Story Arcs

Manga Story Arcs
The manga can currently be broken down into 4 parts: the East Blue Saga, the Baroque Works Saga, the Skypiea Saga and the World Government Saga. Each saga is broken up to smaller story arcs.

East Blue Saga

 * Captain Morgan arc- Influenced by Shanks, Luffy starts his journey to become pirate king and meets a boy named Koby who wants to be a Marine. They reach a town controlled by the corrupt Marine captain, Axe-Hand Morgan, where bounty hunter Roronoa Zoro is being held for attacking Morgan's son.


 * Buggy the Clown arc- Luffy and Zoro, who has become his first crewmember, reach a town under contol by the pirate Buggy and they meet a thief named Nami, who hates pirates.


 * Captain Kuro arc- After Nami forms a partnership with the two as their navigator (though she is quick to point out that she is not a crewmate), they reach an island and search for a ship to use. There, they encounter a liar named Usopp, who too has ties to Shanks' pirate crew. When a devious plot is revealed, Usopp's courage is put to the test and the Straw Hats have to fend off a pirate attack.


 * Baratie arc- Usopp joins the crew as a sniper and the Straw Hats go to the sea restaurant, the Baratie, in search of a cook for the ship. However, the restaurant comes under attack by the powerful Don Krieg, who has returned from the Grand Line in ruins and wants to use the Baratie to go back.


 * Arlong arc- With Sanji from the Baratie joining the crew and Nami stealing the ship, the Straw Hats follow after her to an island under the control of the fish-man pirate Arlong. Nami reveals that she is a member of the Arlong Pirates and simply helped the Straw Hats so she could take their gold later. But why would she follow a man like Arlong?


 * Loguetown arc- After Nami officially joins, the crew heads to the last town before the entrance to the Grand Line--Loguetown, the place where Gold Roger was both born and executed. But not only will they have to deal with a powerful Marine captain, but also returning enemies looking for revenge.

Baroque Works Saga

 * Laboon Arc- The crew has entered the Grand Line, but they encounter an obstacle as soon as they get in--a giant whale that swallows the entire ship.


 * Whiskey Peak arc- Led by the mysterious Mr. 9 and Ms. Wednesday, the Straw Hats go to Whiskey Peak, where the townspeople immediately start a party to celebrate their arrival. But there is more to this town than there appears.


 * Little Garden arc- On their mission to bring Princess Vivi to Alabasta, they land at Little Garden, which is actually a huge island that is still stuck in the prehistoric era. However, there are more than dinosaurs on this island, as they find when they encounter two giants that have been dueling for over 100 years and four high-ranking Baroque Works members.


 * Drum Island arc- When Nami catches a fatal illness, the crew is forced to stop at Drum Island, a kingless country that is trying to establish a new government. As they find out, due to the actions of the previous king, Wapol, there is only one doctor left--a "witch" named Dr. Kureha who lives at the top of a mountain. Luffy and Sanji must journey up the mountain, but meanwhile the exiled King Wapol returns to reclaim his country.


 * Alabasta arc- The Straw Hats, with Kureha's assistant Tony Tony Chopper as a new addition, and Vivi finally arrive at Alabasta, which is on the verge of civil war. Vivi must reach the rebel army and tell them the real cause behind the war, but Sir Crocodile, leader of Baroque Works and one of the Shichibukai, won't just stand by and watch.

Skypiea Saga

 * Jaya arc- The crew tearfully leaves Vivi behind and continue on their journey, with Ms. Allsunday, aka Nico Robin, joining as an archaeologist. When a ship inexplicably falls from the sky and the Log Pose starts pointing up, they go to the island of Jaya for information on "Sky Island". There, they encounter Bellamy, a pirate who is heralding a "New Age" where pirates don't dream, and a man named Monteblanc Cricket.


 * Skypiea arc- Riding Knock-Up Stream, the crew finds themselves in the "White Sea", a sea in the sky. However, things aren't as peaceful as they seem, as there is a war between the Sky People and the natives who originally inhabited the Upper Yard, where the cruel "God Eneru" makes his home.

World Government Saga

 * Davy Back Fight arc- When the crew returns to the Blue Sea with gold and dials from Skypiea, they encounter Foxy, a pirate who challenges them to a "Davy Back Fight", a series of games where the winner takes crewmates from the loser. However, even after defeating Foxy, they encounter an enemy whom they have no hope of beating.


 * Water 7 arc- In search of a shipwright to join the crew, they land at the thriving metropolis of Water 7. Here, the crew falls apart as two members leave. Not only that, but the Straw Hats are framed for the attempted assassination of Water 7's mayor and president of the Galley-La shipbuilding company, Iceburg, by the government strike force CP9.


 * Enies Lobby arc- The Straw Hats, Franky Family, and Galley-La team up to rescue Robin, save Franky, and avenge Iceburg. To do this, they attack Enies Lobby, a government stronghold where CP9 is based, declaring war on the World Government.

