From historically epic world-building to the most morally complex characters you can possibly think of, One Piece has long been known to pose the most intricate paradoxical plots in the history of anime and manga. It comes as no surprise that Eiichiro Oda’s geniality extends to his brilliantly nuanced writing, full of undertones and tear-jerking backstories that are capable of bringing even the toughest of fans to tears.
It’s not just the characters though – it’s the entire world, which is capable of existing outside of its main protagonists. Every single character and island is capable of existing in this fictional realm as a result of their unmatchable complexity and understatedly alluring personalities, designs, and of course – powers. Ultimately, One Piece fans are known for their love of dissecting plot lines and characters, but some of the most underrated characters occupy the list of best-written characters. Here’s that exact list.
Charlotte Katakuri
Katakuri represents everything that a true follower is: loyal, devoted, and obviously, extremely powerful to the point where he’s just as essential to Big Mom as a minion. On the surface, he seemed unbeatable. He could see the future using Observation Haki — a skill that Luffy had yet to master — but he was simply operating at a different speed than our protagonists in every sense of the word.
Initially, he appeared impenetrable, willing to die for his family, embodying a sense of honor rivaled only by Zoro’s. However, during his significant battle with Luffy, we witness Katakuri changing his beliefs and gaining respect for the Straw Hat crew – the first antagonist to do so. He believed in an honorable fight and even assisted Luffy in becoming stronger, opting to injure himself to level the playing field.
In the end, he recognized that he was everything Big Mom wasn’t: He loved his family, he was caring, and he was wholly willing to sacrifice himself for them – qualities he saw mirrored in Luffy. Despite putting up a fight to the best of his ability, he left the battle with a lingering sense of relief that Luffy was able to escape, and with his wavering morals more uncertain than ever.
Donquixote Doflamingo
Doflamingo is a villain through and through. When we first meet him, the former celestial dragon immediately leaves a strong impression. His eccentric attire and arrogant personality instantly made a strong impression on fans, however, it wasn’t until Dressrosa that we finally gained a true insight into his phenomenally written character. His arrogance and limitless ambition trace back to his childhood, beginning when he was a celestial dragon who believed himself to be undefeated and omnipotent.
Through his tragic and violent backstory, we encounter the nobles and their politics, as well as witness how ruthless Doflamingo was as a child. At the same time, he was deprived of the life he believed he deserved from a young age, due to the beliefs held by his parents – beliefs that did not align with his own. We understand his actions, while also understanding the extent of his malevolence – and both notions can co-exist.
What truly makes him intricate are his beliefs. He doesn’t align with either the pirates or the Marines. Overall, he never adhered to the politics or rules of the Grand Line. To him, obtaining freedom can make you the ruler of the sea, and Doflamingo exemplifies the concept that he wished to become the one in charge to be the arbiter of morality.
Donquixote ‘Corazón’ Rosinante
Oh, Corazón. Oda truly hit the nail on the head with this one. His character is only introduced in Dressrosa, as the perfect contrasting antagonist-turned-hero from the arc. Similar to Doflamingo, Rosinante underwent the same traumatic events as his brother. He saw his mother die at the hands of enraged mobs and witnessed his father being killed by his own brother. Corazón stared evil straight in the eye yet he carried with him the will of his parents: kindness.
Unlike Doflamingo, Corazón’s intentions remained somewhat pure, albeit slightly paradoxical. He was introduced as a pirate but in reality, Corazón was a marine, and we see him helping Law — who was just a child — survive and become a pirate at all costs. His kindness, in contrast to his brother, knows no bounds. Rosinante sacrifices his life to ensure Law’s safety, beautifully exemplifying the nuanced storytelling in One Piece.
Whitebeard
Found family has long been a well-known trope in One Piece, and every single time – it hits. From Chopper with Dr. Hiriluk to Luffy and Ace, we’ve seen countless examples of a well-written, tear-jerking found family, but few are as heartwarming as Whitebeard’s genuine love, loyalty, and affection toward all of his sons. Aside from being an absolute powerhouse and a force to be reckoned with, Whitebeard is one of the few pirates who maintained his integrity despite being the strongest man at sea.
He cherished all the members of his fleet, treating them as his own sons. He became a parental figure to thousands of orphans, imparting integrity, loyalty, and morals to them, all while caring for them in the most fundamental ways. Whitebeard is the quintessential father figure in One Piece, embodying both unparalleled power and strength, as well as boundless compassion and love.
Garp
On the surface, Garp appears to be Luffy in Marine attire. He is simple, with ever-changing yet high morals, and generally comes across as very goofy. He is also extremely powerful, and for decades, we barely knew the extent of his strength. But we got to know his essence. Garp wasn’t patient with any of his grandchildren, but he was kind to the extent that he took care of Luffy and adopted Ace as his grandson, despite both being the children of the two worst criminals. Granted, Dadan raised them, but Garp used his influence to ensure their safety.
