The Anime Big 3 and Worldbuilding: Why One Piece surpassed Naruto and Bleach, explored

The Anime Big 3, One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach have been the major discussion points in the anime community for long. These anime and manga have their own special style with fanbases worldwide, and are loved because they tell interesting stories with unforgettable characters set in vast worlds.

However, the world-building in One Piece is considered to be unmatched, which may explain why it has managed to surpass other members of the Anime Big 3, both financially and critically.

Worldbuilding is the art of constructing a fascinating and realistic universe where a story takes place. In One Piece, it means creating an extensive world where everything is linked together. Many different islands are present, each with its own culture and history.

All these details combine to form one large story. The attention given to details not only makes the story more captivating when viewed or read, but also gives a continuous sense of adventure and discovery.

Knowing why One Piece is so good at creating a world, compared to other Anime Big 3 like Naruto and Bleach, can help us understand its enduring appeal. This journey helps us see how crucial it is to build an imaginative universe for telling stories well, and also reveals the creative talent behind one of anime's most beloved series ever.

Disclaimer: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions. It contains the spoilers from the manga.

One Piece surpassed Naruto and Bleach among the Anime Big 3 in worldbuilding

Monkey D. Luffy as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Before, there were other groups of three well-known manga. In the early '90s, it was Slam Dunk, Dragon Ball, and Yu Yu Hakusho. During the late '90s, it became One Piece along with Rurouni Kenshin plus Hunter X Hunter — but they didn't make a lasting mark like the Anime Big 3 fandom has now.

The fans understand that all Anime Big 3 have incredible storylines and characters. However, One Piece is distinct from other Anime Big 3 in certain ways, particularly when considering protagonist characteristics.

Ever since making its first appearance in 1997, Eiichiro Oda's manga story about Luffy has grown, into an extensive tale. The group of pirates, known as Straw Hats, who follow Luffy have turned into vital characters within their world and now face more serious situations fitting for such important roles.

The present Egghead Island arc is providing explanations to inquiries that followers have pondered over for years, as well as improving the persons in a pleasing manner. This story arc highlights several elements that make One Piece better than other Anime Big 3, Naruto and Bleach.

One Piece's unique foundation compared to other Anime Big 3

Roronoa Zoro as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

The first thing that sets anime worlds apart is their foundations. These show how a story progresses, how the characters of the story relate to the world around them, and how readers or viewers perceive its depth and complexity. All the Anime Big 3 have different foundational elements of their own, however, Eiichiro Oda's One Piece excels at creating a world more engaging.

In One Piece, the world is developed with a strong historical and cultural background that fits the story completely. The tale of the Void Century, Poneglyphs' enigma, as well as ancient weapons, gives a feeling of lost history which propels plot development.

The existence of the World Government, founded by the alliance of twenty kingdoms 800 years ago, along with the creation of the Dragon's Revolutionary Army brings political complexity to the story. Each island and culture that the Straw Hat Pirates encounter presents a world of variety, with their unique traditions, customs, and histories.

Naruto Uzumaki as seen in anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

On the other hand, Naruto's world is built around the idea of ninja villages and their past conflicts as well as partnerships. The setting is separated into five key ninja nations, each with its distinct way of life and jutsu styles.

The story revolves around the Sage of Six Paths and how chakra came to be, giving it a mythical touch. This base is full and detailed, but it's more about the ninja system and not so much about the wider world.

In Bleach, the history of Soul Society, the role of Soul King as well as the presence of Hollows and Arrancars sets it apart with its unique mythology. Yet frequently, we see attention given to power fights and clashes in these different worlds or between them, rather than an intricately linked history or varied cultures, unlike One Piece of Anime Big 3.

Exploring the vast and diverse world of One Piece

Sabaody Park as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

In One Piece, the worldbuilding is massive and consistent, creating a vast universe that feels original and interesting. The story takes place on a planet covered with seas, along with many islands. Each island has its distinct environment, traditions, and people who live there.

Sabaody Archipelago and Drum Island show opposite natural surroundings. The first one is like a tropical heaven with bright sunlight, while the second place has snowy mountains. The variety in setting allows numerous possibilities for plot and character development, unlike other Anime Big 3.

Even though Naruto has a vast world of its own with deep history and geography, it sometimes gives the feeling of being constrained. The main location is always Hidden Leaf Village, along with other key places, which can make it feel less vast when compared to One Piece. While the story does involve various villages, they are not as beautifully described or diverse as those in One Piece.

Yhwach as seen in 'Bleach' (Image via Studio Pierrot)

In contrast, the story in Bleach, another member of the Anime Big 3, mostly takes place in two places— the human world and Soul Society, with some visits to Hueco Mundo. Although the Soul Society is a detailed setting, having its social system and past events, the actual world of Bleach lacks variety as well as vastness similar to what fans see in One Piece.

The series usually goes back to places that are known already, which can restrict the feeling of going on a new adventure or discovering something fresh.

One Piece has more cultural depth and mythology compared to other Anime Big 3

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One Piece, unlike the other series of Anime Big 3, is influenced by various cultures, customs, and societies in its large fictional world. Every island that Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, known as the Straw Hat Pirates, explore in One Piece shows distinct cultural settings, reflecting characteristics from various real-life cultures.

