Summary
Considering just how long the story ofOne Pieceis, and with no end in sight any time soon, this means there are plenty of openings and endings that have accompanied the anime since itfirst aired in 1999. It’s usually the openings of an anime that get the spotlight, but the endings are arguably just as important, providing the viewer with a jovial, funny, or emotional sendoff from everything they have just seen in the latest episode.
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These endings are the ones that have stood the test of time as being some of the most iconic due to their catchy music, eye-catching visuals, and where they were usedduring the story. The core attraction ofOne Piecereally is the unwavering bond between the Strawhat Crew and their infectious sense of adventure, and these endings demonstrate that in full force, providing fans a glimpse into the interactions between these characters that fans wouldn’t otherwise see in the show itself.
7Eternal Pose by Asia Engineer
Eternal Pose is an ending that starts on episode 231 which is right at the beginning of the Water 7 arc, and it’s fair to say that up to this point, the Straw Hats have already been on quite the adventure, especially during their time inAlabasta and Skypeia. To get fans up to speed before diving into this massive arc, the ending skims through all major events up to that point.
The side-scrolling visual style along with the characters' clothes as the ending progresses is a very clever way of depicting the passage of time over the course of the story, and when paired with the upbeat lo-fi hip-hop style of Asia Engineer, it makes for a fun ending that also serves as a reminder of everything the Straw Hats had been through beforemeeting Franky.
6Fish by The Kaleidoscope
In the majority ofOne Pieceopenings and endings, fans will be treated to a few scenes of the Strawhats enjoying time together as a collective group, and while this is always great to see, especially since this forms the basis of the entire show, the sixth ending takes a slightly different approach by puttingall the attention on Chopper, and how comfortably he’s integrated into the group.
The Kaleidoscope provides a soft but still impactful melody that goes so well with all the visuals of Chopper enjoying his time relaxing with the Strawhats, while also looking back on Dr. Hiriluk and everything he had taught him to help his journey of becoming a great doctor, a dream that he realizes may have finally been made possible thanks to Luffy and the gang.
5Souchinosuke by Suitei-Shoujo
The character designs featured in the fourth ending, Souchinosuke, are truly unlike anything we see in the show itself, with the dark shading and stylish posesresemblingBleachmore than it doesOne Piece, but this isn’t to suggest that it’s bad since it offers some of the most striking visuals of the Strawhats out of all the endings.
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On top of that, the ending even drops a few hints to Robin who, at that point, was still being depicted as a villain, and there’s even a long shot at the very end displaying the faces of all themajor villainsup to that point including Arlong and Smoker. The moody noir aesthetic of this ending helps it stand out from the rest, and Suitei-Shoujo’s catchy vocals only help to make it even more memorable and iconic.
4Mirai Koukai by Tackey & Tsubasa
The Long Ring Long Island arc isn’t exactly very serious in its tone, being one of the more comedic portions of the story where the crew must compete in a Davy Back Fight against theFoxy Pirates, so it only makes sense that it is accompanied by an ending that is just as humorous.
While Luffy struggles to eat his chunk of meat in peace while trying to avoid a ravenous bird, Robin is admiring a gothic castle, Nami is being chased by a love-struck Sanji, and Zoro is surrounded by penguins who have decided to integrate him into the colony. This ending really is as hilarious as it sounds, and the way the song goes from a slow ballad to a lighthearted pop track makes it that much more enjoyable, and in trueOne Piecefashion, it also ends with a beautiful shot of the gang sailing into the sunset, ready to embark on their adventure.
3Memories by Maki Otsuki
Compared to all the other endings,Memoriesis notably a lot more basic in its visual style, simply showing each of the Strawhats appearing in the frame while gazing out a glistening ocean, but the delicate vocals provided by Maki Otsuki and subdued lighting make this one of the more introspective and emotional endings in the series that reallytugs at the heartstrings.
In many ways, the simplicity of this ending works in its favor, and considering it was the very first ending that played up to episode 30, many fans have a lot of nostalgia attached to this one. There’s a real sense of venturing into the unknown with this ending and considering the lyrics are all about longing for adventure and friendship, it’s the perfect way to introduce fans to what this now-beloved series is all about.
2Glory by Takako Uehara
There are so many things to love about this ending, whether it’s the vibrant synths that are seamlessly layered over Takako Uehara’s amazing singing voice, or the beautiful illustrations of atroubled Vivilooking at her kingdom from afar, it’s a sequence that is incredibly hard to skip once it starts playing.
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What takes this ending to another level is how much it focuses on the spirit of the crew, especially near the end when each of them passes by Vivi, raising their hands as if to suggest that she doesn’t need to thank them for their help. While fans are fully aware of how selfless the crew is, and how willing they are to support those who need it most, seeing this from a different perspective is truly wonderful and a perfect way to depict the nature of the Strawhats without them even needing to say anything.
1RUN! RUN! RUN! by Maki Otsuki
No ending screams adventure and excitement quite likeRUN! RUN! RUN!As soon as the ending begins, Maki Otsuki’s uplifting and vibrant vocals grab the viewer’s attention immediately, with this song being one of the mostmemorable tracksin all ofOne Piece, and that’s including the openings too.
As viewers see each of the Strawhats run across the screen as kids with their pasts flashing behind them, the visuals then switch to the present crew coming together to enjoy a meal, that is until they approach a mysterious island hidden within a dark fog. All of this comes together to create an incredibly heartwarming visualization of the sense of adventure that drives the Strawhats forward, and most importantly, the joy each of them gets from simply being able to experience these new areas together. While the depictions of them as children drop tiny hints at their backstories, which would be elaborated on later in the story, the second half shows that they’ve all managed to find happiness in one another, despite the chaos that is usually taking place around them.