Chapter Title Page "Mini-Arcs"
Due to the One Piece manga's nature as a weekly serial, each individual chapter has its own title page to start that series' section of Weekly Shonen Jump. While most manga artists use this space either to expand the chapter's length by a page or to draw a one-off illustration, Oda will take minor characters and defeated villains, and give them their own story arcs, which sometimes end up coinciding with the goings-on of Luffy and his crew at some point. Each of these stories, known officially as "Short-Term Focused Title-Page Serials" (短期集中表紙連載 Tanki Shūchū Hyōshi Rensai), runs for 20 to 40 or more consecutive installments, interrupted only by title pages drawn in color. Each "episode" is one panel, with a caption that includes the title of the arc (given by Oda himself) and a description of what happens in the image. After each arc has run its course, there is a set of "normal" chapter title pages that showcases each member of the Straw Hat crew, and then a new story arc is introduced. While these "mini-arcs" (as fans call them) are part of the canon manga story, only two have appeared thus far in the anime: those of Buggy and his crew (episodes 46–47) and of Koby and Helmeppo (episodes 68–69).

There are currently eight title page story arcs in the manga.


 * 1) Buggy's Crew: After the Battle! (An Account of Buggy & Crew's Adventures (バギー一味冒険記 Bagī Ichimi Bōken-Ki) in the Japanese version), ch. 35–75 (28 installments, plus 2 "sidestories" with Richie as captain)
 * 2) *Chronicles the misadventures of Buggy the Clown as he makes his way across the sea without his limbs or torso, and his crew as they choose a new captain and (literally) get themselves into hot water. Also marks the reappearance of another pirate captain in a new form.
 * 3) Koby and Helmeppo's Chronicle of Toil (A Diary of Koby-Meppo's Struggles (コビメッポ奮闘日記 Kobimeppo Funtō Nikki)), ch. 84–119 (30 installments)
 * 4) *Follows Koby and Helmeppo's trials and tribulations as Chore Boys in the Navy, the incident involving Helmeppo's father, and their being taken in by Vice-Admiral Garp.
 * 5) Django's Dance Paradise (ジャンゴのダンス天国 Jango no Dansu Tengoku), ch. 126–172 (37 installments)
 * 6) *Follows Django from his abandonment by his crew, to his fateful meeting with Fullbody, all the way to his enlistment as a member of the Navy.
 * 7) Hatchan's Sea-Floor Stroll (はっちゃんの海底散歩 Hacchan no Kaitei Sanpo), ch. 182–228 (40 installments)
 * 8) *Hatchan escapes from prison and travels the ocean, meeting various characters. Though he is spurned by Octopako, the object of his affections, he finds fulfillment in running a takoyaki stand.
 * 9) Wapol's Omnivorous Hurrah (ワポルの雑食バンザイ Waporu no Zasshoku Banzai), ch. 236–262 (23 installments)
 * 10) *Shows what happened to Wapol after he was knocked out of the Drum Kingdom. Though he is reduced to abject poverty, his Devil Fruit powers prove useful and he soon ascends to power once more as the wealthy CEO of a toy company.
 * 11) Ace's Great Blackbeard Search (エースの黒ひげ大捜査線 Ēsu no Kurohige Daisōsasen), ch. 272–305 (29 installments)
 * 12) *Follows Ace as he searches for Blackbeard on behalf of his captain, Whitebeard. During the course of his travels, he befriends the milk-maiden Moda, and infiltrates the Naval base G2 where he is able to obtain classified documents about Blackbeard's whereabouts, as well as help reunite Moda with her parents.
 * 13) Gedatsu's Accidental Blue-Sea Life (ゲダツのうっかり青海暮らし Gedatsu no Ukkari Seikai-Gurashi), ch. 314–348 (32 installments)
 * 14) *Shows what happens to Gedatsu after he loses his battle to Chopper and falls from Skypiea. Through a series of accidents and coincidences, he ends up as the business partner of Goro, Koza's uncle, and helps him found a hot spring resort.
 * 15) Miss Goldenweek's "Operation: Meet Baroque Works" (ミスG・Wの作戦名「ミーツ・バロック」 Misu Gōruden Wīku no Sakusenmei "Mītsu Barokku"), ch. 359—413 (42 installments)
 * 16) * Follows the adventures of Miss Goldenweek, Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine as they escape from Little Garden after hearing of the demise of Baroque Works. The three end up on a resort island where Captain Hina is taking a break from capturing Baroque Works. The three disguise themselves to hide from the marines, but Hina still manages to capture Miss Valentine. She demands that the remaining Baroque Works members (Mr. 5, Miss Goldenweek, and Mr. 3) turn themselves in, or they will execute Miss Valentine. Mr. 2 Bon Clay ends up pretending to be Mr. 3 in order to allow the others to save Miss Valentine. Miss Goldenweek's group then heads to a marine prison, where they free the other Baroque Works members. However, Sir Crocodile and Mr. 1 refuse to escape. The others (Miss Doublefinger, Mr. 4, and Miss Merry Christmas, as well as Mr. 4's dog-gun Lassoo) leave with Goldenweek, and they start a new Spider's Cafe. Meanwhile, Crocodile and Mr. 1, along with the recently captured Mr. 2 and Mr. 3, are transferred to Impel Down.
 * 17) Where They are Now (あの人は今 Ano Hito wa Ima), ch. 424-427 (3 installments)
 * 18) * Covers what the Skypieans are currently up to.
 * 19) Eneru's Space Operations (エネルのスペース大作戦 Eneru no Supēsu Daisakusen), ch 428- (ongoing)
 * 20) * Eneru uses his flying ship, the Maxim, to finally reach the moon; which he believes to be the Fairy Vearth.

