One Piece Characters Whose Appearances Have Changed The Most

Summary

• Buggy changed drastically post-timeskip with longer, spiky hair and flashier outfits.
• Eustass Kid sports battle scars and a new robot arm post encounters with Shanks and Kaido.
• Chopper’s appearance underwent a colorful transformation, becoming more vibrant and confident.

While One Piece as a series has been around for quite a while, spanning back to the late 1990s, a lot of time has also passed for the characters within the universe too. As fans of the series will already know, there is a two-year timeskip in the middle of the story which gives not just the Straw Hats, but every character within the One Piece world some time to train, grow, and mature, but it also provides a chance for them to switch up their appearance a little too.

While everyone will end up looking at least a little different with age, author Eiichiro Oda decided to give a handful of characters a drastic overhaul in terms of their overall design over this period. Sometimes, this can be symbolic of how far they’ve come since the beginning of the series, or it can simply be to make them more visually interesting, since it can be hard to stand out in a series like this one, which is packed full of wacky and vibrant designs. Either way, these characters below are the ones who have seen the biggest changes to their appearances throughout One Piece‘s long-running story.

1

Buggy

Buggy Opts For A More Chaotic Hairstyle And Outfit After The Timeskip

• First Appearance: Episode 1

Since Buggy is often treated as a comic relief character within the story, it makes sense he would retain his goofy clown-like face paint and bright red nose throughout the timeskip. Aside from that though, pretty much everything about this future Yonko has changed, with the most noticeable difference being his bright blue hair, which is now much longer and more spiky.

Buggy also went through the effort of completely redesigning his pirate hat, and can often be seen dressed in exuberant and flashy outfits, in stark contrast to his plain costumes seen at the beginning of the series. Though he’s still easy to recognize thanks to his silly demeanor and menacing grin, Buggy’s appearance has drastically changed from when he first debuted.

2

Eustass Kid

Kid’s Encounter With Shanks Gave Him Some Lifelong Battle Scars And A New Arm

• First Appearance: Episode 392

The ferocious captain known as Eustass Kid first made his debut in the series along with the other Supernovas back in Sabaody, where he appeared as a young and violent up-and-comer who had a long road ahead of him. Over the two-year gap, Kidd confronted a fair share of dangerous pirates, including Shanks, who would slice off Kid’s left arm, and give him a few battle scars as a parting gift.

This meant that, when Kidd comes back later in the story, he looks like he’s gone to hell and back, now being fitted with a robotic arm to replace his missing limb, and having wounds all over his body. Just from a glance, fans can understand that Kid has been through quite a bit of hardship, but considering his love for violence and suffering, this has probably only helped to make him even stronger.

3

Tony Tony Chopper

Everyone’s Favorite Reindeer Used To Look A Lot Different During The Drum Island Arc

• First Appearance: Episode 81

Tony Tony Chopper, the doctor of the Straw Hat crew, once had a pretty plain design when he first showed up in Drum Island. Aside from the dirty red top hat and dark bottoms, Chopper didn’t have much else that made his appearance stand out. Due to his growing popularity, it seemed as though Oda wanted to make Chopper look more cheerful and vibrant, especially since he was the most marketable character in the entire series.

Following this, Chopper looks like an entirely different reindeer after the timeskip, with his hat now being decorated with a cocktail of flashy colors, and his mouth being more visible than it was before, highlighting his newfound confidence. Of course, Chopper also has his Rumble Ball, which has allowed him to take on many other appearances, from the comical-looking Kung Fu Point, to the utterly terrifying Monster Point.

4

Aokiji

The Former Admiral Has Been Switching Up His Appearances To Reflect His Current Alliance

• First Appearance: Episode 226

Aokiji is a rather unusual character in the series. Though he was an Admiral for the Marines at the beginning of the story, it was clear that he wasn’t all that enthralled by the way the World Government operated. As a result, his original appearance saw him wear a professional suit and tie, which still looked like a casual fit thanks to his sleeping mask and unkept hair, showcasing his prestigious status, but also his laziness.

After leaving his post and abandoning the Marines, Aokiji changed up his entire look to reflect his new identity as a nomad. With shades covering his eyes, a beanie strapped over his hair, and a large open green trench coat, Aokiji transforms his appearance as a way to symbolize how he has moved on from his past occupation.

5

Helmeppo

From No-Good Ruffian To Sharp And Stoic SWORD Member, Helmeppo’s Change In Appearance Reflects His Newfound Maturity

• First Appearance: Episode 2

To put it simply, Helmeppo is completely unrecognizable these days compared to his early designs. When he was still a lowly Marine, Helmeppo sported a bright blonde bowl cut, along with always having a mischievous or cowardly look on his face, depending on the situation. However, it seems as though his training with Garp completely changed him, as after the timeskip, Helmeppo is shown to be a lot bigger with his long-flowing hair now being tied back, while his eyes are covered by a black visor.

Not only that, but the silly facial expressions have been completely replaced by serious and stoic scowls. With Helmeppo learning about the true responsibilities of being a Marine, alongside the dangers that await him along his adventures, he decided to change his appearance to reflect his newfound maturity and status.

6

Perona

Perona’s Creepy And Unnerving Design Has Been Softened A Little Over Time

• First Appearance: Episode 338

Perona goes through a pretty random adventure of her own after she shows up in Thriller Bark. From a visual perspective, Perona starts as a fairly timid and creepy young girl whose giant black eyes and sinister grin would invoke fear into anyone who’d dared to cross her. However, upon being transported to Mihawk’s island, and forced to live alongside complete strangers, she begins to grow and mature, with her appearance changing in the process.

When Perona rocks up to Sabaody with Zoro after the timeskip, she can now be seen to have much softer facial features, and while the big black eyes are still there, she is also shown to be smiling a lot more, and has even changed her hairstyle. It’s also hard to mention Perona’s appearance without talking about her ever-changing fashion sense, which has gone from quirky shirts and skirts to long formal dresses and top hats.

7

Sengoku

• First Appearance: Episode 151

Though Sengoku is the head of the Marine fleet for the first half of the story, it’s pretty clear that he’s a man who is far past his prime. As a result, over the two years, his position was handed down to Akainu. That’s not all that changed during the timeskip though, as Sengoku’s appearance also went through a pretty significant overhaul, with all of his hair turning from black to gray.

Additionally, he can be seen with a lot more wrinkles on his face, which is another way to emphasize just how experienced this guy truly is as a Marine, while also feeding into his persona of being the wise old man of the fleet. Still, as fans of the series will know very well, looks can be deceiving, as while he may look a little old and fragile these days, Sengoku still possesses an absurd amount of power underneath the cold exterior.

8

Koby

Garp Helped Koby Become The Marine He’s Always Wanted To Be

• First Appearance: Episode 1

Koby has come a very long way from the days of being a cowardly stowaway with big dreams of becoming a Marine. After some much-needed training with Garp, Koby not only gained a newfound sense of confidence and determination, he also changed up his entire appearance. Though he has kept the bright pink hair, he looks pretty much unrecognizable in every other aspect, both with his facial features and his outfits.

As a fully-fledged Marine, Koby needs to ensure he looks the part, so it’s understandable that he would look more professional and well put together upon entering the fleet by donning the Marine cape, yet his signature glasses still ensure fans that this is the same quirky kid from all those episodes ago. It would have been difficult to imagine back in the day when he was still a youngster, but Koby now looks like a strong and capable soldier with his new appearance, which is way different from his old look.