One Piece/Tropes Q-Z

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Trope list for One Piece, Q-Z

Q

  • Quicksand Sucks: Crocodile's Desert Girasole basically left Luffy sinking into a large pool of quicksand with seemingly no way of getting out. It's a good thing Miss All-Sunday was around at the time to help.
    • There's also Caribou who is basically a living swamp that everything sinks into. Said swamp has infinite space to hold things.
  • Quirky Miniboss Squad: Numerous, including Baroque Works, CP9.

R

  • Race Lift: Miss Monday goes from being white in the manga to Ambiguously Brown in the anime.
  • Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: Plenty, but the Straw Hat crew quickly stands out especially when they add a reindeer-man, a cyborg and an undead skeleton to their ranks.
  • Rain Aura
  • Rank Up: Captain Smoker gets promoted by the Marines to Commodore. Commodore Smoker is not too happy about his promotion as he feels he didn't deserve it, but he does use his new leverage to operate wherever he wants.
    • He has apparently been promoted to vice-admiral. Tashigi was promoted five times from Ensign to Captain.
  • Rapid Aging: In chapter 650, Hody and his gang end up turning into old men. Apparently it's one of the side effects of all of those pills they took. Funny and sad at the same time.
  • Rasputinian Death: WHITEBEARD. What he went through simply has to be seen to be believed. Even the Narrator comments on it. Full list: 152 Gunshots, 267 Sword wounds (including one all the way through his chest), 46 cannon balls, and two counts of being impaled by LAVA. And this is from a man who is already very old and on freaking dialysis. Wow.
    • Might I add that in the manga, HALF HIS FACE IS MELTED OFF! AND HE DIES. STANDING. UP.
      • This may be a reference to Benkei.
  • Rated "M" for Manly
  • Razor Wind: Many of the attacks in the series, namely Cipher Pol 9's "Rankyaku" and Zoro's "Poundo Hou" and "Tatsumaki" techniques. Mr. 1 is a pretty blatant example, since he can slice things up just by waving his hands. We don't even see any wind.
  • Real Men Eat Meat: Luffy's favorite food.
  • Real Men Wear Pink: Sanji has worn pink, and it is Chopper's identifying color. Donquixote Doflamingo wears a pink feathery overcoat, and has proven himself to be pretty badass at the Battle of Marineford. And of course, the manliest of men, Bon Clay.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Arlong is quite fond of giving these to humans to show why Fishmen are superior. Luffy counters by inverting the trope, giving a Reason I Suck Speech stating everything his crew can do that he can't, then adding that the one thing he can do is kick Arlong's ass.
  • Reclining Reigner: Don Achino.
  • Red Baron: Basically everyone who isn't a civilian or a total weakling.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: Taken to a pretty much literal sense with Oars and Nightmare Luffy.
    • Also Dorry and Broggy, who were called the Red and Blue Ogres.
    • Sanji and Zoro have a weird mix of this, with Sanji normally being Red, passionate and romantic, and Zoro being cold and deadpan, when they get into fights however Zoro gets his smile on and Sanji quits acting like a fool.
    • We also have Luffy and Zoro, one being hot-headed, headstrong and wild, with the other being calm, serious and controlled (most of the time).
    • Orange-haired and red-eyed Nami who gets easily annoyed at the stupidity of the crew, versus black for Robin who laughs at their antics and has only once ever had a Demon Head (at an enemy).
    • On the Marine's side, there's Garp and Sengoku, with Garp as the Red Oni and Sengoku as the Blue Oni. This is demonstrated further in the anime version of Episode 0, where Garp wears a red tie and Sengoku wears a blue tie.
  • Redshirt Army: All marines (besides those few with names and/or backstories) are just one big version of this trope.
  • The Red Sonja: Alvida is infatuated with Luffy because of this trope, though she's apparently okay with killing him. Luffy doesn't really care.
    • She explains this. If he's able to be killed, then he wasn't the man she was looking for. She has faith in his ability to survive.
  • Refuge in Audacity: Oh so very much.
    • To clarify: got a crazy theory on what'll come up? Oda will most likely top it in the most out-of-field way possible.
  • Rescue Arc: The Enies Lobby Arc revolves around the Straw Hats trying to save Robin from the clutches of the World Government, who plan on harvesting her knowledge of and then killing her for reading illegal inscriptions.
    • The Impel Down arc begins with Luffy's attempt to rescue his brother Ace from the most fearsome prison in the world.
    • After failing to spring Ace, Luffy decides to bust out of Impel Down (a prison considered impregnable), with an army of over 200 rowdy criminals including two Revolutionaries, two Warlords, and Buggy, and head to Marine Headquarters to join the Battle Royale With Cheese and attempt to stop Ace's execution.
  • Retired Badass: Red leg Zeff, Silvers Rayleigh, Shakky, and Doctor Kureha.
  • Revealing Coverup: When the denizens of Punk Hazard's attempt to fool Smoker into leaving the island backfires because he's familiar with the island's history.
  • Rightful King Returns: Wapol came back to his kingdom and got promptly sent flying into the sky by Luffy. Also, King Nefertari returned after Luffy kicked Crocodile's ass and peace returned to Alabasta.
  • Right-Hand Hottie: Femme Fatale Kalifa fulfills this role for Iceburg in One Piece just before being revealed as an assassin/ spy sent by the world government.
  • The Reveal: Ace is actually Gold Roger's son.
  • Reverse Mole: Nico Robin. Also possibly Bartholomew Kuma as a mole in the World Government for Dragon, though we didn't get more than vague hints regarding this.
    • As of the latest chapter,Kuma is revealed to really be a mole for Dragon and that this was his reason for saving the Strawhats back at the Sabaody Archipelago.
  • The Revolution Will Not Be Vilified: Dragon is leading a revolutionary war against the tyrannical, slave owning, massacre happy, conspiracy loving World Government. Fisher Tiger rescued slaves and lead an attack against the incredibly corrupt and decadent nobility. Other revolutionaries are shown freeing Robin from a work camp. The worst thing anyone to do with the Revolution has been shown doing is Ivankov's Gender Bender antics. Now Oda may turn this around when we learn more about the Revolution but so far they've been portrayed as entirely heroic.
    • Though if you pay attention one of the Revolutionaries seems to have just shot someone execution-style in the coverstory, usually something that isn't seen as very humane, but it remains to be seen what the overall attitude of the movement is.
    • And of course there is also the fact that the Revolutionaries spread their ideals through warfare so it seems to zig-zag between this trope and The Revolution Will Not Be Civilized
  • Ridiculously Cute Critter: Chopper. Also baby Laboon in flashbacks, and the Spaceys in Eneru's cover story.
  • Ridiculously-Fast Construction: At one point during Thriller Bark, Franky, Usopp, Sanji and Zoro come across a place that they can't jump over. Usopp, Sanji and Zoro turn around and in about five seconds, they turn back around and see that Franky just built a bridge. Later on, Nami runs across it and comments how quickly yet well made it looks.
  • Right Makes Might: According to the author, those who have stronger convictions will always prevail.

Donquixote Doflamingo: (on the Marineford battle) Justice will prevail, you say? But of course it will... Whoever wins this war, becomes justice!

  • Roaring Rampage of Rescue: Luffy on several occasions, but most notably during the Marineford arc, when his Foe-Tossing Charge lasts for several episodes and (amongst other things) sends a giant flying.
  • Royals Who Actually Do Something: Vivi
    • Queen Otohime of Fishman Island, makes time in her day to be a mother of 4, schoolteacher, rescue worker and activist.
  • Rubber Man: Monkey D. Luffy himself.
  • Rule 34: Quite a bit of it, mostly involving Nami and Robin.
  • Rule 63: While a normal rule of the internet, this one bears special notice in that ever since the introduction of Ivankov's ability to pull a Gender Bender at-will and Oda's illustrated response [dead link] to a fan question as to what it would look like if applied to the main cast, there has been an absolute deluge of Gender Flipped art on the internet, and Oda has only himself to blame.
  • Rule of Cool: Do most of the Devil Fruit powers make sense or follow any sort of physics? No. Are they cool? Yes. On a more wide range, the series itself seems to run on this at times. And it is awesome.
  • Rule of Funny: Tons of things. For one, it's the only reason that Chopper and Brook always jump in to save Luffy when he falls overboard, despite the fact that not only do they share his Super Drowning Skills, one was never able to swim in the first place and the other has had them longer than the other two combined.
  • Running Gag: Numerous. A significant amount passes over into Brick Joke-territory.
    • For example, Luffy and Usopp's impersonations of various characters, mostly crewmates.
    • Whenever Chopper meets someone, chances are they'll mistake him for a raccoon dog, despite his antlers.
      • Or they'll mistake him for something else, depending on what form he's taking at the time.
    • During the Enies Lobby arc, characters will shout angrily whenever they happen to run into Franky, apparently forgetting that he already made a Heel Face Turn.
  • Running Gagged: Usopp's lies. This slowly started fading out due to his Character Development. In the beginning, Usopp would lie often and sometimes for no good reason. Now he lies rarely and usually has a battle plan whenever he does.

