One Piece Characters Who Deserved More Screentime

Summary

• Some One Piece characters deserved more screentime to explore their stories and powers.
• Characters like Urouge, Crocus, and Aokiji have been intriguing but underdeveloped.
• Fan-favorites like Portgas D. Ace and Zeff have been mentioned but rarely seen in the story.

Considering the staggering number of characters packed into the world of One Piece, being able to get any screentime is already a blessing. Still, some individuals deserved more than they were given. There are a few reasons why fans may want a character to be more present within the story, but a major one is simply to learn more about them. Luffy and the gang have encountered tons of characters with fascinating stories to tell and incredible powers to show off, though unfortunately, many didn’t get to stick around for all that long in the story.

Admittedly, the Straw Hats can’t waste much time in their grand adventure of finding the One Piece treasure, so it’s highly likely they would probably have spent far longer hanging out with these characters if time was a luxury they could afford. Still, it’s always fun to imagine how some characters would have impacted the story and world of One Piece if they were given an extra few episodes to show what they’re truly made of.

1

Urouge

One Of The Most Powerful Members Of The Worst Generation Has Been Absent For Much Of The Story

• First Appearance: Episode 392

Unlike the other members of the Worst Generation who have popped up frequently throughout the story, Urouge has barely been given any screentime since he made his debut in Sabaody. Aside from his introductory scene, Urouge can also be seen sitting behind Kaido moments before the Yonko plunges himself off the Sky Island, but that’s all fans have been able to see of him thus far.

Despite that, the Mad Monk has been mentioned numerous times by other characters, with it even being revealed that he succeeded in taking down one of Big Mom’s commanders, Snacks, which is no easy feat. Clearly, he’s a man who possesses immense power, but his lack of overall screentime means barely anything else is known about this mysterious pirate captain.

2

Crocus

As A Former Member Of Roger’s Crew, Crocus Has Plenty Of Stories He Could Share With The Straw Hats

• First Appearance: Episode 62

When Luffy and the Straw Hats first meet Crocus, it’s very early on in their adventure during their attempt to navigate through Reverse Mountain. While Crocus gave Luffy and the gang some wise words of advice, alongside a handy Log-Pose to guide them toward each new island, the arc he appears in is extremely brief, meaning the former member of Roger’s crew doesn’t get to chat with them for all too long.

This is a real shame considering Crocus has a plethora of fascinating stories to tell as the doctor of the most infamous pirate crew that ever sailed the glistening seas. Though he has been shown through flashbacks here and there, it would be a real treat for longtime fans if this iconic character were able to show his face more often.

3

Aokiji

The Effortlessly Cool Admiral Tends To Operate Behind The Scenes

• First Appearance: Episode 227

Any time Aokiji shows up in the story, which is a rare occurrence in and of itself, he only appears for no more than a few moments before hopping back on his bike and pedaling away to the next island. This is a real bummer considering how incredibly intriguing this guy is, being an ex-Admiral who abandoned his post and seemingly went rogue, even affiliating himself with the Blackbeard pirates.

It would be great to have more time to explore Aokiji’s sense of “lazy justice,” and even his relationship with the other marines, particularly Akainu. For example, being able to watch Aokiji and Akainu’s battle on Punk Hazard would have been an epic moment in the series, though fans can only hope that the cool, calm and collected ex-Admiral becomes a more common sight going forward.

4

Curly Dadan

Luffy’s Caretaker Must Know The Knucklehead Pirate Better Than Most People

• First Appearance: Episode 493

Though Dadan isn’t technically Luffy’s mother by birth, she was the one responsible for watching over him and Sabo when the two were younger. As a result, she would have witnessed Luffy’s goofy antics as a youngster, and would therefore have a lot of hilarious tales to tell the rest of his crew, that is, if she were ever to appear again in the story.

Dadan showed up very briefly in the Post War arc, and here and there through quick flashbacks, the story has moved at such a rapid pace since then that Oda has seemingly forgotten about her. Hopefully she is at least there to congratulate Luffy after he finds the One Piece, or maybe to even give him some wise words of support before he finally reaches Laugh Tale.

5

Charlotte Smoothie

One Of Big Mom’s Underrated Commanders Deserved A Little More Time In The Spotlight

• First Appearance: Episode 812

Any character that has reached the status of Yonko Commander is guaranteed to be immensely powerful, and while this applies to Smoothie, she hasn’t had anywhere near as much of an opportunity as the other commanders to show off her true strength. Smoothie is able to drain liquid from living things, which, while an incredibly interesting ability, is only used once or twice throughout the Whole Cake Island arc.

Aside from her powers, Smoothie as a character also feels like someone who was begging to be explored in greater depth, especially with how much focus her sibling Katakuri was given throughout the arc in comparison. She may not have been in the spotlight for very long, but Smoothie is still a character who is fondly remembered by fans thanks to her vibrant design and unique Devil Fruit power.

6

Zeff

Sanji’s Mentor Has Barely Been Seen Since Baratie

• First Appearance: Episode 20

Ever since Sanji decided to leave the Baratie behind to embark on his pirate adventure, Zeff, his mentor, has only been shown in flashes every so often, though it’s fair to say that there are many fans out there who would love to see him get a few extra scenes. For example, one of the reasons Sanji stays in Whole Cake is to prevent Zeff from being murdered by Germa, but Zeff is only mentioned during this portion of the story and never actually shown in person.

Zeff also has a pretty tragic backstory which is only revealed in brief snippets, but there’s no doubt that Oda could have fleshed him out a lot more if he was given the time to talk about his past, especially concerning the pirate crew he was once a member of back in the old days.

7

Dracule Mihawk

The Most Dangerous Swordsman On The Planet Only Shows Up On A Handful Of Occasions

• First Appearance: Episode 23

When Dracule Mihawk first showed up during the Baratie arc to humiliate Zoro, it seemed as though this deadly swordsman would be a major player in the story going forward. In actuality, Mihawk would let his fellow Shichibukai members assume the role of major antagonists while he sits back and relaxes on his island, leaving him absent for much of the story. While the mystery surrounding Mihawk is a big part of what has made him so popular, it wouldn’t hurt to get a few scenes of him training against the monkeys on his island, or even some extra comedic bits of banter between him and Perona.

While Oda did gift fans with a few scenes of Mihawk during Zoro’s training over the two-year timeskip, this would have been the perfect opportunity to dig deeper into Mihawk’s character, his beliefs, his backstory, and his abilities. Still, it can be argued that the lack of screentime adds to Mihawk’s shady persona, but now that he’s in the Cross Guild, maybe the former Shichibukai will come out of his shell a little bit.

8

Portgas D. Ace

Ace’s Journey Came To A Sudden Stop After Being Captured By The Marines

• First Appearance: Episode 91

While Luffy was still gathering his crew and heading out to sea in search of the One Piece, his older brother Ace had already made a name for himself as a member of the legendary Whitebeard crew. When he randomly pops up in Alabasta and boards the Sunny, he tells Luffy that they’ll see each other again soon, but little did he know it would be under such dire circumstances.

After Ace is handed over to the Marines by Blackbeard, he is eventually killed by fleet admiral Akainu. Considering Ace was so young, and was still figuring out his place in the world as the infamous son of Gol D. Roger, it was heartbreaking to see his time in the series cut short by the Marines. Since his demise, Ace has been referenced in passing a handful of times, such as when Tama spoke about how much she admires him in Wano, but many fans are still upset that he hasn’t been able to watch Luffy’s growth with his own eyes.