As a whole, most shonen anime fans will agree that the hit series One Piece makes excellent use of the industry’s tropes, conventions, and themes to tell an outstanding story of heroism and friendship on the high seas. The worldbuilding, combat system, and lore are all tightly and expertly handled, but there are still a few flaws here and there that may stand out to shonen veterans who have a “been there, done that” approach with One Piece.
For all the tropes One Piece uses well, there are almost as many that end up doing as much harm mas good in this pirate shonen story. Even in masterful hands like Eiichiro Oda’s, some tropes are simply too annoying, too predictable, or too routine to make Monkey D. Luffy’s epic high-seas adventure any better. The story is better off either dropping or seriously reinventing these tropes to rid the story of its few serious flaws.

The Himbo Male Lead is Annoyingly Dense

Being Clueless Isn’t Always Cute or Funny

In small doses, the himbo archetype can be fun and entertaining, even with an ahodere streak thrown in. Such characters are good-natured but clueless, which gives them room for personal growth while also driving the story’s humor. The problem is that shonen characters like Luffy are so extreme in these areas, it’s impossible for them to grow.

Over time, it’s become tiresome for Luffy to keep trying so hard to be Goku in a straw hat, even if it does keep his character consistent. He doesn’t have to morph into a suave social expert to compensate, but at least a little growth would be welcome so One Piece can present Luffy in a new light. It just slows things down when Luffy fails for the thousandth time to understand something, needing someone like Nami or Zoro to explain it to him.

The Big Eater Trope Adds Nothing to the Story

Luffy’s Appetite Doesn’t Say Anything About Him

The “big eater” trope is a harmless one, but that’s the only good news. When used in moderation, and in realistic ways, it can be a charming character quirk, such as L in Death Note constantly snacking on desserts or Sasha Braus in Attack on Titan chasing meat any chance she gets. However, this is taken to an exhausting extreme in One Piece where Luffy is concerned.

It’s simply not meaningful or even funny for Luffy to be a nonstop eating machine. Even when it’s tied into his power-ups and healing, such as devouring all the food in Impel Down’s hidden paradise with Emporio Ivankov, it serves no real purpose beyond humor. Some shonen creators seem to feel obliged to match Son Goku’s “big eater” trope no matter what, but there’s no obligation to keep chasing this shallow, meaningless trope.

Shouting so Many Attack Names Just Clutters the Combat System

Sanji Doesn’t Need a New Name for Every Kick

This is ano ther shonen trope that works best in moderation, but when there are too many attack names, the combat system feels a little clunky and bloated so much fluff information for fans to track. In most cases, a physical attack or superpower will speak for itself, and there’s no need to give everything a name.

Names are most important for an overall fighting style, such as Sanji’s Black Leg Style, Luffy’s Gears, and individual Devil Fruits. Beyond that, there is no real need for Zoro to name every different sword slash or for Sanji to give so many names to kicks that are all so similar anyway. At least big, flashy finishing moves can be an exception, the attacks that are clearly on a different level than routine sword slashes.

Violent Tsundere Girls Are Problematic, Not Empowering

Nami Should Express Her Irritation With Her Words

This is one of the most problematic tropes found in One Piece, and it’s far from the only shonen anime series guilty of using it. Sometimes, hotheaded or tsundere girls will use physical force to punish their friends or make a point, but there’s nothing funny about it. It’s not an exciting show of strength or proof of the girl’s power — it’s a sign of her unhealthy mindset. It’s true that Nami needs ways to prove herself and keep pace with her male crewmates, but comically beating up Luffy for petty reasons is not the solution. Fans may joke that Nami can clobber a newly minted Emperor like Luffy, but on a more serious note, Nami needs better ways to express herself. A smart, sociable pirate like Nami could surely keep her rowdy crewmates in line with words alone, not with her misused fists.

Plot Armor For All the Characters Hurts the Immersion

It’s Ok to Kill Off Characters in Shonen

Naturally, the core heroes of any shonen action series will get thick plot armor to keep the story moving, and if it’s handled well enough, fans can forgive it. The problem is when almost everyone gets plot armor to keep things relatively bloodless, which applies to heroes and villains alike. One of One Piece‘s most egregious examples was Pell the Alabasta warrior surviving an explosion when he absolutely should have died.

At least Mr. Oda provided a sentimental reason why nearly all the villains survive too, stating that Luffy sympathizes with their desire to achieve their dreams. Luffy spares all his villains so they can chase their dreams the way Luffy pursues his own, but after a point, that just feels like an excuse to keep the action tame enough for shonen standards. It’s strange and even frustrating to see so many terrible bullies and monsters survive just because they have dreams to pursue.

All the Alternate Outfits Create Inconsistent Looks

Iconic Outfits Mean Less if Heroes Keep Changing Their Clothes

There’s no harm in shonen heroes trying out a few new outfits to blend into a new society or try out new armor and accessories, and it can help provide some visual variety. The awkward part is when this trope is overused in anime like One Piece, to the point Luffy’s iconic look gets lost in his increasingly vast wardrobe.

The Straw Hats each have an extensive gallery of bonus outfits, arguably too many for fans to keep track of. Not every arc calls for a new set of duds, but Luffy and his friends keep mixing and matching their looks, making each outfit matter that much less. Even if some of Luffy’s outfits all share the same basic elements to keep things familiar, it’s a tad excessive.