S

  • Sand in My Eyes: When Franky hears the story of why Usopp wanted to fix Merry, him and his two girls start to cry Manly Tears. When Usopp calls them out on it, Franky says: "I'm not crying dammit!"
  • Sarcastic Confession: In the G8 filler, when a captured Zoro was being interrogated by the Marines how he snuck into the fortress. Zoro tells them in a bored voice that he fell from the sky.
  • Scary Shiny Glasses: Captain Kuro and Admiral Kizaru. Though with the latter he's very cheery. Unfortunately almost every pirate is afraid of this guy and that's before having some knowledge what he can actually do.
    • Kuma also manages to pull this off in the anime, despite the fact that he's technically not wearing glasses.
    • Rayleigh in the anime, too.
  • Scenery Porn: Seriously, just LOOK [dead link] at [dead link] some [dead link] of [dead link] these [dead link] places [dead link].
  • Schizo-Tech: In a world with relatively old-fashioned technology, we have things like cyborgs that are capable of firing laser beams from their mouths, though this is Hand Waved by saying that the mind behind said laser-firing cyborgs is several centuries ahead of its time.
    • Franky was sent by Kuma to a futuristic winter island where the mind in question was born.
    • They also apparently have flat-screen TVs and stereo speakers. Seriously.
      • Its a wonder what snails can do.
    • Justifiable - most of the islands are separated by wild weather, sea kings and wonky magnetic fields. One region's advances take a long time to spread, except when it is beneficial for the World Government or Marines who can bypass those obstacles.
  • Scissors Cuts Rock: Luffy, being a rubber man, is immune to Eneru's electricity-based powers. However, Eneru finds ways to hurt Luffy anyway by applying electricity indirectly, culminating in his tossing Luffy overboard with a gigantic gold sphere attached to his wrist serving as an anchor. Luffy defeats Eneru as soon as he gets out of the mess, but Eneru did turn what should've been a Curb Stomp Battle into one where he had the edge.
  • Screw the Rules, I'm Beautiful: Boa Hancock. That is, until Luffy comes along.
  • Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right: Jinbe after Luffy's fight with Hody, as he gives Luffy a blood transfusion despite Fishman Island's law that Fishmen are not allowed to give blood to humans. Jinbe justifies this by noting that he's pirate, and acts outside the law anyway. However, it's made clear that after the events of the arc thus far, none of the Fishmen are really interested in enforcing that law anymore, least of all against the guy most responsible for saving Fishman Island and everyone on it.
  • Sdrawkcab Name: Elbaf. Fable.
    • The Viz translation missed this and Romanized the land as "Elbaph".
    • One of Smoker's attack names is "Moku Moku no Cloud". "Moku" spelled backwards is "Kumo", or "Cloud".
  • Sea Monster: The Sea Kings. They are HUGE, see for yourself [dead link].
    • That little spec on the big one's nose? Thats a pirate ship.
  • Secret Art: Rokushiki (Six Powers). Known only to CP9 and certain Marine officers.
  • Self-Deprecation: In one of the specials, Oda created a character for himself. His defining moment makes him look like an idiot and he even gets beat up by, of all people, the quartet of Buggy, Hatchan, Jango and Bon Clay.
  • Self-Duplication: Nico Robin has acquired to do the ability to do this during the Time Skip in One Piece.
  • Senseless Sacrifice: A nonlethal comedic variant. There's been at least one instance where Luffy fell into the water, and Chopper, and later Brook dove in to save him, forgetting that they are also Fruit Eaters, and can't swim either. Zoro saved them each time, though.
  • Serial Escalation: Each Finishing Move Luffy uses to knock out each Big Bad is more over the top and devastating than the last.
    • Along with how much damage he takes before managing to pull off said finishing move.
  • Shapeshifter Guilt Trip: Subverted and then played straight as Sanji has no problem kicking Mr. 2 around when he looks like Usopp, but the minute he transforms into Nami...
  • Shapeshifting: All Zoan fruits do this, allowing the user to shift between their natural form, a particular animal form, and a hybrid of the two. Chopper is notable in that his Rumble Ball temporarily grants him further variations. Some Paramecia fruits grant similar powers, most notably Mr. 2 Bon Clay's, which lets him transform into other people.
  • Shark Man: Any shark-type fishman, Arlong and Hody being prime examples.
  • Shiny Midnight Black: Robin has this kind of hair.
  • Ship Sinking: All of them; Word of God says that there are no canon relationships and never will be.
  • Shonen: One of the more well-known.
  • Shonen Hair: Notably absent. While Luffy have one it looks pretty normal compared to other shonen hairs.
  • Shonen Upgrade: Began during the Alabasta arc, done in the Skypeia arc with a few characters, but most apparent during the Enies Lobby arc (see Took a Level in Badass below).
    • Kuma sent each of the Strawhats to islands relevant to their abilities resulting in a major upgrade to all the Straw Hats when they get back together post Time Skip.
  • Shoot the Builder: Part of Franky's backstory. Tom, his mentor, build the ship that currently used by the Pirate King. But Tom was killed partly for guilt by association and so his talents wouldn't be used by pirates. Franky survived a similar ordeal and eventually became a pirate.
  • Shooting Superman: You would think that by this point, everyone would know that trying to hurt Luffy with a bullet would be almost suicidal. Especially since the bullet might come back and shoot you instead.
    • And now after the Time Skip he can absorb enemies' attack and return it with twice the power.
  • Shout-Out: There's a Shout-Out to the second Terminator film in episode 443 where Crocodile takes a headshot and the resulting hole and camera angle is identical to the one in the scene where the T-1000 is headshotted during the film's climax.
    • Saint Jalmack the Celestial Dragon's cube-shaped air helmet looks a lot like the ones at the end of WALL-E.
    • The maw of Bowin Archipelago looks a lot like Unicron.
    • In chapter 592 of the manga, Brook is referred to as Master Satan.
    • Sanji's fight with Scarlet in Movie 10 is a very blatant one to King Kong, only ending with Scarlet being knocked down through the tower instead of off of it.
    • A possible shout out is Brook opening his afro/skull as though it is on a hinge and storing items (namely his Tone Dial) inside, in a similar fashion to Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo.
    • In episode 467, The art shift made to represent extreme hot blood and Luffy's large spinning fist are strangely familiar...
      • Additionally, one of the Kuja tribeswomen looks a lot like a brown-haired Yoko. Since the director for that episode had worked on Gurren Lagann, it's probably not a coincidence.
    • This is farfetched but Diamond Jozu might be a reference to the old American folk song Diamond Joe, with his "diamond studded jaw".
    • In chapter 619, Neptune pulls off an attack which, down to the arm movements and the effect, resembles a Kamehameha wave.
    • Nearly 600 chapters after his meeting with Luffy, Gaimon reappears in a cover page with a new friend. Together, they are Gaimon and Sarfunkel.
    • In Thriller Park, one of Hogback's minions is a bat with the number 21.
    • Another farfetched one: Sanji's a cook, and his nickname is Black Leg. Pata Negra, its Spanish translation, is a world famous type of ham [dead link].
    • On the cover of chapter 641, we finally see Vivi after two years. Not only that, but she shops smart, she shops S-Mart.
    • Anyone else think the giant crab-based submarine the Foxy Pirates use in episode 226 looks a lot like another aquatic animal-based submarine a certain other group of three uses?
    • Pirates Docking 6's scene in the anime has Franky shouting YATTE YARUZE, and the 'combining beam' is red in color, a motif that shows up in Dancougar, one of Franky's seiyuu's most iconic roles.
    • The dragon the crew encounters on Punk Hazard resembles a Monstrous Nightmare.
    • In Chapter 657, Sanji said to Franky "that weird body of yours isn't just for show.
  • Shower Scene: Nami has had these during filler and in Thriller Bark. She even develops a technique for it over the time skip.
  • Shown Their Work: Oda.
  • Shut UP, Hannibal: At the turning point of the CP 9 saga, when the Straw Hat pirates face of with the leader of a secret government agency.

