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When it comes to creating some of the most memorable characters, Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece often gets to have the cake and eat it. The vibrant world design harbors some of the quirkiest characters in Shounen history, which fans have entirely fallen in love with in the twenty-one-plus years that the series has been going on.
However, while most characters in the anime and manga are likable from the start, not all are capable of holding onto their charm. There were quite a few whom audiences liked less and less as the episodes progressed, and some were from the Straw Hat crew itself.
Additionally, some have redeemed themselves, and from being immensely disliked, they steadily grew to be some of the most beloved characters in the series. Today’s article will take a closer look at five characters from One Piece whose likeability ratings fell drastically over time and five who steadily become the most loved.
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It’s important to note here that, as each One Piece character has their own diverse fanbase, the list is not universal and only reflects the writer’s own thoughts and opinions on the matter.
Five One Piece characters who ruined their likeability over time
5) Vinsmoke Sanji
While Sanji does enjoy one of the biggest fan bases out of all the One Piece characters, he did, to some extent, lose his charm later on in the series. Post the timeskip, many community members felt that Sanji was not exactly as likable as he once
His weakness toward women and constant nosebleeds (he almost died of blood loss on Fishman Island) were detrimental to his character development. His antics did become a bit overbearing for many viewers.
However, his character did recover a bit during the Whole Cake Island Arc, and the crucial role that he played in the proceedings did earn him a fair amount of brownie points.
But it does not deny the fact that Sanji is not as liked as he was pre-timeskip, and even in the anime’s ongoing Wano arc, he is yet to play a role as pivotal as some of his Straw Hat comrades.
4) Tony Tony Chopper
Chopper, too, seems to have lost his charm after the timeskip. While he plays a pivotal role in Wano, where he tasks himself with creating the antidote for the plague, the reindeer does not have the same effect on audiences as he used to.
Once one of the most powerful members of the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece, Chopper seems to have been heavily nerfed. Oda uses him more as a supporting character for the rest of the crew instead of making him one of the frontliners.
Chopper’s presence is not as strongly felt in the anime as it once was, and though his skills as a doctor and support character are unparalleled, his likeability seems to have gone down quite a bit.
Even his Rumble Balls, and the abilities that come with consuming them, do not feel as potent as before the skip.
3) Portgas D. Ace
While it’s an unpopular choice to be on the list (considering the vast fanbase that he enjoys), Portgas D. Ace, in ways, did have some of his likability ratings shaved off, and not because he is dead.
When first introduced, Ace was portrayed as one of the strongest and most badass Devil Fruit users in One Piece. However, as the narrative progressed, many in the community felt that his character was rather poorly constructed, and his over-vaulting hubris is what led to his inevitable demise.
He was often overconfident about his abilities, and he could not use Haki. Ace was solely reliant on his Devil Fruit power and often abused it, as the Mera Mera no Mi is by far one of the most powerful Devil Fruits in the One Piece universe.
2) Usopp
The One Piece fan base is pretty divided when it comes to their opinions on how likable Usopp is. While a large portion of the community finds him the most useless and annoying character in the Straw Hat crew, others see him as an incredibly valuable addition to the squad.
He is also necessary comic relief from the more grim proceedings of the anime. But for better or worse, Usopp’s character, like Chopper’s, has been nerfed post-timeskip in terms of his role in the narrative.
He is yet to be a significant contributor to the Wano arc. It seems that Oda may have reduced him and Chopper to a gag, whose cowardly nature is meant primarily for diversion and inducing moments of mirth.
One of the least powerful members of the Straw Hat Pirates retains his role of the powerless and scheming coward, and there really hasn’t been much growth in his character after the time skip (he did develop muscles, however).
1) Blackbeard (Marshall D. Teach)
From the little screen time he had throughout the anime, Blackbeard was able to produce a wave of emotions within fans. His first introduction in Episode 146 sets him up as a somewhat likable character when he gets into a heated argument with Luffy over food.
