This article contains spoilers for One Piece’s Final Saga.
One Piece, being a series about pirates, features many characters that aren’t the most morally upstanding. Although many could consider the Straw Hats to be moral paragons, outside this group, many of the pirates of One Piece are cold-hearted criminals. In fact, the Straw Hats feel like one of the few completely morally justified groups in the series, with almost every other character, whether they be in the Marines or a pirate, acting far from what many fans would consider to be heroic.
Due to this, there are many characters in One Piece that could be considered awful people. If these characters existed in real life, despite being great characters and potential allies of the Straw Hat Crew, they would be completely unlikable and unjustified in their actions. However, despite being what many would consider to be awful people, Oda still makes these morally dubious characters extremely likable.
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Hateable Characters In One Piece Are Very Likable
Oda Writes Characters Extremely Well
Throughout One Piece, there have been plenty of awful characters that have become fan favorites in the community. For example, a character like Bartolomeo could be considered to be an awful criminal, who is both incredibly brutal and rude. However, for many other shows, having a character that acts like Barto is a recipe for disaster, potentially creating one of the most hated characters in the series. However, throughout One Piece’s Dressrosa Arc, by the end, most fans can’t help but cheer for a rude and disrespectful criminal who is named after how much he openly mocks those around him. Overall, Oda uses a few clever tactics that help make characters that should be hateable into some of the most likable characters in the series.
What was that joke you just made so lightheartedly? – Bartolomeo defending Luffy
While many fans believe that being a likable character comes from being a righteous hero or a powerful fighter in One Piece, oftentimes, this isn’t necessarily the case. Many times, and especially when it comes to One Piece, likable characters are relatable to the audience more than anything else. In this way, even if a character is a hardened criminal or incredibly annoying, if they are relatable to the audience in some way, the audience will like them no matter what.
Oda Makes One Piece Characters Likable With Relatability
The More Relatable A Character Is The More Likable They Are
- Bartolomeo Is Likable Because The Audience Can Relate To Him
- Normally Being An Enemy Of Shanks Would Make A Character Hated
Throughout One Piece, Oda frequently uses this tactic to make characters that shouldn’t be relatable into some of the most relatable characters in the series. Going back to Straw Hat Grand Fleet member, Barto, the pirate has all the makings of being a hardened criminal, something the audience can’t relate to. Barto even goes as far as attacking an innocent island protected by Shanks, all in the name of Luffy. For other characters, picking a fight with a beloved character like Shanks is a death sentence for the community, branding them as an enemy of the community.
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Oda has done a great job making a character like Barto relatable, injecting his personality with characteristics that the fan base understands and connects to, making his bad side far more palatable. Mainly, Barto’s obsession with One Piece’s Straw Hat Crew is incredibly relatable to many fans of the show. Both Barto and the audience have been following the adventures of the Straw Hats and can connect over their mutual love of Luffy.
Beloved One PIece Characters Have Familiar Quirks
Hated Characters Have No Relatable Traits
This, paired with other factors, like giving a character a unique design and abilities, is a recipe for a beloved One Piece character. Other characters that follow a similar rule to Barto include popular characters like the Emperor of the Sea, Blackbeard, whose inability to handle pain can be relatable to some, or Kizaru, whose laziness is surely something many audience members relate to. However, on the flip side, hated characters, like the Celestial Dragons, are despised because there is nothing the audience can relate to when it comes to them.
She winked at me! I’m not worthy! – Bartolomeo’s internal monologue, referring to Robin
In the end, Oda makes characters that should be easy to hate likable by making them relatable to the audience. The more a character and the fanbase of One Piece connect, the more fans are going to be willing to overlook their negative qualities overall. Although there are many other tactics Oda uses to make great characters in One Piece, this is one of the best ways Oda makes great characters in the amazing series.