Spandam: "Look at that symbol, pirates! *point to the flag of the world government* That mark represents the unity of over 170 nations! This is the world! Do you understand how insignificant you are to stand against us!!?"
Luffy: "I understand very well. Sogeking, shoot that flag."

  • Signature Laugh: Several major and not so major characters in the series have a unique laugh.
  • Significant Birth Date: Luffy's birthday is on Children's Day (May 5), Usopp's is April Fool's Day, and Chopper's is Christmas Eve. Sanji's, Franky's, and Brook's are word puns. Zoro's birthday is also a word pun, but it falls on Armistice Day.
    • Specifically invoked for most characters, as birthdays are usually determined by a fan suggesting one to Oda with logic based on this trope, with Oda response being Sure Why Not.
  • Single-Stroke Battle: Zoro vs. T-Bone.
    • Invoked Trope: This is forced because Zoro is on a train and T-bone is on the tracks, they only have time for one slash and both realize it. Except... Zoro's attack is a feint, leaving T-bone's flank open. Clever girl...
    • It's either Subverted or taken to the next level with Brook vs Himself (His fighting style in a super powerful zombie body). Both use their ultimate technique, which consists of walking toward the other with their sword out. In the end, it's so fast (or so special) that it becomes a Zero stroke battle. The loser simply falls down.
  • A Sinister Clue: Inverted with the main cast, they all have something special on their left side, like Usopp's armband, Chopper's antler plate, Nami's tats, Zoro's earrings, Luffy's scar, Sanji's covered eye; in fact, there's a list somewhere that contains all the important left things.
  • Sinister Shades: Vice-Admiral Kuzan, before he became Admiral Aokiji.
    • And Donquixote Doflamingo.
  • Sinister Surveillance: Eneru during his time as God literally turned Skypeia into Big Brother in Heaven by using his Devil Fruit abilities to increase the strength of his Haki/Mantra to hear the conversations of everyone on the island. Intruders, "blasphemers" and those who his men hadn't eliminated yet were punished by him with a column of lightning from above.
  • Skyward Scream: Happens at least three times throughout the series.
  • Slasher Smile: Sported by several characters, mostly prominently Donquisote Flamingo.
    • Zoro often wears one, which is fitting for a guy who is often accused of being insane.
  • Slave Brand: The Hoof of the Soaring Dragon. Also Nami's old Arlong tattoo.
  • Sliding Scale of Animal Communication: Chopper is at Level 4 since he Speaks Fluent Animal. Mermaids are somewhat of a level 5 since Camie has the ability to talk to fish, and in a recent flashback: Shirahoshi might be able to talk to FREAKING SEA KINGS!!!
    • According to chapter 626, Shirahoshi does indeed have the ability to talk to FREAKING SEA KINGS, though she seems to be unaware of her ability to do this.
  • Sliding Scale of Realistic Versus Fantastic: Firmly on the fantastic end.
  • Sliding Scale of Silliness Versus Seriousness: This series doesn't so much ping-pong back and forth as it occupies both extremes simultaneously.
  • Smoking Is Cool: Sanji, Smoker.
  • Smug Snake: If the villains aren't a Magnificent Bastard or iredeemable, they are this, especially Foxy and Buggy.
  • The Smurfette Principle: As could be expected from a Shonen series, most significant groups and teams only count one female among them. The Strawhats used to walk that way until Robin joined them as an Affirmative Action Girl.
  • Social Darwinist: Captain Morgan; Arlong.
  • So Last Season: After the Time Skip, the Marines get a taste of this when they see two Pacifistas easily defeated by Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji. The Mecha-Mooks aren't going to cut it against the Straw Hats anymore.
    • It has to be noted that Sentomaru mentioned that the two PX units that Luffy, Zoro and Sanji defeated were of the same model as the ones that previously attacked the Straw Hats on Sabaody. This implies that there are newer, stronger Pacifista models that even the Monster Trio might have trouble against. However, this in no way detracts from the pure awesomeness of the two PX units being OHKO'd after only one of them almost completely defeating the entire Straw Hat Pirates two years prior.
  • Sorting Algorithm of Evil: Justified in that the Grand Line acts as a natural selecting factor: the farther you go, the more powerful enemies you're likely to encounter, because only the strong get that far.
    • But subverted by Mihawk, Aokiji, and Kuma, who wipe the floor with their chosen opponents and don't kill them only because they have ulterior motives. Also subverted by Crocodile who, while beaten by Luffy in his arc, is still able to fight with some of the strongest characters introduced in the series and hold his own.
      • To be completely fair, Crocodile's Logia ability has a very huge weakness - without which Luffy would not have been able to win (as he did not have any idea what Haki was at that point in time). It may be safe to assume that not a lot of people know about this weakness, thus making Sir Crocodile an extremely dangerous foe for many.
    • Also subverted in the opposite fashion by the Flying Fish Riders, who are far weaker than the Straw Hats' previous opponents, and easily defeated.
    • Subtly averted with the henchman of Gecko Moria in the Thriller Bark arc, as they go down much easier than the previous arc's villains, CP9.
    • No mention of the Sabaody Archipelago arc? First the Straw Hats run into a Pacifista, a cyborg duplicate of the Warlord of the Sea Bartholomew Kuma, that they defeat with great effort. They are then immediately confronted by another Pacifista, Admiral Kizaru and Sentomaru. The Straw Hats are utterly annihilated and only saved from being killed by the timely intervention of the real Kuma.
  • Speaks Fluent Animal: Chopper, of course. Due to him eating the hito-hito fruit, he can translate them for humans as well.
  • Spell My Name with an "S": Happens across multiple languages
    • Most notably are Luffy to Ruffy (German) and Zoro to Zolo (English).
      • To be fair, though, Zoro's name change was justified by the fact that the owners of Zorro threatened to sue.
    • Not to mention Enel/Eneru. (the latter is official)
    • Paramecia/Paramythia
    • Poneglyph/Ponegliff
    • And Brook/Brooke. (the former is official)
    • Is it Oz, Odz or Oars?
      • Word of God says "Oars", as his descendant's ship's sail carries the name.
    • One of Whitebeard's subordinate Captains (the one that shanked Whitebeard), has variously been referred to as Squado, Squad, Squardo, Spardo and many other names besides. (English manga uses Squard)
    • There's also Dracule/Juraquille (former is correct), Jozu/Joz/Jose/Jaws(first one, if going by the English manga), Margaret/Marguerite, and Jinbei/Jimbei.(Actually confirmed as Jinbe in a Data Book, though FUNimation and Viz use Jimbei)
    • And some fans disagree on whether it's Blueno or Bruno. He has a sign in his tavern in Water 7 which reads "BLEUNO", which is possible, since "bleu" is French for "blue", and in Japanese both would be pronounced like "blue" in English.
    • Some fans also think it should be spelled Iceburg or Iceburgh, due to it being written as "ICEBURG" in the manga at one point and apparently being a pun on Pittsburgh. However, it's also written as "ICEBARG" in the anime at one point, which means that "Iceburg" was most likely a misspelling on Oda's part (whose English is far from perfect) and that it is actually meant to be Iceberg.
    • However, the best example has to be the spelling of Mr 2.'s codename. Officially, and according to Word of God, it's "Bon Kurei", referencing the Obon festival. However, absolutely EVERYONE, even OFFICIAL SOURCES FROM JAPAN, romanise it as "Bon Clay". Apparently no one except Oda got the reference.
    • The currency itself. Is it beri, beli, berri, belly, or berry? It doesn't help that Oda has used more than one spelling on the actual bills.
    • There's also Big Mom. For a log time, people were in debate over whether or not it was Big Mom or Big Mam, and even the wiki went with the latter. However, it has since been confirmed to be Big Mom.
