Summary
Two of the biggest anime franchises out there areOne PieceandNaruto. Both of these franchises are known for a wide cast of characters and a lot of episodes compared to many other anime out there. If you had to pick one to watch or read first though, which one would it be?
Here, we are going to take a look at some key aspects of each one, helping you decide which series is better. Of course, if you are interested in both, you may definitely watch or read Naruto and One Piece. This is just meant to help you decide which one would be a better fit.
9Length
Winner: One Piece
If you are looking for along series to watchover an equally-as-long period of time, then One Piece is the way to go. One Piece is still coming out, but as of publication, there are over 1,100 episodes! Naruto, on the other hand, has 720 episodes, with no more coming out.
One Piece is the type of anime that you’re able to continue watching as you grow up, giving it a special place in many fans' hearts. As of May 2024, One Piece also has over 1,100 chapters, giving you even more content to read through.
8Completed Story
Winner: Naruto
Having a long-running story that is still actively coming out, but at times, you just want to read or watch a completed story that has a definite ending. if this is your case, then Naruto may be a better option.
Both Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden are completed, and Boruto doesn’t need to be read or watched after the two (of course, you can watch it if you want!). This is opposed to One Piece, which has been coming out continuously since the ’90s.
7Unique Characters
Both Naruto and One Piece have a lot of characters. Naruto involves several groups of ninjas in both the main village (Konohagakure), as well throughout the world. While there are some unique characters, many are just powerful ninjas. On top of that, some characters that are central to the plot can be a bit weaker.
One Piece, on the other hand, is filled with unique characters that are strong in their own right. The Straw Hats are all powerful with distinct personalities. In Naruto, the titular Naruto is the main character, with others supporting him. In One Piece though, Luffy along with all the Straw Hats stand together.
6Ability/Power System
In addition to typical ninja fighting techniques, Naruto involves Chakra. This is like a magic essence that can be used to perform a Jutsu. There are three types that characters in the series use, with Genjutsu involving the use of Chakra to create illusions of sorts.
Overall, the power system in Naruto is complex and interconnected, with different elemental attacks and techniques that are passed down through bloodlines. While One Piece characters have power, this comes from Devil Fruit, which is a bit more simplistic. Of course, powers can exist without Devil Fruit, but this is not fleshed out like the Chakra system in Naruto.
5Anime Filler Episodes
By ‘winner’ in this category, we mean that One Piece has less filler. Out of the 720 episodes of Naruto,293 of them are considered filler. This is a whopping 40 percent of filler! One Piece, on the other hand, has about 94 episodes of filler (as of publication).
Filler episodes consist of those that don’t pertain to the main plot, causing a break in the main story. For some episodes, these don’t stick to the manga either. Not all filler is bad though!
This is a lot, but compared to how many One Piece episodes actually exist, it’s quite small. Percentage-wise, this is 11 to 12 percent filler, which is pretty impressive for a long-running series.
4Anime Soundtrack
Don’t get us wrong; One Piece has some great music, but the soundtrack for Naruto is a bit more memorable. The music without Naruto is classic, such as Sadness and Sorrow, which plays when Naruto is sitting on the swing (you know the one).
Naruto also has some iconic opening songs, such as Silhouette, GO!!!, and Blue Bird. If, however, you unironically like the One Piece 4Kids rap, then that might outweigh all the music in Naruto.
3World Building
The worlds in both Naruto and One Piece are quite expansive, but in Naruto, we don’t get to see everything the world has to offer. For example, the story starts in the Land of Fire, which is central to the map, with the other lands surrounding the area. These lands aren’t all equally explored, making them a bit mysterious. While Naruto may visit various villages, we don’t get the full picture.
One Piece, on the other hand, is filled with tons of meaningful locations that the Straw Hats visit throughout the course of the series. Every side character and location has meaning in the world, making the world-building superb.
2Animation & Voice Acting
In terms of animation and voice acting, Naruto comes out on top. This isn’t to say that One Piece looks and sounds bad though. In fact, later episodes of both shows look great. This can’t be said for the start of One Piece though.
When looking at the company behind the production of One Piece between 2004 and 2007 though, this makes sense. 4Kids handled localization for One Piece and basically fumbled the bag. In general, the start of One Piece can be rough compared to the rest of the series.
In addition to the 4Kids blunder, the English translation for the manga has some interesting changes as well (Zoro became Zolo and the Marines became the Navy).
1Conclusion
So, which is better? Ultimately, the choice is up to you! Of course, we aren’t just going to leave you with that answer. Looking at both series, One Piece has an edge in terms of the amount of quality content available for you to engage with.
We definitely recommend checking out both series though. If you have the time to watch nearly 2,000 episodes of Shonen Jump anime, then go for it!