At the same time, the true nature of Garp came to light during the Marineford War, and we finally saw how complex his morals truly were. On one hand, we saw a grandfather struggling to decide whether he should or shouldn’t meddle with his grandson’s execution at the risk of his own morals as a Marine admiral. On the other hand, we saw a Marine attending to his duties while facing Ace’s death, knowing he couldn’t risk world peace by saving him.
Ultimately, Garp is an incredibly complex character who is constantly forced to choose between his job and the safety of the world or his family, showing the perfect complex morality as a marine who’s related to pirates.
Sanji
We’ve known Sanji since Baratié. We know how inappropriate and perverted he can be, always pursuing the first woman he sees and often putting himself in less-than-desirable situations that endanger everyone. While we get to know his character very early on in the series, the Whole Cake arc truly expands on his traits, showcasing just how well-developed and well-written he is.
In Whole Cake, we meet the parental figures in Sanji’s life. We witness the abuse the cook had to endure and the tragic loss of his mother — the only person who truly cared for his well-being — which marked the beginning of his obsession with women as the only pure beings on Earth. Sanji also demonstrates the extent of his loyalty by choosing to leave his freedom behind in favor of the well-being of the Straw Hats, who were nowhere near strong enough to defeat Big Mom.
Ultimately, he is not your typical nosebleeder. Instead, Sanji has depth, not limited to one trait. His compassion and ability to overcome obstacles undoubtedly make him one of – if not the – best-written Straw Hats.
Robin
While an essay could be written about each of the Straw Hats, I’ll limit this article to just three of our protagonists. One of them is — not surprisingly — Robin. The archaeologist of the Straw Hats is undeniably one of the most beautifully developed characters in the story. Initially, we encounter her as an antagonist, willing to use anyone to stay alive and on the run, with a lingering wish to achieve her dreams and goals regardless of those around her.
Over time, we also meet someone whose entire existence was erased from history. She’s the most hunted woman at sea, possessing boundless knowledge that even the strongest people on Earth fear. We witness Robin’s transformation from a feared and somewhat capricious individual into a strong and hopeful human being who desires to live freely while helping the first group of people she can finally call friends – at long last.
Usopp
For many, Usopp may come across as just a silly and goofy Straw Hat member, but Oda knew exactly that he was on his way to creating one of the best-written characters in the entire series. For a long time, we see Usopp with the traits that he initially took on: he is a coward who tells lies and pretends to be someone he’s not. However, he eventually becomes the exact person he so wishes to be.
As time goes on, we witness Usopp fiercely proving his worth as a courageous warrior of the sea time and time again. He places himself in the face of danger for his friends and even defends Merry’s honor in the face of his own insecurities. Usopp’s strength is unimaginable, even to himself. He may not be the coolest guy, the most manly, or the strongest, but he is normal and faithful, and that’s why he’s so brilliantly written.
Big Mom
Big Mom’s character is actually incredibly underrated. She is the most feared woman on the sea, building an entire squadron comprised solely of her children, demonstrating just how ruthless and dismissive she can be of her own kinship. She is almost introduced as a beast whose sole purpose in life is to be feared by more people than we can probably imagine.
At the same time, she is the personification of a woman-child. Her flashbacks depict her as an abnormally large child with an appetite to match, continuously cast aside due to her hunger and size. Later on, she was adopted by Mother Caramel, whose real intention was to sell the orphans to the Marines, but instead, Big Mom ate her alongside her adoptive siblings during a hunger pang. She never realized what she had done, nor did she ever discover Mother Caramel’s real intentions, and she was once again left alone, feeling abandoned.
Big Mom is the perfect embodiment of childhood trauma and the erasure of memories to cope with traumatic experiences. She became stuck in her past with incredibly childish behaviors and moments derived from her inner child, who never healed.
Boa Hancock
Hancock is possibly my one selfish choice to add to this list. Not only is she one of my favorite characters, but I find her incredibly fascinating. Boa was also introduced as an antagonist who suffered so much at the hands of men that her entire island became a men-free zone filled with misandry stemming from Boa and her sister’s past. She was sold into slavery and abused as a child, later becoming the rightful heir to the throne of the women-only island – Amazon Lily.
Understandably, she does not take kindly to men and instead treats them as if they’re playthings or cattle. Despite this, we see Boa completely shattering her beliefs upon meeting Luffy, not only falling head over heels in love with him but also gaining newfound respect for men – a respect she had previously only held for Rayleigh and Fisher Tiger.
She slowly overcomes the rules she had been indoctrinated with that forbade her from ever falling in love with a man. Hancock is written as almost an ode to women, showing that they are capable of resisting society’s laws forced upon them and embracing their true feelings wholeheartedly and unbashfully.