    • We now have Madame Shirly/Shyarly
  • Spike Shooter: Miss Doublefinger, due to eating the toge-toge no mi/Spike-Spike fruit.
  • Spin-Off: With the debut of the Super Strong Jump magazine (essentially Jump made for 10 and younger). Chopperman was was spun off into his own series. The series is neither written or drawn by Oda and takes place in an alternate universe where Chopper is a health teacher at a elementary school. Nami is the principal of said school, most of the students are kid characters or chibi versions of characters from the main series. Usopp is still the main villain however.
  • Spit Take: Luffy and Usopp order several barrels of water, not realizing that they are sitting next to Smoker and Tashigi. Once they do, they end spitting a whole bunch of water right into the Marines' faces. It is hilarious.
  • Spoiler Opening: While most of the openings confine themselves to just showing new characters, the fifth and sixth featured previews of upcoming scenes, while the third showcased Robin as a crew member... nearly twenty episodes before her Heel Face Turn. Oops.
    • The 11th opening just goes right ahead and pretty much shows every new character and such from where the anime currently is right up to the current manga arc.
    • The 12th opening spoils the hell out of Impel Down and Marineford.
  • Spontaneous Weapon Creation: A few times, with Logia users Aokiji and Kizaru Shaping Their Attacks.
    • Aokiji is An Ice Person, and by taking a few blades of grass and breathing onto them, he freezes himself up an Ice Saber.
    • Kizaru manipulates light, essentially enabling him to wield a Laser Blade.
  • The Starscream: Hannyabal
    • And shockingly, a recent flashback reveals that Ace was one when he first joined Whitebeard's crew.
    • Avalo Pizarro seems to be thinking of becoming one from Chapter 595.
  • Stalker with a Crush: Vander Decken the IX
  • Standard Evil Organization Squad: The Cipher Pol 9.
  • Start of Darkness: When Fishmen first appear in the series, they seem like little more than racists who terrorize innocent humans for sport. As it turns out, they've got a damn good reason to distrust, if not outright hate, humanity for the things they've forced Fishmen to endure. Not that unrepentant murderer Arlong is going to be turned by giving him a hug or anything, but you can definitely see where his species is coming from.
  • Stealth Pun:
    • One that would get more to a Western audience: When Monkey D. Luffy first meets Coby, he pops out of a barrel. Think it over.
    • Another one is for Daz Bones/Mr 1. His dream is to become a superhero, with "super" being a play on "supa", the name of his Devil Fruit. He is literally the Man of Steel.
    • Sanji would develop a technique where he could change his opponent's looks by kicking them in the face. He can literally "rearrange your face". Or, alternately, "beat the ugly out of you".
    • The receiving line of the golden snail is the silver snail. Unlike the golden snail, which is simply made of gold, the silver snail resembles an old man.
    • Kalifa of CP 9 eats the Bubble Bubble Fruit and becomes a "soap woman", using her sexiness in tandem with her odd soap powers. "Soaplands" are a type of brothel in Japan.
    • Bepo is a human-level sentient polar bear who goes from being a vicious kung-fu brawler one second to an apologetic depressive the next. In short, he's a bipolar bear.
  • Stepford Smiler: Its said that the slaves become this in order to survive their harsh treatment under the world nobles.
  • Stocking Filler: Fishnets are standard issue for the transvestites of Newkama Land. According to Oda, they wear them for the same reason people climb mountains—because they're there.
  • Story Arc: Not counting some filler, the show entirely consists of arcs of different length. And even most filler consists of these.
  • Strange Minds Think Alike: Luffy manages to smuggle Princess Shirahoshi (with good intentions) by having her hide in her pet shark Megalo's mouth. Brook thus argues that since he only saw Luffy and Megalo leave the castle, Luffy couldn't have kidnapped her. Neptune immediately suggests that she might have hid in Megalo's mouth (all the other members of his court burst out laughing, saying that the idea's too weird).
    • Chapter 649 has a Call Back where Zoro argues he doesn't want to be a hero because that would mean he would have to share his beer. Earlier, Luffy had this exact same thought except with meat. Nami lampshades it.
  • Strange Salute: The White Berets of Skypeia. HESO!!
    • Also, the Marine's own salute is palm inwards.
      • Word of God states that this is because Marines work with tarred objects and deem it disrespectful to show one's superiors blackened hands, hence the inward salute. This incidentally comes from British Naval practice in the Golden Age of Piracy.
        • This makes it a bit of Truth in Television since the modern day naval salute (of both the Royal Navy and US Navy) is still palm inwards. In fact, it's the palm outwards salute of the RAF and British Army that may be considered a Strange Salute since most modern armies salute with their palms downward (or inwards).
  • Straw Vulcan: Bellamy derides the Straw Hat crew for chasing fairy tales, and even provides a logical explanation for ships falling from the sky. However, this is meant to portray him as a villain... except he totally has a point. They ARE chasing fairy tales.
    • No, that would make him a rival/antagonist. What makes him a villain is that he's an asshole.
  • Stupid Sexy Flanders: Chick Ivankov. Brr...
    • Also, what happens when Nami sees Kalifa. She thinks to herself, "I'd like to have her as my secretary!" Until she remembers... "Wait, I'm not a dirty old man!"
  • Submarine Pirates: The Heart Pirates, led by "Surgeon of Death" Trafalgar Law.
  • Super Drowning Skills: Anyone who has a Devil Fruit loses the ability to swim. On top of that, they can't use their powers to get out of the water (though others can do so for them in certain cases, such as stretching Luffy's rubber body when he can't move).
  • Super Human Trafficking: Of Fishmen.
  • Super Mode:
    • Luffy's Gear Second and Gear Third techniques.
    • Zoro using his Asura technique and Sanji using Diable Jambe. Both of whom were super badass to begin with, they just took it to the next level.
    • Parodied by Tony Tony Chopper in filler, who turns into Chopper Man and can fly.
    • Subverted by Franky who changes into a centaur in reverse. However when he locks you with his extra legs, he can make a more powerful ultimate punch than usual, finishing the opponent. Interestingly, when he last did this and defeated his opponent, he yelled "SUUUUUUPER!" for good measure.
  • Superpower Lottery: Devil Fruits come in three types. Paramecia gives you a quirky ability. Zoan allows you to transform into an animal. Logia types grant you utter control over an element of nature, allow you to produce it in massive quantities from your body, and allow you to turn into that element to become practically invincible. Each is rarer than the next. There's also rare divisions within the three classes. Zoan for example, has Ancient Zoans and Mythical Zoans. The former is extinct animals like dinosaurs, the latter is outright fictious monsters like a phoenix. Yeah...
  • Super Robot: Franky is a cyborg, but he might as well be one. Made even better with his Japanese VA being Fujiwara Shinobu. He's getting closer to one post-timeskip, and has an actual Combining Mecha!
  • Super Smoke: Most Logia can do this as a rule. The heavier ones can't as easily, but generally make up for it with sheer power.
    • Smoker is a literal example of this.
  • Sure Why Not: Oda takes pretty much any suggestion for a character's birthday... including his own.
  • Suspiciously Specific Denial: In a flashback in episode 8, when Shanks tries to get Buggy to join the celebration, Buggy blurts out that he didn't steal anything. (He did.)
    • "We didn't see anything! Especially not the zombie you're making!"
    • In TV Special 4, while pretending to work for Buggy, Zoro deliberately attacks Mohji and Richie to protect Vivi. Right afterwards, he says "Sorry, my hand slipped", which Cabaji calling him out on his lie.