Anime-Only Arcs (filler arcs)
Because the One Piece manga is still ongoing, Toei Animation uses non-manga material (filler) as a way to slow down the progression of the plot. If the anime were to catch up with the manga, Toei would either have to wait for Oda to release more manga chapters, take the story in a direction independent of the manga (as was done in Rurouni Kenshin, InuYasha and Fullmetal Alchemist), or simply end it; any of these would likely damage the popularity of the series, and would not reflect well on either Toei Animation or Oda. Thus, additional material is the only viable alternative.

Unlike non-manga material in many other shows, most One Piece filler takes place in story arcs independent from the main plot, and having little to no effect on the subsequent canon story. These arcs also generally consist of lighter fare than Oda's own work, containing much more comedy, the presence of child characters, and little in the way of drama. Currently, the anime has four story arcs not present in the manga:


 * 1) Warship Island Arc (a.k.a. Apis arc): comes between the East Blue and Baroque Works sagas. The Straw Hat Pirates attempt to help a mysterious girl named Apis and a "Thousand Year Dragon" named Ryuji, while combating the nefarious Erik and the Naval forces after the dragon. It was completely cut from the English-dubbed anime. Despite the arc's low reputation among fans, its removal struck many as an uncharacteristic move on the part of 4Kids, as the Warship Island arc seems to be aimed at younger viewers than the majority of the series, featuring very little content that 4Kids would consider "objectionable" by its standards.
 * 2) Filler Arcs: comes between the Baroque Works and Jaya/Skypiea sagas. It is composed of several standalone episodes, followed by two short story arcs.
 * 3) G8 Arc: comes after the end of the Jaya/Skypiea saga. Instead of splashing down in open sea, the Going Merry (Merry Go in English versions) is trapped within the enclosed and heavily fortified waters of a Navy base, where the crew must scatter to survive before attempting to retake their ship and escape.
 * 4) Ocean's Dream Arc: follows the Long Ring Long Land/Davy Back Fight arc and precedes the crew's arrival at Water Seven. The crew loses its memory and has to get it back before they can continue. It is notable in that it is the only non-manga storyline thus far to be based on a One Piece videogame (Ocean's Dream, released for the Sony PlayStation in 2003).
 * 5) Foxy's Return Arc: Immediately after the Ocean's Dream Arc is this two-episode short filler arc describing what became of the defeated Foxy and his crew following the Davy Back Fight.  After the arc's end there is a short transition to the meeting with Ao Kiji, handled differently in the manga.
 * 6) Enies Lobby Straw Hat Crew Recap. Episodes recaping the current crew plus Usopp's past

TV Specials
Every year or two, a one-hour special episode is aired in place of a normal episode.


 * 1) Adventure in the Ocean's Naval (aired after Episode 53)- The Straw Hats encounter a city in the middle of a whirlpool, called the Ocean's Naval, that is being destroyed by giant monsters. These monsters supposidly protect a treasure capable of granting wishes, but in the process of defeating these guardians, the crew ends up releasing another evil.
 * 2) Open Upon the Great Sea! A Father's Huge, HUGE Dream! (aired after Episode 149)- The crew comes across three children and two adults, posing as a family. As it turns out, the oldest child knows the location of a great treasure discovered by her late father, and they are on the run from a pirate with a dangerous ability.
 * 3) Protect! The Last Great Performance (aired after Episode 174)- It is the last performance of a great actor and playwright, but several actors suddenly quit. Luckily, the Straw Hats offer to take their place. However, the quitting actors turns out to be more than a coincidence when they meet a Marine with a grudge against the playwright.
 * 4) The Detective Memoirs of Chief Straw Hat Luffy (aired after Episode 253)- In an alternate reality world that takes place in ancient Japan, Luffy acts as a member of the secret police. This is made up of two adventures. In the first, Buggy makes trouble in the town. In the second, a mysterious girl named Vivi appears. This special contains several cameos from characters throughout the entire series.