From the beginning, One Piece has tried its best to avoid meaningless episodes, but even this shonen masterpiece has filler content worth skipping.
One Piece is one of the longest-running anime in the medium’s history, but despite its long-standing nature, the series is nowhere near finishing up. The pirate-themed shonen (based on Eiichiro Oda’s legendary manga of the same title) has well over 1000 episodes — only a small percentage of which are of the filler variety.
Unlike many other shonen series, One Piece does a fantastic job of avoiding pointless filler episodes. However, on rare occasions, it falls victim to the same shortcomings that plague similar titles within the genre. With this in mind, there are more than a few One Piece filler arcs which even the most diehard fans would be wise to avoid.
Updated on August 25, 2023 by Kennedy King: As One Piece moves into what has been confirmed to be its final saga, there are more eyes than ever on the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates. Although filler episodes have become less prevalent as the series has continued, that doesn’t mean they haven’t continued to pop up throughout One Piece post-timeskip. Because of this, even the most veteran fans of the franchise should be on the lookout for new, non-canon material.
1Warship Island Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 54-61
The Warship Island arc is the first filler arc that takes place during One Piece. It’s set just after the East Blue Saga and before the Straw Hat Pirates go into the Grand Line. In the arc, a young girl named Apis escapes from a military warship and is rescued while floating in the ocean by the Straw Hat Pirates.
For a multitude of reasons, the Warship Island arc is clearly unimportant to the overall plot of One Piece. Apis, nor any other characters from the arc, make appearances later in the series, and the titular island that they reside on isn’t even confirmed to exist. Given this arc’s position in the narrative, fans would be better suited skipping straight to the Straw Hats’ journey into the Grand Line.
2Post-Alabasta Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 131-135
As one can probably guess by its title, the Post-Alabasta Arc occurs immediately following One Piece‘s Alabasta Arc. The filler arc doesn’t have one overarching plot, like many filler arcs do. Instead, each of the five episodes are standalone tales featuring a different member of the Straw Hat Pirates.
To be fair, the Post-Alabasta arc provides insight into each of the Straw Hat Pirates’ goals and histories. However, these episodes are narratively shallow, and due to Nico Robin and Monkey D. Luffy’s absence, they lack the oomph to justify watching them.
3Goat Island Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 136-138
In the Goat Island Arc, the Straw Hat Pirates land on an island inhabited by an old man and his goats while hiding from Marine ships. They befriend the old man, and when the Marines find them on the island, the Straw Hat Pirates fight against them alongside him and his goats.
While on Goat Island, the Straw Hats also continuously lose their belongings (including their ship) to the old man in various games. Unsurprisingly, the Straw Hat Pirates win all their belongings back, turning this slog of a filler arc into an inconsequential series of events best left unseen.
4Ruluka Island Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 139-143
Like many of the filler arcs in One Piece, the Ruluka Island Arc begins with Luffy and the Going Merry crew being chased by the Marines and finding themselves on an unusual island. In this case, the crew ends up on Ruluka Island, where a dictator has been overtaxing the island’s citizens in the hopes of financing the construction of the Rainbow Tower.
Set shortly before the Jaya and Skypiea arcs, Ruluka Island finds itself in an unforgiving narrative position. At this point in the anime, most fans are probably clamoring to see the fallout of Alabasta, only for there to be back-to-back filler arcs that prevent them from doing so. Accordingly, it makes sense to skip both the Goat Island and Ruluka Island arcs at the exact same time.
5G-8 Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 196-206
The G-8 Arc comes directly after the Sky Island Saga, in which the Straw Hat Pirates find their way to the Sky Island, otherwise thought of only as a myth. When their ship returns to the sea, instead of landing in open water, they find themselves in a heavily fortified Marine base. From there, they have to figure out how to reclaim their ship and escape.
Compared to most filler arcs, the G-8 episodes are actually fairly high quality. However, since the arc ends in virtually the exact same situation as it begins (i.e. the Straw Hat Pirates suspended from a hot air balloon), it’s not worth watching for most viewers.
6Ocean’s Dream Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 220-224
The Ocean’s Dream Arc is based on the One Piece PlayStation video game of the same name. Everyone on the ship, except for Nico Robin, finds themselves without any of their memories of being in the Straw Hat Pirates. This causes chaos among the crew, who no longer recognize each other, and ultimately makes them all feel that each of them is a threat.
Eventually, the Straw Hat Pirates slowly realize that they were dreaming about the same boy blowing an instrument underwater. While the Ocean’s Dream arc is a fun detour, it’s incredibly different from the rest of One Piece. This, coupled with the lack of character development in the arc, makes it an absolute must-skip for first-time watchers.
7Foxy’s Return Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 225-228
The events of Long Ring Long Island introduce Foxy and the Foxy Pirate crew to One Piece. During the Foxy’s Return filler arc (which occurs shortly after the Long Ring Long Island arc), Foxy and two of his crew, Porche and Hamburg, are floating in a small boat on the ocean. Luffy sees them from the Going Merry and brings them aboard until they find their ship.
Effectively, all the Foxy’s Return arc does is rehash the Straw Hat Pirates’ relationship with Foxy — one of the most disliked characters in One Piece history. Perhaps this filler arc would’ve been more impactful had it not occurred immediately after Foxy’s introduction. Alas, it does not, and as a result, most fans would benefit from instantly skipping it for the setup of the Water 7 arc.