T

  • Take Me Instead!: Both Zoro and Sanji offer themselves up to save Luffy from Kuma, resulting in one of the most powerful scenes of the series.
    • Actually Zoro offers himself up for Luffy, and Sanji tries to offer himself up for Zoro, but gets knocked out by him.
  • Take My Hand: Robin does this a lot with her powers whenever characters fall overboard or from other precarious places. Luffy and Nami attempt (and fail) this right before the latter is vanished by Kuma, and Luffy reaches out towards Ace in the anime's 10th opening.
  • Talking Animal: Chopper, of course. Justified in that he was a normal reindeer with a blue nose before he ate the human-human fruit.
  • Talking to Himself: During the reunion arc, Nami and Usopp are hassled by the fake Straw Hats, all are voiced by the same voice actors of the real Straw Hats though their voices are changed around (fake Luffy's voice is Sanji's, fake Nami is Chopper's, etc)
  • Talk to the Fist: In chapter 670, Clown begins to outline either his plan or the origins of Slime. Luffy simply jumps up into his face and grabs him.
  • Tall, Dark and Bishoujo: Robin.
    • Boa Hancock, too.
  • Tank Goodness: Franky brings one out to help fight off Hody Jones army.
  • Tattooed Crook: Nami; Ace; Franky (among others)
  • Taught By Experience: The farther the Strawhat Pirates have gone into the Grand Line, the more skilled, inventive and more powerful the group became. Unfortunately before the Time Skip, the curve went up a bit too steeply.
  • Tautological Templar: The world government. Though if you've read/watched past the Enies Lobby arc, you probably already knew that.
  • Team Dad: Franky, according to Word of God.
  • Team Mom: Nami frequently comes across as this, although Word of God places Robin in this role.
  • Team Pet: Surume, the Kraken
    • The World Government considers Chopper this for the Straw Hat Pirates, and give him a miniscule bounty to match: 50 beli.
  • Tears From a Stone: During Luffy and Usopp's duel, water ends up splashing the Going Merry's figurehead, and makes it (Fittingly enough) look like it's crying.
  • Tear Off Your Face: This happens to Franky. Since he's a cyborg, the whole thing is played for laughs.
  • Tears of Joy: Sanji when he finally met the mermaids here
    • Also Luffy and Usopp after Usopp rejoins the crew.
    • Brook cried when Luffy told him that Laboon was still alive and still waiting for him.
    • But....he's a skeleton...he doesn't have any tear ducts. YOHOHOHOHO!! SKULL JOKE!!
    • Luffy, Usopp and Chopper do that to anything mecha-related (e.g. laser beam, rockets, Humongous Mecha, etc.).
  • Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Happens when Zoro and Sanji have to work together. Also, when Luffy, Buggy, Mr. 3, Crocodile, Mr. 1, Jinbei, and all of the other escaped inmates of Impel Down had to cooperate to try and save Ace.
  • Technicolor Toxin: Most of the toxin and venoms show onscreen are purple, including Magellan's venom, Musshuru's Spores and Crocodile's Hook. But there's also green poison (the Daft Green trees in the tenth movie) and oddly colored toxins like the MH 5 and Magellan's strongest attack.
  • Tempting Fate: After Franky recharges on cola and lets out the biggest SUUUUUUUUUPER thus far, the first words out of Fukuru's mouth are "You gonna hit me with another one of your weak punches(chapapa)?"
  • Tender Tears: Vivi and Franky. Both are highly emphatic and cry easily.
  • Terrible Trio: Toei is doing their darnedest to turn Foxy, Hamburg, and Porche into this in the anime... and have largely succeeded.
    • Also, Buggy is this to a degree in the manga.
  • Thanatos Gambit: Roger turned himself in to the World Government, and then reversed their intended effect of his execution with his last words. What was intended to be a lesson to all pirates ended up causing an Age of Piracy, arguably making the entire series a Thanatos Gambit.
    • Whitebeard decided to turn his death into one by confirming the treasure is real, erasing doubts of its falsehood and starting the whole thing all over again.
  • Thanks for the Mammary: Luffy's introduction to giant mermaid Princess Shirahoshi.
  • The Government: The World Government, obviously.
  • Theme Naming: The Seven Warlords of the Sea are all named after animals, many women are named after birds, and everyone on Amazon Lily is named after a flower.
    • There's also Gold Roger and Rouge, both named after the Jolly Roger (or the French version jolie rouge, in Rouge's case).
      • Gold Rogers and Silvers Rayleigh also count.
    • It isn't just characters: the art books and data books also have their own naming themes going on. Color Walk 3, 4, and 5 are named after animals that "rule" their respective habitat (Lion, Eagle, Shark), while the data books are Color Coded for Your Convenience (Red, Blue, Yellow, Green).
    • Subverted with the Medaka Mermaid Quintuplets. Each has a name that starts with a number (in japanese), except the last one http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/Medaka_Mermaid_Quintuplets#Translation_and_Dub_Issues .
  • There Can Be Only One: In chapter 634, after Hody starts to talk about what his plans are, he talks about being pirate king. At which point Luffy takes out half of his gang of pirates and tells Hody that there can be only one pirate king.
  • There Was a Door: Garp went of his way to smash through the wall of the home the Straw Hats were in simply to punch Luffy in the head. When his own subordinates ask why he would not simply go through the door, he simply said "It was cooler". At least he was polite enough to help repair the wall.
  • Third Time's the Charm: Luffy's fights against Crocodile. He lost the first two, and took him down in round 3.
  • This Cannot Be!: Don Krieg doesn't take too well to getting beaten by Luffy and in response repeatedly shrieks that no one can defeat him.
  • This Is Something He's Got to Do Himself: Luffy takes this attitude during Zoro's duel with Mihawk. When Johnny and Yosaku attempt to intervene, Luffy holds them back and tells them to wait until the end, despite obviously wanting to help Zoro himself.
  • This Is Sparta: I am WHITEBEARD!
    • THIS IS MY ERA!!!
  • This Is Unforgivable!: If Luffy sees you betraying your own Nakama, you better start praying.
    • Subverted when Boa Hancock petrifies her subjects, which made Luffy initially very angry. But when Hancock reversed the process and Luffy learned her Dark and Troubled Past, and the effect it had on her, he instantly forgave her.
    • Similarly averted when Franky found out that the Straw Hats pulled this exact trope on the Franky Family and even said the words "This is unforgivable, Straw Hat!", almost turning into a Cycle of Revenge. However, a series of circumstances allowed the Straw Hats and the Franky Family to work together, and in the end, Franky even pulled a Heel Face Turn, and joined the Straw Hats.
  • This Looks Like a Job For Aquaman: Who knew that Usopp's natural negativity would be the one thing that made him immune to Perona's negative ghosts? She went horohorohOLY CRAP!!!
  • This Means War: Luffy has declared War twice in his time as a pirate.
    • First was as part of his You Are Not Alone movement for Robin by declaring war against the World Government so they would be labeled as the same.
    • The second was after the Fishmen Civil War Luffy declares war against the Emperor Big Mam to free Fishmen Island from her candy-coated fingers.
  • Those Two Guys: Coby and Helmeppo; Johnny and Yosaku; Jango and Fullbody...
  • Through a Face Full of Fur: Yup, Chopper can do this.
  • Throw the Dog a Bone: Sanji finally meets beautiful mermaids. And they like him.
  • Time Skip: In the manga, the first chapter ends with one, starting from when Luffy was seven, then jumping 10 years.
  • Title Drop: Since the name of the manga is also the name of the ultimate treasure, this happens every so often.
  • Together in Death: We have Gold Roger and his lover, Rouge. In some ways, we could consider Whitebeard and Ace in a platonic sense, seeing what the former went through in order to rescue the latter.
  • Tongue Suicide: {{spoiler|In a slave auction, one of them committed suicide by biting his tongue, since he considers this as a Fate Worse Than Death. Though he didn't die and it's assumed that he can be saved if he receives medical attention soon.
    • During an escape attempt, Mr. 3 assuming that he's gonna be tortured threatens to bite hit tongue.
  • Too Dumb to Live: Usopp jumped off the ship... while they were in the sea of clouds. Needless to say, he almost went splat.
    • Though, one should remember it was a sea of clouds that was capable of supporting their ship.
    • Actually Luffy, Brook, and Chopper have their moments. If they see the other drowning, they will jump in to save them, despite the fact they know they can't swim.
    • Also, Gedatsu deserves a mention here. He's so forgetful that at one point, he was thinking something at one of the Strawhats only to realize that he was thinking it and that his mouth was closed. He has also forgotten to breathe, which could've led to this trope being literal, had it continued.
    • The World Nobles count, to an extent. They are utterly incapable of understanding that their downright reprehensible behavior tends to make them universally despised, and the "common" people absolutely will kill them if given half a chance to do so. One even had the nerve to insult a group of former-slave Fishmen on their island when they were armed, and he was alone, injured, and had no way of contacting the Admirals that normally keep people from delivering their long-deserved comeuppance. Would have undoubtedly gotten the dumbass killed, had Queen Otohime herself not stepped in.
    • Did Demelo Black, who only had a 26-million-beli bounty, really think he could impersonate the 400-million-beli-bounty Luffy and NOT have Sentoumaru come with TWO Pacifistas to kick his ass?

Sentoumaru: STRAW HAT ISN'T SOME PIECE OF TRASH LIKE YOU!!!