However, his capturing of Ace eventually led to the Summit War in Marineford, and then the death of both Ace and Whitebeard turned him into one of the most hated characters in One Piece.
To make things even worse, Blackbeard went a step further and even stole Whitebeard’s Devil Fruit for himself from his standing corpse. He soon became one of the emperors of the sea, replacing Whitebeard and acquiring a significant bounty on his head.
Five One Piece characters who redeemed themselves over time
5) Bon Clay (Bentham of the Wild)
Bentham, who went by the alias of Mr. 2, was a former officer agent of Baroque Works and an okama who played the role of a major antagonist during the Alabasta arc. After battling Sanji, Bon Clay changed sides and became instrumental in helping Luffy escape the depth of Impel Down later on in the narrative.
Bon Clay was one of the most likable antagonists in One Piece and his fun and lovable nature, coupled with the fact that he switched sides, soon made him one of the most liked characters in the series.
In Impel Down, he sacrifices his freedom to help Luffy escape. He was presumed to be dead for a significant period before it was revealed that he survived and is currently the Queen of the prison’s Newkama Land.
4) Franky
Franky is by far one of the most redeemed characters in One Piece. He was first introduced as a foil to the Straw Hats and even beat Usopp to a pulp and then stole the Straw Hat’s money. At the start of the Water Seven arc, Franky is hated, and many feel that his character is irredeemable, no matter what Oda tries to pull off.
However, fortunately for the blue-haired Cyborg, community opinions regarding him changed drastically over time, and Franky is now one of the most loved Straw Hats in the series.
He is mighty and reliable and has played a vital role in each of the arcs post the time skip. He is the crew’s repairman and one of the biggest examples of Oda’s masterful character designs and how one of the most hated characters in the series can become so popular and loved in just a short while.
3) Helmeppo
The son of the corrupt marine “Axe Hand” Morgan did indeed get one of the biggest redemptions in the story. His character had a drastic 360 turn in nature, and Helmeppo soon grew to be a much-liked and reliable character in the series.
He was introduced during the initial episodes of One Piece when Luffy was looking to recruit Zoro to his crew. He played a massive part in Zoro’s torture, and at one point, he even held Coby at gunpoint to threaten Luffy.
After this, his sniveling and cowardly demeanor soon changed when his father was arrested, and he began his training under Garp, Luffy’s grandfather. Helmeppo trained hard every day with Coby under Garp’s watchful gaze, and he soon became an entirely different character who was instantly likable and looked quite reliable.
2) Hachi
Initially, making Hachi a part of Arlong’s crew was a disservice Oda did to this highly likable and fun character in One Piece. The Fishman was part of the savage pirate crew who invaded Nami’s village, killing her mother and subjugating all its residents to years of torture and labor.
Although Hachi was a part of this, his jolly nature and charm made it quite hard to dislike him for long, even with all the atrocities his crew members committed.
After escaping Marine capture, Hachi had begun a new life for himself, where he was running a jolly takoyaki stand. It was a touching scene when the Straw Hats reencountered him later in the anime, where he conveyed a heartfelt apology to Nami.
She had returned the gesture in kind, and Hachi soon became one of the closest allies of Luffy and his crew.
1) Nico Robin
Once the vice executive to the underworld trying to take over Alabasta, Nico Robin, once distrusted and disliked, is now integral to the Straw Hat Pirates and has had the most significant redemption thus far in the series.
However, while she posed a threat to the Straw Hats, unlike Franky, she did not actively seek to harm them and was more interested in the mystery of the Phoneglyphs and World History.
The Ennies Lobby arc, which is by far one of the highest-rated and most loved arcs in the series, was a turning point in her character. There were a lot of emotional scenes here, especially the infamous “I want to live!” shout from Robin herself, which made Luffy declare war on the World Government.
The air of mystery around her soon disappeared, and Oda masterfully crafted her character to subtly fit into the Straw Hat crew as one of their most influential members.
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