<em>One Piece </em>has successfully cultivated a massive worldwide following, influencing everything from new series to entire counter-cultural movements. However, one of its biggest points of contention is how the anime has handled filler, its pacing, and which filler can actually be skipped. Its rivals like Naruto: Shippuden, whether loved or hated for their filler, do not face the same issues.
While it would be hasty to compare One Piece’s situation with the infamously frustrating approach of Naruto, which includes unnecessary interludes like the Mecha Luffy arc, it’s worth evaluating both series for their strengths and weaknesses. Naruto: Shippuden was a product of Pierrot’s older era, and its extensive filler was a reasonable pacing solution.
The Issue of Filler and Pacing in One Piece
Since its debut in 1999, One Piece has been running alongside its source material, but its pacing issues have surprisingly worsened over time. The need to attract viewers to its timeslot on Fuji Television led to filler episodes, allowing the manga to stay ahead while entertaining audiences. However, eventually, One Piece adopted a different approach.
This may come as a surprise to those who strictly observe One Piece’s relatively low ~9-11% filler content compared to Naruto: Shippuden’s excessive 41%. One could dismiss either issue by consulting a Naruto filler list. However, the reality is that while Naruto’s filler was extensive, it could be skipped without missing significant plot points.
One Piece’s filler includes instances like the Warship Island Arc or “canon filler” such as Long Ring Long Land, which introduce anime additions that align with Oda’s vision and become canonical with the manga. Others, like G-8, remain purely filler but are still immensely enjoyable.
However, it is noticeable that beyond the Enies Lobby arc and into the Dressrosa era, filler becomes significantly less frequent. The Dressrosa arc spans 102 chapters in the One Piece manga but was extended to 118 anime episodes, often cited as an example of One Piece’s worst pacing issues. Notably, Dressrosa had no explicitly filler episodes.
This highlights the contrast between One Piece’s filler content and that of its contemporaries. Although it attempted a different approach, this slower pacing proved unsustainable for retaining audience interest, even if the slower delivery during Wano was rewarding due to exceptional animation and storytelling. Its flashbacks and prolonged scenes served as poor substitutes for actual filler.
One Piece Is Developing Solutions That Naruto Lacked
While both Naruto and its sequel, Naruto: Shippuden, were filled with filler in their continuation series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, the output of the One Piece anime has gradually reduced filler episodes. Although the pacing in recent episodes remains slower than average—approximately one chapter per episode compared to modern series that often progress more quickly—it is making significant improvements.
The pacing in recent episodes of One Piece is still slower than average anime, running about one chapter per episode while modern series often run more briskly, yet it is making key strides.
One Piece is a dense series rich with dialogue and lore but is now adopting a new strategy to eliminate filler episodes, poorly-paced installments, and frustrating recaps entirely. With the upcoming Elbaph Arc, the anime will finally implement a seasonal model, releasing 26 episodes each year. This is the solution that fans of Naruto hope will be adopted by the return of Boruto.
This may signify the end of an era for some fans. The regular release of new episodes alongside manga chapters has been part of their weekend ritual. However, this change will likely lead to better episode-to-chapter ratios in quality installments, addressing pacing issues. It may also mean that future movies will be the only remaining true filler content in the world of One Piece.
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