  • Took a Level in Badass: Usopp. He got upset when it became clear that he was a weakling in a World of Badass. Cue his ascent to utter badassery as Sogeking, the King of Snipers, capable of defeating experienced Devil-fruit users and making hordes of marines wet their collective pants.
    • Then there's Coby and Helmeppo. Hard to believe that the former was a chubby cry baby and was much shorter than we see him now, and the other was a Smug Snake idiot son, of one of the story's earliest (and perhaps most inefficient) Big Bad.
      • And after the two year skip, all of the Strawhats took a level in badass. Luffy mastered Haki, Zoro significantly increased his ability with swords, Sanji can run at super speeds on land, underwater, and through the air as well as improved combat abilities, Usopp becomes incredibly buff and masters Pop Greens, Nami has mastered weather control, Chopper has mastered his shapeshifting and his forms have become more powerful, Robin can now generate clones of herself and giant limbs, Franky made himself a new and more powerful body as well as a mech, and Brook gained enhanced musical abilities as well as master over his devil fruit to the point where he can leave his body similar to astral projection and put his bones back together as long as the bones themselves aren't damaged.
  • Too Spicy for Yog-Sothoth: In one of the side cover stories in the manga, this happened to Buggy when a mother bird ate him.
  • Traintop Battle: Franky's fight with CP9 member Nero atop the Puffing Tom.
  • Tranquil Fury: As long as Luffy is shouting and occasionally laughing while fighting you, you still have a chance. Once he stops doing these things, however, there is nothing on earth or heaven that can save you. Ask Arlong, Bellamy, and countless others.
  • Transformation Sequence: Wax-Wax Armor!
  • Transvestite: Mr. 2 Bon Clay and the natives of Kamabakka Kingdom.
  • Treasure Map: Sometimes comes up, thought not as often as you'd think for pirates.
  • Treachery Cover-Up: When news got out that Crocodile had his sandy ass handed to him, the World Government credited the defeat to Smoker. Who, by the way, was less than happy about it.
  • Troubled Backstory Flashback: Most of the Straw Hat crew's flashback depict a (relatively) happier time before everything goes to hell. The post-Paramount War flashbacks for Ace, Luffy, and Sabo might very well be there just to wrench the stake further into the gaping wound in most fans hearts.
  • Trouser Space: You would think that Spandam might be a little hesitant to take blueprints that Franky probably kept in his speedo.
    • Word of God says that Franky keeps his tools in his speedo.
    • In the G-8 filler arc, Luffy pulled the octoballoon from the end of Skypiea from his trousers.

Zoro: Yeah, but...didn't it feel weird down there?
Luffy: Down where?

  • Trust Me, I'm A Doctor: Trafalgar Law tends to announce his profession with such a line. Though, it doesn't help that, in addition to being a doctor, he's a pirate. And, OH YEAH, his moniker is "Surgeon of Death," so you might not want to trust this guy too much.
    • Turns out he's actually pretty good at his trade.
  • Tunnel King: Miss Merry Christmas
    • Daruma
    • Post Timeskip Horn Point Chopper
  • Tyke Bomb: All of CP9 apparently, but Rob Lucci was the the most infamous.
    • Averted in the case of Luffy and Ace who were trained from young ages by their grandfather to become strong sailors in the Marines... only to become two of the world's most wanted pirates.

U

  • Ubermensch: Blackbeard.
  • Unexplained Recovery: It's amazing what kind of things that people in this series go through, yet still live to tell the tale. For instance: Pell carrying a bomb out of the clock tower, seemingly getting blown up when it goes off, and still ends coming back just fine.
  • Ungrateful Bastard: Shiki at the start of One Piece Film Strong World. Granted he was already a prick to begin with, but the Straw Hats go out of their way to warn him and his crew incoming of an typhoon that not even his weather staff can predict. After they avoid it, how does he show his gratitude? By kidnapping Nami and nearly killing the crew by dropping them dozen of feet from the air. Big mistake.
    • Done much earlier by Don Krieg, who attacks the restaurant that just saved both his and his crews' lives.
    • The Longarm Tribesmen who Brook decides to willingly work for during the timeskip repay him by trying to turn him over to the Marines when he tells them he plans on retiring.
  • Unholy Nuke: God Eneru with his infamous, island-annihilating Raigou [dead link].
  • Universal Poison: Averted with Magellan. His Doku-Doku no Mi gives him command over all poisons, running the gamut from minor irritants to paralytic agents to full-on stone-melting corrosives. Even with antidotes for some individual poisons, once he hits you with lethal doses of about a dozen different poisons you're beyond the help of medical science. Luffy found out the hard way that Magellan's poison wasn't just a Standard Status Effect he could Determinator his way through.
  • Unobtainium: Seastone.
  • The Un-Reveal: Happens whenever information about One Piece or the Will of D is about to be revealed. When Usopp asks Silvers Rayleigh what's on Raftel, Luffy basically says NO SPOILERS. Later, Whitebeard flashes back to a conversation he had with Roger concerning the true nature of the Will of D, but the flashback is cut off and Whitebeard dies a few pages later.
  • Unscaled Merfolk
  • Unskilled but Strong: Luffy's defeat of Sandersonia and Marigold falls into this. Luffy couldn't get past the Boa sisters' Haki abilities until he went to Gear 2nd and became faster than Sandersonia could follow even while reading him and stronger than Marigold's defenses could handle.
  • Unsound Effect: When Wapol's crew is stared down by a bunch of Lapins, the sound effect is LAPIN.
  • Unstoppable Rage: Numerous times by most of the Straw Hats, but the most hilarious is when Sanji finds out that Absalom is about to marry Nami and has seen her naked. He becomes so angry he starts burning - literally.
    • Sanji again anytime he remembers the "Hell" he went through the past two years, even enough to set his whole body on fire instantly.
  • Unusual Eyebrows: Sanji.
  • Unwanted Harem: Luffy has an entire ISLAND'S worth in the Kuja Amazons, who immediately take a liking to him after he does the gorgon sisters one of the biggest favours they could ever ask for.
  • Unwitting Pawn: Both the Whitebeard Pirates and the World Government are patsies for Blackbeard, the man who single-handedly caused what is confirmed to have been the biggest battle in recorded history, got what he wanted, and escaped scot free.
  • Upper Class Twit: The Celestial Dragons. They're the descendants of the people who created the World Government, so they feel that they don't have to do anything. That includes not breathing the same air everyone else is breathing.
  • Use Your Head: Luffy has done this at least twice. One time, he used his head to stretch back and hit Captain Kuro;knocking him out. Another was in Skypeia when he used gomu-gomu bell, which is him using his head as a weapon.

V

  • Verbal Tic: Too many characters to list, and the unique laughs for characters are practically a whole subtrope.
  • Veganism and Vegetarianism: Despite his name, Marine Captain T-Bone doesn't eat t-bones... or any other meat.
  • Victoria's Secret Compartment: While heading toward Enies Lobby, the group overhears a Den Den Mushi chiming, and Nami tugs down the front of her shirt. Sadly, we don't see her take it out.
    • In the Seventh Movie Nico Robin is shown pulling a small paper from her ample bosom, complete with a Gainaxing effect.
  • Victory Pose: Franky.
  • Viking Funeral: The Straw Hat Pirates do this for the Going Merry, their first ship.
  • Villain Ball: The World Government is a Well-Intentioned Extremist government and 9/10 of their acts are to protect the citizens and the World peace with a Kick the Dog moment... then they decide to start a war with Whitebeard, one of the Emperors to take down the last vestige of Roger and to show they are not afraid of pirates. The results were... mixed.
  • Villain Forgot to Level Grind: Remember those Pacifistas that utterly demolished the Straw Hats and a large chunk of Whitebeard's forces? Remember when defeating the first one left the entire Straw Hat crew completely drained and vulnerable? After the time skip, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji are all capable of effortlessly bringing them down.
  • Villainous Breakdown: Crocodile and Moria had really epic ones. Also Spandam, though his multi-stage breakdown was pathetic rather than frightening.
    • Let's face it. Every enemy Luffy initially fights goes through one. He has that effect on them.
  • Villainous Crossdresser: Mr. 2 Bon Kurei, who later does a Heel Face Turn.
  • Villainous Harlequin: Buggy the Clown
  • Villainous Rescue: Granted, they were already in an Enemy Mine situation, but it's still surprising when chapter 578 comes around and CROCODILE of all people steps in to save Luffy.
  • Villains Out Shopping: The post-Paramount War chapter covers place some of the more serious and/or villain characters into lighthearted scenarios, such as Magellan fishing with Hannyabal, Impel Down sadist Sadie-chan eating out with the head guard Domino, Mihawk eating takoyaki with Jinbe, and Akainu tending to a bonsai tree.
  • Villain with Good Publicity: Crocodile, of course. He was seen as the hero of the people pretty much up to when he created a sandstorm that was supposed to Kill'Em All.
  • Violence Is the Only Option: For Luffy, the only way to deal with the current arc's Big Bad is to kick their ass.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: Zoro and Sanji, obviously. When they meet up again after not seeing other for two years, the first thing they do is insult each other. Making it seem more like they had been apart for two minutes than two years.
  • Vocal Dissonance: Noticeable with characters like Chopper in his combat forms, Miss Monday, and Fukuro.
  • Vocal Evolution: If you compare the acting from the very start of the anime, to now... well, it speaks for itself.
  • Volleying Insults: Sanji and Zoro