8Ice Hunter Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 326-335
In the Ice Hunter arc, the Straw Hat Pirates run across a crew on a damaged ship and decide to help them. It turns out, however, that the people on the ship work for a family of bounty hunters named the Accino Family, creating an enemy isn’t the Marines.
The work conducted by bounty hunters is rarely explored in One Piece, minus a few brief references by Johnny and Yosaku. Because of this, the events of the Ice Hunter arc feel distinctly separate from the normal adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it adds little value to this filler arc.
9Spa Island Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 382-384
No anime is truly complete without a spa arc, and One Piece is no different. The Spa Island arc depicts the Straw Hat Pirates as they stop at Spa Island, an artificial island with many recreational activities. The pirates split up to enjoy themselves and end up meeting a young girl named Lina and her sister Sayo, who is holding onto a curious notebook she won’t let anyone see.
Like most spa episodes, the Spa Island arc adds virtually no substance to One Piece‘s events. As if this wasn’t bad enough, Foxy and his crew also appear, turning this arc into a jumbled mess of fan service with little direction or intrigue.
10Little East Blue Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 426-429
The Little East Blue arc is a four-episode arc meant to lead directly into the One Piece Film: Strong World. The story finds the Straw Hat Pirates on an island that is pretty much a replica of East Blue, where many of them are from.
While enjoying themselves, the Amigo Pirates attack and capture the Straw Hats, leading to a battle between Luffy and the Amigo Pirates’ leader, Largo. For fans looking to watch One Piece Film: Strong World, the Little East Blue arc is totally worth checking out. Otherwise, it’s best left unwatched.
11Z’s Ambition Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 575-578
The Z’s Ambition Arc is the first One Piece filler arc to occur after the time skip. The episodes also act as a set-up for the film, One Piece Film: Z. In the arc, the Straw Hat Pirates make their way into the New World, only to suddenly end up surrounded by a fleet of Marine ships.
As with the Little East Blue arc and One Piece Film: Strong World, Z’s Ambition primarily appeals to fans who plan to watch One Piece Film: Z shortly after the arc. For everyone else, these filler episodes are meaningless.
12Caesar Retrieval Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 626-628
The Caesar Retrieval arc follows the kidnapping of Caesar Clown, who the Straw Hat Pirates have held captive on their ship. The story involves several parties who want to capture Caesar, trying to recapture him after a mysterious person kidnaps him off the Thousand Sunny.
As far as filler episodes go, the Caesar Retrieval arc isn’t terrible. It provides a closer look at Caesar Clown and his connection to many of One Piece‘s main characters, adding some depth to one of One Piece‘s most underappreciated villains. However, given its nonexistent impact on the narrative, the sequence can certainly be skipped.
13Silver Mine Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 747-750
The Silver Mine arc is another filler arc that takes place as a lead-up to a film — in this case, One Piece Film: Gold. In the arc, the Silver Mine Alliance kidnaps Luffy and Bartolomeo and holds them captive in a large fortress located in the pirates’ silver mine. Luffy and Bartolomeo work their way through the mine, fighting off pirates as they go.
By the time the Silver Mine arc happens, Monkey D. Luffy has clearly established himself as one of the most formidable pirates on the Grand Line. This makes the mundane nature of the Silver Mine arc a bit off-putting, as its gravitas pales compared to the arcs sandwiched between.
14Marine Rookie Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 780-782
In the Marine Rookie arc, Luffy wastes all the food supplies the Sanji Retrieval Team has, placing the group on the brink of starvation. To replenish their supply of food, they break into a Marine base, attack some soldiers, steal their uniforms, and once they’re disguised, raid their food storage.
Although the Marine Rookie arc is a fun detour, it offers little substance to incentivize One Piece fans to check it out. There are no cameos, very little action, and zero major costume changes, making it one of the least impactful sequences in the entire series.
15Cidre Guild Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 895-896
As with most filler episodes in One Piece post-timeskip, the Cidre Guild arc is another filler arc that ties directly into a film — this time, One Piece: Stampede. During these episodes, Luffy encounters the Cidre Guild, a group of bounty hunters who have been on the Straw Hat Pirates’ tail for some time.
The Cidre Guild arc takes place just before the events of Wano Country, and as a result, it pales in comparison to the episodes that it immediately precedes. By this point in the series, fans are likely clamoring to see the strength of the Beast Pirates, rendering this arc an unnecessary exercise in patience.
16Uta’s Past Arc
One Piece Filler Episodes 1029-1030
For the most part, all One Piece‘s filler episodes after the timeskip generally serve a single purpose: introducing the narrative of an upcoming movie. Such is the case with the Uta’s Past arc, which details the history between Monkey D. Luffy and Shanks’ daughter, Uta, prior to the events of One Piece Film: Red.
Technically, the One Piece manga confirms Uta is indeed part of the franchise’s canon. However, it only briefly mentions her, making the events of the Uta’s Past arc an anime-only creation until future notice. Accordingly, fans would be much better suited to skip it in favor of watching the canonical events tied to the Raid on Onigashima.
