For those who have yet to read or watch the longest-running anime of all time. This can already be intimidating for new fans. Other preconceived biases can come down to the art style itself, especially when it comes to the designs of the women. One cannot deny the proportions of some of the female cast, especially Nami and Robin post-time skip, cross the line into fan service.
While many characters in One Piece have unrealistic builds, the women in particular lack diversity in of their appearances. More often than not, they are drawn with extreme curves and the smallest waists imaginable while characters like Sanji and Brook obsess over their looks and pine for them. However, one should not judge a book by its cover, as these women are so much more than their looks and fan service. In fact, there would be no One Piece without its female characters.
There Is No One Piece Without The Women Of The Straw Hat Crew
Nami And Robin Are Critical To The Plot Of One Piece
While Luffy is the lead of One Piece, he would be nothing without his crew, especially Nami. She is one of the earliest characters to meet Luffy and eventually becomes the Straw Hats' navigator, a critical role for pirates out at sea. Without Nami, the crew would literally be at a loss. Plus, no one has found the One Piece yet, and if any navigator is going to do so, it's Nami, whose goal is to make a map of the whole world.
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One of One Piece's directors is outraged by the new wave of AI Ghibli that has taken social media by storm last week.
Meanwhile, Robin s the crew later on after the events of Alabasta. Her goal is to figure out what happened during the Void Century, deciphering what the mysterious Ponegyphs say about the world's history. Robin is one of the only people left alive to be able to do this, as the last surviving member of Ohara. Along with being a crucial, beloved member of the Straw Hats, she is key to unfolding the mysteries of the larger story of One Piece. Especially as One Piece enters its last saga, Robin's knowledge will be key to answering some of the major mysteries in One Piece.
The Women Of The Straw Hat Crew Are Not Love Interests
Nami And Robin Avoid A Romantic Pitfall Of Many Shōnen Series
Nami and Robin are not just key players in the overall plot of One Piece. They are also vital of the crew. Both Nami and Robin have stepped up to defend Sanji against villainous women since it goes against his code to fight them, with Nami taking on Kalifa and Robin taking on Black Maria. They're also among the most intelligent of the main One Piece cast. Robin and Nami both strive for what many would consider impossible but are determined and smart enough to achieve their respective goals while using their brains to help the Straw Hats in the most difficult situations.
Nami and Robin serve very key roles in One Piece and in the Straw Hat crew, which is phenomenal to see in a shōnen series. While there are many incredible and popular female Shōnen Jump characters, when it comes to the core ensemble of a shōnen series, it's not uncommon for ing female characters to be given significantly less to do than their male counterparts, even when they have incredible potential, as is the case for characters like Naruto's Sakura and My Hero Academia's Ochaco Uraraka and Momo Yaoyorozu.
Plus, when these female characters are given so little, it's easy for them to feel like they're meant to be an underdeveloped love interest or fan service, even when they are so much more than that. One Piece, however, is adamant that the Straw Hats avoid this fate. One Piece's creator, Eiichiro Oda, has explained that fans can forget about romance in his manga. Oda is not interested in writing a romance between the main characters, so each member of the Straw Hat crew, including Nami and Robin, can be developed as dynamic individuals outside any relationship.
Beyond The Straw Hat Crew, One Piece Has A Rich Cast Of Women
From Boa Hancock To Big Mom, One Piece Has Plenty Of Interesting Women
The great women characters in One Piece go well beyond just the Straw Hats. On more than one occasion, Luffy and his crew encountered princesses and heiresses, like Vivi, Rebecca, Mansherry, Viola, Hiyori, and Shirahoshi, helping them in their times of duress for their sake and their kingdom. Do not underestimate these princesses, though. They each have their own desires, often aspiring for the greater good of their countries. Plus, they are not a bunch of damsels in distress waiting for someone to save them. They play active roles alongside the Straw Hats while also emphasizing the importance of asking for help.
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Meanwhile, there are plenty of complex and villainous women in One Piece -- some who prove things are not always so black and white. Boa Hancock, for instance, is a Warlord -- a pirate initially thought to be an antagonist. However, she proves to be one of Luffy's biggest allies. Along with that, her tragic backstory as a survivor of abuse and slavery helps inform audiences about the systemic issues with One Piece's World Government while making her an irable, badass survivor. Other characters that were once enemies of the Straw Hats but eventually become allies to them -- even if reluctantly -- include the marine Tashigi and the pirate Perona.
Then there are the women who are villains through and through, with Big Mom being one of the best One Piece villains of all time. Since the time skip, Big Mom has been a looming presence, and she persisted as a threat well after Whole Cake Island, which is her primary arc. Along with that, she has a clear dream, one motivated by her tragic backstory. While tragic, that doesn't take away from her villainous ways. Whether it's with these antagonists, the princess Luffy helps, or his own crew, the women of One Piece are not just beloved and dynamic. They're some of the best female characters in shōnen.
