If you're setting sail with the Straw Hats, there's a lot of One Piece filler to get through. This may come as a relief to any newer fans of one of the best anime series around, since One Piece has over 1100 episodes and counting. You can gloss over a good chunk of what's been put to screen, though we should say, you're still left with a lot of arcs to get through, regardless.
However, just because something isn't canon doesn't mean it's worthless. There are plenty of filler episodes and a handful of the best anime movies in the long-running series that add something to the plot, characters, and universe. Luffy and his search for the One Piece treasure provide quite a few of those across his crew's many detours, with misadventures big and small, you should find time for.
We've charted all the One Piece filler episodes and movies for you to have the smoothest voyage possible through Eiichiro Oda's beloved franchise. We can tell you every bit of filler, then recommend what you shouldn't skip if you've got time. Of course, it's all up to you. We're just giving you the treasure map, the spoils you go for are entirely your own decision. You can also check out our guide to the One Piece Egghead Arc release schedule if you want to keep up with the newest adventures. For now, though, let's set sail.
One Piece filler list
Thankfully, One Piece doesn't have a lot of filler. Many long-running anime shows have a certain amount due to the production company catching up to the manga and needing to let more plot build up. Despite running for over 1100 episodes, only around 9% of them are filler, or 95 episodes.
The storylines are often just as wild as any other season, but they don't have any real lasting impact. More often than not, the Straw Hats wind up having to wriggle out of some unexpected situation. Occasionally, we get a history lesson, with some backstory for members of the crew, and sometimes a filler episode is purely a one-off story about Luffy and his cohorts in any time period, and what that looks like.
The same can't be said of the movies. 11 out of 15 are totally filler, but because of their greater production value and self-contained stories, there's a stronger case for not missing them out.
Nonetheless, here's the complete One Piece filler list:
- Movie 1: One Piece: The Movie
- Movie 2: Clockwork Island Adventure
- Episodes 54-60: Warship Island Arc
- Movie 3: Chopper's Kingdom on the Island of Strange Animals
- Episode 98: Enter the Desert Pirates! The Men Who Live Freely
- Episode 99: False Fortitude! Camu, Rebel Soldier at Heart!
- Episode 102: Ruins and Lost Ways! Vivi, Her Friends, and the Country’s Form!
- Movie 4: Dead End Adventure
- Episodes 131-135: Post-Arabasta Arc
- Episodes 136-138: Goat Island Arc
- Episodes 139-143: Ruluka Island Arc
- Movie 5: One Piece: The Cursed Holy Sword
- Episodes 196-206: G-8 Arc
- Episodes 220-224: Ocean’s Dream Arc
- Movie 6: One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island
- Episodes 225 and 226: Foxy’s Return Arc
- Movie 7: Giant Mecha Soldier of Karakuri Castle
- Episodes 279-283: Straw Hats Backstories
- Episode 291: Boss Luffy Returns! A Dream or Reality Lottery Trouble
- Episode 292: The Great Mochimaki Race to the Castle! Conspiracy of the Red Nose
- Episode 303: The Criminal is Boss Luffy? Chase the Vanished Great Sakura Tree
- Episodes 317-320: Post-Enies Arc
- Episodes 326-335: Ice Hunter Arc
- Episode 336: Chopperman to the Rescue! Protect the TV Station by the Shore!
- Episodes 382-384: Spa Island Arc
- Episodes 406-407: Boss Luffy Historical Specials
- Episodes 426-429: Little East Blue Arc
- Episodes 457-458: A Special Retrospective Before Marineford
- Movie 11: Straw Hat Chase
- Episode 492: The Strongest Tag-Team! Luffy and Toriko’s Hard Struggle!
- Episode 542: A Team Is Formed! Save Chopper
- Episodes 575-578: Z’s Ambition Arc
- Movie 12: One Piece Film: Z
- Episode 590: History’s Strongest Collaboration vs. Glutton of the Sea
- Episodes 626-628: Caesar’s Retrieval Arc
- Episodes 747-750: Silver Mine Arc
- Movie 13: One Piece Film: Gold
- Episodes 780-782: Marine Rookie Arc
- Episodes 895-896: Cidre Guild Arc
- Movie 14: One Piece: Stampede
- Episode 907: 20th Anniversary Special! Romance Dawn
- Episodes 1029-1030: Uta Arc
- Movie 15: One Piece Film: Red
- Episode 1084: Time to Leave - Wano Country and the Straw Hats
Which One Piece filler arcs and movies can you skip?
While you can skip every episode and movie of One Piece filler, a couple of them do add some value to the overall narrative. You get a deeper understanding of some characters, as well as fun adventures and, especially in the case of the films, some stunning animation.
The G-8 Arc is the biggest highlight, where the Going Merry, the ship of the Straw Hats, is taken by the Marines. Luffy and the crew have to split up to get it back in the marine base, each taking a different path and employing different means to get to their treasured vessel.
The Post-Arabasta Arc is another that gives more substance to the Straw Hats, providing flashbacks to five members of the crew. Luffy and Robin aren't included, letting you focus entirely on other characters who don't get as much attention otherwise.
In terms of the movies, much like Dragon Ball Z, none of them are necessary for the ongoing plot. However, they shine in terms of production, and a few will tug on your heartstrings and have you on the edge of your seat.
Of the 15 (!) so far, we recommend these five: Strong World, Z, Gold, Stampede, and Red, each for a distinct reason. Strong World is actually written by Eiichiro Oda, and you get more time with Shiki, a canonical villain. Z is a fan-favorite, pitting the Straw Hats in a race against time to prevent a cataclysmic event. If you like heist movies, Gold plays like the Straw Hats starring in their own version of Ocean's Eleven, making it incredibly fun.
Stampede's plot concerns the quest for the One Piece, and why it matters that the whole journey is taking so long. Finally, Red has a clever plot that's well told with some gorgeous visuals, and it's worth watching just to see how far the franchise has come on-screen.
The best One Piece filler arcs that you should watch
You should catch three One Piece filler arcs in particular. The G-8 Arc is a funny, smart romp with a lot of nuance on who each of the Straw Hats are. Many fans are hoping it's retroactively made canon, and it's treated with some reverence within the wider community.
The Post-Arabasta Arc provides good backstory to the crew outside of Luffy and Robin, a treat for anyone who loves their mythology. Finally, the Boss Luffy Historical Specials are single-episode stories where the Straw Hats are in a different era from history. They're just charming TV through and through.
The best One Piece filler arcs to watch:
- Episodes 131-135: Post-Arabasta Arc
- Episodes 196-206: G-8 Arc
- Episodes 291, 292, 303, 406-407: Boss Luffy Historical Specials
Will the One Piece remake have filler episodes?
We don't expect the One Piece remake to have any filler episodes.
If there are any, it'll be a minimal amount. The One Piece remake is a full reboot from the ground up, improving visuals and tightening up the writing across the board.
Modern anime production has moved away from filler as we once understood it. Studios don't need to produce as many weekly episodes anymore, since seasons have gotten shorter and much of the audience is online.
Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, and My Hero Academia, many of the biggest properties of the last 15 or so years, have much, much less filler compared to what came before. Even the associated films are becoming canon, as both Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen have movies using actual manga source material.
Rather than filler, we tend to get stopgap movies between seasons, such as Spy x Family Code: White, or compilation films, like Solo Leveling: ReAwakening. The former doesn't affect the status quo, and the latter is usually a blend of existing footage and a preview of what's coming.
For more, check out our guide on how to watch One Piece in order. Or you can dive into more hit series with our guides on Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 and how to watch Dragon Ball in order.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
