Summary
- Enies Lobby is the best One Piece arc, mastering world-building and emotional stakes.
- The arc showcases the Straw Hats' fights and individual skills, elevating each character.
- Emotional moments like Robin's decision to live add weight, making Enies Lobby unforgettable.
One Piece arcs, overall, are consistently well-made. Whether they’re fan favorites like Marineford, or underrated classics, like Skypeia, even the worst One Piece arcs have their own fans. Every arc is a new experience and adventure for the Straw Hats, creating and adding to the already amazing world that Oda has created.
However, despite every arc in One Piece having its great qualities, one arc has to be better than the rest. While many fans are quick to pick out their least favorite arcs in the show, it’s a bit harder to pick out the best arc in general. While it’s a close fight, one arc barely edges out the others, providing some of the best moments in all of One Piece, and perfecting the structure and formatting of the series; Enies Lobby.
One Piece: 7 Most Introverted Characters
Compared to most One Piece characters, these individuals are a little more reserved and distant in their personalities.
Enies Lobby Explores Robin's Connections to the World of One Piece
The Dark Truth of the World
One Piece’s Enies Lobby acts as the finale of the entire Water 7 Saga. After t he crushing defeat of the Straw Hats at the hands of CP9 and the abduction of Robin, the Straw Hats decide to storm One Piece's island of Enies Lobby in order to rescue her before she is taken away forever. However, this is easier said than done, as CP9 is still escorting her off the island.
Even though it's filled with smoke, we can still see the sky. We can still see the ocean. - Usopp to Luffy
On top of this, Robin herself does not want One Piece’s Straw Hats, fearing that she doesn’t deserve their kindness and that she’ll only lead to their destruction. After arriving at the island, each Straw Hat, including the newest ally Franky, must face off against a member of CP9. Eventually, after taking down the once insurmountable foes, and convincing Robin to return, the Straw Hats are able to rescue her and escape the destruction of the island. Overall, this arc masterfully blends all the things that make a One Piece arc special; interesting world-building, amazing fight scenes, and strong emotional stakes.
Enies Lobby Builds The Stakes Higher Than Ever
The Straw Hats Go Global
Firstly, the world-building of Enies Lobby gives fans their first up-close-and-personal look at One Piece’s World Government. The arc shares the bureaucratic tedium that the World Government thrives in, as well as showing its flagrant disregard for the individual lives of its citizens. From Robin’s backstory to the Straw Hats declaring war on the World Government, Enies Lobby truly increases the scale of the One Piece world taking the series to places it had never been before.
One Piece: Why Nico Robin Joined The Straw Hats In Alabasta, Explained
Robin's decision to join the Straw Hats symbolizes a new beginning, where the ideals of loyalty and friendship offer her a chance at healing from her
Enies Lobby Has the Best Fights of the Series
Thrilling and Fun
Additionally, One Piece’s Enies Lobby Arc provides some of the best pre-time skip fights in the show. This arc gives each Straw Hat their moment to shine, as well as showing off Franky’s first major fight. Even for a character like Usopp, who isn’t given a fight, is still given one of his greatest moments in the entire series, where he saves Robin just before he’s taken away with a sniper shot only he could pull off. This idea is echoed throughout each other fight scene, with each Straw Hat using their specific skill set to defeat their foes.
The Emotional Stakes of Enies Lobby are Riveting
The Most Heartwrenching Moments of the Series
Finally, the emotional stakes of Enies Lobby are some of the best in the One Piece series as a whole. In this arc, Robin resigns herself to death, especially after so many of her allies have died helping her in the past. After some convincing from Luffy, Robin’s declaration that she wants to live is one of the most inspiring, yet heart-breaking moments the series has to offer. With the death of the merry, and Robin’s backstory also in this arc, the emotional stakes help add weight to each fight scene, especially the final confrontation between Luffy and Rob Lucci.
I want to live! Take me to the sea with you! - Robin
In the end, the best arc of One Piece is purely up to the opinion of the viewer. However, One Piece’s Water 7 Saga and the Enies Lobby Arc have many strong qualities that will always make them classics in the anime world. For many, Enies Lobby, despite being hundreds of episodes deep in the series, was the arc that hooked them into the series, showing them that One Piece was something special.
