SUMMARY

One Piece is an incredibly dark anime if you remove Luffy from it.
Eiichiro Oda has shown the cruelty in villains like Crocodile, Arlong, Kaido and others that make the series very dark.
However, Luffy and his antics make the anime much lighter and help the audience deal with the seriousness.

Eiichiro Oda is a master craftsman who knows how to balance an extremely dark storyline in a way that is palatable to fans of all genres. One Piece is the perfect example of a series that deals with serious problems, but the protagonist takes the burden of stress off from fans.

If not for Luffy, One Piece would have been another psychological thriller or dark adventure series. However, because of the author’s well-planned characters and their chemistry together, the franchise is currently among the reigning kings of the anime/manga world.

SPOILER ALERT !!!
Every One Piece Spoiler on Earth!

The Dark Themes Portrayed in One Piece by Eiichiro Oda

Crocodile – One Piece | Credit: Toei Animation

Right from the beginning of One Piece, fans have been exposed to some extremely dark storylines. In fact, every Straw Hat has a dark past that is enough to make you cry. Be it Brooke whose crewmates died in front of his own eyes, Nami who was enslaved by the Arlong Pirates, or Robin, who spent her whole life running away from death.

In the Arabasta Saga, the full cruelty of Crocodile was revealed in which he acted like a savior of the country but was in fact harming them in the most sadistic way possible. He organized the destruction of communities, stole rain from the people, and committed unspeakable crimes.

Arlong Arc in One Piece | Toei

Of course, the World Government cannot be spared from the list, given their endless list of cruelty. From killing endless people, destroying entire islands to manipulating the whole world, their sins know no end. Add the Celestial Dragons and their inhumane tendencies and you have the perfectly disastrous government to rule the world.

The Goofy Hero Who Offsets the Dark Nature of One Piece

Luffy is probably one of the goofiest protagonists in the anime world. His unending positivity and enthusiasm are hard to counter, and are at complete odds with the world of One Piece, yet there’s no one who would fit in better.

If One Piece had a serious protagonist like Attack on Titan‘s Eren, it would have probably invited a lot more criticism than it does now. Of course, not everyone would be able to digest it either without the numerous comic relief scenes. Luffy with his huge appetite, silly naming sense, and easily manipulated personality has become a ray of hope for not just One Piece fans, but also for the characters in the series.

However, Eiichiro Oda’s masterstroke is not Luffy’s personality. The author stole the show by exhibiting everything the protagonist has gone through, all the while maintaining his smile.

Other than the constant beatings by overpowered opponents, Luffy has also been through several near-death situations. In the Impel Down arc, Luffy was poisoned by Magellan and would not have survived had Ivankov not helped him. Even the healing process took a decade off his life. He saw the death of his own brother and was not able to do anything to prevent it. He was left a husk of a man at the time but still managed to recover.

Ace’s Death in One Piece | Toei

Luffy also saw his crewmates being teleported to different parts of the world by Kuma and struggled to get together with them. Luffy’s sense of loyalty and sacrifice is unparalleled and it helps him survive the rough world of One Piece.