One Piece also has its roots in actual mythology and tales. For instance, Kurozumi Orochi takes inspiration from the Japanese mythological being known as Yamata no Orochi. Additionally, places like Skypiea draw on various mythologies about floating islands or heavenly realms. These demonstrate Oda's ability to mix cultural and mythic facets within his series.

Wano Country as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Other Anime Big 3, Naruto and Bleach, also express a fascination with supernatural and spiritual elements. Yet, they don't delve as deeply into the cultural variety and mythology of their world. Likewise with One Piece, other Anime Big 3 like Naruto and Bleach touch on the realms of supernatural things.

In Naruto's universe, we see an exploration of complex relationships between different ninja clans, within hidden villages that take inspiration from Japanese folklore about ninjas. Still, there is less focus on wider cultural diversity in the story.

In Bleach's plotline as well, while it deeply investigates matters related to the afterlife as well as soul society, it focuses more on fighting with superpowers rather than exploring different cultures.

One Piece has a world of unmatched geographic diversity

The variation in geography is an important part of making an anime world feel full and deep. In this aspect, One Piece is the best because it has more diversity than both other Anime Big 3 combined. The wide range of places shown in One Piece gives a feeling of a linked world full of life and adventure.

Grand Line as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

The Grand Line, which has dynamic weather and different islands with different ecosystems and cultures, is the key reason for this variety. From floating islands like Skypiea to underwater Fishman Island. new environments keep getting introduced in One Piece that add to the story, whilst also mirroring how big and complicated our world is.

Comparatively, Naruto's world is diverse but usually focused on the five big ninja villages and nearby regions. Every village possesses its own culture and geographical traits, providing unique characteristics to each place.

However, the broadness might appear more limited as compared to One Piece because it mainly focuses on these primary spots. The focus on these key locations in Naruto provides comprehension of particular areas, yet it lacks the same expansiveness for exploration as observed in One Piece.

Bleach, as aforementioned, mostly concentrates on the Human World, Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo. Each of these has different features but the series is not so much about their geographic variety.

The Human World is often a setting where events occur, while Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, even though unique in nature, are depicted as quite stationary in comparison. The impact is a lesser sense of space and variety, in contrast to the constantly growing and changing world of One Piece.

The variety in the geography of One Piece is not only about diverse places but also how these places are important for the story and journeys of the characters. The world itself acts like a character, putting obstacles in front of Straw Hat Pirates as they travel through its attractions and threats.

This ongoing investigation gives the story a lively element, offering an experience of discovery that is at the heart of what makes this series so fascinating.

One Piece is the pinnacle of interconnected worlds compared to other Anime Big 3

The world's interconnectedness serves as a major part of constructing a world and creates consistency in an imaginary universe. One Piece goes beyond the other Anime Big 3, Naruto and Bleach, by having complex connections throughout its large world that are deeply intertwined.

One can see the interconnectedness of One Piece's world in how different islands and seas are connected politically, historically as well as personally.

Five Elders as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Within One Piece, the World Government has the role of bringing everything together. It is present in almost all locations the main characters go to. The Revolutionary Army and Yonko also serve as connecting links for different places, forming a worldwide platform where actions in one area can greatly affect the whole world stage.

Talking about Naruto's world, even though it is linked by the relationships among the five main ninja villages, there are times when it seems more divided. Each village works semi-independently, and while the story does talk about alliances and disagreements between them, these interactions happen less often and have less effect worldwide.

As mentioned before, Bleach's world is divided into three major realms. While there's the interaction between these realms, it tends to be tied up in particular storylines, such as politics within Soul Society or dynamics in Hueco Mundo, and fails to portray the overall feeling of one unified place.

Mysteries in One Piece compared to other Anime Big 3

Although other Anime Big 3, Naruto and Bleach, also include mysteries in their stories, One Piece stands out for the profound nature of these mysteries.

One of the major things in this story are Ancient Weapons which have great power and can change the history of the world. The Void Century is an era that nobody knows much about because all its information has been hidden by the World Government for years now. They make the story more interesting and keep fans curious to discover what they mean for the characters in this tale.

Mysteries in One Piece improves the story by adding a feeling of exploration and amazement. Those who read or watch it are motivated to guess and make theories about what the Ancient Weapons really are, why the Void Century is so important, and what Monkey D. Luffy's final aim is when he searches for One Piece's treasure.

Tailed Beast as seen in anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Naruto speaks about the concealed truths of its main character's beginning and also where influential forces like tailed beasts originate from. On the other hand, Bleach raises enigmas linked to the Soul Society and the afterlife within the spirit realm, but these mysteries are more focused on character history than they are in One Piece which is about building a world.

This involvement in One Piece creates a strong link between viewers or readers with the story, making them more interested and involved in ongoing narrative parts of this series, unlike other Anime Big 3.

Final thoughts

Though the Anime Big 3, One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach, have all gained much popularity because of their interesting tales and unforgettable characters, One Piece is specifically known for its unmatched world creation. The work of Eiichiro Oda does not just tell a story, it builds a large and linked-up universe where each island, culture, and historical puzzle piece adds to make one cohesive experience.

This careful attention to detail not only enhances the story but also creates an ongoing feeling of adventure and exploration, that makes One Piece unique in its ability to build imaginative fictional worlds within anime.

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Edited by Ahana Mukhopadhyay