W

  • Wacky Wayside Tribe: Filler uses this now and again, to give a side-voyage for the anime while the manga gets ahead. In canon, the just-introduced Kuja Tribe on the island of Amazon Lily already appears to fit the trope to a T.
    • Subverted. The leader of the Kuja, Empress Boa Hancock, turns out to be a Warlord of the Sea and a plot coupon to help Luffy infiltrate Impel Down. The Amazons have since become another one of Luffy's allies, especially since Hancock has developed an intense crush on Luffy.
  • "Wake-Up Call" Boss: Aokiji. He took down Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro faster than any one before.
    • Also, Mihawk and Crocodile. They both took down Zoro and Luffy (Respectively) in seconds the minute they actually starting fighting back.
  • Wanted Poster: Considered De facto Power Levels on the Grand Line by the general public. The higher a person's bounty, the stronger and/or more dangerous to the world s/he is.
  • War Arc: The Whitebeard War had an entire saga named after it, but most of the major fighting occurred in the Battle of Marineford arc. Its participants included the Whitebeard Pirate Crew, the Marines, the Seven Warlords of the Sea and Luffy.
  • Wave Motion Gun: The Thousand Sunny's Gaon Cannon. Not every day you see one of these things on a pirate sloop.
  • Weak but Skilled: Usopp and Nami in particular, using gadgets and tactics in their battles. Robin should also count as far as Devil Fruit powers go, since she isn't physically any stronger than a normal person, but her power lets her use leverage and devestating creativity against her foes.
  • Weak-Willed: Luffy is highly susceptible to hypnosis. He can even be affected by hypnosis that isn't even aimed at him. He also repeatedly fell victim to Miss Goldenweek's Colors Trap.
  • Weapon of Mass Destruction: Pluton, Poseidon and Uranus. Poseidon doubles as a Person of Mass Destruction.
  • Weapon Tombstone: Ace's dagger and Whitebeard's bisento.
  • Webcomic Time: One Piece began on August 4, 1997, and to date, on-screen action covers less than a year of story.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: The Marines down to a T. Aokiji, Smoker and Hannyabal for example are basically good persons who want to protect the innocent from pirates while others like Akainu and Sengoku are far more brutal and merciless in their quest for peace but Sengoku was outraged that the escape of the prisoners from Level Six was covered to the point of resigning and Akainu was ready to tackle Whitebeard for the Marines and continue after being pummeled half to death so the "peace of the world" can reign . Luffy is the same, ready to help others at the drop of a hat but though nothing of letting some of the most degenerated individuals in the planet free as long it saved Ace and acting with what he believes is right, regardless of morality, factions or consequences.
    • There's also Ohm, who just wants to save everybody from fighting and ruining the inherent happiness they were born with...by killing everybody so they can no longer suffer.
  • Wham! Episode: Chapter 513/Episode 405. That is all.[context?]
    • Chapter 550 with its shocking revelation.
      • We could honestly just call the the entire Whitebeard vs. Marine thing a WHAM ARC, with the number of things that keep popping up and changing the tide of the battle. Ace and Whitebeard die, the Marines and Whitebeard Pirates are devastated. Blackbeard appears ready to attempt to become Pirate King. One Piece might go from being a Crap Saccharine World to just a Crapsack World.
      • And 577, aptly named "One Outrageous Development After Another," Blackbeard absorbs Whitebeard's powers (which was previously thought to be impossible.) He now has the power of TWO devil fruits, one of which is a Logia that can negate other devil fruits, the other of which is a Paramecia that can supposedly destroy the world (likely a bit of hyperbole in there, but a man that can cause tsunamis in a world that seems to be 90% water is a man to be feared).
  • Wham! Line: Two in rapid succession.

Whitebeard: Oh, yes. One Piece...is out there!

    • Another one:

Nico Robin: Her (Shirahoshi) other name is... "The Ancient Weapon Poseidon".

  • What a Senseless Waste of Human Life: The Buster Call attack. The last one had a battleship fire at another, still fully-manned battleship... just to get Luffy.
    • And before that, in Robin's flashback, they fire on a passenger ship full of innocents just in case a archeologist hid on board.
    • Coby called everyone present out on this at the end of the war when the marines were fighting against fleeing and deranged pirates while injured soldiers could still be saved.
  • What Does This Button Do?: While running from angry locals after landing on a winter island, Franky comes across a large button with a skull on it. Thinking that it's a pirate symbol, he presses it. As you might have guessed, that's not what the skull was a symbol for.
  • What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?: Sanji makes cooking look epic.
  • What If: The question poised for the 9th One Piece movie: Episode of Chopper, which panned out a little differently than from the original story.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: Hannyabal gives one to Luffy in Impel Down, pointing out that many of the prisoners his group has freed deserve to be locked away, as they would otherwise be terrorizing innocent people. Case in point: Crocodile. Luffy's response? Basically, he didn't care. Your Mileage May Vary (his brother's life was at stake, not to mention his own), but for many this was a shocking turn for Luffy. Possibly done to create a parallel between Luffy and Blackbeard.
    • Though in Luffy's case, it should be noted that he did not originally want to free Crocodile. It was Emporio Ivankov who conviced him to do it.
    • Incidentally, Sengoku gives (or rather wants to give) one in 581. When he finds out the World Government is going to cover up the escape of a ton of Level 6 prisoners rather than warn the public and admit their failure, he rightly shouts "Are you fucking kidding me?!"
  • When All You Have Is a Hammer:Every Devil Fruit users' power is a "hammer" as the power never grows stronger or weaker. The users must think of ways to use this power in new ways. Special mention goes to Luffy because while he is an idiot, he comes up with surprisingly creative ways to use his "hammer".
  • White-Haired Pretty Girl: Nico Robin's mother Nico Olivia.
  • The White Prince: Helmeppo
  • Who Watches the Watchmen?: Who governs the World Government?
    • The Idiot Ball/Villain Ball
    • The Gorosei, but there is no real oversight at any level. They are free to do what they want.
  • Whole-Episode Flashback: In the Skypeia arc this took three whole episodes and it was of the tale of the ancient past, anyway, and in the Enies Lobby arc, it took two episodes and a double-bill special flashback.
  • Widget Series
  • Wingding Eyes: Happens every so often. At first, it was just with Nami and her eyes becoming the the Beli sign. Now, it has included sparkles, hearts and, at one point, takoyaki.
  • Winged Humanoid: The apparent application of Lafitte's Devil Fruit.
    • The inhabitants of Merveille have feathers growing out of their forearms, though they themselves don't know why or how. After Shiki's defeat and the return of their island to the sea, they discover that they can indeed fly.
    • Not to mention the Skypeians and Shandians, despite the latter having lived on the ground before getting shot up into the sky. They're small and seem to be purely cosmetic, though.
  • With Friends Like These...: Usually, the only time that Zoro and Sanji are not fighting each other is when there's something or someone that has gotten in the way of them fighting each other.
  • A Wizard Did It: The majority of the Devil Fruit powers seem to violate major, established laws of physics and causality, but that's okay because they're magical. Also it's cool.
  • Wolverine Claws: Captain Kuro
  • Women Drivers: Averted with Nami in Skypeia. She picks up a waver and ends up getting the hang of it within minutes. This is after Conis told her that it usually takes someone about ten years to master using it.
  • The World Is Just Awesome: When the Going Merry goes up Reverse Mountain.
    • Diving to Fishman Island, and seeing the giant Yarikiman Mangrove roots from underwater.
  • World of Badass: One Piece is capable of, among other things, making chefs, carpenters, and even crossdressing queer ballerinas absolutely, unarguably, BADASS. That last one manages to pull off arguably one of most badass scenes of all in a World of Badass.
  • World of Ham: Played for Laughs and drama
  • World's Strongest Man: Whitebeard has been called this many times before, and with good reason.
  • The World Tree: The Tree of Knowledge from Robin's past.
    • Also: Adam, the invincible tree.
  • A Worldwide Punomenon:
    • The Zoro/Kaku fight in Enies Lobby is brimming with all kinds of weird puns.
    • At the beginning of the Sabaody Arcapelago arc, when Duval's crew attacks the Thousand Sunny, they keep talking about keeping their flying fish in formation. The problem is, in Japanese, the word for "formation" is hentai, which also means "pervert". Naturally, Franky answers to this.
  • The Worf Effect: In full swing during the Marineford arc. Whitebeard, Jozu, and Marco easily repel the initial moves of Aokiji, Mihawk, and Kizaru respectively. The latter three all curb-stomped the Straw Hats. Three out of Seven Warlords quickly bring down Oars, Jr., whose ancestor's reanimated corpse defeated the Straw Hats and then some.
    • All the giants present in Marineford serve as prime examples for this, serving as fist-fodder for Oars Jr., Whitebeard and Luffy, in that order.
    • CP9 did this to the Galley La foremen hardcore
    • The Demon Guards from the Impel Down arc seem to exist solely for the purpose of being clobbered by Luffy, Crocodile, or Jinbe every time they show up, the second time off-panel.
    • And after the timeskip, the Pacifistas have become textbook examples.
      • At least the older models.
    • The New Fishman Pirates were used like this to show just how strong the entire crew has gotten in the last two years.
  • Worth Living For: The crew is.
  • Wouldn't Hit a Girl: Sanji. He won't do it even when that girl is trying to kill him.
  • Wretched Hive: The Sabaody Archipelego. With all of the bounty hunters, human shops, ship-coating ripoff bars, Celestial Dragons who come by every so often, the auctions of people/mermaids and the marine base being right next door, it's a wonder that any pirate rookies who get there ever make it through to the New World.
  • Written by the Winners: Donquixote Doflamingo basically says that whoever wins the war between the marines and the pirates becomes justice.
    • Averted with the poneglyphs. Which, according to Professor Clover, were probably written by the losers of the war that happened during the Void Century.
      • That's probably more played straight, considering the World Government have successfully wiped out nearly everyone capable of reading them.

