Summary
- Apoo's love for music makes him a likable character with relatable traits and unique abilities.
- Tashigi stands out as a humble, relatable marine amidst powerful colleagues like Smoker.
- Sanji's selflessness and past experiences contribute to his relatable nature within the Straw Hat crew.
It's staggering just how many intriguing characters Eiichiro Oda has managed to pack into One Piece, and while many of them can feel quite over-the-top and outlandish in keeping with the aesthetic of the series, others come across as a little more realistic, and even relatable. A character can still be a swashbuckling pirate or a menacing marine but still come across as someone that fans can connect and relate to, and most of the time, this is achieved through their backstory.
One Piece: Every Sword Style In The Series
With many talented swordsmen featured in One Piece, the series has showcased a variety of sword styles throughout the years.
On the other hand, though, sometimes it can be simple characteristics and personal traits that can end up resulting in fans harboring a personal connection to the character, making them a joy to watch any time they show up on screen. One Piece might be a series renowned for its exaggerated world and characters, but with these particular individuals listed below, they feel a lot more relatable for their unique reasons.
8 Apoo
An Obsessive Love For Music That Many Can Relate To
- First Appearance: Episode 392
Apoo is a rather odd pirate, yet he's still made quite a name for himself as a member of the Worst Generation, alongside his affiliation with Kaido's Beast Pirates. The main reason Apoo comes across as such a likable and relatable character, though, is his undying love for music. Everything Apoo says is in the rhythm of a tune, even when he's hurling insults at an opponent to get under their skin.
Even his teeth can be used as piano keys any time he wants to spread some cheer among his crew, or to attack an opponent, since music is his main form of offense. Being able to walk on thin air may not be something viewers can relate to, but Apoo's passion for creating and listening to good jams is something many can.
7 Tashigi
Tashigi Doesn't Feel As Absurdly Overpowered As Many Of Her Fellow Marines
- First Appearance: Episode 48
Many of the marines in One Piece are larger-than-life powerhouses who are more than capable of leaving a crater on an island with a single punch, but Tashigi is a little different. While she is greatly respected by her peers, including her leading commander, Smoker, Tashigi is very young and still in the process of getting to grips with marine life.
One Piece: Every Straw Hat Pirate's Age, Height, And Birthday
The Straw Hat Pirates are one of the youngest, most ambitious crews in One Piece. Here are the characters' ages, heights, and birthdays.
Compared to many of the marines who have had plenty of time to bolster their strength and abilities, Tashigi comes across as more grounded and relatable. Despite not having too much screentime, Tashigi has still become a fan favorite, mainly because she's easily relatable.
6 Hachi
Hachi Just Wants To Enjoy Good Food And Meet New Friends
- First Appearance: Episode 31
Hachi puts on a mean face when he first encounters Luffy and the gang in Arlong Park, but this is secretly a facade he deploys whenever he's forced to take on an enemy under orders from his master. After Arlong's crew was split apart, Hachi traveled back to Fishman Island, deciding to set up his own takoyaki shop to follow his lifelong dream.
The Straw Hats eventually uncover that Hachi really isn't all that bad after all, considering he decides to help guide them around in Sabaody, and even sizzles them up a few bowls of his famous cuisine. Hachi has very simple ambitions in life, making it easy to relate to his character, even if he is a Fishman.
5 Monkey D. Luffy
Luffy's Endless Curiosity And Hunger For Adventure Are Very Human Traits
- First Appearance: Episode 1
Luffy is a protagonist who will rush into a dangerous and chaotic situation with a giant smile on his face. The reason for this is simply his love of adventure. Luffy's end goal may be to find the One Piece treasure, but he's also exploring the wonders of the world along the way. Sure, Luffy's elastic powers may not be all that realistic, but his endless curiosity is a very human trait that many people share.
One Piece: Best Devil Fruits Not Used For Combat
Despite lacking in direct combat power, these Devil Fruits are still quite useful.
Additionally, when Luffy makes a new friend, it doesn't take long for him to form a close bond with them. He's known for being very open and friendly, sometimes to his detriment, but it nonetheless helps to add some relatability to Luffy, considering how different and unique he may seem on the surface.
4 Koby
From Young Sniffling Crewboy To A Fully-Fledged Marine, Koby Decided To Chase His Dreams
- First Appearance: Episode 1
While Luffy is definitely an underdog, he still begins the series with an immensely powerful Devil Fruit. Meanwhile, Koby starts off with little to nothing, aside from an ambitious dream of becoming a member of the infamous Marines. There would be a lot of fans who saw Koby's journey as a little more relatable than Luffy's, and it ended up making him one of the most beloved marines in the series.
Koby has come a very long way since those early days, being strong enough to earn a spot in the top-secret SWORD division. Though his interception of Boa Hancock may have gone horribly wrong, Koby has still proven to be a lot stronger than he was as a youngster, with many fans relating to his journey and personal struggle.
3 Bellamy
Bellamy Tries To Prove Himself Despite The Constant Setbacks
- First Appearance: Episode 146
Bellamy acts as a villain when he's introduced in the Jaya arc, being utterly humiliated by a single punch from Luffy, which puts him out of action for quite a while. He eventually reappears in Dressrosa, where it's revealed he has been trying to cozy up to none other than Doflamingo. Bellamy's desperation to prove himself, despite being embarrassed over and over, makes him an antagonist who's oddly sympathetic.
In the end, after a pep talk from Luffy, Bellamy would decide to hang up his pirate boots for good, deciding that it's not a life he wants to lead. Bellamy's journey of self-discovery and acceptance ends up completely changing his image in the eyes of many fans.
2 Zoro
Zoro Is A Man With Big Dreams And Some Very Clumsy Personality Traits
- First Appearance: Episode 1
Zoro's dream of becoming the strongest swordsman alive is one that he can't achieve easily. Zoro is constantly pushing himself to become strong enough to deal with anyone the Straw Hats come across in their dangerous travels, but with that being said, he's not always firing on all cylinders.
It doesn't matter how straightforward and clear a path may be, Zoro will always manage to find a way to get lost. While his terrible sense of direction is a trait that Zoro shares with many fans, it's also easy to relate to his quiet and stoic personality, preferring to hang back and let the other members of the crew do the talking while he catches a quick nap.
1 Sanji
Sanji Can Be A Little Too Selfless For His Own Good
- First Appearance: Episode 20
Sanji has a heart of gold, but he's someone who always has his mind on other people's problems rather than his own. As a child, Sanji was isolated, being locked away in a cell with nobody else but a small rat to keep him company. Judge's treatment of his son resulted in Sanji becoming appreciative of anyone who would show him love and respect, and that especially goes for his nakama in the Straw Hat crew.
However, this selflessness can sometimes become an issue, such as when Sanji pretended to betray the crew so that they wouldn't help him out in Whole Cake, rather than asking for their help and being a burden. It's easy to relate to these key characteristics of Sanji, alongside his love for cooking and goofy personality.
- Release Date
- October 20, 1999
- Network
- Fuji TV
- Directors
- Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou
- Writers
- Jin Tanaka, Akiko Inoue, Junki Takegami, Shinzo Fujita, Shouji Yonemura, Yoshiyuki Suga, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hirohiko Uesaka, Michiru Shimada, Isao Murayama, Takuya Masumoto, Yoichi Takahashi, Momoka Toyoda
- Franchise(s)
- One Piece
Cast
-
Mayumi TanakaMonkey D. Luffy (voice) -
Kazuya NakaiRoronoa Zoro (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
- Studio
- Toei Animation
- Creator
- Eiichiro Oda
- Number of Episodes
- 1122
