impersonator
Source: Me.Me
Another well-known running gag in One Piece is how much Luffy enjoys imitating his crewmates. He impersonated Chopper with the assistance of Nico Robin’s power, acted like Usopp by yanking his nose, mispronounced “Oni-girya” as if he was Zoro, and even had the gall to impersonate Sanji’s smoking habits.
The meme captures the latter instance in which he made Usopp cry with laughter after pretending to Sanji smoking a cigarette and speaking with a glazed-over look in his eye. The meme sums up Luffy’s playful kinship with his fellow pirates, a recurring motif on the show.