X

  • Xanatos Gambit: Sir Crocodile, Sengoku, and especially...
    • Blackbeard. Doesn't matter if Luffy escapes and Ace shows up; he'll just capture the latter instead. Doesn't matter if he loses his Warlord status; he only wanted it to get into Impel Down anyway. Doesn't matter if Magellan curb-stomps him and his entire crew; he's convinced someone to bring him the antidote. Doesn't matter if Shanks stops him from sinking Marineford; he got what he wanted ( dead Whitebeard, earthquake powers) and said what he needed to say. ("Dear Everybody: You're FUCKED.")
      • It's important to remember just how completely insane Blackbeard's gambit was based soley on how lucky he got. The astronomical number of factors that could have killed his entire plan is just dizzying. First of all, if Luffy hadn't been in Impel Down around the same time as him, then Magellan wouldn't have been inconvenienced enough to release Shilew; which would've resulted in him being hopelessly curbstomped by Magellan, with no one to help him. Luffy even getting into the prison relied on the actions of both Kuma and Hancock; two people he no control whatsoever over. Taking Ace instead of Luffy was the entire reason he was able to get past the Impel Down phase of his plan, since it's made quite obvious that he wouldn't stand a lick of a chance against Whitebeard under normal circumstances. The war resulting from Ace's execution weakened Whitebeard just barely enough so he make the kill.
      • He is convinced that it is fate.
  • Xanatos Speed Chess: Blackbeard's proven highly adept at improvisation. He initially targets Luffy as his ticket into the Warlords, but goes for Ace when the opportunity comes along. Faced with a probable enemy right on the gates of Impel Down, Blackbeard up and recruits him.
  • X Marks the Hero: After the time-skip, we see that Luffy now has an X shaped scar on his chest.

Y

  • Year Zero: Many characters refer to the current era as having begun with Roger's death, and with the newest era beginning with Whitebeard's death. Though the official Year Zero appears to be the creation of the World Government / end of the Blank Century eight hundred years prior.
  • Yellow Brick Road: ...As defined by the specific compass the crew happens to have.
  • You Are Already Dead: Brook's signature attack.
  • You Are Not Alone: Robin's Rescue Arc.
  • You Are Number Six: The male agents of Baroque Works.
    • Oddly enough, Mr. 6 is not actually present in the series, though we do get 0 through 5, 7 through 9, 11 and 13.
  • You Didn't Ask: The reason Luffy never told anyone about his strange family tree and about why Ace is his older brother.
  • You Gotta Have Blue Hair: Buggy, Tashigi, Vivi, Ms. Doublefinger, Franky, Iceburg, Ivankov... did we miss anybody?
    • Yes. You missed Nami's even hotter older sister Nojiko.
    • Strangely, Zoro (with his green hair) is the only one in the series whose hair color is ever treated as abnormal.
  • You Have Failed Me...: The fate of any Baroque Works agent who fails their mission. Mr. 3 got better.
  • You Have No Idea Who You're Dealing With: The Imposter Straw Hats had no idea that the people they were after for humiliating them were members of the real Straw Hats, included Luffy. Their reaction to learning Luffy's true identity wasn't subtle, that's for sure.
    • Up until the crew met Akoji, none of the Strawhats except Robin fully understood just how powerful the Marine's top people could be and how far Luffy and others had to go before even remotely standing a chance against one third of the "Greatest Military Powers".
  • You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Baroque Works and the Black Cat Pirates have poor employee benefit packages.
    • And now Gecko Moria to the World Government.
  • You Rebel Pirate Scum: Quoted mostly by members of CP9, but a common sentiment among World Government personnel.
  • You're Not My Type: Played for Laughs in Fishman Island. Mermaid Princess Shirahoshi says this is the reason that she won't marry Vander Decken. Considering that he's been using his devil fruit power to throw an object he can at her (from literally anywhere) for ten years, forcing her to hide away in her castle out of fear, practically everyone is surprised this is her main concern.
  • Your Size May Vary: Various examples.
    • The first time Urouge bulks up he utterly dwarfs Hawkins, yet shrinks down a bit for subsequent appearances.
    • On one volume cover Mr. 2 is shown to be a little taller than Crocodile, who's over eight feet tall, but isn't shown to be anywhere near that height in the manga itself.
    • Then there's the infamous "Giant Warlords" spread, where Mihawk and Hancock, both confirmed to be no taller than six and a half feet, utterly dwarf a marine soldier talkng to them.
    • Even Gecko Moria, who is over 22 feet tall, suffered from this. When he first appeared, he looked more like a giant than an abnormally large human.
      • It didn't help that the minions that he first appeared next too are like 1 foot tall so perspective was shot to hell and back.
  • Your Terrorists Are Our Freedom Fighters: The Revolutionary Army.
  • You Shall Not Pass: Done by Ivankov and Inazuma to delay Magellan. Hannyabal invokes this when confronting Luffy, while standing on a bridge, swinging a flaming staff. Then Blackbeard comes along and renders it a moot point.
    • This exact line was later used again by Vice Admiral John Giant on Whitebeard, who subverted it by launching John across the island.
    • And now [when?] Garp has done this to stop Luffy from getting to Ace! Yet again subverted, because in the end he throws the fight.
    • Lampshaded by Rob Lucci:

Luffy: What was it just now?! Where was Robin speaking from?!
Lucci: Behind this door.
Luffy rushes the door; Lucci intercepts him.
Lucci: "I can't let you pass." At least let me say that.

Z

  • Zany Scheme: Silvers Rayleigh had one that eventually lead into the two year time skip.
  • Zerg Rush: Don Krieg's pirates claim they're the strongest in the East Blue. Luffy informs them that they aren't strong, "There's just so many of you."
    • Also a key element to Enies Lobby's defense is its 10,000 man garrison.
  • Zombie Gait: Averted; most of the zombies are of average speed and intelligence, have distinct personalities, and can even disobey their masters in some instances. Justified by the fact that these zombies actually have "souls"... just not their own.
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/One_Piece/Tropes_Q-Z?oldid=1922474"