Key Takeaways
- Character introductions in One Piece are epic and bizarre, capturing the tone of the series.
- Kizaru arriving on a cannonball, Blackbeard’s meal opinion, and Kaido’s failed ways of dying.
- Introductions must be unique, characterizing, and timed right for impactful storytelling.
One Piece has always been a series with some of the most interesting characters of all time. With tons of world-building and references that hype up a character before their introduction, seeing a new important character enter the series is always one of One Piece’s greatest moments. Getting to finally see a character after years of hearing about it is certain to make for a great introduction to the story.
When this happens, fans are bound to be in for an absolute treat, since One Piece has some amazing character introductions. If the build-up and pre-reveal development weren’t enough, the physical reveal of each character is usually equal parts bizarre and amazing. From musical numbers to flying in through the air on a cannonball, the best One Piece characters know how to arrive in style.
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What Makes a Great Introduction in One Piece?
Style and Substance
To be considered the best introduction in the series, the character has to be revealed in full for the first time. If the character has already appeared in the story briefly as a One Piece silhouette or otherwise incomplete figure, without an official introduction, then the moment of their full introduction will be considered as their real introduction. This means that Big Mom’s song will not be considered as her introduction, as the character was revealed nearly in full, with a title card earlier in the series.
I’ve arrived. – Kizaru upon landing on Sabaody
Overall, these introductions to the story of One Piece need to accomplish a few things. Firstly, they need to capture One Piece’s tone, being equal parts bizarre and epic. Next, these moments need to help characterize the character from the moment the audience sees them for the first time. Finally, the introduction must have some unique and creative factor to it that helps it stand out from the others.
Kizaru and Blackbeard Arrive in One Piece in Style
Two Villains Approach
Firstly, one of the best introductions to the show would have to be Kizaru’s cannonball ride in One Piece’s Sbaody Archipelago Arc. This moment perfectly captures the character of Kizaru, someone so lazy and uninterested that rather than walking to the island, he would ride a cannonball instead. On top of helping in his characterization, this moment is also something extremely unexpected, but admittedly cool, that no other character in the series has done before. While there are better moments than this, Kizaru’s introduction is definitely worth mentioning.
Next up would have to be the One Piece villain, Blackbeard’s, introduction to the story. While more tame than Kizaru’s, Blackbeard is shown directly contradicting Luffy in the simple act of declaring their opinion on the meal they’re eating. While simple, this moment instantly sets up Blackbeard as someone who shares ideals with Luffy yet is different from him in some fundamental ways. Additionally, for a villain, this is an extremely unique introduction that exemplifies the interesting perspectives that One Piece takes on its characters.
Kaido Truly Captures the Essence of a One Piece Introduction
A Legendary Pirate Arrives
Finally, however, arguably the best introduction of the series would have to be the Captain of the Beats Pirates, Kaido. From the moment you see him, you know that Kaido is tough. With his hobby being explained that he likes to find various ways to potentially die, with none of them working so far, seeing Kaido fall from a sky island as a narrator lists all the failed ways to kill Kaido is on a completely different level. This moment is equal parts strange and epic, and finally seeing the character fully emerge after falling from the earth cements this moment as the best One Piece introduction.
I survived again. Old Whitebeard did it right. – Kaido
In the end, other introductions, like Corazon’s and the former Emperor of the Sea, Big Mom’s, definitely deserve some recognition. Plus, overall, it’s hard to think of a completely bad character introduction in One Piece. Generally, the characters appear with style and grace, but most importantly, they appear at interesting and impactful moments in the story. The characters themselves don’t appear when it would be the coolest to appear, they appear when the story naturally allows them to, making for much more compelling character introductions in the long run.
