The Biggest Character Developments In The One Piece Series

One Piece is an undeniably giant series, but it’s managed to last for so long thanks to its incredible world-building, interesting narratives, and most importantly, its strong cast of characters.

What makes these characters engaging to follow is how they grow and develop throughout the series, and while plenty of characters show this growth, there are some that undergo such massive changes that it’s hard to ignore. But which One Piece characters have changed the most?

8

Nami

Cat Burglar’s Loyalty

While a lot of Nami’s development in One Piece is quite front-loaded, taking place before the crew even enters the Grand Line. It does not change the fact that her changes during the Arlong Park arc are some of the most impactful and emotionally raw to watch.

Nami was open about not taking her early allegiance to the Straw Hats seriously, and when she seemingly betrays the crew, it didn’t even feel like that much of a shock. What is shocking is learning about Nami’s relationship with her home village and how Arlong’s betrayal ends up pushing her to finally rebel and truly join the Straw Hats. While she’s confidently remained as part of the coward trio with Usopp and Chopper, she’s still one of the most loyal members of the crew thanks to the events of Arlong Park.

7

Koby

Growth Spurt

When it comes to characters that are the most noticeably different compared between their introduction and where they are now, Koby is one of the most obvious examples. When looking back at the sniveling victim Koby was, and then the capable and self-assured marine that Koby is now, it really shows just how far Luffy’s inspiration can carry someone.

Of course, it wasn’t just Luffy’s push that led Koby to where he is now, but his tumultuous relationship with Helmeppo and the tough tutelage of Garp. It’s entertaining to see just how much Koby developed physically and mentally in the few short months between parting ways with Luffy and reuniting with him in Water 7. It’s just as satisfying to see how his journey has developed every time we’ve seen him since.

6

Usopp

Never Seen Usopp And Sokeking In The Same Room

Early on in One Piece, while his character was always shown to have a certain level of depth, it was easy to categorize Usopp as comic relief. While he had moments of strength participating in and winning pivotal fights in Arlong Park and Alabasta, it wasn’t until Water 7 that the true depth of Usopp’s nature was uncovered.

Usopp’s conflict with Luffy over the fate of the Going Merry is one of many story threads taking place during the Water 7 saga, but it does a wonderful job of giving Usopp a chance to grow. Sogeking (who some fans theorize is Usopp, but we can’t be sure) filling in as Usopp’s replacement after he leaves the crew is a perfect encapsulation of Usopp’s loyalty while highlighting his avoidant nature. While he hasn’t seen too much development since the time skip, even without this, he’s had one of the strongest character arcs in the crew.

5

Buggy

Clowning Around The Grand Line

When discussing development in One Piece, it’s easy to stick with the core Straw Hats. They’re so easy to love, and we spend so much time following them. But it’s hard to overlook the journey Buggy has been on throughout the series.

The clown pirate with a seemingly gimmicky Devil Fruit ability could’ve easily been a one-off early villain, but it’s never that simple with Buggy. For a clown, it’s only fitting that Buggy’s development has been hilarious, finding himself in increasingly influential positions where he really doesn’t belong, but it’s why he’s such an entertaining character to follow.

4

Law

Slow Burn

While not a member of Luffy’s crew, it sometimes feels like Law is just as important to the overall arc of One Piece, thanks to how consistently relevant he is to the plot. Meeting the leader of the Heart Pirates at Sabaody Archipelago without any prior knowledge, you wouldn’t know just how much the Surgeon of Death would end up changing throughout the series.

Law’s importance to the narrative grows as he aligns himself with the Straw Hats in Punk Hazard, and his connection to the crew and Luffy in particular only grows after his backstory is exposed in the Dressrosa arc. In spite of being one of the longest arcs in the series, Law’s story manages to stand out as a perfect, albeit tragic, explanation for his stoic personality. Even after the Dressrosa arc was resolved, Law has remained relevant, being a major player in the Wano saga especially.

3

Luffy

Hero’s Journey

Thanks to how outgoing, stubborn, and goal-oriented Luffy has been since One Piece began, it’s easy to mistake the protagonist as having a relatively stagnant character arc, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

While Luffy’s disposition has remained similar, he has grown less naive. But thanks to the events soon before and during the time skip, he was forced to mature in important ways that ended up not just benefitting his strength in battle but his leadership ability as captain of the Straw Hats.

2

Robin

Delayed Backstory Payoff

When Robin joined the Straw Hats after acting as an antagonist in Alabasta seemingly out of nowhere, it was clear that there was more to come with this mysterious archaeologist. But it still managed to come as a shock just how impactful and emotional her development would be during the Water 7 saga.

There are plenty of iconic moments in One Piece, but there is a reason why people always return to Robin’s declaration of a will to live in Enies Lobby. This is because it’s such a turning point in her character arc and a satisfying pay-off after learning about everything she went through with the Buster Call on Ohara.

1

Sanji

Family Revelations

Sanji’s initial introduction on the Baratie was enough basis for his character for years of One Piece. His emotional connection to Zeff and the crew on the floating restaurant was a great way for Sanji to have a grounded place in the world of One Piece. That’s why it was such a surprise when the name Vinsmoke came out of nowhere and added extra depth to Sanji’s character so late into the series with the Whole Cake Island arc.

The truth of Sanji’s life before Baratie on Germa 66 adds an extra layer of tragedy to his backstory that we did not know we needed. But it was a great way to push Sanji in an unexpected direction and further mature his character, even after the time skip. While the Whole Cake Island arc is over, Sanji is still shown to be recovering from the impact this has had on him, and it’s amazing to see how his character is still developing.