There’s hardly any series that captures the same sensation of wanderlust and adventure as the legendary One Piece, Eiichiro Oda’s lifetime work that managed to transform the entire shonen field. While Monkey D. Luffy is yet to earn the Pirate King title, he is universally and rightfully considered the king of shonen manga.
Oda’s fascination with pirates began in early childhood, and by the age of 17, he entered the professional manga scene. In 1996, he published Romance Dawn, the one-shot series that would kickstart One Piece’s serialization. Twenty-five years later, the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates continue, and, according to Oda, the series is only now entering its most exciting section. Out of the 103 completed volumes, some are considered the best according to Goodreads users.
10 Volume 58 – The Name Of This Era Is “Whitebeard” (4.70) Highlights Every Aspect That Makes Marineford One Piece’s Most Beloved Arc
The Marineford Arc has always been regarded as one of the best One Piece story arcs, highlighting the manga’s incredible narrative abilities. The Name of This Era is “Whitebeard” might be the most impactful volume in the series’ history, it’s considered the best by countless fans.
Volume 58 continues the heart-racing battle of the Marines and the Whitebeard pirates, establishing an approaching culmination of this legendary arc. Out of 3992 Goodreads ratings, this book got 3122 5-stars, earning a 4.70 average score and securing the volume’s iconic status.
9 Volume 59 – The Death Of Portgaz D. Ace (4.70) Still Makes Fans Emotional
The emotional climax of the Marineford Arc comes in volume 59, as Luffy’s sworn brother Portgaz D. Ace dies in the boy’s arms, causing Luffy to suffer a mental breakdown.
Another heartbreaking strike in this volume is the following sacrifice of Whitebeard, who dies in battle with the Blackbeard Pirates, yet never falls and passes standing proudly. Goodreads reviewers still cry over the losses in this volume, praising it as one of the best-written installments of the series and giving it a well-deserved 4.70 score.
8 Volume 97 – My Bible (4.71) Begins The Much-Anticipated Onigashima Raid
My Bible continues the frenetic adventures of the Wano Country Arc – one of the series’ longest and most character-packed installments yet. Volume 97 finally sees the Straw Hats and the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance set out to Onigashima and begin their invasion of Kaido’s base of operations.
While the book is yet to receive its official English translation, it already has an astounding 4.71 rating on Goodreads, with 1245 out of 1612 users giving the volume 5 stars. Praising My Bible for its swift pace and content density, every One Piece fan was excited about the Wano Arc’s approaching climax.
7 Volume 98 – The Brocade Of Loyal Retainers (4.71) Takes The Battle Straight To Kaido
The Onigashima raid proceeds in The Brocade of Loyal Retainers, another incredible addition to the still ongoing Wano Country Arc. The stakes are even higher in this volume, as the Scabbards face off against Kaido and the Straw Hats go against Big Mom, King, Queen, and the Numbers.
The epic fights on multiple fronts, full of some incredibly emotional moments impacted the Goodreads reviews positively. Holding a score of 4.71 stars, 1197 out of 1544 being 5-stars, volume 98 is a definitive fan favorite.
6 Volume 96 – I Am Oden And I Was Born To Boil! (4.74) Uncovers Some Of One Piece’s Most Anticipated Mysteries
The latest One Piece volume to receive an official English translation, I Am Oden and I was Born to Boil! takes the readers back in time to tell the story of Oden, a former member of the Whitebeard Pirates who traveled from Wano to Laugh Tale alongside Gol D. Roger.
Any book that sheds some light on the treasure at the end of the Grand Line makes the fans endlessly excited. Volume 96 was no exception, getting an impressive 4.74 score and earning 1397 5-star ratings.
5 One Piece, Volume 99 – Straw Hat Luffy (4.75) Kickstarts The Battle Between Supernovas And Emperors
Straw Hat Luffy continues the heated showdown to liberate Wano as Big Mom joins Kaido on the Skull Dome roof. Here fans are eager to find out if the combined powers of two Emperors are enough to defeat the five Supernovas, Luffy, Zoro, Law, Kid, and Killer.
Volume 99 is where the real generational battle begins, as Luffy announces to Kaido that he will surpass him to be King of the Pirates. New Generation’s match with the old guard left the Goodreads users astounded and craving for more. With an impressive 4.75 score, this volume breaks into the top 5 best-rated One Piece books on the site.
4 Volume 101 – The Stars Take The Stage (4.75) Gives The Rest Of The Crew Some Time To Shine
Shifting focus from the series’ hero, The Stars Take the Stage focuses on the battles of Luffy’s comrades and allies. Blasting from one jaw-dropping clash to the next, volume 101 keeps the readers on their toes.
The Goodreads users indicate how exciting it is to finally see some of their favorite side characters in action, giving their best to the common goal of defeating Kaido and his vassals. This far into One Piece’s story, volume 101 gets a 4.75 rating for keeping the comradery spirit of the series alive.
3 One Piece, Volume 100 – Haoshoku (4.80) Was An Anticipated Milestone For The Series
Few manga series make it to volume 100, so reaching this landmark was a celebratory occasion for every One Piece fan. Eiichiro Oda put extra effort into making Haoshoku a standout event for the entire community.
The supporting cast continues to impress the readers in some unbelievable confrontations, while Luffy breaks new limits of Haoshoku Haki, even going against Kaido one-on-one. 1275 Goodreads users rated this triumphal book, averaging the score at a whopping 4.80. A fitting way to commemorate 100 volumes on the way to the end of the Grand Line.
2 One Piece, Volume 102 – The Pivotal Clash (4.81) Continues The Wano Arc’s Non-Stop Action Fest
The Pivotal Clash doesn’t give the audience any breaks as Onigashima gets closer and closer to colliding with the Flower Capital. Luffy continues his intense clash with Kaido while his comrades are engaged in their own battles.
Zoro is struggling to master Enma, Sanji accepts the Vinsmoke modifications during his fight against Queen, and Law and Kid unleash their Devil Fruit powers. The Pivotal Clash surpasses all the previous Wano Country Arc volume scores, swiftly climbing to the top with an impressive 4.81 average rating.
1 One Piece, Volume 103 – Warrior Of Liberation (4.89) Makes The Readers Look Forward To The Adventures To Come
One Piece’s latest finished volume, Warrior of Liberation, rightfully sits at the top of Goodreads’ ranks and such a high score of 4.89 can’t be contributed to simple recency bias. The final battle of the Wano conflict continues to gain momentum, and the alliance makes significant progress, with Law and Kid defeating Big Mom.
Almost losing his life to Kaido, Luffy undergoes a power-up, awakening a new transformation – Gear 5. With Kaido reaching his limit, the battle on Onigashima might be nearing its conclusion.
